Week of 11/28

I hope everyone had a restful Thanksgiving break.  We have four solid weeks of time to accomplish lots of learning before Christmas.  Seventh grade will be building DNA models and learning a bit about mutations in DNA as they prepare for a chapter test on Friday.  Eighth grade is just beginning their study of the periodic table.  This part of our curriculum involves an element project.  Students will receive the two elements that they will be studying on Wednesday of this week.  Research for the project will be done in class, but the construction of their element "squares"  will have to be done at home.  Due date is December 12.

Week of 11/20 Be Thankful!!

So...we have lots to be thankful for...a beautiful community, a caring christian school and church, loving and active school families, and focused and motivated children!  But, I bet we're all thankful for the short school week as well. Here's what's keeping us busy this week:

Seventh grade will continue their study of heredity by starting an in depth look at DNA.  Eighth grade will be reviewing and taking a chapter test on atoms on Tuesday.  Wednesday, my homeroom will be working with their 1st grade buddies, helping them with an animal research project.

Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!!

Week of 11/14

You should be seeing work being done at home on the computer for both 7th and 8th grade this week.  Both grades are working through interactive websites which fit with the chapters we are working on.

Seventh grade is doing a project entitled "Simple Inheritance".  By following a teenager with cystic fibrosis, they will learn the way genes are passed through a family.

Eighth grade is learning the makeup of atoms and how every element has a unique number of particles within it.  They are using an interactive lab on www.sascurriculumpathways.com.

All instructions to get into each of these websites is posted in ebackpack for the students to access.

Week of 11/1

Good Morning!  After a busy week with the 8th graders in Washington DC, I've returned to a busy week at school wrapping up the 1st quarter.  Seventh graders will be doing a little bit of Ch. 4 review to get ready for a test on Thursday.  Eighth graders have to finish up their solution inquiry labs and will be getting ready for a Ch. 4 test on Friday.

Report cards will be handed out at next week's parent/teacher conferences.  See you then!