Learning Previews - Grade 7 - October 11, 2016

Learning Previews - Grade 7 - October 11, 2016
Posted on 10/11/2016

Social Science: Mr. Tom Trainor 
7th Graders are currently engaged in learning about the process and candidates for this year’s Presidential Election. Students are deciding for themselves the major issues that matter to them most, and then investigating the candidates’ positions on those issues. Additionally, we will explore the electoral college and the constitutional powers given to the President of the United States. As we take our journey together through this pivotal time in our history, we will be reflecting on these two questions: What makes people follow a leader? What are the issues that matter most to you in this election?

Math: Mr. Chris Devlin
 
7th Grade Math
Chapter 1: This chapter will extend understanding of the system of rational numbers to all real numbers. Students will explore the idea that between every pair of rational numbers, there is another rational number. A big idea is that real numbers are used to represent quantities, and can be located on an infinite number line. Students will need to draw number lines to scale with the correct interval. In this chapter, students will use long division to write fractions as decimals and explore terminating and repeating decimals. Ask your student to explain rational numbers to you.

7th Grade Accelerated Math Pathways

Chapter 2: In this chapter, your student will learn about operations with rational numbers. Some of the skills your student will practice are:

  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers
  • Finding the distance between two integers on a number line
  • Using the order of operations with integers
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing rational numbers in fraction or decimal form
  • Solving real-world problems using operations with integers, fractions, and decimals. 

ELA: Ms. Amy Gonzalez 
In ELA, students will explore the experiences of people of Southern Sudan during and after the Second Sudanese Civil War. They build proficiency in using textual evidence to support ideas in their writing, both in shorter responses and in an extended essay. We will begin the novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. Students will read closely to practice citing evidence and drawing inferences from this compelling text as they begin to analyze and contrast the points of view of the two central characters, Salva and Nya. They also will read informational text to gather evidence on the perspectives of the Dinka and Nuer tribes of Southern Sudan. Essential questions we will consider are:

  • How do individuals survive in challenging environments?
  • How do culture, time, and place influence the development of identity?
  • How does reading from different texts about the same topic build our understanding?

Note: There is some violence in this novel. It is not gruesome, but anytime we read about violence in the world, we need to be extra thoughtful to make sure everyone feels safe. We will discuss strategies we might use to support safety during difficult reading (such as taking a break from reading, talking to an adult or friend about your thoughts, journaling, or writing a note to the teacher). Please ask your child in the coming weeks about these strategies and offer your support should your child ask for it.

Science: Mr. Jay Mahoney
The 7th graders will be continuing with their chemistry unit, "How do you make new stuff from old stuff." They continue their exploration of properties and will begin their investigation into how you can identify if a chemical reaction has occurred. They will apply their knowledge of properties to this work, and conduct a variety of hands-on activities and discussions. Ask them what they learn about how to make new stuff from old stuff!

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