7th Grade Parent Newsletter Principal's Message Schools across the district are responding to the upward trend of positive COVID-19 cases. While no decisions have been finalized to change our learning model, it is reasonable to be prepared for a transition from hybrid to distance learning if needed. For those that are currently enrolled in the Wayzata Distance Choice option, this will not impact the learning experience that students currently have. For students currently enrolled in the hybrid option, the changes will be designed to maintain as much continuity as possible. In a distance model, students will have daily exposure to their teachers Monday through Thursday. Students will follow their schedule found in Skyward. We are developing a schedule that balances Zoom, direct, whole group instruction with small group, or independent work time. While the actual confirmation that this transition will occur has not been made nor has a timeline for this transition been determined yet, it is a good idea to begin preparing your home situation in the event that we need to make this pivot. Here are a few tips: - Establish a workstation that is accessible to your student from 9:10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. each week day.
- Ensure your internet connection will handle all devices in the home accessing the internet during the day
- Set reminders on the student's iPad to alert the student when each class is starting.
- Discuss family expectations in a "working from home" scenario (including expectation for adults)
Stay tuned for more information and stay safe. Yearbook Yearbooks are now available to order through Jostens. The cost is $27.00 until November 24, then it will go up to $33.00. Wayzata Nordic Ski Team The Wayzata Middle School Nordic Ski Program is starting on November 30. No experience is necessary - coaches will teach students how to ski! Please read the flyer for details. Enrichment Opportunities East now has an Enrichment Canvas page. This page houses academic enrichment opportunities that are open to all students. Media Commons If you are looking for ideas to find a good book or want to conference on an Honor's Reading book or need to do some research for a project, please use the Media Center Canvas Course to get all the info you need! Distance Learners library book pick-up is every Friday (10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.): It is important that distance learners check their Destiny account before coming to retrieve books on Fridays. After the student logs in they will see the "my info" tab. Select that tab and then confirm that the book that has been put on hold is actually checked out to the student. There will be times when the book on hold is still checked out to another student and will not be ready for pick up on the designated day. If you have other questions, please email Beth Benezra. What We've Been Working On Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Do you know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide integers?
What We're Working on Next - We will begin covering proportions.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Can you solve a proportion?
What We've Been Working On - Students were solving more difficult linear equations and building "please" graphs.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Show an example of the distributive property in an equation.
What We're Working on Next - Students will be making connections between linear graphs, tables, equations and scenarios.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Where does growth rate show up in an equation?
Notes - Please remind your student to check their homework (HW) in the Course basic & resources module in the HW answers & Resources page. I have included the solutions to each of the HW problems that I assign.
What We've Been Working On - Students began the process of writing a realistic fiction story. Students brainstormed ideas, finalized an idea, plotted out the story, and wrote the exposition of the story that included an inciting incident.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is your idea for your realistic fiction story?
- What is the overall conflict of the story?
- What is the theme of your story?
- How can you "show" the details of the story instead of "telling" the story?
- Does the very first sentence of the story grab your reader's attention?
What We're Working on Next - Students will continue writing the realistic fiction story by writing the rising action and climax.
- Students will learn how to include more show-don't-tell details, transitions, character details, dialogue, sentence variety, and symbolism.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - How did the overall conflict of your story get worse before it got better?
- What is the climax of your story?
- What is the symbolism you added to your story?
Notes - The end of Quarter 1 is Thursday, November 12. Students will take two assessments that week. Quarter 1 Vocabulary and Quarter 1 D.O.L. assessments will be taken on Wednesday, November 11 in class (group A). Quarter 1 Vocabulary and Quarter 1 D.O.L. assessments will be taken on Thursday, November 12 in class (group B). Students need to begin reviewing for these assessments now by reviewing their past weekly quizzes of the quarter, which can be found in Canvas online, not through the app.
- The third independent reading book is also due on Thursday, November 12. Students can earn credit for their book by completing a Google form.
What We've Been Working On - Students finished their chemistry unit and took their assessment.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is the most interesting thing you learned about chemistry?
What We're Working on Next - Students will learn the characteristics and needs of life, microscopes, and cell organelles (parts).
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What are the characteristics of life?
Notes - Cell city project will be coming soon.
What We've Been Working On - We have currently finished up our Civil War Research projects consisting of creating a website to show the causes, topic description, and effects of our topics. Students also have a chance to use teacher feedback, as well as peer feedback to make modifications to their final product.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What was your topic and what were the effects of your topic?
- How do you include using historical context in your writing?
What We're Working on Next - We will be starting the Reconstruction Unit, focusing on the Reconstruction Amendments and how they enhanced Civil Rights. We will also be discussing the attempts by some states to undermine these Amendments.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What were the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments about specifically?
- How did some states undermine these Amendments?
What We've Been Working On - All Classes have been working on lifetime sports (Allen/Landwehr) Frisbee Golf and (DeVoe) Tennis.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What are two skill cues you learned for each unit?
What We're Working on Next - We are beginning our health units on the Health Triangle and Self Assessing our own healthy behaviors.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Is your health triangle in balance? Why or why not?
Notes - Please make sure you child comes to class with a fully charged iPad and is ready for indoor learning. Thank you!
What We've Been Working On - In the last two weeks, we covered the major scale, minor scale, and Chromatic scale. This is a challenge for students who have never been exposed to singing scales using solfege.
- We worked on rhythm patterns and sight reading. I introduced vocal music repertoire to every class.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - If the major scale goes from do to do, then what solfege syllable does the minor scale begin with?
- What is the name of the choir song Mr. Hagen introduced this week?
What We're Working on Next Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What do you need next week to make it successful?
What We've Been Working On - Dotted quarter notes
- Expanding range up and down
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What song from your 6th grade book do you like?
What We're Working on Next - Syncopation eighth note, quarter note , eighth note pattern
- Work on Arabian Dreams
- New material in 7th grade book
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What song did you play with syncopation?
What We've Been Working On - G string notes/G Major scale
- 3/4 Time
- Slurs/Ties
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - How are slurs and ties difference, and how do they enhance music?
What We're Working on Next Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - How are F naturals different than F-sharps? How does this affect our finger pattern?
Notes - Students should be practicing 20 minutes each day to continue building fluency on their instrument.
What We've Been Working On - Working on Individual projects Project Assessment and Reflection
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Why is it important to reflect on your project?
What We're Working on Next - Finish up Projects
- Final WPM test
- Move to FCS Nov. 16
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - How do you feel about the craftsmanship of your project?
Notes - Please remind your child to read ahead in the directions, watch the needed videos, take Cornell notes and quizzes, if needed. There is not time during class when they are at school.
- There is a $10 lab fee that can be paid through ePay. If you don't use ePay, you can send cash or check (WEMS) to turn into me.
What We've Been Working On - Over the past two weeks, we finished up with our personal finance unit.
- We dove right into our Foods Unit by talking about food safety, in the kitchen, and with food. We looked that the kitchen tools that we will use in the kitchen, how to measure, and equivalents. We also looked at how to properly wash our hands with our glo-germ experiment. We have gone over the 6 prominent nutrients in foods, food groups and serving sizes.
- Lastly, and everyone's favorite, we have started with our cooking! Students are practicing their cooking skills at home by following the recipes that they have been given and filling out the rubric to go with it.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is the proper way to wash your hands?
What We're Working on Next - Over the next two weeks we will continue our cooking from home. We will wrap up the quarter with practice quizzes for our unit final and continue to talk about all the important aspects to cooking, nutrition and safety!
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is your favorite recipe that you have made so far?
What We've Been Working On - Ask and answer about where class items are located
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Name 4 classroom objects and say where they are located.
What We're Working on Next - Eugene: Flags and Cultures of Spanish-speaking countries
- Rudolph: Food vocabulary, what I eat and drink, Start "I like..."
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Eugene: Describe some flags of Spanish-speaking countries.
- Rudolph: Tell me some foods you eat and don't eat.
What We've Been Working On - We have had an introduction to types of stress and the negative affects in can have on your mind and body.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is one thing that stresses you?
What We're Working on Next - Students will become experts in one of five ways to manage stress and they will share the information with their classmates.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is one stress management technique that you think will work for you?
Notes - Starting this week GT seminars for 7th grade will be weekly instead of every other week. The week off seems to be too confusing for students and a weekly schedule will lead to more predictability and establish a routine.
The PTO Board is in need of volunteers to fill the roles of Secretary and Hospitality Chair. Please contact us to sign up or learn more. Parent Tool Kit: Friendships, Relationships, and Social Distancing Friendships are incredibly important to young people. How do we help our children foster healthy friendships and connection during a time of social distancing? Join Health Educators from myHealth for Teens & Young Adults in conversation and activities to learn what we can do to help our children navigate friendships and relationships. - Date: Thursday, November 5
- Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
- Place: Online
- Cost: $0
- Learn more
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, November 19, 2020 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Monday, December 14, 2020 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM Tuesday, December 15, 2020 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Thursday, December 17, 2020 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Tuesday, February 9, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Friday, November 6, 2020 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Wednesday, November 11, 2020 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Friday, November 13, 2020 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Monday, November 9, 2020 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Monday, November 23, 2020 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM 12000 Ridgemount Avenue, Plymouth, MN 55441 | 763-745-6200 |