History Exhibition and Science Fair

First of all I want to congratulate all the 7th graders for a job well done on the History Exhibitions.  All the teachers were very impressed with the poise and confidence with which 7th graders carried themselves.  It was also great to see the 7th graders being excited about accomplishing an academic task and knowing they were successful at it.

Now the Science Fair is just around the corner (about 4 and 1/2 weeks).  Unlike other exhibitions the Science Fair does not take place in front of peers.  Instead, the 7th graders are required to present their experiments in front of a group of 2nd graders.

I am excited to see what the 7th graders will come up with for the Science Fair.  So far they have impressed me in their exhibitions and they seem to be getting better with each one.

History Exhibition Schedule

Exhibition Schedule:  Thursday Afternoon, February 18

Time	6th grade room	8th grade room	Time	7th grade room
1:15-1:45	Rebecca Rosario	Deanna Rose Sweeney	1:15-1:40	Pedro Gavilano
			1:40-2:05	Phyllis Impraim
1:45 -2:15	Devin Mirlas	Espi Rosario	2:05-2:30	Juan Arenas
2:15-2:45	Josiah Ng	Bridget Mendoza	2:30-2:50	Rhapsody Kaiser

Snow Days and Vacation

This is obviously a little late.  If you didn't know we had snow days the last two days, you do now.  This has played a little havoc on our schedules.  As of now we are planning to have the History Exhibition on the Thursday we get back (2/18) and I Love Math Day on that Friday (2/19).  We will also start Terra Nova testing the following week (2/22-2/26).  I hope everyone has a wonderful vacation and I'll see everyone next Wednesday (2/17)!

IMPORTANT: Re-enrollment Forms

If you have not sent in the re-enrollment forms for next year, new ones have been sent home today.  Please fill them out and return them by tomorrow.  Thank you.

Looking ahead a few weeks

Just a few quick reminders about events that are coming up in the near future.  Next week the seventh graders will be presenting their History Exhibitions (2/10).  A schedule will be handed out shortly so parents can come and see the presentations.  Also next week is I Love Math Day (2/11).  I'm sure everyone has been exposed to the wonderfully mind twisting questions Mr. Lawrence has been giving to the kids.  As in previous years we will have a panel of three individuals who love math and have them discuss their love with the kids.

This Thursday  and next Tuesday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:00 I will be having Parent/Teacher Conferences.  We will be discussing the midterms.  If you have not heard from the office but would like to schedule a meeting please contact the office or email me.

Our mid Winter Break is just around the corner.  The break is from Friday 2/12 - Tuesday 2/16.  School will resume on Ash Wednesday (2/17).  Right after the break 7th graders will be taking their Terra Nova tests.  If a student misses a test they will have to make it up after school.

I Love Math Day and Midterms

I'm sure many of you have already received the I Love Math Day problems from Mr. Lawrence.  I hope you have been either trying it on your own or talking to your student about the problems.  We will have a total of four problems before I Love Math Day on February 11th.  Students are encouraged to not only come up with answers but be creative with their response.

I will be working on midterm reports this Friday.  If you have any questions before or after the midterms, please feel free to contact me.

Social Studies and more Social Studies :)

The 7th graders have done an excellent job this week preparing for their History Exhibitions.  Miss Rupke has been assisting them with their research and I have been very impressed with their diligence and their determination.  Watching them all work so hard on the computers makes me realize how much they have grown as students this past year.  Please talk to them about what they have been researching and what they have been learning.  I understand talking with students about their work outside of school can be tedious (for both the parent and the student) but I believe that when parents talk to the students about their work at home it really helps them be more engaged with their assignments.

Having said that, also ask them about what they have been learning in Social Studies.  As we near the end of our unit on World War II, I realize we have gone over a huge amount information.  I think it would be a shame if all they got out of this unit is some interesting facts.  I want them to be able to answer complex questions using the information they have been taught.  This will be the basis for their assessment for this unit.  So instead of asking them to memorize dates and key figures, I will ask them questions such as these:

Why was the war in the Pacific so brutal?
Was the dropping of the atomic bomb by the US justified?  Why or why not?
If you were President Truman, how would you have ended the war?  What if you were Emperor Hirohito? 
How do you think the outcome of World War II has influenced our lives today?
Why was it so important for Japan to agree to an unconditional surrender?
Should the United States have involved themselves with World War II?  Why or why not?
How did technology play a huge role in World War II?
When is it okay for civilians to be attacked in war or is it never okay?
One reason we learn history is so that we can learn from our mistakes.  What lesson do you think we have learned from studying Word War II?