Homework and Notes from 12/22/14

Homework:

Finish Harry Potter Writing Journal
Will be collected and graded on Monday 1/5/15!

Notes:


Today we had our Holiday celebration in class! We enjoyed some treats and had a great day!



In English, we finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone. Like listed in homework, the journal will be due when we get back. Check over your questions and make sure everything is answered in complete sentences! We watched the movie in class today. We talked about the comparisons of movie adaptation to JK Rowling's book.



In Current Events we read an article entitled West Jet Airlines Delivers "Delivers Christmas Miracles" To the Dominican Republic from Dogo News. For the last two years, Canada's WestJet Airlines has been spreading holiday cheer by fulfilling the holiday wishes of some lucky passengers. This year, they upped the ante by delivering "Christmas miracles" to the impoverished residents of the Puerto Plata community of Nuevo Renacer in the Dominican Republic. (Dogo News)

Homework and Notes from 12/18/14

Homework:

Math:

Rates Worksheet
#1-16

English:

Work on Harry Potter Journal.
Due on Monday. Will count as a test grade!

Notes:

Today was our New Year's Resolutions presentations! Thank you so much for coming. We also hope you enjoyed our Gingerbread House Activity.

Homework and Notes from 12/17/14

Homework:

Math:

Rates and Unit Rates
#s 1-28 Worksheet
*Finish classwork if not done in class.

English:

Finish Journal for Chapter 13 "Nicholas Flamel"

Notes:

Presentations:

Tomorrow is our presentations for New Years Resolution. We look forward to see you guys tomorrow. Please be here at 1 and it will last until 2. We will have some food for the presentations and we will also be creating Gingerbread Houses as a craft.


In Current Events we read an article entitled Eating a Carolina Reaper chili won't kill you---it'll just feel like it from NewsEla. The Carolina Reaper rates a searing 1.56 million Scoville heat units (SHUs), hotter than the previous record holder — the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T from Australia, at 1.46 million SHUs. A very hot jalapeno might reach 10,000 SHUs. Chili heat rankings may seem trivial, but they are a burning issue for people who sell hot sauce, salsa and other spicy things. After Guinness named the Reaper the world’s hottest pepper one year ago, sales at PuckerButt, Currie’s company, soared. Sales are eight times higher than they were last year, Currie said. (NewsEla)

Homework and Notes from 12/16/14

Homework:

Math:
6-2 Skills Practice
Rates
#s 1-24

English:
Finish 12/16/14 Journal for Chapter 13 of Harry Potter

Tuesday, December 16

3 new words:

Here is what happened today:

_______________________

Choose one character. Write two descriptive sentences to explain what he/she looks like.

________________________________________________________

Notes:

In Current Events, we read the article entitled Ancient Japanese Giant Salamanders Win Top Marks For Being Awesome Dads. With their large flattened heads, small beady eyes and slimy skins, Japanese giant salamanders are not destined to take home the prize for "best-looking". However, according to a team of scientists they may just be eligible for the most "awesome dad" award, at least amongst amphibian males who are not known for their nurturing personalities. Measuring almost 5-feet long, the ancient animal that has inhabited earth for over 20 million years, ranks amongst the largest of all amphibians, second only to their close relatives, the Chinese giant salamanders. Found in the rivers of northern Kyushu Island and western Honshu in Japan, they spend their entire lives in freshwater. Every year during breeding season, large males called "den-masters", create burrows or dens along the stream banks, that are accessible only to females. However, unlike many other salamander species, the females leave soon after laying a string of between 300-600 fertilized eggs. It is the males that remain behind to ensure the unborn babies are taken care of. The well-kept secret of this ancient creature was unearthed and published on November 11th in the Journal of Ethnology, by Japanese biologists Sumio Okada, Yukihiro Fukuda, and Mizuki Takahashi. (DogoNews)

Presentations: Our New Year's Resolutions presentations will be on Thursday 12/18/14! Please join us from 1-2. We will be serving some snacks and drinks! Afterwards, we will be creating a gingerbread house for our craft. Let me know if you can come!

Homework and Notes from 12/15/14

Homework:

Math:
#s 1-30
Ratios and Rates worksheet
Write each ratio in simplest form!

Social Studies:

Benjamin Banneker Invention Worksheet
Complete Writing Prompt

In his letter to President Jefferson, Benjamin Banneker wrote that he hoped Jefferson would help to insure that the values set out in the Declaration of Independence were extended to black Americans also. What else do you think he said in his letter?

Notes:



In Current Events, we read the article entitled A World Without Chocolate? Oh My! The article was from Dogo News. The next time you eat a piece of chocolate, be sure to savor it, because according to two of the world's largest chocolate makers - Mars, Inc. and Barry Callebaut, the decadent treat may soon be in short supply. The problem? We are consuming the candy at a faster pace than farmers can grow cocoa.



Presentations: Our New Year's Resolutions presentations will be on Thursday 12/18/14! Please join us from 1-2. We will be serving some snacks and drinks! Afterwards, we will be creating a gingerbread house for our craft. Let me know if you can come!

Homework and Notes from 12/12/14

No Homework!

Notes:

Congratulations to Mr. Giangaspro's class! We won the voting for the best blueprint of a Gingerbread House in Ms. Ambrosio's Art class. Our class earned a party during next week!

In Current Events, we read an article entitled  Are Smart Mouthguards The Solution To Sports-Related Concussions. very year, sports-related concussions affect several hundred thousand athletes - both professional and amateur. What's worrying is that despite advances in protective gear technology, the numbers are only increasing. According to CDC, emergency room visits relating to sports related injuries including concussions among children andadolescents, has increased by 60% in the last decade. While the fact that football and ice hockey players are the most susceptible to the head injury is not surprising, the high concussion rates in non-contact sports like lacrosse and soccer is certainly worrisome. The Vector Mouthguard is currently being tested by twenty players on Louisiana State University's football team. While the program is still in its initial stages, Jack Marucci, the director of athletic training is happy with the accuracy and the data he receives from this smart device. He plans to send a full report of his team's findings to the NCAA, in hopes of reducing injuries at the fall camp "two-a-day" practices, which are known for hard-hitting tactics. Senior associate athletic trainer Shelley Mullenix concurs, describing the alerts from the mouthguard, as a "second set of eyes."  (DogoNews)

Homework and Notes from 12/11/14

Homework:

Math:

An Enlightening Experience
Coordinate Planes Graphing Sheet
(Plot the Points)

Social Studies:

Railroads Lead the Way
Section 5-1 Review
Pick 2 questions out of 1-7 on page 145

Science:
Compare Plains, Plateaus and Mountains. 
Describe each one's features.
Writing prompt

Notes:



During Winter Festivities Week, we will be presenting our New Year's Resolutions. We will also be creating a holiday craft(A Gingerbread house). Just let me know if you can join us from 1-2 on 12/18/14. We will also be cooking some food for the class to share.

Homework and Notes from 12/10/14

Homework:

English

Finish Chapter 8 Journal from 12/10/14 (Harry Potter & TSS)


Notes:



Mall Trip (Holiday Shopping)

We went on the trip to the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa. We bought holiday presents and did an excellent job of navigating the mall and managing money. It was a blast



During Winter Festivities Week, we will be presenting our New Year's Resolutions. We will also be creating a holiday craft(A Gingerbread house). Just let me know if you can join us from 1-2 on 12/18/14. We will also be cooking some food for the class to share.

Homework and Notes from 12/9/14

Homework:

Math:

3-6 Study Guide: Pythagorean Theorem
#s 1-4

Notes:



In Current Events we read the article entitled Guess What? Ancient Egyptians Had A Book of Magic Spells Long Before Harry Potter. An ancient Egyptian handbook that has been in the possession of Macquarie University's Museum of Ancient Cultures in Sydney, Australia, since 1981, has finally been deciphered. According to Macquarie University professor Malcolm Choat and University of Sydney professor Iain Gardner, the book contains magical spells that residents of ancient Egypt drew upon, to make all kinds of wishes come true. (Dogo News)




In Science we talked about Glaciers. Glaciers are made up of fallen snow that, over many years, compresses into large, thickened ice masses. Glaciers form when snow remains in one location long enough to transform into ice. What makes glaciers unique is their ability to move. Due to sheer mass, glaciers flow like very slow rivers. Some glaciers are as small as football fields, while others grow to be dozens or even hundreds of kilometers long. Presently, glaciers occupy about 10 percent of the world's total land area, with most located in polar regions like Antarctica, Greenland, and the Canadian Arctic. Glaciers can be thought of as remnants from the last Ice Age, when ice covered nearly 32 percent of the land, and 30 percent of the oceans. Most glaciers lie within mountain ranges that show evidence of a much greater extent during the ice ages of the past two million years, and more recent indications of retreat in the past few centuries. (NDISC)



Tomorrow we are going to the Sunrise Mall for the Holiday Shopping Trip. We will be going from 10:30 to 2:00 tomorrow. Bring some money for gifts and lunch!

Homework and Notes from 12/8/14

Homework:

Math:
Mixed Practice for Pythagorean Theorem/Square Roots #s 1-12

English:

Finish 12/8/14 Harry Potter journal (Chapter 6)

Notes:



In English, we created alternate endings with creative twists about Gingerbread in Space. Ask the students about the stories they wrote! They came out great.




In English today we read Chapter 6 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone. We answered the questions...

Here is what happened today:

Do you know someone who is like the main character in the book?




In Science we learned about the landform Swamps. A swamp is a piece of land usually covered with water that lies near a river, lake, or ocean. Most of its plant life consists of trees. The water in a swamp is very slow moving, if it moves at all. The land around the water is very wet and muddy. Swamps are so wet and muddy that most of them are uninhabited except for the many animals that call them home.



In Social Studies we talked about the Sioux Native Americans. The Sioux were not just one tribe, but seven related tribes who all spoke the same language. They were one of the largest prairie groups. They had three names for themselves that varied among the dialects of the tribes — Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota. The words meant "allies" or "the people."

Homework and Notes from 12/4/14

Homework:

Math:

8-7 Pythagorean Theorem Worksheet
#s 1-14

Notes:

Mr. Giangaspro will be out tomorrow 12/5/14. We will still be completing work as usual in class! Ms. Krissy will be with the class. I will be back as usual on Monday 12/8/14

Holiday Shopping



On 12/10/14, we will be taking a trip to the Sunrise Mall for Holiday shopping.


In Health, the students finished their presentation about healthy eating. They will be presenting to Mrs. Gagliardi next week.


In Current Events, we read an article entitled ICEHOTEL's 25th Makeover Is Spectacular! from Dogo News. While the igloo has now transformed into a 5,500 square meter (59,200sq.ft.) structure that is world famous for its artistic excellence, it is still made entirely from frozen water - 1000 tons of ice and 30,000 tons of 'snice' a mixture of ice and snow - to be exact!
In order to ensure there is enough supply, workers harvest 5,000 tons of ice from the Torne River before it begins to melt in March and April, and transfer it to cold storage. Things really start to get busy in November, when 100 workers, half of them artists commissioned to design special areas, descend upon the region to build the beautiful structure. Within six to eight weeks, the hotel is ready to welcome its first guests. Its 65 rooms that are built to accommodate even the most-budget conscious visitor, range from luxurious suites to rooms that contain just an icy bed and a reindeer skin. (Dogo News)

Homework and Notes from 12/3/14

Homework:

Math:

Pythagorean Theorem Worksheet
#s 1-6 Solve for the missing side

Social Studies:
Chapter 3 Vocabulary Syllables Worksheet

Notes:


In English, we continued reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone by J.K. Rowling. We continued working on our Reading Journal. We read Chapter 3 and kept up with! It will be collected and due on the last day we finish the book.



In Current Events, we read an article Free clothing boutique opens for kids in need. Lynda Walsh wants kids to look fashionable no matter how tight their budget is. To provide young people with clothing of all sizes and accessories to match, Walsh recently opened the Cool Clothes Closet of South Palm Beach County. Kids can shop at the nonprofit boutique without worrying about how much money is in their wallet. The 69-year-old retiree’s main goal is to provide both everyday and professional clothing — at no cost. Her boutique provides clothes to children in foster care, older kids looking for their first jobs and children of returning veterans who have not found work yet, she said. “We are here to give clothes away to kids who need them,” said Walsh, a court-appointed advocate for children from Delray Beach, Florida. An advocate watches out for the rights and interests of kids in the foster care system. Children who cannot live with their families or who do not have families are placed by the state with foster parents until they can find permanent homes. (NewsEla)

Homework and Notes from 12/2/14

Homework:

Finish English Chapter 2 Journal of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Notes:



In Science we watched the video America's Best Idea: National Parks by PBS. Yesterday, we talked about the Yosemite National Park and the need for preserving nature. A National Park is defined as an area of land that is owned and protected by a national government because of its natural beauty or its importance to history or science

Homework and Notes from 12/1/14

Homework:

Math:
Square Root Work
#s 1-40 Finding the Power of 2

ALL Classwork needs to be finished

English:
Finish Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone
December 1st, 2014 Reading Journal in Packet

Science

The Ever-Changing Surface of the Earth - Part 1: Erosion Finish Both Writing Prompts 1. Make a list of land forms. Beside each, name the process that created the landform. For example, Niagara Falls was created by water erosion. List as many as you can think of. 2. Compare and Contrast) Compare wind erosion to water erosion. How are they alike?       How are they different? Social Studies Finish The Yosemite Indians of the Ahwahnee Valley Short Answers/Crossword Work Notes: In Science we learned and talked about erosion of the Earth. If you've ever had the privilege of traveling to foreign countries or even across the United States, you've certainly observed the many different land forms that make up the fascinating surface of our Planet Earth! But there's something about these land forms that is impossible to notice with just a casual glance. From the vast plains and plateaus to the rolling hills, towering mountains, and deep valleys, the Earth's surface is very gradually, but very constantly, being molded and worn down by a process called erosion.(EdHelper) In Social Studies we learned and talked about the Yosemite Indians. Native Americans lived in North America thousands of years before non-Native Americans set foot here. They grouped themselves together into clans, or tribes. Each tribe had its own way of living. This made each tribe unique. The Yosemite Indians belonged to a group or clan known as the Miwok. Yosemite, pronounced yoh-sem-i-tee, was a name given to this tribe of Native Americans by the white newcomers. It is thought to be close to the pronunciation of an Indian word "uzumati," which means grizzly bear.(EdHelper) In Current Events, we read an article entitled Lucky Ohio Turkeys "Mac" And "Cheese" Trot Away To Retirement! from Dogo News. Every year, two turkeys manage to escape the Thanksgiving table thanks to a special pardoning granted by the President of the United States of America. This year was no exception! On Wednesday, November 26th, President Obama used his powers to free a 49-pound turkey named "Cheese" and a lucky spare named "Mac" and allowed them to trot off to Morven Park, in Leesburg, Virginia, where they will spend the rest of their lives in blissful retirement. (Dogo News)