7th Grade Learning Previews - December 2019

7th Grade Learning Previews - December 2019
Posted on 12/04/2019
Science
Mr. Mahoney | [email protected]

As we continue our unit on thermal energy there is a major focus on having students represent their thinking in models and change them as new information comes to light. Students continually develop, use and revise models to make their thinking visible, construct explanations and engage in argument with others to share ideas and learn from and with each other. Science notebooks are a key tool for students to record their observations, questions, and thinking. Throughout these lessons, students are creating and refining their models of what’s going on in the cup systems. In a performance assessment, students transfer what they have learned by creating box ovens using different types of insulation to reduce heat transfer. They explain their designs in terms of heat transfer and what’s happening at the particle level in terms of radiation, conduction and convection (including how their use of insulation reduces these types of heat transfer). By the end of the month students will test and build their ovens and provide data and research as to why they chose the materials they did for construction of the oven. Ask your student how their understanding of heat transfer is developing and what their plan is for their over design. Also, our NetPal program should be in full swing as students have met their NetPals and have an office visit to see where the NetPals works.

Social Studies
Ms. Thomas | [email protected]

Students are beginning their West Africa unit. Throughout the unit students will be grappling with the essential question: What do we believe and why? At the end of the unit, students will create a pitch project directed at the Epcot Center in Disney World. Students will be tasked with convincing Epcot to add another exhibit in their park about an African country of the student’s choice. Ask your student how their project is going. In particular, ask them what important information about their country they’re including in the exhibit and why! An email with information and due dates will be sent about this project before winter break.

ELA
Ms. Gonzalez | [email protected] and Ms. Dear (Harvard intern)

Unit Title: Growing Reading Habits and A Love of Reading
In 7th grade ELA, we are spending the last month of this decade deepening our love of reading and identities as readers! Teachers will confer, support and guide readers as they make reading goals and select a book that will help them reach their goals. The essential question we will explore is: What work are you doing as a reader? To get scholars excited about reading independently again, our librarian, Sam Musher, will assist in providing a variety of books for students to preview. Scholars will read at least one full work of fiction or narrative nonfiction during this three week unit. To make our reading visible, we will create a list of books we have read so far in order of difficulty, begin keeping a reading record online, and write about our thinking in a journal (this journal will stay in class). Scholars will use their journals to talk about their reading with another partner in the class and with their teachers. The unit will culminate in a creative presentation of what they are working on as readers, which will be due Friday, 12/20. A couple of ways you can help at home: 1. Please assist us in making sure your child has a book to read. A trip to the public library would be great! 2. Help provide a space and time for your child to do independent reading at least Monday-Thursday for 30 minutes.
I will also send emails and Remind texts as the unit progresses.

Math
Mrs. Tyler | [email protected]

Unit Title: Proportional Relationships and Percents Students are beginning our fourth unit - Percents. In this unit, students use proportional relationships and equations to solve multi-step, real-world problems that involve percentages. They learn to understand and use the terms “percent increase,” “percent decrease,” “percent error.” They represent amounts and corresponding percent rates with double number line diagrams and tables. They use these terms and representations in reasoning about situations involving sales taxes, tips, markdowns, markups, sales commissions, and interest. Check out the topics yourself here. Talk with your student about where you see percents on a daily basis and how prevelant they are in our lives! What a perfect topic for real world applications. Students will be completing an in-class mini catalog project right before December break in lieu of a formal quiz for the topic. Details will be sent out as that approaches. 
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