Mrs. Kerr 6th Grade Update
March 30, 2012
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe we are at the end of 3rd quarter. The year has gone by so fast, and Easter Vacation and 6th Grade Camp are just around the corner. As we get closer to these two weeks, many children’s thoughts start leaning toward time off and not on school. Please help me keep your child focused on their studies until the end of the school year. Below, I have outlined the topics we will be covering until we return from camp.
Religion
After we finish preparing for our Lenten Prayer Service, we will continue our study of the Old Testament with the Babylonian exile. Once 6th grade returns from 6th grade camp, we will begin our family life unit. Family Life will focus on ethnicity, respect for self and others, and the stages of pregnancy. Permission slips will go home the week of April 16 and will need to be returned by that Friday, April 20.
Social Studies
We will be concluding our exploration of Ancient China in the next few weeks with a test after we return from vacation. Our journey of ancient civilizations will continue with the Roman Empire. This will cover early Rome, early leaders and conquests, Roman gods, the Roman republic, and eventually the emergence of the Roman Empire.
Math
We have begun the chapter on ratios and proportion. The topics included in this chapter are ratios, rates, proportion, percents and fractions, percents and decimals, and finding the percent of a number. We will them move onto a chapter about geometry.
Grammar
We have begun our unit on Pronouns. This includes discussion of subject and object pronouns, possessive pronouns, indefinite pronouns, and the use of who, whom, and whose. I plan to have a test on this unit next week before we leave for vacation
Reminders:
1. Easter Vacation April 6 – April 13.
2. Lenten Prayer Service April 5 at 11:15 – Please join us
3. Sixth grade camp – April 30 – May 4
4. All forms and money for camp due April 20.
5. Family Life permission slips due April 20.
Thank you for your continued support. As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Michelle Kerr
Mrs. Kerr 7th Grade Update
March 30, 2012
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe we are at the end of 3rd quarter. The year has gone by so fast, and Easter Vacation is just around the corner. As we get closer to this week, many children’s thoughts start leaning toward time off and not on school. Please help me keep your child focused on their studies until the end of the school year. Below, I have outlined the topics we will be covering until mid-May.
Social Studies
We have begun looking at Europe during the Reformation and the impact the Reformation had on European culture. After this chapter we will focus on the Americas which will include learning about the first Americans, the Mayan and Inca Empires, and the conquistadors.
Thank you for your continued support. As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Michelle Kerr
Mrs. Kerr’s 8th Grade Update
March 30, 2012
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe we are at the end of 3rd quarter. The year has gone by so fast and Easter Vacation is just around the corner. As we get closer to this week, many children’s thoughts start leaning toward time off and not on school. Please help me keep your child focused on their studies until the end of the school year. Below, I have outlined the topics we will be covering until mid-May.
Social Studies
We have begun looking at the causes for the Civil War. This includes the differences between the North and South as well as the election of Abraham Lincoln. We will then move on to the early stages of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation.
Thank you for your continued support. As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Michelle Kerr
6th Grade Update
Dear Parents:
Happy November!!! I look forward to seeing all of you at the parent teacher conferences this month. Please be punctual because each appointment is exactly 15 minutes. Below I have outlined what the 6th graders will be doing in November and December. Also as colder weather arrives, we are in need of Kleenex for those sniffles. I am requesting one box of tissue from each student to store in the classroom as needed. Thank you.
Social Studies
We are in the middle of the unit on Ancient Greece. This includes comparing the city-states of Athens and Sparta and the role each played in the Persian Wars. We will then move on to the Classical Greek period during which the Peloponnesian War was fought and Alexander the Great rose to power. Information about the Greek God poster will be coming out after Thanksgiving.
Religion
We have finished the study of the creation, the story of Adam and Eve, and the beginnings of original sin. We have begun learning about Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph and the beginnings of Israelite history.
Math
We are progressing at a very steady pace in math. Having completed the chapters on decimals, we are in the middle of the chapter on fractions. After this we will move on to beginning algebraic concepts such as order of operations, variables, and exponents.
English/Expository Writing
We have completed the units on the sentence and nouns. The next unit involves verbs. This will include types of verbs (action and linking), direct objects, and verb tenses.
The writing portion will emphasize the development of sentence fluency. The focus will be on quality writing rather than quantity. We will also look at the structures of the eight sentence paragraph.
REMINDERS:
• Parent Teacher Conferences November 8-10 – dismissal at noon
• No School November 11 – Veterans’ Day
• Thanksgiving Vacation – November 21-25
• Current Event # 3 due November 18.
• Current Event #4 due December 16.
• First Friday Mass – December 2 – Dress uniform is required. Please have your children to school by 7:45 am.
• Friday parish Masses during Advent: December 2,9 & 16
• Christmas Program – December 14.
If at any time you have any questions, please to not hesitate to contact me.
Warmest Regards,
Michelle Kerr
7th Grade Update
Dear Parents:
Happy November!!!! As we enter the holiday season, the students will be very busy. I have outlined what the seventh graders will be studying during the months of November and December.
Social Studies 7
We have finished our chapter or the Islamic Civilization. We have now moved on to study Medieval Africa. We are studying the geography of Africa, the rise of trading empires, different religions and governments in African societies, and African culture. After this chapter we will move on to China in the Middle Ages. Current Event #3 is due November 17 and #4 is due December 15. No late slips will be allowed.
Warmest Regards,
Michelle Kerr
8th Grade Update
Dear Parents:
Happy November!!!! As we enter the holiday season, the students will be very busy. I have outlined what the eighth graders will be studying during the months of November and December.
Social Studies 8
We have begun looking at the history of the US Constitution. This includes studying the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the reasons for the Constitutional Convention. After this chapter, we will look at the first five Presidents of the United States and the various decisions they made. As a reminder, Current Event # 3 is due November 16 and #4 is due December 14. No late slips will be allowed.
As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Warmest Regards,
Michelle Kerr
