WEEKLY BULLETIN: GRADE 8 LEARNING SUPPORT

OCTOBER 14, 2011

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MANILA

This Week in Grade 8

ENGLISH The new English unit will turn its attention to the concept of Transformations. The specic focus will be on protest songs and their ability to impact and transform society. SOCIAL STUDIES Completing their MUN performance task has been the focus this week and everyone has done a fantastic job participating in such a great debate. Next week will be a relaxing week with the focus on Geography, specically the map of the Middle East. Upon return from the holiday, the new unit will begin: Transformations. Specically, it will look at revolutions both historical and current IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER: October 22-Nov. 1 School Holiday Wednesday, Nov. 2 - classes resume

and how governments have been transformed by revolutions.

MATH

Students completed their Basic Skills assessment SCIENCE today and will continue with the Geometry unit Students have been next week. They should working in groups on their continue to learn and performance task this week practice their geometry - looking at a system vocabulary - polygons, lines, dysfunction (disease) and planes, angles. Next up will how it affects the working be learning how to nd the of the human systems. measurement of angles Most classes have within a triangle. completed the project (many did a video) or will nish and present on Monday. Just before the long holiday, we will introduce a new unit: Transformations. This unit will investigate how machines work and types of energy.

UPCOMING ASSESSMENTS & DUE DATES:

IMPORTANT WEBSITES USED IN CORE CLASSES: Google Docs

Strategy Instruction Class

Skill & Strategy Areas of Focus: The Writing Process: - Using editing checklists (COPS, SCOPE) - Vocabulary development - Brainstorming - using templates to organize prior to Study Skills: writing; we are going to introduce and experiment with the program Inspiration (a computer program to assist students in their brainstorming and rough draft writing stages). Test-Taking Strategies: - cue cards to remind them to slow down, check their answers, read all instructions, scanning test to determine areas of ease and difculty Research Strategies: - using templates to organize information - Note-taking strategies: we are using the Cornell method which is the 2 column notes method (main ideas on left side; supporting details on right)
child will be learning, practicin g and implementing throug hout this year! e templates on my class . I will be posting thes strategies that your These are some of th e many

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Note- Taking Strategies
Reading Comprehension: - understanding new vocabulary through context clues

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Study Skills Time Management Self - Advocacy Paragraph Writing Summary Writing Editing Strategies Interactive Reading Learning Styles

you can access them piercec.ism-online.

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