7th Grade Newsletter

Collinswood Language Academy:

Celebrating World Cultures and Embracing Diversity Through Two Languages

Welcome to the 1st edition of the 7th Grade Collinswood Middle School Newsletter for 2013-2014. You will find information about important dates and events enclosed in this newsletter.

As many of you know, Collinswood students are divided into four houses: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. All of the students work collaboratively as a house to earn points. The house with the most points at the end of the quarter will be rewarded! Points will reset to zero at the start of the 2nd quarter so that every house has an opportunity to win!

REMINDERS

  • No Make-up!
  • No Gum!
  • Sweaters and jackets must be school colors if worn inside the building.

GRADING POLICIES/CHANGES

  • Formal Assessments =65%, Informal Assessments = 35%
  • Students are responsible for obtaining any missed work while they are absent from school. If the work is not made up, students will receive a zero.
  • Any assignment that is not turned in on the due date can receive no higher than a 70%. If work is not turned in at all, it will be given a zero.
  • Students who receive a 76% or below on a formal assessment, may ask for a retake after qualifying work has been completed and within a week of the original assessment. It is the student’s responsibility to ask for a retake.

ACADEMIC CORNER

LANGUAGE ARTS: Students have been learning about story elements, including plot, characterization,point of view and theme. We have recently been studying themes and bias in various texts and billboards. In addition, students are reading and analyzing Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. Every Monday, your child receives an article of the week (AOW) that is due the Friday of the same week. Make sure to check your child’s agenda for updates and information.Please consider donating grade level appropriate texts to our classroom library.

SCIENCE: Students have been studying the unit Forces and Motions. Recently, they finished creating a "scooter" that can demonstrate Newton's 3rd Law. The scooter had to travel at least 1.5 meters without a push, pull or being assisted by gravity. Next, students will investigatethe concepts of energy, simple machines, and weather.

SPANISH: Studentsfinishedpresenting their first project of the y+ to an inspirational quote of their choice. To celebrate Hispanic Month, they are working on a project based on importantHispanicpeoplein the U.S. Both creative projects allowed them to use their language skills of writing, reading, listening, and speaking. This week, we started our first novel SenderosFronterizos, a second part of the book Cajas de Cartón, that they read in sixth grade.

All homework and project information for my class is located on my wiki Please encourage your child to practice Spanish by watching Spanish movies, visiting Hispanic restaurants or by talking with a friend.

SOCIAL STUDIES: In social studies, we are learning about Conquistadores, especially focusing on Hernan Cortes (conquering the Aztecs-the Mexicas)and Francisco Pizarro (conquering the Inca Empire). In addition, students are working on an individual presentation about famous explorers, conquistadores, kings, queens and emperors of the Age of Exploration. Once we have finished the presentations, we will study the Britsh, French and Dutch colonization in America to prepare them for 8th grade when we focus on the History of the U.S.

MATH: During the first quarter, we have been studying integer numbers and how to deal with them in useful situations. I have also been reinforcing mental math calculations, which will allow me to introduce algebraic concepts as variables and equations.

Parents,please donate any books from your home that your child has previously read while in middle school.Collinswood strives to create lifelong readers and you can help us do this bydonating "must-read" books to our middle school classroom libraries.