Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday, April 30

The mathematics department book drive starts this week, click here for a copy of the flier.

Geometry: Went over the 12.7 homework and began working on the chapter 12 practice test. The practice test is homework. The chapter 12 test is Wednesday.

Science: Peer reviewied the I-Search instrument research papers. Click here for a copy of the rubric. Final drafts are due on Thursday, May 3.

Algebra (Hill): Worksheet 10.7b problems 4-28 multiples of 4.
Humanities: Students checked 17.1 and were introduced to 17.2 in class. Homework is to complete 17.2 free choice.

ELA: Students were given the time to read their Historical Fiction books. 3rd chapter section is due this week.


Tech: Students worked on gathering pictures and interviews for their 8th Grade Video


Friday, April 27, 2012

Friday, April 27

Geometry: Went over the 12.6 homework and 12.7 notes (similiar solids). Homework is 12.7 worksheet, chapter 12 test is Wednesday, May 2.

Science: Worked on rough drafts of the I-Search instrument research project. Peer review is Monday, April 30 and final drafts are due on Thursday, May 3. The Waves & Sound unit test is scheduled for Monday, May 7.

ELA: Students discussed their second chapter section for their Historical Fiction books. Book clubs seem to be going well.


Tech: The 8th Grade Video is up and running, the students seem so excited about this project, I am looking forward to the end result.

Spanish I: Practice the oral and writing prompts for the 3.1 test on Monday, May 7th. The vocab packet is due this Monday, April 30th

Algebra (Graham): Introduced our last Quadratic Form-Vertex form. Homework: wkst 10.5 extension (evens only)

Technology (Graham): We are making great progress on our webpages. They are due May 18.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Thursday, April 25

Geometry: Today we went over the notes for 12.6 (surface area and volume of spheres). Homework is the 12.6 worksheet. Chapter 12 test will be Wednesday, May 2.

Science: Worked on the I-Search instrument researc project. Rough drafts are due for peer review on Monday. Click here for a rough draft planner sheet.

 Spanish I: You need to make a first draft for the written part of the test. This is due tomorrow or you will get a 0.

Algebra (Hill): Homework: Finish the 10.5 extensions worksheet.

Pre-Algebra: We started our unit on linear equations.  Homework is worksheet 8.1, #3-6,7,9,11,13.



Algebra (Graham): Finished up completing the square.  Assignment p.666 (12-44 evens not 42). Watch Mrs. Graham's video here!

Technology (Graham): Worked on web pages.  Web sites are due May 18!



Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Wednesday, April 25

The MYP math classes are having a book drive! Please see the attached flyer.

Geometry: Did an activity to investigate the volume of pyramids and cones and how it relates to the volume of prisms and cylinders. 12.5 worksheet is homework. Chapter 12 Test is Wednesday, May 2.

Science: Continued working on the I-Search instrument research project. Peer review will be on Monday, Apri. 30.

Pre-Algebra: Students took their chapter 6 test.  No homework.

Humanities: Students continued to work on chapter 16 assessment in class. Homework is to complete the chapter assessment and a current event for tomorrow.
 
Spanish I: Vocabulary packet and sentences on new words from 3.1. This packet will be due Monday, April 30th.

ELA: Students were given the class period to read their Historical Fiction books, read AR books, and take AR quizzes. Tomorrow will be a review of Pronouns. Friday is reserved for Book Clubs.

Tech: Our 8th Grade Video is on its way, we are hoping to have any information gathered by next Friday, May 4th so we can move on to create the time lines in Windows Movie Maker (the program we have access to). I am in contact with Ringside, a local production company I have worked with in the past, to discuss the burning of DVDs.

Algebra (Graham): We had lots of questions on the homework from last night. We spent time answering questions. We started section 10.5 (completing the square). After we did 2 problems, their assignment is to complete the notes for 10.5.
Technology (Graham): The kids did a fabulous job working with the 5th grade classes. I was impressed by their focus, leadership, and compassion.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Wednesday, April 24

Geometry: Went over the 12.3 homework and took the quiz on 12.1-12.4. Homework is to complete the 12.5 notes.

Science: Began researching for the I-Search project, we will work on this for the remainder of the week. Rough drafts for peer review are due on Monday, April 30.

Algebra (Hill): Homework page 655 in the textbook 4-48 multiples of 4

Spanish I: Exs 16 & 17 pg 188. Due tomorrow

Pre-Algebra: We reviewed for our test tomorrow.  STUDY.

Pre-Algebra: Students began to work on chapter 16 assessment. Chapter 16 assessment and current events are due Thursday. Homework folders are due Wednesday.

Algebra (Graham): Section 10-4, page 655 (4-48 multiples of 4)

Technology (Graham): Prepared for mentoring session with 5th graders tomorrow. We are helping them with their Pollution projects.



Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday, April 23

Geometry: Went over the 12.4 homework and took notes on section 12.3 (surface area of pyramids and cones). Homework is the 12.3 worksheet.

Science: Quizzes were returned and students worked on quiz corrections, which are due on Wednesday and must be done on the quiz correction sheet. We also began working in the I-Search research project, which we will be working on for the rest of the week. Peer review for this project will be on Monday, April 30 and the final draft will be due on Thursday, May 3. Sound & Waves unit test is planned for Friday, May 4.

Spanish I: Exs 12, 13 & 14 on pg 186. Due tomorrow

ELA: Students were given the hour to read their next chapter section in a quiet and supportive atmosphere. This allows students to address questions with me in a timely manner, rather than not understand an event or chapter and breeze by it. Homework: Read - remember this marking period a total of 3 AR quizzes are due, our Historical Fiction books count as one.

Tech: We viewed past 8th Grade Videos in prep for creating one of our own. Students who do not want to participate in the video will be given an alternative collaborative project - CyberSafety websites.

Pre-Algebra: We began to review for our chapter 6 test on Wednesday.  No homework.

Algebra (Graham): Test on Chapter 10 Part I. No homework.

Technology (Graham): Handed back Family Budget Projects. We are busy making our own websites on a made up business. We are in the beginning stages.

Humanities:Students reviewed 16.1/16.2 and were introduced to 16.3 in class. Homework is to complete 16.3 section assessment.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Friday, April 20

Algebra (Graham): Students took a practice test for Part I Chapter 10 today. They were given the answers at the end of the hour. We have a short test on Monday, very similar to the practice test they took today. Have a good weekend.

Technology (Graham): We took a look at a variety of website for local businesses. We are working towards making our own "pretend" business websites. We are also mentoring Norup's 5th grade classes. We are helping them with research and note taking for their pollution presentations.

Geometry: Went over the 12.2 homework and 12.4 notes (volume of prisms and cylinders). Homework is the 12.4 worksheet, 12.1-12.4 quiz is on Tuesday.

Science: Took notes on sound, pages 447 &454-456.Quizzes will be returned on Monday, and we will also start the research project for our waves and sound unit next week.

Pre-Algebra: Students were given a review for there chapter 6 test on Tuesday. We will review on Monday.

Spanish I: Worked on restaurant skits, and made new ones. Practice memorizing your lines for next Friday.

ELA: We held our first "Book Club" session today. The students did such a great job! Performing their duties and having informative and deep conversations about their Civil War Novels! How wonderful! Next week we will continue our Civil War Unit, Monday- reading time, Tuesday - grammar studies, Wednesday - reading time, Thursday - grammar studies & Reader's Journal due, Friday - Book clubs.

Tech - We finished presentations for our Family Budget and had a "down day" the students worked so hard and deserved it!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Thursday, April 19

Science: Today we started our investigation of sound by observing various frequencies and by exploring how changing the length of a straw kazoo changes its pitch. Quizzes will be returned tomorrow or Monday.

Geometry: Investigated how perimeter of a base is related to the surface area of a polyhedron or cylinder and completed the 12.2 notes. Homework is the 12.2 worksheet. 12.1-12.4 quiz is Tuesday.

Spanish I: Exs 9, 10, & 11 pgs 184-185. Due tomorrow

Pre-Algebra: We talked about the counting principle today.  Homework is worksheet 6.8, evens.

Humanities: Students were introduced to 16.1 and began to work on 16.1 section assessment in class. Homework is to complete 16.1 section assessment.

ELA: We discussed the joint ELA and Humanities Civil War project and the options we may be offering. We then reviewed Possessive Nouns and Compound Nouns - we all need reminding where that little apostrophe goes :) We will have our first book club tomorrow for our Civil War novels so be sure the first reading section journal is complete.


Tech: We are almost done presenting projects, just two more to go. We will begin our next project next week.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Wednesday, April 18

Pre-Algebra: We took the quarterly assessment today.  No homework.

Science: Took the Waves quiz, no homework.

Geometry: Went over 12.1 notes (properties of polyhedrons) and the first page of the 12.2 notes (surface area of prisms and cylinders). 12.1 worksheet is homework. 12.1-12.4 quiz is on Tuesday, April 24.

Spanish I: Exercises 6,7,& 8 on pgs 182-183 are due tomorrow.

Humanities: Students discussed 15.4 (the coming of the Civil War) and shared current events in class. No homework.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Tuesday, April 17

Science: Today we practiced calculating speed, wavelength, period and frequency and saw a demonstration of a standing wave. Quiz tomorrow!

Geometry: Completed the platonic solids investigation activity on page 792-793. Homework is to complete the 12.1 notes.

Spanish I: 3.1 flash cards are due tomorrow. Exercise #3 & 5, pgs 180-181 are due tomorrow.

Pre-Algebra: We worked on probability. Our homework is worksheet 6.7, # 1 - 6, 10, 12, 16.

Humanities: Students reviewed chapter 15 and began to work on 15.4 section assessment in class. 15.4 section assessment and current events are due Wednesday.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Monday, April 16

Geometry: Took the chapter 11 test. No homework!

Science: Watched Bill Nye "Waves". Waves quiz is Wednesday.

Pre-Algebra: We started to work on probability.  We conducted experiments with dice.  No homework.

Spanish I: Vocabulary sentences were due today. make sure you do them by tomorrow if you have not yet done them. 3.1 flash cards are due by this Wednesday. Skits will be presented this Friday.

Humanities: Students received homework folder grades, checked 15.1/15.2 and began work on 15.3 free choice in class. Homework is to complete 15.3 for tomorrow.

ELA: We began our Historical Fiction Unit today by reading Baseball Saved Us and discussing the differences between Historical Fiction and Realistic Fiction. I then introduced the two books we are reading; In My Father's House by Ann Rinaldi and With Every Drop of Blood by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. Student's chose the book they wanted to read and we reviewed the requirements for the Reader's Journal. Due to multiple books being read, Class Discussions are now changed to Book Clubs where students will discuss the current chapter section while I circulate to answer any questions their classmates cannot. Homework: All due dates for this unit are listed on the Reader's Journal. Tuesdays and Thursdays we will also be doing grammar instruction.

Tech: Students presented projects and worked on their projects. Today was the last "free" day for working while presentations are going on. Starting tomorrow projects are considered late if the student is either working on it in class or is not ready to present when called on. Late projects are "charged" 5 points each day they are late beginning tomorrow.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Friday, April 13

Geometry: Today we went over the practice test and talked about the importance of showing our work so that we can get partial credit on problems. I'll never make students show their work, but if they have incorrect answers on the test with no work shown I can not give them ANY credit for the problem, and many questions are worth 4-5 points. Homework is to complete the chapter 11 review odds. Chapter 11 test is Monday.

Science: Today we took notes on pages 441-445 via the jigsaw method. Homework is to complete the wave interaction worksheet (sorry, I do not have an electronic version to post). Wave unit quiz is Wednesday, April 18.

Pre-Algebra: Today we worked on scale.  Homework is worksheet 6.6, #2-24 evens and 25 and 26.

Algebra (Graham): Homework: 10.2 worksheets (odds only) and IB box problem. Both are due on Monday. Have a good weekend.

Technology (Graham): We are still presenting our family budgets.

Humanities: Students worked on 15.1/15.2, watched student news and were introduced to a video on the causes of the Civil War in class. Homework is to finish 15.1/15.2 for Monday.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Thursday, April 12

Science: Today we completed Investigation 20-A and observed water waves and how waves interact with boundaries.  We also went over the Waves homework. Waves quiz is Wednesday, April 18.

Geometry: Went over the 11.7 homework and lingering questions from 11.6. Homework is the complete the chapter 11 practice test.

ELA: Students put the finishing touches on their TKM projects and reading AR books. Three (3) AR books are due this marking period.

Tech: High School Counselors are in today to facilitate the scheduling of classes for next year. High School here they come.

Spanish I: Flash cards for 3.1 are due by next Wednesday, April 18th. Vocabulary sentences are due by Monday, April 16th

Pre-algebra: We went over classifying triangles.  No homework.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Wednesday, April 11

Science: Today we took the legacy day survey. Waves quiz is on Wednesday, April 18.

Geometry: Mrs Petersen was pulled out for a meeting this morning, students took notes on section 11.7 and went over the 11.6 worksheet. Homework is 11.7 worksheet. Chapter 11 test is Monday, April 16.

Spanish I: Flash cards on 3.1 are due next Wednesday. 2.3 Quiz retakes can be taken any day this week or next week.

Pre-Algebra: Today we worked on classifying triangles.  Homework is worksheet, #1 - 18.



Algebra (Graham): Test today.  IB assignment on shipping rates-due on Monday.
 
Technology (Graham): We started presentations of the Family Budget Project.  Those that went today blew me away!  I am really enjoying hearing their life stories.

Tuesday, April 10

Science: Completed waves that we started yesterday and practiced calculations with speed, frequency and wavelength. Waves worksheet is homework (click here for page 1 and page 2). Quiz Wednesday, April 18.

Geometry: Went over the 11.5 homework and completed the 11.6 notes (area of regular polygons). 11.6 worksheet is homework and the chapter 11 test is Monday, April 16.

Humanities: Students checked folders, brain stormed current events, reviewed the big ideas for chapters 13 and 14 and began work on 14.4 free choice. Homework is to complete 14.4 and a current event for Wednesday. Homework folders are due Wednesday.

Spanish I: Work on the test practice for tomorrow. 2.3 test is tomorrow.

Art 7/8: Clay "word" tiles are glazed and all will be fired by the end of the week. Students will be completing the rubrics for the tiles and continuing their castle drawings.

Advanced Art grade 8: Chalk pastel fruit bowls will be completed by the end of this week. Next week we will spend a day organizing student portfolios so they can be sent to high school for review.

Pre-Algebra: We continued to work on similar figures.  Homework is worksheet 6.5 #1,3,5,6.

Algebra (Graham): Study for Chapter 9 test, which is tomorrow.

Technology (Graham): Presentations start tomorrow!

Algebra (Hill):Chapter 9 Algebra test tomorrow. Study your pretest questions and the chapter review questions found online and in your textbook.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Monday, April 9

Science: Today we reviewed properties of waves by making gigantic wave posters.

Geometry: Today we completed the 11.5 notes (areas of sectors of circles) and quizzes were returned. 11.5 worksheet is homework and the chapter 11 test will be Monday, April 16.

Spanish I: Work on review worksheet. Due by Wednesday. 2.3 unit test on Wednesday, April 11th

Algebra (Graham): We are reviewing chapter 9 for 2 days. Our test will be this Wednesday.

Technology (Graham): We start presenting our Family Budget project on Wednesday. I am emphasizing polished presentations. I am excited to hear them!

Humanities: Mrs. Weiss presented high school scheduling information in class today. No homework.

Pre-Algebra: We talked about similar figures today.  Homework is a worksheet on similar figures (6 questions).