Wednesday, December 7, 2011

General Announcements:

• 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
• Wednesdays: Mummers Play Rehearsal Rehearsals will take place every Wednesday between here and Solstice from 3-5 PM in the River Classroom.
• Fri., Dec. 9: Prisms field trip to Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in Deerfield, 11:30 am - 3 pm. Blue House lunches will be ready in time, but pizza orders will not, so plan lunch and lunch orders accordingly.
• Fri., Dec. 16: Prisms/Purples Dance. Job sign-ups and song request lists up in both classrooms.

Humanities:

• Due Fri., 12/9: Read novels & complete reading log
  • Fools Crow, ch. 11-13
  • Light in the Forest, ch. 5-6
  • Due Mon., 12/12: Complete bottom three bands of your timeline.
• Long Range Project: Stories of White and Native American Encounters
  First Draft Due Mon., 12/19
  Final Draft Due Thurs., 12/22: Write a story, diary entries or a series of letters from the perspective of two people living in the early 1800s in West Virginia. The first chapter, letter or diary entry should be set in the year 1800. The final chapter, letter or diary entry should take place in 1838.
• Ample class time will be dedicated to this project and related, short-range deadlines will be updated

Math:

• Graph paper link on the sidebar →
  Grade 7
• Test Thurs., 12/8: Variables and Patterns unit test. Review Notes in your Math Binder in preparation for your test this coming Thursday.

Grade 8

• Due Thurs., 12/8: On p. 42, do Applications #2 (chocolate chip thief?)

Science:

• Fri., 12/9: Outline of info due, including specific question and presentation plan. You will not get class time to work on this before Friday, so plan homework time accordingly.
• Long Range Project: Independent Heredity Research
  • Each student will pick a topic relating to work in Science about heredity, relating to a particular inherited trait such as eye or hair color, hereditary diseases such as Sickle Cell anemia or muscular dystrophy, or ethical question regarding human interference in heredity such as selective breeding for traits in plants and animals, cloning, or a particular genetically modified organism. Each student will present their research either in an essay or Powerpoint presentation.
  • Deadlines:
    • Fri., 12/2: Submit topic proposal
    • Tues., 12/6: Submit 2-3 reputable sources about your topic
    • Fri., 12/9: Outline of info due
    • Wed., 12/14: First draft due
    • Fri., 12/16: Final draft due

Español:

• Bring home all Day of the Dead materials!

Atelier:

• Due Wed., 12/14: Have second scratchboard composition finished by next Wed. It will be due first thing that morning.

Health:

Download the following Family Activity worksheets. The activities are not required, but we encourage parents and students to do them together to strengthen dialogue at home about sexual health. Please feel free to contact Emilie or Deb at school with questions.

• Grade 7 Family Activity - Dec. 6 (.pdf)
• Grade 8 Family Activity - Dec. 6 (.pdf)

Tech:

• Due ASAP: If Dan L. talked to you about your magazine project, you need to find time outside of class to work on it in the Tech Lab.

Moment of Zen:

Why do Apes love cats?

If you're like me, you loved the book Koko's Kitten about Koko the signing gorilla's partnership with her tailless cat, Ball. But Koko and Ball are not the only simian-feline partnership. Click above to read/see pictures of other such friendships with a brief analysis of why non-human apes get along with cats as much as human apes do.