Seventh grade math students on the Incredibles are finishing up their unit on fraction operations. We have reviewed how to simplify fractions, make equivalent fractions using a common denominator and to convert mixed numbers to improper fractions. These skills allow students to accurately add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and mixed numbers.
Our next topic will be ratios and proportions. Students will learn how to write ratios and convert ratios to unit rates. They will apply their knowledge of equivalent fractions as they set up and proportions and work with scale drawings and models. Students will also learn how to convert fractions, decimals and percents as well as solve percent problems using proportions.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Mrs. Fawley Helps Decorate White House
Incredibles Civics teacher Mrs. Fawley went to Washington D.C. over the Thanksgiving weekend to help decorate the White House for Christmas.
Before her trip, in an interview with the JFHMS student news service The Hawk Eye, Mrs. Fawley said that it was a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity.
But The Hawk Eye wasn't the only news outlet keeping a watch on Mrs. Fawley:
***
People: The first of 17 White House holiday parties was held Tuesday night, for the 92 volunteers who strung lights and hung ornaments. Mrs. Obama herself, who teased the volunteers about making a lot of partying noise, only popped down for a minute.
"She said the girls were upstairs doing homework and she couldn’t stay," said volunteer Kim Fawley, a schoolteacher from Broadway, Va.
***
CNN: Kim Fawley, a schoolteacher in Virginia who volunteered her time to help decorate, said she was impressed by the handmade ornaments, which include the Statue of Liberty, the Boston Celtics, Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo and the DuSable Museum of African American History.
Kim Fawley, one of the many volunteers who did a beautiful job of helping to decorate the White House, shared secrets about decorating the White House Christmas tree, which is in the Blue Room.
Before her trip, in an interview with the JFHMS student news service The Hawk Eye, Mrs. Fawley said that it was a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity.
But The Hawk Eye wasn't the only news outlet keeping a watch on Mrs. Fawley:
***
People: The first of 17 White House holiday parties was held Tuesday night, for the 92 volunteers who strung lights and hung ornaments. Mrs. Obama herself, who teased the volunteers about making a lot of partying noise, only popped down for a minute.
"She said the girls were upstairs doing homework and she couldn’t stay," said volunteer Kim Fawley, a schoolteacher from Broadway, Va.
***
CNN: Kim Fawley, a schoolteacher in Virginia who volunteered her time to help decorate, said she was impressed by the handmade ornaments, which include the Statue of Liberty, the Boston Celtics, Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo and the DuSable Museum of African American History.
"They're just beautiful. The love and the care that they took to put them together is obvious when you hold them in your hands," Fawley said.
The video:
***
Kim Fawley, one of the many volunteers who did a beautiful job of helping to decorate the White House, shared secrets about decorating the White House Christmas tree, which is in the Blue Room.
“This room was filled with boxes, scaffolding and cherry pickers,” said Kim Fawley, a volunteer, who is a 7th grade civics teacher in Broadway, VA, in the Shenandoah Valley. “We started last Friday taking the ornaments out of the wrappers and putting on the wire hangers.” She explained that in addition to the beautiful hand-decorated ornaments - some were decoupaged, some painted or adorned in other ways - gold Christmas balls were hung towards the inside of the tree and clear glass balls were hung closer to the outside so they’d reflect the low-energy lights on the tree. This year’s theme was reflected on blue ribbons tied to the ornaments. Reflect, Rejoice, Renew was hand- or machine-stitched by Girl Scouts onto the blue ribbons, Fawley said.
It looked like one giant gold ribbon crowned the tree, but it’s really four gold bows tied at the top. And what appeared to be one continuous golden ribbon circling the tree is actually 6-foot sections of ribbon, she shared.
***
Politico 44: Kim Fawley of Broadway, Va., took off several days of teaching seventh grade to help adorn the 18 ½-foot Douglas fir in the Blue Room along with about 30 other volunteers.
“I have a very, very nice principal,” she said.
Monday, November 30, 2009
What's Up in English/Reading (3rd six weeks)
During the third six weeks term, English and Reading classes on the Incredibles team are focusing on theme, verbs, making inferences, expository writing, and a reading strategy that focuses on making inferences.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Internet Safety Presentation and PowerSchool Tips for Parents
Facebook....MySpace.... Twitter..... 2nd Life...Online Predators....Downloading Music... Chatting...and a lot more!
Do you know what you need to know to keep your child safe on the internet?
You are invited to attend an Internet Safety Presentation at J. Frank Hillyard Middle School on Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00pm in the school library.
Joe Showker, an expert in the area of internet safety, will give a fast paced and interactive look at what you need to know as a parent of middle school students.
Childcare will be provided for all school age children (Kindergarten-12th grade).
Mr. Showker will also demonstrate for parents how to access and check grading and attendance information using the PowerSchool Parent Login.
We hope you will join us for this important and informative event.
Feel free to call JFHMS with any questions (896-8961)
Do you know what you need to know to keep your child safe on the internet?
You are invited to attend an Internet Safety Presentation at J. Frank Hillyard Middle School on Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00pm in the school library.
Joe Showker, an expert in the area of internet safety, will give a fast paced and interactive look at what you need to know as a parent of middle school students.
Childcare will be provided for all school age children (Kindergarten-12th grade).
Mr. Showker will also demonstrate for parents how to access and check grading and attendance information using the PowerSchool Parent Login.
We hope you will join us for this important and informative event.
Feel free to call JFHMS with any questions (896-8961)
Monday, October 26, 2009
Midterm Reports
On Wednesday and Thursday, November 4-5, Incredibles Science teachers will print midterm reports for students whose parents used the green paper (sent home with report cards) to request paper copies of the reports.
Parents who use PowerSchool can monitor their students' grades at any time online.
Parents who use PowerSchool can monitor their students' grades at any time online.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
So, What's Going On in Civics Class?
The Incredibles students are working very hard on learning some tough abstract concepts in Civic, topics like federalism, separation of powers, and checks and balances. It won't be long before we have a test on these concepts and then we will begin looking closely at all three branches of government.
Students are encouraged to stay up on current events, because everything that happens in the news can be tied into our civics lessons. Many times, we use these topics as a jumping off point to our lesson that we are covering that day or week in class.
Students are encouraged to stay up on current events, because everything that happens in the news can be tied into our civics lessons. Many times, we use these topics as a jumping off point to our lesson that we are covering that day or week in class.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
What's Up in Science
In the second six weeks Incredibles students will continue working on lab safety. We will have several microscope labs so students can learn the proper way to use a microscope.
We will continue learning about the Cell Theory--All living things are composed of cells. We will learn about cell structure, cell organelles and the differences and similarities between plant and animal cells. We will also learn about cell processes like diffusion and osmosis and the chemical compounds in cells.
During the second half of the six weeks we will focus on Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. We will learn about each of these processes and how they are related.
We will continue learning about the Cell Theory--All living things are composed of cells. We will learn about cell structure, cell organelles and the differences and similarities between plant and animal cells. We will also learn about cell processes like diffusion and osmosis and the chemical compounds in cells.
During the second half of the six weeks we will focus on Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. We will learn about each of these processes and how they are related.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
What's Up in English: Second Six Weeks
In the second six weeks, Incredibles students will read works by Edgar Allen Poe (especially the poem "The Raven") as part of the Big Read.
In writing, students will learn about persuasive techniques and will write a persuasive essay.
Other highlights of instruction will include learning the "Stretch to Sketch" reading strategy, noting idioms and hyperbole, and examining verbs.
In writing, students will learn about persuasive techniques and will write a persuasive essay.
Other highlights of instruction will include learning the "Stretch to Sketch" reading strategy, noting idioms and hyperbole, and examining verbs.
Monday, September 21, 2009
What's Up in Civics
Did you know that we can tie in the legend of Robin Hood to civics?
The civics classes will be studying about the importance of historical documents and the governmental system that we use. Even though these documents were written a very long time ago, they have had a huge influence on our present day government.
Some of the documents that we will be looking at include; the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the VA Statues for Religious Freedom, the VA Declaration of Rights, the Articles of Confederation, the Bill of Rights, and of course, the US Constitution.
Believe it or not, the civics students need to learn these and some very important political principles upon which our democracy is based. This is heavy information for 12 and 13 year olds to comprehend!
We are gearing up for our DC field trip on October 30th in which we will be touring the US Capitol Building, Union Station, the American History Museum, and some of the monuments and memorials.
The civics classes will be studying about the importance of historical documents and the governmental system that we use. Even though these documents were written a very long time ago, they have had a huge influence on our present day government.
Some of the documents that we will be looking at include; the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the VA Statues for Religious Freedom, the VA Declaration of Rights, the Articles of Confederation, the Bill of Rights, and of course, the US Constitution.
Believe it or not, the civics students need to learn these and some very important political principles upon which our democracy is based. This is heavy information for 12 and 13 year olds to comprehend!
We are gearing up for our DC field trip on October 30th in which we will be touring the US Capitol Building, Union Station, the American History Museum, and some of the monuments and memorials.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
What's Up in Math
The Math teachers on the Incredibles team, Mr. Hon, Mr. Matthew and Mr. Phillips, report that their classes are off to a great start this year. After reviewing computation, we have been working with exponents and using the correct order of operations to simplify expressions (Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally!). Students have worked with variables and are able to evaluate expressions and mentally solve equations that contain variables. Properties of addition of multiplication such as the commutative, associative, distributive and identity properties have been introduced. Students have also worked on finding patterns in numerical sequences as well as writing numbers using scientific notation. Next, students will be learning about integers and how to add, subtract, multiply and divide them.
What's Up in English/Reading
During the first few weeks of this school year, students in Mrs. Halterman’s, Mrs. Janzen’s, and Mr. Clymer Kurtz’s English and Reading classes were busy taking reading, writing, and spelling assessments. This information provides the groundwork for our classroom instruction that follows.
Students in some classes delivered Box Speeches early in the six weeks as a way to introduce themselves and get to know their classmates.
During this six weeks students are also writing a personal narrative and learning about nouns in addition to having new spelling words. Reading instruction is focused on writing summaries using the reading strategy "Somebody Wanted But So." We are also reviewing plot structure and introducing the different types of conflicts that can appear in literature.
Along with that, students are practicing making predictions and making inferences with the books they choose to read independently and the stories read together in class. Finally, students are reviewing personification.
Students in some classes delivered Box Speeches early in the six weeks as a way to introduce themselves and get to know their classmates.
During this six weeks students are also writing a personal narrative and learning about nouns in addition to having new spelling words. Reading instruction is focused on writing summaries using the reading strategy "Somebody Wanted But So." We are also reviewing plot structure and introducing the different types of conflicts that can appear in literature.
Along with that, students are practicing making predictions and making inferences with the books they choose to read independently and the stories read together in class. Finally, students are reviewing personification.
What's Up in Science
This six weeks in Mrs. Nicholas' Science class, students are focusing on lab safety, the scientific method and measurements. All of these are very important concepts to know before learning about graphs and tables, microscopes, and careers in the Science field.
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