Math 7

Math 7 covers all the Math 7 standards. The instructional time is focused on four critical areas: (1) developing understanding of and applying proportional relationships, including percentages; (2) developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations; (3) solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions and working with two- and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume; and (4) drawing inferences about populations based on samples. Students also work towards fluently solving multi-step equations with rational coefficients. Upon completion of this course, students are adequately prepared for Math 8 the following year.

Math 8

Math 8 covers all the Math 8 standards. instructional time is focused on three critical areas: (1) formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association in bivariate data with a linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations; (2) grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships; (3) analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem. Students also work towards fluency with solving simple sets of two equations with two unknowns by inspection. Upon completion of this course, students will be adequately prepared for Algebra 1 in 9th grade.

The 8 Standards of Mathematical Practices

The following list, known as the 8 Standards of Mathematical Practice, are the "habits of mind" that La Paz math students posses. These mathematical practices are married to the content standards and our daily learning objectives.

The 8 Standards Mathematical Practice:

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
4. Model with mathematics
5. Use appropriate tools strategically
6. Attend to precision
7. Look for and make use of structure
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

"The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe ways in which developing student practitioners of the discipline of mathematics increasingly ought to engage with the subject matter as they grow in mathematical maturity and expertise throughout the elementary, middle and high school years."

-Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, page 8

7th Grade

Textbook used: Medieval to Early Modern Times, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2006.

Additional sources are selected by the teachers to enhance the curriculum.

The 7th grade units of study address the year-long inquiry question: How did the distant regions of the World become more interconnected through time?

• Thinking like a Historian
• Islamic World
• West African Civilizations
• China
• Japan
• Europe
• Americas

8th Grade

Textbook used: United States History Independence to 1914, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2006.

Additional sources are selected by the teachers to enhance the curriculum.

The 8th grade units of study address the year-long inquiry question: What does Freedom mean to the Nation's founders and how did it change over time?

• Colonial Era
• Revolutionary Era
• Constitution Unit
• New Nation
• Age of Jackson
• Westward Expansion
• North and South
• Causes of the Civil War
• Civil War
• Reconstruction Unit
• Industrial Revolution

Classroom Expectations

To ensure a productive learning environment, we support and enforce the school-wide positive behavior system in the classroom. Across campus and especially in our classroom, the basic expectations for all students fall into three main categories: Responsibility, Respect, and Readiness. We expect all students to:

• Listen to and follow all directions.
• Bring all required materials to class each day (see material requirements).
• Be seated and ready to begin when the bell rings.
• Listen quietly when the teacher or another student is speaking.
• Participate in class activities in a cooperative and contributive manner.
• Follow the district’s academic code of honor. Cheating/copying will result in a zero for the assignment and an N or U in citizenship. Refer to page 19-20 in the student planner for detailed information.
• Absolutely NO gum on campus!
• Bell to bell, no cell unless a staff member gives permission.

We expect all students to come to school prepared with basic tools for study. The following supplies are necessary to be successful in my classroom:

• Student planner
• Pocket folder for English materials only
• Pencils (sharpened) or mechanical
• Pens (blue/black and red)
• Highlighters (3 or more colors)
• Lined notebook paper
• At Home Reading book
• Earbuds for listening to videos online
• Colored post-it notes
• Scissors, glue stick, and tape
• Hand sanitizer and tissues

We are proud to announce that we have been implementing NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) for the last three years. While we are continuing to strive for the vision of NGSS, all middle schools science units are fully aligned to the new standards. The staff at La Paz believe that NGSS engages and challenges students to be better learners. Walk into any of the science teachers rooms and you will see all dimensions of NGSS in action.

7th Grade

• Earth Moves and Shifts
• Everything's the Matter
• The Real World Wide Web
• Utilizing Resources
• Catastrophic Changes of State

8th Grade

• Gravity in the Universe
• Electric and Magnetic Forces
• Colliding Objects
• Observing Waves on Earth
• Exploring Evidence of Earth's History
• Sources of Genetic Modifications
• Our Impact as Humans

• College ruled spiral notebook (150 pages) Pages must be 8 1/2 x 11
• Pencils and erasers
• set of colored pencils
• small pencil sharpener for colored pencils
• 3 different colored highlighters
• glue stick

Classroom Laboratory Safety

A teacher may remove any student at any time for any behavior that endangers themselves or others.

1. Equipment and chemicals should be used only in the classroom, do not take anything from the classroom.
2. Clean all pieces of equipment after use and return them as directed by teacher.
3. Keep chemicals away from eyes, ears, nose, mouth, clothing and skin.
4. Use chemicals only from clearly marked containers or as indicated by teacher.
5. Measure chemicals at the supply table and take back to your station only the amount you need.
6. Always replace caps, covers and stoppers on chemical containers immediately.
7. Mix chemicals according to instructions only.
8. Wipe up spills immediately.
9. Keep the open end of a test tube pointed away from you and anyone else when heating it.
10. Report any accidents to the teacher immediately.
11. Throw waste materials into proper containers according to teacher instructions.
12. Goggles MUST be worn whenever you are working with chemicals, heating materials, or you could be harmed by flying objects.
13. Wash your hands at the end of each laboratory period.
14. Never heat a sealed container.
15. Students with long hair must tie it back when working with an open flame.
16. Keep aisles and walkways clear of backpacks, binders and papers. All school materials should be placed under the tables.
17. Keep your movement around the room to a minimum. Stay at your lab station or seat unless directed by the teacher.
18. DO NOT SMELL OR TOUCH CHEMICALS UNLESS DIRECTED OTHERWISE. Use the wafting technique to smell chemicals when necessary.
19. STUDENTS SHOULD NEVER BEHAVE IN A MANNER THAT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

Email: Carole Nakatsuka

7th-8th grade

Email: Andee Kridel

Email Deborah Williams

Email Elizabeth Lamparter