Team Berlin Update 13

11/22: Rescheduled African American History Museum Field Trip (ELA)

11/27-12/1: Thanksgiving Break

12/2: Three Religions Field Trip (Geography)

12/4: School Picture Make Ups

Team Berlin will have its first End of Term Celebration on Tuesday, November 26th during Advisory. Thank you to those who have already volunteered to send in a treat. We still have many spots open! If you are able to our celebration, please visit this Sign Up Genius. Thanks again!

Let Term 2 be "WS" free for Team Berlin students! There is no need to have missing assignments with the numerous opportunities for extra help. Decide what works best for your student. Given that two of these options are on Thursday, it might be best to set aside time each Wednesday evening to take a look at Aspen with your student and make a plan for success.

Lunch Recess Support: Both Mr. Gawthrop & Mr. Brown make themselves available daily for extra help or just time and space in getting assignments done.

Thursday Homework Club (3:20-4:20) Team Berlin teachers alternate hosting this one hour afterschool on Thursdays.

November 21: Byrns, W105

Thursday Academic Advising: During Advisory students have the opportunity to work on assignments in their Advisory class or may arrange to visit a particular class and teacher to complete an assignment.

Every Day!: Students need to arrive to school and class on time. We plan so that students should be able to complete work during class. This is where 98% of the work should be getting done! Excused absences aside, if students are using class time wisely, there should not be a huge need for extra time on assignments. Please check in with your child about their work habits and study skills to ensure a strong start to the middle school years.

Congratulations to our IB Learner Profile Students of the Month, exemplifying CARING: Evelyn Fielding and Pasha Rubio. Students who are caring show empathy, compassion, and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and the world around them. From helping a friend, to picking up garbage after lunch, if you care, it will show!

11/22: National Museum of African American History & Culture sponsored by the ELA Department

This trip is focused on students investigating and documenting real-life acts of courage in connection with their exploration of courage themes in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

Rather than explore the entire museum, we will focus on the third and fourth floors. At the museum, students will use graphic organizers to find examples of courage through the lens of the African American experience. These graphic organizers will count as a formative grade. The following week students will turn their work into a digital poster highlighting two of the artifacts and describing how they connect to a theme of courage. This work will be a summative grade.

Unfortunately, we need a new permission slip for this new date. Permission slips went home with students on Nov. 8 but you can also download and print a copy here. Please have students ASAP (it was due last week).

Logistics:

• All students are expected to be on time for school (in class by 8:45 AM).
• Depart Deal around 10:30 am and return by 3:10 pm.
• Take the metro train to and from the museum.
• There is no cost for the trip.
• Cell phones will remain in Yondr pouches, locked in lockers, at school.
• Students need to bring their Kids Ride Free card, if they have one, a bag lunch, and water bottle.
• Please dress appropriately for school and the weather.

Hi Scientists!

This past week students recreated the rock cycle using crayons! Next week we’ll be diving into the concepts of weathering, erosion, and deposition. Students will engage in a Skittles Lab, which uses Skittles to help students understand these geological processes in a fun and hands-on way. This lab will be completed by Wednesday.

Later in the week, we’ll be working on the Slope Deposition Lab, where students will simulate and observe how materials move and settle on different slopes. This lab will be due on Monday, November 25.

Additionally, students will have their Term 2, Week 3 Roots Quiz next week. They’ll be tested on the following root words:

• Pyro = fire (as in pyromaniac)

• Chrono = time (as in chronological)

• Topo = place/area (as in topography)

• Seismo =shaking (as in seismograph)

• Trans = across, through, over (as in translation)

Keepers: petro/petri, super, ign, centi, octa, milli

Please encourage your student to review these root words as well as the keepers for the quiz.

lydia.ballantine@k12.dc.gov

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Math 6
This week students worked on division of fractions and related real-world application. In the coming week, students will continue working on dividing complex fractions and real-world application of the concept. Included in our virtual classroom is a link to a portion of Illustrative Mathematics website curriculum dedicated to allowing parents to give support of current topics from home. Students needing extra time/technical assistance are to see me during iRecess for help.

Math 7
This week students continued with calculating mathematical relationships connected to circles. In the coming week, students will continue working on calculating circle relationships in preparation for Formative and RCT/End of Unit assessments on the current concepts Included in our virtual classroom will be a link to a portion of Illustrative Mathematics dedicated to allowing parents to give support of current topics from home. Students needing extra time/technical assistance are to see me during iRecess for help.

marcus.brown@k12.dc.gov

jeremiah.gawthrop@k12.dc.gov

This week we finished reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry! Students worked on identifying key elements of a story's plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution). They also used the 5Ws (When, Where, Who, What, Why) to construct short summaries of key events at the novel's close. Students will continue to practice the 5W summary in next week's homework. Finally, students completed a short diagnostic assessment for Quill.org. They will be thrilled to know that this means individualized grammar practice is on the way!

Next week students will write a continuation scene for Roll of Thunder. This will be a Summative assessment. Friday we head off to the African American History Museum. The work we do there will be used on a Summative presentation students work on in class.

Special Request: We are running out of tissues. If you are able to send in a box, that would be great. Or you can check out our classroom wish list here.

Term 2 Book Talks: This round students will first create a short powerpoint about their book (due Nov. 26) and then present their book talk to the class (due Dec. 13). As students submit their book rec. presentations I will add them to a Padlet for all to see. Check out our growing collection of Book Recs. from Term 2 HERE. Great job Lucas S. on presenting the first book talk in Round 2.

Finally, we will begin reading Tuck Everlasting on December 7. This is a much shorter book and we plan to read it entirely in December! Please send in a copy for your child as soon as possible. Many thanks.

Katy Byrns

Katy.byrns2@k12.dc.gov

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This week students were busy Showing what they know! Students completed their Unit 2 African Diaspora Summative through objects. Students selected an object, researched it, and then communicated their knowledge and understanding of the object and its connection to the African Diaspora on a slide. In class on Thursday students created their own museum exhibit—each class decided how they wanted to curate their collection. They did a great job and our museum and artifacts will be on display in our hallway. Come check it out!

On Friday, we started Unit 3: MENA (Middle East and North Africa). Students spent today and will spend next week, learning the countries of this region, the physical geography, natural resources, and vocabulary through maps and vocabulary practice. Students will have their quiz on MENA maps on Thursday, November 21. Links for practicing the maps are in Canvas.

Students should have turned in permission slips for our Three Religions Trip. Please have these turned in ASAP. No money is required for this field trip.

Three Religions Field Trip Letter and Permission Slip

Congratulations to 4th period who earned their incentive last week and elected to have homework coupons! Way to go 4th period!

Thank you for continuing to send in postcards! We had a small break from reading them in class due to the busy schedule but will commence next week! Really awesome and thank you for spreading the word to friends and family! 😊

I’ve been meaning to share, and have told the kids I would—on Orientation Day students chose a song or songs to include on our Team Playlist. We listen to this playlist sometimes while we work in small groups. The Playlist can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6XGJMmooyuna2fwFQ9pj9A?si=416e41ad228f4c11

amy.trenkle@k12.dc.gov

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Welcome to the month of November! Check out these great resources that the library is offering for the month. Links are available in this month's Library Newsletter below:

DEAL MS LIBRARY NEWS! | Smore Newsletters

Stephen Reichlen

Library Media Specialist

Deal MS – DC Public Schools

INQUIRER learner profile: Alma DiRuggiero and Jake Maretich. The IB Learner Profile aims to develop students who are inquirers. Students who are inquirers nurture their curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. They know how to learn independently with others. Inquirers learn with enthusiasm and sustain their love of learning throughout life.

RISK TAKER learner profile: Camryn Jolly and Abdisa Kiyvyra. Risk takers approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; they work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. They are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.