Newsletter #5

Classroom Newsletter Mr. Choquette Sci-8 / SS-8

December 1, 2011 Contact Information: Email: cchoquette@kas.kh.edu.tw

8th graders participating in an oral history listening activity in World History.

Phone: 07-5830112

We are in the midst of the holiday season!

I cannot believe that it is December already; the year has just been flying bye at a feverish pace. I am smiling as I reflect on all of the various projects and activities that we have completed in Science and Social Studies. The 8th graders are a truly great group of students who have learned a lot academically and socially while developing their technological aptitude.

Semester final exams are coming soon! Take a look at the schedule below: Mr. Choquette’s courses: Block B – Sci-8 Block C – SS-8 Block D – SS-8 Block F – US-10 Block G – Sci-8

As always if you have concerns about your student’s performance please don’t hesitate to email me.

Sci-8 Update: Through the Rock Cycle and into Energy Resources Over the last few weeks students have been learning about the Rock Cycle focusing on how rocks are formed, examining the various types of rock to learn what they are like and developing an understanding that the rock the cycle is a never ending process. I am really proud of our students’ hard work and creativity that they poured into their Flex-Projects on the rock cycle and I want to thank the 8th grade parents for their support. Many of the students ventured to their classmates homes or stayed after school to work on their projects. Students created movies, PowerPoints, Prezis, board games, musical performances and more. It was really a celebration of learning and I was truly impressed by many of the students’ projects; it was a lot of fun learning.

We are currently studying Energy Resources and to take the students full circle with regards to method of instruction I am having them complete in-class poster assignments as we did in the first week of the semester. Students are researching various energy sources and exploring the advantages and disadvantages of each energy source as well as the different methods employed to harness the energy and their pros and cons. Students will deliver a brief oral presentation next week.

The final assignment of the semester will a review activity where they will be recalling important learning from the semester and making a brief video

Students working on their Energy Sources poster in Sci-8

clip in class that will help prepare them for their upcoming semester final exam.

SS8 Update: Muhammad’s life and the founding of Islam.

World History students have moved out of Europe and into the Middle East! Since the last newsletter students have learned all about the Byzantine Empire and have now focused their learning on the story of Muhammad’s life and the founding of Islam.

Students most recently have been reflecting on the oral tradition and advantages and disadvantages of an oral history. They completed and activity where they passed a message from one person to another and quickly discovered that usually the message that you start out with is not the message that you end up with. We then listened to a CD recording of the story of Muhammad’s life and learned how to write related words in Arabic.

Students are now working on completing a brochure or newsletter detailing the various concepts, terms, people and events of Chapter 7 and 8, which discusses the Middle East and the birth of Islam. Their rough drafts are due on Wednesday December 7th and we will peer and teacher review them in class. The final drafts of their projects will be due on Monday December 12th and should be printed in color.

Students will be competing a review activity in Social Studies to prepare them for their examination in that class as well.

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Mr. Choquette / Newsletter #5 / December 1, 2011