To assist our students (and their families) with the transition to the 7th grade, we are providing a three-day orientation (August 26th, 27th and 28th) for students and an evening information session (August 27th) for parents/guardians.
The three-day orientation will provide students with an opportunity to tour the building, meet some of their classmates as well as some of our teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators, learn our behavioral and academic expectations and advice on how to be successful O’Bryant students (e.g., organizational and time management skills). Students will receive light refreshments each day and a gift-bag of O’B paraphernalia on the last day of orientation.
The orientation will start each day at 8:30 am and end at 11:30 am. Students must arrange for their own transportation to and from orientation. Signs will be posted to direct students to the appropriate location in the building. Students must bring a three-ring binder (minimum of 1 ½ inches) to orientation.
The information session will provide parents/guardians with an opportunity to meet some of our teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators, an overview of our behavioral and academic expectations, and suggestions on how they can help their children be successful at the O’Bryant, and a chance to ask questions. The information session will be held in the main auditorium and will start at 6:00 pm and end at 8:00 pm.
You should be receiving a letter in the mail this week (August 11th) inviting you to the orientation and information session.
If you do not receive the letter or you have any questions, please e-mail me Dave MacLeod at dmacleod@boston.k12.ma.us (at any time) or call (617) 635-9932 (starting August 18th)
Monday, August 11, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Students Entering the 8th Grade ~ Summer 2008 Reading and Activities
All students entering the 8th grade in the Fall of 2008 must complete the following readings/activities for History, ELA, Science, and Math during the Summer of 2008:
History:
You must read:
Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Patillo Beales (fiction) (test book)
and you must read any one (1) of the following (activity book):
Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave by Virginia Hamilton (fiction)
April Morning by Howard Fast (fiction)
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (fiction)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (fiction)
With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for Women's Right to Vote by Ann Bausum (non-fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 8 history reading (Warriors Don't Cry)in early September. Directions for the choice grade 8 history reading activity assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1766.doc
ELA:
You must read:
Lord of the Flies – Golding (fiction) (test book)
and you must read any one (1) of the following: (book jacket & quotation assignment)
Ryan White: My Own Story – White (non-fiction)
Road to Memphis – Taylor (non-fiction)
Esperanza Rising– Munoz-Ryan (fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 8 ELA reading (Lord of the Flies) in early September. Directions for the choice grade 8 ELA reading book jacket and quotation assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1771.doc
Science:
Students will read the complete Middle School Science Fair Manual. The MSSF Manual can be found at the following link:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=69
Students will also read the following guides, which can be found at:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=98
Student Guide: How to Do a Science Fair Project
A How-To Guide for Students by Students (Powerpoint)
Students will come to school with an idea and potential title for their science fair project. Students should be ready to present their project idea to their teacher, and upon teacher approval, start work on their project immediately.
Math:
To be posted.
History:
You must read:
Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Patillo Beales (fiction) (test book)
and you must read any one (1) of the following (activity book):
Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave by Virginia Hamilton (fiction)
April Morning by Howard Fast (fiction)
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (fiction)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (fiction)
With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for Women's Right to Vote by Ann Bausum (non-fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 8 history reading (Warriors Don't Cry)in early September. Directions for the choice grade 8 history reading activity assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1766.doc
ELA:
You must read:
Lord of the Flies – Golding (fiction) (test book)
and you must read any one (1) of the following: (book jacket & quotation assignment)
Ryan White: My Own Story – White (non-fiction)
Road to Memphis – Taylor (non-fiction)
Esperanza Rising– Munoz-Ryan (fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 8 ELA reading (Lord of the Flies) in early September. Directions for the choice grade 8 ELA reading book jacket and quotation assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1771.doc
Science:
Students will read the complete Middle School Science Fair Manual. The MSSF Manual can be found at the following link:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=69
Students will also read the following guides, which can be found at:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=98
Student Guide: How to Do a Science Fair Project
A How-To Guide for Students by Students (Powerpoint)
Students will come to school with an idea and potential title for their science fair project. Students should be ready to present their project idea to their teacher, and upon teacher approval, start work on their project immediately.
Math:
To be posted.
Students Entering the 7th Grade ~ Summer 2008 Reading and Activities
All students entering the 7th grade in the Fall of 2008 must complete the following readings/activities for History, ELA, Science, and Math during the Summer of 2008:
History:
You must read:
Captain Courageous by Rudyard Kipling (fiction) (test book)
and you must read any one (1) of the following (activity assignment):
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (fiction)
Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez (fiction)
Child of the Owl by Laurence Yep (fiction)
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry (non-fiction)
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton (fiction)
To Be Young In America: Growing Up With The Country, 1776-1940 by Sheila Cole (non-fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 7 history reading (Captain Courageous)in early September. Directions for the choice grade 7 history reading activity assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1766.doc
ELA:
You must read:
The Old Man and the Sea – Hemingway (fiction) (test book)
and you must read one (1) of the following(book jacket and quotation assignment):
Hatchet – Paulsen (fiction)
House on Mango Street – Cisneros (fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 7 ELA reading (The Old Man and the Sea) in early September. Directions for the choice grade 7 ELA reading book jacket and quotation assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1771.doc
Science:
Students will read the complete Middle School Science Fair Manual. The MSSF Manual can be found at the following link:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=69
Students will also read the following guides, which can be found at:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=98
Student Guide: How to Do a Science Fair Project
A How-To Guide for Students by Students (Powerpoint)
Students will come to school with an idea and potential title for their science fair project. Students should be ready to present their project idea to their teacher, and upon teacher approval, start work on their project immediately.
Math:
Dear Incoming O’Bryant 7th Grade Mathematician:
Congratulations on your admittance and your decision to become part of the O’Bryant learning community. We eagerly anticipate your arrival in September and extend to you a summer assignment designed to prepare you for the rigorous curriculum we will explore throughout the school year.
As we are a school grounded in the disciplines of math and science and being that we actively implement technology in our curriculum, you will need to gain access to a computer with Internet access in order to explore the following activities. The two specific websites have been chosen to highlight skills that we expect you to be comfortable with as an incoming 7th grader.
Website #1: National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (at http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html)
Skill: Integer Operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing positive and negative numbers)
Summary: The site homepage is setup as a grid. Select the heading ‘Number and Operations.’ In the page that opens, select and explore the following activities in the order they are given here.
Number Line Arithmetic
Number Line Bounce
Circle 3 Game
Circle 0 Game
Circle 21 Game
Each activity has a comprehensive set of instructions that detail the activity objective and instructions. They are meant to be self-guiding and easy to comprehend.
Website #2: Shodor Education Foundation Project Interactivate (at http://www.shodor.org/interactivate)
Skill: Number and Operations (arithmetic, fraction literacy and order of operations)
Summary: Select the Activities link under the Learners heading on the site homepage. On the next screen, choose the Number and Operations heading then explore the following activities in the order they are given here.
Arithmetic Four
Fraction Four
Order of Operations
Each activity has both a learner and help tab designed to help you navigate the lesson.
While we encourage pure exploration with the websites and any independent activities you may want to try out, you are advised to write brief summaries of all eight assigned activities once you have used them extensively. Consider this summer assignment an introduction to the many independent explorations you will be expected to complete as an O’Bryant student. Your seventh-grade teachers will assess you formally to confirm your understanding once the school year commences.
We again extend our best wishes to you and your family and look forward to a productive school year together
Sincerely,
Mr. Keung
Mr. Hodjat
7th Grade Math Teachers
History:
You must read:
Captain Courageous by Rudyard Kipling (fiction) (test book)
and you must read any one (1) of the following (activity assignment):
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (fiction)
Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez (fiction)
Child of the Owl by Laurence Yep (fiction)
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry (non-fiction)
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton (fiction)
To Be Young In America: Growing Up With The Country, 1776-1940 by Sheila Cole (non-fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 7 history reading (Captain Courageous)in early September. Directions for the choice grade 7 history reading activity assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1766.doc
ELA:
You must read:
The Old Man and the Sea – Hemingway (fiction) (test book)
and you must read one (1) of the following(book jacket and quotation assignment):
Hatchet – Paulsen (fiction)
House on Mango Street – Cisneros (fiction)
There will be a writing prompt on the required grade 7 ELA reading (The Old Man and the Sea) in early September. Directions for the choice grade 7 ELA reading book jacket and quotation assignment may be found at the following website: http://www.obryant.us/files/File1771.doc
Science:
Students will read the complete Middle School Science Fair Manual. The MSSF Manual can be found at the following link:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=69
Students will also read the following guides, which can be found at:
http://massscifair.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=98
Student Guide: How to Do a Science Fair Project
A How-To Guide for Students by Students (Powerpoint)
Students will come to school with an idea and potential title for their science fair project. Students should be ready to present their project idea to their teacher, and upon teacher approval, start work on their project immediately.
Math:
Dear Incoming O’Bryant 7th Grade Mathematician:
Congratulations on your admittance and your decision to become part of the O’Bryant learning community. We eagerly anticipate your arrival in September and extend to you a summer assignment designed to prepare you for the rigorous curriculum we will explore throughout the school year.
As we are a school grounded in the disciplines of math and science and being that we actively implement technology in our curriculum, you will need to gain access to a computer with Internet access in order to explore the following activities. The two specific websites have been chosen to highlight skills that we expect you to be comfortable with as an incoming 7th grader.
Website #1: National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (at http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html)
Skill: Integer Operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing positive and negative numbers)
Summary: The site homepage is setup as a grid. Select the heading ‘Number and Operations.’ In the page that opens, select and explore the following activities in the order they are given here.
Number Line Arithmetic
Number Line Bounce
Circle 3 Game
Circle 0 Game
Circle 21 Game
Each activity has a comprehensive set of instructions that detail the activity objective and instructions. They are meant to be self-guiding and easy to comprehend.
Website #2: Shodor Education Foundation Project Interactivate (at http://www.shodor.org/interactivate)
Skill: Number and Operations (arithmetic, fraction literacy and order of operations)
Summary: Select the Activities link under the Learners heading on the site homepage. On the next screen, choose the Number and Operations heading then explore the following activities in the order they are given here.
Arithmetic Four
Fraction Four
Order of Operations
Each activity has both a learner and help tab designed to help you navigate the lesson.
While we encourage pure exploration with the websites and any independent activities you may want to try out, you are advised to write brief summaries of all eight assigned activities once you have used them extensively. Consider this summer assignment an introduction to the many independent explorations you will be expected to complete as an O’Bryant student. Your seventh-grade teachers will assess you formally to confirm your understanding once the school year commences.
We again extend our best wishes to you and your family and look forward to a productive school year together
Sincerely,
Mr. Keung
Mr. Hodjat
7th Grade Math Teachers
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