Study Skills

Happy New Year 7th Grade!

Quizlet is a fun interactive way to memorize information for school.  I find Quizlet is especially helpful for learning foreign languages, history dates and terms, and vocabulary for all classes.  It is used quite a bit in the Morell home.

Here's a quick overview of what Quizlet is:

You'll all set up your own accounts using your HTS Email... and as always, I'd like you to use the same password you always use in order to be sure you can remember it.

The link to Quizlet can be found here: http://quizlet.com

I'll walk you through how to set up a list of terms...  I thought we should use a list of "100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know"  (with thanks to the folks at American Heritage Dictionary)

adversary	aplomb
apprehensive	aptitude
attentive	banish
barricade	bluff
brackish	brandish
circumference	commotion
concoction	conspicuous
contortion	counter
cunning	debris
defiance	deft
destination	diminish
disdain	dismal
dispel	eavesdrop
egregious	ember
emerge	engross
exasperation	exhilarate
falter	foresight
fragrance	furtive
grueling	gusto
habitation	hasten
headway	ignite
illuminate	impending
imperious	jabber
jargon	jostle
jut	kindle
knoll	luminous
malleable	materialize
meander	meticulous
misgivings	momentum
monotonous	multitude
muster	narrate
obscure	ominous
outlandish	persistent
pertinent	potential
precipice	pristine
pristine	quell
recluse	recuperate
replenish	repugnant
restitution	sabotage
scarcity	scurry
serenity	sociable
somber	specimen
stamina	subside
swagger	swarm
tactic	terse
translucent	uncanny
unsightly	versatile
vigilant	vulnerable
waft	waver
weather	zeal

I would like you to enter at least 20 of these terms, and quiz yourself using the various games and activities.

Online Textbook Resources

The other thing that you should always be aware of are the textbook resources available online.

For example, did you know that your Social Studies textbook has an online link:

Western World - Social Studies Textbook

Spanish Textbook Link

Vocabulary Online Activities

Never stop searching... and finish your Noodletools project

The Google Zeitgeist 2012: Year in Review has been released, and Mrs. Morell so loves it that she needs to share it with you...



Some of the images are on the screen for such a short amount of time that you may need to watch it a few times to see what you remember from the year...

Next, I would like you to finish your Noodletools project.  we will give you a rubric for you to see what you need to complete of your notecards.

The Noodletools link is here: http://noodletools.com

And, I'd like you to cite one online source, so let's use the National Geographic website as an example:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/


When you finish, hand in your sheet, and you may have some free time.  One suggested link is watching some Christmas videos on this site:

http://www.literacyshed.com/the-christmas-shed.html

This is the last class before the break - Merry Christmas!

Ms. Sileo and Mrs. Morell

Noodletools

We're not sure you all have had the chance to use Noodletools, so we wanted you to do a quick research project to practice using this wonderful research tool.

Each one of you will choose the name of a North African or Middle Eastern country from the selection of books Mrs. Bland has collected.

You will need open Noodletools: http://www.noodletools.com/

Either login using your existing account, or we'll walk you through setting up an account.

You will then need to create a new project.  Please title it the name of your country.

Then share the project with your teachers - "7th Grade Country Project"

We would like you to create a notecard, then try to answer as many of the following questions from the list below from your book.

Then, try to answer any remaining questions from one of the online Encyclopedias from the library webpage.

Then, use one of the following websites to answer any remaining questions.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/

http://kids.yahoo.com/reference/world-factbook

Try to answer some of the questions from each of the resources, because we would like you to create a three-item bibliography - one book, one online encyclopedia, and one website.

Information for notecard:
Country
Which continent is it on?
What is the capital city?
What language is spoken in this country?
What currency (or type of money) is used here?
What is the weather in your country?
What is the population of this country?
What are the major religions about this country?
Name two interesting facts about your country:
Name of the city or site you would like to visit in your country, and why:

Scavenger Hunt: Election Edition

Over the next several weeks, we will talk about credible web-based resources for Internet research. As I started to plan today's introduction to the unit, I came across a number of great resources, so I turned them into a Scavenger Hunt for information about the Election.
.
Please be sure to fill out the worksheet I give you with complete answers! Have fun!
 

Watch the mini-bio of Mitt Romney, and tell me three facts you didn’t know before you watched this:
Biography.com link to Romney Mini-bio

Watch the mini-bio of Barack Obama, and tell me three facts you didn’t know before your watched this:
Biography.com link to Obama

Why do Americans vote on Tuesdays?
Ted Ed video

How many electoral college votes are needed to win the US Presidential election?
Common Craft video

According to Real Clear Politics, how many electoral college delegates does Virginia have? Maryland? The District Colombia?
Real Clear Politics

If you were able to drive to President Obama’s hometown of Chicago, use the "Maps" section of Google and find out how far away it is FROM OUR SCHOOL.
(The address of the school is: 1325 36^th Street, NW, Washington DC)https://maps.google.com/

What is the weather like today in Mitt Romney’s hometown of Belmont Massachusetts?
http://www.weather.com/

Which cookie would get your vote – Ann Romney’s or Michelle Obama’s ?
Cookie link

Today, we will finish our Prezis

Today, we will finish our Prezis.   Ms. Sileo will be in charge while Mrs. Morell is away.

Please focus and try to get it done today, or else it will be homework, due before next class.

Be sure to consult the rubric on last week's blog to make sure you have every element in place before you are finished.

When you are certain it is complete, please Email it to Mrs. Morell on mbmorell@htsdc.org.  (By clicking on the link that looks like this (use the envelope icon to Email):

If you are finished with your Prezi, you may make a choice from the following menu:

• Work on your Math skils using Mathletics
• Build your vocabulary using FreeRice
• Try to name all the countries of the world on Sporcle (but only this challenge)
• Or catch up on current events by exploring the New York Times Learning blog. (and wow your family at the dinner table with your new knowledge)

No you may not play CoolMath4Kids this week :)

I'll miss you - see you next week,

Mrs. Morell

Today, we'll finish our Prezis

Happy Tuesday 7th Grade,

Today,  please finish the Prezi that you started last week.

When you are finished, please share it with Ms. Sileo and I via Email.

The rubric for the project follows, so be sure to check to make sure you have all the necessary elements of the project.

Prezis!

Each one of the 8 elements of the Tech Agreement Slide has been used	16 points
Spelling and grammar are correct	5 points
At least 3 images have been included in your Prezi	3 points
The paths of your Prezi work	3 points
Your design is creative and interesting	3 points
The project is shared with Ms. Sileo and Mrs. Morell	5 points
Total		35 points
Possible extra credit for amazing uses of Prezi	3 points

If you are looking for more inspiration, some of the 6th graders discovered this Prezi example yesterday, which is pretty amazing:

A prezi for David Byrne amongst others on Prezi

If you finish before class is finished, you may work out your brain using either Mathletics or FreeRice.

Prezi!

Today, we'd like to introduce you to a new online presentation tool, called Prezi.  I used Prezi for the presentation on Digital Citizenship last week.  Eventually, Prezi will be one of the options for a Digital Citzenship project.

Prezi is completely amazing.  We'll start by sharing with a few examples from the Prezi website:

Free falling through Prezi on Prezi

Presentation On Presentations on Prezi
 

The magical theory of relativity on Prezi


Let's get started by watching this tutorial:

We would like you to try to create your own Prezi today...

First sign up for a free Prezi account using your school Email.

We'd like you to each try to create a Prezi about the school network rules, which follow:

 

When you are finished, please share your Prezi with Ms. Sileo and I.