November 12, 2020

HUMANITIES

Recently, 7th graders have been learning about the first contact between European and Indigenous peoples, and analyzing and debating the consequences of the integration of cultures through the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. We will start looking at the origins of American slavery next week.

In Language Arts, we just finished reading George Orwell’s allegorical novel Animal Farm. Next, students will begin writing analytical essays, which will strive to expose a larger significance to Orwell’s work.

Students have been highly engaged in the Presidential Election, have a growing understanding of how our democracy works, and will be better equipped to understand our form of government when we dive into this subject matter later this year.

HEBREW

Science this month continued its exploration of simple machines, energy and momentum. Students conducted experiments using pediums and dropping objects on force metters in order to discover changes in momentum. Students also used their knowledge of simple physics to create paper roller coasters. All these discoveries have allowed for a solid foundation of knowledge in order to start our Shoebox Motion Machine STEAM project. Students have already created blueprints of machines that demonstrate physical motion within a shoebox. Students have designed pinball machines, games, sorting machines, and other interactive machines. This STEAM project has just started the building process and we cannot wait to showcase the final results at our zoom showcase on December 14.

Mike Noll

MATH

The 7th grade has been spending the past few weeks learning about rational numbers. Now they have moved on to Algebra, where they have been exploring algebraic expressions and equations. Next, they will learn about inequalities and ratios.

JUDAIC STUDIES

7th graders completed their study of the first 10 chapters of the book of Numbers/Bmidbar, which describes the Israelite camp’s set up and roles. We discussed our Big Idea — freedom requires rules and organization — and the way this idea is illustrated by the texts we studied in this unit. We are now going to look at how the rabbis thought about community, culminating in a student project to design your own school.

Shabbat shalom!

Jessica