Team Abuja Newsletter

This week, we will continue working on learning how to strengthen our writing for both literary analysis and narrative writing. Students are working hard at taking a close look at what they are communicating and challenging themselves to become stronger writers. It is really wonderful to see them grow. Please check in with your student to see what they have selected for their next independent book.

We will begin our next full class book– Inside Out & Back Again – on Thursday, February 27.

In Math 6 this upcoming week we will be focusing on substitution with variables, simplifying like terms, the distributive property and graphing in the coordinate plane.

In Math 7 this upcoming week we will begin Unit 6 on Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities. Linked below is the family IM link to the curriculum where there are videos accessible to families to assist with work at home.

Illustrative Mathematics Grade 7, Unit 6 - Families | Kendall Hunt

Any Math 7 students who would like to retake RCT #5, should plan to stay after school on Thursday to retake the assessment.

We wrapped up a great Unit 4: South and Southeast Asia and Access to Education! Our “United Nations Education Committee” (all YOUR students) participated in some great debating, negotiating, and compromising to come to a final budget agreement to improve universal access to education. We will have the chance to do a UN simulation again in Unit 8.

Next week, we begin Unit 5 (OOOOOO.... we’re halfway there!). Students will be mapping countries and key physical features of East Asia, defining key words to help us further understand the region, and investigating the human and physical characteristics through thematic maps. With a short week, they will not have an in-class review. They will have the materials to study overnight and take the quiz on Thursday.

Final note: I know it is the season, and many kids are coming down with the crud – I had it too! Please, practice what we learned during Covid. Wash your hands, cover your cough, if you must, feel free to wear a mask.

That being said – if a student must be out, upon returning to school, they need to be vigilant about their makeup and existing assignments. They need to be sure they are picking up any assignments they may have missed and to be aware of the deadlines that are approaching.

Hello scientists!

This week we wrapped up our Earth’s Place in the Universe unit with an orbit simulation and a collaborative lesson about the life cycle of stars.

Next week we will begin the week with our Earth’s Place in the Universe summative on Monday 2/10. Once students complete their summatives, we will begin our Space Systems and Cycles unit by illustrating past and present models of our solar system.

Below are the links to Blookets (quiz study games) for the summative. Students can access them on a phone, computer, or tablet!

Earth's Place Non-Account: Tower Defense Mode

https://play.blooket.com/play?hwId=67978cf708c918f931ed7803

Earth's Place Non-Account: Monster Brawl Mode

https://play.blooket.com/play?hwId=67978d2908c918f931ed7808

Earth's Place Non-Account: Cafe Mode

https://play.blooket.com/play?hwId=67978d4f890d479011f902d2

Earth's Place Non-Account: Factory Mode

https://play.blooket.com/play?hwId=67978d70304b8eaba1319ed5

Next Thursday 2/13 we will have our Roots 3.2 quiz on the following words:

• *gram = unit of mass (think: kilogram)
• atmo = air, smoke, vapor (think: atmosphere)
• *hydro = water (think: hydrosphere)
• *iso = equal (think: isometric)
• baro = weight (think: barometer)

Keepers: angle, deci, semi, alp, morph, sed

Thank you to everyone who has donated to my amazon wishlist so far! My amazon wishlist link is here https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/gkYQSIk?ref_=wl_share if you would like to contribute to our classroom. Thank you for your generosity!!

Link to World Languages Newsletter https://secure.smore.com/u/patricia.balestra4

This week, we celebrated our Multi-Language Learners' middle-of-the-year achievements.

left to right: Juan Montana Espinosa, Exceptional Growth on iReady MOY; Aurel Budau, Exceptional Growth on MAP Reading; Alon Thein, Exceptional Growth on iReady MOY; Mathilde Heinsch, Exceptional Growth in ALL Classes; Andrea Vertaglia, Exceptional Growth on English Languge Skills & Transition to 6th Grade English; Ms. Patsalos and Ms. Daboh. Missing from photo: Daniel Vasquez-Lainez, General Improvement across subjects; Karla (Mariza) Teo Barrientos Exceptional Growth on iReady MOY

Students earned some extra recess time (and for some, extra reading time!) this week to make up for all of their forced indoor lunches in January. Top: Clyde Leigh Tambre, bottom: Sebastian Arellano

As the year goes on, we want to ensure that students are able to access help when they need it! Team Abuja teachers are available by appointment, and there is a dedicated Tutoring Time in either Mx. Gomez's room or Ms. Sagan's room on Wednesdays from 3:30 - 4:20. Here We Grow!

Learn about the great things happening this month at Deal's library. Check out great books and media, read about events at Deal and around the city, and stay connected with Deal's Library:

https://secure.smore.com/n/pv9c4u-deal-ms-library-news

Stay up to date with the complete list of clubs and activities by going to the Deal website: https://www.alicedealmiddleschool.org

Adam Kirschenbaum, ELA adam.kirschenbaum@k12.dc.gov

Lauren-Ashley Gomez, Math lauren-ashley.gomez@k12.dc.gov

Naeemah Wesselhoft, Geography naeemah.wesselhoft@k12.dc.gov

Ellie Sagan, Science ellie.sagan@k12.dc.gov

Connie Patsalos, MLL Geography - constance.patsalos@k12.dc.gov

Ameera Daboh, MLL ELA - ameera.daboh@k12.dc.gov

Devin Watson, ISS Coordinator devin.watson@k12.dc.gov

Ellen Barr, Social Worker ellen.barr@k12.dc.gov

Tysha Morris, School Counselor tysha.morris@k12.dc.gov

If your child will not be in school, please email DealAttendance@k12.dc.gov .