Computer Education

During morning homeroom you will open www.catchupmath.com and work until the first period bell rings.  There is not to be any conversation between students on catchupmath. This is individual work and all questions need to be taken to Mrs. Gunn.

This 9 weeks begins March 12, 2012 and ends May 25, 2012.

Weather Day #3 April 6, 2012. School closed unless day is used for weather.

Progress reports will be delivered on April 24, 2012.

Spring Break begins March 26-30, 2012.

ARMT+ testing will be April 11-12 and April 16-18, 2012. The seventh grade will also be taking a Science test.

Our 8^th grade students will begin with Cyberbullying and then we will begin Blogging.

Our 7^th grade students will begin with a refresher course in keyboarding, student must master 100% and 20 words per minute (WPM), and then we will begin Blogging.

Our 6th grade students will begin with Keyboarding. To pass each typing test, the student must master 100
% and 10 words per minute (WPM).

Normally, my classes do not have homework.

Unless otherwise noted in class, I will be staying after school on Tues, Wed, and Thurs until 4:30 p.m. for students that need additional time keyboarding.

Elements to be addressed by this initiative:

1. Safe school environments and violence prevention activities

2. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention activities

3. Student behavioral, social, and emotional supports

4. Mental health services

Lessons for the 3rd 9 weeks are as follows for 8th grade:

Lesson 2 – Teenagers Talk

Discuss five areas of adolescent development

Discuss behaviors that can interfere with positive adolescent development

Discuss the ups and downs of being an adolescent

Materials

Workbook page 3

Adult/Kid Sign

Puzzling Questions

Teenager’s Talk Topics

Teacher’s Puzzle Pieces

Lesson 3 – Communication: Look, Listen and Ask

Define verbal and non-verbal communication

Demonstrate verbal and non-verbal communication

Demonstrate the effect of tone of voice on meaning

Differentiate between effective and ineffective communication

Demonstrate effective communication

Materials

Express Yourself Cards

Two envelopes containing colored toothpicks

True Feelings Scripts

Sender’s and Receiver’s Communication Scripts

Lesson 4 – Assert Yourself

Discuss personal responsibility for decision making

Demonstrate effective3 peer pressure resistance

Materials

Workbook page 5

“Who’s Responsible? Scripts

Peer Resistance Scripts

Peer Resistance Role-Plays

Tips for Resisting Peer Pressure with Style Cards

Lesson 5 – Teens and Tough Decisions

Define stress

Recite/list physical symptoms of stress

Differentiate between healthy and unhealthy ways to cope with stress

List a variety of healthy ways to cope with stress

Materials

Workbook page 6

Cue Cards for A Stressful Skit

Physical Signs of Stress

Lesson 6 Tobacco

Describe harmful short and long-term effects of using smokeless tobacco products

Describe harmful short and long-term effects of smoking

Describe harmful short and long-term effects of second-hand smoke

Lesson 7 – Al K. Hol

Describe the harmful short-term effects of alcohol use by a teenager

Demonstrate and discuss the way advertisements portray alcohol as glamorous

Differentiate between alcohol’s reputation as a glamorous party drink and its actual effects

Lesson 8 – Marijuana: The Real Deal

Differentiate between accurate and inaccurate sources of information about drugs

Differentiate between perceived prevalence of marijuana use and actual prevalence

Differentiate between myth and reality regarding marijuana

Describe the harmful short-term and long-term effects marijuana use

Lesson 9 –Kicking a Habit

Demonstrate the difficulty of giving up an activity that has become a part of your life

Define addiction

Demonstrate the stages of addiction, with emphasis on nicotine addiction

Define withdrawal, and discuss withdrawal symptoms

Demonstrate ways to support a friend or relative who is withdrawing from a drug

Lesson 10 – Drug Jeopardy

Describe physical, emotional and mental symptoms of cocaine use

Discuss the effects of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine use

Review information and skills from the Too Good for Drugs seventh grade course

TOO GOOD FOR VIOLENCE

Lesson 1 – Communicating Makes Connections

Discuss the importance of communicating feelings verbally and non-verbally.

List feeling words.

Demonstrate the use of I-messages.

Lesson 2 – Giving Criticism

Demonstrate effective skills for expressing constructive criticism.

Demonstrate making clear requests.

Identify words and phrases that tend to provoke defensive reactions.

Lesson 3 – The ART of Taking Criticism

Recite a model for taking criticism.

Demonstrate effective responses to criticism.

Lesson 4 – Conflict Styles

Identify five conflict styles – competing, giving in, avoiding, compromising and going for win/win.

Discuss conflict style as a personal choice.

Discuss the importance of considering the issue and the relationship when choosing a conflict style.

Discuss the appropriateness of different conflict styles for different situations.

Lesson 5 – Real vs. Reel Violence

Define violence.

Differentiate between media presentations of violence and real violence.

Discuss the real consequences of violence.

7th grade will continue working on their blogs.

Some students are still working on keyboarding. Do not forget that I have workshops after school every Mon-Thurs, 3:00 – 4:30. Pick up at gym door.

FIRST PERIOD ONLY – Research Paper “Technology in the 21st Century”, due Dec 13, 11 and is worth 15 points. Oral reports will begin on Dec 13, 2011 and is worth 100 points. Use MLA format. Typed – 2 pages, double spaced, Times New Roman font, 12 point. Hand-written papers will be 4 pages, double spaced, and printed – no cursive unless approved by me. Three references -Wikipedia WILL NOT be used as a reference. Requirements: a.) Who or what group invented the item? b.) What or original reason for invention – needed or accidental? c.) Why was the item needed? d.) How has the item evolved during your lifetime? e.) How has this item affected you?

Oral Reports will begin on December 13, 2011

All  other 8th grade classes will continue working on their blogs on kidblog.com.

Web site for MLA format

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

The drama class will present a short Christmas play at 6:00p.m. December 13, 2011 and we will have an open house after the play until 8:00p.m. Come by and visit.

There will not be a workshop on December 6, 2011 and December 15, 2011.

FIRST PERIOD ONLY – Research Paper “Technology in the 21st Century”, due Dec 13, 11 and is worth 15 points. Oral reports will begin on Dec 13, 2011 and is worth 100 points. Use MLA format. Typed – 2 pages, double spaced, Times New Roman font, 12 point. Hand-written papers will be 4 pages, double spaced, and printed – no cursive unless approved by me. Three references -Wikipedia WILL NOT be used as a reference. Requirements: a.) Who or what group invented the item? b.) What or original reason for invention – needed or accidental? c.) Why was the item needed? d.) How has the item evolved during your lifetime? e.) How has this item affected you?

All  other 8th grade classes will continue working on their blogs on kidblog.com.