Principal's Message

A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found that adequate sleep on a regular basis leads to improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health.

It is recommended that children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9-12 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health and that teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep 8-10 hours per 24 hours.

Here are three tips to keep technology from being a distraction to adequate nightly sleep:

Establish a Storage Location
The AAP recommends that screens not be allowed in children's bedrooms. Create an expectation for when and where technology will be stored overnight in the home. Utilize a common space to store and charge devices such as the kitchen counter or the adult's bedroom.

Create a Bedtime Routine without Technology
The AAP suggests that screens be turned off 30 minutes before bedtime. Set a timer to signal 30 minutes until bedtime. Come up with alternate options for your child prior to bedtime such as reading a book, playing a board game, or having a conversation.

Turn Off Network Access at Bedtime
Disabling internet access at bedtime can reduce the temptation to jump back online during the night. Routers can be unplugged each night manually or owners can set an auto timer on their routers (read through your user manual for directions). Purchasing a mechanical outlet timer is another less technical solution for putting this nightly routine in place.

Yearbooks

Yearbooks are available only at Jostens. Order now through February 22 and get your book for $33.00 and personalization for $6.00 (see details on the website). After that, books will be $35.00. No orders will be accepted after May 18.

Please save a printed/electronic copy of your receipt in case questions arise. For more information, or if you are not sure you ordered one yet, please contact Terri Bostrom.

Math

 What We've Been Working On

• Student have been solving equations using legal algebraic moves.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• Solve 4x + 8 = 2x - 20 for x using legal moves.

What We're Working on Next

• Student will be solving problems involving proportions and percents.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What is a popular strategy for solving proportions for x?

Notes

• Third quarter can be challenging for 7th grade students to keep focused on school work. Encourage students to continue to do their best!!

Accelerated Math

What We've Been Working On

• We have been working on chapter 7 which covers slope and scatter plots. 

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• How do you determine where to draw a line of best fit? 

What We're Working on Next

• We will be testing on Unit 7.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• Have you completed all of your practice for the unit? Are you ready for the test? 

Language Arts

What We've Been Working On

• Students have been working on their personal narrative, My Favorite Mistake. Students have incorporated show-don't-tell details, transitions, and character details.
• Students also continued independent reading, learning new Greek affixes, and working on Daily Oral Language.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• What show-don't-tell details have you included in your narrative?

What We're Working on Next

• Students will be completing their writing assessment, My Favorite Mistake.
• Students will begin their second literature unit of the year, Perceptions and Reality. Along with this unit, students will be reading a novel as part of a literature circle.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• Which standards are you proficient in based on the unit two literature pre-assessment?

Science

What We've Been Working On

• Students finished the genetics unit and presented their presentation.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• What is the most interesting fact you learned during your genetic research?

What We're Working on Next

• Students will learn about the theory of evolution and evidence of evolution.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What are the four main parts of the theory of evolution?

Social Studies

What We've Been Working On

• World War I

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• What events led the United States to get involved in World War I?

What We're Working on Next

• Historical Research Unit

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What is your research topic?

Phy. Ed.

What We've Been Working On

• Mozey- Heart Rate Information and Cardio workouts

• DeVeo- Muscles and Lifting 

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• Mozey- How do you calculate your Target Heart Rate Zone?
• DeVoe- What are the 12 muscles you are learning?

What We're Working on Next

• Mozey- Muscles and Lifting

• DeVoe- Heart Rate Information and Cardio workouts 

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• DeVoe- How do you calculate your Target Heart Rate Zone?

• Mozey- What are the 12 muscles you are learning?

Notes

•  Make sure to get assignments done!

Choir

What We've Been Working On

• We began writing in solfege for our Semester 2 music to sight read on our own.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• How do you find "do" in new music? 

What We're Working on Next

• Students will continue to strengthen their music reading skills by connecting our sight reading skills to their music score.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What part do you sing for each song? 

Band

What We've Been Working On

• Assessed sixteenth notes, articulation, dynamics
  
• Mini Recital Songs.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• Which of the mini recital songs do you want to play?

What We're Working on Next

• Eighth note two sixteenth notes
  
• Dotted eighth note sixteenth notes

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What does an eighth note two sixteenth note rhythm sound like?

Orchestra

What We've Been Working On

• A Major/Extended Position

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• How and why do your finger patterns have to change when playing in the key of A Major?

What We're Working on Next

• A Major upper octave

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• How can you improve playing in the key of A major?

Notes

• Practice SMART Goals are due every 2 weeks on Canvas

Tech Ed

What We've Been Working On

• Part 1 of Whitebox STEM Dragsters
  
• Introduction to Inventor CAD

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• What is the difference between drawing your dragster on Whitebox and Inventor?

What We're Working on Next

• Multi-view layout of drawings
  
• Start Model Dragster design

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What are the 3 views most commonly used for a multi-view layout?

FCS

What We've Been Working On

• Over the past week, students used information gathered from interactive self-assessments found on educationplanner.org to help them identify skills and interests. Then students explored and researched to find a suitable career. Finally, students presented their career choice to classmates.
• On Monday, we kicked off our Personal Finance unit by learning about the PACED decision-making model. Students practiced using PACED while taste testing saltines and honey graham crackers.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• What does PACED stand for?
  P- Identify the problem
  A- Find alternatives/choices
  C- Identify criteria (what are you looking for?)
  E- Evaluate choices
  D- Make a decision

What We're Working on Next

• Student will learn about credit cards, debit cards, and store credit. They will be interviewing an adult to learn more about why people choose to use credit, and the pros and cons of having credit cards. Students will have a unit test on February 20.
• We are on track to start our Foods unit on Thursday, February 21. We will begin by learning about kitchen safety and cleanliness.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• Do you think teenagers should be able to get credit cards? Why or why not? 
  
• Do you think it is important to have a credit card as an adult? Why or why not.

Spanish

What We've Been Working On

• We reviewed these topics from 6th grade: describing self and likes and dislikes.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• How did you do on your first practice writing test?

What We're Working on Next

• We will be describing our classrooms, where things are located and what people do there.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What school vocabulary do you remember well from 6th grade?

Gifted & Talented

What We've Been Working On

• We have continued with our self-advocacy unit ending with perseverance.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• What was the last school assignment or test where you needed to practice perseverance?

What We're Working on Next

• We will be reviewing MAP scores from this winter and writing SMART goals.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What is your SMART goal?

Young Scholars

What We've Been Working On

• I have not seen the kids lately - too many snow days!

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

• Are you caught up on your school work?

What We're Working on Next

• We will be meeting to review MAP scores from this winter and to write SMART goals.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

• What is your SMART goal?

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12000 Ridgemount Avenue, Plymouth, MN 55441 | 763-745-6200