Amazon Law

This week in Brazil, politicians and farmers are trying to pass a bill that will allow farmers to cut down trees on their property. They aren't allowed to right now because laws that protect the Amazon Rain Forest saw that farmers have to conserve a certain percentage of their property as rain forest. However, that makes it difficult for some farmers to make enough money to live off of. The new bill will allow them to use more of their property for agriculture. Part of the bill will also give amnesty (forgiveness) to people who illegally cut down trees in the Amazon before 2008. Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff says she will veto a bill that includes amnesty for illegal deforestation.
The Amazon Rain Forest is a vast area of land (about 1.7 billion acres). It is home to more than 2 million insect species, 2,000 birds and mammals, 40,000 plant species and 3,000 fish. Do you think the government should continue to protect the Amazon or let farmers use their own property to grow crops and make a living?
Read more about the bill here.

7th Grade Career Fair

Today the 7th Grade Team hosted a Career Fair for the 7th grade students. We had several parents come in as well as some family members of the team. I'm so glad that my sister-in-law was able to come to talk to the students about her job as a web trainer. A big Thank You to Miss Enzbigilis for organizing the Career Fair!

8th Grade Spanish Final

Our 8th grade Spanish final is coming up. We're reviewing all week! You got a purple Study Guide in class this week, but click here if you need another copy. Make sure you review your vocabulary and infinitive definitions so you're prepared!

Dates: May 23, 24 & 25 (if needed): listening, vocabulary & grammar
May 26: writing (in class)

cinco de mayo

Yesterday was cinco de mayo. We talked about some misconceptions about cinco de mayo and learned a few things. Many people think that cinco de mayo is Mexican Independence Day, but that's in September! Cinco de mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla, a town near Mexico City. French soldiers arrived in Mexico in 1862 to collect money that Mexico owed them. Their underlying mission was to establish themselves in the Americas. The people of Puebla fought off the French even though they were outnumbered. It took about five years after the Battle of Puebla on cinco de mayo to get the French out of Mexico. But cinco de mayo is remembered as a special holiday because it was the first time that Mexican born Spaniards, Mexicans and the indigenous people of Mexico came together for a common cause.

¡Viva México!

Happy Jalapeños

As part of our recognition of cinco de mayo, some of us purchased "Happy Jalapeño" shirts from one of the 8th grade Spanish students. He thought of the "Happy Jalapeño" to use for an advertisement project. Lots of students wanted to order shirts too! Here are some of the teachers and students who ordered the shirts. Thanks, Mike!