JUNIOR HIGH NEWSLETTER April 2008

7th graders are working on a Geometry unit. They should be seen using their calculators as they solve different problems using the Pythagorean Theorem. Then they will finish up their geometry unit with the study of 3-D objects. They will be computing the volume of different figures, drawing 3-dimensional objects, and building models. Lots of "hands-on" activities to keep them engaged in the learning process.

By the end of the month they will be moving on to Ratio and Proportions which will lay some more groundwork for their study of Algebra next year!

Look for information regarding our 7th grade field trip to Kings Island for Math and Science Day!!

During this last quarter, our Algebra curriculum will be differentiated even more than it has been throughout the year. Since, the students will be moving into many different levels of math in high school, I am trying to make sure that they all have the foundations that they need. All students will finish learning different ways to solve systems of equations. Then while some students move rapidly through new topics including: exponents, exponential functions, polynomials, and factoring; others will use the remaining time to review topics covered previously and improve competency in their individual skills.

All students have been introduced to the use of Scientific Calculators. Those students that have their own calculators will be using them on a regular basis and become quite competent. This is an important step as they prepare for high school.

It really is an exciting and energizing time---------and we will be working hard until the very last minute!

7th Grade

Now that we have a more complete understanding of Jesus’ mission to do the will of the One who sent Him and the friends with whom He chose to share the journey, we are jumping ahead in the life of Jesus to the fulfillment of that work. We have started discussing the events of Holy Week, the Triduum and Easter Sunday. This is a combination of chapters 20 and 21. The students have an extensive study guide in their notebooks. This chapter will focus on the places and people involved in the events that led to Jesus’ death and Resurrection. We will be looking at the city of Jerusalem today, taking a virtual tour of the Way of the Cross, and viewing the classic movie "The Robe". The 1953 movie is the acclaimed telling of Lloyd C. Douglas’ novel about the possible journey of the Roman centurion who gambled for the robe of Christ. This movie offers us many opportunities to discuss the Paschal Mystery, sacrificial love and our call to Christian holiness. It also is an opportunity to share with the students a bit of cinematic history that they probably would not watch otherwise.

In the next two weeks we will be also discussing the upcoming Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI. He will be spending four days in Washington, D.C. and New York. We will be studying some of the background of his life and the papacy so we are prepare for this historic event. Please remember to pray for our pope!

8th Grade

We are continuing to explore the development of the early Church during the apostolic age. We are focusing on the travels and ministry of Saints Peter and Paul. Peter became the Foundation Rock, the keeper of the Keys to the Kingdom, that Jesus left in leadership of His flock. Paul, once a persecutor of the Church, became the Apostle to the Gentiles, sharing the Gospel to all of the Mediterranean. We will conclude our look at the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of Paul with the mini-series movie "Peter and Paul", which stars Anthony Hopkins and Robert Foxworth. A test will follow that will summarize the material.

In the next two weeks we will be also discussing the upcoming Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI. He will be spending four days in Washington, D.C. and New York. We will be studying some of the background of his life and the papacy so we are prepare for this historic event. Please remember to pray for our pope!

The 8^th graders are starting a new book today! We will be reading and discussing the book Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

The 7^th graders will be working with Reader’s Theatre for several weeks. We will start with the tale, The Billy Goats Gruff and the Unsafe Bridge. We will see how creative they can be with this story!

As the end of the year draws closer, we still have lots of great things to accomplish in English! Now that spring break is behind us, the eighth graders will be finishing up their last major essay, the I-Search paper. Each student has researched their chosen topic. In the process of writing this paper, they have not only completed researched, but they have also analyzed the writing and research process, and worked on their writing organization skills. This project should be complete by mid-April. At that time, the eighth grade will begin working on a poetry unit.

The seventh grade completed their persuasive writing unit. After spring break, Ms. Brown will be talking to the seventh graders about the essays that they wrote. The seventh graders have started working on their poetry unit. They are studying poetic devices. They will be writing poems for each poetic device that we study. We will compile these poems into a poetry packet, which will be included in their portfolio. Our culminating activity for this unit will be a poetry slam.

The seventh grade is "WESTWARD HO"! In the next few weeks they will be traveling westward. They will study the tragic story of the "Trail of Tears" and then they will be going to Texas, California, and the Oregon Country. Our country will then be complete.

The students are using the text more as a resource and reading the topics as questions to learn more about the subject matter. Most of their topics are backed up with short video segments on the smart board which helps them to see and understand the real meaning of how our country became bigger and bigger.

Talk to your child and get them to share their stories about how "Our Country" was formed.

The eighth grade has just completed studying about World War I. They have been fascinated reading and watching videos on how the United States led up to entering World War I and how the US became a world power. They have looked at the 1920’s this week with the exciting times of the jazz age and the big boom in economy just before the "Great Depression". World War II will be studied when they get back from spring break.

As they travel through the remaining decades that take them up to the present, the students will pair up and choose their most interesting topics in each decade to present to the class. Hopefully this will cover most of our most important events in American History.

It is hard to believe that we are starting the fourth quarter. The eighth graders are looking forward to their graduation and the end of the year activities that will be especially for them. The play, the class trip, the talent show and of course graduation are very important to them, but please remind them and encourage them to keep up with their academic responsibilities so that their "end of the year" will be a great one.