Science Newsletter
February 2010
As the mid year point has already passed I can’t believe how much each class has accomplished. They are doing so well comprehending the material given to them. Students have completed many experiments, hands-on activities and programs to aid their comprehension. I am so proud of the hard work I have seen and I expect the next half of the year to exceed my expectations.
Eighth Grade
Students are currently studying Chemical Bonds and the different types of bonds. They have focused on valence electrons, electron-dot structures and ionic and covalent bonds. Shortly we will be moving on to Chapter 14: Chemical Reactions. This chapter discusses chemical reactions, chemical formulas and balancing chemical equations.
Again, the students have different hands-on activities assigned to them and will be working on lab reports for these different experiments. After completing Chapter 14 our curriculum then switches over to Physics. The Physics part of the curriculum should be starting towards the middle of February.
Seventh Grade
In seventh grade the students have completed the chapter on heredity. Each student has done research about heredity and different traits they have received from their parents. Our focus is going to shift to DNA, what it looks like and how it works. Toward the end of the month the class will briefly introduce evolution and the history of life on Earth. Students have really been enjoying the curriculum this year and I hope to keep all the students intrigued in what we are learning.
Sixth Grade
The sixth grade curriculum will soon be on astronomy. The astronomy section will start with Chapter 18 and 22: Exploring and Studying Space. Parts of these two chapters will combine to benefit the students’ learning. These chapters will include early astronomy, technology used in modern astronomy, constellations and Doppler shift to name a few.
Many hands-on activities, experiments and learning strategies will be used when teaching students this topic material. Towards the end of the month the class will be learning more specifically about stars and galaxies.
Fifth grade
February will be full on Earth Science topics for fifth grade. The month started with talk of air pollution and the importance of air. Students will also focus on fossil fuels and other ways to stop pollution from happening. Toward the end of the month the next chapter will involve fossils and rock records. I look forward to continuing the fun and learning experiences with your children.
Fourth grade
Fourth grade is finishing up the chapter on classification. Moving on from classification the class will go on to Chapter 7: Describing Animals. Students have the basic knowledge of organisms in general; therefore we are moving on to animals in specific. This will focus on the food chain, animals without backbones and animals with backbones. The fourth graders will look at different types of animals in many different ways.
Art
February and March are exciting months for our Art Program. Junior High Students are preparing for Teen Arts, which is March 16th. Artwork is being prepared for exhibition at the Judicial Center in Newton for Youth Art Month.
Students in all grades are enjoying and participating in the Artifacts enrichment program. There will be a showing of all the students’ Artifacts work in May. I, as well as the students, look forward to completing these different art projects during February.
Music
From the Music Corner at SJRS comes exciting news. In each class we will be singing age appropriate patriotic and black spiritual songs. This will collaborate with Black History month and the academic classroom lessons.
As a special project the 3rd graders will be learning the pre-corders, focusing on music theory. The 3rd graders always look forward to learning this instrument and have been anticipating it for many weeks. February will be full of fun and exciting methods in music!
Spanish
At the mid year point in this school year I would like to commend the students on all their hard work and successes in Spanish class. Students can look forward to many fun activities and lessons in each grade. This month 4th and 5th grade will start working on conversational Spanish with an emphasis on writing. The 3rd graders will be learning the months of the year.
During this time they will also be incorporating the months of the year into simple sentences. The 2nd graders will be learning the vocabulary for many grocery items using a multiple of different activities. 1st grade will be using their creativity when making ABC books. These books will reinforce the Spanish alphabet.