Progress Reports and Conferences

Parents, progress reports and the monthly newsletter were sent home with your children today. If you are interested in a more specific report on your students grades, you can access the powerschool grading program at www.spartaschools.org.
Also, there will be an opportunity to discuss this at Student-led Conferences next week on Tuesday Feb.1st and Thursday Feb.3rd from 4:30-7:00. I look forward to seeing you all there!
Please try to help keeping your child on track with their homework. Unfortunately, I have witnessed many grades slipping as a result of lack of homework completion. I really enjoy having your children in class and I would like to see them all become successful!


Mr. Toole
"Children need our presence more than they need our presents"

Chapter 9 Test Rescheduled for Monday

Oh hey.... don't forget that the Chapter 9 Test is rescheduled for this coming Monday, January 24th. Please make sure to study over your long weekend! If needed: An extra copy of the review is available as a link next to this posting.

-Mr. Toole
"Wisdom is the reward you get from a lifetime of listening"

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Today we began our classes by recognizing the awesome influence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Students learned of his fight/influence for equal rights and his focus on serving others for the common good. It was a valuable lesson for us all.

Just a reminder.... there is a test scheduled for Wednesday. Students recieved their test review today in class. The questions were explained and questions were answered. Students are required to complete the reivew for tonight's homework. I will go over the correct answers in class tomorrow and continue to help the kids prepare for the Wednesday's test. Please make sure they are studying for this test.

Thanks for all your support!

Mr. Toole
"There is always room at the top"

Weekend Update

Just want to post a quick note to inform/remind you all about our upcoming Social Studies Chapter 9 Test. It is scheduled for next week Wednesday the 19th. I have posted a link to the review under the "Assignments Copies/Links" section. Students have been doing a great job studying Civics and our Constitution! Feel free to use the online civics investigations for a at home review.

Have a Fantastic Friday and a Wonderful Weekend!

-Mr.Toole
"Success comes in cans...Failure comes in cant's"

Civics/Constitution Online Investigation Day 2

Day #2: Individual Constitution Investigation and Quizzes

During class time, students are only allowed on the listed sites below. Failure to follow this instruction will result in a zero score, loss of computer use and an after-school detention.

Please keep in mind, ALL Interactive Civic Sites are extremely valuable in gathering knowledge about our government for today's class, our unit test review and the future.

Step One: Take time to tour this online and interactive resource .
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/flash/cw.html

Step Two: Read Sections from the Preamble through Amendments 11-27. After each section, take the online quiz found under the quiz menu tab. Good luck and aim for a perfect score on each quiz!
http://www.phschool.com/curriculum_support/interactive_constitution/

Step Three: Explore these valuable online Constitution resources.
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Studying_the_Constitution.aspx
http://ratify.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/

Civics Online Investigation

Students and Parents, this posting is for today's online civics investigation. Students should follow the steps outlined to complete today's classwork. This will also serve as a valuable review for next weeks Constitution/Civics Test.

Interactive Online Civics Investigation
Day One. Investigation and Challenge

Students are only allowed on the listed sites below. Failure to follow this instruction will result in a zero score, loss of computer use and an after-school detention.

Read 3 Branches of Our Government (Found at site below):

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/teacher_lessons/3branches/1.htm

Challenge 1: Compete against the computer or the person next to you. Record scores on the challenge 1 records sheet when finished.

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/teacher_lessons/3branches/3bgovt.htm

Challenge 2: Access the following
Log onto the first link and then open another tab fro the second and 3rd links to find the answers needed.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/constitution_day/activities/index.asp?article=scavenger_ques

http://ratify.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Studying_the_Constitution.aspx


Challenge 3: Try to get all these Constitution Questions answered correctly:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/constitution_day/activities/quiz/index.asp

Any extra time…..explore freely here! Or any of the other sites used today.

http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_index.htm

United States Constitution

Students are actively investigating The United States Constitution.
I anticipate the Chpt.9/Constitution Test to be scheduled for Jan. 19th

All students will receive a current grade update written and signed by me in their planners tomorrow, Jan. 7th. Many students are doing fantastically well and they should be complimented, unfortunately some are not doing so well. Those that are not doing well are invited to stay in with me at lunch tomorrow (Fri) and recieve an extra opportunity to make up some missing work and improve their grade.

A reminder, as shared with parents and students in the beginning of the year, students who have an overall grade less than 70% may complete and turn in missing work for a reduced/late grade.

Just a quick heads up..... No school for students this month Jan. 20th & 21st. Also, Student-led conferences are the first week of February. More details will be posted as the dates approach.

Mr. Toole
"Busyness does not always equal productiveness"