Week of December 2

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your family and/or friends, and that you are renewed and energized for the next three weeks leading to the Christmas holidays.

 

Nonetheless, the 6th grade class will be introduced to their new novel, Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls. Students will pre-read the novel by understanding the author's point of view and purpose for writing, the themes of the novel, and increase their vocabulary skills. Students will fall in love with Billy and his wonderful dogs, and increase their overall analytical thinking as I introduce them to different, but fun ways of learning.

 

HOMEWORK:

Vocabulary words, FOLDABLES, reading assignments of different chapters

 

The 7th grade class will effectively close the unit of The Pigman, by Paul Zindel by completing their Pigman/Pigwoman essays. Students will use the Writing Process and the 6+1 Traits to complete the essay and read it before the class on Tuesday and be graded by a rubric as they field questions from their peers. Students have enjoyed the novel and because they are writing about their own, loveable Pigman/Pigwoman, will love writing the essay.

Later in the week, students will check out their own grade- appropriate novel from the library to increase their overall level of reading and comprehension skills.

 

HOMEWORK:

Reading of the novel

 

The 8th grade class will conclude the reading of their novel, The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros. The 8th grade class have increased the overall pace of their learning with this unit and that has taken it to another level. I am impressed with their motivation, but wish for it to continue to the Christmas holidays. This week, students will discuss the last couple of vignettes in Literature circles and with a worksheet that diagnoses the themes and a description of the characters culminating with a test. Good luck, 8th grade!!

 

Let's have a fabulous week of learning!!

'No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it. We need to see the world anew.'     Albert Einstein -

 

MINI CHRISTAMS BAZAAR – Our school DPTO is organizing an early shopping opportunity for our families on December 5 and 6. The event will last all school day long! Come and support our DPTO and take advantage of the great items that will be on sale at terrific prices!!!!

 

SONGFEST – The School’s annual Songfest will be held on Friday, December 13 at 1:30 p.m. Parents are welcome to come and have lunch with our students before the performances. There will be a sale of food, baked goods and drinks. 

 

PREPARATION FOR SONG FEST - In preparation for our song fest, we are asking parents who have spare Christmas decorations which they would like to share with us for the stage presentation taking place on December.13,to please send them to your child's homeroom teacher next week.We will take good care of them and return them by Monday, December, 16. Anticipated thanks for your unconditional support in all our school activities.

 

CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE:  Nuestro Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) is an international organization that takes in abandoned and orphaned children, providing a home and education.  Here in Honduras, the NPH organization provides for over 500 children in at large ranch near La Venta and home in Tegucigalpa for severely handicapped children.   While many children at the ranch have aunts, uncles, or grandparents that come to visit them and can provide some Christmas gifts, some children at a ranch have no family to visit.  It is these children, whom we would like to provide for this Christmas.   On the second floor of the secondary building, a NPH Giving Tree will be set up.   Choose a paper tree that has a child’s information about his/her size for shoes or socks.  Purchase the new item and return it to Mrs. Agurcia’s Room (Rm. 7) by Tuesday, December 10th, with the tree tag taped to it.  As well, there are tree tags for basic food items that will be donated to the orphanage.  Cash donations will also be accepted to provide shoes and socks for children whose tags were not selected.  Thank you for giving this Christmas!  If more information about NPH’s work in Honduras, please visit http://www.nph-honduras.org/. 

 

FUNDACION ABRIGO - Discovery Schoo, l in solidarity with FUNDACION ABRIGO ( A foundation that provides lodging for families from outside Tegucigalpa who bring patients to Hospital Escuela), is asking our school community’s collaboration in sending us a donation of 1 gallon of disinfectant per family by this Friday, December 6. Your contribution will be greatly appreciated!

           

For Secondary Only:

 

GRADE 6 TALK FOR BOYS - Dr.Guillermo Ruano ( psychiatrist) will be giving an informative talk on Friday, December 6 to the sixth grade boys on changes that occur during the puberty stage of development. This will take place from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.  We will be sending a permission slip with your child this week for parents to sign if they wish for their son to attend this presentation.

 

SCIENCE FAIR:  Please remember that Science Fair will be held on Friday, December 6th.  That day, all 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10A students will be involved in the fair during 3rd and 4th periods. First period will proceed as normal and 1/2 of 2nd period will be used to set up the fair on the second floor of the secondary building.  As well, students with top projects will be asked to present their project to a visiting judge that afternoon in the library (meaning the library will not be available for classes that afternoon).  Students from other classes will be invited to visit the fair in the following schedule:  6A, 6B, 10B, 11, and 12 during 3rd period, and elementary classes during 4th period (10:53-11:43).  More details about the schedule will given closer to the fair.