2/12/21
TGIF…Twin Groves it’s Friday!
Just a reminder...We have no school on Monday, February 15th.
What’s Happening at Twin Groves?
6th Grade
Language Arts and Language Arts Advanced: In the next couple of weeks there will be another round of Book Clubs! This time, our theme is Adventure. We are sure students will love these books. Meanwhile, students will also continue to work on analyzing the author's craft in nonfiction writing as they discover why authors choose to structure their texts in different ways in order to develop their central ideas.
Science: 6th Grade scientists are in a new unit about the cycles of matter. We are using our knowledge of chemistry to learn about the nitrogen, carbon, and water cycles in terms of chemical reactions! We will learn about photosynthesis and cellular respiration through these chemical processes as well. Science is surely all around us!
SS: In social studies, we will be learning about the foundations of our government through the study of Greece and Rome. By examining the democracy of Athens and the formation of the Roman republic, the students will be able to make connections to how we came to develop our own government here in the United States. Along with this, we will be studying other influential leaders such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Julius Caesar, and Augustus to see how they shaped both the past and present!
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.
IXL - 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.
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.
IXL - 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.
7th Grade
Language Arts and Language Arts Advanced: Students are starting off this month by analyzing Super Bowl commercials. We will spend about a week looking at the central ideas, different text structures and strategies that companies use to convince consumers to buy their products or services. The students will then do a short writing to demonstrate their analysis of various information text articles that provide information about the Super Bowl advertising process.
After the central idea activities, we will begin a short creative writing unit. The students will write a short vignette that shows a character dealing with and overcoming a stressful situation. We will support the creative writing process with informational text articles dealing with how humans react to and deal with stress.
Science: As we move out of our waves unit, students are being introduced to cycles and patterns involving the sun, earth, and moon. Students will be challenged to model and explain why, when we look into the sky, the moon is in different locations from day-to-day and also illuminated in different patterns. Additionally, we will be developing models for eclipses and seasons.
SS: We are winding down our study of the U.S. Constitution and government at the national, state, and local levels and have analyzed the three branches of government, the basic foundations of our system, and the Bill of Rights. We compared, contrasted, and analyzed governments, systems, Constitutions, and rights in the United States and other nations around the world. Soon, we will be investigating our new nation coming out of the Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention along with key issues pertaining to our first Presidents: Washington, Adams, and Jefferson. Did you know that George Washington in his farewell address cautioned three things? These warnings have significant parallels to modern times. As always, our focus is on questioning, argumentation, establishing claims with evidence, evaluating reliable sources, and analysis/support of reasons or ideas.
Bridge to Algebra 1: Students just finished their unit on solving systems of linear equations and we will be moving on to learning about exponents and their properties. There are many rules/properties that the students will have to remember so practice is crucial. It is a good idea to make sure that the students are doing their homework on a daily basis as this is where they will get the most practice.
Algebra 1: Students are gearing up to take the second part of the benchmark for the polynomial and quadratic expressions unit. A lot of time was spent on this foundational unit to prepare them for our next unit when we learn to solve quadratic equations. If students struggled in Unit 6 it is important to revisit the skills because they will need them for Unit 7 and even next year when they move on to Algebra 2.
8th Grade
Language Arts and Language Arts Advanced: In Language Arts Students have been strengthening their analytical skills by analyzing Author’s Craft. Author's Craft is when a writer uses a unique element, technique, or literary device to make their final product more engaging. In informational texts, students will read two articles that disagree on the same topic. Students will then analyze, and form an opinion on which author was more persuasive and why. Students are also wrapping up their first Book Club Unit. They did an outstanding job during these past few weeks and engaged in thoughtful discussions with their small groups.
Science: In February, 8th grade science will be studying genetic engineering and technologies. Students will research gene therapies and genetically modified crops.
SS:In Social Studies, students have concluded learning about World War II, which included them sharing their opinion on whether or not the United States should have dropped the two atomic bombs on Japan. Students wrestled with the morality of such a decision and did a great job having conversations with those that may have a differing perspective. Students have since focused on the liberation of concentration camps by Allied soldiers, as well as the trials that took place to hold Axis power leaders accountable for their “Crimes Against Humanity”.
We have begun our Cold War unit, which will be the umbrella over the next 50 years of content, where students will see the competitive struggle between capitalist and communist nations working to rebuild the world in their image.
Algebra 1: In Algebra 1, we are coming to the end of our Quadratic Functions and Polynomial Expressions unit. This unit will be essential for students to understand, in order to be successful in Algebra 2. Students have been learning operations of polynomials, how to factor using various methods, and different characteristics of quadratic functions. If your child is struggling with this unit, please encourage them to seek help and use outside resources! Our next unit of study will be Quadratic Equations, which builds off of Unit 6.
Algebra 2: In Algebra 2, we are finishing up our exponential and logarithmic functions unit. Students have been responsible for creating exponential and logarithmic equations, understanding that they are inverses of each other, using properties of logs, and graphing logarithmic functions. It has been a successful unit so far! Please remind your student that they should be completing all homework assignments and getting help when needed!
Spring Conferences
Spring Conferences are right around the corner!
The conference dates are Thursday, March 11th from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM and Friday, March 12th from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
Conferences will be held over zoom.
We will be using Meet the Teacher as an electronic sign up for conferences.
The sign up link will be sent out in a separate communication on Friday, February 19th at 7PM.
6th Grade parents will sign up for one, 10 minute time slot with their child’s 3rd period teacher.
7th Grade parents will sign up for one, 10 minute time slot with their child’s 2nd period teacher.
8th Grade parents will sign up for one, 10 minute time slot with their child’s 4th period teacher.
If parents would like, they will also be able to sign up for a conference with their child’s PE, Health, Exploratory, and Spanish Teacher.
Meet The Teacher does not REQUIRE multiple conferences to be made, but it does default to every teacher being checked. Please see the picture below for directions. If you do not want to see a specific teacher, please uncheck the teachers.
Please be on the lookout for the sign up link on Friday, February 19th at 7PM.
Upcoming Material Pick Ups: A reminder will be sent out prior to the pick up dates listed below.
6th grade Book Pick Up AND Science Material Pick Up
There will be a book pick up and science material pick up on Monday, February 22nd through Friday, February 26th from 7:00 AM-3:30 PM.
6th grade remote students in Language Arts will need to pick up their assigned book club novel and Seedfolks. These will be labeled with the student’s name.
Students should also return their book club novel from the fall. There will be a box for returns.
6th grade remote students in Language Arts Advanced will need to pick up their assigned book club novel and The Outsiders. These will be labeled with the student’s name.
Students should also return their book club novel from the fall. There will be a box for returns.
All 6th grade students will also pick up a science kit.
In person students will receive their books and science materials in class.
Pick Up Details and Information:
Students do not need to be present during pick up.
Parents or guardians may send a friend or family member to pick up the materials.
There will be book carts set up and a table outside the main entrance. This is the same entrance as the main office at Twin Groves.
Please wear a mask when picking up materials.
There is no need to enter the building for anything.
7th grade Book Pick Up- A reminder will be sent out prior to the pick up dates.
There will be a book pick up on Monday, March 8th through Friday, March 12th from 7:00 AM-3:30 PM.
7th grade remote students in Language Arts will need to pick up their assigned book club novel and The Outsiders. These will be labeled with the student’s name.
Students should also return their book club novel from the fall/winter. There will be a box for returns.
7th grade remote students in Language Arts Advanced will need to pick up their assigned book club novel and The Book Thief. These will be labeled with the student’s name.
Students should also return their book club novel from the fall/winter. There will be a box for returns.
In person students will receive their books in class.
Pick Up Details and Information:
Students do not need to be present during pick up.
Parents or guardians may send a friend or family member to pick up the materials.
There will be book carts set up outside the main entrance. This is the same entrance as the main office at Twin Groves.
Please wear a mask when picking up materials.
There is no need to enter the building for anything.
6th Grade Dental Forms
Attention parents of 6th Graders. Proof of dental exams for all 6th graders are due by May 15th. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Borzych at 847-821-8946.
NEW: Illinois 5Essentials Survey
Share your thoughts about how your child’s school is doing on the 5Essentials for school success. On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. District 96 will participate in the statewide 2020–21 5Essentials Survey to meet state legislation and the Board’s mandate. District 96 parents may voluntarily participate to complete the survey. (https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/) Please select the Parent Survey and begin.
Beginning in February and through April 2, students and teachers will complete their surveys to help identify strengths and weaknesses in their school’s learning environment. In District 96, students in grades 4–8 will complete their surveys on March 19.
This survey is designed to help school and district leaders better understand the parent/school relationship. All responses are anonymous. Parents are asked to complete a survey for each student attending a Kildeer Countryside District 96 school. The survey will be open through April 2, 2021. Questions? See Frequently Asked Questions (https://impactsurveyshelp.force.com/s/) and/or contact 5Essentials Client Services 866.440.1874.
Obtaining Free Meals
Preorder free meals for in-person students by 6 PM on Thursday for the week ahead. Order at onlineordering.linq.com only for your student's in-person days.
Pick up meal supplies for 5 days for remote students on Wednesdays from 11 AM– 2 PM at Twin Groves or Woodlawn. No preordering needed.
Please direct questions to the public info coordinator [email protected]
Daily Announcements
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 access the Daily Announcements.