8/1/11 - Registration this week. Wow! Didn't the summer just drag on and on! Finally back in school. Well, not till next week.
8/8/11 - School starts this Wednesday. Looking forward to seeing past students and new.
8/15/11 - 7th grade and 8th grade are working on safety and inquiry this week. Pre-test on Monday and a notebook check on Tuesday. Safety Quiz on Wednesday.
8/22/11 - This week is about the scientific method / process and how we come to understand the world. There will be a scientific method quiz on Wednesday.
8/29/11 - This week we are looking at the engineering process and measurements in both 7th and 8th Grade classes. Reminder for 7th graders there is a field trip on Friday to Rock City with their Kindergarten Buddies.
9/5/11 - Labor Day followed by Irene Flood Day makes for a short week. Fairy Tale Festival this Friday. Quiz planned for Thursday has been postponed to next week. We are doing presentation this week on inventions and learning about measurements.
9/12/11 - Measurement Quiz on Tuesday for 8th and 7th Grade. Starting a unit on Geology later in the week for 7th Grade and starting a unit on Adaptations and Biodiversity for 8th Grade.
9/19/11 - 7th is continuing a unit on the Earth / Geology and 8th is working on Taxonomy which is a part of a larger unit on Biodiversity and Change. There is a review test (worth 20% of their grade) on Thursday covering current knowledge and everything learned since the beginning of the school year.
9/26/11 - This week the 7th grade is exploring mankind's relationship with the planet Earth. We will be discussing and the students will be researching specifics and writing a 500 word essay by the end of the week. 8th grade is examining the role of adaptations and biodiversity in forming and shaping the myriad life forms on Earth today. Working on a big adaptations project later this week.
10/3/11 - Short week this week. No students in class on Friday and Thursday is an enrichment day. Final exam for Science is on Tuesday. Review games on Monday for both classes.
10/10/11 - 7th Grade starts a unit on Work / Motion / Simple Machines and 8th Grade is finishing up their project on Adaptations. I will only be at school on Monday and Tuesday and leave for Washington DC Tuesday night with the 8th Graders. Have a great Autumnal Diversion! P.S. - Make sure you get your conference scheduled for the week following Fall Break.
10/17/11 - FALL BREAK!!! - Enjoy!
10/24/11 - 7th graders will be refining knowledge of Simple Machines and starting to look at forces and motion in more detail. 8th graders will be finishing up their adaptations projects and doing fossil study. Parent Conferences are this week so check your schedule and we'll see you either Thursday PM or Friday AM.
10/31/11 - Happy Samhain! 7th graders are continuing their study of the Laws of Motion. 8th graders are presenting their Adaptation Projects and will be taking the EXPLORE test on Wednesday which will include a section on Science. We have been discussing a specific strategy to take when doing this portion of the test. The class has done a pre-test to give them an idea of what to expect. 8th will finish the week up studying fossils.
11/7/11 - Seventh Grade is continuing work on waves with a quiz on Thursday. There will be a project on waves where different teams will compile data and information on some aspect of waves and will present to the class. Eighth Grade is finishing up a unit on fossils and will be starting on the periodic table and matter. Quiz on Thursday about fossils.
11/14/11 - Seventh Grade is working on a cell unit and learning about the parts of a cell and the function of those parts as well as how things get into and out of the cell. Eighth Grade is continuing work on Matter and the Periodic Table. Review test covering everything since the beginning of the second quarter for 7th grade on Thursday and 8th Grade on Friday. I have coaching available at 8 to 8:45 AM on Tuesday and Thursday.
11/21/11 - Seventh Grade will continue their study of the cell and Eighth Grade will continue their study of matter. Short week due to Thanksgiving Break. Do not consume too much Meleagris gallapavo over the holiday.
11/28/11 - Good to be back in the game! 7th grade this week is studying cell transport (how things get into and out of the cell) as well as mitosis (cell division). Eighth grade is studying mixtures and compounds as well as balanced equations. Quizzes for both grades on Thursday.
12/5/11 - For 7th grade still reviewing the cell and introducing the plant cell particulars. No quiz this week but there is a Constructed Response Assessment (CRA) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 9:00. The test is part of the TCAP program and will be 90 minutes timed and proctored. It is important that the students are well rested. 8th grade will be working on Acids and Bases and doing some labs this week.
12/12/11 - Review Games on Monday. Final Exam for both 7th and 8th Grade on Tuesday. Most of the rest of the week will be study hall. There will be a notebook check some time this week. Winter break is right around the corner.
12/19/11 - Enrichment Day and then 1/2 day and then BREAK!
1/9/12 - Welcome Back!!! We're spending the week for both 7th and 8th grade reviewing what we have learned so far this school year as well as what relationship there is between all of those subjects.
1/16/12 - MLK Jr. Day off. 7th grade and 8th grade taking a comprehensive 1 semester review quiz on Tuesday (originally scheduled for last week but delayed school start made it impractical)) 7th will continue unit on Photosynthesis while 8th grade is exploring density and bouyancy. Quiz at the end of the week for each grade level.
1/23/12 - 7th graders will be studying sexual and asexual reproduction leading to a larger unit on Heredity. 8th graders will be learning about forces in nature initially focusing on electricity and magnetism. Quizzes on Thursday.
1/30/12 - 7th graders will be continuing study of flower anatomy and starting a unit on heredity. 8th graders will be getting more detailed information about electricity and magnetism. Quizzes for both classes on Thursday.
2/6/12 - 7th graders continuing the unit on heredity. 8th graders working on energy. There will be a Review Test on Thursday covering everything since the beginning of this 9 weeks
2/13/12 - 7th graders are working on bunny babies to test the efficacy of Punnett Squares. 8th grade is finishing up light energy and starting on the formation of the solar system. No quizzes or tests this week. No school on Friday. Parent / Teacher conferences on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
2/20/12 - Monday off for President's Day! In 7th grade we are watching the movie Gattaca which is about a future where Genetic Engineering is commonplace. We will be debating G.E. after the movie and a G.E. quiz on Friday. 8th grade is studying celestial mechanics this week. Quiz on Friday.
2/27/12 - 7th grade will be reviewing the entire 9 weeks and reinforcing existing knowledge and clearing up weak areas. No quiz this week. Notebook check for both grades some time this week. 8th grade will be learning about inverse square law of gravity. There will be a moon / earth, Kepler's Laws and gravity quiz on Tuesday. No coaching on Thursday due to faculty meeting. Table Games start on Friday. Final Exam next week on Wednesday.
3/5/12 - Our hearts go out to all of those who suffered losses on Friday with the tornadoes. 7th and 8th grade are doing review this week along with Final Exam on Wednesday. After that we are doing TCAP prep and complete year in review.
3/12/12 - The next several weeks will be looking back at material covered since the first part of the school year. Particular emphasis will be placed on TCAP material and strategies for answering questions. There will be two quizzes this week that are 10 questions each. One on Tuesday regarding inquiry and one on Thursday regarding Design / Engineering Process.
3/19/12 - This will definitely be an odd week. Enrichment day for the middle school and no school for students on Tuesday the 20th (but teachers will be here). No seminar on Wednesday and a large number of music people go to Orlando early in the morning on Thursday and don't return until Sunday. Remaining students will be going over TCAP review.
3/26/12 - This week will be pretty much TCAP review and test taking strategies. There will be short quizzes on Tuesday and Thursday. The school play is this week - Willy Wonka! Next week is Spring Break and Easter.
4/2/12 - SPRING BREAK!!!
4/9/12 - TCAP Review and content review for both grades. Wednesday is greenhouse setup day and Friday is putting down soil and planting seeds! Progress reports - Check ONLINE!
4/16/12 - Weak area review plus greenhouse maintenance and reports. Review test on Wednesday based on all of the past 10 Question Quizzes for this 9 weeks.
4/23/12 - TCAP!!!
4/30/12 - 7th grade is continuing study of taxonomy and will be doing dichotomous keys. 8th grade is focusing on gas laws and avogadro's number. Quizzes for both grades on Thursday.
5/7/12 - Things are starting to wrap up. Matter quiz for 7th graders on Tuesday. Table games (4th Quarter Review) Wednesday and Friday. Study Hall on Thursday. 8th grade reviewing gas laws. Wednesday Open forum day. Study Hall on Thursday and Retreat on Friday.
5/14/12 - Well, this is it! 7th and 8th grade have exams on Tuesday. Monday is table game final for exam prep for the 7th grade and How to Retire as a Multi-Millionaire for 8th grade. Wednesday is greenhouse breakdown and final report time. Lake Winnie on Thursday and last day of school for students on Friday!!! Pick up report cards next Tuesday morning or send in $3.00 for mailed report card.