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Happy April
I want to first wish everyone a blessed Easter. It is a very sacred holiday to all Christians around the world. It is wonderful to be part of a great community that celebrates that greatness of Jesus’s resurrection.
The 4th quarter has begun. Both the 7th and 8th graders have a lot to look forward to. In the 7th grade, over the last month we have been focusing on the continent of Africa. The students mastered all the locations of every African country during this time, plus being introduced to important cultural and geographic elements of Africa. Right now, the students are working on their endangered species project. The project covers important topics like location, place, and human environment themes. The theme of human environment is particular important because the students will describe why certain species become endangered, but also how groups are helping many species with various conservation efforts. After the project, we will begin our Asia unit. Part of the Asia unit will be a map quiz. Certain regions like the Indian Subcontinent and Eastern Asia.
The 8th graders are currently learning about the Civil War. The Civil War is one of the highlights to the academic year. A major lesson that students will come out of this unit is how the world’s greatest democracy (republic) was able to overcome turmoil and med the bridges between North and South to become one great nation again. The 8th graders will have an assessment over the Civil War. The test will cover important strategies, important battles, and the lasting legacy.
Hello
The second month of the second semester is here. Catholic Schools Week was a great success. The week began celebrating our community with the African Cultural Connection. Tuesday and Wednesday were a celebration for our two parishes. Thursday was the 7th grade retreat. The courage retreat’s main goal was to help the 7th graders understand that standing up for oneself and others is important and takes a lot of courage. The students accomplished the goal by participating in games, song/dance, and listening centers. A special thank you goes out to the high schoolers who were the group leaders and role models for the 7th graders that day. On Friday, our 7th and 8th graders hosted the students of our great school with a presentation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was an outstanding achievement by the whole cast of 7th and 8th graders. Thank you Mrs. Martinez and others who work so hard to showcase the wonderful skills of our middle school students.
Parent-Teacher conferences will be held Thursday, February 16th. The conferences are request only conferences. A conference request form went home this past Thursday. This form needs to be brought back to school signed by a parent. If a teacher requested a conference with your child, then please indicate what time you can come in for conferences. If a teacher didn’t request a conference with your child, but you would like to meet with a teacher, then please indicate which teacher and/or subject you would like to meet with and time. If you don’t want to meet with any teachers and no teachers requested to conference, then please indicate that you don’t want to conference and bring back the signed form.
Update for Geography and US History:
7th Grade Geography is wrapping up the Southern Europe unit this first week of February. The next unit will be Western and Central Europe. The unit will cover the culture, geography, and economy of this region. Plus the European Union (EU) will be studied. By the end of the month we will be on the brink of studying Africa beginning with North Africa.
8th Grade US History is currently studying African Americans like Frederick Douglas, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman who were major contributors to the abolition movement. An assessment over the abolition and also women’s rights movement will be held later this month. During February, the 8th graders will begin their History Hall of Fame essay. The History Hall of Fame is an Archdiocese assessment. The assessment asks students to write about one American who has contribute to our American society. The research must include information about their education, profession, and contributions. Research is vital to the paper. The paper must be between 2-3 pages in MLA format. I will grade the paper using the 6 traits of writing rubric. Students will also include a visual aid that goes along with their paper.
Please email if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
Happy New Year to everyone
I hope everyone has had a great break with quality family time. With the second semester beginning on Monday, January 8th, please read below about what 7th Grade Geography and 8th Grade US History will be like during the month of January. Plus there will be a couple of important dates included during for the month of January.
Europe will be the continent of study for the month of January. The students will have a map quiz over Europe on Thursday, January 18th. The students will have various applications like online map games, blank maps of Europe that will be posted on Google Classroom. Parents, please email me if you would like a blank map copy to help your son or daughter study for the quiz. On quiz day, I will select 15-18 countries for students to correctly identify. An answer key will be provided. I will not share which countries will be on the quiz, they will just have to study the whole map to be fully prepared. Also during January, students will be learning about Southern Europe. There will be a test given at the end of the unit. The test will be over the geography, resources, economy, and culture of this particular region. By the end of the month, the focus of study will be Central Europe. Just like Southern Europe, the students will learn about the geography, resource, economy, and culture. The 3rd Quarter Current Event will be assigned during this month as well. Students will type of a summary, a reflection, and a connection to a current. The due dates for the current event will be announced later this month.
In U.S. History class, we will begin the new year studying about the Monroe Doctrine. Industrial Revolution, and other aspects of the Era of Good Feelings. The presidencies of Monroe, Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson are the features of this unit. A test will be given during the month over these subjects. Since we are getting close to the Civil War for our academic year, during the month of January, we will begin to study the fight for freedom for slaves and abolitionists. We will study the very important men and women who helped the nation understand how horrible slavery was and how the fight to end slavery persist during this era.
Important Dates to Remember:
January 8th – First day of the second semester
January 15th – No School. Martin Luther King Day
January 16th – 2nd Quarter Report Cards are issued.
January 28th – February 2nd – Catholic Schools Week
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
November has come and gone and now we sprint into the wonderful Advent Season of December.
A bit of great news to begin this particular newsletter. 7C collected the most items for our annual Food Drive. We collected over 400 items for those in need in the Omaha metro area. The 7th Grade in total did a tremendous job with the collection. Way to go 7th Grade. Lets keep up the quality work for Race for Education in the Spring.
The 7th Graders in World Geography are continuing their unit for South America. This month, we will learn about the Amazon River Basin region. The highlights of the unit will be the geography and culture of this region. Also, the deforestation problem in this region. By the end of the quarter, the students will learn about holiday traditions in other parts of the world. It is important for student’s to understand and learn more about other cultures, especially important traditions.
Heading into the new month, the 8th Graders will shed what they have learned about President Washington and President Adams’s administration and connect it to President Jefferson’s administration. Part of Jefferson’s administration was a new identity for our country. Old laws were replaced with newer, improved laws, plus our country expands a great deal. The month will be dedicated to learning more about the Jeffersonian Era. At the end of the quarter, the 8th graders will have an exam on Jefferson.
A few important dates:
December 8th – There is no school due to a teacher inservice.
December 18th – Board Games and Bubble Gum morning. From 8:30 – 9:00, the 7th graders will have a fun time playing board games and chewing bubble gum. I told the students about this event and they welcomed the news with great cheers. Parents, please be aware of an email early next week. The email will be asking for volunteers for that particular part of the day.
December 21st – Half Day/Last Day of the Semester.We will not have mods that half day. Students will enjoy the morning by visiting their buddies and our class Christmas Party. Mass will happen that day as well.
Please let me know if you have questions or concerns.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
With the season of Thanksgiving upon us, I would like to wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving day and break. As a class, each day, we pray for those who may be traveling during Thanksgiving.
I also want to give my greatest appreciation for the students of 7C for the Can Food Drive. Our class had 431 individual items brought in to help those in need during this season. Our class won the donut party which we celebrated today in class. The grade in general brought in around 870 total items. This was a fantastic year of giving.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
Conferences are here and I look forward to seeing everyone. Conferences will take place in the 7th and 8th Grade homerooms on Thursday, November 2nd. Conferences will begin at 9:00 AM and end at 6:30 PM. There will be a lunch break between 1:00 – 2:00. If you are unable to attend, but would like to meet in person, then please email me and/or your child’s teachers about setting up a date and time. I can also email an update on the progression of your child if you like as well.
For 7th Grade Geography, we have just concluded our culture and government unit. The main emphasis was understanding culture and governments with examples of each from different parts of our world. For the next unit, we will celebrate the wonderful culture and geography of Central America and the Caribbean. The students will understand the geography, economies, and culture of this region. There will also be a map quiz during this unit for this region. Concluding the month of November, the students will learn about South America. Just like Central America and the Caribbean, the students will gain a better understanding of the geography, economies, and the culture of South America. Between all of this learning, the students will also complete a Current Event. The students will provide a summary, reflection, and a connection. The Current Event will be due on Nov. 17th.
In US History class for the 8th Graders, we have just concluded our Bill of Rights unit. It was a lot of fun. That is a great label to have when the students are learning about the important individual rights and freedoms that they do have. There were a lot of questions from the students during our discussions. They really cared about the laws of the land. During the month of November, we will focus on the presidency of George Washington and the launching of the nation. Washington’s presidency was memorable for a few reasons and one of the reasons was the rift of ideas between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. A major point of emphasis during this unit will be on the political division during this era of our country. The students will also complete a Veterans’ Day assignment the days leading up to Veterans’ Day, plus and Ellis Island/Immigration assignment during the week of Thanksgiving.
Always email me or the other 7th/8th grade teachers if any of you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
Happy October
September has come and gone, plus the 1st Quarter is nearly an end. The last day of the first quarter will be October 13th, so please make sure you and your child are staying up to date on grades.
In World Geography class, the 7th graders will focus the majority of the month on world culture and governments around the world. The emphasis of the culture and government units is to not only to appreciate differences around the world, but to be able to compare how culture and governments to those around the world. Around conferences, we will begin to learn about Central America and the Caribbean.
For US History, the 8th graders will learn more about the specifics of the three branches of government and checks and balances. By month’s end, we will begin to understand more about the rights and privileges of being an American citizen by studying the Bill of Rights.
Please don’t forget that the 7th grade has a Field Trip this Wednesday, October 4th at Lauritzen Gardens. The 7th graders must bring their own lunch, plus they can have. a dress down day.
There will be no school on Monday, October 9th.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
Hello everyone
Happy September
I hope everyone has enjoyed their Labor Day Weekend. It is always fun to enjoy some extra time with family and friends.
When the students return on Wednesday, we will get right back into the swing of things for Geography and US History.
For 7th Grade Geography, we will spend the first couple of days getting prepared for the quarterly Current Events. The students will complete a practice Current Event, then complete their own. I will provide each student with examples, websites, and a blank online form to help them each quarter. After Current Events, for a few weeks, we will focus on how weather is impacted by Geography. Shortly after weather, the 7th grade will participate in a cool unit with Culture and Government.
In the 8th grade US History, we will continue with the Forming a New Government section. This section will lead the 8th graders directly into the US Constitution/Bill of Rights Unit. Hopefully each 8th Grade can put on their legal hat on during this time because their will be a lot of discussion about laws and personal liberties.
Important Events:
Picture Day will be happening next Monday, September 11th
Please keep an eye out for email that relate to upcoming Field Trips, Incoming High School recruiting information, and important schedule changes. Speaking of High School, please ask me or administration for any upcoming open houses and practice testing related to the 7th graders.
Thank you
I would like to wish everyone a joyful summer break. It has been an absolute pleasure teaching and working with this year’s class. It has been a fun experience. I do check my email a couple times a day, so I’m available if needed.
Thank you all very much and see you all next school year.
Jerry Carreon
I hope everyone who is reading this is having a great day. The following is a summarization of the upcoming events happening in the 7th Grade
Friday, May 19th – Field trip to Mahoney State Park. The field trip is an all day field trip. Please dress weather appropriate. Bring a sack lunch, water bottle, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Tuesday, May 22nd – Classroom/Desk Clean out. The students will be cleaning out their desk and bringing home their materials. Students are encourage to bring a small hand towel to clean out their desk.
Tuesday, May 22nd – Afternoon Fun Day at Bowling Green. The students will have a wonderful Fun Day at Bowling Green Park to close out the last full day of the school year. Students are allowed to bring sporting equipment if they like to. Fun Day is a Dress Down Day.
Wednesday, May 23rd – Last day of school. Dismissal is at 11:00. We will have Mass to begin the day. After Mass, the 7th Graders will be enjoying popsicles and a recess with their 1st Grade buddies.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
Hello
The following newsletter will cover important events for the month of May, along with important curriculum items.
Please keep in mind the following dates:
May 3rd – 1st/7th Grade Partner Mass
May 4th – Mission Day with our 1st Grade buddies. Please view the school website to view pictures taken from that day.
May 19th – Field Trip to Mahoney State Park. A permission form with all the field trip information will be sent home soon. The 19th will be a Dress Down Day and there will be no mods that day because the field trip will be for most of the day.
May 23rd – 7th Grade Field Day. The field day will be a Dress Down Day for the 7th Graders. The 7th Graders will be going up the street to Bowling Green Park for the afternoon. If your child would like to bring sporting equipment for that afternoon, then they have permission.
May 24th – 11:00 Dismissal for the last day of school.
In Geography class, the 7th graders have completed their final map quiz over Asia. We will conclude the year with a fun review activity and watching a thrilling video over the Himalaya.
In US History class, each student is completing the Archdiocesan Assessment called the History Hall of Fame. The students will complete a two-three page essay with main ideas covering the life, obstacles faced, political views, religious views, and achievements of an American individual who they believe should be part of the History Hall of Fame. The students will also create a project extension visual aid that enhances the project.
Thank you all very much
Mr. Carreon
Happy Easter
I hope everyone enjoys their long, deserved long Easter weekend. We are in the home stretch of the school year and very busy in the 7th and 8th Grade.
In 7th Grade World Geography, the students have just wrapped up their special project on Endangered Species. The project covered important geographical themes like location, human-environment interaction, regions, and place. The human-environment theme was most important because the 7th graders researched and presented how humans are helping the efforts of endangered animals. The next unit will cover Asia, especially Eastern and Southeast Asia. We will review the cultures and governments of India, China, Japan, and other countries within that region.
In 8th Grade U.S. History. we are currently covering the Civil War. This whole semester, we have been covering important topics that played a role in causing the Civil War. Now the students are learning about how the Union won the war. Just as important as the Union victory, we are learning about abolishment of slavery through the war and legislative effort. To tag along, the 8th graders are concurrently focusing on the mending of the Union as the war effort continues.
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a comfortable New Years. 2023 has dawn and I’m eagerly awaiting to see all the 7th and 8th graders.
In Geography class, we have completed the Western Hemisphere portion of the curriculum. Before Christmas Break, we did learn about other celebrations that other cultures experience. It was a fun time to learn about celebrations like Diwali, Hanukah, and Kwanzaa. Learning about these holidays does help the students appreciate and accept other cultures that are not their own.
For the majority of the third quarter, the 7th graders will learn about Europe. We will begin with a map quiz for the continent of Europe, plus units on Southern Europe. We will eventually get to Northern Europe, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe. Each student will also complete a Current Event during the quarter.
In US History class, the 8th graders have finished their unit on the Washington and Adams Presidency. The next unit is all about Thomas Jefferson. This unit includes the major expansion of the country, major policy shifts for the Jefferson administration, and the persistent issue of slavery (North vs South).
Happy November
We have a short 10 days from Thanksgiving. There is plenty that is going on here at Pius. Here is the short list:
In Geography class, the 7th graders has just completed their unit on Central America. We focused on the economy, climate, and physical geographic features. We will learn about South America next, one of the most unique geographical continents on our planet.
For U.S. History, the 8th Graders have just wrapped up their unit on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It was exciting to engage the 8th graders by speaking about their rights and responsibilities they have as a citizen of the United States. Our next unit will be a few topics for instance Veterans Day, Responsibilities of a Citizen, and Hamilton/Jefferson early beliefs on government in the United States.
Welcome to September
We are off to a flying start in Classroom 7C. We are doing well earning as many Roar Notes and following our school expectations.
Please keep an eye out for class emails for future announcements like upcoming days off school, field trip announcements, and other important school information.
A reminder to the parents of our boy students that we would like for you to bring a T-shirt for the 7th Grade Fundraiser project. Please have your student bring the shirt as soon as possible.
In 7th Grade Geography we are wrapping up our 5 Themes of Geography unit. We will continue to study these skills as the school year progresses. The next unit is climate and how that affect Geography. Plus we will begin our Current Events.
In 8th Grade US History, we have begun to learn about the foundation of our American government. The Articles of Confederation and the Articles failures are the first focus. As the month progresses, the 8th graders will learn more about the end of the Articles and the beginnings of the Constitution.
Thank you very much
Jerry Carreon
Hello
I would like to update everyone on the activities for the last week of school. As many of you know, tomorrow, May 20th, will be the field trip to Mahoney State Park. I did send an email about what each student needs to bring. Please read the email or email me if you have any questions or concerns about tomorrow’s field trip. Tomorrow is a Dress Down Day for the field trip. Please do not forget to pack a lunch. We will leave the school campus around 8:30 AM and return by 2:15 PM.
Next week will be a busy three days. On Monday, we will have a regular schedule day. It will be the last day for Mods. Please make sure that your child has returned their textbooks by this date. Parents will be notified if their child didn’t return all their textbooks. Your child will not get their report card on Wednesday if any of their textbooks are not returned.
Tuesday will be our cleaning day in the classroom. If you would like to, please have your child bring any cleaning supplies (bucket, rags, etc). Desk, chairs, and many parts of the room will be cleaned out by the class.
In the afternoon, the 7th graders will have their Fun Day at Bowling Green Park. We will be up at the park from 1:00 to 3:00, hopefully the weather permits. Students can bring sporting equipment (baseball, volleyball, basketball, etc) to the park. The students will still have lunch at school before we go to the park.
On Wednesday, the last day of school, we will have Mass at 9:15. Please join us if you can. The students will receive their 4th Quarter report card at the end of the school day. We will dismiss at 11:00.
Please email if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you
Jerry Carreon
Hello
The following newsletter will review what the 7th Graders and 8th Graders have learned in their respected subjects. In 7th Grade Geography, the focus over the last month has been over the continent of Africa. This included the geographic features, culture, and human-environment interactions. Over the last week, the students also competed an endangered species project. The students described the animals habitat and appearance. The key to the project was displaying why animals are going endangered and what people are doing to help animals. The next few weeks, the students will learn about key places in Asia like India and China.
For 8th Grade U.S. History, the 8th graders have been spending much of their time on causes of the Civil War. Now the focus is on the actual war itself. With that, the advantages and strategies for both sides, key battles, turning point of the war, and the conclusion of the war. For the last few weeks of the school year, the 8th graders will complete a History Hall of Fame project. The project’s main objective is for the students to research and describe an important America’s contributions to our country.
Thank you very much
Jerry Carreon
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s. It is weird to say this, but we are halfway through the school year.
Please remember that school restarts on January 4th at 8:25. With the really frigid weather that Omaha, NE will experience this week and throughout the winter, please make sure that each student is wearing a heavy winter coat, along with hats and gloves. We will be going out to recess as long as the Wind Chill is above 10. Hooded sweatshirts will not keep your student warm, especially on days near that 10 threshold.
In 7th Grade Geography, we have just completed the South America unit, thus completed each unit for the Western Hemisphere. Next is the study of Europe. The unit will begin with an extra credit opportunity. The opportunity is an extra credit Europe map quiz that is optional for each student. Students will be asked to locate most of countries of Europe. To go along with the extra credit, the students will be learning about the culture, history, and economies of the European continent. There will also be another Current Event for this quarter. The current event will cover major news stories that have happened during the month of January. Extra credit will be given to students who do turn their current event in before the assigned due date.
8th Grade U.S. History has just completed their unit on the first presidency of George Washington, second presidency of John Adams, and the practice of the experiment of democracy. Our representative democracy (republic) is now moving towards the age of expansion and the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, with the Democratic-Republicans being the political party in charge. A major part to this unit is the expansion of our country to the west with the Louisiana Purchase. The students will learn about Lewis and Clark, Western Frontier, and life as an Native American during this era.
See everyone on Tuesday.
Please email any questions you have for me and I will respond as soon as I can.
Thank you
Mr. Carreon
Happy New School Year
My name is Jerry Carreon and I will be starting my 8th year at St. Pius/St. Leo School. I will be teaching 7th Grade Geography and Literature this school year.
Please observe the 7th Grade Open House Welcome video. The video will illustrate the the procedures of entering the school, classroom, and introducing all the 7th grade teachers for the 2020-21 school year. The first day of school is Thursday, August 20th. School will begin at 8:15 A.M. and will dismiss at noon. Friday is the same schedule with school beginning at 8:15 and dismissing at noon.
Please review the 7th Grade Supplies List on the SPSL website. There are specific supplies for the 7th Grade, but also specific supplies related to COVID-19.
I am very excited to meet all the 7th Graders on Thursday. We should have a lot of fun this school year.
Please email if you have any questions.
Sincerely
Jerry Carreon
Hello Everyone
First, I like to say “Thank You” for all the parents and 7th graders who were able to pick up the materials that were left over since Spring Break. If you were unable to make it, then you have the rest of the week to go to school and pick up the materials. Steve Freese, our school’s maintenance leader, will help direct you to the correct spot. I was there this afternoon and it is fairly easy to navigate.
Thursday morning, I will begin to send the 4th quarter Evaluation Reports for Distance Learning to each and everyone of you. Please click on the attach file on Thursday to view the report. If you have any questions or concerns, then please respond. I will be available to answer any questions.
It was really unfortunate how the school year ended. I understand it was for safety, but it was still sad to not see this group for an extended period of time. I was just thinking about how Tuesday of the last week of school is typically the 7th Grade Bowling Field Trip. That is always a blast. It was a chance for the 7th graders to beat Mr. Carreon in a game of bowling, which isn’t too difficult. I also felt terrible how this group missed out on racing me on Race for the Education day. That isn’t too difficult now as I have gotten a little older. It still was a memorable moment for past groups that I’ve had.
I hope all of you have a safe and restful summer. I really hope things are back to normal for this summer and for the fall. I think we all miss normalcy and want our lives to be back to the way it was. I will make plenty of trips to the zoo this summer as soon as it is safe to go back. If any of you are frequent visitors to the zoo, then I hope we see one another.
Have a great summer
Jerry Carreon
Hello Everyone
As the month of May has rolled around, we are coming to the end of the 2019-20 school year. It has been a memorable school year, especially the last couple of months of the school year.
For Geography, the students have been focusing on the important country of India. India will soon have the world’s largest population and the culture of India is impacting the world. The students worked on various detailed assignments for the geography and the culture of India.
In Literature, the 7th graders have been reading the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Besides comprehension questions, the students have also focused on point of view, figurative language (allusion), and important plot events. We will not have enough time to finish the novel during this school year. Please have your 7th grader finish the novel during the summer.
Thank you all very much.
Hello everyone
7th Grade is moving steadily through February and looking forward to the month of March. I wanted to post a couple reminders.
First, Race for Education labels are due March 5th. Please read through the instructions and send your labels with your child.
Second, Spring Break will be from March 9th through 13th. I hope everyone enjoys their time off.
In Literature, the 7th graders have been reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The novel is a historical fiction portrayal of an African-American family in Mississippi during the Great Depression and Jim Crow Law days. The students were presented with background knowledge on the historical context of this time period. They acquired knowledge on the difficulties for African-American people during this era. For each chapter, there are comprehension questions that are to be completed on Google Classroom. Also, there are vocabulary words for each chapter. For every three chapters read, there are test on important plot events, vocabulary, and an essay on character traits. Please study the vocabulary every night and also review the chapters every night. This book will be a lead-in to To Kill a Mockingbird in the springtime.
In Geography, the students are currently focusing on Africa. We have begun to focus on in-depth information on important geographic features in Northern Africa. The students will continue to learn about geographic features, but also learn more about location, culture, economics, and current events that are happening in Africa. By the end of this unit. The students will complete an endangered species project. More information on that specific project in the near future.
Thank you all very much
Please enjoy your weekend.
Jerry Carreon
Hello. My name is Jerry Carreon and this is my 11th year at Saint Pius X/St. Leo School. I'm a 7th and 8th grade teacher at SPSL. I teach 7th Grade Geography and 8th Grade US History. I really enjoy teaching at SPSL. I've been very blessed to be around great families, students, administrators, teachers, and assistants.
