Students really excelled in the Chapter 1 test, grades are on Aspen! We are working on our unit on Mesopotamia and it is very exciting! We went to scribe school where students recreated the alphabets and symbols of the Sumerian and Phoenician alphabets using clay tablets (play dough). We watched a great series of videos that brought us back to the ancient land of Sumer and even put on a simulation that allowed us to trade, create a language, make blueprints for a Ziggurat and build a catapult! We played Jenga to understand primary sources and tumbled down the competition! We will be finishing this chapter the first week of November with a test! We will be learning about the Ancient Israelites in November. Make sure to check Aspen for missing work and Google Classroom for homework each night!

We have and will continue to work through our “Parts of Speech/ Grammar” Unit, while incorporating some scary stories to get ready for Halloween.

Our first 5 paragraph essay “First Impressions” is done! The students did a great job. Please review the essay with your child on turnitin.com.

The students have also started a weekly online assignment on Study Island. They sign into Study Island using "Clever", which is bookmarked on their Chromebooks. Each week the topic will be different, but it will always be due on Sunday night.

In November, we will be exploring the Klondike in The Call of the Wild by Jack London. You should see a packet come home, and there will be a quiz after every chapter. So, the students will need to keep reading and reviewing every night.

Also, our units 1-4 Vocabulary Test will happen mid-November. All words and flashcards will be posted to Quizlet.com, and they are also posted to Google Classroom.

Please keep checking Google Classroom for homework and class updates.

We’re almost done with the first term. A,B, & C block’s test is on Tuesday October 31, and E & F block’s tests are on Friday November 2. All of our tests can be found on Edulastic. Students can review the past tests and work on the practice tests on that site using their Google login. In previous years, the student’s worst grade is their first term grade. It tends to go up the 2nd term, but it’s because the students start realizing what they need to change to have a better grade. If you would like to see your student do a little better in Term 2, please remember we have after school help on Mon-Thurs (make sure they check in case there is a meeting) and during PB Tues-Thurs.

In term 2, we’re going to be focusing on percentages and equations. We will continue to review all of the old material, but we will be focusing on sales tax, tips, sales, markups, profit, etc.

IXL and TenMarks are great ways to help students who are struggling. The students will have to complete topics which can be found on Google Classroom. It will be assigned on Mondays and be due by the following Sunday. IXL tends to be a little more basic, and TenMarks tends to be a little more rigorous.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

In October, we have been very busy in Science Class! We are finishing up our first unit by talking about soil formation and soil conservation, and then we will focus on reviewing for and taking Exam #1. The students have worked really hard this month creating metaphors for the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition, and presenting them to their classmates. After the Unit Test, we will move on to studying Earthquakes and Volcanoes, and how these natural disasters are the result of processes that happen within the Earth and on its surface. Please continue to check Google Classroom for Assignments, Notes, and Announcements!

The students have done a great job mastering the idea of inferencing and identifying character traits. We looked at images along with readings to practice these very important skills. A quick reminder- students have spelling quizzes each week. They have about a week to learn 8-10 words with some class time given. Please check-in with your student about these quizzes. All grades are posted in Aspen.

Coming up- “The Sheriff is our foe, and the deer are ours to eat, as they are honest man’s. We defend the rights of poor, hungry men to hunt for their food. The King will have to bear this.”

Robin Hood, straight out of Sherwood Forest and into our classroom. Together, we will read the more infamous stories behind the man and legend. Along with Robin and his Merry Men come many different themes including deceit, revenge, disguise, and loyalty. Students will be taking notes on each character, and quizzes will be based on information shared in class. It is VERY important that everyone pay attention so nothing is missed.

Parents, please encourage your students to read each day. Ask them about the reading strategies they should incorporate every time they read. These reading strategies should be applied in each subject. Also, continue to check google classroom for announcements and updates.

Have a safe Halloween!