MOST RECENT VIDEOS

• 00:11 Reading Groups!

  Students worked in their reading groups this week to find the problem, solution, high point and series of events in a fiction text.

  Uploaded Dec 02, 2022 by LeiAnna Carrasco
• 3:18 Week 13 of 2022-23| 5th-8th Grade Science

  This week's slideshow highlights: 7th graders exploring the role of carbohydrate and protein macromolecules and their subunits in metabolism both outside and inside cells; 6th graders worked in teams to research how "Green Roofs" can be engineered to reduce urban runoff as well as the "Urban Heat Island" phenomenon; 8th grade wrapped up their physics unit with a lab investigating the effects of mass and speed on a vehicle's breaking distance to avoid a collision; 7th graders strengthening their classroom community through spending their "Earned Points" on some cooperative game time; 6th graders watching energy cycle through our classroom Lake Michigan aquatic ecosystem as the larger fish eat some feeder fish just added to the system; and this week's show ends with a JHS Community Building Incentive Trip to Waveland Bowl. 6th-8th Graders were split up into multigrade level teams and had so much FUN bowling together!

  Uploaded Nov 22, 2022 by Gerard Kovach
• 00:12 The Inch Worm Hunt

  This wee kickstarted our new measurement math unit. Students found items in our classroom that were roughly 1 inch long.

  Uploaded Nov 18, 2022 by LeiAnna Carrasco
• 1:38 8th grade buddy project!

  Today we met with our eighth grade buddy, to create a pumpkin that describes all the things that we are thankful for.

  Uploaded Nov 17, 2022
• 1:38
  Uploaded Nov 17, 2022
• 3:24 Week 12 of 2022-23| 5th-8th Grade Science

  This week's slideshow highlights: a rare sighting of "Leroy the Catfish" in our classroom aquatic ecosystem; 7th graders set up a couple of science demonstrations and experiments such as "leaf chromatography" to investigate why leaves turn colors in autumn, as well as "How can Superworms eat and safely biodegrade styrofoam?:;Decatur 5th-8th grade students gearing up for their upcoming First Lego League Tournament by teaching each other coding and showing their creativity through planning their innovation projects; 6th grade was busy this week working in cooperative groups to research the topic of "Greenroofs" and how they help combat climate change, in particular the phenomenon of the "Urban Heat Island Effect"; 5th graders explored why the seasons change by analyzing and interpreting data from a Scientific Simulation of the Earth's tilt combined with its yearly orbit around the sun; 7th graders were excited to break open a box that just arrived that contains a hydroelectric kit that they will assemble and test to see how running water can transfer energy to produce electricity; 7th graders also observed as I dissected aquatic planaria so that they can see how planaria can reproduce asexually through binary fission and regeneration; and last but not least, another sighting of Curtiss, our class pet Bearded Dragon. Thanks for checking in with us this week:)

  Uploaded Nov 12, 2022 by Gerard Kovach
• 00:09 ELA Stations

  1. Independent reading
  2. Organizational Writing
  3. Skill: Vocabulary
  4. Teacher table

  Uploaded Nov 11, 2022 by LeiAnna Carrasco
• 3:26 Week 11 of 2022-23| 5th-8th Grade Science

  This week's slideshow highlights: Students having FUN working in their homeroom teams participating in our annual Oktoberfest community builder; 8th graders exploring Newton's Laws of Motion to explain their observations of observations of colliding objects and relating that to designing safer vehicles; 6th graders sharing their analysis of the Earth's interior; 5th graders explored patterns while analyzing data and interpreting data on how the angle of the sun impacts the amount of daylight at various times of the year; and a special visit to our Science classroom by Ms. Carrasco's first graders as our 7th graders loved showing them around the lab, including show and tell of our class lizard, Curtiss, our Lake Michigan aquatic ecosystem and tadpole tank, and even viewing small aquatic Planaria under our digital microscope; lastly, Ms. Mendoza and I were so proud of our Decatur First Lego League Robotics Team as they participated in a Saturday scrimmage at Whitney Young High School to gear up for our Regional Tournament in December! Thanks for checking in with us this week:)

  Uploaded Nov 06, 2022 by Gerard Kovach
• 00:12 Jr High Oktoberfest!

  The Decatur Jr High participates in an annual competition where homerooms dress as a particular color and play games and solve puzzles with and against one another.

  Uploaded Nov 04, 2022 by Andrew Brennan
• 00:17 Word Families!

  The students did a scoot around the room to build words with word families: -at,-ay, -all, -ake, -eat and -ad.

  Uploaded Nov 04, 2022 by LeiAnna Carrasco