Thursday, February 25, 2010

General Announcements:

• Friday, Feb. 26: Field Trip: This Friday, the Prisms (and Purples) will be traveling to the Academy of Music in Northampton to see Shakepeare & Co.'s production of Julius Caesar. Drivers should arrive by 9:00 am (we will miss All-School) and we should be back just in time for lunch.
• You must have an independent reading book every day. If you are getting close to the end of one, have the next one at school and ready to go.

Math:

• 7th & 8th Grade:
  • Due Fri., 2/26: Math's Mate 3.1, work for * problems shown on a separate piece of lined paper. Turn in to folder on Grace's desk first thing, before field trip.

Social Studies:

• Due Fri., 2/26:
  • Read Handout & Complete Triangle Trade map
  • Draw a cover for our unit on Rome.

Science:

• Due Fri., 2/26: Complete Distance-Time Graph Worksheet begun in class this morning.

Language Arts:

• Due Mon., 3/1: Interview a parent or other adult you know about the Holocaust. Questions to ask include:
  • What do they know about it?
  • What have they always wondered about the Holocaust?
  • Do they know anyone that we might interview as a class on the topic of the Holocaust?
  Take legible notes about what you learn from your interview to turn in for review.

Spanish:

• 7th Grade: Due Fri., 2/26: Finish order of events sheet.

• 8th Grade: No hay tarea.

Moment of Zen:

You Asked For It...

For those who have wondered why Grace does not have a picture on the board of pictures of teachers as kids, it's because I don't have a picture of myself younger than age 14 at my house. However, recently, through the power of the internet, I got hold of my fourth-grade class picture. In all its awkward glory, here it is. It's not great resolution (though you can click on it for a somewhat larger version), but see if you can find me among the rest of the grinning mugs.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

General Announcements:

• Friday, Feb. 26: Field Trip: This Friday, the Prisms (and Purples) will be traveling to the Academy of Music in Northampton to see Shakepeare & Co.'s production of Julius Caesar. Drivers should arrive by 9:00 am (we will miss All-School) and we should be back just in time for lunch.
• You must have an independent reading book every day. If you are getting close to the end of one, have the next one at school and ready to go.

Math:

• 7th & 8th Grade:
  • Due Wed., 2/24: Remove all algebra homestudy and Math's Mates assignments from math binder and place into manila envelope provided. Write your name and "Math" on the front of the envelope. Bring to Math Class.

Social Studies:

• Due Wed., 2/24: Write a Reflection on your test performance, using pre & post test results.

Science:

• Due Wed., 2/24: Read 12.3 in Physical Science textbook (book or handout). Answer #1-6 and challenge on p.257.

Language Arts:

• Due Wed., 2/24: Using information on grammar lesson sheets 1-7 and the personal pronoun chart I gave you, write:
  • 5 original sentences using a personal pronoun that is a subject pronoun
  • 5 original sentences using a personal pronoun as an object pronoun
  • 5 original sentences using a personal pronoun as a possessive pronoun.
  Label each personal pronoun you use as subj., obj., or poss. Be sure to edit your sentences for English conventions. Write all on lined paper legible or word process.

Spanish:

• 7th Grade: Due Fri., 2/26: Finish order of events sheet.

• 8th Grade: No hay tarea.

Moment of Zen:

Olympic Highlights: The Norweigian Men's Curling Team's Pants

Curling may be one of the stranger Winter Olympic sports, involving sliding polished, 40+ lb hunks of granite down an ice sheet, guiding their path by sweeping the ice in front of them, jockeying with another team to have the greatest number of rocks close to a bullsey target or button in curling parlance. It reeks with the kind of creativity peculiar to long, cold winters without much to do. However, whether because of an increased appreciation of this kind of weirdness or because of an increased popularity due to curling's inclusion in Deca Sports for Wii (yes, there is Wii Curling), curling has garnered more attention in the 2010 games than ever before. Personally, I think it's because of Team Norway's pants. Breaking with the somber convention of black or gray slacks curling teams usually favor, Norway's men's curling squad outfitted itself with red, white and blue (also the colors of Norway's flag) harlequin golf pants for the Vancouver games. Even Norway's King Harald wants a pair. Norway curling hasn't just brought the style though, they've also brought the heat. Well, metaphorically, at least. Team Norway (and their pants) are second in the ranking behind undefeated Canada, and have secured a place in the semifinal round.

Test Review: Ancient Rome Art Gallery

Click on any of these thumbnails of pieces relevant for Friday's test to see a full-size version of it. Also see study guide for further information about structure and content of test.

Aeneas' Flight from Troy	Pont du Gard - Roman Aqueduct	Christian Chi-Rho Cross
Statue of Constantine	Map of Fragmented Roman Empire, Prior to Constantine's Reconquest of Rome	Map of Empire under Constantine
Tiberius Gracchus	Hannibal's March	Fresco: Horatius at the Bridge
Statue of Cincinnatus with Fasces	Mars and Rhea Silvia	Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix the Gaul
The Pantheon	Map of the Punic Wars
The Seven Hills of Rome	The She-Wolf Suckles Romulus and Remus	Cincinnatus

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

General Announcements:

• Eighth Grade project documents available here, including Phase 2 calendar (updated 1/22/10).
• You must have an independent reading book every day. If you are getting close to the end of one, have the next one at school and ready to go.

Math:

• 7th & 8th Grade:
  • None assigned

Social Studies:

• Test Fri., 2/12: Culminating test on Anicent Rome. See Ancient Rome Test Study Guide.

Science:

• None assigned

Language Arts:

• Due Thurs., 2/11: Write a descriptive narrative bringing to life the feel of Coffeehouse last Friday.

Spanish:

• None assigned

Moment of Zen:

I couldn't decide which Dinosaur Comic to share, so here's two of them:

Yes, he uses the exact same graphics with different text for every comic, and has been doing so five days a week for about seven years. Somehow, it hasn't gotten old. (Click comics for full-size versions)

Ancient Rome Test Study Guide

Main Topics: Reviewed in class today: Latin Words/Meanings ID of personalities (Matching and Short Answers) Map reading/interpretation To be reviewed in class tomorrow ID of Roman history events through art: See Gallery Timeline reading/sequence of events
Latin Words/Roots	ID Terms/Personalities	Maps
senex rex/regis patres plebes SPQR (acronym) lex/lexis pax/pacem ordo res publica	Aeneas Romulus/Remus Horatius Seven Hills of Rome L. Junius Brutus Carthage Hannibal Julius Caesar Gauls (esp. re: Caesar) Gracchus brothers Marius Sulla Pax Romana Caesar, Pompey, Crassus

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

General Announcements:

• Eighth Grade project documents available here, including Phase 2 calendar (updated 1/22/10).
• You must have an independent reading book every day. If you are getting close to the end of one, have the next one at school and ready to go.

Math:

• 7th Grade:
  • None assigned
• 8th Grade:
  • Test Wed., 2/10: Check up test on Chapters 1 & 2 in Looking for Pythagoras.

Social Studies:

• Due :

Science:

• Due Wed., 2/10: Answer #8: Make two graphs of time and position and time and speed.

Language Arts:

• None assigned

Spanish:

• 7th Grade:

• 8th Grade:

Moment of Zen: What's your caption?

(picture from Hipster Puppies)

Monday, February 8, 2010

General Announcements:

• A huge thank you to everyone—students, families and friends—who helped to make Friday's Coffeehouse such a resounding success.
• Tuesday, Feb. 9: If you are performing your Coffeehouse act tomorrow at Overlook (see LA for full listing of acts performing tomorrow), make sure to bring to school what is needed to perform.
• Eighth Grade project documents available here, including Phase 2 calendar (updated 1/22/10).
• You must have an independent reading book every day. If you are getting close to the end of one, have the next one at school and ready to go.

Math:

• 7th & 8th Grade: Test Tue., 2/9 : Math's Mate Term Test will be tomorrow, not Wednesday as previously advertised. The format of test is identical to a regular weekly Math's Mate sheet, so your previously completed MM work will be useful for preparation.

Social Studies:

• Due Tue., 2/9: Read pp. 132-137 and 140-141 in packet copied from Greek & Roman Civilization. Highlight/underline important information.

Science:

• Due Tue., 2/9: Problems 1-6 (both sides) of problem set handed out today. (Note: Jeff Gordon=NASCAR)

Language Arts:

• Due Tues., 2/9: If you are one of the following groups performing your act tomorrow at Overlook, make sure to bring to school what is needed to perform:
  • PBJ skit (Josh F. Liam & Liam)
  • Pronoun song (Dana, Isabelle, Maible, Maya, Norma)
  • "House at Pooh Corner" (Kia, Dylan & John)
  • Improv Theater Games (Sophie)
  • Yoga skit (Bailey, Kaleigh, Mariah, Olivia F.)
  • "John Lee Supertaster" (Maible, Norma, Maya, Isabelle, Grace)

Spanish:

• 7th Grade: Summarize (in English) Ch. 3 of Piratas

• 8th Grade: 6 questions about Ch. 2+3

Moment of Zen: Maine-based artist Matt W. Moore showed up for his current exhibition at Paris's Since gallery with nothing, not even supplies. His show, "Crystals & Lasers" was created on the spot using a style Moore describes as "Vectorfunk" or "GeoFunk" including the mural pictured above, which was completed, with permission, on the side of an elementary school across the street from the gallery. "Geometry is a universal language, and bangin' color is crucial during the cold grey winters here," says Moore about the piece and larger series. His blog (linked through the picture above) also has a number of pictures from around Paris taken with his unique eye (including lots of awesome Paris graffiti!).