7th Grade December 2025 Newsletter

 

ELA: In Unit 2, students will read the remainder of the novel, A Long Walk to Water, focusing on the commonalities between Salva and Nya in relation to the novel’s theme: how individuals survive in challenging environments. The main characters’ journeys are fraught with challenges imposed by the environment, including the lack of safe drinking water, threats posed by animals, and the constant scarcity of food. Political and social environments also challenge them. As in Unit 1, students will read this literature closely alongside complex informational texts (focusing on background on Sudan and factual accounts of the experiences of refugees from the Second Sudanese Civil War). Unit 2 culminates with a literary analysis essay about the theme of survival. Unit 3 brings students back to a deep exploration of character and point of view: students will combine their research about Sudan with specific quotes from A Long Walk to Water as they craft a two-voice poem, comparing and contrasting the points of view of the two main characters, Salva and Nya. The two-voice poem allows students to use both their analysis of the novel's characters and theme and their research on the experiences of the people of Southern Sudan during the Second Sudanese Civil War.

Math: This month, our class is starting a new unit on equivalent expressions and solving multi-step equations and inequalities. Students will begin by reflecting on what they already know and previewing the skills they’ll be learning. They’ll practice generating equivalent expressions, which helps them see problems in new ways and choose smart strategies for solving them. As we move into multi-step equations and inequalities, students will build on their understanding of one-step equations and learn how to apply the properties of operations to more complex problems. They’ll also explore how negative numbers affect inequalities—especially why the inequality symbol sometimes flips when solving them. By the end of the unit, students will be more confident problem-solvers with a deeper understanding of how equations and inequalities work.

Science: We are still working on the Metabolism Unit; 7th graders are making connections between the body's large-scale, macro-level experiences and the micro-level processes that enable it to function. Students are learning how body systems work together to provide the trillions of cells in the human body with the molecules they need.

Social Studies: We are currently studying the American Revolution.

 

Art: This month, seventh graders will be introduced to the style of Street Art. Students will develop an understanding of the similarities and differences between Graffiti and Street Art.  They will analyze, discuss, and review the works of various Street Art artists. Students will then create their own painting inspired by these. Students will also develop an understanding of how to apply a color scheme to their artwork. Specifically, they will use a monochromatic color scheme in their artwork through various painting strategies. Students are encouraged to bring an old t-shirt or apron to protect their clothing while painting throughout this unit. 

 

Physical Education: During December, we will be finishing up our Goalline Soccer World Cup. Then we will be moving on to flag football. Our flag football unit will feature equipment received from the NFL through a grant written by the Lead-X Physical Education staff. Please remember that students must be prepared to participate in Physical Education class (SNEAKERS/SHORTS OR SWEATPANTS, NO JEANS, CROCS, OR BOOTS). Thank you for your continued support. 

ENL: This month, the students will be working on Unit 2, Getting to Know You. Throughout this unit, students will learn new vocabulary, possessive adjectives, and adjectives, and read realistic fiction and informational texts, as well as learn about contractions, everyday habits, and adverbs. Students will also be building their English Language Development through the topic of exercise and its benefits for brain development. We will listen to, read, discuss, and write our opinions about recess.