November Academic Newsletter

Coding: Students will be learning Python in Visual Studio to gain hands-on experience with coding fundamentals like variables, loops, and functions. Visual Studio's integrated tools, such as its debugger and real-time feedback, help students catch errors and understand code flow. This setup provides an interactive way to explore Python’s basic syntax and structure, making the learning process smoother and more engaging.

Dual Credit Computers and Information Systems: Learning about software and apps introduces students to the technology that drives much of our modern lives, from communication to productivity. Apps have seamlessly integrated into our daily routines, assisting with everything from waking us up to organizing schedules, staying connected, and even relaxing with entertainment. Understanding how these applications work enhances our appreciation of the technology that simplifies tasks and enhances convenience, productivity, and connectivity.

Personal Finance: In personal finance, students are exploring the dangers of debt, identifying how excessive borrowing can lead to financial strain and affect long-term goals. Students are examining the importance of credit reports and scores, understanding how these reflect their financial history and impact loan opportunities. Additionally, students practiced calculating compound interest to see how small amounts of debt or savings can grow significantly over time, depending on the interest rate and compounding frequency.

Mass Media:

Mass media students are putting their design skills to work by creating a captivating yearbook cover that reflects the spirit of the school year. In addition to their creative efforts, they're actively reaching out to local businesses to sell advertisement space, generating crucial funds to support the yearbook’s production. Through this project, students gain practical experience in both marketing and media design, making it a valuable learning opportunity.

Future Business Leaders of America: FBLA members showed off their creativity at the annual Halloween pumpkin decorating, adding festive flair and team spirit to the event. Alongside the fun, members are focused on preparing for the upcoming district contest by carefully selecting events that align with their skills and interests.

Algebra 1 - We will be working on systems of equations and inequalities. We will learn how to solve these equations and when to use these in situations.

Geometry - We will be discussing transformations of graphs and how this relates to designs and making design plans.

Pre/Calc-Trig - We will be discussing interest rates and how to use exponential equations to figure out monthly payments.

Art Design 11/12- Veterans Day project and individual projects.

Visual Art 9/10th- Halloween Mummies, Grid Drawing, Veterans Day projects, and Charcoal and Mixed Media projects.

Psych - discussing "The Life Span" of humans; "Altered States of Consciousness"

Creative Writing - analyze, compose, & recite poems; components of short stories

Stats - Standard Normal Distribution

Comp - personal scrapbook project

English Presentations - writing Panther Prowl, using canva to create & edit docs, & writing essays

Ag Science 1 students are learning about Leadership roles in the FFA which includes the job of each FFA officer along with how to properly make motions and debating while they are in an FFA meeting

Ag Science 2 students have started their soil science unit where they are learning about soil texture, mottles, structure and proper uses of soil

Greenhouse students have propagated many inch plants to be sold at our sale in the spring. They are also learning about interior layout of the greenhouse and why the layout of the greenhouse matters for business owners.

Ag Construction students are starting a cement unit along with working on individual wood projects in the shop.

Animal Science students have started on their animal digestion unit where they are learning about 4 different digestion systems being Monogastric, Ruminant, Pseudo Ruminant, and Avian systems.

Foods:

Students will plan a mock up of a “Friendsgiving” feast. They will have to plan everything from where the dinner will take place, everything that will need to be purchased to decorate, and all of the food they would like to be served. In class, I plan to show the students how to make pumpkin pie, pumpkin bars, and sides that could possibly be served at their Thanksgiving dinner.

8th Grade:

We finished up our sewing lesson. We will be finishing up the semester in the kitchens. Students will be reminded about the different tools that are used in the kitchen and what each are used for. Students will be making homemade pizzas and desserts.

Housing:

My class reluctantly took down the Fall decor and decorated my room with Christmas decor (even though they all insisted it needed to wait until after Thanksgiving). We are learning about the building process of homes all the way through the interior construction process. They will learn about the roles of contractors and subcontractors, and be able to describe safety features of electrical systems.

Health:

We are continuing our Monday mental health journaling. This has proven to be a positive assignment that allows the students to journal anything that is on their mind. In class, students will design and make a video highlighting the importance of sleep. They will get inspiration from some youtube videos to reference, but will use their imaginations to show how sleep plays a big role in a person’s daily health.

Nutrition and Wellness:

Students will be taking a closer look at a kitchen space. They will learn about major kitchen appliances, ways to save energy in a kitchen, and how to clean and take care of appliances. There is a fun lesson on how to cook with microwaves. This is going to be a great chapter where students will learn how a microwave works, how to prepare food in a microwave oven, and safety tips for using a microwave. Hopefully after this chapter, parents will feel confident allowing their child to use a microwave oven safely.

Interpersonal Relationships:

We will be discussing how to manage time to reach your goals. They will learn how the use of time reflects their values, and how a person’s use of time impacts their ability to reach goals. Students will learn why deadlines are important to consider when creating a time management plan.

FCCLA:

The Fall Region 1 meeting that is held at Northwest Missouri State University was on November 4th, an in-service day at Mound City. The only member who went to this meeting was Kiley, since she is a regional officer. The chapter put together a raffle basket for the region meeting to be raffled off during the meeting. Students are starting to decide their star event that they will participate in for competition this year.

Grades 9-11:
We are continuing to work on our Quarter 2 standards. We've made some adjustments to our plan and are using a common text in grades 9-11 for this quarter to better explore motifs and archetypes in literature.
W.2.A: Follow a writing process to produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, style and voice are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

Grade 12:

We've started our big project for Quarter 2. As we are reading our anchor text Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, it's interesting to see how the seniors are coping with their own scenario of budgeting and making it on their own. Their dream world meets the stark reality of the real world via a "move" to the Big Apple.
Our standards are as follows:
SL.1A. 11-12: Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.

Elementary P.E. - Relays & Parachute Activities. Kindergarten & 1st Grade will also be working on receiving their "Locomotor License"

Middle School P.E. - Kickball & Four Square

9th Grade P.E. - Volleyball Unit

Lifetime Sports - Ping Pong / Badminton

Integrated Science 9 (Physical Science) - Physical Science has two main components: Chemistry and Physics. Pivoting away briefly from chemistry, we wrapped up October looking at motion. Throughout November we will study motion and forces including Newton's Laws of motion.

Chemistry - Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. Students completed a rock candy lab exploring crystallization and supersaturated solutions. We will be collaborating with 5th grade science and helping them complete the rock candy lab as well. Back in the classroom, students will continue to explore the structure of the atom and how subatomic particles' interactions explain observations in the natural world.

Biology - Biology, or life science, will provide students with the knowledge of the nature of living things. Shifting slighting from the ecology world, students studied cellular life - particularly structure and function. This lays the groundwork for our study of photosynthesis and cellular respiration - the two processes in which living things obtain energy.

Anatomy - Human anatomy is the study of the body, its parts and their locations. We just finished our study of body tissues. The first body system we are going to tackle is the integumentary system, that includes the skin - the largest organ of the human body.

Earth Science - Earth Science is the name for the group of sciences that deals with Earth and its neighbors in space. Now that students have reviewed the rock cycle and understand where Earth gets her energy, we will dive into the forces within. These include earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain building.

Modern American history is starting a unit on business tycoons during the Gilded Age of the late 1800s. Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Rockefeller and JP Morgan will all be studied.

November is here! As we transition from fall to winter we all do get to take a breath. We had 42% of parents show up for P/T conferences, however due to multiple sporting events on the same night, I feel this effected our turn out. Please reach out to teachers if you have questions. We put the grade cards and last year's EOC results in the mail Tuesday, October 29th. I'm excited for this month, I enjoy seeing the tree's change and listening to my son's yell out the colors they see while I'm driving down the road. A few things coming up this month: Regional Fall FCCLA Meeting on November 4th at NWMSU, NHS induction ceremony on November 6th in the multi purpose gym, FFA Speaking Contest on November 6th, Cyberpalooza- Mrs. Hux Coding class on November 21st, Sophomore Leadership volleyball tournament on November 26th, and Thanksgiving break starting on November 27th. Since finishing 1st quarter all students know where they stand as of right now for the semester. I encourage all students and parents to reach out to our teachers with any problems or struggles that might be happening. If you have any problems or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to my office or through email. I hope everyone has a great month! Go Panthers!

Email: jake.shipman@mndcty.org

Website: https://www.mndcty.k12.mo.us/