Summer 2023: Weeks 5 & 6 Class Highlights

Welcome to our Summer 2023: Weeks 5 & 6 Highlights!

During week 5 & 6 of summer, many students hit major milestones while truly transforming into top performers! Read below to get up-to-date information on your child’s summer courses.

Section 1: Weeks 5 & 6 Highlights

#1. Many test prep students started closing in or hitting their target scores

#2. HS honor students at this point have covered 50% of the curriculum they will encounter in their upcoming school year or more!

#3. Teachers pushed students to keep their momentum going during these last few weeks

Test Prep: Milestones & Achievements

SAT 1500 Advanced: Sohan C. has scored a perfect 1600 twice and Krish T. has scored a perfect 1600 three times. Way to go, Sohan and Krish!

SAT 1400 & 1500: Students have taken 16 tests by the end of Week 6. Some students have made so much progress in their 1400 class that they have moved up to 1500 mid-semester. 

SAT Foundation: Students practiced time management tactics for the reading section of the SAT. 

SAT Core: Students have been working on pronouns, illogical comparisons, parallelism, and modifiers for the last two weeks. 

Exam Prep 8: Students took their 2nd test in Week 5. One class improved their percentile rating in reading and verbal by 15 to 35 percent. For Exam 8 English, students incorporated essay instruction into their last two weeks, focusing on the introduction and body paragraphs initially. 

SSAT/ISEE 8: The students have solved upwards of 200 problems in class now, with a similar number on the practice tests that they do. Students have learned concepts like Geometry, Number Theory and Algebraic Expressions. We are learning specific strategies on how to manage time on the math sections. In the most recent class, 5 out 8 students got the maximum score on at least one of the math sections of the practice ISEE.

High School Honors & AP Course Prep | Topics Covered

AP Calculus AB:

• Midterm + Review
• Analytical Applications of Differential
• Integration

 
AP Biology

• Osmoregulation/Tonicity
• Enzymes

 
AP Chemistry

• Solutions
• Redox reactions
• Colligative properties

 
Honors Algebra II:

• Learning about Logarithms
• Radicals
• Exponential Functions

 
Honors Analysis I:

• Factoring
• Descartes’ Rules
• Logs and Natural Logs

 
Honors Biology:

• Photosynthesis
• Cellular Respiration
• Cell Reproduction

 
Honors Chemistry:

• Lewis Dot Structures
• Stoichiometry

 
Honors Geometry:

• Learning about quadrilaterals
• Congruent triangles
• Similar polygons

 
Honors Pre-Calculus:

• Sum and Difference Formulas
• Multiple-Angle and Product-to-Sum Formulas
• Laws of Sines and Cosines

 
Honors Physics:

• Friction and Inclined Planes
• Tension and Pulleys

MEK Learning Circles: Milestones & Achievements

Critical Reading Circles: By the end of week 6, students have written 11 essays. We have reviewed strategies to answer various questions types such as basic fact, main idea, and vocabulary in context questions. They have learned about various literary techniques such as foreshadowing, irony, point of view, and figurative language types. Overall, they are writing stronger literary analysis essays where the introduction discusses literary elements, the body paragraphs have strong analysis, and the conclusion makes an effective connection or extension.

Writing Circles: By the end of week 6, students have written 11 essays. There are no more revision days, but they practice revision skills in class by looking at student samples and pinpoint what is effective in each paragraph. They also peer-edit peer sample essays to discuss strategies to improve. They have completed 6 grammar lessons. At this point, they are familiar with all types of writing: Expository, Persuasive, Descriptive, and Narrative. They have made great strides in writing stronger introductions and conclusions as well as elaborating on body paragraph details. For 8th grade, they have learned proper MLA formatting and written 4 persuasive research essays with cited sources.

Operations & Number-Sense Circles: In weeks 5 and 6, students learned about Rational Numbers, Coordinate Planes, Absolute Value, Exponents & Order of Operations, and Algebraic expressions

Problem-Solving Math Circles: During weeks 5 and 6, students worked on fraction Operations (Multiplication and Division), translating Algebraic Expressions, converting between Fractional and Decimal Units, and adding/subtracting numbers with multiple units.

Non-fiction Reading:  This past week the NFR students continued to improve upon their presentation skills, and also learned 4 different ways that they could figure out new vocabulary words without looking them up, nor breaking the continuity of reading and understanding the material they’re reading.  Another skill they continued to work on was voice volume in presentation, as well as eye contact; There has been improvement from all the students in the class.  Now – on to including effective props to help convince their audiences!

MAPC: During weeks 5 and 6 of summer, students have worked on Counting Principles and factoring.

What’s Next?

The final weeks of the summer semester are upon us! We look forward to sharing with you the highlights of Weeks 7 & 8 on Friday, August 25th!