2/4/2008

 

Dear Families,

 

Happy February!  Time is flying by so quickly.  The next few months are action-packed for your kids.  Continue to help them enjoy their 8th grade experience and be sure they maintain healthy habits.

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday.  Mass is at 9:00 AM.  Mrs. Lunn and I chose six 8th graders to help distribute ashes: Kelsey, Marni, Kylie, Eric, Ryan C. and Sean B.  These folks will handle this responsibility with grace and respect.

Mid-trimester progress reports will be sent home this Friday, February 8, 2008. 

 

 

¯ ACADEMICS

HISTORY

Students will take a test Tuesday, Feb. 5th over the Constitution Articles 4 – 7, checks and balances and the amendments.  Grades from this test WILL be included in the mid-trimester report.

 

This week we take on an overview of the modern Civil Rights movement.  We will take a “jigsaw” approach to this topic to allow students a chance to work in groups and delve into sub-topic areas of interest.  I hope to give the kids the flavor of what actions citizens were willing to take in order to be sure the 13th, 14th and 15th  amendments were enforced. 

 

Students are working to complete maps of the USA.


RELIGION

Students will begin performing their plays Tuesday or Wednesday, February 5th or 6th. 

 

During Lent, students will be responsible for planning and leading a prayer service.  I will be asking them to include certain objects in their prayer service.  One of these items is a candle.  After the prayer service, I will keep the candle until our trip to Mt. St. Helen’s.  During the evening prayer service at Cispus (where we spend the night), each of the candles are lit and then returned to the student.  The lit candle symbolizes the child’s light and the blessing I hope each carries as he or she graduates and goes on to high school.  Once home, the candles will be returned. 

 

LANGUAGE ARTS

Spelling -  Lesson 16.  Workbooks are due Wednesday.

 

LITERATURE

Students should receive their corrected Staircase projects Tuesday or Wednesday.  Once the corrected drafts are returned, I will give a due date for the final project.

 

     

MATH

The algebra class will be working on simple interest, and percent of increase.

 

The 8th grade math class will be working on writing and solving equations.

 

Both classes will also have a Problem of the Week (due Thursday).  I know getting the correct answer is important, but I am more concerned with their written explanation.  Can they write a clear explanation on how they solved the problem?

 

Math progress reports were sent home on Wednesday.  Make sure it is signed and returned.

 

 

SCIENCE

Updates about Science are posted in the Science section of school web page.

 

 

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Congratulations are due!!

1. Maria Fernandes has been accepted into the Legislative Page Program.  She will serve in Olympia February 11 – 15.

2. Liezl Fenando earned a 6th Place Honorable Mention in the Chopin Northwest piano competition. 

3. Andrea and Shannon won 1st place in the Eastside Catholic Speech Tournament.

4. Natalie and Maria won 1st place in the Seattle Prep Speech Tournament.

Please let me know if there are other Speech winners.

 

I had the pleasure of attending the boys’ basketball game on Sunday.  Although they were not victorious, I was so impressed with their skills, athleticism and determination.

 

The cast list for How to Tame the Wild West has been emailed.  Please let Kim Kramer know if you did not receive a copy.

 

 HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Ann Christianson

annc@saintbrendan.org