7th Grade GSS Weekly Update

Economics:

• Most of the FutureSmart online lessons have a 5 question pre-assessment, 10 question post-assessment, and 2 reflection question. If students get less than 70% on the quizzes, they will need to redo the lesson so they can get a passing score on the section quiz.

• After we finish these FutureSmart Activities, we will dig deeper with some activities that allow the kids to personalize the concepts they’ve learned.

Recording History:

• The first Recording History assignments are looking great. Some are still coming in or need to be turned in.

• I created an Assignment Guide with the expectations, guidelines, and a few hints and suggestions. It also has a scoring guide included.

The purpose of this assignment is to record what daily life is like during this time of social distancing or isolation and their observations about what’s going on in the world around them.

Zooming!

• While Zooming with class isn't required, it's valuable. Each time we have a class Zoom time, I start with a review of weekly assignments and answer questions. I usually have something fun planned for the rest of the time. Social connection is an important thing for all of us to maintain during this new way of doing things.

• On Monday we'll do a show and tell time for kids to share something: a talent they have, something they have learned while staying in at home, or simply something they want to share with all of us.
  

I've added some comments about my perspective on due dates, especially through the insanity of Remote Learning.

• Regardless of the due date, my goal is for the students to have work turned in at the end of the week it is assigned so that they are caught up and ready for the following week.

• As a parent or guardian, you want to teach your children how to be organized with work and be responsible. I do too. It’s hard to teach those lessons when the students (and we grownups) feel overwhelmed by the work. It’s okay to break it down into bite size pieces.

• I will provide feedback through proficiency scales and comments even when grades aren’t listed

• Communicate with me if you think we need to rearrange assignments or due dates.

Recording History:

• The students’ second entry in their journal/blog/vlog/etc. is due by the end of the day on Thursday, April 16

• They will have another entry due every Thursday during distance learning.

  
  

EverFi Future Smart:

• On Thursday April 9, students should have completed 4 parts of this online unit, Welcome Mayor, Smart Spending, Ways to Pay, and Investing in You.

• By next Thursday, April 16, students should be finishing up all of these FutureSmart Activities.

Homeschooling during coronavirus: How to teach kids about money

Dyson has free experiments to teach your kids engineering

We have a subscription to NEWZBRAIN - an 8-minute current event and civics quiz for each student to play, along with 2 parents/siblings. Compete and compare scores with students from our school and across the country. See information for signing up on This Week: Distance Learning for Gifted Social Studies

I will share information with students on Google Classroom, too. It can be a little complicated getting started, but it’s a lot of fun.

This Week: Distance Learning for Gifted Social Studies

This file has contact information and a weekly overview of what we will be working on. It also has slides from the previous weeks.

Contact:

• You can call or text me at 314-384-9940. I established this new number specifically for communicating when I am not in the school building. I will check it frequently and get back to you within 24 hours.

• My daily office hours are from 12:30-1:30 for immediate support.

• My email hasn’t changed and is always convenient.
  

Catch up on GSS-7: If you would like to review a past weekly update, please go to our webpage to catch up on the archived updates.