Excursions: We are going to the zoo on the 12th. We will keep an eye on the weather to remind students about appropriate clothing.
Reading and Writing: We are reading about happiness as we track and evaluate ideas in a text. We are also finishing our quality if life essays. Some students have vocabulary HW this week in preparation for the final unit quiz on Friday. Students have a copy of the HW and it has been labeled Y or N depending on whether they passed the previous quiz. Please remember that reading 20-30 minutes a day helps every reader get stronger.
Math: This week in math we're moving onto our 4th unit: equations and expressions. On Monday we started off with a review of translating sentences into equations and expressions (a review of 6th grade material). On Tuesday we will build the reasoning for equations and the difference between a constant and a variable by doing a fun competition in class. On Wednesday through Friday we will focus on solving one and two step word problems using bar models. This might be a new concept for many parents however I've found that it helps students to understand how to write equations later on and solve them by inverse operations. It helps to answer the question of "why do we have to subtract 2 from both sides??". This is a difficult skill to practice online so my suggestion this week is to focus on the class and homework each evening. If your student needs some review of 6th grade skills try 7th grade math IXL R.1 and R.2. I also highly suggest going to tutoring every Tuesday after school in the 8th grade math teacher's classroom. It's a great way to get ahead and stay on track as we're starting a brand new unit.
EfS: Students have begun prepping for International Town, a economic simulation at the Young Americans Bank.
Sports: Basketball practices have started this week.
Extra: Our computer system has needed to be adjusted due to a lack of machines. We have had some issues with machines breaking and malfunctioning. Computers are still an everyday part of our work environment.
Each week we are highlighting a move within our rituals and routines. This week, we are working on the idea of transitions and getting to work right away.
Thanks,
7th Grade Team