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$Text Box: In Pre-Algebra, students finished both chapter 4 “Factors and Factoring,” and their unit on Decimals and Fractions. They will now be heading into the world of Geometry. Many students enjoy geometry for its art and drawing aspects, while others are just glad to finished with fractions! Math 7 finished their unit on Fractions and will now move into a unit on Decimals. Parents and students are encouraged to visit the Douglass website and click on Departments and then Math. You are able to see practice chapter tests as well as tutorial sites set up for each unit in math. This grading period in Science, we are working on Evolution and Classification. The kids have had a chance to make fossil replicas at home for extra credit, see and handle some cool fossils, learn about Darwin's theory. The students did an internet search on Darwin using the computers. We have learned about Linnaeus and his modern system of classifying living things. We have done some cool labs studying the features of animals and how they are classified using the preserved specimens. We will also be doing an internet search on Linnaeus and his contributions to science. The project for this grading period will be to construct a branching diagram of the animal kingdom that shows the evolutionary relationships between the 9 phyla based on their shared characteristics. Next grading period in Science, we will be covering The History Of Life on Earth, learning about the geologic eras and the creatures that are found in the fossil record. We will construct a time-line of the history of the earth, do an internet search on paleontologist Don Johanson, and learn specifically about the different human ancestors. The students will construct a model or poster of an extinct creature. In seventh grade English this grading period we are preparing for the big STAR writing exam coming up on March 7th. Students are practicing four main domains: narrative, response to literature, persuasive, and summary writing. Students have been using actual released test prompts and using the state grading rubrics. Writing is graded on a scale of one to four, with threes and fours being passing scores. Students have had a lot of in-class instruction, timed writing, and peer rubric grading. Seventh graders have also been asked to do a considerable amount of reading from the literature book independently. We are on the fast-track to eighth grade and students and parents should expect more intensive work as we prepare for the big leap to the year ahead. In the fourth grading period for World History, students learned about life in medieval Europe. Our project for this grading period was a Power Point Presentation on the “Elements of the Middle Ages”. Each student became an expert on a specific element which was a part of the Middle Ages such as Armor, Castles, Language, and Culture. In the Fifth grading period, we will be studying the Renaissance (Europe) and how it has affected World History. The project$

Text Box: for this grading period will be researching a famous personality of the Renaissance. Team Aggie is proud to announce our Award winners for the third grading period and proud of our 30 students who earned Honor Roll for the grading period as well. The following are our Team Aggie Award Winners for the Third Grading Period: Overall Top Gun for Team Aggie: Evie Borchard Top Gun Math: Brody Lance, Evie Borchard, Kyle Grunert, Mariel Alvarez, Tyler Hill, Percilla Alvarez Top Gun Science: Emily Jenkins, Mariel Alvarez, Rebecca Codde, Stephen Delevati, Kajal Sharma, Percilla Alvarez Top Gun English: Nick Villegas, Jacob Zalesky, Kajal Sharma, Tyler Hill, Kyle Grunert, Erika Campos, Taylor Wright Top Gun History: Rebecca Codde, Brenna Speakman, Garrett Quinlan, Mallory Colin, Annie Jenkins, Jacob Zalesky, Adarely Baez Best Effort Award Winners: Benito Garcia, Jeanine Betzer, Nina Cooper, Jose Romero, Rukhsar Akhtar, Kaelyn O’Bryan, Jynessa Ybarra, Alexa McGie, Evie Borchard, Franco Ibarra, Juan Arriaga, Ally Morales, Josh Wells, Alex Gibbons, Jessica Bowers, Gaby Valazquez, Evie Borchard, John Vidales, Percilla Alvarez, Gaby Valazquez, Todd Anderson, Nick O’Leary, Erika Campos, Megan Martinez, Vanessa Gonzalez, Outstanding Homework Award Winners: Jaime Aguirre, Jennifer Salazar, Annie Jenkins, Ian Garske, Bianca Alvarez, Diana Serquen, Derek Macias, Angel Bibriesca, Annie Jenkins, Willie Jenkins, Megan Martinez, Jacob Zalesky, Jacqui Diaz, Kara James, Heidi Halbash, Julian Avalos, Taylor Swanson, Andres Zarate, Alexis McIlvaine, Mallory Colin, Brianna Jeska, Benito Garcia, Monica Gonzalez, Katherine Garvey, Adarely Baez, Jose Romero Most Improved Award Winners: Sarah Coombes, Martin Valencia, Carlos Ortega, Trevor Blaisdell, Bayley Sandy, Thomas Gonzalez, Yosadhira Villalvazo, Yarelia Arauza, Emma Brunson, Jennifer Salazar, Aaron Galvan, Jennifer Easton, Gene Dinger, Cody VanAken, Haley Puget, Ashley Valdepena, Evan Campos, Laura Lopez, Vincent Hutchins, Jacqui Diaz, Beth Beaird, John Vidales, Kayla Pitto, Melissa Savala, Arlene Zamorano, Anthony Hernandez, Maddy Peart

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Douglass Art

Top Guns in Art last grading period were Herlinda Serrano and Armando Ruelas.

The new Douglass "Art Barn" is looking better and better. Wiring was finished last week for our kilns and soon ceramics will be a regular part of our curriculum along with drawing and painting.