Team Update: Week of June 4th

Class Updates:

Social Studies: Things are moving quickly in Social Studies! It seems like we just started our unit on the Renaissance but we only have a few days left. Students completed their assessments on the early part of the Renaissance on Friday. If your child was unable to take the test on Friday, then I am offering times after school next week to make it up. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Science:  This week we figured out that there is a lot of variation in organisms.  We are looking at the peppered moth history to figure out if variation between individuals matters.  Our online assessment will be on Monday.  Look for pictures of the genetics babies on my science blog!   Click HERE to see more about what we are doing in class.

Literacy: Lots of kids missed the test on The Omnivore's Dilemma on Friday, because of Trills and Thrills.  Like Mr. Santorsa, plenty of time after school is available for students to make it up.  Many students also need to make up Latin root tests as the final exam will be scheduled in the next couple of weeks.  We'll finish up with The Omnivore's Dilemma in the next week or so.  

English: This week students continued reading Freak the Mighty and analyzing the development of the characters. Students took their first test on this novel on Thursday, and on Friday students were introduced to the Hero's Journey plot structure. Next week the students will work on a project in class based on the Hero's Journey and continue with Freak the Mighty.

Math: W

Team Update: Week of May 29th

Class Updates:

Social Studies: We are moving right along in Social Studies! This past week we made quite the dent in our Renaissance unit. With this upcoming week being a short week (due to Memorial Day and Step-Up Day), we will still continue our research and discovery of the Renaissance and have an assessment on the early years of the Renaissance on Friday. 

Science:  This week we figured out that there are dominant and recessive genes.  Students enjoyed practicing this new discovery by making babies with their lab partners.  Look for pictures next week!   Click HERE to see more about what we are doing in class.

Literacy: WooHOO!  The twelve units of Latin roots are complete!  Your children have learned 158 Latin roots - a feat which will assist them from now on, as they navigate vocabulary!  Next week there will be a test on Part I of The Omnivore's Dilemma, so expect to see a study guide come home, and help your student prepare!  Have a wonderful weekend!

English: This week we continued reading Freak the Mighty and began exploring literary elements within this story. Next week there will be a test on the first half of Freak the Mighty; the study guides were sent home today! Students should start studying this weekend to prepare for the test on Thursday, May 31st. We will continue to read next week and explore heroism within literature and real life.

Math: We have spent this week learning about different types of angles.  Students should know the terms vertical angles, adjacent angles, complementary angles, and supplementary angles. At the end of the week we discussed how to use algebraic thinking to solve for missing angles.  Next week we will continue to work through more problems finding missing angles.  Our next quiz is on Friday, June 1st.

Team Update: Week of May 21st

HELP!  We all need tissues to help the kids with allergies!  Donations appreciated!

Progress Reports will go home on Monday, May 21! 

Class Updates:

Social Studies: Students completed their Performance Tasks on the Middle Ages Tuesday and started our unit on the Renaissance on Wednesday. We will continue learning and researching about the Renaissance for the next few weeks.

Science:  We are currently trying to figure out if there are patterns to the way that traits are passed down.  Students have analyzed human pedigrees.  We will continue to observe plants that we have crossed and grown to figure out these patterns.   Click HERE to see more about what we are doing in class.  QUIZ THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE!  What should you study?  Look at the green anchor chart in your binder, everything that is on that so far will be on the quiz.

Literacy: There is only one unit of Latin roots left to conquer, and we'll complete it on Friday with the test!  The Omnictionary due date has been pushed to May 31st.  Students are plowing through the remainder of the first section of The Omnivore's Dilemma, and should expect a short writing assignment this week and a test on the overarching concepts of the first unit within the next week or so.  They will have lots of notes to study, and will be provided a specific study guide. 

English: This week students took their final test on The Giver, and then we dove right in to our unit on Freak the Mighty. The first mini-project for Freak the Mighty will be assigned this week and should be completed entirely at home. Students will continue to read Freak the Mighty this week, as well as other supplementary stories.

Math: Friday was our last day of percents!  Our next unit will be on angles (vertical, adjacent, complementary, and supplementary), and constructing triangles.  Students will learn to use compasses an protractors to create different types of triangles. There are lots of new topics and skills to learn this unit that student's haven't been exposed to in the past. 

Team Update: Week of May 7th

Class Updates:

Social Studies: Students did a lot of reviewing this week in regard to the Black Death and the Late Middle Ages. Student took an assessment on those topics this Friday. Make sure that you check x2 for their updated grades!

Science:  This week in science we dissected flowers.  Thank you to Hannafords for donating one flower for each badger student!   Click HERE to see more about what we are doing in class.

Literacy: We are examining some of Michael Pollan's rules for eaters from his book Food Rules.  They thoroughly enjoyed comparing the nutritional labels on the variety of snacks that were in the room for the day, and I suspect more of your children will be reading the labels more frequently now!  The artists are working feverishly today to finish their Word Art, and I'm looking forward to posting some pictures of them as soon as they're all complete.  Latin 11 test Friday, May 11th. 

English:  Students spent this week continuing to read The Giver and are looking forward to uncovering some of the mysteries of the strange futuristic world in this story. Students also explored the writing style of Lois Lowry by writing their own personal memoirs. They were very creative in their figurative language use! Next week we will finish up The Giver and students will break down the ambiguous ending by writing their own final chapter of the novel. Remember that the last IRP is due on Monday!

Math: We are half way through our percent unit!  Most students did very well on the quiz last Thursday.  We will be spending this week learning about tip, tax, discounts, and markups. Just a reminder we do not have a Go Figure this month, yay.

Team Update: Week of April 23rd

April Break is here!

Students finished out the week with some Earth Day activities, including watching The Lorax to get some inspiration for their Earth Day bumper stickers. Check out the beautiful hallway display designed by Ms. Huckins!

Class Updates:

Social Studies: Students began to investigate the causes behind the Black Death and how it impacted the Medieval world. Once we return back from break, we will revisit the Black Death and start to wrap up our unit on the Middle Ages.

Science:  Click HERE to see more about what we are doing in class.

Literacy:  It was a very productive week in Literacy!  Kids composed, edited, typed, edited again, and produced wonderful work.  Most kids do their work on time, but there are some who have roadblocks.  The most satisfying moments for me were to see the pride on the faces of the roadblock gang, as they turned in well produced essays.  Being a productive student is hard work, but it is beautiful to watch.  After vacation, we'll finish the last two units of Latin roots, and return to our study of The Omnivore's Dilemma.  Here's hoping everyone returns refreshed and ready to work!

English:  We continued our unit on The Giver this week and students had their first test on Tuesday. The results were not quite where they should be, but we reviewed study skills and students who wish to retake should be reviewing their study materials over the break. Students ended the week by beginning to plan their snapshot memoirs to deepen their understanding of Lowry's writing style and to learn how to apply more figurative language in their own writing. After the break we will begin to finish up our unit on The Giver and continue developing those memoirs. Students should be working in their IRPs over the break, they are due on Monday, May 7th!

Math: We had a productive week in math focusing on the percent equation with a quiz on Thursday.  Many students did very well.  If you didn't please watch the videos and do some extra practice over vacation.  On Friday we had a crazy schedule, if you didn't get a chance to pass in your Go Figure please do that the Monday we get back.  This was our last one of the year, so finish strong! 

Team Update: Week of April 9th

Badgers will complete our state testing Tuesday through Friday of this week.  They need to be alert and well rested, so be sure they turn off the electronics, movies and games early, to get a good night's sleep.  Make sure to eat a good breakfast! We will have a new schedule this week and will be eating lunch later in the day, so bring a snack!

Class Updates:

Social Studies: We spent all of last week researching and investigating the impacts that the Crusades had on medieval times. Students began to make connections to today and started to realize how the Crusades shaped many aspects of our world that we live in. Ask your child about it!

Science:  This week we figured out that toxins can accumulate in the bodies of organisms and move through the food chain.  Click HERE to see more about what we are doing in class.  Next week we will complete our final assessment for the Trout Mystery.

Literacy:  We turned our sights to current events this week, to round out our discussion of social activism, and read about brave high school students marching to raise awareness about gun control laws.  Next week, students will be assigned a writing assignment about social activism, and will have one double class this week to begin.  The final product, revised and perfected is due April 20!

English:  Students began the week learning about sentence structure, and then on Tuesday they began to present their March IRPs. The students were very respectful of each other and came up with lots of interesting connections in their presentations. The students continued to read and analyze The Giver on their own as homework. The April IRP, which will be the last IRP, was assigned on Friday and will be due Monday, May 7th. This week the students will be continuing to read and analyze The Giver, and will be exploring memory preservation in our society and comparing it to Jonas's role as Receiver of Memory in  this story.

Math:  Last week the April Go Figure was handed out, it will be due Friday, April 20th.  Just a reminder students are welcome to pass the project in early, or have it checked prior to being passed in.  Due to testing we will have a light work week, don't expect much math homework!  The topic of discussion this week is Percents.

Team Update: Week of April 2nd

Students had a blast dressing up for advisory wars as a part of March Reading Madness!

Class Updates:

Social Studies: Last week students researched the Magna Carta and how it has greatly impacts our world today in regards to human rights. This upcoming week, we will move away from the Magna Carta and begin our journey learning about the Crusades.

Science:  This week we have been working on figuring out where we are going next.  Students have been analyzing graphs of the sea lamprey, trout and chub.  Although we know that the sea lamprey has played a major role in the decline of the trout population, we now know that there must be something else too.  Click HERE to see more about what we are doing in class.  Next week we will continue to investigate abiotic factors to help us solve the trout mystery.

Literacy:  We continued our exploration into the art of civil disobedience and peaceful protest by reading some wonderful articles about Mahatma Gandhi originally published by Caliope Magazine for Middle School.  The articles provided a needed frame of reference for the protests made famous during the Civil Rights Era of the 1960's and those occurring around the country now, in response to the tragedy in Florida.  We will complete the trilogy by viewing Viva La Causa next week, a documentary about Cesar Chavez's work to bring about change for migrant workers.  Omnictionary Benchmark due on April 5!  Instructions on Google Classroom!

English:  We continued reading The Giver and exploring the themes and techniques that Lowry used to craft this classic story. We delved into techniques like allusion and point of view, and the students even had their own Ceremony of Twelve, just like in the book! We rounded out the week with a highly engaging Break Out Box activity in the library about dystopian literature. The students completed an escape-room like activity and solved the puzzles to break into the box. They showed a tremendous ability to work together to solve a problem! Check out the pictures of students celebrating below! The March IRP is due Monday, so students should be finishing that up over the weekend. Next week we will continue to read The Giver and students will be presenting their March IRPs to the class.

 Math:  Last week we had great success with our surface area quiz!  I gave out way too many A's to start the trimester, nice job everyone.  Congrats to Theta who won the March Madness Challenge and will not have a Go Figure for April. As for anyone who hasn't passed in their March Go Figure please do that as soon as possible. April's Go Figure will go out later this week.  We also have a Geometry test on Wednesday, the study guide will go home on Tuesday.