Epsilon Newsletter
Math:
In math this week the 7th graders tackled inequalities. They learned how to graph solution sets, solve two-step inequalities, and write and solve inequalities from application problems. The Algebra students studied for the check-in they took Wednesday. Those check-ins will be sent home Monday. On Thursday students were given restraints and had to draw graphs that match. Then, they did a gallery walk to find the domain, range, and zeros of everyone else’s graphs.
Humanities:
For Johnny Tremain, the Revolution begins! This week, students continued reading and discussing Johnny Tremain, focusing on Chapters 10 and 11 as the war begins. Students explored Johnny’s initial fears for his friends and family while considering his thoughts and doubts about the colonists’ chances against the British. Students also applied their prior knowledge of poetry while taking a closer look at Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Paul Revere’s Ride. They examined the poem’s meter and rhythm and analyzed the significance of Longfellow’s word choices as they connected the poem to the historical events surrounding the beginning of the Revolution. Next week, students will begin their first major written project as they prepare to finish the novel.
Social Studies:
We are continuing down the Road to Revolution. This week, Epsilon students traced the major events that led from the Proclamation of 1763 to the First Continental Congress. Students analyzed each event as economic, social, or political and used creative metaphor scenarios to explore how these events increased tensions between the colonies and Great Britain. We also examined the growing divisions between Patriots and Loyalists and connected these historical developments to our Humanities discussions of Johnny Tremain. Looking ahead, we are preparing for a special visit from an eyewitness to this era in a few weeks! Next week, we will dive into the Declaration of Independence, exploring its ideas, arguments, and powerful language as the colonies moved closer to declaring independence.
Science:
We had lessons over the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles this week. For carbon, students received a passport and became carbon atoms. They started in a reservoir and had to roll dice to determine which reservoir they moved to. They recorded each step on their passport. This demonstrated how carbon does not travel in a loop like water, but instead in various different reservoirs. After taking notes and completing their passports, students worked with a partner to draw a 4 panel comic strip of a carbon atom traveling through at least three processes and 2 reservoirs. For the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, they used beads to move through cups (reservoirs) to follow the elements. They analyzed why adding fertilizer on a farm killed the fish in a nearby lake. Next week we will run two labs to continue analyzing the cycles.
Spanish 1A: Explorando mundos:
This week in Explorando Mundos, students continued building real conversational Spanish and wrapped up our first unit.
On Tuesday, we used numbers to talk about age with ¿Cuántos años tienes? / Tengo ___ años and practiced talking about another person with Tiene ___ años. We also celebrated two class birthdays by learning part of Las Mañanitas, a traditional Mexican birthday song, and students practiced asking questions during our ¿Quién es? (Imagine the game Guess who?) mystery profile activity.
On Thursday, students completed our Unit 1 Field Check: Mi mundo en español. They practiced short conversations, wrote about themselves and another person, reflected on cultural connections from the unit, and used familiar classroom Spanish to keep communication going. They did so well! ¡Estoy muy orgullosa!
Our class motto continues to guide us:
Usamos español cuando podemos.
We use Spanish when we can.
Students have made a lot of progress in a short time and are becoming much more comfortable speaking, listening, and taking risks in Spanish.