Dynamic Dialogue 1/31/14

It’s Friday Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:         Feb. 4^th – Incoming 7^th Grade Parent Orientation

                                      6:30 – 8:05 p.m.

                                      Feb. 13^th – Term 4 and Explo 2 ends

                                      Feb 14^th – PD Day, No Student Attendance

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 are engaging in Peer Response Groups to support revision of their short stories. The groups follow a protocol to support positive, safe constructive feedback about their writing. Each group member shares their story and then the group discusses the story while the author listens. Groups decide how to divvy their time between conferencing and working on the computers revising their stories.

On Monday, students visited the library and discussed how to perform more efficient searches using Google or SweetSearch, which is the preferred browser for middle school students. After the lesson, students had time to browse the collection, check out or renew books and read.

Students are encouraged to move their documents to Google Docs so they have access to their work from any computer with internet access thus allowing them time to work on their assignments at home, which is strongly encouraged due to limited class time.

Susan Artkras – artkras.susan@wgmail.org

Math-

Students are still working in the Stretching & Shrinking (Understanding Similarity) unit.  We will finish this unit in about 2 weeks.  In addition to the S & S unit, I've been teaching algebra concepts throughout the year.  The next unit will be Comparing & Scaling (Ratio, Proportion and Percent).  

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

In Dynamic Science this week the students have done 2 lab activities investigating convection, and measuring temperatures of different types of materials for to explore specific heat capacity. It’s been great to have the changes in weather this week, because they got to see the barometric pressure fall suddenly and see first-hand the “windy, cloudy, and rainy” weather.

We have covered the following concepts so far this semester:

1.   Kinetic temperature theory with the 3 temperature scales Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin, including absolute zero.

2.   Density of air and air pressure.

3.   Properties of cold and hot air masses.

4.   Weather caused by the center of a low pressure and weather caused by the center of a high pressure.

5.   The Direction of winds around a low or high pressure centers.

6.   The three states of matter (solid, liquid, & gas) and the freezing/melting & boiling/condensation transition zones.

7.   The 3 ways of heat energy is transferred: convection, conduction, and radiation.

8.   Heat energy moves up and from hot towards cold.

9.   Winds blow away from the high pressure and towards the low pressure.

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 –

Students focused this week on Alexander the Great and the legacy of the ancient Greeks.  We looked at all of the ways Greece set the foundations for the modern world through art, architecture, medicine/science and math.  The open note quiz will be next Wednesday.

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 1/24/14

Good afternoon Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:          Jan. 25^th – Hixson Adult Trivia Night

Important Information:    A great big thank you to all of our parents who donated items for the Silent Auction.  We are so grateful for all of your help!

If you would like to activate your Edline account, please contact Mr. Daniels or Mrs. Pettid for your activation code.  A helpful video can be found by following this link:  http://bit.ly/hxtechyes.

English –

Susan Artkras – artkras.susan@wgmail.org

Math- 

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

In Dynamic Science this week the students had their first attempt at the Weather Unit formative quiz. This is a Quia online quiz, www.quia.com/web , which covers all the concepts of the weather unit learning goals #1 & #2. The students will take the quiz in class about once a week so they can see how they are doing with their understanding of the concepts. This formative quiz will be posted on the portal but does not calculate into the student's semester grade. As they better understand the weather concepts they will see their scores for the quiz go up! Right before the unit test they should score very well on the quiz. The students may log in anytime outside of school and take the quiz as often as they want to check themselves. Considering we are only 9 class days into the unit I am not anticipating there scores to be high yet. As you check the portal, remember Weather Unit Formative Quiz is just a road sign to help students check their understanding of the major concepts of the unit and do not figure into their semester grade.

We have covered the following concepts so far this semester:

1.   Kinetic temperature theory with the 3 temperature scales Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin, including absolute zero.

2.   Density of air and air pressure.

3.   Properties of cold and hot air masses.

4.   Weather caused by the center of a low pressure and weather caused by the center of a high pressure.

5.   The Direction of winds around a low or high pressure centers.

6.   The three states of matter (solid, liquid, & gas) and the freezing/melting & boiling/condensation transition zones.

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 –

It has been another abbreviated week here at Hixson, and we are making adjustments in the work schedule.  We have been focusing this week on looking at Greek contributions to the modern world.  We will continue with this theme at the beginning of next week, and then take a look at Alexander the Great.  At this point I am planning for the open note quiz to be the following week but we will see what the weather has in store for us.  The short (very short) test on Greek art has been moved to next Tuesday. 

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 1/17/14

Happy Friday Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:          Jan. 17^th – Hixson Family Fun Night 

Webster Groves DQ Grill and Chill

Jan. 20^th - MLK Day, School not in session

                                       Jan. 25^th – Hixson Adult Trivia Night

Important Information:    Hixson’s trivia night is Saturday, January 25^th. Tables are going quickly! Registration forms will be mailed with your child’s report card or you may visit www.hxtrivia.blogspot.com to register online. We are still collecting items for the silent auction, especially for our team basket. Alternatively, if you would prefer not to purchase an item, we would be happy to accept any monetary donation that may be used to purchase items for our baskets.

We are asking parents to contribute items for two baskets to be auctioned off per team.  Dynamic’s theme is Home Sweet Home.  We are requesting items such as Lowes/Home Depot gift cards, gift cards for Bed, Bath, and anything other items that can be used to make home a sweeter place.

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- This week students used an on-line math program (StraightAce) to do their homework.  StraightAce is allowing us to use their program (as a resource) this semester at (no cost), so we can give them feedback-- they are an start-up internet company.  Students will mainly do the book work (Stretching & Shrinking) in class, then use the StraightAce program at home to reinforce what was learned in class and to help prepare for the MAP test. I am getting very positive feedback from the students; some students who usually struggle with math is spending (1-2 hours) on the computer each night.

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

The Dynamic Science Weather Unit encompasses many of the foundational principals and concepts of the transfer of energy! This week we have changed the way students think about temperature. The students are beginning to understand that temperature measures the speed of particles. Kelvin is the best temperature scale when we talk about speed of the particles because 0° K all particle motion stops! Electrons no longer spin, even protons and neutrons stop vibrating. The concepts of focus this week also include density, air pressure, qualities of hot and cold air masses, the three states of matter, and the weather around barometric low pressure and high pressure centers. Anticipate your child watching more weather forecasts and understanding them. Please engage them in conversations about weather!

Next week they will begin taking a formative Quia quiz covering the weather concepts. As a formative quiz they will take it about every 7-10 days. You should be seeing their scores improve as we go through the unit. Since the quiz covers all the major concepts of the weather unit some of their initial scores will be low. As they develop their understanding and make connections among the concepts their scores will improve. The formative quizzes help them see their progress and areas of which they need to focus.

Standards based grading (please see bulleted list below) has been very beneficial for student learning and achievement! I have been delighted about the students’ increased focus on learning! Please review with your student about their learning experiences in Science and about their achievements with developing their skills creating data tables and graphs, identifying independent variables, dependent variables, and constants, and writing hypotheses and conclusions.

C = Can perform some or most the skill independently.

B = Can perform all important aspects of the skill independently.

A = Can transfer the skill to a new situation or set of circumstances never seen before, or make a prediction about something which has not been tested.

Below are the first two weather learning goals.

Goal 1:  Student can analyze data, including maps, and construct and use models to develop understanding of the factors that control weather.

4	Student demonstrates innovation, in depth inference(s), or advanced application(s) with the learning goal, such as Student will analyze air mass movement and weather data.
3	Student will explain changes in weather (temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind) in terms of air mass movement. explain possible weather in terms of data from weather maps, diagrams, visualizations, and experiments.
2	Student will: identify cause/effect relationship between changes in weather (temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind) in terms of air mass movement. interpret data from weather maps, diagrams, visualizations, and experiments to identify possible weather.
1	Student will: match changes in weather (temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind) with air mass movement. match data from weather maps, diagrams, visualizations, and experiments with possible resulting weather.

Goal 2:  Student can analyze data, including maps, and construct and use models to develop understanding of the factors that control climate.

4	Student demonstrates innovation, in depth inference(s), or advanced application(s) with the learning goal, such as Student will analyze unequal heating and rotation of the Earth and cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
3	Student will differentiate patterns of regional climate caused by different factors. (latitude, altitude, geographic land distribution, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation)
2	Student will: identify cause/effect relationship between factors and regional climate.  (latitude, altitude, geographic land distribution, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation)
1	Student will: match factors with resulting regional climate.   (latitude, altitude, geographic land distribution, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation)

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 –

We are exploring our Greek roots.  Every day, students are given a Greek root word and asked to share as many English words from that root that they can.  Classes are competing against each other and the competition is quite lively.  This is a great warm-up for their brains at the beginning of class. 

Our focus this week has been on Greek art and architecture and its impact on Western Civilization.  I will be asking students to spot elements of Greek architecture in their own neighborhoods and travels around St. Louis.  There will be a quick, small test over Greek art and architecture at the end of next week. 

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 1/10/14

Welcome Back Dynamic Team!

Upcoming Events:           Jan. 10^th – Term 3 grade reports mailed

                                       Jan. 20^th  - MLK Day, School not in session

                                       Jan. 25^th – Hixson Adult Trivia Night

Important Information:   Hixson’s trivia night is Saturday, January 25^th. Tables are going quickly! Registration forms will be mailed with your child’s report card or you may visit www.hxtrivia.blogspot.com to register online. We are still collecting items for the silent auction, especially for our team basket. Alternatively, if you would prefer not to purchase an item, we would be happy to accept any monetary donation that may be used to purchase items for our baskets.

Hixson's Adult Trivia Night is coming up on January 25^th.  Click here for a link to all the details.  We are asking parents to contribute items for two baskets to be auctioned off per team.  Dynamic’s theme is Home Sweet Home.  We are requesting items such as Lowes/Home Depot gift cards, gift cards for Bed, Bath, and anything other items that can be used to make home a sweeter place.

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-

The students really worked hard the first semester (grades are updated), please check the portal. This week we continued to learn some geometry concepts (with application) that are usually on standardized tests. Next week we will start in a new unit in the math book (Stretching& Shrinking) which is about understanding similarity. 

Wilma Slaughter – slaughter.wilma@wgmail.org

Science –

Welcome back to the second half of 7^th grade Dynamic Systems Science! We have stormed into our weather unit this week! LOL   The students took the pretest, “What Do You Know about Weather,” on Wednesday and Thursday. The second semester the students will be developing skills to use and interpret text resources. I was out of school on Thursday and Friday this week for a funeral. The students were using a science textbook to take notes, develop vocabulary and answer questions about the “Causes of Weather.” The textbook sections over: Air Pressure, Heat Energy, Winds, and Moisture. Below are the questions they investigated.

Air Pressure (pg. 10-14)

1.  What is air pressure?

2.  How does increasing the density of a gas affect its pressure?

3.  As altitude increases, how does air pressure change?  How does density change?

Heat Energy (pg. 36-39 & 42-45)

4.  List three forms of radiation from the sun.

5.  What happens to most of the sunlight that reaches Earth?

6.  What happens to the energy from the sun that is absorbed by Earth’s surface?

7.  Name three ways that heat can be transferred.

8.  How do the three types of heat transfer work together to heat the troposphere?

Winds (pg. 46-52)

9.  How is wind related to air temperature and air pressure?

10.  What is the difference between local winds and global winds?

11. What is the primary direction of the winds in St. Louis, MO which is the major influence of the weather  at our 38.6 ° N. Latitude?

Moisture (pg. 54-60)

12.  How does water in the atmosphere condense?

13.  What type of air can hold more water vapor?

14.  What is the difference between humidity and relative humidity?  

Next week the students will begin recording weather data and understanding the kinetic temperature concept.

Standards based grading (please see bulleted list below) has been very beneficial for student learning and achievement! I have been delighted about the students’ increased focus on learning! Please review with your student about their learning experiences in Science and about their achievements with developing their skills creating data tables and graphs, identifying independent variables, dependent variables, and constants, and writing hypotheses and conclusions.

C = Can perform some or most the skill independently.

B = Can perform all important aspects of the skill independently.

A = Can transfer the skill to a new situation or set of circumstances never seen before, or make a prediction about something which has not been tested.

Below are the first two weather learning goals.

Goal 1:  Student can analyze data, including maps, and construct and use models to develop understanding of the factors that control weather.

4	Student demonstrates innovation, in depth inference(s), or advanced application(s) with the learning goal, such as Student will analyze air mass movement and weather data.
3	Student will explain changes in weather (temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind) in terms of air mass movement. explain possible weather in terms of data from weather maps, diagrams, visualizations, and experiments.
2	Student will: identify cause/effect relationship between changes in weather (temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind) in terms of air mass movement. interpret data from weather maps, diagrams, visualizations, and experiments to identify possible weather.
1	Student will: match changes in weather (temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, wind) with air mass movement. match data from weather maps, diagrams, visualizations, and experiments with possible resulting weather.

Goal 2:  Student can analyze data, including maps, and construct and use models to develop understanding of the factors that control climate.

4	Student demonstrates innovation, in depth inference(s), or advanced application(s) with the learning goal, such as Student will analyze unequal heating and rotation of the Earth and cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
3	Student will differentiate patterns of regional climate caused by different factors. (latitude, altitude, geographic land distribution, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation)
2	Student will: identify cause/effect relationship between factors and regional climate.  (latitude, altitude, geographic land distribution, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation)
1	Student will: match factors with resulting regional climate.   (latitude, altitude, geographic land distribution, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation)

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 –

Students are getting back into the swing of things in Social Studies.  We began our shortened week by comparing and contrasting Athens and Sparta.  We will continue to look at culture in ancient Greece and will focus our attention next week on art and architecture.

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/