Cluster 4 November Update

Dear Caregivers,

Many seventh graders find that they need to begin studying and reviewing for assessments. Is your teen spending hours studying but still not seeing the results they feel reflect their understanding? You might be surprised to learn that they're likely using methods that actually work against them.

Here's what most teens do:

• Reread chapters over and over
• "Look over" their notes
• Highlight everything in sight

The painful truth? These ineffective strategies aren't just hurting their grades - they're crushing their confidence and leading to:

• Constant anxiety about upcoming tests
• Late-night cramming sessions
• A vicious cycle of stress and self-doubt
• That heartbreaking feeling of "I studied so hard, why didn't I do better?"

It's tough watching your teen work so hard without getting the grades they deserve. And when all that effort doesn't pay off, they start questioning their intelligence and self-worth.

But here's the good news: Your teen isn't failing because they're not smart enough or not trying hard enough. (from: https://lifesuccessforteens.com/) They need to experiment with different ways over the course of middle school so that they are set up for high school success.

In our cluster classes, teachers often provide review tools for students (GimKits or Quizlets), do whiteboard reviews, exit tickets, and even discuss with students how others successfully study (make flashcards, have someone quiz them orally, or write down as much as they can remember about the topic to be assessed).

For some students, they may need a clutter-free space that is designated as their study space. Here are some tips on creating such a space: Creating The Perfect Study Space.pdf

Please encourage your 7th grader to try out different study methods to see what works best for them. They may need to attempt a strategy more than once.

Hello,

We finished up our unit on Proportional Relationships. We got comfortable creating equations, stories, graphs and tables about proportional relationships. We will revisit this unit when we study Linear Relationships next month.

We have spent that last 2 weeks talking about all things circles. Students will build on what they know about area, perimeter and order of operations while working with two-dimensional figures. This unit will take us to the end of Trimester 1, with the assessments likely falling in Trimester 2.

Student Goals in Unit 3 - Circles

• I can explain whether or not the relationship between a side length or a diagonal of a shape and its perimeter is proportional.
• I can use proportional relationships to figure out missing side lengths, diagonals, and perimeters.
• I can describe the characteristics of a circle.
• I can identify the diameter and radius of a circle and explain how they are related.
• I can describe the relationship between the radius, diameter, and circumference of a circle.
• Given the radius, diameter, or circumference of a circle, I can calculate the other two measurements.
• I can calculate the perimeter of a complex shape that includes parts of circles.
• I can write perimeter as an expression that includes π , such as 20π + 50
• I can determine the area of a complex shape using a variety of strategies.
• I can estimate the area of a shape with curved edges
• I can describe the relationship between the radius of any circle and its area.
• I can calculate the area of a circle.
• I can explain whether the relationship between the radius and area of a circle is proportional or not.
• I can explain the formula of a circle's area by rearranging the circle into a triangle of the same area.
• I can calculate the area of a complex shape that includes parts of circles.
• I can write area as an expression that includes π , such as 20π + 50 .
• I can describe the relationship between perimeter and area for both a circle and a square.
• I can calculate the area of a circle given its circumference.

November 2024

We have delved into the digestive system to learn about food breakdown, and now are investigating the nutrients that are in our food and how our body uses these. As students learn about these essential biomolecules, they are finding out what elements they are made up of as well as what foods they are found in. Students are connecting specific nutrient molecules to cell parts to better understand how our bodies are made.

Our next focus is the circulatory system. Along with learning the workings of that system, students will explore how the circulatory system interacts with the digestive system and other body systems.

Biology standards

6.MS-LS1-3. Construct an argument supported by evidence that the body systems interact to carry out essential functions of life.

8.MS-LS1-7. Use informational text to describe that food molecules, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, are broken down and rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support cell growth and/or release of energy.

Hello Cluster 4 Social Studies families,

November is almost over. Social Studies students have been working hard to answer the unit sub-question: How do belief systems reflect and influence society? First, students have had to learn about the origins of both Hinduism and Buddhism, the third and fourth most popular religions on the planet. They have done this by reading texts, looking at art, watching videos, and asking lots of questions. Next up is a dive into early government in the Mauryan Empire and how religious beliefs influenced those leaders.

As we head into December and Term 2, please know that I am here to support your child's learning and growth. If you have a question, I encourage you to ask your child to talk to me first to practice their self-advocacy skills. If, however, their response is still a bit fuzzy, feel free to reach out. : )

Thank you for your support and partnership!

Kerri Lorigan

Reminders and Important Dates:

• Term 2 begins TU, Dec 3, 2024

• Field Trip to the Peabody Essex Museum on January 23 & 24, 2025

• Students need to either bring a bag lunch (from home or school) OR money to buy lunch at the Northshore Mall.

How You Can Support Your Student:

• Encourage them to practice independence and responsibility at home and at school. It’s important to give young people lots of opportunities to stumble and then opportunities to improve. It’s all part of developing competence, which leads to confidence (and less stress).

• Read independently: Get lost in someone else’s story! Reading helps develop empathy, curiosity, vocabulary, and background knowledge.

• Dinnertime conversations where they can practice making claims and backing up their ideas with evidence or reasoning.

Set in Salinas, California, the ELA class has read and analyzed the short story, The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez. Moving beyond surface-level comprehension, the students have identified main ideas, evaluated evidence, and continued to develop a thorough understanding of the text. Text note-taking reinforced text understanding by summarizing key points. This has made it easier to revisit information as the class brainstormed the important themes of the story. Sentence frames and a graphic organizer assisted students struggling with language or writing, offering a scaffold, and making the writing task a bit easier. Grammar study continued with a review of abstract and concrete nouns. Building on this foundation, students moved on to categorizing adjectives. These mini-lessons supported their progress toward developing compound and complex sentences. Weekly prompt writing continued as the class crafted responses to captivating, captionless photos from The New York Times. The captions are revealed a week later, sparking curiosity among students.

Cluster 4 hopes you have an enjoyable and relaxing Thanksgiving filled with good food and wonderful memories.

Language-Based English Language Arts w/ Mrs. Sullivan

RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).

RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.

In ELA, we have just completed our Story Elements Unit, where students learned how to identify story elements, such as conflict, character arc, and setting, with a strong focus on theme. Using Pixar short films to introduce and practice working with these elements has been fun and engaging for students. We then read short stories, including Langston Hughes’ “Thank You Ma’am” and “The Scholarship Jacket” by Marta Salinas. As we enter the Thanksgiving holiday, it is timely that many of these stories prompt students to reflect on themes of kindness, self-acceptance, and respect for others.

Next, we have started a mini-unit on Rites of Passages. This short unit will lay a foundation for our future units to frame students' understanding of key themes of identity and responsibility. We read an impactful article “Spoiled Rotten” from the New Yorker and a core text outlining traditional rites of passage. Students made some great illustrations to contrast how different cultures encourage kids to take on responsibilities. Over the Thanksgiving break, students have an assignment to interview two adults about ways they took on independence. I hope this will be a great way to connect what we are learning to real life experiences of loved ones.

Google Classroom in ELA: This is where all assignments and materials are posted. Students complete and submit assignments here and can access class handouts and materials. All graded work is communicated through PowerSchool. I will sometimes return graded work and quizzes through Google Classroom just for the purpose of giving individual feedback. If a student is absent, they are expected to review and complete the materials/lesson they missed.

As always, our daily homework for ELA is to read! Get in the habit of reading 20-30 minutes a day of a book of your choice! This is usually the only homework for ELA. Each Friday, students need to bring their books to class for a book check. Every 4-6 weeks, I tally their progress for an assessment grade. If students are reading prose books, they should aim for about 50 pages per week. If they are reading graphic novels or books in verse, they will need to read more. Every student needs to read at home daily. Please support your student by helping them set aside time at home to read, helping them get books, and talking with them and or reading with them.

Short Story Elements Unit - Learning Outcomes

RL7.1

RL7.2

RL7.3

RL7.4