Team Zanzibar Newsletter
October 18, 2019
School and Team Happenings
Team Announcements
Spirit Week
8th grade students had a great time this week with all the fun spirit days! They twinned, represented the Washington Nationals win, and participated in a pep rally. Kudos to Mr. Reynolds, he was an excellent team player in the teacher-student pie in the face.
From Our Team Lead, Ms. Hampton
Greetings!
The end of the first Advisory is near. The last day for students to retake summative assessments is October 28th. We have already seen so much growth from your students and look forward to what next advisory will bring. Please encourage your student to use self-advocacy skills and ask clarifying questions. We encourage you to have a discussion with your child about the habits that have served them well and those they may need to tweak as we move through the year.
From Mr. Rottman:
High School Night
Our 8th graders will soon be heading off to high school. To assist with this great decision, we will be hosting High School Night on Thursday, November 14, from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to receive information about DCPS high schools and the application process. All 7th and 8th grade families are invited to attend. We hope to see you there!
8th Grade Promotion Date
The 8th grade promotion has been set for Thursday, June 18th at 10:00 am at American University's Bender Arena. The 8th grade team is excited to work with this convenient, spacious venue and will release more information about promotion events as details are confirmed.
SIGN-UP DEADLINE FOR WORLD LANGUAGE TRIPS APPROACHING FAST
Please sign up as soon as you can. Space is limited. Scholarships are available. Please contact 8th grade assistant principal Rottman at Patrick.Rottman@k12.dc.gov with questions about trips or financial support.
This year, our students will travel to Costa Rica, France, China, and Guatemala. Students in good behavioral and academic standing may travel on the trip associated with the language they are studying. Only students in Spanish Humanities are eligible for the trip to Guatemala. Sorry parents, this is a student-only trip!
Important Dates:
- October 10th - Sign-up deadline for Costa Rica
- December 13th - Sign-up deadline for France and China
For more information about each trip and a link to sign up, please see below:
Costa Rica
Trip Website: www.eftours.com/2203870jm
Approximate travel dates: February Break, 2/15 - 2/23
Sponsor: Srta. Cuffee
France
Trip Website:www.eftours.com/2203872mj
Approximate travel dates: April Break, 4/11 – 4/19
Sponsor: Mr. Mbayu
China
Trip Website: https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2275523XP
Approximate travel dates: April Break, 4/11 – 4/19
Sponsor: Mr. Zhi
Guatemala, only for students in 8th grade Spanish Humanities
Trip Website: https://walkingtree.org/programs/2020-alice-deal-guatemala-program/
Approximate travel dates: February Break, 2/15 - 2/23
Sponsors: Ms. Daniels and Mr. Delgado
Team Emails
Ms. Hampton: darcy.hampton@k12.dc.gov
Ms. Trenkle: amy.trenkle@k12.dc.gov
Ms. Thomas: melissa.thomas2@k12.dc.gov
Mr. Reynolds: jonte.reynolds@k12.dc.gov
Ms. Farkas: debra.farkas@k12.dc.gov
Class Updates
Science: Ms. Hampton
This week in science students continued to explore various aspects of energy. Students completed a pHet Simulation of a skateboarder in a skatepark in order to investigate factors that affect kinetic and potential energy changes. Students also learned the G.U.E.S.S. method to solve kinetic and potential energy problems. The G.U.E.S.S .method is an algorithm for solving complex physics problems. Students will continue to investigate the Law of Conservation of Energy by looking at how mass, velocity and height affect kinetic and potential energy.
The last summative for this advisory is scheduled for October 22nd.
Resources for students and parents
Math: Mr. Reynolds
This week in Math 8 our amazing math 8 students worked on transformation. They determine the properties of reflection and translation through an inquiry base activity. Next week we will continue transformation with rotations and sequence of transformation. Please check ASPEN for grade updates.
Algebra 1:
Our awesome algebra students spent this week reviewing system of equations and system of inequalities. Next week we will learn solve system of equation by applying the elimination method and applying the concept to real world application. Please check ASPEN for grade updates.
Student of the Week
Elias Johnson – Communicators
Kryslyn Stewart– Caring
English: Ms. Thomas
ELA:
This week in ELA, students are continuing to examine plot components and how they logically transition and develop a story's narrative. We have been analyzing characters and events from A Raisin in the Sun to study the various plot components so far including exposition, inciting incident, and rising action details. Students have also completed a formative to practice filling in a logical sequence to Freytag's Pyramid, and will complete a summative of the same skill.
At this time, all students have had extended opportunities to sign up for a Quizlet account, and myriad opportunities during Grit or after school for any technical assistance from their teacher to help create their accounts. Students who have not done this will no longer be able to submit overdue assignments.
How to Successfully Log In for Quizlet:
- Log into Quizlet using your appropriate class code below.
- Create an account with an identifiable username (contains your actual name) and acceptable password. (Your password CANNOT contain your username.)
- JOIN the class by clicking on the button near the top of the webpage.
- You can complete any study activity, but MUST complete the "Test" study activity for the vocabulary homework credit.
1st Period: https://quizlet.com/join/pkMM7c8zy
2nd Period: https://quizlet.com/join/UfyHWqruE
3rd Period: https://quizlet.com/join/2TP3f3EuZ7th Period: https://quizlet.com/join/KzQDRnYRP
Quizlet Super Scholars this week include:
1st Period: Kathleen K.
2nd Period: Yasmina K.
3rd Period: Nico O. and Taylor P.
7th Period: Kailyn C., Farrah R., and Harry S.
History: Ms. Trenkle
This week we continued our study of Unit 3: The Age of Jackson. Our statement of inquiry for this unit is: As government changed over time, disparity and equity developed in new places and spaces. Students have learned about the Elections of 1824 and 1828, the Spoils System, the Nullification Crisis and the Bank Wars. Today we started the Trail of Tears and will have a role play on Monday.
Reminder: Students should have their final two required citations and annotations for their NHD projects in Noodletools by Tuesday, 10/29. The first five have been graded and are in ASPEN.
Students were also introduced to the NPG Summative and had two work days in class. Students are welcome to work at GRIT or at home. The summative is using the skills learned in class. All folders from the partnership, with work examples, were returned to students this week. Directions, handouts, and rubrics were provided and are uploaded to our website at tinyurl.com/Grade8History under NPG partnership.
Due Dates:
- 10/28: NPG Summative
- 10/29: Last 2 Secondary Sources for NHD in noodletools
- 10/30: 2 Passport to History sites shared to amy.trenkle@k12.dc.gov
As of 10/14:
- Highest Overall Running average: 3rd period
- Most Improved: 1st period
National History Day
National History Day is a project all 8th graders will be completing this year. A list of due dates and parent nights will be sent home. This year's theme is Breaking Barriers. You may visit www.nhd.org to learn more about this national program.
Current NHD Assignment:
National History Day: Secondary Sources
Due Dates:
· September 30, two secondary sources and annotations
· October 7, three secondary sources and annotations
· October 15, three secondary sources and annotations
· October 29, two secondary sources and annotations
In your Noodletools, you will provide 2-3 secondary source citations and an annotation for each citation per deadline. This is a group grade if you have partners. This is what is due PER PROJECT, not per student.
Citation=Where did you find the information (author, title, publisher, city of publication, copyright date).
Annotation=2-3 sentences that explain how this sources was useful in understanding your topic!
Remember: A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event and often summarize what has happened. Secondary sources provide you, the historian, with background knowledge about your topic. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them. Some types of secondary sources include:
- Textbooks,
- magazine articles,
- encyclopedias,
- biographies.
Secondary sources could be specifically about a person, a time period, an event, or related events that provide context for your topic. They do not need to be specifically ONLY about your topic.
No more than five secondary sources may be from the internet—visit the library!!! When using an internet source, remember to use a credible source. Sources that end with .com should not be used…use only .edu, .org, .gov, .net sites. DO NOT CITE WIKIPEDIA!
You will link your noodletools account with your partners (if you ware working in a group).
You will then share your noodletools account with your teacher (and each of your partners, if they are on different teams, will share the account with his/her respective teacher(s)).
NHD Parent Nights
If you missed the NHD parent night, don't fret! The slides are uploaded to https://tinyurl.com/Grade8History under NHD and are titled NHD Parent Night 100819. The next parent night is October 22. Mark your calendars for future parent nights:
- 10/22
- 11/20
- 12/19
- 1/14
- 2/12
- 2/25
You are welcome to attend all or choose what fits best for you. All presentations will be uploaded to the tinyurl.com/Grade8History site after the presentation.
History Happened Here
History Happened Here are history field trips to historic sites in our region aligned to our I&S curriculum. While it would be great to visit each of these sites as a classroom field trip, due to time and numbers, it is often not possible. These trips allow for interested students to explore History on a day-long field trips on a Saturday.
Each trip is 8-12 hours in lunch, leaving from and returning to Deal. All costs are inclusive of transportation, admittance, and program fees. Students may be required to bring a bagged lunch. Each trip is approximately ia $75 unless otherwise noted. Scholarships are available.
To register for one or more of the trips, please complete the google form at tinyurl.com/ADMSHHH
Then, print off the permission slip and return it to Ms. Trenkle in W305.
Sign up at: tinyurl.com/ADMSHHH
Permission slips for all trips are located here.
The trips are:
- Williamsburg on 11/2
- Fort McHenry on 2/8
- Harpers Ferry, WV (John Brown's Raid) on 3/14
- Harriet Tubman Byway and the Underground Railroad on 4/25
- James Madison's Montpelier, Orange, VA on 5/16
You can sign up for one or multiple trips.
Scholarships are available, thanks to our amazing ADCA! Please stop by W305 to talk to Ms. Trenkle or email her at amy.trenkle@k12.dc.gov
We need 40-45 8th graders to run the trip. Please talk with your friends!
Questions? Please email Ms. Trenkle at amy.trenkle@k12.dc.gov or stop by W305.
ELL: Ms. Farkas
2nd Period Intermediate ESL
This week's focus was on the past tense of verbs. Students studied spelling patterns for regular past tense verbs as well as memorizing many irregular verbs. Many students presented book talks and other students filled out peer assessments. All students are expected to have presented a book talk by the end of the coming week. Next week students will continue to plot a narrative, use dialogue, read for fluency and continue work on irregular past tense verbs.
6th Period Beginning ESL
This week students used direction and place vocabulary. They are working on giving directions, and will need to submit their map project with directions from home to places in the neighborhood by the end of the week.
IB MYP Community Project
**We didn't meet for CP this week due to the 8th grade pep rally. We will continue with our research next week on Wednesday.**
This week, students continued their inquiry of their communities. Students were put into community project rooms based on interest. In these rooms, students chose if they wanted to work with a group or independently. From here, students should be working on research to determine how to address their chosen community need. Parents should have seen an information letter that needed to be signed. There will be information nights (paired with NHD) on October 22, and November 20.
Please note that all work will be completed in school, during our Wednesday activity period, aside from the actual community service. After the service project is completed, students may need some additional time outside of school to complete Powerpoint presentations.
For accountability, content teachers will rotate grading "Process Journal Entries" on each team. Again, all of these assignments should be completed during our Community Project time on Wednesdays. The first round of grading will be a formative grade in Science for all Zanzibar students, and include Process Journal Entries #1 (Project Interest Survey), #2 (Group Contact Info Sheet) and #3 (Website Research). ALL THREE MUST BE turned into their Community Project teacher in their CP folder BY OCT. 23rd.
About Us
Email: DealZanzibar19@k12.dc.gov
Website: https://www.alicedealmiddleschool.org/
Location: 3815 Fort Drive Northwest, Washington, DC, USA
Phone: 202 939 2010