Hi all,
Whew - we made it! Everyone is ready for some time off. Trimester 1 closed today so the students start fresh after the break. The 7th Grade has a field trip on Friday, December 2 - looking for 8 chaperones (more would be great).
No laptops should be home over the break
As is tradition, laptops should remain at school over the holiday break. Should your child have brought the laptop home, please drop it off at school on Monday or Tuesday or next week.
Movember
A wild success - the beards were full, the boxes for food were fuller, and many a laugh could be heard during the parade Thursday morning. Mr. Pless won the costume contest but Mr. Keblin cleaned up the competition with 112 food items that propelled him to a first place finish - Tom Keblin is the overall 2017 Movember Champion!
Grade 7 Field Trip December 2
The 7th grade will attend the Vermont International Festival. Students will leave school around 11am and return to school by 1:50ish. This a great mid-day field trip to chaperone - self contained, of short duration and interesting. Please let Mr. Pless know if you would like to chaperone.
The trip does not require a fee.
High Interest Reading Material
Thank you - we have received multiple copies - please send more!
Calendar
November 21-25 - Holiday Break (staff development Nov. 21-22)
December 2 - 7th Grade to Vermont International Festival, 11:30am-1:30pm (Going for Certain! Looking for Chaperones!)
December 14 - Two Hour Delay
December 23-January 1, 2017 - Holiday Break
Academic Area Update
LA:
8th: When we return from break students will continue to examine dystopian books and short stories. This work will prepare us for the next writing unit (argument) when we will work together to construct literary essays.
7th: When we return from break students will begin a reading unit geared towards developing research skills. This will feed nicely into our next writing unit (argument) during which, students will be writing research based essays.
Math:
Algebra: This week we focused on solving Multi-Step Equations as well as solving equations using the Distributive Property. We will continue with this equations unit when we return from break with Literal Equations.
8th CMP: We wrapped up the first part of the Thinking with Mathematical Models unit with a summative assessment on Wednesday. When we return from break we will begin the statistics portion of the unit looking at correlations and bivariate data.
7th: This week we wrapped up the addition and subtraction portion of unit and moved on to multiplication of rational numbers. When we return from break, we will continue with multiplication and division.
Science
7th: Students worked very hard this week, finishing their cell models and preparing for the District final assessment for this unit! The models coming in are high caliber! We move on to our Genetics and Heredity unit after the break.
8th: Students continued to explore examples of elastic potential energy. After break, our focus will be on acceleration and free fall.
SS
The major district assessments were completed this week. Week after break, if any students need retakes, they will have that option.
7th Grade: After the break, students will investigate the role of cuisine in traditional national diets, while looking at how globalization is changing these traditional foods. Also, the students will explore belief systems through an investigation of symbols in the world’s major religions.
8th Grade: Social Studies will become film studies as the 8th graders explore the American identity through five films: three Schoolhouse Rocks shorts (“No More Kings”, “Shot Heard Round the World” and “Fireworks”), April Morning, Johnny Tremain and The Crossing. Direct instruction will focus on the first years of the war, the Declaration of Independence and the role of slavery during the conflict.
