STEM STATION
Have you ever wondered how those who live without gas or electricity cook? What about how you can model different molecules using magnets? These are some of the questions our science students explored these past two weeks! Our 6th grade students began understanding thermal energy, using engineering principles to design a solar oven, and began construction on their designs. Stay tuned to see how their solar ovens turn out!
Our 7th grade students have been working hard to understand atomic structures by creating BOHR models of different elements and demonstrating their knowledge through hands on activities like labs, and continuing a guidebook project on biochemistry. Our 8th graders are continuing their learning on weather forecasts and will start studying the lunar cycles next!
Our Math team has been working hard to help students review and practice rational number operations. Our 6th and 7th graders have been demonstrating their knowledge with negative numbers and gearing up to begin pre-algebra concepts such as solving equations and inequalities. Our Algebra students have been working hard to model two step inequalities through practice assignments and creating posters. Next up, domain and range! Our 8th grade math students are continuing their learning on solving all different types of equations, and Geometry students are diving into the world of constructions! Stay tuned to see some cool finished projects!
All about the story
All about leadership
HUMANITIES HUB
First off, remember to give your student a big shout for persevering through two weeks of diagnostic testing and finishing their ELAR MAP assessments this past week! The MAP diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that challenges students with reading comprehension, grammar, and analysis questions. The more questions the students answer correctly, the harder the questions become. The point is to get some things wrong, which can be a really frustrating experience! Most students spent the better part of two class periods completing their ELAR MAP testing, and now our teachers will spend time in Monday’s professional development working with their PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) to analyze students’ MAP data, plan ongoing instruction, and help students set goals related to their specific learning strengths. Over the next couple of weeks, ask your students how they did and what goals they set for themselves!
Beyond the necessary work of diagnostic testing, 6th graders in Saldana’s class are also deep into their first novel study of Freak the Mighty, and students in Wood’s, Cosgrove’s, and Morgan’s classes have finished reading their memoirs. Students are now embarking on the collaborative work of creating posters to communicate their learning and analysis of characterization in the texts. In World Cultures, 6th graders are nearing the end of their Mapping unit, where they’ve been learning about geographic mapping tools and discussing what mapping means for placemaking and community. So cool!
In 7th grade, students have been practicing using textual evidence with the “ACE” method (ask your student to explain it to you!) in their analysis of short stories by Sandra Cisneros and Gary Soto. They’ve also been learning about literary elements and how authors use conflict to communicate their themes. In Texas History, students are wrapping up learning about constitutional principles and the structure of government (check out the pictures below!), and they’re about to begin their next unit focused on Indigenous Peoples of Texas and using the “tools” of historical analysis.
8th graders have spent the last two weeks completing their first major assignments in both ELAR and US History - lucky them! In ELAR, students finished writing their “Power Narratives” about a personal experience that taught them something about power. They’re starting now on their first novel study of the year - either Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury or The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros - and analyzing how authors use figurative language to reveal their themes. In US History, students recently finished creating the front pages of their Turtle Island Gazette newspapers and writing postcards from Turtle Island, and they’re diving now into their next unit on Colonization. Ask your students to help you find Turtle Island on the map, and remind them to be keeping up on their reading!
