Epsilon Newsletter
Math:
This week the 7th graders covered simplifying expressions and solving two-step equations. This was a step up from last year because now both the expressions and equations involved integers. The Algebra students had lessons over determining if a relation is a function, graphing functions using a table, and function notation. This short week was filled with new content.
Humanities:
It was Boston, Rebels & Revolution! Our brief week saw students continue reading and discussing Esther Forbes’ Johnny Tremain, focusing on Chapters 6 and 7 and examining the characters, conflicts, and growing tensions of pre-Revolutionary Boston. Students also continued building their historical maps of Boston, using locations, scenes, and references from the novel to reconstruct the city Johnny and the other characters knew.
We also launched a new project exploring the Whig and Tory viewpoints of the pre-Revolutionary era. Students will examine figures such as Sam Adams and John Hancock and consider how the same person could be viewed as a hero by one side and a traitor by the other. This project will challenge students to look at the coming Revolution from multiple perspectives, answering one question: Who gets to decide who is a hero—and who is a traitor?
Social Studies:
From Quilting Democracy to Revolution! This week, History students brought their study of self-government in the 13 English colonies to life by creating mixed-media quilt squares inspired by the folk-art quilting traditions of the 18th-century colonial era. Each student designed an original square representing an important pillar of colonial self-government, using symbols, patterns, and creative imagery to communicate how ideas such as representation, community decision-making, written agreements, and civic participation developed in colonial America.
Next week, we’ll connect these growing ideas about self-government and colonial rights to the tensions that led to the American Revolution. Students will begin exploring the taxes, trade restrictions, British policies, and questions about representation that helped spark colonial rebellion!
Science:
With the short week, we only had Ecology once this week. We spent our time using a web app to help us manipulate a meadow food web. Students first made predictions on what would happen if the foxes were removed from the food web, then advanced time in the app to see the effects. Students watched the rabbit and field mouse population increase, which also caused the hawk population to increase. This was an introduction to trophic cascade. Next week we will learn the difference between top-down and bottom-up cascade.
Spanish 1A: Explorando mundos:
This week in Explorando Mundos, we leveled up from introducing ourselves to introducing someone else. Students practiced ¿Quién es?, Se llama…, Es de…, and Es… We presented our Famous Spanish speakers by doing a Gallery Walk. Half of the class presented and the other half were curious visitors. They introduced their “person,” said where they were from, what they are famous for in Spanish and then shared a quick interesting fact in English. It was great!
Humanities students work to build a reference list while researching their assigned Revolutionary leader during analysis of Johnny Tremain.
7th graders working hard in math.
It was pool noodles and solo cups for the win as students learn the art of balance and strategy as they compete to knock each other’s cups.
History students work on completing their Government Pillar quilt squares. Above, students laugh as they preview videos enticing colonies to move to the 13 English colonies.