Y’all! January! Cold, dark, with high expectations. Gotta love it, right?
Well, for us at school, we are digging deep. You walk into middle school, and there is laughter, hard work, deep questioning, studying, project making, “mathing”…all the things that could be a drag, aren’t. What is the “magic sauce?” COFFEE!
J/K…but not really :) It’s that we are trudging together. We are all working hard, having fun, and hoping for spring!
Bundle up!
LD
Math:
This week in Algebra 1, we calculated rates of change from exponential functions, and applied our knowledge of these types of functions to real life situations. Next week, we’ll take our mid-unit assessment on Monday and then continue our mastery of exponential functions to include percentages (simple and compound interest, etc.)
ELA:
8th grade writers continued drafting essays – some choosing to develop theses based on To Kill a Mockingbird and others focusing on ideas developed from a recent reading of Ray Bradbury’s “All Summer in a Day.” We revised with strong analysis and “connecting back to the thesis” in mind. 8th grade also tested their grammar skills on Thursday and dove straight into vocabulary study.
Next week, essayists will edit and publish their work to conclude the unit (the essay due date is 1/23). They will test their vocabulary skills on Friday, 1/24.
Social Studies:
The eighth grade has been working on the industrial revolution. We have learned about the major inventions of the time and how they transformed the world, for good and bad. They have also begun their next project in which they are researching an invention from the revolution and how it relates to us still today.
Science:
Eighth graders continued to learn about waves this week. They explored light waves and the angle of refraction using lasers and mirrors. They also learned about visible light waves using green and red filters. They explored how the brain interprets visible light and made camouflage pictures to display their knowledge. Next week, they will learn about optical cables and how cell phones work, as well as start brainstorming for the science fair.
Important Dates:
January 20- MLK Day, no school
January 29- 100th day of school
