TO: PARENTS / GUARDIANS OF GRADE SEVEN

We will be preparing for our major fundraiser soon after the Thanksgiving break. To create our attractive Origami Christmas cards, I would appreciate any donations of Art materials: left-over gift wrap paper, yarn, ribbon, glue, scotch tape, boxes of small candy canes. Traditionally, the seventh graders sold these cards for $1.00 each and usually this fundraiser has been a great success.
In Social Studies, the seventh graders are working on an African project, in small groups of three-four students. So far, the students forming their own small groups has not been a problem until recently. Therefore, in the very near future, I will be organizing the small groups for projects. If I notice students in a group not being productive with their work, I will need to separate these irresponsible ones and place them in a more responsible group of students.
The requirements are: daily note-taking from resources (books, online data, etc.), folder, drafts of the research report, final typewritten research report (minimum of three pages typewritten), final drafts of sketches and drawings and / or 3-D model(s), final draft of speech for final oral presentation. Grading: productive usage of class time, continued work at home, FINAL RESEARCH REPORT, cooperative group work, FOLDER containing all required papers=80%. The Art: drawings, sketches, posters, 3-D model(s)=20%.
DEADLINE: Monday, December 13th, 2010, ALL COMPLETELY DONE!!!
For the next few weeks, you may not notice your child's Social Studies textbook, BUT there is DEFINITELY Social Studies homework EVERYDAY!
I am very much concerned about a few students thinking that after the first quarter and after Parent-Teacher conferences, they no longer need to work on assignments thus failing exams. Parents/Guardians PLEASE, PLEASE check your child's academic progress online, on Option C, FREQUENTLY. A reminder that you can check daily homework (in my classes, remember, classwork becomes homework due the next day)and grades on Option C. Your child can DEFINITELY help you with this. Again, classwork turns into homework, is announced verbally several times per day, is written on the boards, AND is posted online.
Please continue to teach your child RESPONSIBILITY.