Dynamic Dialogue 11/27/13

Happy Thanksgiving,  Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:         Nov. 27^th, Chili Fest/Bonfire/Pep Rally, 5 – 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 28^th – 29^th, Thanksgiving Holiday

Dec. 6^th – 7^th, School Play 6:30 p.m.

Important Information:    Team Dynamic is currently collecting money for Hixson's annual Holiday Fundraiser through December 11^th .  The money will be used to provide for families in the district who are in need.  Students are encouraged to bring in spare change - so shake out those couch cushions!

Hixson's Adult Trivia Night is coming up in January.  Click here for a link to all the details.  We will be asking parents to contribute items for two baskets to be auctioned off per team.  Each team's baskets will have a theme - as soon as the Dynamic theme is determined, we will be asking for your help.

If you would like to activate your Edline account, please contact Mr. Daniels or Mrs. Pettid for your activation code.

English –

Susan Artkras – artkras.susan@wgmail.org

Math- 

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

In Dynamic Systems Science the students are working on the following two goals:

Goal 2:  Student will develop and  use models  to describe the role of gravity.

4	Student demonstrates innovation, in depth inference(s), or advanced application(s) with the learning goal.  In addition to level 3 the student will be able to: ●       critique models to demonstrate understanding of role of gravity in the universe.
3	Student will be able to: ●     explain motions of specific objects in the universe and solar system in terms of gravity.
2	Student will able  to: ●     identify the pattern of motion caused by gravity in the universe and solar system.
1	Student able to: ●     is able to define gravity.

Goal 3:  Student will develop and  use models  to describe cyclic patterns of lunar phases.

4	Student demonstrates innovation, in depth inference(s), or advanced application(s) with the learning goal. In addition to level 3 the student will be able to: ●       critique models to demonstrate understanding motions that cause lunar phases.
3	Student will be able to: ●       model motions that cause lunar phases.
2	Student will able to: ●     identify the patterns that cause lunar phases.
1	The student able to: ●     label motions that result in lunar phases.

If your student was absent on Tuesday or Wednesday this week they have the assignments shared with them in WGCloud which need to be completed before Monday, 2 December.

If you have any questions or comments please let me know.

Dynamic Science Course Website

http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/daniels

Dynamic Systems Science – Coach Daniels - daniels.mark@wgmail.org

314-918-4603

Social Studies –

During the shortened Thanksgiving week students received study guides for the Unit One Assessment.  The answers to the study guide will be posted on my Edline website in the Ancient World Resources over the weekend, and we will go over them in class on Monday.

The test will be taken on December 3^rd and will test information from all of the subjects we have studied so far this year.  It will not be open-note, so students should take the opportunity to study with their notes.  I have posted all notes on my website, so students may double check their own for accuracy.

All late work for Social Studies will be accepted until Dec. 16th. 

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

After school help is available in my room every Tuesday until 4:00 

Dynamic Social Studies Course Website:

www.hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/pettid

Lisa Pettid – pettid.lisa@wgmail.org

314-918-4602

Please visit the following links for more information: Hixson home page -http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson Dr. Heisserer's blog - http://hixsonprincipal.wordpress.com/

Dynamic Dialogue 11/22/13

Good Afternoon Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:    Nov. 18^th – 26^th, Hixson Food Drive

                                Nov. 26^th, Sounds of Hixson, 7 – 9 p.m.

                                Nov. 27^th, Chili Fest/Bonfire/Pep Rally, 5 – 8:30 p.m

                                Nov. 28^th – 29^th, Thanksgiving Holiday

Important Information:    Student Council is challenging each team to a Canned Food Drive from November 18th-26th.  The donated food will go to the St. Louis Food Bank which supports those in need in St. Louis City and County.  Each team will have a designated box in the main lobby to donate their items.  The team with the most items by November 26^th will win an Ice Cream Party! 

Team Dynamic is currently collecting money for Hixson's annual Holiday Fundraiser.  The money will be used to provide for families in the district who are in need.  Students are encouraged to bring in spare change - so shake out those couch cushions!

Hixson's Adult Trivia Night is coming up in January.  Click here for a link to all the details.  We will be asking parents to contribute items for two baskets to be auctioned off per team.  Each team's baskets will have a theme - as soon as the Dynamic theme is determined, we will be asking for your help.

If you would like to activate your Edline account, please contact Mr. Daniels or Mrs. Pettid for your activation code.

English –

Significant growth on the part of students is being observed! Students are leaning in to the work of writing and their efforts are paying off with drafts that are more organized, more clearly expressed and more evidence to support their ideas. KUDOS to our students!

After enjoying a few relaxing days of watching Arabian Nights students are back to work writing a persuasive piece to put forth their nomination for the "best" character. Next, students will be reading and analyzing short stories by famous authors such as Anton Chekov. Students have also begun creating their own short story character with intentional work around building a believable

character(s). Students are excited about this creative writing opportunity.

"Analysis of Baseball" takes the lead against "Two Roads Diverged" in the Poetry Wars. Today, Friday, students will be introduced to the seventh grade discussion board for poetry. Yes! our classroom walls are fading as students on all four teams will discuss and challenge each others' thinking about the poems.

• Students will visit the library on Monday, November 25.
• Nightly homework includes: reading and recording progress on Reading Rewards website, studying root words, extra time on writing assignments.
• All instructional materials and resources for students are hosted on the WG Cloud on Google.
• On a sidenote: I'm without my day to day computer, which is in the shop, so communications have been hindered.

Susan Artkras – artkras.susan@wgmail.org

Math- 

Dynamic team have received the math flippers and the team t-shirt.  The math flippers will be used extensively in class/homework (especially the Pre-Algebra and Geometry flippers).

Students have finished the (Variable & Patterns) unit.  Next week, I will spend time reviewing the unit before  students are assessed after Thanksgiving break.

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

In Dynamic Systems Science the students finished their study of universe objects and took the test today on Goal #1. They continue to progress their data analysis and interpretation. The next goals are about Motions of the Universe.

If you have any questions or comments please let me know.

Dynamic Science Course Website

http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/daniels

Dynamic Systems Science – Coach Daniels - daniels.mark@wgmail.org

daniels.mark@wgmail.org

314-918-4603

Social Studies –

This week we have been exploring Buddhism.  Using information about Buddhism, students completed an Inference Ring.  By creating an Inference Ring, students are practicing a valuable reading skill – drawing inferences from a text. 

During the shortened Thanksgiving week students will receive study guides for the Unit One Assessment.  I have, however, already posted the study guide on my Edline website in the Ancient World Resources. 

The test will be taken on December 3^rd and will test information from all of the subjects we have studied so far this year.  It will not be open-note, so students should take the opportunity to study with their notes.  I have posted all notes on my website, so students may double check their own for accuracy. 

After school help is available in my room every Tuesday until 4:00 

Dynamic Social Studies Course Website:

www.hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/pettid

Lisa Pettid – pettid.lisa@wgmail.org

314-918-4602

Please visit the following links for more information: Hixson home page -http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson Dr. Heisserer's blog - http://hixsonprincipal.wordpress.com/

Dynamic Dialogue 11/15/13

Happy Friday Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:          Nov. 18^th – 26^th, Hixson Food Drive

                                      Nov. 21^st, Combined Choir Concert at Steiger

                                      Nov. 28^th – 29^th, Thanksgiving Holiday

Important Information:    Student Council is challenging each team to a Canned Food Drive from November 18th-26th.  The donated food will go to the St. Louis Food Bank which supports those in need in St. Louis City and County.  Each team will have a designated box in the main lobby to donate their items.  The team with the most items by November 26^th will win an Ice Cream Party! 

Team Dynamic is currently collecting money for Hixson's annual Holiday Fundraiser.  The money will be used to provide for families in the district who are in need.  Students are encouraged to bring in spare change - so shake out those couch cushions!

Hixson's Adult Trivia Night is coming up in January.  Click here for a link to all the details.  We will be asking parents to contribute items for two baskets to be auctioned off per team.  Each team's baskets will have a theme - as soon as the Dynamic theme is determined, we will be asking for your help.

If you would like to activate your Edline account, please contact Mr. Daniels or Mrs. Pettid for your activation code.

English –

Aladdin, Ali Babba, flying carpets, magic lamps and more! Students have been viewing the Hallmark production of Arabian Nights in preparation for writing their own short stories for our new unit on writing fiction.

This weeks poems: https://drive.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/?tab=wo#folders/0BwbYIVeUV08KdkpSN1BCYWZZMUE

Robert's Frost poem was defeated in voting by "Analysis of Baseball."

Alongside story writing, students will continue honing their skill of reading for comprehension and responding with a written summary and essay writing.

Susan Artkras – artkras.susan@wgmail.org

Math- 

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

Learning Goal: I am able to interpret and analyze data to compare and contrast universe objects.

In Dynamic Systems Science the students have been doing work on making precise graphs using a SRDR, “sister doctor”, technique to scale the axes. [Subtract to calculate the range; Round up; Divide by the number of lines on the axis; Round up - this gives them the perfect scaling number] Please ask your child about the SRDR technique for scaling graphs. The students are using planet data to analyze and interpret data and write conclusions.

The test for Goal #1 Space Systems is on Friday, 22 November 2013.

Thank you to everyone who donated to www.DonorsChoose.org  for the Chromebooks! They are proving to be a very useful tool in the classroom to improve student learning!

Before school help sessions are available everyday by appointment and after school help session is available on Thursdays from 3:15 until 4:00 in room 212.

If you have any questions or comments please let me know.

Dynamic Science Course Website

http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/daniels

Dynamic Systems Science – Coach Daniels - daniels.mark@wgmail.org

daniels.mark@wgmail.org

314-918-4603

Social Studies –

Students have been exploring Hinduism and the Caste System in India, creating a word web to categorize their new vocabulary and information.  Next week we will wrap up our look at India by investigating Buddhism. 

During the shortened Thanksgiving week students will receive study guides for the Unit One Assessment.  That test will be taken on December 3^rd and will test information from all of the subjects we have studied so far this year.  It will not be open-note, so students should take the opportunity to study with their notes.  I have posted all notes on my website, so students may double check their own for accuracy. 

After school help is available in my room every Tuesday until 4:00 

Dynamic Social Studies Course Website:

www.hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/pettid

Lisa Pettid – pettid.lisa@wgmail.org

314-918-4602

Please visit the following links for more information: Hixson home page -http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson Dr. Heisserer's blog - http://hixsonprincipal.wordpress.com/

Dynamic Dialogue 11/8/13

Good Afternoon Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:        Nov. 8^th, Term 2 Grades Mailed

Important Information:    If you would like to activate your Edline account, please contact Mr. Daniels or Mrs. Pettid for your activation code.

English –

This week students were introduced to  the Poetry Wars (PW). The purpose of PW is to increase the quantity of reading great poetry; increase the awareness of powerful, beautiful language, understand the structure of poems, create opportunities for speaking/performing in front  of an audience and listening to a speaker, and of course, to have fun with literature. In the PW, poems compete against poems in an NCAA-like tournament.  An online discussion board will be set-up so that students can discuss poetry with students on other Hixson 7th grade teams.

Students will be working on summary writing this term. Alongside this work, we will begin a new unit on story writing. The unit will kick off with a wonderful made for TV movie-- Arabian Nights. While watching, students will hear about the many stories of the Nights and hear from a storyteller as to what makes a good story.

Each week students will receive an email from the library through their WG Google Account. The email will provide updated info about overdue books, late fees and other important library information.

To login to WG Google:

WG Cloud URL:    wgcloud.org

First and last initials and six digits for birthday (ex. sa090866)

Lunch Pin  + wgsd

Our next class trip to the library will be on Monday, November 11.

Susan Artkras – artkras.susan@wgmail.org

Instructional Resources for English

Math- 

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

After school help session is available on Thursdays from 3:15 until 4:00 in room 212.

Dynamic Science Course Website

http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/daniels

Dynamic Systems Science – Coach Daniels - daniels.mark@wgmail.org

314-918-4603

Social Studies –

This week our focus has been on the geography of India.  India is a subcontinent with a wide and varied terrain, so your students have been immersed in looking at the many ways civilization in India was effected by its geographical setting.  Next week our  focus will shift to India’s culture, beginning with Hinduism and the Caste System.

After school help is available in my room every Tuesday until 4:00 

Dynamic Social Studies Course Website:

www.hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/pettid

Lisa Pettid – pettid.lisa@wgmail.org

314-918-4602

Please visit the following links for more information: Hixson home page -http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson Dr. Heisserer's blog - http://hixsonprincipal.wordpress.com/

Dynamic Dialogue 11/1/13

Happy Friday Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:     Nov. 4^th:  Term 3 and Explo 2 begin

    Nov. 5^th:  Professional Day, No Student Attendance

    Nov. 8^th:  Term 2 Grades Mailed

    

                                    

Important Information:    If you would like to activate your Edline account, please contact Mr. Daniels or Mrs. Pettid for your activation code.

English –

Anchor Activities: students are using EVERY minute of class time! Anchor activities are designed for students to work on either immediately at the beginning of class time, between activities or after their class work has been completed, so that their instructional time is maximized. Students may/should also work on the activities in the evening as homework. The activities keep students “anchored” to learning & literacy. These activities are intended to review or extend learning of the subject matter, not to be busy-work.  Activities may be designed for students to complete independently or in small groups. Activities are selected per the curricular standards. Currently students are honing their skills of: editing, sentence construction, summarizing and spelling. Each activity has its own expectations and grading. One activity may be self-scored while another might receive written feedback. All activities must meet the standard set forth for that particular activity in order to earn the ten points; therefore, revision is expected.

Our Outside reading expectations are going digital! Dynamic students will move their daily reading tracking to the online software Reading Rewards.  This interactive reading tracker motivates students’ reading through avatars, book discussions, and of course, rewards! Reading Rewards allows parents and the teacher to easily monitor a student’s progress in daily reading, and it allows us to set up rewards/incentives for students’ reading. See the flyer foraccount set-up and additional details. If you would like to offer a team-wide incentive, please contact me at Artkras.susan@wgmail.org.

This coming week we will start a new unit which will focus on the literary elements of creative writing—short stories and poetry. We will continue honing our skills of summary and essay writing, too.

Is your child bringing English work home? Daily homework for English:

1)      Study vocabulary (root words and affixes)

2)      Read 20+ minutes

3)      Anchor activities

4)      Writing project (if needed)

Technology: Please encourage your child to use Google Docs for their writing assignments. Google Docs allows a student to access their work from any internet connected computer. Many classroom resources are available on the teachers Google Cloud account. For English, this includes unit outline, instructional notes, mini-lessons, web links, assignment expectations, handouts, and writing models. If you would like to be directly connected to Ms. Artkras Cloud account, please email me from the account you want to receive the Cloud invitation.

Susan Artkras – artkras.susan@wgmail.org

Math- This week students started on a new unit (Variables & Patterns).  Students will learn a lot of algebra concepts, such as use algebraic symbols to write rules and equations relating variables.  Students will also construct tables, and graphs to display relations among variables.

Please check the parent portal to view your student math grade.  The grades were based on our first unit and students got to fix any mistakes on the assessments. I allow this so students can learn from their mistakes and to keep them motivated
in math.

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

Learning Goal: I am able to interpret and analyze data to compare and contrast universe objects.

In Dynamic Systems Science the students have been doing their presentations of their research on universe objects. The formats I’ve seen are PowerPoint’s, Google Presentations, Posters, Songs, Prezis, YouTube videos, Google Documents, and painting on a canvas with a 3D objects attached. 

Students completed a self-reflection survey on Google Form, “Scientific Method Test: Why Did I Get the Grade I Got?” Please ask your student about what student skill they need to improve.

The summative assessment grades for the Scientific Method unit test have been posted. I was very pleased at the accomplishments of the students! 82% of the students demonstrated proficiency, A’s or B’s, on the Scientific Method Unit Goals! If a student wants to re-test any of the 3 learning goals, here is the process:

1.      Meet with Coach Daniels before or after school to review their test.

2.      The student will be assigned some practice activities depending on their status of their student skills.

a.       For example, if the student does not have good notes on graphing, they will be required to review the shared Google Presentation and take notes, and review them with me for feedback.

3.      The student will meet with me again before or after school to get feedback on their practice activity.

4.      The process is repeated until the student demonstrates proficiency.

5.      Once a student had demonstrated they have become proficient with the learning goal, they will take the alternative assessment on that goal.

The students who would like to begin the process for re-testing the Scientific Method Goals are required to begin this process before the end of the day on Wednesday, 6 November 2013. The process must be completed by Friday, 15 November 2013.

If you have any questions or comments please let me know.

Dynamic Science Course Website

http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/daniels

Dynamic Systems Science – Coach Daniels - daniels.mark@wgmail.org

daniels.mark@wgmail.org

314-918-4603

Social Studies –

This week we wrapped up our look at Mesopotamia and took a quick visit into ancient Israel.  The open note quiz was Thursday.  On Friday we began looking at India with geography.  Google Earth: India is due on Monday at the end of class.  We will spend roughly two weeks in India and then wrap up the unit.  Students will then receive a study guide to prepare for the Unit Assessment.

Grades have been updted and are posted on the Parent/Student Portal.

After school help is available in my room every Tuesday until 4:00 

Dynamic Social Studies Course Website:

www.hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson/Classes/pettid

Lisa Pettid – pettid.lisa@wgmail.org

314-918-4602

Please visit the following links for more information: Hixson home page -http://hixson.webster.k12.mo.us/pages/Hixson Dr. Heisserer's blog - http://hixsonprincipal.wordpress.com/