Fall Trimester Elective Updates
Graphic Design
In the graphic design elective, students learned how to use Adobe Illustrator to curve type on top and bottom of a circle, have text follow a curved line, convert text to a graphic, alter lettering, and convert one of their drawn images to a digital image. They used all of these tools to create a logo.
Red Room
Red Roomers have enjoyed their Purple Learning Buddies this trimester. A walk to the Y gardens to see bees and fall colors, help with games and puzzles, playing inside and out...all made more fun by having big kids join us. :)
Geocaching
We've had a great time traveling around Blacksburg in search of Geocaches near BNS. Students became better at find the obscurely hidden caches and looking for clues in the "found" notes of others.
Cooking (Mondays)
The students in Monday's cooking elective have learned to work together as a team very well. They enjoyed choosing what they wanted to make and compromising when necessary. This half of the trimester we have enjoyed Sam's special mac 'n cheese, dirt cups with fruit options and making rice krispie treats for the October birthday celebration in purple room. For our grand finale they have chosen oatmeal raisin cookies!
Cooking (Fridays)
In Friday Cooking Class we have been enjoying some sweet treats! We have been working together, dividing up tasks, managing our time wisely, and practicing our measuring skills. And the rewards have been delicious and successful. We explored a fun English treat called the "Fruit Fool" and discussed the history of whipped cream in Europe. In keeping with a European theme, we also made chocolate chip scones and briefly discussed the history of the scone as well. Next we made a large batch of Preacher Cookies and indulged in this old fashioned no-bake treat. And most recently, we made pumpkin muffins as a fall-themed food. Going along with the fall theme, we made apple tarts with apples from my backyard. Knife safety and proper fruit-peeling techniques were discussed and learned. We also discussed pesticides and the result/benefits of not using them (still delicious, but often more blemished fruits). Final product was delicious. One more class to go and we will reflect briefly on the value of homemade and whole foods.
Recorder
It has been a great trimester with the Recorder Ensemble. The group has been practicing several pieces of music that they can play in harmony parts along with several tunes from various movies. The group seems to enjoy playing "Hot Cross Buns" in three part harmony and "He's a Pirate" (from Pirates of the Caribbean) as their favorite songs. The ensemble also created their own composition of funny recorder sounds. We will play all of our songs for the Red Roomers on the final Friday of the elective trimester.
Knitting
Everyone has been knitting up a storm, finishing the hats they each chose as a project. They have really become proficient in the basic knit stitch, and have even learned to work on double pointed needles. It has really been a pleasure to work with this group of kids.
Python
For the second half of the trimester, the students have focused on learning about sequence types of data using lists, maps/directories, and tuples as well as methods for accessing this data using an index or key. One important function, students are learning about is the user defined function , the DEF. Students have learned how to use different types of Python loops and have successfully written a few short programs using loops. There have been several projects, but one in particular is a program called, MyClassSchedule. In this program, the students asked a user to pick a class from a list/block of classes to create a schedule.
For the second project, students coded a program called MyFavoriteIceCream - in which a user hadto choose a favorite ice cream flavor from a directory of choices and the computer would calculate the final price a customer should pay. Students used Python code to calculate not only the sub total, but final total including tax.
The third project students are working on is a game similar to Hangman, called 9Lives. In this program, the user tries to guess a five-letter word that is computer-generated, but the user has only 9 chances to guess the correct word. The coding for the program is a little challenging as it uses almost every new function and keyword that we have used this trimester. Most importantly, the students are building on their coding skills and reusing some of the things they were taught at the beginning of the trimester.
Election
Students spent the second half of the election elective learning more about television and radio ads as well as discussing the upcoming (now passed) town elections. They presented their print ads and commercials to the class. It was interesting to see the different approaches, both content wise and technology wise, that the students took to fulfil the requirements of the assignment. We also had the opportunity to watch part of the Blacksburg mayoral debate and discuss the answers given by the candidates.
Children's Garden
The middle school students generally arrived during recess and immediately sought out children to play with. They organized group games and spread out all across the playground. (Seriously, they were like the best lunch duties.) They learned all the kids names and sought out kids who may have been playing alone. They helped us gather the children indoors and took turns selecting and readying books and helped lead the "Garden Children" song. Today, some of my garden children did not want to leave because the middle schoolers were still there. They happily helped us clean up after school and played with kids in the after school program.
Book Club
We continued reading books in the Last Survivors series, and spent the 2nd half of the trimester looking at how a family in New York City survived the cataclysm caused by the moon being pushed closer to the Earth. Students enjoyed reading The Dead and the Gone, but agreed that the first book in the series was more enjoyable.
Purple Curriculum Updates
Pre-Algebra I with Seema:
Pre-Algebra II with Jared:
We began the week by looking at multiplying and dividing with fractions and mixed numbers. We then reviewed how to solve one- and two-step equations, this time using fractions. Our problem-solving unit this chapter focused on working backwards, in order to find a starting fact. On Friday we then looked at the customary system of measurements, and practiced estimating and converting through practice problems online.
Pre-Algebra III with Ann:
This week, we solved problems by guessing and checking and working backwards. Students enjoyed these problems and viewed them more as brainteasers than math problems. We also began exploring irrational numbers by learning about how Pythagoras "discovered" perfect squares and square roots. Ask your students what happened to the mathematician that first expressed the idea of an irrational number- the ancient Greeks were pretty brutal when you had a new idea!
This week we continued our focus on proportions applying these skills to
similar triangles. Students solved for congruent sides and applied this to
real-world situations, such as finding the height of a tree using lengths of
shadows. Later in the week, we worked with map scales and calculating distance
on a map. We finished the week working on solving percent problems using
proportion equations. Then we learned to calculate percent of change, increase
or decrease. We also found the greatest possible error in measurement and
likely ranges for errors in measuring to a given unit. We finished the week
with a focus on probability.
Language Arts with Jared:
Sixth graders began the week with a plot brainstorming session, where we reviewed the plots of the short stories we read last trimester, and thought about other options of where the plot could have gone. Seventh and eighth graders wrapped up their grammar unit on prepositions with a test on Tuesday. On the other days students continued typing their NaNoWriMo stories, with many students meeting 1/4 of their writing goal. We had fun using the "Writing Sprints" in order to try to set a 15-min writing goal and meet it.
World Studies & U.S. History with Ann:This week, 7th and 8th graders continued their study of immigration- focusing on historical trends, myths, and truths related to various immigrant groups. 6th grade wrapped up their study of industrialization and elected to complete the quiz as a take home assignment.They received the questions on Tuesday 11/7 and the quiz is due Tuesday 11/14.
We also ventured to Newman library to get books for the NHD projects. Students left incredibly excited to start their research. Please ask your student about their topic- they are very diverse this year! Students can expect to turn in 10-12 facts each week.
Earth Science with Molly:
This
week in science, students continued learning more about the mystery events
happening in our scenario and did some research to discover what may have
caused them. They researched and learned about solar flares, nuclear weapons,
solar wind, and Earth’s magnetosphere.
We finished
collecting observations of the moon and watched the slow waxing and waning over
the weeks over the assignment. Students began giving progress reports for
science fair projects and will continue to do so over the next several weeks.
Sunshine Spanish
Sunshine A
This week students learned the Spanish subject pronouns (I,
you, he, she, we, they) and conjugations of regular –ar infinitive verbs.
Students practiced conjugating the different verbs from Chapter 1A (qué te
gusta hacer?) every day to help with memorization of the forms. We will have a
test on Chapter 2A Thursday November 16.
Sunshine
B
This week we continued to work with the command
forms of various household chores. We also learned how to conjugate verbs in
the present progressive (-ing form). We will have a test on Chapter 6B on
Tuesday November 14.
HS Spanish I, part II
This week we reviewed Chapter 6A, items in a bedroom and
electronic equipment, comparisons, and the verbs “poder” and “dormir”, and took
a test on Friday.
This week we reviewed Chapter 2A, daily routines, reflexive
verbs, ser and estar, and possessive adjectives, and took a test on Friday.
This week we continued to work more with the uses of the two
past tenses (Preterit and Imperfect). We also learned four new irregular verbs
in the preterit that all conjugate similarly. We will have the test on Chapter 5A
on Thursday November 16.
Sixth Grade: Art Journal:
Starting on Watercolor Paper - What Can you Find? Thinking about different
line variation, students traced their findings with ink. Students
looked at all of the shapes that mingled and they painted for objects,
creatures, animals or people, and lightly outlined them with pencil. Project: Symbolic
Portrait Think
about portraiture in an abstract way. What are likes, how time is spent,
favorite foods, hobbies, family representation, favorite places to visit,
personal beliefs, how you define yourself. Create an artwork that is a
representation of yourself, combine several visual illustrations to convey a
composition of imagery representing self without the focal point being a
self-portrait. Paint, collage, draw, text and lettering can be used to create
this work.
Seventh Grade: Art Journal:
Positive/Negative Space Using a 5X5" paper, students created a symmetrical
shape to cut out and trace on their chalk pastel background. Students chose a few chalk pastel
colors and filled the page with blended color. They took clear water to create
a painted look. Project: Chalk
Drawing Using Grid You
will create a drawing using white chalk on black paper. LIGHTLY draw a 2"
grid on your black 12 X 18" paper. Choose an image to print out in black
and white that has a range of values and shows contrast. Draw a 1" grid
(or adjust if necessary) on top of your image. Using pencil, LIGHTLY draw major
shapes you see in each square from your image onto your black paper. Move square
by square, checking where the shapes meet the edges of the squares to scale
correctly. Using white chalk, start filling in various values you see in each
square, reference the value scale you created in your art journal. Use a
viewfinder (a card cut with a hole that matches your image grid square) to help
you focus on small pieces of information. Art Project: Fun Reflection
For this project
students created an artwork based on the theme "fun". They are to use
any medium that best fits the project, thinking about composition and creating
a focal point.
Eighth Grade: Art Journal: Color
Theory Students
used the spaces they drew to fill in all of the colors of the spectrum -
Primary, Secondary, and Intermediate. Project: Charcoal
Drawing You
will create a drawing using charcoal on white or neutral paper. LIGHTLY draw a
2" grid on your 12 X 18" project paper. Choose an image to print out
in black and white that has a range of values and shows contrast. Draw a
1" grid (or adjust if necessary) on top of your image. Using pencil,
LIGHTLY draw major shapes you see in each square from your image onto your
black paper. Move square by square, checking where the shapes meet the edges of
the squares to scale correctly. Using vine charcoal,, start filling in shapes
you see in each square. Use charcoal pencils and compressed charcoal to build a
range of values in each square. Reference the value sphere you created in your
art journal. Use a view finder (a card cut with a hole that matches your image
grid square) to help you focus on small pieces of information. My World: "My
World..."
For this project students created an
artwork based on the theme "My World....". They are to use any medium
that best fits the project, thinking about composition and creating a focal
point.
Check out the art blog at
http://bnsartstudio.weebly.com/
Computer Lab with Lorraine:
Students continue to work on their map projects. Please click on the link to read about them in the purple blog
P.E. and Health with Matt:
Life Skills / Sex Ed with Molly:
6th grade students learned about changes that occur in the
brain during puberty and how long it takes for their teen-brains to fully
mature. Next time they’ll focus on how their immature teen-brain affects their
decisions. 7th grade students focused on self-esteem this week. We
talked about the importance of liking and respecting oneself. We had some great
discussions about ways to raise your level of positive self-esteem. Next time
they’ll continue this focus. This week 8th grade boys learned about
sperm production, while the girls worked on independent homework. Next time the
girls will focus on female reproductive parts and the boys will focus on sexual
maturation and ejaculation.
Thank you from,
The Purple Team
