Friday, April 12, 2013

Weekly Update 4/12/13


Weekly Update 4/12/13

Social Studies:  Ancient Greece Research Projects
Mr. Juskiewicz, our technology teacher, came in this week to introduce a new program:  iBooks iAuthor.  We are the first classes at Thomas learning to use this new tool.  We each were assigned a different topic.  Some topics are architecture, foods, trade, and Sparta.  We are researching our subject and taking notes on Googledocs.  Next week we will each create our own iBook with lots of interesting information about our topic, along with photos, videos, and quizzes.  When we are all done, our books will be loaded on iPads and we can read and learn from each other. 

Mr. J. showing us how to add an introductory video of ourselves letting our readers know why our topic is interesting to learn about.

Mr. J. is explaining all of the widgets we can add to our iBooks, such as photo galleries, quizzes, and glossary words.

LA:  WEX Response to Non Fiction:  
The Secret of the Yellow Death

In LA this week we started the nonfiction book  The Secret of the Yellow Death. This book is about a scary disease in the late 1700s and all the through the early 1900s. The beginning of the book is kind of graphic and gory, but it really grabs the reader's attention.
"The young man didn't feel well. First, there was a chill: an icy bone-freezing chill in the middle of a warm summer evening. Then there was a terrible crushing headache. His back hurt. His stomach twisted with pain. And then he was hot, boiling hot, with a fever of 104 degrees. His skin turned yellow. The whites of his eyes looked like lemons. Nauseated, he gagged and threw up again and again, spewing streams of vomit black with digested clots of blood across the pillow... Then, five days after that first freezing chill, the young man died: another victim of a terrible disease called yellow fever" (1).  I love how the author uses great details about the young man's death and doesn't just say "He dies," but she lists how he dies and the causes of yellow fever.  I can't wait to read more! -Kayce D


Our first writing prompt:

Kayce wrote that it was important for scientists to determine the cause of yellow fever and try to control the spread because thousands of people were dying every month from yellow fever! And yellow fever lasted for over 100 years, so if thousands of people died in a month, imagine that happening for 100 years every month! That's crazy!  Cassy wrote that it was important to determine the cause of yellow fever because if the population started dying, then there wouldn't be people to become scientists or doctors. If there weren't any doctors or scientists, they wouldn't be able to cure this deadly and terrifying disease.

∑igma Celebrations!
Crosstown Classic Middle School Showdown 
Last Friday the South teachers played the Thomas teachers in a friendly game of basketball at Hersey.  We raised over $4,500 to help a former South student who was paralyzed in an accident and needs his house renovated to be wheelchair accessible.  LOTS of Sigma students had a great time cheering on the Thomas teachers at the game, and we were glad to help with a great cause.

Thomas players with the Showdown trophy!


Tommy the T-Wolf leads the cheers.


Mrs. Dunn showing off her basketball skills



The huge Thomas crowd



The Thomas staff players, including Mr. Kaye on left in a cape


FACS
Michael B. and Trey showing off the great pillow projects that they just finished.

3 comments:

  1. I like the picture with the bean bag dog pile :D I'm sad i missed it :/

    ~Isabel

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice post this week. I like the bean bag picture.Funny.

    -Annie

    ReplyDelete
  3. The blog looks great guys. I like the Thomas showdown pictures.
    -Rocco

    ReplyDelete