3/10/23
Upcoming Dates:
There is an early release on Tuesday, March 14th. Students will be dismissed at 1:30 PM.
There is an early release on Thursday, March 23rd. Students will be dismissed at 1:30 PM.
There is no school on Friday, March 24th.
Spring Break- There is no school from Monday, March 27th to Friday, March 31st.
There is no school on Tuesday, April 4th.
There is no school on Friday, April 7th.
There is a half day of school on Friday, April 21st. Students will be dismissed at 11:10 AM.
There is an early release on Tuesday, April 25th. Students will be dismissed at 1:30 PM.
Congratulations!
The Twin Groves Science Olympiad team took 3rd place at Regionals this past weekend!
The team is headed to State on April 22nd at the University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana.
Good luck, TG!
What’s Happening at TG?
6th Grade
Pre-Algebra Survey: Pre-Algebra Survey will continue 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 at 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 continue learning about Algebraic equations, as we move on to equations with two variables. 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.
Language Arts: LA classes have been very busy the past few weeks! Students have all obtained their Book Club books, and had the first Book Club meeting last week. Everyone did a great job! Students are having fun talking in their small groups, discussing engaging, thought-provoking questions that they came up with themselves.
Science: It’s official…we are ⅔ done with this school year and into our 5th unit! This unit is called Natural Hazards and we’ve already started learning a lot about tsunamis. This particular unit also includes analyzing data and graphs. We’ve had some practice with this in an escape room activity! We’ll continue learning more about other hazards as well as diving deep into data!
SS: In social studies, we are beginning our unit on culture by looking into Roman mosaics and other forms of art, mythology, and literature. From there, we will be learning about different philosophies from India, China, Greece, and more. We will see how these cultural elements have helped to shape the civilizations they were a part of and also look at how they have continued to influence future civilizations.
7th Grade
Pre-Algebra - We are beginning the first part of our Geometry unit this week where we will learn how to calculate the circumference and area of circles, surface area, and volume of three-dimensional shapes. This unit will rely on the students’ ability to use the appropriate formulas considering the three-dimensional shape given. Students will also need to use their ability to remember their order of operations and their problem-solving skills.
Bridge to Algebra 1 - Students have been practicing how to apply the properties of exponents to simplify exponential expressions as well as how to evaluate them while following PEMDAS (the order of operations). We will be using these properties we have learned to solve problems of all operations written in scientific notation.
Algebra 1 - Students are in the early stages of learning about all the key features of quadratic functions written in standard form, vertex form, and intercept form and what these key features can tell us about the function. They will also be learning how to use these key features to graph the function. Students will also be practicing using their graphing calculator to find the “zeros” of quadratic functions in real-world problems and to generate quadratic regression equations to make predictions.
Language Arts: Both classes are currently finishing up their final projects for the novels we were reading. Their theme posters are due next week and were assigned as homework, so you should have seen them come home at some point during the week. Next, we will focus on the text structure and central idea targets. Students will read a variety of nonfiction articles, identify the text structure and use that structure to write a central idea statement. We are introducing these skills using old Super Bowl commercials to review text structures and central ideas before we start assessing in a couple of weeks.
Science - In our 5th unit of the year, students have started investigating how the use of palm oil in Halloween candy and shampoos is endangering orangutans and tigers in Indonesia. Students are investigating why we continue to use palm oil knowing it is harmful while simultaneously brainstorming ways to combat this issue. Students are learning about the various stakeholders involved and impacted by both the physical and economic effects of palm oil in our world. Students will soon be participating in a March-Madness-themed catapult design engineering project!
SS: We have completed another great Trimester on Civics… government at the federal, state, and local levels along with informed citizen actions! We are now investigating the growth and development of our new nation coming out of the Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention… key issues and historically significant people, places, documents, and events pertaining to our first Presidents: Washington, Adams, and Jefferson. Did you know that George Washington’s farewell address is just as relevant today as it was back in 1796? We will continue to examine our nation’s growth and westward expansion to include outstanding achievements and unfortunate setbacks as we completed our “Manifest Destiny”. Student curiosity and interest typically remain high during this time of study, once again the inquiry model of teaching and learning proves itself very well as we analyze historical questions and potential sources for reliability and credibility.
8th Grade
Algebra 1: In Algebra 1, we are in the midst of our Graphing and Writing Quadratic Functions unit! This unit is a very important unit of study for Algebra 1 and we have been very impressed with the hard work students are putting forth! The students have been exploring how to graph quadratic functions in factored form, standard form, and vertex form along with identifying key features of parabolas. Next up, we are covering writing equations of quadratic functions when given contextual situations. Please continue to encourage your child to get help and ask questions if needed and utilize IXL/ Khan Academy!
Geometry: In Geometry, we just completed our Trigonometry on Non-Right Triangles unit. We spent the last month working through solving for sides and angles of both right triangles and non-right triangles. The students have become very efficient at identifying the appropriate methods to use when solving for a side or an angle of a triangle especially when working with different applications and contexts. We will be moving into our first of two units on Circles. The students are going to explore equations of circles, central angles, inscribed angles, interior angles, and exterior angles of circles.
Language Arts: As we enter trimester 3, we will be studying the actual Art of Language. We will explore the many ways authors use language in creative and expressive ways to create moods and emotions within their readers. We will explore the use of the author's craft, figurative language, imagery, sensory language, and other literary devices. This will be explored through Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, spoken word poetry, and Novels in Verse. Students will also practice using their own creative voices by writing narratives and later on poems. They will be given many options and models on to base their work. This will take us to the end of the school year.
Science: The start of the new trimester comes with a brand new unit on genetics. This new unit starts out with students noticing and wondering about photos of two cattle, one of whom has significantly more muscle than the other. The students then observe photos of other animals with similar differences in musculature: dogs, fish, rabbits, and mice. Students use videos, photos, data sets, and readings to investigate what causes an animal to get extra-big muscles. They figure out how muscles typically develop as a result of environmental factors such as exercise and diet. Then, students work with cattle pedigrees, including data about chromosomes and proteins, to figure out genetic factors that influence the heavily muscled phenotype and explore selective breeding in cattle. In the second half of the unit, students use what they’ve learned from explaining cattle musculature to help them explain other trait variations they’ve seen. They investigate plant reproduction, including selective breeding and asexual reproduction (in plants and other organisms), and other examples of traits that are influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Students figure out that environmental and genetic factors together play a role in the differences we see among living things.
SS: To better understand the Vietnam War era in America, we are spending the next couple of weeks learning about the Civil Rights Movement that also took place throughout the 1950’s and 60’s. This was truly a time of great divide amongst the citizens of this country. While our story includes racial discrimination and violence, the focus of this unit is to help students understand the Civil Rights leaders and their use of nonviolent protest to bring about positive changes in society. Students will be writing their next argumentative essay soon, where once again they get the opportunity to practice creating a claim statement within an introductory paragraph, as well as crafting an evidence-based “Body” paragraph that supports their sub-claim. Students have made great strides this year in their ability to write argumentative responses! After Spring Break, we will continue our story by moving into the 70s and 80’s, helping students better understand other groups that have historically fought for social justice and return to the Cold War struggle between America and the Soviet Union.
Proof of Dental Exam
Dear Parents/Guardians of District 96 Kindergarteners, 2nd, and 6th Grade Students:
Please note that your child’s completed dental examination is now due, per Illinois school law. The deadline for the dental examination is due no later than May 15 of the current school year. Proof of this required dental examination must have been completed within eighteen months prior to the May 15 deadline.
If you haven’t already done so, please make an appointment with your child’s dentist for a dental examination, have him and/or her complete the required form and return it to your child’s school nurse. This examination can be as old as November 15, 2021.
State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination Form
In the event that you are unable to fulfill this requirement, the state of Illinois does permit a waiver of the examination.
State of Illinois Dental Waiver Form
Dental examination forms, as well as dental waiver forms, can be downloaded from the District’s website.
Thank you for your prompt cooperation.
Student-Led Conferences
Student-Led Spring Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 23rd from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm and Friday, March 24th from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm.
Conferences will be 20 minutes in length for students in grades 1 - 8. Students in kindergarten and early childhood will have 15-minute conferences, and students in Guided, Structured, and ILC classrooms will have 30-minute conferences.
During the conferences, students will be guiding their parents/guardians through a reflective presentation regarding the progress they have made this year as well as areas of strength and growth. After the presentation has concluded students will be able to provide a tour of other learning spaces in the school.
The Meet-the-Teacher sign-up will be open to parents at 5:00 pm on Monday, March 6th, and it will close on Sunday, March 19th at 11:55 pm. After that, you will need to call the school office to schedule a conference.
Please Note: All student-led conferences will be held in person. There will be no remote option for Student-Led Spring Conferences. If you are unable to attend in person, students will be able to share their presentations at home.
Because conferences are student-led, there will be no conferences scheduled or provided between the parent and teacher only.
Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)
Students in grades 3 - 8 take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) each spring. This year the district will be administering the IAR to students from Tuesday, March 7th through Monday, March 13th.
Twin Groves Testing Schedule:
March 10th and 13th- 7:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Make-Ups will take place starting on March 14th.
5Essentials Survey for Parents/Guardians
Beginning January 24 through April 2nd, District 96 invites you to share your thoughts on the inner workings of your child’s school. 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.
As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school. Your participation will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide our improvement. Parent identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
Please visit http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ to begin the parent survey. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or [email protected].
PTO INFO!
Book Fair is March 20th-22nd!!!
We are bringing the book fair back to Twin Groves this March! We need parent volunteers to help out. On Monday, March 20th students will walk through the fair during their ELA period. If you want to see your kid sign up then or if you don’t want to run into them pick a different time. Students will also have the opportunity to shop during their FLEX period on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you have additional time we are looking for additional committee members for the book fair. Hope to see you there! https://twingrovesmspto.membershiptoolkit.com/
Students will have the opportunity to walk through the fair during the day. We recommend setting up at E-Wallet but cash, checks, and credit cards are okay too. Book blurbs and previews will be posted to our Facebook page! Check out https://linktr.ee/twingrovespto to set up an e-wallet.
PTO Fundraiser - Do-Rite Donuts - March 24th
Start spring break on a sweet note! Twin Groves PTO is partnering with Dwell Social to deliver fresh baked amazingly delicious Do Rite donuts to your door on Friday, March 24th. $5 from every sale will be donated back to the PTO. Delivery will be between 6:30 am and 9:30 am on Friday, March 24th.
In addition, we are competing against 7 other Chicagoland schools in a March Madness sales competition. If we are in the top 3 for sales, we will win a bonus donation to our organization. Fresh donuts delivery, $ back to the PTO, and a chance to earn bonus funds…It's WIN, WIN, WIN!!!!!
https://dwellsocial.com/events/9678?utm_campaign=MarchMadnessTwinGroveTeam?utm_medium=Fundraiser&utm_source=Fundraiser
Upcoming Events!!!
March 20th-22nd- Book Fair
March 22nd- Special Lunch
March 23rd- Weiner Takes All Fundraising Day 10:30 AM-8:00 PM
Please click HERE to access the PTO Blog.
Twin Groves Athletics
Please click HERE to access the Twin Groves Athletics site.
This site will be updated frequently.
Daily Announcements
Please see the 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.