Weekly Update 1/28-2/1

IMPORTANT REMINDERS/EVENTS:

Progress Reports go home Wednesday, Jan. 30th.

The Pin Oak PTO is asking for help in putting together gift baskets for Family Game Night beginning in February. Each cluster is responsible for one basket. These will be made possible by donations from students and parents. Our cluster’s theme is MUSIC. We think it might be easiest to collect one dollar from each student and purchase items for the basket at one time.

In all core classes, late policies for each teacher have become more stringent in effort to encourage students to be on time regarding work, as high school teachers will expect.

A message from Bellaire High School:

High School is almost here! We can’t wait to meet you and your parents! Please come to our information night for zoned 8th graders:

Bellaire High School
Tuesday, February 5, 2008 7 p.m.

Bellaire H.S. Auditorium - Entrance on South Rice


English:

We are continuing our work on persuasive essays about the story we read in class, “The Lady or the Tiger?” Grades are being taken along the way for completion, and the amount of grades taken for the final result (the typed paper, due date TBA) hasn’t been decided quite yet. It will either be 2 grades or 3. Learning this writing style and format is so important, as it will be seen again and again in English and beyond. Quite a bit of time is being given in class to work on papers so I can be available to consult with, but some writing/editing should be done at home. If you do not see your child working on their paper at home, something is wrong. Ask them to see it. Any/all assistance you can offer at home is greatly appreciated.

This week, we will begin reading 12 Angry Men, the play. First, we will watch the Henry Fonda movie version, as I believe that seeing it performed—as it was written to be—will be helpful before reading the play in class. We will be doing related activities for this unit.

Please bear in mind that extra credit opportunities this semester will be very limited. Students need to focus on turning work in that is QUALITY work and handed in ON TIME. This, combined with the new, more stringent late policy will lead to much lower grades for students if they do not keep up. Encourage your child to utilize their planner EVERY day, do homework first thing when they arrive home, and to ASK questions if they need help.

INDEPENDENT BOOK UNIT: Biography, Autobiography, and Memoirs
Book Checks (students bring their books to school to receive a grade) were January 23-24. This time, we will have 2 literature circle discussion groups: 1st (half the book should be read at this point) on Feb. 8 and the 2nd (book should be completely read) on Feb. 22. PROJECTS are due March 28-29 (this is AFTER TAKS and SPRING BREAK) and will be presented in class.


History:
Many of the Constitution projects were excellent; there were a possible 170 points and many received all 170. Some received extra credit for submitting the project early or doing outstanding work. Then, there were those, that in spite of having six weeks to complete this project, turned in very poor quality work or none at all. Please ask your student to see the project and the grade sheet accompanying it. This is 25% of the grade for the six weeks so if the student did not do the project or if he/she received a low grade, that student needs to do some extra credit work immediately.
The students had their major test over the Constitution/Bill of Rights this week. The grade on that will be reflected in the progress report out this next week, January 30.
Your students received their advance assignment on Chapter 8 due on Monday/Tuesday, January 28/29. It is imperative they all complete their work on time from now on because we shall be moving rapidly through the rest of the material.
TAKS review has started; TAKS review questions will be the warm up at the beginning of the period. By now, all students should have a spiral notebook to use for this class. The TAKS questions and review belong in this notebook. TAKS review for history will be during my tutorials on Monday. Also, Mrs. Powell will be running TAKS tutorials after school. In addition, students from Episcopal High School are here to work with any student on any subject after school in the library.
Congratulations to Jacob Stewart! He is our all school winner for the GeoBee. He will take a written test to determine if he advances to the State GeoBee. Runners up are Darius Altman and Drew McMillian.

Science:

All Classes
This week 1/28-2/1 we will be using the mouse trap cars (see project requirements bellow) to apply the mathematical formulas under experimental conditions.Many of the objectives covered will inter-relate and be repeated throughout the next two weeks.
(See specific objectives from previous blog)
MOUSE TRAP CAR PROJECT REQUIREMENTS1. Car must travel a minimum of three meters2. Car must be powered by mouse trap(s)3. Original designs preferred and rewarded but not required, students may use kits4. Cars are due 1/28 and 1/29 ready to be tested. No Class Time for Construction, No late work GRADING REQUIRMENTS
DAY ONE: 1/28 or 1/29
1. Aesthetics, students should decorate, paint or generally make their car their own (1 grade)2. Car rolls under mouse trap power for at least 3 meters (1 grade)3. Car is complete and ready to conduct experiments on the day it is due (1 grade)
DAY TWO AND BEYOND4. Student will complete experiments with their car about speed, acceleration, force, work, and power (5 grades)5. Each experiment must have a complete data table, graph of results and conclusion demonstrating understanding of problem.6. Extra credit for original designs and constructions (1 grade)I would encourage students to attempt to design and construct an original car, see the internet, but will allow students to construct kits (a good place to find kits are Hobby Lobby or any model store), but there is no reason for students to not have a completed car.
Thanks and drive safely

Math:
Algebra 1: We will continue to work on inequalities, extending our study to inequalities in two variables. We will continue to work in Chapter 6. Tuesday, students will have a quiz covering objective 2. Some classes have taken the quiz and will not be repeating it. This will be for the classes that have not taken it. The objective 3 quiz will be Friday for the classes that have not taken it. The Objective 4 Packets will be due on Friday. Students can come for additional help on Thursday. They should complete as many questions as they can and seek assistance earlier than Thursday. Thursday is good for last minute questions and for assistance with Objective 3 concepts. I will be glad to help students throughout the week, even during advisory.

Pre-Algebra: Students are diligently working through Chapter 5 of the text. We will soon finish the chapter and will have a Chapter test next week. Students need to make sure they have done the vocabulary for the chapter. Students have a quiz on the Objective 2 material on Monday.

Students in all classes have received back both their objective 2 & 3 packets with grades on them. They should correct errors and study the packets to prepare for the two short quizzes (10 questions each) that will draw from the packets. The quizzes are the first meeting of the week (Monday or Tuesday, depending on the class), and the last meeting of the week: Friday for all students. Friday, students have due Objective 4. We will spend time in class each meeting discussing questions students have on these packets.

All students have been asked to keep all their objective materials (Objectives 1-6, both packets and returned quizzes). We will review for the TAKs over the course of the semester. Students need to have them available in class. Please make sure your student has graph paper, highlighters, and colored pencils to use in class. We are practicing taking good notes and writing study questions from those notes. Please ask your student to show you their returned Objective Quizzes and packets. All incorrect answers should be corrected.

Foreign Language Department BLOG: See link below

http://pomsfl.wordpress.com/