Week of January 19, 2016

Purple Curriculum Updates

Pre-Algebra I with Bina:

We have finished chapter 7 and begun chapter 8. Chapter 8 focuses on geometry – specifically lines, plains, angles, and triangles.

Pre-Algebra II with Jared:

This week we focused on finishing up our chapter on percents, which we began before winter break. After trying a number of word problems involving percents, we then reviewed the unit in preparation for Thursday's test.

Pre-Algebra III with Emily:

We had a fun week in math. Students worked in three teams to devise a recipe for hot chocolate out of the four ingredients I brought. Each team calculated the amount of each ingredient in fraction, decimal, and percent form for their recipe, named it, and priced it. We then tried all three hot chocolates - all of which had too much cocoa and not enough milk or water. I added more of both liquids and then we all enjoyed a cup. Students worked on solving percent application questions by setting up proportions and writing equations. We will have a quiz on the first part of chapter six on Monday.

Algebra I with Molly:

This week students worked on homework revisions and continued to review and reinforce working with the three forms of linear equations. Students created scatter plots from data, looked for trend lines, wrote equations for the trend line, and were then able to predict further data. They also learned about graphing and translating the function y=the absolute value of x. We finished the chapter before the snow day. We will review at the beginning of next week and prepare to take the chapter 6 test.

Geometry with Holly:

We started the week by completing the second half of our lesson on similarity in right triangles.  This is a topic which can be very confusing for some students, so after seeing their homework on this topic, we spent a third day reteaching and practicing the material. We finished the week by discussing proportions in triangles.  

Language Arts with Jared:

Sixth and seventh graders began the week with a vocabulary quiz. We continued in our Norse mythology unit, with each class making progress in their class novels. Students also began working in their journals starting their own "Loki Adventure." And due to the snow, their grammar test on verbs was postponed until Monday.

World Studies with Emily:

6th and 7th graders began the week by discussing why our country celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and whether people of different statuses throughout history have fought for and valued equal rights and justice. We watched a few video clips of and about MLK Jr. and began to connect various US equal rights legislation to Cyrus the Great's declaration of rights for people across the Persian Empire. All classes divided into three groups and read a different paper about Ancient Persia, took notes, and is in the process of reporting the most important information to their classmates. We read aloud a short introduction to the Classical Age (500 BCE - 500CE) and a summary of the Persian Empire from the National Geographic Encyclopedia of the World. We continued to discuss important elements of NHD, like primary sources and citing sources for a Works Cited or Bibliography. Students received their NHD project calendars and the official NHD rule book. Also, students did a binder clean-out and organization. 

Life Science with Molly:

This week we completed diagraming the organelles typically found in animal and plant cells. Students have done a nice job of writing definitions, as I read information from multiple sources about each organelle. They also draw a diagram to accompany each organelle. They began learning about the chemical components of the cells.

Spanish with Olga & Corinne:

Morning Spanish

Spanish B
We only met once this week, and used the day to start our new unit.  We are learning about different types of stores and places where we can buy things.  We will continue practicing the numbers.  The students have test revisions to complete by next Wednesday.  

Spanish C

We only met once this week, and used the day to have our assessment.

Spanish D/D+

We only met once this week. We are working on the future tense and learning vocabulary to describe academic interests and future careers.

Art with Patti:

Middle school students have taken a break from current art projects so that they may all collaborate on their class auction projects. They are all working really well together to create some beautiful art pieces!

Computer Lab with Holly:

This week the students began playing "The Game of Life".  We are using this game to help the students practice the spreadsheet skills the students learned in our previous unit.  Additionally, the students are continuing to practice their typing skills. 

Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:

This week classes focused on creating posters to thank our local rescue workers. The cooking elective group baked cookies for the volunteers at the Blacksburg Rescue Squad. In future classes the 6^th grade students will learn more about changes during puberty, such as growth spurts. In future classes the 7^th grade girls will discuss breast growth and changes during puberty. 7^th grade boys will discuss male growth changes during puberty. In the future the middle school will focus on sex in the media, as it affects our own ideas about ourselves and others. In addition, students will learn about and discuss pornography (that it’s out there, what it is, how it can distort your ideas about sex and sexuality in an unnatural way). 

Thank you from, The Purple Team