Only 5 Days to Go to Vacation - What Will We Do Until Then?

Building Math Momentum - How we are doing it at TCS

Assalamu alikum, 

     I wanted to remind everyone, parents and students alike, that there is a weekly math homework assignment worth 20 points on Khan Academy. 

     When the students practice on Khan Academy, they are reviewing math skills that they have previously learned and gaining confidence and improving their math fluency. Building and strengthening their math foundation allows me, the teacher, to have a stronger base to build on when teaching new math content in the classroom.

     It is very important that students are spending this time reviewing their math skills. One of the things I like about this setup is that students have a set of recommendations that I have made after seeing how they are doing on in class assignments. Students can practice these skills on their own time when they choose, but also have freedom to review what they choose as well. 

     Students have access to real-time hints and videos and get immediate feedback about whether they are on the right track. I prefer this over sending home worksheets of math problems with little to no guidance or feedback.

     I am so happy that most of my students have been very consistent with logging in and taking the 5 minutes a day. There are still several students who are not quite there yet. They are losing homework credit and missing out on critical math review. I want every student to come into class with the strongest set of skills they can have. Please make sure to check in regularly to make sure this assignment is being completed.

Jazak Allah Khayr, 
Sister Patti Picard

Interactions, Atoms, and Galaxies

Assalamu alikum,

 


Every class has vocabulary for the week posted under the link in each grade's science class. It is at the top and say something like "Quizlet Vocabulary Sets and Practice". It links the students to a site that I set up with the week's science vocabulary where students have 6 different activities to practice their vocabulary terms prior to vocab quizzes and tests. Each week I will be adding new sets.

What are we doing this week?

6th graders are working on dividing fractions and mixed numbers this week along with fraction operation word problems. In science, we are learning about all types of adaptations and interactions such as predation, competition and symbiosis.



7th graders are talking about ratios in terms of scale and will be using maps and map scales to determine distances between cities and certain destinations. They will also create scale drawings of the layout of their room, and creating a 3-D model of a buildings walls using a scaled blur print. In science, we are now in our new unit on chemical building blocks and are learning and the structure and characteristics of atoms. Look for lots of mini-projects interpreting and creating atomic models.

8th graders moving into a new math unit on the "shapes of numbers" learning how to find the square root of whole numbers and relating the square root as the length of a number as represented by an area. In science, they are getting an idea of how big the universe is and how stars are grouped around the universe and where we are located on our galaxy.


Jazak Allah Khayr,
Sister Patti Picard

Brrrrr... Winter is on the way.

Assalamu alikum,

Brrrrr... what a wintry beginning to the week. I want to remind students and parents that we go outside for recess and that appropriate clothing is required. Students need to wear jackets, gloves/mittens, and hats or hoods when going outside. Students without appropriate clothing will stay indoors.


 This week in the warmth of the classroom, we will be doing math and science as always.

6th graders are focusing on review of multiplication and learning division of fractions. There will be a test on all fraction operations at the beginning of next week. In science we are looking at the factors that affect a population. We will be introducing a long-term team project on ecological systems.



7th graders will transition from similar figures to scale this week and will be creating scale maps of their rooms and using scale to interpret real distances represented on maps. In science, they will be researching and preparing for a debate on the FCC's control of radio and microwave frequencies. This is an interdisciplinary unit with a summative persuasive/argument essay written and assessed in both ELA and Science.


8th graders have a test Thursday on Linear Equations and Bi-variate Data. In science, we are learning about the life cycle of stars and will continue research on the stars of their chosen constellation.



Stay warm,
Sister Patti Picard