October 2014
7 Grade News
th
Language Arts
Social Studies
Scholars are finishing up Unit One
activities. A variety of in-class projects
were completed including theme movie
posters/soundtracks and creation of short
stories. Scholars will end the month
analyzing argumentative writing and
demonstrate an understanding of how
authors personally and culturally express
themselves within literature.
This month in 7th grade social studies we
will begin by doing an exciting explorers
project where students get to do a
presentation on the explorer of their
choice. Following our exploration unit we
will begin the world changing unit of
colonization. And, of course, the
Renaissance fair is October 16th where
we get to see some history we discussed
come alive!"
Scholars are finishing up the recognition of
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept.15thOct.15). Thank you to all the ELA scholars
who helped create the bulletin board and
display at the end of B-Hall. Also, special
thanks to all the scholars who shared
cultural information on the morning
announcements.
~ Ms. Humsey, Ms. Powell, and Ms. Ward
~Mr. McCabe
Did you know October is National Bullying
Prevention Month AND Breast Cancer
Awareness Month? Staff and scholars will
recognize both by wearing orange on
Wednesdays and pink on Fridays.
Science
Math
We have just wrapped up our first unit, and
every scholar has taken their unit 1
assessment. Be on the lookout for their
grade in PowerSchool. With the end of our
unit, we will begin our IB assessment, The
Malicious Minimum Wage, very soon.
Students will have to budget their finances
while living on minimum wage. And there
could be unexpected financial obligations
that come their way! Our next unit will be
Expressions and Equations, where our
scholars will get an in-depth look into the
foundations of algebra!
~Ms. Gonzalez, Ms. Taylor, and Mr. Zebracki
7th grade Science is finishing their first unit
this school year: Forces and Motion.
Students had the opportunity to participate
with their recycled car racing against one
another in the JMA bus parking lot. Yes, the
fasted one, won!
Actors representing Duke Energy visited the
school campus with a presentation on
Energy Conservation. The school, staff, and
student body was given the website,
www.xMarkstheKit.org to register for an
energy conservation kit. This taps in
perfectly with their presentation for our
students, for our next unit supporting the
CMS curriculum: Energy.
~Ms. Kohlmeyer and Ms. Puckett
October 2014
7th Grade News
**Message from the Media Center**
Testing Update
Books can be dangerous.
The best ones should be labeled “This could change your life.”
-Helen Exley
The 1stnd round of the Measures of Academic
Parents –Looking to clear out some of those piles of likenew and gently used books that your scholar has
outgrown? Consider donating them to the JMA Library
Media Center; have your scholar drop them off in the
morning at the Media Center. Books appropriate for the
collection will be added, others may be passed on to
classroom libraries.
scholar to share this information with you if
Mark your calendar for the JMA Scholastic Book Fair set
for November 17-21st! Contact Ms. Casorso
@ marthat.casorso@cms.k12.nc.us if you are interested
in volunteering.
Did you know your scholar can check his/her JMA Library
Account online? Go to the JMA Library Media Center
home page, click on Horizon Information Portal (aka, the
library catalog), click on My Account. Scholars can keep
track of the books they have checked out, when the
materials are due, and request a book.
Stop by to check out the Hispanic Heritage Month
display in the LMC featuring biographies, award winning
novels, legends and folktales! Hispanic Heritage Month
was initiated in 1968 to recognize the contributions
made and the important presence of Hispanic and Latino
Americans to the US and celebrate their heritage
and culture.
Progress test took place in September.
Scholars receive their scores from Math and
Language Arts teachers. Please ask your
he/she has not done so yet. The results will
be used to create individual student goals and
support classroom instruction. The next round
of testing will take place in December.
Upcoming School Events
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Oct 14th-31st
Disney Field Trip Deposit & Scholarship
Application Due
Wednesday, Oct 15th
Renaissance Fair Field Trip
Thursday, Oct 16th
1st Quarter Ends
Monday, Oct 27th
Teacher Workday-No School 
~Ms. Casorso, Library Media Specialist
JMA Scholars…
JMA Parents…
JMA Teachers…
We Make A Difference!!
Friday, Oct 31st
Learner Profile of the Month:
“Thinker” & “Knowledgeable”
J.M. Alexander is an IB World School. We
promote the principles of the International
Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IB MYP)
within all of our classrooms.
This month, scholars are engaging in activities
related to the IB Learner Profiles “Thinker” and
“Knowledgeable”. Activities within classes will
allow the scholars to express an understanding of
the profile. Scholars who display this trait will be
nominated by their peers as a Scholar of the Month
for October. The recognized scholars will be
announced at the end of the month.