|
posted
April
1,
2009
Mrs.
Sovinsky's
7th
grade
science
students
studied
inherited
traits
and
illustrated
what
they
learned
with
dragon
posters. |
English: Real
World
Connections
in
Room
804
top
 I
am
so
happy
to
work
every
day
with
this
group
of
talented,
inspiring
students.
Through
the
study
of
various
genres
such
as
short
stories,
poetry,
persuasive
speeches,
and
expository
texts,
we
continue
to
grow
as
readers,
writers,
speakers,
and
critical
thinkers. Students
are
encouraged
to
read
and
write
about
the
things
that
are
important
and
interesting
to
them,
creating
our
very
unique
and
diverse
community
of
learners. We
all
learn
so
much
from
each
other
every
single
day!
...
convincing
us
all
to
get
involved
and
make
a
difference
...Students
worked
diligently
through
the
first
semester
to
master
persuasive
writing.
Encouraged
to
practice
their “powers
of
persuasion,” students
selected
a
topic
or
issue
of
interest
to
them,
and
delivered
compelling
persuasive
essays
convincing
us
all
to
get
involved
and
make
a
difference. From
issues
like
global
warming
and
pollution
to
freedom
of
speech
and
censorship,
these
students
proved
that
they
have
powerful
ideas…and
they
want
their
voices
to
be
heard.
In
April,
our
7th
Grade
students
will
get
the
rare
opportunity
to
hear
a
presentation
from
Livia
Krancberg,
survivor
of
Auschwitz. In
order
to
prepare
for
her
visit,
we
will
study
articles
and
literature
about
the
Holocaust. We
will
revisit
familiar
themes
of
friendship,
family,
identity,
tolerance
and
survival
as
we
explore
this
part
of
history
through
our
reading,
writing,
and
discussions.
Looking
ahead
to
the
end
of
the
year,
our
culminating
project
in
7th
Cluster
will
illustrate
how
we
have
grown
as
readers,
writers,
and
critical
thinkers,
and
will
allow
all
students
to
highlight
their
unique,
creative
talents
both
individually
and
in
groups.
|
Math: From
Arithmetic
to
Mathematics
top
 To
challenge
the
GATE
students
in
my
Math
6
cluster
classes,
we
have
been
moving
beyond
mere
procedures
to
understanding
the
process.
The
lessons
are
planned
to
encourage
the
students
to
find
out
why
a "rule" works
and
not
just
memorize
the
rule
to
get
the
right
answer.
In
other
words,
we
are
thinking
mathematically,
not
just
arithmetically.
It's
fun
to
take
methods
the
students
use
to
solve
equations
and
find
out
mathematically
why
they
work.
By
approaching
problems
from
different
perspectives
and
connecting
the
multiple
ways
to
solve
a
problem,
the
students
are
gaining
an
appreciation
and
deeper
understanding
of
mathematics.
We
are
using
the
Carnegie
Tutor
Algebra
program
to
help
put
problems
in
context
and
move
beyond
solving
only
numeric
equations.
We
connect
what
we
are
doing
in
class
when
we
are
problem
solving
to
the
situations
presented
in
Carnegie
Tutor.
We
go
to
the
computer
lab
once
every
two
weeks.
We
also
extend
what
we
are
learning
in
6th
grade
to
skills
needed
in
pre-algebra
and
algebra.
|
top
 Hello!
I
am
Julie
Chambless
and
I
teach
6th
grade
Cluster
English
and
Social
Studies.
This
year
has
brought
much
new
learning
and
many
new
friendships. This
year
I
decided
to
ask
my
students
to
tell
you
what
makes
our
class
special. “The
many
charts
help
you
understand
something
if
you
need
help.” Brandon
F. “Our
teacher
sits
up
front
with
us
not
at
a
desk,
shares
her
thoughts
with
us
and
is
in
the
activities
with
us.” Couri
B. We
even
have
a
class
blog
where
students
discuss
daily
topics
with
their
fellow
classmates
and
with
me.
We
have
been
having
a
blast
in
Social
Studies. We
have
journeyed
through
Ancient
Egypt
and
studied
everything
from
their
art
to
their
religions,
to
their
daily
life.
We
have
been
fascinated
to
learn
about
India
and
their
very
different
ways
from
earlier
civilizations.
The
students
learned
about
The
Ramayana (a
play
that
taught
the
different
aspects
of
...
examine
and
discuss
deeper
issues
surrounding
all
of
the
units
we
studyHinduism)
and
then
performed
the
play.
Recently,
we
have
been
studying
ancient
China,
their
many
dynasties,
and
the
massive
achievements
they
accomplished
through
the
centuries. Next
will
be
the
Hebrews,
then
Greece!
Additionally,
my
students
apply
Dr.
Sandra
Kaplan's
icons
for
depth
and
complexity
to
examine
and
discuss
deeper
issues
surrounding
all
of
the
units
we
study.
For
example,
they
do
not
only
learn
about
Egyptian
accomplishments,
they
investigate
the
different
ethical
questions
of
that
time
period
and
how
the
accomplishments
of
one
civilization
affects
other
civilizations
over
time.
Also,
we
look
at
civilizations
and
their
way
of
life
from
many
different
perspectives
to
gain
a
better
understanding
and
appreciation.
Playwriting
We
have
been
lucky
enough
to
have
a
guest
teacher/playwright/actor
from
The
Playwright
Project. She
has
taught
the
children
the
elements
of
a
play
and
how
play
writing
differs
from
any
other
kind
of
writing. The
students
then
wrote
their
own
three-act
play
and
some
will
even
have
their
play
chosen
to
be
performed
by
real
live
actors. “The
playwriting
makes
you
think
really
hard
and
helps
you
with
all
of
your
English
because
it
increases
your
creativity
and
writing
skills.” Zachary
P.
Reading
I
have
a
class
of
readers! These
students
would
read
all
day
if
I
would
let
them. The
very
popular
Twilight
series
is
a
hit
with
my
students. Other
series
that
have
held
student’s
interest
this
year
are
the
Percy
Jackson
series
from
Rick
Riordan
and
the “Uglies” series
from
Scott
Westerfield. We
will
soon
be
doing
an
after
school
book
club
with
the
book To
Kill
a
Mockingbird. “Reading
takes
you
somewhere
else.” Nicki
W.
In
the
second
semester
we
will
begin
Socratic
seminars.
During
this
time
students
will
use
Socrates’s
methods
of
higher
level
thinking
to
examine
and
discuss
everything
from
world
issues
to
a
piece
of
literature.
Students
always
have
quite
amazing
things
to
share!
I
hope
you
have
enjoyed
the
glimpse
into
the
world
of
903!
It
is
very
busy
and
challenging
but
we
have
a
great
time
doing
it!
Thank
you!
|
Advanced
Algebra
Math:
Engaging
a
Real-Life
Environment
top
We
use
a
variety
of
technology Advanced Algebra
is
a
vigorous
course
that
covers
the
basics
of
algebra,
as
well
as
going
into
more
depth
with
linear
equations/inequalities
and
their
graphs,
solving
systems
of
equations,
radical
expressions,
polynomials
and
factoring,
rational
expressions
and
equations,
quadratic
functions,
variations
and
reasoning
strategies.
We
use
a
variety
of
technology to
display
our
work
that
includes
a
laptop,
digital
projector,
document
camera,
smart
board,
and
graphing
calculators.
I
believe
that
students
need
to
be
engaged
in
their
learning
in
order
to
become
that
independent
learner
which
will
achieve
success.
The
classroom
environment
needs
to
be
positive
in
order
to
allow
students
to
feel
comfortable
in
sharing
their
mathematical
ideas.
Within
my
classroom,
I
place
students
in
groups.
Groups
are
an
effective
teaching
strategy
to
engage
the
students
with
a
real-life
environment.
The
students
learn
to
work
collaboratively.
They
create
mathematical
ideas
for
solving
challenging
problems.
They
are
able
to
prove
and
justify
their
answers among
each
other.
Groups
are
also
a
great
way
to
receive support
and
help
from
their
peers.
By
the
end
of
the
year,
I
expect
the
students
to
take
their
learning
and
apply
it
to
the
next
level.
|
History: Feeling
a
Part
of
it
top
 All
8th
grade
United
States
History
students
study
the
Lewis
and
Clark
expedition.
But
what
did
Lewis
and
Clark
feel?
My
students
put
themselves
in
the
shoes
of
these
great
explorers
by
writing
and
illustrating
their
own
journals
about
their
adventures.
Meeting
Sacajawea,
finding
the
source
of
the
..
using
primary
sources,
and
dying
paper
to
make
it
look
old
...Missouri
River,
crossing
the
Continental
Divide
and
reaching
the
Pacific
Ocean.
In
my
classes
we
strive
to
make
history
come
alive.
It
has
been
my
experience
that
students
forget
worksheets,
but
they
remember
researching
for
information,
using
primary
sources,
and
dying
paper
to
make
it look
old.
All
in
an
effort
to
put
their
ideas
and
feeling
in
a
format
that
allows
them
to
feel
a
part
of
the
history
they
are
learning.
In
the
following
weeks
students
will
debate
the
slavery
issue,
vote
on
women's
suffrage,
and
join
in
teams
to
research
different
aspects
of
the
civil
war
and
its
impact
on
the
United
States.
I
can
only
do
such
projects
because
of
the
dedication
of
my
students
and
the
support
of
their
parents.
|
|
Math: creatively
connecting
mathematics
to
the
real
world
top
 In
Advanced
Pre-Algebra,
the
students
are
creatively
connecting
the
mathematics
to
the
real
world. The
students
started
with
a
graph
on
a
coordinate
plane
and
developed
a
story
that
matches
the
graph. Students
had
to
reflect
on
the
meaning
of
their
slopes
in
relation
to
their
story. My
goal
with
the
students
is
to
better
prepare
them
for
Algebra
next
year.
In
Geometry
there
are
hands-on
activities
for
students
to
discover
the
geometric
concepts. For
example,
the
students
explored
and
compared
the
volumes
of
prisms
and
cylinders
with
cones
and
pyramids. Students
also
used
Geometer's
Sketchpad
to
develop
a
better
understanding
of
the
geometric
theorems
and
relationships.
Upcoming
Math
events/competitions:
Math
Field
Day:
Saturday,
May
16,
2009
at
Francis
Parker
Middle
School.
Choice
events
with
grade
level:
*
Tri
Team
Attack
(6,
7,
8)
*
Mad Hatter Marathon (7, 8)
*
Math Bowl (7)
*
Math Wits (8)
*
Win, Lose or Draw (6, 7, or 8)
*
24 Challenge (6, 7, and 8)
*
Equate (7)
*
Sudoku (6, 7, or 8)
*
Dynamic Duo (6)
Challenge
24:
May
22,
2009
at
San
Diego
County
of
Eduation
Preparation
for
these
competitions
is
on
Thursdays
during
the
Numbers
Club
in
Room
902
after
school
from
2:20
-
3:20pm.
|
|
Core
6
& English: Busy,
and
Having
Fun
top
 Students
in
room
801
have
been
very
busy.
We
have
studied
many
different
genres,
including
poetry,
expository,
and
narrative.
Sixth-graders
have
even
completed
their
first
formal
response
to
literature
on
Esperanza
Rising!
We
are
currently
studying
Ancient
China
in
history
and
will
be
reading
folktales
during
English.
By
the
end
of
the
unit,
each
student
will
write
and
design
a
pop-up
book.
This
is
always
a
big
hit
and
lots
of
fun.
We
got
to
experience
snow
and
to
go
sledding.Sixth
grade
camp
was
a
blast!
We
got
to
experience
snow,
which
means
sledding
down
a
hill!
Everyone
had
a
great
time.
Our
annual
Spring
trip
to
La
Brea
will
be
April
23.
We
have
been
studying
how
archeologists
learn
about
the
past
and
now
we
will
get
to
see
a
real
dig
site
with
scientists
at
work
in
the
fishbowl
lab.
The
eighth-graders
have
just
finished
a
study
on
Transcendentalists
such
as
Henry
David
Thoreau,
Emily
Dickinson,
and
Nathaniel
Hawthorne.
These
classic
writers
will
be
read
in
high
school,
and
students
now
have
a
good
background
on
what
each
writer
believed
and
wrote
about.
Now
we
are
moving
further
in
history
with
a
westward
expansion
unit.
This
will
correlate
well
with
what
they
are
learning
in
History
class,
but
reading
fictional
accounts
will
put
a
more
personal,
human
perspective
on
the
time
period.
|
|
English: conformity
vs.
individuality
top
 Hi! I
am
Ms.
Hinojosa
and
I
teach
7th
and
8th
grade
English
GATE
classes.
Eighth
grade:
Their
last
year
in
middle
school
is
quickly
coming
to
an
end!
The
eighth
graders
have
recently
been
exploring
the
theme
of
conformity. This
is
an
interesting
topic
to
discuss
with
them
as
they
themselves
are
at
an
age
where
they
feel
they
must
conform
to
be
accepted. Other
topics
such
as
bullying
(emotional
and
physical),
individuality,
popularity
and
courage
vs.
cowardice
were
themes
discussed.
To
prepare
for
an
essay
on
the
theme
of
conformity
vs.
individuality,
they
read
the
novel The
Chocolate
War. In
addition
to
this
reading,
they
read
expository
text
on
bullying
and
censorship. They
memorized
poetry
with
the
conformity
theme,
most
notably, “First
they
Came
for
the
Communists” by
the
Rev.
Martin
Niemoller. “The
Road
Not
Taken” by
Robert
Frost
has
a
similar
theme.
Another
theme
that
prevails
the
eighth
grade
year
is
tolerance. We
see
this
theme
thread
through
...
a
trip
to
the
Museum
of
Tolerance
in
Los
Angeles
...many
of
our
readings
such
as:
Maya
Angelou
and
Martin
Luther
King. As
a
memorable
conclusion
to
the
school
year,
the
students
will
be
taking
a
trip
to
the
Museum
of
Tolerance
in
Los
Angeles. We
will
be
going
on
Thursday,
May
28,
2009. This
is
an
exciting
trip
in
which
the
students
witness
the
damaging
affects
of
what
happens
when
people
don’t
tolerate
others. It
is
a
very
eye-opening
experience. Contrary
to
what
they
think,
the
Holocaust
is
not
the
only
example
of
genocide. They
will
see
that
a
lack
of
tolerance
exists
around
the
world
because
of
differences
in:
race,
religion,
and
ethnicity. Please
visit
their
website
for
more
information:
museumoftolerance.com.
Seventh
Grade:
As
part
of
the
Response
to
Literature
unit,
the
seventh
graders
recently read
Romeo
and
Juliet. They
He
brought
Shakespeare’s
characters
to
life.
seemed
to
really
enjoy
the
novel
and
were
happy
to
have
read
the
modern
day
language
version. They
analyzed
Shakespeare’s
use
of
sonnets
and
discovered
that
Shakespeare
coined
many
words
in
our
modern
day
language. The
students
saw
Shakespeare’s
use
of
humor
and
studied
figurative
language
(idiom.
metaphor,
simile,
imagery)
in
his
writing. To
end
this
unit,
Ron
Auerbacher,
a
professional
actor,
came
to
visit
the
classes. He
came
for
two
days
and
taught
the
students
about
Shakespeare
and
his
life. He
brought
Shakespeare’s
characters
to
life
with
scenes
from Romeo
and
Juliet,
A
Midsummer
Night’s
Dream and MacBeth. (See
attached
photos)
On
April
25
from
12:30-4pm,
The
Shakespeare
Society
of
San
Diego
hosts
a
Shakespeare
festival
at
Balboa
Park. The
event
is
free
and
students
can
receive
extra
credit
for
attending. Most
details
to
follow
or
you
can
visit
their
website
at www.sandiegoshakespearesociety.org.
Mid-April
the
seventh
graders
will
be
reading
and
writing
about
the
Holocaust. They
will
see
life
through
the
children’s
eyes
and
witness
their
resilience. Night,
written
by
Elie
Wisel’s
is
a
personal
account
of
his
childhood
experiences
in
a
concentration
camp. On
April
27,
the
students
will
be
meeting
Livia
Krancberg,
a
survivor
of
Aushwitz. They
will
hear
her
incredible,
yet
painful
story
and
the
wonderful
message
she
and
other
survivors
have.
|
|
English: A
Care
Package
as
a
Service
Project
top
 This
year
we
have
been
working
toward
completing
the
Leadership,
Citizenship
and
Service
Award. Students
earn
points
for
showing
leadership
by
participating
in
many
school
activities
such
as
band,
the
after
school
clubs,
and
outside
activities. They
show
citizenship
by
being
on
time,
attending
school
regularly,
and
demonstrating
good
behavior. They
demonstrate
service
by
creating
cards
and
placemats
for
the
Meals
on
Wheels
organization. Their
second
service
project
is
to
create
a
care
package
for
veterans
who
are
hospitalized.
In
May and part of June, they will
each create a memory book of their
years at Wangenheim. It
will include essays and poems
that the students will write just
for the book. They
will create the cover as well.
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|
History: dance,
music,
archery,
fighting
and
armor
top
 Throughout
the
year
the
students
in
Ms.
Lambert's
7th
grade
world
history
cluster
classes
have
done
a
variety
of
examinations
and
investigations. These
investigations
enabled
the
students
to
get
a
more
in-depth
understanding
of
the
many
cultures
from
the
medieval
world. Some
of
the
cultures
we
have
studied
include
the
end
of
the
Roman
Empire,
Islam,
Africa,
and
Medieval
Europe. We
are
currently
studying
the
Renaissance,
Reformation,
Scientific
Revolution
and
the
Age
of
Exploration.
Earlier
in
the
year
the
students
investigated
the
rise
and
fall
of
the
Roman
Empire,
as
well
as
got
the
chance
to
explore
aspects
of
African
culture
by
making
their
own
folktales
and
masks. The
students
in
turn
used
their
masks
to
act
out
their
folktales. Masks
were
an
integral
part
of
African
culture
in
both
teaching
about
their
history,
but
also
in
teaching
how
people
were
to
behave
in
society. It
was
also
during
the
Africa
unit
that
students
examined
the
importance
of
the
Gold-Salt
trade
in
the
development
of
the
empires
of
West
Africa.
 While
studying
the
Islam
unit
students
conducted
an
analysis
of
the
Abrahamic
faiths,
specifically
Judaism,
Christianity
and
Islam,
and
created
an
informational
brochure
to
educate
others
about
what
they
had
learned
during
the
unit. Their
brochures
included
information
on
the
religion
of
Islam,
the
empires
that
developed
from
the
religion,
and
how
those
empires
are
still
influencing
modern
day
with
their
achievements.
...
the
bubonic
plague,
life
as
a
peasant,
warfare, life
in
a
castle,
illuminations,
medieval
trade,
and knights
...
During
their
last
unit,
Medieval
Europe,
students
did
a
research
project
on
one
of
a
number
of
topics
from
that
time
period. Some
of
the
topics
researched
included
the
bubonic
plague,
life
as
a
peasant,
warfare,
life
in
a
castle,
illuminations,
medieval
trade,
and
knights. Students
created
PowerPoints
and
models
in
order
to
present
their
research
to
their
classmates.
The
unit
the
students
are
currently
studying
is
the
Renaissance,
Reformation,
Scientific
Revolution
and
the
Age
of
Discovery. This
unit
included
a
Renaissance
Fair
that
took
place
on
March
27th
where
students
had
the
opportunity
to
see
exhibits
on
Renaissance
dance,
archery,
fighting
and
armor. They
also
had
the
chance
to
dress
up
in
Renaissance
clothing
if
they
wished
to
better
partake
the
experience.
After
our
current
unit,
the
students
will
spend
the
rest
of
the
year,
learning
about
Medieval
Japan,
Medieval
China
and
the
Americas. Some
of
the
activities
students
will
be
taking
part
in
during
these
units
include
writing
poetry
in
Chinese,
as
well
as
a
simulation
that
allows
students
the
opportunity
to
see
how
land
mass
and
population
affect
Japanese
culture.
 
 
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|
Science: Cells
and
Body
Systems
top
 The
year
began
with
students
involved
in
making
slides
and
using
microscopes
to
observe
all
types
of
cells.
This
investigation
of
cells
and
how
they
function
concluded
with
a
class
project
that
used
our
class
set
of
laptops
to
illustrate
mitosis,
how
cells
divide. Students
were
then
able
to
apply
this
new
understanding
of
cells
to
the
study
of
bacteria,
viruses
and
disease. In
class,
students
modeled
the
spread
of
disease
and
investigated
the
role
of
antibiotics. Using
laptops,
students
researched
a
selected
disease
and
produced
a
disease
brochure.
...
from
dimples
to
tongue
rolling...Currently,
students
are
investigating
all
manner
of
inherited
traits,
from
dimples
to
tongue
rolling.
As
a
class,
we
have
bred
several
generations
of
critters
made
from
Styrofoam
balls,
paper
clips
and
colored
toothpicks.
We
will
complete
this
unit
of
study
with
a
dragon
poster
that
will
illustrate
all
that
we
have
learned.
After
spring
break,
we’ll
widen
our
scope
to
the
study
of
human
organs
and
body
systems. One
organ
we’re
sure
to
study
is
the
eye. This
unit
will
culminate
in
the
dissection
of
a
cow’s
eye,
allowing
students
to
see
structures
similar
to
the
human
eye.
Finally,
we’ll
connect
this
knowledge
of
cells
and
body
systems
to
the
larger
concept
of
the
diversity
of
all
life
on
Earth
and
how
life
has
changed
over
time.
|
|
Science: Almost
Ready
for
the
Science
Fair
top
 ...
bacterial
growth
on
computer
keyboards
...Eighth
grade
advanced
science
students
are
reaching
| | | | | |
