7th Grade Classroom Update - December 7, 2018

7th Grade Parent Newsletter

December 7, 2018

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The safety of your student is important to us at East Middle School. This certainly includes their safety as they leave the school building for the day and load into your personal vehicles.

As you arrive to pick up your student, please start the parking line as far as possible to the North past the building. Continue the line along the curb without leaving any gaps. If a vehicle in front of you leaves, please carefully pull forward to fill that space. As you enter the lot, please join this line at the end.

When this area in front of the school fills with vehicles, we ask that you would not park on Ridgemount Ave. This is unsafe for you, other drivers, and especially our students using the crosswalk to cross the street. You are asked at this point to enter the parking lot and find an open parking space to use until the school period is over.

We also want you to share this information with your student as you now may not be in your "Regular" spot. The traffic clears out quite quickly so just a moment's patience is well worth the time. More snow and ice is on the way so as always please drive carefully and watch for students.

Thank you

EMS Giving Tree

Would you like to help some of our families this holiday season? As the winter holiday season approaches, many of us are excited about family gatherings and celebrations. Yet, there are many East families worried about not having the means for family celebrations this year.

We are asking EMS students, families and staff who are able to provide a donation to assist us in meeting the needs of our less fortunate families. If you would like to help East families this holiday season, look for the East Giving Tree in the school's front entryway or at the winter music concerts and Wolf Ridge meeting. Choose a "leaf" from the Giving Tree, purchase the gift card indicated on the leaf, and return it to Beth Dahl in the front lobby by Wednesday, December 19. All donations will be given anonymously to families in our school community.

If you have any questions about the giving tree, please contact Debbie Kimlinger in the student services office at 763-745-6231 or Debbie.Kimlinger@wayzataschools.org. Thank you for helping our students and families this holiday season.

Lifetouch School Pictures - Special Offer

Lifetouch is offering a free photo book by ordering school pictures online.

Math

What We've Been Working On

Students were exploring the relationships between scale factors and area factors in the context of similar figures as well as simplifying algebraic expressions.

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

If the scale factor between two figures is 4, how will their areas compare?

What We're Working on Next

Students will solving percentage problems using models and proportions.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What is the percent increase if a sweatshirt increases in price from $50 to $65?

Notes

Students can bring their calculators to class for the rest of the year.

Accelerated Math

What We've Been Working On

We started looking at systems of equations. We also MAP tested on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

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

What does the point of intersection mean?

What We're Working on Next

We will continue to solve systems of equations, focusing on the algebraic way to solve.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

How can you solve a system of equations algebraically?

Language Arts

What We've Been Working On

Students completed our first literature unit and took their first assessment.
Students also continued reading The Outsiders and writing for the real world.
Students began a new type of D.O.L. that focuses on real world writing.

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

In which standards from the first literature unit were you proficient?

What We're Working on Next

Students will finish reading The Outsiders. Students will also be reading A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare in preparation for our upcoming field trip.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What is the central theme of The Outsiders?

Notes

Our field trip to Park Square Theatre is on Tuesday, December 11.

Science

What We've Been Working On

Students finished their cell unit. displayed their cell city models, took assessments, and started the human body unit.

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

How is the body organized from simplest to most complex?

What We're Working on Next

Students will be finishing the human body unit. They will be learning about the urinary, digestive, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, skin, immune body systems. They will also learn about a choice body system. They will be completing their portfolio on the human body.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

How do any two body systems work together?

Notes

Please let your teachers know if you are leaving early for winter break or coming back late from winter break so we can make sure you are prepared.

Social Studies

What We've Been Working On

Post Civil War Reconstruction
Informational Text Reading Strategies for Social Studies

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

Ask your student what one of their group's priority questions during the unit was. Each group continually worked to find answers to their questions.

What We're Working on Next

The Gilded Age (Late 1800s)

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What changes occurred in the United States during the late 1800s?

Phy. Ed.

What We've Been Working On

Mrs. Mozey's classes have been participating in an indoor games unit.
Mr. DeVoe's classes have been participating in badminton.
In addition to the sports, both classes have learned about health related and skill related components of fitness. The students have learned and participated in activities tied into those components.

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

What are the 5 heath related components of fitness, and what are the 6 skill related components of fitness?

What We're Working on Next

In the next two weeks, classes will flip sports and cover more fitness topics.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What is your fitness goal and have you started practicing it yet?

Notes

Double check with your student to see if they have been wearing their PE shirt consistently. Also, have them bring it home for washing.

Choir

What We've Been Working On

Preparing for our Winter Concert: Students are learning the form of the music, identifying unison vs harmonic sections, memorizing, unifying vowel sounds, and learning to access the head voice.

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

Does Part 2 sing the higher or lower harmony?

What We're Working on Next

Finishing touches to our Winter Concert: Checking that posture is performance ready, eyes are focused on conductor, memorizing songs, and faces show the expression of the piece.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

How can you continue rehearsing your music at home without singing?

Notes

The Winter Concert is Monday, December 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Band

What We've Been Working On

Playing in a minor key- harmonic minor scales
Concert Music

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

Which concert song is most challenging for you?

What We're Working on Next

Sixteenth notes
Concert Music-balance, dynamics, articulation

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What does "dynamics" mean?

Orchestra

What We've Been Working On

Concert Music Preparation

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

Which concert piece do you need the most improvement on before your concert?

What We're Working on Next

Concert Music Preparation

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

How will you keep yourself on track to be prepared for your concert on Dec. 20?

Notes

Our concert is Thursday, December 20 at 7 p.m. More information to come in an email.

Tech Ed

What We've Been Working On

Finished Part 1 of Whitebox STEM dragsters
Basics of Inventor CAD
Completed Design Sketches and Inventor multi view for Model Dragster

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

What did you learn about designing a dragster from Whitebox?

What We're Working on Next

General and Machine Safety
Producing Model Dragster in the Production Lab
WPM Mid Quarter Test

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

Did you design your Model dragster to be fast? Yes or no, why?

FCS

What We've Been Working On

Last 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.
Students then worked to create a wardrobe (top, bottom and shoes) using this method. Be sure to ask to see their finished outfit.

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

The Foods Unit began on December 6! We will be learning about proper hand-washing, kitchen safety, kitchen math and kitchen equipment.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What are you looking forward to making during the Food Unit?

Notes

Please watch for an email through Skyward from Mrs. Chaffee. It will contain the recipes and ingredients used for 7th grade Foods.

Spanish

What We've Been Working On

Dinner foods and healthy eating and exercise habits

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

Describe some dinner foods and say whether they are good for your health.

What We're Working on Next

Writing Assessment about a dish from Latin America: describe the meal and it's ingredients, say what is good/bad for your health and give a personal opinion about ingredients and the dish.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

Write some sentences from your practice Writing Assessment.

Gifted & Talented

What We've Been Working On

We had an interesting lesson on time management and how to procrastinate less. The students had a lot of insight, so the question remains: why do we still procrastinate?

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

What's your dark playground?

What We're Working on Next

We are hoping to do a breakout box in the next two weeks. We will also have a lesson on self-advocacy and understanding giftedness.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What does it mean to you to be labeled "gifted"?

Young Scholars

What We've Been Working On

We have finished the Cell City project with great results for most scholars. Students have also received an update regarding missing assignments for second quarter.

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

Are you caught up with all of your assignments?

What We're Working on Next

I am hoping to meet with the 7th grade Young Scholars before winter break.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What can you do to be a more active participant in your learning?

PTO News

Join or Volunteer

Around the District

November 2018 Legislative Action Committee (LAC) Update
At the November 14 meeting of the Wayzata Legislative Action Committee, senators and representatives-elect for districts representing Wayzata Public Schools were invited. Able to attend were Senator Warren Limmer, Senate District 34; Representative Jerry Hertaus House District 33A; and Representative-Elect Ginny Klevorn, House District 44A.

The LAC reviewed election results for districts representing the District (full election results can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State website). The LAC will start meeting with legislators before the 2019 Legislative Session begins January 8 to build positive relationships with our officials.

The LAC reviewed and discussed the 2019 Legislative Platform draft, which is scheduled to be approved at the December 10 School Board Meeting. This platform will guide LAC advocacy at the Minnesota Capitol during the 2019 Legislative Session.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Zohra Tridane, EMS’ LAC representative, or visit the District Committees webpage.

Looking for a way to say thank you and wish your child’s teacher a happy holiday season? Show them you care with the Wayzata Education Fund’s Thank A Teacher program. A donation made through this program will come with a certificate of appreciation to that teacher from their student. As a bonus, any donation of $25 or more also comes with a bundlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes – Minnetonka. Any donation through the program between now and December 18 will be delivered to your child’s teacher before winter break. Say thank you and support a good cause all at once.

Ask Ali the tough questions you might be too scared to ask in person. Alison Wobschall, M.A., director of Partners in Prevention, is a psychologist with 14 years of experience in prevention. She has a special passion for healthy brain development. Submit any questions you have regarding topics surrounding substances, mental health, and parenting strategies.