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08 Mar 2019
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March 8, 2019

Humanities

In English/Language Arts, students read a variety of short stories and analyzed them for literary elements like plot and characterization. Students spent time freewriting in preparation for brainstorming and writing their own short stories next week! In social studies, students critically analyzed the History Channel documentary “The Dark Ages,” and then were tasked with created their own “trailer” for a section of chapter 17 (The Early Middle Ages). Some Greek/Latin roots to be on the look out for:

  • Sic transit gloria mundi. Thus passes away the glory of this world – Thomas A Kempis
  • Trans (across)
  • Eo/Ire/Ivi/Itum (to go)
  • Erro/Errare/Erravi/Erratum (to wander, to stray)
  • Hodos (journey)

 

Math

The 7th grade has been learning about one of the most useful mathematical concepts in everyday life; ratios and rates. Ratios and rates are involved in many things we do. When we go shopping, when we cook, when we work, and when we travel are just a few of many examples where we deal with ratios and rates in real life. It’s important for students to understand the usefulness of ratios and rates as well as how to work with them in various ways. It can assist them with analyzing relationships between quantities and making faster, more informed decisions. After that unit, we’ll be moving onto the holy grail of ratios: percentages.

 

Science

In science we attempted to engineer devices that can assistance in reducing sediment pollution. Students needed to prototype and design a custom water filter. Using the engineering process students discovered mistakes and needed improvements to their prototype. The following class they redesigned their first prototype and demonstrated improvements in filtering the dirty water. At the conclusion of this project students observed how NASA filter waters for their astronauts.  

 

Hebrew Heritage

להורים שלום,
השבוע המשכנו לעבוד על זמן עתיד תוך תרגול פעלים במשפטים, במקביל התחלנו יחידה חדשה “על שפת האמת” הבוחנת את ההתנהגות האישית של אנשים לנוכח מצבים שדורשים מהם לקבל החלטות.
בשבוע הבא נערוך מבחן מסכם שיכלול קריאת טקסט ושאלות נלוות, כמו כן הטיית פעלים בזמן עתיד.
סוף שבוע טוב,
אילנה
Judaic Studies
The 7th graders switched from looking at modern denominations of Judaism to studying the 4 main sects of the Second Temple Period: Sadducees; Pharisees; Essenes; and Sikkari. Students were assigned to research the different groups, and then to role play and express their views at our Conference on the Future of Judaism, held via time machine in the year 90 CE. The conference addressed the following question: Now that the Temple has been destroyed, can Judaism continue? Students created presentations to answer this question according to the perspective of their assigned group. We also related to the question more generally: what’s the best way to respond in a time of crisis? Should you preserve the authority structure (like the Sadducees); negotiate and adapt (like the Pharisees); distance yourself from corruption and evil (like the Essenes); or fight back using violence (like the Sikkari)?
To celebrate the conclusion of this challenging unit, 7th graders looked at the coins minted by the Romans to celebrate the destruction of Judea, as well as the coins produced 60 years later during Bar Kochba’s revolt against Rome. 7th graders designed their own coins on paper — and then on cookies!

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