Team Berlin Update 12
November 8, 2024
Term 1 Team Celebration: Snack Sign Up!
Team Berlin will have its first End of Term Celebration on Tuesday, November 26th during Advisory. If you are able to our celebration, please visit this Sign Up Genius. Thanks in advance!
NEW DATE for African American History Museum
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.
Unfortunately, we need a new permission slip for this new date. Permission slips went home with students today (Friday, Nov. 8). Please have students return on Tuesday, Nov 12.
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.
Earth Science with Ms. Ballantine
Hello scientists!
During our three day week this week, students completed a pre-assessment for our new unit, Rock Transformation! A reading on rock types introduced students to the different categories of rocks and how they are formed, and we ended the week with our first Term 2 Roots quiz and a video from geologist Evan Green, who answered questions submitted by students.
Next week students will learn to classify rocks using a dichotomous key-if your student has an interesting rock they would like to classify, they can bring it in for that day! Please label any rocks your student brings in so they don’t get absorbed accidentally into my collection! They will also begin learning about the rock cycle through some labs that will illustrate igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, and the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition using crayons and skittles!
Roots Quiz 2.2 (keepers have an asterisk*)
*petro, petri = stone (think: petrified, petrol)
manu =hand (think: manuscript, manual)
*ign = fire (think: ignite, igneous)
*super = over, above (think: supreme, superposition)
pan = all (Greek) (think: pandemic, pantheistic)
Math with Mr. Brown & Mr. Gawthrop
Math 6
Though a short week, this week students demonstrated mastery of current concepts by taking a RCT Assessment. This week students will begin working on division of fractions and related real world application. Included in our virtual classroom will be 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
Though a short week, this week students explore mathematical relationships within circles (Unit 3). This week students will continue with calculating mathematical relationships connected to circles. 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.
Language Arts with Ms. Byrns & Mr. Gawthrop
Next week in class, we will read the final two chapters of Roll of Thunder together and focus on diagraming the plot/story arc. Because students will be doing this reading in class, I would like students to focus on their independent reading and 40 Book Challenge over the next few weeks. The weekly homework assignment will also focus on their independent reading. On Tuesday we will have a small celebration (donuts) for students who have logged at least 10 books to celebrate their progress.
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.
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
Geography with Ms. Trenkle
This short week in Geography we finished our African Diaspora case studies by looking at Candomble in Brazil, Step Africa, and Chef Adjepong (from our CEA this week!). Students took a formative to share that they understand how to read for key information related to the diaspora and began their summative on Friday. Students will work on their summative in class on Tuesday and Wednesday and present it on Thursday.
On Thursday, students received a parent letter and permission slip for a field trip related to our next unit. The letter and permission slip are attached here as well. Students are asked to bring it back no later than Friday, November 15. No money is required for this field trip. Three Religions Field Trip Letter and Permission Slip
We have a very special opportunity next Thursday as the Berlin Orchestra will perform at Alice Deal MS in thanks to our Embassy Adoption Program and the Washington Performing Arts. The Orchestra is in town to play at the Kennedy Center, but will perform for our Team Berlin students during 2nd period.
Congratulations to Maya Druzca for her letter response from Chief of Police. Maya wrote her Community Action Letter to the Chief.
Congratulations to Period 2 for earning their incentive! They are currently voting on what they would like and will enjoy their incentive next week! Way to go Period 2!
Thank you for continuing to send in postcards! We had a small break from reading them in class just due to the busy schedule, but will commence next week! Really awesome and thank you for spreading the word to friends and family! :)
Library Corner
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
