Weekly Update 2/11-2/15

IMPORTANT REMINDERS/EVENTS:

The six weeks is ending this week. Some of us have specific dates for work to be turned in, which have been made known to your children.


English:

We are continuing to work on our persuasive papers in class, but some writing should be done at home. Final papers, typed, are due on Friday, Feb. 15, and will be counted twice. A hand-out was given to students that gives very specific formatting instructions on it. I am available after school to help with papers in addition to the class time I set aside to work one on one, but I have had very few students attend. Learning to effectively write a persuasive and/or analytical paper is very important. This type of writing will be seen again and again in English and other subjects throughout high school and college.

ALL WORK is due by Thursday, Feb. 14. EXTRA CREDIT is also due by Thursday, Feb. 14.

Literature Circles were on Thursday/Friday, Feb. 7-8. Questions were due and groups met to discuss their books. Participation grades were also awarded.

We have finished the film version of 12 Angry Men, and students took 2 quizzes: one for each half of the movie. It was an open-note quiz, which many students did not take advantage of. I have recorded the higher grade of the two quizzes. We will begin reading the play in class this week. Roles in the play were given to volunteers.

With TAKS on the horizon (March 5!), we will also begin doing some TAKS practice in class. One activity will be “TAKS Court” where students will have to prove their answers and defend them against others; the verdict will be left to a “jury” to decide. Because of TAKS, the students will have more time than usual to complete their IRP’s—see date below.

INDEPENDENT BOOK UNIT: Biography, Autobiography, and Memoirs
2nd Literature Circle Discussion groups will be on Friday, Feb. 22. Questions are due and groups will meet. PROJECTS are due March 28-29 (this is AFTER TAKS and SPRING BREAK) and will be presented in class.

History:
Extra Credit Assignment:
Following are several opportunities for the students for extra credit. This is a social studies class. It is my feeling that, as a part of their study, the students need to have an opportunity to explore the world. These activities will provide that opportunity.
This is Black History Month. Three of the following relate to Black History so they do need to be done this month. These are the assignments to the students.

1. Select a black teacher you had between pre-school and grade seven who had a positive influence upon your life. Try to contact the teacher, interview that teacher asking questions such as why he/she went into teaching, comment upon some interesting experiences, where did he/she go to college, did he/she have any famous students. The student should have a picture taken with the teacher. The write-up should include the reaction of the teacher when told about being selected. This all should be typed and presented in a booklet of some type.

2. Visit the Buffalo Soldiers Museum; prepare a report on the various exhibits and why they are significant. Select your favorites. Take some pictures; include those and the ticket for admission in your journal. Again, this should be quality work, typed, neatly presented.

3. Visit the Lucy exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science. This is from Ethiopia. The students can learn a lot about Ethiopia as well as about the Lucy exhibit itself. Include your admission ticket in your presentation.

4. Ongoing project: Use OPTIC to analyze three different paintings in an art gallery. These must be from 1607 to 1876 and/or the Remington paintings which depict the Old West. They are painted later, but the subject matter is quite appropriate. We covered OPTIC earlier this year. It is on one of the earlier blogs.

Continuing work: We are continuing the work on Chapters 9/10 with a number of people, events, and vocabulary for the students to identify.
The students took another test over the Constitution on Monday. The students must learn this material. They also will have daily quizzes relating to TAKS review and material we have covered. Some on the Constitution, in particular, will be repeated until all the students show comprehension of the material.


Science:
Please email Mr. Scott for questions concerning Science/IPC.

Math:
Algebra 1:Students will begin learning about systems of equations (Chapter 7 McDougal Littell Textbook). This week’s focus will be on solving systems by graphing, substitution, and the addition/subtraction methods.

TAKS is right around the corner (April 8th for Math)! Students are currently working on Objective 5, in preparation for the TAKS test. The Objective 5 Packets are due on Tuesday, February 11th.

Students can expect an open notes quiz on Friday, February 15th, covering early sections in Chapter 7. Students have been learning how to take notes in math to support learning and to facilitate review. Please ask to see their notes to make sure they are writing study questions. Open note quizzes will be given, so good note taking skills will mean better performance on these quizzes.

Students in Algebra 1 are working on the online Carnegie Software. The requirements regarding completion of units as homework & class work have been detailed in each Algebra class. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. The Carnegie assignments are a significant part of your student’s grade and are required for successful completion of the course.

Pre-Algebra:
Students will begin learning about geometry and spatial reasoning. In particular, angles and polygons will be the focus this week, followed by symmetry and translations the following week. This is a short chapter,(Chapter 7 Glencoe Textbook), with the completion of the chapter occurring early next week.

Students will take a quiz on the Objective 4 Packet material on Monday February 11th. The Objective 5 Packets are due on Monday as well.

Students can expect an open notes quiz on Friday, February 8th covering early sections in Chapter 6. Students have been learning how to take notes in math to support learning and to facilitate review. Please ask to see their notes to make sure they are writing study questions. Open note quizzes will be given, so good note taking skills will mean better performance on these quizzes.

Foreign Language Department BLOG: See link below

http://pomsfl.wordpress.com/