Math:
Marionettes completed their first check-in on Monday and then continued onto their next unit: Positive Rational Numbers! They completed 4 lessons in two days over adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals. Wednesday was a particularly impressive day. All Marionettes worked diligently on long dividing decimals. I was so proud they earned Division Champ badges! On Thursday, they made a graphic organizer to remember the different rules for each operation and started an error analysis. They will finish finding the mistakes in pretend student work next week.
The Saplings reviewed for their check in on Monday and Tuesday and took the check-in Wednesday and Thursday.
The Vroomshrooms took their check-in on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday they moved onto a lesson over relations and functions. They learned a function is like a vending machine. If you push the Dr. Pepper button only one Dr. Pepper should come out. If you get more than one output, like a Dr. Pepper then a Sprite, the machine is broken and not a function. Thursday they represented functions as equations and were introduced to function notation.
Be on the lookout! All check-ins will be in your child’s math binder on Monday.
ELA:
We kicked off the week learning about the most basic sentence structure, the independent clause, and also about two types of characters in literature, static and dynamic. After that students split into book club groups to discuss our novel, Nothing But the Truth.
Tuesday and Wednesday we continued to look at persuasive essays written by middle school students and unpacked each one for necessary components: the thesis, supporting details, and the hook and clincher. We learned that using the persuasive techniques of emotional and logical appeal can really strengthen an argument, but can also be used to manipulate…so watch out!
Thursday the middle schoolers performed autopsies…on a body of text! They suited up in personal protective gear and got down to the serious and meticulous business–all on their own– of looking for all those essay parts we’ve been learning about: the thesis, supporting details in the introduction and body paragraphs, and persuasive appeals to emotion and logic. Afterward, the Marionettes and Saplings looked further into those rhetorical devices by watching TV commercials and identifying each one’s use of logos, pathos, and ethos. The Vroom Shrooms ended their week by learning about another rhetorical device, logical fallacy, by examining examples of each and discussing real life connections to them. As we head into the final stretch of this election season, middle schoolers are on high alert for the persuasive devices they’ve learned about!
Theme:
OMG..the DRAMA. Dramatic skits about the main political parties, that is!
Delta students jumped into the history and present structure of the American political party system this week with an emphasis on the two main political parties: the Democratic and Republican parties. After careful notes on the two parties, the students prepared and performed skits to demonstrate their analysis of each party’s history and values. Each grou member played a role in the skits and the audience students were challenged to find the main issues and values for the party in the skits. Great dramatic performance and inventive costumes and props made this exercise a great success!
Students used their experiences with party philosophy to analyze their OWN growing political ideology as they took different quizzes that focused on major political issues and topics. Each quiz allowed students to address statements to determine where on the political spectrum they fell. A lot of interesting discussions and results enlightened and challenged the students.
With their ideologies in hand, students grouped together to begin the process of building their own political party. THey discussed prior information from the Week Three P&P, and created names, slogans, issue platforms, and mascots for their new parties. They will be creating other products to complete this project challenge next week.
Delta students celebrate a successful round of “elevens” during a group SEL activity .
Marionettes working hard on dividing decimals and showing off their Division Champ badges.
Saplings work together to identify key elements of a persuasive essay.
Saplings perform any essay autopsy.
Saplings suit up in PPE.
Marionettes use a color coding system to highlight necessary elements of a persuasive essay.
Vroom Shrooms all suited up and ready to perform their essay autopsies.
Theme students work to create their scripts and costumes for skits focused on the Democratic and Republican parties while preparing for their acting debuts. The skits sought to challenge students to analyze and synthesize their
Students continued the process of developing and performing their skits focusing on Political Party values and philosophies. Below, the Marionettes perform their Democratic party skits.
Delta students visit with each other during a “meet and greet” exercise. The activity was part of the Flex period focusing on Health and Wellness.
The 2024-2025 Delta Class official class photo!
