Cluster 3
We put the FUN in fundamentals!
---Cluster 3 important dates to remember---
Here are some important dates coming up in our Cluster!
Monday, May 15 - MCAS MATH Session 1
Tuesday, May 16 - MCAS MATH Session 2
Wednesday, May 17 - Dismissal @1230pm for Teacher PDs
We plan on going to the Waterworks Museum of Brighton, Massachusetts, on Thursday, June 1st. Permission slips have been passed out to all students. If there are any questions, please email Heather Smith for details. (heather.smith@watertown.k12.ma.us)
Thanks so much for all your communication throughout the year! We appreciate it!
Sincerely,
Cluster 3
Our Educator Friends have Smores! Check them out!
EDL & PHONICS CLASSROOMS - https://www.smore.com/1a8k7
SPECIALIST'S CLASSROOM - The Specialist S'more
READING CLASSROOMS - https://www.smore.com/5r0sb-reading-classes
MS. SORENSON'S CLASSROOM - https://www.smore.com/enhsa
Math w Mr. Casiano
Hello Cluster 3 Families!
5 weeks to go! We just finished our Algebra unit on Equations, Expressions and Inequalities with a Unit test on Wednesday May 10th. On May 15th and 16th, Monday and Tuesday we will take our math MCAS. Get a good night sleep and come in with your laptop charged!
We have 5 small units/sections we are going to try to get through before the end of the year which center around angles and probability.
Section 1: Angle Relationships
Determine unknown angle measures using facts about complementary, supplementary, and vertical angles.
Write and solve equations for unknown angles in a diagram.
Section 2: Drawing Triangles
Draw triangles given three measures of side lengths or angles.
Determine whether it is possible to draw a unique triangle, more than one triangle, or no triangle given a set of measurements.
Section 3: Solid Geometry
Describe, compare, and contrast cross sections of prisms and pyramids.
Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the volume and surface area of right prisms.
Section 1: Probability
Determine the probability of unknown events, comparing the results of repeated experiments and the expected probability.
Section 2: Sampling
Explain the purpose of sampling and which methods of obtaining a sample tend to produce representative samples.
Use measures of center and measures of variability from random samples to draw conclusions about and compare populations.
ELA w Ms. Fitanides
ELA
Students have just finished and turned in their essays for assessment. These will not be available by Friday's progress reports, unfortunately.
Classes have moved on and have just started reading The Giver, by Lois Lowry. Students are expected to read some assigned chapters AT HOME and to take notes on their worksheets as we move through the book. Our focus is looking at the author's craft and how a mood is set to illuminate not only the setting of the book, but also to indicate the genre of the novel. We will be using these observations to get at the author's messages/themes at the end of the unit.
Standards:
RL 7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). RL 7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, or mood, including the impact of repeated use of particular images.
Social Studies w Mr. Kirkaldy
Learning Targets
- I can describe three different styles of decision-making used by governments.
- I can trace the development of democracy in ancient Greece.
- I can identify the pros/cons of the four types of government that developed in ancient Greece.
In Social Studies, we have turned our attention to ancient Greece. Students read The Adventures of Ulysses, a young adult version of The Odyssey, where they traced how divine intervention of the Greek gods helped and hindered Ulysses on his voyage home from the Trojan War. Students also completed some research on modern words that come from Greek myths and created Instagram-style carousel posts about their words. Now, we are turning our attention to government and the development of democracy which will help students prepare for 8th grade civics next year.
Science w Ms. Smith
Science
In science, we just finished up "SMATH" (Science & Math) finding the GPE and KE using equations. Next week will be focusing on the 3 types of Thermal Energy. Students are working in a virtual lab, manipulating different slides to figure out what type of Thermal Energy is being depicted.
Learning Targets
Students will understand that…
Thermal energy transfers or transforms, and drives Earth’s systems. (Geological, meteorological, etc).
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles of matter. The relationship between the temperature and the total heat energy of a system depends on the types, states, and amounts of matter present.
Kinetic energy transfers to different types of matter in a system.
7.MS-PS3-6. Explain how thermal energy is transferred out of hotter regions or objects and into colder ones by convection, conduction and radiation.
7.MS-PS3-3. Apply scientific principles of energy and heat transfer to design, construct, and test a device to minimize or maximize thermal energy transfer.
7.MS-PS3-4. Determine the relationships among the energy transferred, how well the type of matter retains or radiates heat, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample