Thursday, January 31, 2013

General Announcements:

• Friday PE: Wear or bring clothes/shoes to move in indoors.
• If you ever notice something missing or wrong on the blog, comment to let me know about it - I don't always have the whole picture. -Grace

Humanities:

• Due Fri., 2/1:
  • Chain of Fire: Read Ch. 19-21, Reading Log.
  • Cry, The Beloved Country: Read Ch. 22-25, Reading Log.

Math:

• NEWS FOR YOU!  You now have a link to your textbook!  This  link will bring you to the Big Ideas Math Website, where you will choose your color/name of book.  Then you can search the entire textbook - like today's sample problems done together in class.  Check it out - you can search without a username and password in the "Home Edition".
• Graph paper link on the sidebar →
Grade 7
• Due Fri., 2/1: Finish Record & Practice Journal, page 135-136
Grade 8
• Nada

Science:

• Due Fri., 2/1: Answer questions from "Modeling Molecule" activity packet, #1-6

Spanish:

Grade 7
• Due Fri., 2/1: Pobre Ana chapter 4 sheets
Grade 8
• Due Mon., 2/4: Chap. 7 translation due.

8th Grade Project:

• Due Mon., 2/4: 60 notecards on topic due.

Moment of Zen

I Speak for the Trees...

Statement from the artists, a couple who work together as the Zonenkinder Collective: "The Tree Project" is an ongoing art project since 2006 inspired by the beauty and the decay of nature. We are constantly in search of new forms of expressions and we love to play with unusual surfaces and locations. In the Tree Project we visualize the atmosphere of the moment, the usually hidden spirit and dreams of the trees and the the living nature which surrounds us. By painting eyes, faces and grimaces on the trees, by ornamenting and dressing them we emphasize our close and unique connection with nature. Thereby reflecting that trees are exceptional and beautiful living individuals. This stands in contrast to the often destructive and indifferent interaction with the environment of mankind. Please note that we take environmental issues serious: for all tree-paintings shown here we use natural and biodegradable colors that will fade away after a while.

Here are some impression from Denmark, Germany, France.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

General Announcements:

• Friday PE: Wear or bring clothes/shoes to move in indoors.
• If you ever notice something missing or wrong on the blog, comment to let me know about it - I don't always have the whole picture. -Grace

Humanities:

• Due Wed., 1/30:
  • Chain of Fire: Read Ch. 16-18, Reading Log.
  Cry, The Beloved Country: Read Ch. 18-21, Reading Log.

Math:

• NEWS FOR YOU!  You now have a link to your textbook!  This  link will bring you to the Big Ideas Math Website, where you will choose your color/name of book.  Then you can search the entire textbook - like today's sample problems done together in class.  Check it out - you can search without a username and password in the "Home Edition".
• Graph paper link on the sidebar →
Grade 7
• Due Thurs., 1/31 at Morning Meeting: Finish Record & Practice Journal, page 135-136
Grade 8
• Due Thurs., 1/31 at Morning Meeting: textbook, p. 210, #1-3, 5, 8-12 even, 15
  Challenge: Telescope Problem

Science:

• Due Fri., 2/1: Answer questions from "Modeling Molecule" activity packet, #1-6

Spanish:

Grade 7
• Due Fri., 2/1: Pobre Ana chapter 4 sheets
Grade 8
• Due Mon., 2/4: Chap. 7 translation due.

8th Grade Project:

• Due Mon., 2/4: 60 notecards on topic due.

Moment of Zen

Tallest Surfed Wave

This past Monday, pro surfer Garrett McNamara (who, incidentally, is originally from Pittsfield), topped his own world record for tallest wave surfed, catching a wave off the Atlantic coast of Nazaré, Portugal thought to be over 100 feet tall. His previous record, set two years ago in Nazaré, was 78 feet tall. Click to read more about McNamara and the geological reasons that Nazaré gets such massive waves.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

General Announcements:

• Friday PE: Wear or bring clothes/shoes to move in indoors.
• If you ever notice something missing or wrong on the blog, comment to let me know about it - I don't always have the whole picture. -Grace

Humanities:

• Due Wed., 1/30:
  • Chain of Fire: Read Ch. 13-15, Reading Log.
  Cry, The Beloved Country: Read Ch. 14-17, Reading Log.

Math:

• NEWS FOR YOU!  You now have a link to your textbook!  This  link will bring you to the Big Ideas Math Website, where you will choose your color/name of book.  Then you can search the entire textbook - like today's sample problems done together in class.  Check it out - you can search without a username and password in the "Home Edition".
• Graph paper link on the sidebar →
Grade 7
• • Level 1: Test Wed., 1/30
  • Level 2: Nada
Grade 8
• Rien

Science:

• Nada

Spanish:

Grade 7
• Due Fri., 2/1: Pobre Ana chapter 4 sheets
Grade 8
• Due Mon., 2/4: Chap. 7 translation due.

8th Grade Project:

• Due Mon., 2/4: 60 notecards on topic due.

Moment of Zen

Darwin's Neon Golf Balls

Click to find out more.

Monday, January 28, 2013

General Announcements:

• Friday PE: Wear or bring clothes/shoes to move in indoors.
• If you ever notice something missing or wrong on the blog, comment to let me know about it - I don't always have the whole picture. -Grace

Humanities:

• Due Tues., 1/29:
  • Chain of Fire: Read Ch. 10-12, Reading Log.
  Cry, The Beloved Country: Read Ch. 11-13, Reading Log.

Math:

• NEWS FOR YOU!  You now have a link to your textbook!  This  link will bring you to the Big Ideas Math Website, where you will choose your color/name of book.  Then you can search the entire textbook - like today's sample problems done together in class.  Check it out - you can search without a username and password in the "Home Edition".
• Graph paper link on the sidebar →
Grade 7
• • Level 1: Test Wed., 1/30
  • Level 2: Test Tues., 1/29. Do Standardized Test practice
Grade 8
• Due Tues., 1/29: Record & Practice Journal, p. 107-109; textbook, p. 211, #20

Science:

• NadaOn handout on Physical and Chemical Transformations, do all questions except #5.

8th Grade Project:

• Due Mon., 2/4: 60 notecards on topic due.

Moment of Zen

Wicker Car

Nigerian wickersmith Ojo Obaniyi outfitted his (still fully functional!) Volkswagen pickup with woven raffia palm - the entire thing, inside and out. Obaniyi, who's been working with wicker for about 20 years, says of the project,

'I wanted to prove a point that it is not only the educated elite that can make positive changes in society. We, the artisans also have talents to effect a change and make a positive impact in the society. That is why I decided that I too must do something that will make people to recognize
me and know me across the whole world and by extension prove to the world that African and indeed the entire black race have very talented people.'

Click above to see more pictures of Obaniyi's Wickermobile.