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Sience Fair Project Updates

Students have completed their science fair research plans and background research papers. Students should now be moving forward with the experimentation phase of their project. Data should be collected as they conduct their experiment.

The next due dates for their science fair projects are as follows:

Monday, November 15th - Abstract
Tuesday, November 16th - Final Project Report
Wednesday, November 17th - Display Board
Thursday, November 18th - Eleanor Kolitz Academy Science Fair and Invention Convention

They will receive additional information concerning the completion of each of the remaining portions of the project.

Science Test

The seventh grade students are completing their unit of study on work, power and the mechanical advantage and efficiency of machines. Their next test is on Tuesday, October 19th.

Science Field Trip

The 6th, 7th and 8th grade science students will be particiating in a robotics lab sponsored by the University of Texas at San Antonio on Thursday, October 28th. They will leave at 8:20 a.m. and will return at 11:30 a.m. in time for lunch. Cost of the field trip is $10 per student.

All students need to return a signed permission slip along with their payment to Mrs. Lloyd by Wednesday, October 20th.

Drivers will be needed to help transport the students to and from UTSA. If you are able to assist with the driving, please check the appropriate box on the permission slip. Thank you!

Notes from the Music Room

During October and November we will be preparing for our annual Thanksgiving Program.
Save the date: November 23, 2010 @2:00.

Science Fair Project Updates

Science fair topics have been selected and students are now working on their science fair research plans and background research papers. During their science class time this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, students will be given the opportunity to work on their projects in the computer lab. It would be helpful for students to bring their flash drives so they can save the information they complete at school.

The due date for both their research plan and research paper has been changed to Thursday, October 14th.

Students can find many helpful science fair project worksheets and examples at www.sciencebuddies.org. Just click on the "Science Fair Project Guide" on the left side of the screen under "Student Resources".

If students would like additional assistance they are welcome to come to the science lab during lunch or they may stay after school on any Monday, Tuesday or Thursday. If they are coming after school, they would need to bring a note from a parent granting them permission to stay. All students would need to be picked up by 4:15 p.m. from the front of the building.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Middle School math- Mrs. Davis

The kids continue to move easily through the k12 program. Now that the Holidays are done, I expect that each student should be able to averavge 4 lessons a week. Please check their assignment notebooks for various homework assignments and remember they can log on at home by accessing the program through k12.com. Please call or email me with specific questions or concerns.

Egalitarian Kriat Torah

Ms. Miller has been hard at work recording aliyot to help those who are going to read Torah during t'fillot! She has already posted recordings for the next 4 weeks, and they can be found on the "Students" drive in S:/Middle_School/Torah Reading - Egalitarian. Parents, please make sure that your child knows his or her own Hebrew name, parents' Hebrew names, and if your family is Cohen, Levi, or Yisrael.

Oratory Contest Information

Here is the information shared with students at the preliminary meetings about this year's Oratory contest:
Oratory Contest

 The Oratory Contest is on Thursday, November 4th at 2:00 P.M.

 Practice sessions will be on Mondays after school and Tuesdays during lunch EVERY WEEK between now and November 3rd.

 You MUST attend AT LEAST FIVE of these sessions TOTAL in order to participate in the Oratory Contest. If something comes up, you need to speak to Miss Planto immediately.

 Next week during the practice sessions, you will have the opportunity to work with Miss Planto on finding an appropriate speech. You may also choose one on your own, but Miss Planto needs to approve it. Please select a speech by NEXT FRIDAY, October 8th.

About Speeches:
Speeches

Theme: Global Citizenship

Sources: In the “MIDDLE SCHOOL” folder on the S: drive, you have access to a folder called “ORATORY.” In this folder, there are links to websites where you can find speeches and other famous writings.
In the Language Arts classroom, Miss Planto has a selection of books from which you may also pick a piece.

Length: Speeches should be 2 – 6 minutes long when delivered. They may be abridged with Miss Planto’s assistance.

Seventh Grade Art

Alexander Calder was one of the most talented and versatile American artists of the 20th century. We learned about his wire sculptures and then 7th grade created a colorful zoo menagerie of wire animals.

Science Fair Topic Selection Due Date Extended

The science fair topic selection form due date has been extended for all students until Wednesday, September 22nd. Thank you!

Reading and Vocabulary Assignments

For parents' information:

This week, students are receiving a syllabus outlining their reading and vocabulary assignments for their first assigned novel. They have also received a vocabulary list for the first few chapters of the book. Please ask your student to show you this information.

We will continue with regular Wordly Wise quizzes, but there will be words mixed in from the Reading Vocabulary. Students will know ahead of time which words to focus on.

Science - Science Fair Topic Selection

The season for science fair is upon us! Over the next few weeks, the students will be completing various aspects of the science fair process. The first step of the process, topic selection, was discussed today and students will be working on choosing just the right topics to investigate. Look for the "Science Fair Project" paper in the Science Fair section of their binder. It outlines the requirements for choosing a topic along with lists of categories, science fair dates and helpful websites to aid them in their selection process. We will be spending considerable time in the classroom working on this process as well.

Their homework for this week is simply to spend some time looking at the websites or other helpful information and choosing a topic that most interests them. Their topic selection form is due on Monday, September 20th.

The Eleanor Kolitz Academy Science Fair is scheduled for November 18, 2010. Each step of the project will be reviewed during class and due dates will be assigned for specific portions of the project. Due dates for each portion will be posted as they are given.

Some outstanding websites concerning science fair include:
www.sciencebuddies.org
www.all-science-fair-projects.com
www.sciencefairprojects.org
www.education.com/science-fair/middle-school
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral
www.arase.org

Thank you!

Seventh Grade Art

The art fundraiser is right around the corner, so seventh grade is working on their colorful collages for this annual event.

Book Reports

Students are expected to select books to read independently, and will complete at least one independent book report each quarter. Information on the requirements for the first quarter book report should be in your child’s Language Arts binder. This quarter, the books are “free choice,” meaning any type of book is acceptable, so long as it is age- and grade-level appropriate. All book reports include a written assignment and a creative component, similar to what was done for Summer Homework.

The due date for first quarter book reports is Monday, October 25^th.

** Stay tuned: Information on the first assigned novels, including long-term reading and vocabulary assignments, will be posted shortly!**

English Language Arts - Welcome!

Welcome to the MS Language Arts blog!

Now that the dust has settled from the start of the year, please check here regularly for information and updates regarding class assignments, policies, and news!

In 5th-8th grade, we have established a daily routine that includes reading, writing and practice in written conventions of language. Standard homework each week includes Wordly Wise/vocabulary practice and reading of both assigned and free-choice books.

Homework assignments are checked as part of a completion grade for each week. Daily classwork and quizzes are valued as "single grades" and tests and projects are valued as "double grades" when averaged. A separate grade is determined for conduct (behavior).

Students have received instructions as to how they should organize and keep the Language Arts section of their binder. A paper regarding this has gone home to be signed and returned by Tuesday, September 14.

Copies of this organizational information, and of the course information given to all MS Language Arts families at "Back to School Night" are available from Miss Planto via e-mail.

Seventh Grade Art

Seventh graders used the wet-into-wet watercolor technique to paint their Precolumbian-inspired imagery. Their color palette was restricted to hot or cool colors to enhance the visual impact of the paintings. They also challenged themselves by drawing Picasso portraits - each student selected a portrait drawn by Picasso that had been cut in half, and drew the other half. They did a terrific job!

Notes from the Music Room

Today in music, we began our class with a song medley that included "Lean on Me" and "Don't Stop Believin'." Following a review of samba dance steps, we began a hand chime composition project. The students were divided into small groups, given specific hand chimes, and a set rhythm. They are composing a short song which they will perform in class.

Notes from the Music Room

In music we continued learning our samba-style dance. We watched a short video clip about Brazil and its culture. The samba originated in Brazil. We also practiced our hand chime technique.

Science Updated 9/2/10

Test - Wednesday, September 8th - Laboratory Safety and Metric Measurment

They received outlines earlier this week that identify the key concepts they need to review. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Science

Welcome back to Middle School Science!

The first few days of school have passed and the students have already reviewed laboratory safety rules, classroom policies and the metric (SI) measurment system. The remainder of the nine weeks will focus on:
*Measurment and Lab Tools
*The Scientific Method
*Science Fair
*Work and Power

Each day they are writing their homework assignments in their agenda on the day they are due. Look for my "green" initials in their agenda by their homework.

The students are doing a great job bringing their science textbook, science workbook, binder and agenda to class each day. They have set up three tabs for science in their binders. Look for their vocabulary/notes, labs/assignments, and science fair information in each section of their binder.

This will be a great year in Science!

Notes from the Music Room

New to our music curriculum is the addition of a middle school musical revue on April 7, 2011. The revue is a collection of songs woven together with dialogue. All middle school students will learn the songs and choreography. Students will be able to audition for spoken parts and possibly solos. We will probably need a few students for a technical crew as well. The set will be designed and created by Miss Bella and students in art classes. We will wear costumes instead of uniforms. I will try to keep our rehearsals limited to class/school time. Special parts will probably need after school rehearsals, and possibly a couple of dress rehearsals in the evening. In preparation for the choreography, we will be learning dance steps throughout the year. I am extremely excited about our new performance!

Seventh Grade Art

Seventh grade learned how artists can create successful drawings with diverse styles of line by copying the work of famed artists Henri Matisse and Paul Klee. The rich imagery of PreColumbian America is the inspiration for our next art project.

Technology Clas

How terrific to see our returning and new 7th Graders in class today. In our first class we reviewed what makes a good password, and made sure everyone could log in to our network and school email. I also gave new logins to our new students and all students setup a network printer on the computers they were using.

Homework
All 7th Graders should bring their flash drives to class next Friday (8/27). The flash drive (or usb) will be a tool in many of the classes this year. It's a great way to carry a project to and from school. I've assigned this as homework because I will be checking to make sure everyone has a flashdrive, it's labled and all know how to use their flash drive.

I look forward to a great year!

Gail Markson

Judaic Studies and Tefillot

Dear Families:

With all of the changes underfoot at the EKA and family responses not always being timely, we really have worked up to the minute on settling schedules and making decisions.

As we work through the schedule for the first week of school, we are seeing things that looked good on paper, not work out in the day-to-day. All of these items are being addressed, but it takes time. The students are still in their classes with the teachers that are going to teach them, but it may be that the times that they take each class may change.

After hearing from the majority of families, I have decided that for Judaic Studies, the students will take a Mishna / Navi class with Rabbi Marrus, a Chumash / Holiday class with Mr. Olitzki, and students requiring an Orthodox teacher for their studies, will take a the Chumash / Holiday class with Rabbi Levi Teldon. Tefillot classes will be tracked into Orthodox and Egalitarian with the choices made during the summer holding.

Please understand with the dual tracks and three grade levels having two classes, the schedule is complicated. We are working diligently to make right anything that appears to be off.

Thanks for your understanding and support.

Judaic Studies-Rabbi Marrus' Class

Dear Parents,

Welcome to a new and exciting school year. I am looking forward to teaching your children and watching them grow in their knowledge and understanding throughout the year. As there are some students that find Hebrew only textbooks difficult, I am including some links so you may purchase books with English translation.

If your child will benefit from these books, please purchase them. If however your child is comfortable with Hebrew text etc. please do NOT purchase them as they will hinder their Hebrew language skills.

Important Update 8/23/10
As a result of the change in Judaic Studies schedule (7th and 8th grades have been split) here is a new and revised list and links for English translation books. I sincerely apologize for any confusion and difficulty this may have caused.

Navi: Prophets - Shmuel
Mishnah: Rosh Hashanah & Sukkah