Team Abuja Newsletter

This week, your student will go home with 2 field trip permission slips for your signature. (If you were at conferences, you likely signed them then.) We are headed to the Natural History Museum for a Science and Geography-related trip and the National Museum of African American History & Culture for an ELA-related trip. These are exceptional opportunities for your student to think deeply about the content. There is NO cost for either trip. Please return the signed forms to Mr. Kirschenbaum (ELA).

During conferences, you received an ELA data sheet on your student that contained CAPE (5th grade) and MAP (6th grade) scores. CAPE is the annual standardized test that all DC students take. MAP is the new assessment to DCPS that your student will take two additional times this school year. The score that I want to focus on at this time is the Lexile Score from the MAP test. Lexile is a score that helps me understand the reading needs for your student. While it is only one datapoint and one moment in time, I use it in conjunction with your student’s classroom experience to determine where your student might benefit from additional support. If you have any questions about any of this data, please reach out to me. Remember to check in with your student on their progress with the 40-book challenge because that is an excellent way to improve reading levels - and, more importantly, enjoy a great book.

This week, we continue our analysis of Cassie’s journey in Roll of Thunder to explore other ways that characters demonstrate courage in Mississippi in 1933.

Reminder: Tutoring is typically on Wednesday’s from 3:30-4:30. This week, due to a staff meeting, we will be doing tutoring on Thursday from 3:30-4:30.

Please encourage students to complete their Pear homework and iReady lessons each week.

This week for Math 6, we began Unit 3 and will be diving into the foundational lessons for understanding Unit Rates and Percentages.

For Math 7, we will be finishing up with Unit 1 and completing our Summative and End of Unit exam and beginning Unit 2 which covers Proportional Relationships.

If you are able to donate, I have linked the math Amazon Wishlist. https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/3HGDSTYZTUUQL

Students wrapped up this short week with most of them finishing their Community Action Letters. They learned to address an envelope, I will print their letters over the weekend, and we will mail them on Monday. If students did not finish, they SHOULD NOT WORK ON THEM AT HOME! They are a summative assessment to be done in class! They will get further instructions on when they can finish next week.

We will begin Unit 2: Sub-Saharan Africa. Students will spend the week:

1. Locating and labeling the regions, countries, and major physical features of Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Recording and learning relevant physical features glossary terms (Homework if not done)

1. 3) investigating thematic maps to learn the climate, religion, language, population density and the land use & resources of the region.

2. 
   

If you would like to contribute to my classroom... here is my Amazon wish list: Wesselhoft Wishlist

Hi Scientists!

Thank you so much for a great short week. I loved seeing you all have fun with Milky Way Bars as we learned about Plate Tectonics, and I’m proud of all of your roots studying.

Next week we will be taking our Advisory 1 Roots Summative. Blookets have been posted on Canvas, and I highly recommend that students study these as much as possible.

After the Roots Summative, students will be taking their Amplify Critical Juncture assessment on Wednesday to track their learning through the Plate Motion unit.

Lastly, students will be learning about how structural engineers build things in earthquake-prone zones, leading into a fun lab – The Great Shakeout! We will be needing donations of toothpicks and mini marshmallows, as students will be building structures and seeing if they survive an “earthquake.”

Blooket is a fantastic tool that helps students learn the materials in a series of flashcards mini games. I highly recommend that students make an account - they are free and are a fantastic study resource. Once students make an account, they can click on the links in Canvas . Once they click on the assignment, a gray box will pop up, since Canvas cannot host Blooket games. Please tell your children to click the name of the Blooket (above the gray box) to be redirected to the website. Happy Studying!

Thank you to everyone who has supported the classroom so far - you rock! If you would like to donate to the science classroom, I have included a link to my Amazon wishlist below. I appreciate your support, whether it be through sending pencils, helping your child study for roots, or by checking Aspen. Thank you!

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/eONytdZ?ref_=wl_share

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

The latest library newsletter has arrived! Check it out at the link below:

https://secure.smore.com/n/9vs8z

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

As we head into cold, flu, and covid season, please help your child stay healthy! If your child will not be in school, please email DealAttendance@k12.dc.gov to inform them.

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!