Cluster 2 News
February 2025
Cluster 2 News
Hello Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers,
March is a busy month! Information about scheduling student conferences will be sent on March 10 at 3pm through Parent Square. Below are some important dates:
End of Trimester 2
March 17
½ Day: Teacher - Student Conferences: Early dismissal, 11:45 am
March 20
Virtual: 12:15 - 2:15 pm
In Person: 5:00 - 7:00 pm
March 25
In Person: 12:15 - 2:15 pm
Virtual: 5:00 - 7:00 pm
As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Yours,
Cluster 2 Team
English with Ms. Soares
Hi!
Students did a great job ending their book club unit! I saw many in depth discussions, and students were hard at work on their projects to prepare. We have now begun our Narrative Writing unit. So far, students have created a main character to use in their stories and there are so many creative ideas. Students will be writing different narratives based on short stories that we read in class. Some of the skills we are developing are:
Idea generating, and figuring out where to begin
Using sensory language
Editing and revising our work
I am sending home progress reports on Friday, February 28th. Your student should have any missing assignments highlighted and they are highly encouraged to make up the assignments before Friday, March 14th. All information for Book Club Journals can be found in Google Classroom in the assignment "Book Club Journals" or in "Resources."
Ziza Soares
Social Studies with Mr. McDermott
Unit 6.2 Western Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa
Essential Questions
Why do human communities create government and laws?
What common elements do religions share and how do their differences matter?
How is the physical environment connected to people and the way they live?
Enduring Understandings
Students will begin to understand that:
Judaism, Christianity and Islam shared common roots in monotheism, based upon Abraham’s reported revelation from God. But they also developed distinct teachings and practices and differences of emphasis. Each of these religions was also internally diverse and changed over time.
Learning Objectives:
I can organize introductory information and write questions about three Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
I can build a foundational understanding of Judaism as part of a civic disposition toward religious pluralism.
I can build a foundational understanding of Judaism through text and visual sources.
I can build a foundational understanding of Christianity as part of a civic disposition toward religious pluralism.
I can build a foundational understanding of Christianity through text and visual sources.
I can build a foundational understanding of Islam as part of a civic disposition toward religious pluralism.
I can build a foundational understanding of Islam through text and visual sources.
I can complete a Venn diagram to show understanding of the three Abrahamic religions and their relationship.
Math with Ms. Tammaro
Ms. Tammaro
Helpful Links: Cluster 2 Math Grading Policy, Unit 1 Family Resource (in Spanish), Unit 6 Family Resource (in Spanish), Unit 3 Family Resource (in Spanish)
Before break, we wrapped up unit 6 on expressions and equations. We have moved into our geometry unit! Desmos (the curriculum platform) has some excellent digital tools to help students engage with geometry. Check out the measure tool in lesson 1.4: Parallelograms Off the Grid!
Students will be calculating the area of parallelograms and triangles. We are starting by rearranging these shapes into ones we know (like rectangles) and using those strategies to develop the traditional algorithms. Students will then use these formulas to calculate surface area of pyramids and prisms.
Please make sure all assignments and retakes are in by March 14th!
Ms. Tammaro
Science with Ms. Ferguson
Who stole the bunny? Through the lens of Forensic Scientists, students solved a CSI-style mystery involving trace evidence. They looked at a variety of known foods under the microscope and then compared them to mystery food found on the bunny.
Sixth Grade Microbiologists will be sharpening their microscope skills further by focusing on a variety of tiny creatures including Paramecia, Amoeba, and Euglena. In the culminating activity, students will work with a fourth organism called a Tetrahymena. Students will choose a spice to “feed” the Tetrahymena and then observe the reaction to see if the Tetrahymena is attracted to or repelled by it. Through this experience, students will be introduced to the scientific method using independent and dependent variables.
Students are welcome to bring small objects from home to look at under the dissecting microscope. Ask them what they might like to bring!
Moving forward we will be blasting off into space - Discussing gravity, The Big Bang Theory, and our Sun - Moon - Earth system.
Thanks!
Ms. Ferguson