Hi Parents,
We have been working hard this week to learn new words using the Latin roots that are becoming second nature to us. We finished a unit on sentences (simple, compound, and complex) and clauses (independent and subordinate [aka dependent]) and the conjunctions that join them. We tested today and have returned the graded tests to the students.
In literature we continue to analyze our Civil War novels. We learned about direct and indirect characterization this week. We also learned how story elements like setting, characters, plot, and conflict can help to support the theme of a novel. Today we reviewed what inferences are and viewed a “Mr. Bean” video to see if kids could recognize when they were making inferences from the video. We’ll wrap up our Civil War novels next week. Please remind your child that only one book report is due this month and it can be about the Civil War novel to save time for work on the Legacy Project. The book report is due next Friday but can be turned in earlier (recommended).
In religion we have been learning about the early Church and how Canon Law was formed. We learned that Pope Gregory united Church and state into one society known as Christendom. We have also been busy studying for the ACRE test (coming in April). Fr. Moore would like to have more Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC’s) and has reached out to any interested 7th and 8th graders. There will be a training during religion class time on Tuesday, April 9th for those interested. Please have your child let me know if they would like to participate in the training. It will prepare the to be EMHC’s not only for school Masses, but also for weekend ones.
In social studies we started our next unit on Jackson and Westward Expansion. We learned about the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears. We played an interactive game about the Oregon Trail today and, sadly, we all died. We will resume our Westward Expansion unit when we return, making an art project that tells a part of this story.
As you know by now, the biography portion of the Legacy Project is due next Wednesday in class. The kids will be doing some peer editing and will then fix up their biography, print it at home, and turn it in on Thursday. Please do print it at home as it would be too cumbersome for me to print more than 200 pages (19 students X min. 10 pages). Of course, if you have extenuating circumstances, I am happy to print it for you.
Our service-learning project at the WeGrow Garden continues this spring when we return from break. We will be going to the garden each Monday from 12:30-2PM. We will continue learning about organic and sustainable gardening, food insecurity, at-risk youth, and the benefit of community gardens. We will also get the garden ready to produce approximately 500 pounds of vegetables for the Bellingham Food Bank right across the street. I will send a SignUp Genius next week asking for parent helpers to walk us to the garden and provide some supervision and support. Please look for the permission slip I am sending home today so that you have it back to me early next week. This will be important, since we go to the garden the day we get back from break. Remember that your child may wear casual uniform (non-ripped jeans and the blue ACS t-shirt) on garden days.
Have a great weekend,
Chris