DC

This was an off week as I went on the 7th grade field trip and was gone Thursday and Friday!

In history, we continued to look at the leaders and governments of Axis nations during WWII to better understand why events occurred the way they did. We also learned a strategy to help us answer questions in class and on the English SOL.

It was all about shapes in math as we reviewed quadrilaterals! Mrs. Thomas also was able to teach our math class while Ms. D was gone! I know she had a blast and I bet students enjoyed a different voice in math class.

Other exciting things this week: 

• Ms. Nelson starting a novel in English that connects with our WWII studies.
• Awesome math centers that everyone had fun with! 
• Excitement about what we are learning. 
• Getting closer and closer to free seats in history and math! 

Ms. D's weekend snapshot: 
Here are a few scenes from the DC trip! I will be spending the weekend catching up on sleep for sure!

Arlington National Cemetery. 

Jackie Kennedy's Inauguration Day dress. 

The Rotunda in the Capitol!

One of my favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quotes at the MLK Memorial. 

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

A new perspective from which to view the Washington Monument. 

Korean War Memorial. 

Images of how much biodiversity is in a biocube at the Natural History Museum. 

This was my favorite exhibit I saw this weekend! The photos were stunning! 

Vietnam War Memorial.

Cherry blossoms! My first time seeing them in bloom in DC. 

This sculpture is in the Rotunda Room at the Capitol. It features Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B, Anthony, and Lucretia Mott, all important suffragettes during their time. The last piece is left unfinished to symbolize how much is left to be done in the fight for woman's rights. 

We will be learning about the importance of this air vessel very soon!

The Wright Brothers with da Vinci beside them to show how far we have come! 

"I've got a secret book for my cookies!"

I didn't post last week with the crazy weather and shortened week we had! Hopefully spring has truly sprung and we won't have any more snow days! 

In history this week we finally started WWII (some people have been asking since day one "Are we there yet?!"). To do so we did a fun simulation where I was a candy factory owner this time, as well as a candy shop owner and a banker. We did this simulation to take a look at how someone like Hitler could easily come to power in a desperate economic situation and the differences between him and FDR during the time. I think some students legitimately have trust issues now! 

We also learned a new technique for questioning and conducting research: Question Formulation Technique (QFT)! 

In math, we finished up circles with some centers (I forgot to take pictures because I was running a center) to help solidify our knowledge of circumference. We quickly moved on to area and even learned about sequences with our warm up questions! 

Other exciting things this week! 

• More lost teeth! We are almost to a full set! 
• Mrs. Thomas and Ms. D in the top 5 in the 7th grade bracket challenge pool.
• Jokes, hugs, and laughter!
• Mrs. Cromer visiting and tweeting our Oreo math lesson on the CES page!
• A great day and many compliments in computer lab.
• Students that help each other.
• This secret book!
  

Ms. D's Weekend Snap Shot: 

I took hardly any pictures, but I had a ton of fun!

• Worked at the Blue Ridge
• Saw Beauty and the Beast...twice!
• Monthly singing at church 
• Harry Potter marathons with best friends 
• Sunshine and chacos

Songs, WPA, and Bruce Springsteen

This week in history we focused on wrapping up the Great Depression by analyzing three different songs for their historical components. Links to the songs are below and I will take some pictures of our final collective pictures we drew as we listened to one of the songs. It was kind of like musical chairs, except with drawings and no one gets booted out when the music stops! Students started a picture of something related to the Great Depression and kept drawing until the music stopped. Then they would pass it to someone else who would pick up where they left off so at the end of the song we had a bunch of pictures created by multiple artists! 

Song of the South by Alabama

Dust Bowl Dance by Mumford & Sons 

How Can a Man Stand Such Poor Times and Live by Blind Alfred Reed (a native of Floyd, national recording artist, an artist at the 1927 Bristol Sessions, and this particular song was picked up years later by a guy by the name of Bruce Springsteen).

We also started another PBA where we are assuming the role of WPA workers during the depressoin. This project comes with lots of choice to highlight our learning in a way unique to us. We have photographers, music composers, writers, collage makers, and more! Pictures coming soon as we finish up!

We also wrapped up fraction operations this week and finished out division using KCF (ask your student)! Mrs. Brevard came in to help us out last week and we really put that knowledge to good use!

Other exciting things this week:

Students did a trust and synergy exercise in guidance. They start on chairs and someone pulls them out one by one slowly and everyone must rely on the other to keep the structure from falling!  

 

I attended and presented at the Appalachian Studies Association conference at Virginia Tech and got to check out a photography show in the Armory, which happened to be constructed by the Works Progress Administration! 

Ms. D's weekend snapshot: 

This exhibit was titled Beyond Coal. It highlights what coal removal does to a place and it's people here in Appalachia and as far as Romania. Other features included a tent revival selection and caves and caverns as a tourism source in the Appalachian region. Check it out if you get a chance! 

I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Gipes (middle, greenish gray shirt) a few years ago at Marshall University and hear him speak about his community work in which he brings members together to conduct plays that highlight cultural issues throughout their Kentucky homes. I finally got to attend one of their productions and it was well worth the wait! 

I was intrigued by this dried flower mobile at the Armory!

Theses pups guys came for dinner and hung out for a bit! #cousins

Springing forward never looked better with a 7pm sunset!

Two for One.

I didn't get around to posting last week, so this is a two for one! We have had a great couple weeks full of learning (so much so, we've all forgot about our lack of snow this year and enjoyed the beautiful sunny days instead)!

History has been all about the Great Depression: causes, impacts, solutions. We have looked analyzed political cartoons, photographs, text and much more!

Fun in the stock market game! Some people made money, but most ended up in debt at the end when the market crashed! 

Posing with their money before they lost it! 

A student made this to portray the definition of isolationism in the US. 

Math is still fraction operations, but we threw our fears of fractions out the window weeks ago and have been crushing our fraction work lately. We just learned how to multiply and divide them before we throw it all together this coming week!


Other exciting things the past two weeks: 

Someone turned into an ant on a beautiful sunny day outside for SAC time! 

A successful Winter Carnival and basketball bowl-a-rama!

Warning! We got out early for potentially harmful thunderstorms and someone was a little bit excited! 

4-H Presentations! This one is on how to play the bass drum! 

Making peanut butter rice krispies!

A how-to on drawing Thanos!

Read Across America was this week! Look at these kiddos on wacky/unique style day! 

"Hey Ms. D...are you a hippie?...hipster?...rock star?...Willie Nelson?..."

Fun challenge at our faculty meeting! 

Ms. D's multi-weekend snapshot: 

No wonder my herbs grow sideways. 

Banana bread, cake, strawberry jam, and eggs. #homestead

Saturday morning visitors! 

Nothing beats hearing those cans pop and checking in on the final product!

Sunday 4-wheeler ride! 

My sweet friends Amber and Cody had their baby Finley! 

Look at that cute little face! 

The Lucky Spoon

This week in history we started a poetry project about the 1920s! Students have to describe the 1920s through a collection of five poems! We also started to take a look at the aftermath of the Roaring 20s...the Great Depression.

In math, we began fraction operations. We threw out all our negative thoughts about fractions and replaced them with a promise from myself, "I will not let you fall." We sought understanding this week instead of answers through multiplication models! Boy did we rock them (most of us picked it up on day ONE!).

Other exciting things this week: 

• SCA fun!

• Positive office referrals! 
• More lost teeth (at least 4)!
• Snazzy new haircuts!
• Sunshine and outside SAC!

Harry Potter Pusheen!

Sweet Valentine treats!

The lucky spoon was spotted and available at lunch!

Check vs. Check basketball!

Ms. D's weekend snapshot: 

Sunshine and chaco weather in February!

Meet Phil. Phil decided he wanted to make the journey from the Wills Ridge dumpsters to a new home on the farm. Phil is blind in his left eye and partially in his right. Phil has a cauliflower ear. Phil has a cold and is taking medicine. Phil loves to be rubbed and purrs like crazy. Phil is named after Philocetes from Hercules the Disney movie. Phil likes his new farm life and friends. 

Back deck paper grading. 

Cute decorations at a sweet friend's baby shower. 

Warm weather that brings on lots of eggs!

2.5 mile hikes with your best friends, psuedo-nephew, and Danes.