Weekly Update 11/19-20

IMPORTANT REMIDNERS/EVENTS:

Magnet Tours have been going on all week. I know that Ms. Graves appreciates all student and parent volunteers for this important week.

Area of concern:
Many students are turning work in late or not at all in all subjects. This is a major contributing factor to low six weeks grades. We offer tutorials for help or to complete work. Please make sure that you are checking your student's progress report and reports that come home for classes periodically.

English:

Many students do not have their independent reading books yet. The longer they wait to begin reading, the less time they have to complete the book before literature circles and projects. Lists and parent approval forms went home 2 weeks ago, I sent out an email about it, and it has been on the blog. Please, please make sure your child has the materials they need at school. When we read in class, they sit and do nothing if they don’t have a book. If you have obtained a copy of the book your child is reading, please monitor that they have it with them at school. I highly recommend that students read as much as time allows next week during the break from school to make up for lost time or to get ahead.

This week is only 2 days long, but we will accomplish as much as we can in these two days. Students will be taking a benchmark test over TAKS Reading material. After the test in class, we will begin reading Daniel’s Story. Vocabulary assignment from Daniel’s Story given out on Wednesday/Thursday, Nov. 14-15, is due Monday/Tuesday. Some time in class was given.

UPCOMING DATES:
Parent approval forms are due on or before the day the projects are due, which is Dec. 12-13. Parent approval forms that are turned in on the day of book checks will be awarded extra credit points.
Literature Circles will be held in class on Monday/Tuesday, Dec. 10-11. This means that books must be completely read and questions answered.

History:
This week, the posters on “Hero or Villain” were due; many of them are just quite creative and very well done. I hope to have some hanging in the hall before long.

The students received instruction on another social studies skill—a story map. They have a list of events during the Revolution. From these events, they are to select five or ten events and develop a story map. The final product is due Monday/Tuesday next week.

In addition, all questions and section reviews should be completed on Chapters 5 and 6 relating to the Revolution. There will be a test on Monday/Tuesday over this material. Those classes which have the Rotary Club SAW Program or Junior Achievement will have the test when they return from Thanksgiving/

The next unit of study will be on the New Republic, how it functioned under the Articles of Confederation, and why the Constitution was written. Then, we will be spending some time on the Constitution itself. There will be a major project with the Constitution, but that will not be due until next six weeks.

Science:
All Classes
My IPC classes will take a break from chemistry this week in order to do a unit called Geology 101.
The end of year exam determining promotion to high school will include all the objectives mastered since 6th grade.
Periodically as the year progresses I will include IPC students in the same activities as my Pre-AP classes to assure their ready to take the end of course exams, i.e.: genetics, systems, astronomy.
TLW:
1) Analyze and predict events in the rock cycle
2) Predict land features and global gradual changes such as mountain building, erosion, continental drift.
3) Explain the role of plate tectonics in the shaping of the earth’s continents.
4) Complete the laboratory investigations; Web Quest, Dynamic Earth, Pangaea Puzzle, Map of Fire, Rock hound

Last week was science week for the cluster question. I am excited to say all the submitted entries were correct so everyone went into the drawing, and the winners are Forrest Jackson and Lovie Valentin, congratulations you have each earned a coupon for a free grade in science and you will be entered in the end of the month drawing for a chance to win a $10.00 gift card.

Math:
Algebra-2nd, 4th, & 6th Period:Since we only meet once, we will grade outstanding work and students will receive the TAKS Objective 2 packet. The packet isn’t due for a week. As time permits, students will work on the Carnegie laptop program.

Pre-Algebra 3rd Period:Students will take the Chapter 3 Exam and will submit their Chapter 3 Vocabulary (chapter vocabulary is always due on the day we test for that chapter). We will grade the Objective 1 Packet as well as the homework from last week (3-5, questions 1,2,4, 6, 8, and 13; 3-6, questions 1, 2, 6, 8, 10, 11,12, 21,22, and 25). We temporarily skipped section 3-6, but plan to come back to it at a later date. Students will receive the Objective 2 packet. It will not be due until the Friday we return (November 30th). We will spend some time during the week on the Objective 2 packet, so students do not have to do it during the break.

Pre-Algebra 5th Period:We will complete chapter 3. Students will have an exam on the Wednesday they return.

I want my students to rest during the break. If they are keeping up in class, they should have nothing to do for math class, while they are on holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving!


Foreign Language Department BLOG: See link below

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