1/31/20
TGIF… Twin Groves it’s Friday!
In an effort to spread positivity, Twin Groves uses our 5 Traits to recognize exemplars of the following qualities: Responsible, Accountable, Respectful, Safe, and a Community. In addition to the 5 Traits, we are also recognizing students for being an Upstander.
As part of this focus, the Twin Groves Staff would like to recognize and reward students who consistently demonstrate these qualities each month. For this month’s recognitions, we are pleased to announce that the following students have been selected for displaying these characteristics.
Lorenzo Bertoldo
Eli Haskell
Elliott Haskell
Hazel Kim
Lina Kim
Megan Lev
Jakub Zwolenik
What’s Happening at TG?
6th Grade
Best wishes for a successful, healthy, and happy year in 2020! We’re returning to school refreshed and ready to pursue our 6th grade goals. As we start a new year, please check school supplies for adequate paper, new folders or notebooks, pencils, and pens. We also want to take a moment to thank each and every parent - the sweet treats, the many gift cards, and lovely notes surely make us feel special.
Language Arts/Language Arts Advanced:
Students have been working hard on comparing and contrasting two texts and how the author’s presentation of information affects the reader’s understanding of the event. For example, what kind of information can the reader get from a memoir that they can’t get from a biography? Next we are returning to narrative writing, and this time students will be writing a story about an event or moment in their life from which they learned a lesson.
Pre Algebra Survey:
Pre-Algebra Survey will complete their unit on expressions this month. We will be working extensively with the properties of mathematics to combine like terms and simplify expressions. It is exciting to see the students at every level apply themselves to learning difficult targets. Last month we asked you to encourage modeling with mathematics at home. We have seen such impressive modeling in all three levels! This month, we’d like to focus on constructing arguments and being able to understand others. It is always very important in math to be able to explain why something makes sense, why a strategy is valid, how an answer was obtained, or why one choice is better than another. It is equally important to be able to understand others’ viewpoints in order to critique or expand upon them. The ability to have this type of mathematical discussion is a great indicator of true understanding. Feel free to ask your children how they solved a problem or why their answer makes sense. We ask the students these questions all of the time and it’s very impressive to hear their answers!
The students have access to these apps that they should be using regularly:
Math Facts Ninja - For students who need extra practice with their math facts.
Knowre - This app covers topics in line with the Common Core Curriculum which the students are covering this year. This program is designed to develop critical thinking skills. Each class has expectations for completing lessons in Knowre each week, and students are welcome to work ahead and extend their learning.
Pre Algebra:
Pre-Algebra will complete the current unit on equations. The month will end with a study of inequalities and the unit benchmark. It is exciting to see the students at every level apply themselves to learning difficult targets. Last month we asked you to encourage modeling with mathematics at home. We have seen such impressive modeling in all three levels! This month, we’d like to focus on constructing arguments and being able to understand others. It is always very important in math to be able to explain why something makes sense, why a strategy is valid, how an answer was obtained, or why one choice is better than another. It is equally important to be able to understand others’ viewpoints in order to critique or expand upon them. The ability to have this type of mathematical discussion is a great indicator of true understanding. Feel free to ask your children how they solved a problem or why their answer makes sense. We ask the students these questions all of the time and it’s very impressive to hear their answers!
The students have access to these apps that they should be using regularly:
Math Facts Ninja - For students who need extra practice with their math facts.
Knowre - This app covers topics in line with the Common Core Curriculum which the students are covering this year. This program is designed to develop critical thinking skills. Each class has expectations for completing lessons in Knowre each week, and students are welcome to work ahead and extend their learning.
SS: In social studies this month, we are continuing our study of the Ancient Greek city-states by focusing on the formation of democracy in Athens and the powerful military strength of Sparta. We will be looking at the different types of government throughout Ancient Greece that led up to democracy and examining how it impacts us today. Students will also explore the Greek philosophers and their teachings, along with learning about Alexander the Great and the decline of the civilization. Moving on from Greece, we will be learning about the Romans and what made them such a powerful and long lasting civilization.
Science: In Science, we’re wrapping up our last two targets in Chemistry… the law of conservation of mass and distinguishing between endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions. Scientists will take part in numerous law of conservation of mass activities to demonstrate this scientific law and determine which type of chemical reaction takes place.
7th Grade
Language Arts:
Students in Language Arts have been working hard examining informational articles to determine how authors develop and present key information by emphasizing different evidence or different interpretations of facts. Next on the agenda: S.E. Hinton’s young adult classic, “The Outsiders.”
Language Arts Advanced:
Students are hard at work within their dystopian fiction book clubs leading to deep and engaging conversation! Your student, as always, should be reading at home every day for at least 20 minutes, and if he/she reads on this schedule, there should be no problem meeting this requirement. They are excited to begin writing their own narrative based on dystopian elements.
Bridge to Algebra 1:
We are right in the middle of Unit 5: Congruence and Similarity, where kids are learning about transformations of figures, how to determine if figures are similar, and dilating figures by a scale factor. In our next half of the unit we will focus on finding angle measures using parallel lines and even find missing interior and exterior angles of triangles.
Algebra 1:
We are finishing up our unit on exponential functions and will begin to introduce students to operations with polynomials and quadratic functions. We will also learn how to factor polynomials. We will learn the different key features of quadratic functions in order to help us graph. These skills are the foundation for the unit that follows, solving quadratic equations.
SS:
“What Historians Do” Historians research, analyze, interpret, and write/communicate/speak about the past by studying a variety of historical documents, sources, and artifacts. In class, we tackle issues and topics often controversial or debatable, then read and gather relevant information and evidence on both sides, and then communicate and share opinions and thoughts. This is the basis of our historical questions, questioning, and inquiry: Essential Questions and Focusing Questions. It’s a pretty straightforward approach to write and communicate beginning with an introduction and claim statement (opinion/stance). Then analysis and explanation with cited evidence (argument/why). A key component of this is the evaluation of the credibility/reliability of sources since there is an abundance of questionable sources available these days. We close with a conclusion containing a review of claim/introduction, information presented, and final closure. What’s the take away? What’s significant? Can we take action? How cool is it to be encouraged and empowered to have your own opinion and thoughts on historical events, issues, and topics! In regards to current content, we continue to examine aspects, components, and concepts of the Constitution in addition to civics/citizenship, and government at the national, state, and local levels.
Science:
In science we just finished our geoscience unit where we examined the processes that have changed Earth’s surface over varying time and spatial scales. Students provided evidence that supports how these formations were created as well as how they continue to reshape our Earth. In an opportunity to extend their thinking students were challenged to think of ways human activity has impacted the time and spatial scale of various geoscience processes, and how it will continue to impact Earth’s surface over time.
In our newest unit students will be investigating how waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials. With both sound and light waves students will explore what happens as they interact with different materials and mediums. We will have opportunities for constructing lazer relays and competing to create the classroom’s loudest speaker design in our Rockit build challenge!
8th Grade
Language Arts and Advanced Language Arts:
We continue to work on analyzing Author’s Craft in Language Arts in both fiction and informational texts. Students have been reading a variety of short stories and annotating the structures and strategies authors have used to create changes in mood, characters, and plot. We will be focusing on biases in informational texts and determining the effectiveness of arguments based on which techniques authors have used to structure their articles.
Algebra 1:
In Algebra 1, we will be finalizing our Laws of Exponents and Exponential Functions unit. The students have learned about properties of exponents along with graphing exponential equations and interpretation problems. We will then be starting their polynomial expressions and quadratic functions unit. This unit is going to be essential for the students to understand in order to be successful in Algebra 2. Students will be learning operations of polynomials, how to factor using various methods, and different characteristics of quadratic functions.
Algebra 2:
In Algebra 2, students will be working through the sequences and series unit. The students will be able to identify the difference between arithmetic and geometric sequences, find the sum of these series, and solve application type problems.
SS:
In eighth grade social studies, students are learning about life after World War II. Tension between the United States and the Soviet Union was high as both countries tried to hold onto their Super Power status and the Cold War began. New technology will bring about positive and negative changes within the United States and for the world. Students will discover the causes of the Cold War, investigate the Forgotten War, explore the impact of the Red Scare, and decide whether they would have dodged the draft during the Vietnam War.
Science:
In February, 8th grade science will be studying genetic engineering and technologies. Students will research gene therapies and genetically modified crops. They will end the unit on a bright note by participating in a bacterial transformation using the pGLO gene.
Regarding the Coronavirus: Info and Guidance for Schools
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued this information and guidance–including Frequently Asked Questions regarding the coronavirus–for families whose students attend Illinois Kdg–Grade 12 schools.
The info includes this related link to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, which is frequently updated.
The IDPH continues to advise that the best way to prevent infection by this virus is similar to the precautions recommended to avoid the seasonal flu, including frequent hand washing.
KCSD96 Offers a Dual Language Opportunity
Parents are invited to consider the Dual Language Program for their incoming Willow Grove kindergartner. The program’s purpose is to give children the opportunity to develop a deep academic proficiency in two languages. Fifty percent of the academic day instruction is delivered in Spanish and 50 percent in English. Following their kindergarten year at Willow Grove, Dual Language participants continue at Country Meadows for Grades 2–5 and transition to Woodlawn for Grades 6–8.
To be included in the public lottery that will be used to select the 2020–21 Dual Language kindergarten class, an Interest Form (ENGLISH or SPANISH) is due to the Willow Grove Early Learning Center office by 3:00 p.m. on March 18th.
LEARN MORE about the KCSD96 Dual Language program and attend a Parent Education Evening on February 12th or March 16th at 6:30 p.m. at Willow Grove Early Learning Center to hear a presentation from District faculty/administrators and ask questions.
Daily Announcements
The Daily Announcements will be posted each weekday morning. Please see Twin Groves website for up to date school announcements. The announcements let you know what exciting activities and clubs are going on at Twin Groves. Please click HERE to read and access the Daily Announcements.
PTO
Upcoming Events:
2/19- Dessert Day
2/26- Special Lunch
3/11- Dessert Day
3/18- Special Lunch
4/22- Dessert Day
4/29- Special Lunch
5/6- Dessert Day
5/13- Special Lunch
Please click HERE to access Membership Toolkit. All items for sale from the PTO will be available on this website.