Mrs. Brown - 7th Grade Pre-Algebra/Life Science

Visit the TeacherWeb® videos to learn about the features, modifications, and customizations available on your website. Click here to learn more.

5/18/12

See you tonight at Pasta Palooza!!! Thanks to everyone who contributed to our 
Summer Fun basket for the silent auction. It looks great! I am eager to find 
out who the lucky bidder will be for the basket as well as the pool party at 
my house. Good luck in the bidding wars! ;-) Our field trip to Medieval Times 
is almost here. We will leave CAPE by 8:45 a.m. and return by 3:00 on 
Thursday, May 24th. That evening will also be McTeacher Night at the 
McDonald's on Arneil. Please come support our school and watch our teachers 
work to serve you...I'll be blending up some super shakes! See you there from 
5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Lastly, please join us in celebrating all the wonderful 
parents who make our amazing school possible (Yes, that means YOU!)at the 
Volunteer Breakfast on Friday, May 25th at 8:15 in the CCR. <3

5/11/12

Our Family Life unit will be taught the week of 5/14 through 5/18. Topics 
will include body image, puberty in boys and girls, hiv/AIDS, drug and 
alcohol abuse. We will also have an anonymous question and answer session on 
Friday. Students will receive an informational packet each day. I encourage 
you to discuss the issues we address and use the packets to guide you. I hope 
all students feel comfortable and confident with a better understanding of 
accurate material. Our last day of Math Club will be WEDNESDAY, MAY 16th. 
Please be sure to pick up your students at 2:30 after that date.
Last, but not least, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for all the wonderful flowers, 
treats, and other tokens of appreciation. I certainly appreciate feeling so 
appreciated by all of you! ;-)

5/4/12

We survived STAR testing week! We are back to "normal" next week with 
discoveries to make, challenges to overcome and yes, homework asignments to 
complete. ;-) Now is the time to get those last minute Pasta Palooza basket 
donation items turned in. Our "Summer Fun in the Sun" basket will be enjoyed 
by the highest bidder and another lucky CAPE comet will be kicking off their 
summer with a poolside party at Mrs. Brown's house. You'll find information 
about our field trip to Medieval Times in the Wednesday folder. Thanks in 
advance to parents volunteering to drive. This is a fun trip to chaperone!

4/27/12

STAR Testing Week is here! 7th grade will be testing Tuesday through Friday 
in the morning only. Please be sure to have students get plenty of sleep, eat 
a healthy breakfast (no Pop-Tarts!) and arrive to school on time. They have 
worked so hard all year and now is the time to show off how much they've 
learned! Our classtime (when we're not testing) will be spent researching for 
our human anatomy projects. Ask your child about their body system group and 
what their individual question is. The project is due and presentations will 
begin on May 25th. Also, we are currently accepting donations for our class 
Pasta Palooza "Summer Fun in the Sun" theme basket. Thanks to families who 
have already sent in items. :-)

4/20/12

Enjoy the BEAUTIFUL weather this weekend everyone and Happy Earth Day! We 
have reached the halfway point of the 3rd trimester (can you believe it?) and 
progress reports will be sent home in Wednesday folders. Please use this as a 
tool to monitor your child's progress, complete missing assignments and set 
goals for the final stretch of the school year! We are gearing up for STAR 
testing with a packet of released test questions to familiarize students with 
content and format. Students are also starting a research project on our last 
topic in life science: The human body. Ask your child about the body system 
their research group is focusing on and what questions they plan to 
investigate. We will be showcasing their projects at Open House in May. :-)

4/13/12

Happy LUCKY Friday the 13th and welcome back from Spring Break! You may read 
about our classroom current events in this month's edition of the "Brown 
Bulletin" sent home in the Wednesday folder. Please look for information 
regarding our class basket for Pasta Palooza in next week's folder. Thanks in 
advance for your generous contributions.  :-)

3/30/12

Enjoy your SPRING BREAK everyone!!! See you back at school on Tuesday, April 
10th. Be ready for more equations to solve, environmental issues to consider 
and STAR testing preparation to begin when we return. In the meantime, relax 
now - and get ready to give 100% in 10 days... :-)

3/23/12

Thank you supportive parents for taking time to meet for conferences this 
week. Remember, it takes a team effort to monitor your child's progress, help 
them set goals and ensure their success! I encourage ALL students to attend 
Math Club when possible as pre-algebra has transitioned into ALGEBRA and we 
prepare for 8th grade. Mathematical concepts are increasing in complexity and 
making connections are essential in solving multi-step equations. Students 
must complete homework daily to review these skills. Please use those 
textbooks that are to be kept at home as a resource tool to review lessons. I 
have seen great progress in critical thinking and problem solving skills. 
Let's keep it going!... ;-)

3/16/12

TGIF Everyone! Today CAPE had a site validation team observe our school and 
conduct interviews for the California Distinguished School Recognition. Thank 
you to everyone who shared their perspectives on what makes CAPE such an 
amazing place to teach and learn. I am so proud and honored to be part of 
this special community. 
Please remember that Thursday and Friday (3/22 & 3/23) are 11:15 dismissal 
days for parent conferences. Letters were sent home with students for teacher 
requested appointments. In addition, parents may contact Miss Moore or me to 
request a conference. We are also available for walk-in office hours on 
Friday, 3/23 from 1:30-3:30.

3/9/12

Today marks the end of the 2nd trimester!!! Everyone gets a fresh start on 
Tuesday, March 13th. :-) Remember, there is no school on Monday. Please take 
time to reflect on your student's progress and set some goals for the home 
stretch of 7th grade...Report cards will be sent home with students on 
Wednesday, March 21st. Miss Moore and I will contact parents regarding Spring 
conferences. The three-day weekend is a good time to pick up any needed 
school supplies and be ready for success in trimester 3!

3/2/12

Look for the March edition of the "Brown Bulletin" in the 3/7 Wednesday 
folder for the latest events happening in room A-4. Friday, March 9 marks the 
end of the 2nd trimester grading period. Report cards will be sent home with 
students on Wednesday, March 21st. Please remember there is NO SCHOOL on 
Monday, March 12th. Enjoy your 3-day weekend! I am looking forward to seeing 
all of you at Science/Pi Night on 3-14...Amazing, interactive science 
demonstrations, Pi-related math activities, student science fair projects on 
display and pizza & pie to eat! Don't miss it!

2/24/12

Mini-Courses start Friday, March 2 and continue until March 30...looking 
forward to helping out with the computer assembling in room A4. :-) 
Flyers went home this week about our upcoming Family Science/Pi Night on 
Wednesday, March 14th (3.14). Students will also have science fair projects 
on display that evening. Don't miss out on this fun night!!!

2/16/12

Reminder: There is no school on Friday, 2/17 or Monday, 2/20. Enjoy your 4-
day weekend in honor of Presidents Washington and Lincoln. See you back in 
class and ready to learn on Tuesday, 2/21! :-)

2/10/12

Both 7th grade classes had a very powerful and profound experience today at 
the Museum of Tolerance. I was so impressed with the students' maturity, 
sensitivity and respect during our visit. I encourage you to discuss/debrief 
with them over the weekend as they are certain to have questions, thoughts 
and emotions concerning what they heard and saw. We were very fortunate to 
also meet a Holocuast survivor and hear her courageous story. We will 
continue our conversation with the class on Monday...They have learned much 
from history and that is what gives us hope for our future. A quote from the 
museum was "Hope lives when people remember." Thank you again to all our 
parent drivers. We appreciate you and hope you found the museum tour to be an 
unforgettable experience! :-)

2/3/12

Please remember to meet at school by 8:00 in order to get into homeroom 
driving groups for our field trip on 2/10 to the Museum of Tolerance. Parent 
drivers will receive a form listing the students in their vehicle. Please 
complete the form and return by Wednesday. Thanks again to all our drivers. I 
hope you received your child's Mid-Trimester progress report and found it 
helpful in goal setting for the remainder of the year. Please sign and return 
these reports asap. Have a SUPER(bowl) weekend!

1/27/12

We've reached the halfway point of the school year! Mid-trimester progress 
reports will be sent home along with the latest edition of the 'Brown 
Bulletin" in Wednesday folders on Feb. 1st. Please review and sign these 
grade reports. They are a useful tool in monitoring your child's progress and 
setting future goals. Field trip permission forms and payment are now due. 
Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered to drive. :-) We REALLY 
need donations of kleenex and Clorox wipes...these items are used daily and 
are consistently in short supply. Thanks for your help!

1/20/12

Permission forms will be sent hone in Wednesday's folder for our upcoming 
field trip to the Museum of Tolerance coming up on Friday, February 10th. 
Please sign and return with your $10 donation asap. Parent drivers are 
needed. Kindly let me know if you are able to chaperone and have your current 
insurance documentation on file. Reminder: Friday, January 27th is an Early 
Dismissal Day (11:15) for staff development. Ask your student about the 
structures of a flower...our dissection resulted in some surprise 
observations! FYI - we are still in need of kleenex and Clorox wipes...flu 
season is approaching. Thanks for your help! ;-)

1/13/12

Enjoy the 3-day weekend in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.! Here is a quote 
by Dr. King for families to discuss: "Cowardice asks the question-Is it safe? 
Vanity asks the question-Is it popular? Expediency asks the question-Is it 
politic? But, conscience asks the question-Is it right? And there comes a 
time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor popular, nor 
politic; but one must take it BECAUSE it is right." See you on Tuesday, 
January 17th. :-) Mrs. Brown

p.s. Extra boxes of Kleenex and Clorox wipes would be GREATLY appreciated!

1/6/12

Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope you found this month's edition 
of "The Brown Bulletin" in the Wednesday folder helpful in keeping you 
informed of current events. If you haven't seen it yet, look in the bottom of 
your child's backpack or locker. ;-)

12/16/11

Sitting here at my desk buried beneath a mountain of homemade goodies, 
thoughtful presents and generous gift cards, I am reminded of the many 
reasons why I love my job! My appreciation to all of you is beyond 
words...and while the best gifts are the words of gratitude from parents and 
students, I will also certainly enjoy the shopping I plan do thanks to your 
generosity!!! I am so blessed. :-) Happy Holidays to all CAPE families and I 
look forward to seeing you in 2012....after two weeks off to rest and 
rejuvenate!

p.s. Ask your child about their "Holiday Homework." They will be presenting 
an invention idea to the class when we return on Tuesday, January 3rd. Have 
fun with this...no stressing out allowed! ;-)

12/9/11

On this last week before the holiday break, we are busily culminating two 
units of study...Classification is the big idea in both science and math. We 
are classifying living organisms based on shared characteristics and 
classifying geometric figures based on their sides/angles. Our week will 
finish with an extension math/art project on tessellations in the style of 
M.C. Escher. We even explored rotational symmetry with our little buddies as 
we cut out snowflakes! Our class will be buiding gingerbread houses on 
Friday. Students have signed up for an item they'd like to bring to help with 
decorating. Please ask your child about this. Lastly, I look forward to 
seeing you at the Winter Wonderland Dance on Thursday, 12/15 from 5-7 p.m. :-)

12/2/11

Be on the look out for the latest edition of the "Brown Bulletin" in 
Wednesday folders for recent happenings in our classroom. Students have 
started their 2nd trimester electives with 7th graders in either Science Lab 
or Humanities. Class lists have been randomized, so they'll get to see some 
new faces and will be switching to the other elective on Jan. 26th. 
Happy December!

11/18/11

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy your much-deserved break with your
families. I am thankful for all of you and the fun we having learning 
together. See you on Monday, November 28 as we continue into the 2nd 
trimester with multi-dimensional geometry and geologic timelines of life on 
earth... :-) Be ready!!!

11/10/11

Enjoy the three-day weekend with your families and be sure to thank a 
Veteran! Please remember that school will be dismissed at 11:15 next week due 
to parent-teacher conferences. Appointments have been scheduled through 
Thursday. I will be holding open office hours for walk-in appointments on 
Friday, 11/18 from 12:30-3:30. Our classroom is running low on hand sanitizer 
and kleenex-very important as cold and flu season is approaching. We 
appreciate your donations of those items! Be sure to ask your child about 
our "average" 7th grader project. Data has been collected and construction 
begins next week...the official start of the second trimester! ;-)

11/4/11

We survived a week of Halloween, day after too much Hallloween candy, gale 
winds, rain and our first field trip of the school year. Whew! We've all 
earned a weekend! Thank you again to our parent drivers on today's trip to 
see the performance "Luma." I think everyone agreed it was amazing! The 
students were excellent CAPE representatives and I'm looking forward to our 
future excursions. Please remember that the end of the first trimester is 
quickly approaching. Any late/missing assignments must be turned in by 
Thursday, November 10. Report cards will come home on Friday, Nov. 18. There 
is no school on Friday, Nov. 11 (Happy Veteran's Day). Also, conference 
request letters were sent home by both Miss Moore and me for students needing 
a conferences due to academic or behavior concerns. Conferences are scheduled 
for the week of 11/14-11/18 and students will be dismissed at 11:15 all week. 
We will also have walk-in appointments available for parents requesting a 
conference on Friday, Nov.11 from 12:30-3:30. I look forward to our meeting.

10/28/11

Look for the "Brown Bulletin" in this week's Wednesday folder for our 
classroom current events. Our field trip to the science/performing arts 
production of "Luma" is Friday, November 4th. Thanks to our volunteer parent 
drivers...we wouldn't be going without you! We will be leaving CAPE between 
8:30 and 8:45 for the 9:30 show in Thousand Oaks. I'm looking forward to 
seeing students in their costumes on Monday for the parade...Happy Halloween! 
Have fun and be safe trick-or-treating. Save all your chocolate for me! ;-D

10/21/11

We have a special guest visiting our classroom. As a culmination to our 
recent Heredity unit, students will be meeting a genetic counselor. Mrs. 
McKenna will be sharing her profession which combines medical knowledge and 
collecting family history in her job at the Cancer Center in Santa Barbara. 
We look forward to hearing how our classroom lessons exist out in the "real 
world!" Be sure to ask your student about her visit. Next week is Red Ribbon 
Week...dress-up in support of being drug-free! Also, guidelines were sent 
home for Halloween costumes. The parade will take place at 8:45 a.m. on 
10/31. Please remember that CAPE dress code still applies :-)

10/14/11

Please continue to collect those CAPE-A-Thon pledges and return asap. Thank 
you for supporting our amazing school! Permission forms for our first field 
trip were sent home this week. Kindly return the signed forms along with your 
check for $8.50. We still need a few more parent drivers. Please let me know 
if you are able to chaperone and/or need an updated transportation 
authorization form. Student picture re-takes are this Friday, Oct. 21st. Mini-
courses also resume that day. TGIF! :-)

***Admin. would like all CAPE families to take a short survey. Please follow 
this link for directions... http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22DFL4SXAXC

10/7/11

The October edition of the "Brown Bulletin" was sent home in this week's 
Wednesday folder. Please read it for the latest happenings in our classroom 
and reminders about upcoming events. Our first field trip is coming up on 
11/4. Parent drivers will be needed and permission forms will be sent home 
soon. Please also review your child's progress report, sign and return asap. 
Can you believe we're already halfway through the first trimester?! Have a 
TERRIFIC weekend! :-)

p.s. Please remember that Friday, October 14th is an 11:15 dismissal day for 
teacher in-service.

9/30/11

There are LOTS of new living organisms making themselves at home in  our 
classroom. Ask your students about the bacteria we inoculated into petri 
dishes and which had the largest colony. Can you believe we're almost halfway 
through the first trimester? Grades are up to date on Jupiter and I plan to 
send home a progress report by the end of next week. Elective classes will 
also be switching on Thursday, 10/6. School photos were brought home this 
week...Picture re-take/make-up day will be 10/21. Thanks to the parents who 
cheered on our 7th graders at the CAPE-A-Thon! Now it's time to collect those 
pledges and raise funds for our incredible school :-)

9/23/11

Students survived their first chapter test in pre-algebra! :-) Scores have 
been entered into Jupiter and tests will be returned on Monday. Students may 
re-submit corrected problems they may have missed for partial credit if their 
test scores were a "C" or below. Today I explained our upcoming cell model 
project due on October 3rd. Have fun supporting your child in creatively 
representing cellular structures in 3-D. Be sure to also ask them about the 
unicellular organisms we discovered are living in the yogurt we eat! 
Reminder: CAPE-A-Thon is coming up on Friday, September 30th. Come cheer your 
child on as they go through the obstacle course and raise funds for our 
school during their P.E. time. Thanks also to Mr. Pearson and Mr. Ortgies who 
shared the lives of our artist and composer of the month. We appreciate you!

9/16/11

Classes reached the mid-way point in our first math chapter and took a 
quiz. Students should use the quiz to help review for their upcoming Chapter 
1 Test on Thursday, 9/22. The results have been posted on Jupiter. Please be 
sure to login if you have not already done so. Let me know if you are having 
any trouble with the passwords sent to you the first week of school. Parents 
who signed up to drive on field trips need to update their insurance 
information with the office and complete a new transportation authorization 
form. Math club permission forms went home in Wednesday folders. Everyone is 
welcome to join us on Wednesdays from 2:30-3:15 beginning 9/21. Students will 
be receiving information about their first science project: Cell Models! Look 
for more information next week...Happy Friday! :-)

9/9/11

Another successful week in 7th grade has passed. We have been reviewing 4 
types of equations using the "Three Golden Rules of Algebra" - isolating the 
variable, using inverse operations and balancing the equation. Our mid-
chapter 1 quiz will be Thursday, covering lessons 1-6. Students mastered 
their skills of observation using compound microscopes and tested hypotheses 
with the scientific method. Next, we'll be investigating characteristics and  
needs of all living things. If it's alive, we'll be studying it this year!
Reminder: Picture Day is Tuesday, Sep. 13. Bring your smile and photo order :)

9/2/11

The first week of school flew by...ask your student about PHI-The divine
proportion (1.618), "gorques," observations vs. assumptions and how water can
be turned into a magnifying lens! We also had two benchmark assessments to see
where the class is in their mental math and pre-algebra skills. These are used
as a starting baseline to compare with at the end of the year. They will be
amazed at their incredible progress...remember it's a marathon and not a
sprint! :-)It was a pleasure meeting so many of you at Back To School Night.
Thanks to the volunteers that signed-up. I will be in touch with you next week
to schedule classroom help. Parent drivers: Please turn in your updated
transportation form and insurance information to the office. I also appreciate
the letters you wrote to me about your unique middle schooler. We  had a
terrific time together this week and I know it's going to be a fabulous
year!!! Please be sure to login to JupiterGrades if you haven't already and
check this website weekly to keep up with us! Enjoy the three-day weekend. :-)

8/15

Welcome back Middle School Students!

You have reached a new milestone as 7th graders…you are now officially in the
middle of middle school. The experience of transitioning to middle school as a
6th grader is behind you and the expectations of high school preparation are
waiting for you next year as an 8th grader. 7th grade will no doubt be an
exciting year of change and I can’t wait spend it with you! Get ready for
questions, investigations, discoveries…and yes, some challenging work along
the way. Together, we will nurture friendships, set personal goals and
collaborate as a team. Most importantly, we will do this as we support one
another in our community of respected learners. I think the reason I love to
teach so much is that I love to LEARN and I am always amazed how much students
teach me…and how much more there is to learn.

Enjoy the rest of your summer break and I look forward to seeing all of you
very soon…

Love,
Mrs. Brown

Automatically clean input to optimize for the web.

Or, would you like to view and optionally restore one of these previous versions?

Password: Forgot your password?

TeacherWeb.com

Content on this site is the responsibility of the Subscriber. Additional information is available in the TeacherWeb Terms & Conditions

Mrs. Brown - 7th Grade Pre-Algebra/Life Science

Announcements