Dear STM 6th and 7th Grade Families,

 

Thank you for subscribing to the classroom updates!  During the busy times everyone has at home on their weekends, I truly appreciate you taking the time to read the updates.  

 

Covid Info: The students have been champs in Covid world, really. Wiping down their desks each day, keeping their belongings separate and tidy, using sanitizer, staying distanced, socializing half-in/half-out at lunch/recess, wearing the gaiter, being in the room at their desks: the students have been great.  However, there is some fatigue setting in and enforcing the "rules" is an issue in the classroom. In Middle School, we have instituted a "Covid Warning" clipboard, where we will have students sign in, similar to the uniform/tardy sign-in clipboard, if we've had to provide too many warnings.  It really takes away teaching time to lecture and nag about safety.  If we have a student sign in 3 times, that's a warning, and if the three sign-ins are exceeded to three more, then we'll have a detention assigned.  

 

Christmas Play!: The students sang and recorded Christmas songs and the 8th grade performed the Nativity play - the entire performance should be released at some point this week between Monday and Tuesday!  This sounds like it was quite a feat and we are grateful in advance to Ms. K for taking on the Music/Computer role as well as keep our STM Nativity Play tradition alive and well!

 

Classwork this week for 7th grade: Both classes will be receiving STM copies of the book we are reading in each class: 7-3 will receive copies of Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson and 7-6 will receive copies of Resistance by Jennifer Neilsen.  I was able to source class copies for a great price!  Students will receive the copies between Monday and Tuesday.  (Barnes and Noble isn't as fast as Amazon, alas.) In January, at the conclusion of our novel study and after a quarantine period of 1 week, I'll flipflop the books and 7-3/7-6 will start a new novel study with the class copies.  Last week we finished our study of Eleven by Sandra Cisneros. This week we'll read the the short stories The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant and Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and work on novel study discussion of plot, character, and events.

 

Classwork for 6th grade: In LA, the 6th graders will finish the Adjectives unit in Voyages this week!  We will review Interrogative, Demonstrative, and Indefinite Adjectives on Monday, complete the Adjective Review, and take the Adjective test on Wed/Thurs. The completed and corrected Adjective Review is the study guide. The Adjective Challenge is also an opportunity for extra credit!  In Reading, we are nearing the second half of The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.  The students have a pdf copy in Google Classroom to read 1-2 chapters each night, and should be finished with 20 independently-read chapters.

 

Have a wonderful 3rd week of Advent!

 

Mrs. Morgan