Happy Windy Sunday, and the 4th Sunday of Lent!  How awesome is it that the STM Virtual Vegas Auction was successful and perfect for this "Covid" time?  Thank you to all of the parents who contributed to the success for the auction in volunteer hours and in financial support!  

 

School/Classroom News:  First, the St. Lucy Food Drive was a great success.  The NJHS students participated  filming a PSA for the morning announcements, and frequent homework reminders to bring in items led to a truck full of donations. Thank you!  On Thursday, to follow up on the successful visit of local author Robin Stevens Payes, the students enjoyed a virtual author talk about the Edge of Yesterday series of time travel books: The Edge of Yesterday, DaVinci's Way, and Saving Time. You can read more about Robin Payes's books here in a Washington Post article:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2017/04/17/this-author-wants-to-change-the-way-parents-consider-learning-and-stem/.  Books are available for order via FACTS and an order form was sent home on Thursday if your student is interested in following the historical mystery adventures of Charley Morton!

 

6th Grade Language Arts and Reading: The 6th graders are studying adverbs - time, place and manner, affirmation, negation, degree, comparative, superlative. This week we will study adverb phrases and clauses, then we will be take the Adverb test prior to the Easter holiday next week.  The 6th graders are also completing an Interview article, due by March 22nd. Each 6th grader has a list of questions to ask to facilitate a productive and informative interview about an event of national, local, or worldwide impact. We are looking forward to sharing our informational articles!  In Reading the 6th grade is reading Jane Yolen's series of historical "What Happened To" books, about the Salem Witch Trials and the Mary Celeste, to focus on the Comprehension Toolkit core skill #3 reading skill Asking Questions while reading. The students took the List 8 Vocab quiz and we will begin List 9 this week.  When we return from Easter we will begin small group reading and Greek myths. 

 

7th Grade Reading: The 7th Graders are working on nonfiction reading through Content Literacy and what makes for an issue: identifying a problem, searching for evidence, identifying a solution, searching for evidence of a solution.  The students chose an issue of worldwide, national, social, or personal importance from a list generated by the students, and the articles (with MLA citations!) are amazing!  (Can you tell I set aside February and March for nonfiction reading in 6th and 7th grade?)  We will begin the Short Stories unit when we return from Easter and start another round of independent reading books. 

 

No School for students on Friday, so only a four-day week.  Have a great one!

 

Mrs. Morgan