We are in the flow, being productive, and feeling groovy. This honeymoon is over folks. Routines are established, now just being practiced, soon to be muscle memory. Introductory lessons are over and the curriculum is on the minds of students and teachers. Having a fresh mind that was able to rest and recover from mental fatigue over the summer provides the perfect platform for these first few weeks of school to be super productive, once we feel that flowy groove that we remember from last school year.
This second week of school, we have watched students excited to be presented with new material, challenging themselves, and pumped to start new projects. The momentum will ebb and flow, but we are definitely taking advantage of this time and getting STUFF done!
~LD
Math:
Last week, we began with examining rigid transformations that different shapes can go through on a coordinate plane and use words like rotation, reflection, and translation to describe their transformations. Next week, we’ll use this knowledge of rigid transformations to compare objects and their sizes to determine similarity and congruence.
ELA:
7th grade writers poured over articles on the benefits and drawbacks of youth football to develop an opinion on contact sports for kids. As we analyzed and organized evidence, writers developed the first drafts of their argument papers. In Civil Discourse, 7th grade learned the benefits of intellectual humility and taking the concept of winning out of our arguments.
Next week, argument writers will revise evidence to make their arguments stronger and edit to reach a final draft. We will then begin exploring more subtopics in technology for students to focus on in their final paper. In Civil Discourse, we will seek to see the humanity in others by studying their identities, then step into some lower stake discussions in small groups.
Social Studies:
It has been a great first full week in social studies. We began with a review of last year and have moved into the study of early human migration and how humans crossed the land bridge into North America. Next week we continue with this study and will begin our study of the different native peoples of North America. This will include the Inuits and western Native American tribes.
Science:
Seventh graders learned about the Biosphere II experiment that took place in Arizona in the 1990’s. They considered how humans could survive in a glass dome, cut-off from society and survive in a closed system. After learning about the oxygen being chemically absorbed into the concrete and killer ants taking over the ecosystems, they discussed how there was more going on in the experiment than survival, but also quality of life. The seventh graders are now researching the planets and satellites in our Solar System to contemplate the possibility of living off the Earth, creating a biosphere II on another surface in our Solar System.
Important Dates:
September 2nd – Labor Day
September 4th – MS Curriculum Night (5:30pm)
September 7th – Family Fun Night @ The Charleston Battery
