WEEKLY UPDATE 10/22-10/26

IMPORTANT REMIDNERS/EVENTS:

Important Info regarding Magnet HIGH SCHOOLS: Magnet High Schools will have representation on the Pin Oak campus on Oct. 19th. This is a great opportunity for our students to meet with different schools and get information on requirements for potential students. We expect students to conduct themselves appropriately during this program.

Next week is Red Ribbon Week. Each day will have a theme, so please encourage your students to participate. In addition, the Homecoming Game is Wednesday night, so come out and support the Chargers in their last game of the season!

Monday: wear red
Tuesday: wear favorite team jersey or T-shirt
Wednesday: wear all blue in support of Homecoming
Thursday: dress as chosen future career
Friday: wear mismatched clothing

English:
We will continue our study of the Holocaust and will begin reading a play from the literature book, “The Diary of Anne Frank.” We will also read a children’s book entitled, The Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust. Students will answer questions over this in groups, and will participate in literature circles to discuss their thoughts and opinions.

We will also continue studying grammar, and will begin sentence diagramming this week.

On Thursday, Oct. 18, there was a student/faculty volleyball game during 8th period for students who purchased a ticket. I do not stop teaching for events like this, so class went on as usual for those students who did not attend. For those that chose to attend, it was explained to them that they are missing class time and class work that they are responsible for. On this day, we watched a video for which they are to write a reflection piece. For students who attended the game, I am offering one day after school for them to watch this video. Tuesday, Oct. 23 is the only day I will do this. This was made very clear to them before they left for the game, so if your child is not able to attend on this day, they made a poor decision in deciding whether to stay in class or attend a voluntary event.

UPCOMING DATES:
Independent Book Projects: CHANGE IN DUE DATE! I have pushed the due date forward, due to scheduling conflicts, to W/Th, Nov. 6-7. This should be helpful for many students who have not yet finished their books.

NEW PROJECT introduced Friday, Oct. 19: Pre-World War II European Jewish Life Photo Project. Students were given the assignment sheet in class. This is due on Th/F, Nov. 1-2.

History:
This should be a very busy weekend for some of the students. History Fair projects are due on Monday/Tuesday. The students will present the projects to the class and then place them in the House C Commons. The projects will be judged for entry into the All-School Fair on November 6, 7, 8. I expect the students with documentaries and performances to be ready with their scripts and papers on Monday/Tuesday, but they may be performing on another day. Presently, I need only three copies of the research papers if a student is entering that category. Mr. Frankum has a group of historians who will judge these for the entire school. This is a major assignment for this six weeks period so it is critical for the students’ grades for them to do well.
Since History Fair projects are due on Monday/Tuesday, I have moved the due date again for the scaled timeline of the Revolution to October 31/November 1. This assignment requires to students to make a list of all the dates relating to this period, place these dates on a scaled timeline, and decorate the timeline with appropriate drawings or sayings of the period. This is an important assignment and I felt the students needed a little more time.
In conjunction with the Holocaust project in English, the students will be completing a map of Europe as it was during World War II. In addition, they will be labeling the locations of specific death camps and completing a graph relating to the deaths there. I will give the students a website to use for this information.
On Wednesday/Thursday, the students worked on an activity relating to writing the grievances in the Declaration of Independence into English words used today. It was somewhat more involved than many thought it would be. Many discovered there were a number of vocabulary words they really did not understand. Ask to see their bumper stickers. If they did not finish the project in class, I expected them to complete it for homework due this Friday, October 19.


Science:
Mr. Scott has returned to school. He was greatly missed in his absence by his students and team members. Please email Mr. Scott with any questions you may have, and he will begin posting to the BLOG again next week. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and well wishes for his speedy return to POMS.

Math:

Algebra 1- All Sections:

We will be working in sections 3.1-3.5 in the McDougal Littel book. We will, at the same time, be working on sections 3.2-3.5 in the Carnegie Text. These chapter sections deal with Solving Linear Equations. Students will continue to increase their understanding of linear functions and the solving of one and two step equations.

Pre-Algebra 3rd Period Only:Students are finishing chapter 2 material. Students in 3rd Period will have an exam on Chapter 2 on Wednesday, October 24th. We will conclude the week with section 3-1 of the textbook: Square Roots.

Pre-Algebra 5th Period Only:
Students in this section will continue through Chapter 2, finishing up sections 2-7, “Solving Equations with Rational Numbers”, 2-9, “Powers and Exponents”, and section 2-10, “Scientific Notation”. We are tentatively planning to hold an exam on Monday, October 29th, covering Chapter 2 material. If this date changes, which depends on the readiness of the students for the exam, I will let you know via this blog.


Foreign Language Department BLOG:
See link below

http://pomsfl.wordpress.com

A Message from Mr. McDonough: Monday, Oct. 15, 2007

Upon Mr. Scott’s return, his INC grades will be changed to their appropriate grade. In light of the upcoming magnet application time frame, Pin Oak administration has decided that they will reprint report cards for all of Mr. Scott’s students with the updated grades. Thank you for your patience.

Thank you,
Mr. McDonough