Week of February 27, 2017

Purple Curriculum Updates

Pre-Algebra I with MaryAnn:
This unit has been one of the hardest units we have explored thus far. Unit 9 consisted of many formulas for perimeter, area, surface area, and volume of many types of figures. We reviewed three days and had our unit assessment on Friday. The students also had a notebook check. When we return from spring break we will delve into probability. Have a nice break.

Pre-Algebra II with Jared:

We began the week wrapping up our chapter with a unit on word problems, revisiting again the try-check-and-revise method. On Tuesday and Wednesday we reviewed our chapter, focusing on all of the formulas we've covered, as well as the areas that may trip students up. We took our Chapter 8 test on Thursday, and then started discussing graphing.

Pre-Algebra III with Andrew:

This week in Pre-Algebra III, we continued looking at some geometry topics.  On Monday, we learned how to classify different types of quadrilaterals based on their sides and angles.  On Tuesday, we did an investigation to learn how to find the sum of the interior angles in a polygon, and some applications based off of that topic.  We looked at some of the area formulas for triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids at the end of the week, and created tessellation posters with different geometric figures.

Algebra I with Molly:

This week students continued our adventure into computation with exponents. They learned to multiply and divide numbers with exponential expressions, as well as large numbers in scientific notation. We will complete the chapter after Spring Break. Students began work on a Pie for Pi Day activity, which will be due the Tuesday after break.

Geometry with Clare:

Language Arts with Jared:

In our literature units, sixth and seventh graders continued in their novel Weedflower, and discussed what students felt would be the most scary part of a forced relocation. Eighth graders continued in 1984, and we looked at how the novel has been used in past decades as a metaphor in contemporary American politics. We also had fun translating our vocabulary words into "Newspeak." In our grammar units, sixth and seventh graders looked at the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs, and eighth graders took a quiz on nouns. Eighth graders also began a unit on latin roots, and how prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning of words.

World Studies & Civics with Andrew:

This week in Civics, we put in a lot of effort to finish up our NHD projects for History Night.  Students put the finishing touches on their projects, and practiced presenting their projects.  On Thursday, we had our History Night showing, and the students all did an excellent job of showing off the fruits of their labors from the whole year.

Physical Science with Molly:

This week we continued to mix and test different synthetic polymers. They read about the chemistry behind polymers and explored the absorbant polymers in diapers. 

Spanish with Corinne:

Morning Spanish

Sunshine A

This week we reviewed for and took a test on Chapter 2A.

Sunshine B

This week we watched another episode of “Eres tú, María?” and read a chapter from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Spanish.

Spanish B

This week we watched another episode of “Eres tú, María?” and started Chapter 8A, going on vacation. We will rewatch the grammar video the week after Sparing Break.

Spanish C

This week we began reading and studying about several important cities in Mexico that will be the location of En busca de la verdad, the video series for this textbook. We also reviewed how to conjugate the verbs “ir” and “ser” (to go and to be) in the preterite tense, which was covered last year.

Spanish D

This week we continued to work with different uses of the subjunctive and stem-changing verbs in the subjunctive. We will have a test on Chapter 8B on Thursday March 16 when we come back from Spring Break.

Art with Patti:

We spent some time practicing how to think about what they were doing during class to be engaged with art making, and writing about it in their sketchbooks using specific details. Students continued working on “Happiness” and “Activism” projects.

Computer Lab with Lauren:

Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:

6th grade students focused on the height spurt. 7th grade students watched a video focusing on students with eating disorders and their journey toward healing. It also focused on young people who have accepted their body type for what it is. 8th grade girls focused on bras and properly fitting a bra. 8th grade boys focused on sperm development and ejaculation.

Thank you from, 
The Purple Team