The Monarch for Thursday November 29

Tony Dungy and the Colts in prayer.



In Mrs. Bryant’s class...

Sixth grade students are learning about air pollution this week, and will test our most recent rainwater for acidity.
Seventh grade students are learning about osmosis and diffusion. They will be exploring these concepts with a couple of hands on experiments today and Friday.
Eighth grade students are learning about chemical bonding and electron energy levels.
So much of what the students learn during a school year is building upon previously mastered concepts. Please encourage your child to complete their work to the best of their ability each day.
In sixth grade, we use the time between 3:00 and 3:15 each day as a short study hall. If students have questions about their assignments, the teachers are readily accessible at this time.

In Mr. Carlstedt’s class...

The boisterous 6th grade is going South of the Border to Mexico the next week.
The 7th grade has been studying Africa from the Masai to the Boers to Nelson Mandela.
The American Revolution has been the focus point for the 8th grade.
Finally, the 6th and 7th graders are working on a project using Publisher in Technology as they study the aspects of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.


In sports...

The Athletic Committee is having a Chili Cook-off this Sunday in order to raise money to subsidize the cost of uniforms. Come on out and support our athletic Monarchs! Tickets are five dollars each.
Boys basketball and Girls volleyball are in full swing. Can’t wait to see those games.

In Mr. Heneghan’s class...

8th graders are working on their own personal mission statements. This is something we learned about during our “7 Habits for the Highly Effective Teens” training. 8th graders will be sharing these with the whole school at the beginning of the 3rd quarter.
7th graders are reviewing nouns and working on responses to writing.
6th graders are working on responses to writing.
Students are now half way through the quarter, and therefore should be half way or more to their point goal for Accelerated Reader. Check at home to see their progress.


8th graders will begin selling poinsettias this week. The proceeds go towards our gift to the school and our 8th grade trip.

How Much do YOU Read?

These are some excerpts from a recent New York Times article, highlighting a new National Endowment for the Arts study on reading.

Study Links Drop in Test Scores to a Decline in Time Spent Reading

By MOTOKO RICH
Published: November 19, 2007

"Harry Potter, James Patterson and Oprah Winfrey’s book club aside, Americans — particularly young Americans — appear to be reading less for fun, and as that happens, their reading test scores are declining. At the same time, performance in other academic disciplines like math and science is dipping for students whose access to books is limited, and employers are rating workers deficient in basic writing skills."

An interesting quote:
"The new report also looked at data from the workplace, including a survey that showed nearly three-quarters of employers who were polled rated “reading comprehension” as “very important” for workers with two-year college degrees, and nearly 90 percent of employers said so for graduates of four-year colleges. Better reading skills were also correlated with higher income. "


To read more, follow this link to the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/arts/19nea.html?em&ex=1195707600&en=19c57bbd70b9bb6a&ei=5087%0A

Today's Monarch

In Mr. Carlstedt’s class...

• 6th grade: the intrepid sixth grade is moving in the southerly direction of the Western Hemisphere. We recently finished Canada and the US and are examining the geographic, historical, and political aspects south of the Rio Grande and north of Colombia.
• 7th grade: the heat of the Sahara moved the seventh graders into Sub-Saharan Africa.
• 8th grade: the thoughts of the recent political upset in Indy are part of the conversations of the 8th grade as we study taxes imposed by the British.

In Mrs. Groves’s class...

• Tuesday night seventy parents and students enjoyed a delightful evening at Family Math Night. They learned twelve different games to play and were able to take several home with them. Many thanks to the Education Department at Marian College and their students for helping with the event, and to all our parents from FSF and the Sports Committee. They helped prepare and serve the delicious meal and clean up afterwards. Also, thanks to Ms. Bayt and Ms. Clouse for babysitting during the evening. It was an enjoyable, fun-filled, educational evening for all.

In Mrs. Bryant’s class...
• Sixth grade students are discovering which areas in the United States are currently experiencing drought conditions. Students should know what a watershed is, the name of the watershed that serves our community, and be able to tell you where it is located on an Indiana map. We will have a class discussion of ways to conserve water and then the students will create posters as a reminder of what one person can do. Only 1% of all water on the earth is available as fresh water.
• Seventh grade students will be making cell cakes and sharing them with the fifth grade once they all have mastered the cell’s components and the function of each.
• Eighth grade students will have a test Monday over the periodic table of the elements. Tuesday the students played Element Bingo in order to better learn the elements’ symbols. Thursday they received sample test questions online in our computer lab. Please reiterate at home that it is important to review a little each evening.

In Mr. Heneghan’s class...
• All grades completed their compare-contrast essays this week. Look for those to come home next week. How well do they write?
• We’ll be watching a brief video on Study Skills tomorrow. What kind of study skills do you promote at home?

In sports...
• Congratulations to the 7/8 girls on their Semi-final appearance in CYO basketball. Lots of teamwork and hustle out there!
• Can’t wait to see the boys basketball teams go to work in the next month. They have a jamboree at Chatard this weekend. Go Monarchs!

Recess!

High School Parent Night: This Wednesday the 14th

Please join us this Wednesday at 7pm in Mrs. Groves's room. Representatives from the surrounding high schools--Bishop Chatard, Cathedral, Brebeuf, and Providence Cristo Rey--will be there to talk and answer your questions. Your high school students-to-be are encouraged to attend as well.

The Monarch

Bishop Chatard Open House is this Sunday from 12:30-3pm.

In Mrs. Bryant’s class...

Sixth grade students will be studying water, with special attention to what we have seen in the news the last few weeks with regards to the droughts in Louisiana, Tennessee, and other parts of the United States.
Seventh grade students continue to study plant and animal cell structures and will have a test next Monday. Tomorrow, students will be using the microscopes to observe cells. They need to remember to return their lab safety contracts by tomorrow.
Eighth grade students are learning about the periodic table of elements and common uses for some of the less well known elements. Ask your son or daughter what element is used to make solar panels, or which element is used to make computer chips; they should know.

In Mrs. Groves’s class...

Middle School Students compared the statistics from the Colts-Patriots game this past Monday. It certainly would have been more fun had the Colts won Sunday afternoon. We figured passing percentages: Manning -59% , Brady – 65%. Both quarterbacks were well below their pre-game average. We also found the yards per carry for players on both teams. The students seem to really enjoy learning math through our Sports Connections Program.
Please join us Tuesday evening for Math Family Night. Dinner and FSF meeting at 6:00, Math at 7:00 pm. Dinner is $5.00 per person, $15.00 per family. The students will each earn extra credit points for attending.

In Mr. Heneghan’s class...

• See my eclassroom for all sorts of goodies, including slideshows, videos, book lists, hot links, polls, and even this very newsletter!
• We are beginning a review unit in vocab, so all students must have their units 1-3 flashcards at the ready. This is when organization pays off!
• We are now beginning a big writing section in English, so look for your kids to be planning, proofreading, and organizing their writing for homework.

In Service...

We would like to have 6 – 8 7th /8th grade volunteers to help with the Early Education Open House tomorrow night. We will need about 3 young people to help watch the little kids and help with the children’s activity (decorating butterfly cookies). Then we will need 3 – 4 students to help with set up and clean up.
We will start setting up at 4:00 p.m. and we should be done pretty close to 8:00 or shortly thereafter. This will qualify for service hours.

In Sports...

• Both the 56 and the 78 girls basketball teams have moved on to the second round of play in their respective tournaments. Represent us well, girls!
• Boys basketball practices are ongoing. Please see the office for details.

Bishop Chatard Open House

You and your family are cordially invited to attend Chatard's annual Open House.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
12:30-3pm
Official welcome programs will be held at 12:30 and 2:15pm (Tours begin after first program).

Important dates for the Class of 2012
Placement tests-November 17, December 1, and January 12. Tests begin at 8:30am.

Application AND financial aid deadline: January 16

For more information, please contact the admissions office at 251-1451, ext. 2247 or 2242. Via email at admissions@bishopchatard.org

All Saints Day Edition of The Monarch

Jerome Dawn searches through Mr. Heneghan's "Mystery Box" after reaching all three of his AR reading goals.

In English…
6th and 7th graders will finish their novels tomorrow. Both will have a test next Tuesday.
All report cards are past due. If you have not conferenced yet, please call the school office to set up an appointment, 283-1518.
7th and 8th grade parents: there will be a high school night here at SJA on Nov. 14th at 7pm. Bishop Chatard and representatives from the other surrounding private schools will be in attendance.

In Social Studies...
There are a few barristers in the making among the seventh and eighth graders. Classes are participating in the second annual Indiana Middle School Mock Trial. The competition will take place on December 8th. The case involves a paintball injury and the liability of the paintball facility. The characters have some imaginative names:
Izzy Hurt, Plaintiff
Dr. O. Noh, Plaintiff's doctor,
Lee Nonmie, former R.A.G.E. employee
Carey Less, Defendant
Lou Sur, friend of Plaintiff
Pat Turn, paint ball expert

In Math...
In Sports Connections last week we took a look at the batting averages of the Colorado Rockies and the Boston Red Sox. We determined the teams overall average. Rockies, .222; Red Sox, .300. We also discussed whether of not this was indicative of the outcome of the series. There were pros and cons. Hind sight, of course, is 20/20. With the Red Sox sweeping the series 4-0, it seems in this case the batting average of the team was indeed influential in their win.
Next Monday we will be comparing and analyzing some of the stats from the Colts/ Patriots game. One we will figure out will be the passing percentage of the quarterbacks. It should be a very interesting game.

In Spanish...
The majority of the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders have completed their dialogues in front of the class. Some of them have been recorded and will be available for viewing on my blog via the SJOA website in the near future. This week all Spanish students are continuing to learn new vocabulary. They are mainly learning adjectives, as they are learning to describe people. Students enjoyed playing 20 questions and trying to guess famous celebrities using their new Spanish vocabulary. This week students will also be studying/celebrating “El dia de los muertos” (The day of the dead).