Dear Parents,
This week in General Studies, our students continued to engage deeply with their learning across all disciplines. Below are a few highlights from our classrooms:
Our 9th/10th Grade Students are immersed in To Kill a Mockingbird as they deepen their understanding of Harper Lee’s literary craft. This week, they worked collaboratively to identify figurative language within the assigned chapters, including imagery, similes, metaphors, and personification. Groups then discussed how these literary devices contribute to the story’s meaning and emotional impact. Students also responded to the guiding question: “What clues help a reader know when an author uses words figuratively? Our Honors students extended this learning by writing short personal narratives from their childhood that intentionally integrated figurative language.
11th/12th Grade students continued their study of Frankenstein, applying close reading strategies to analyze themes, trace character development, and support ideas with textual evidence. They are also examining the author’s voice, style, and structural choices—and then applying these techniques in their own analytical and creative writing.
In History classes, 9th- and 10th-grade students explored how political, economic, and social processes shape cultural patterns around the world. Their research focused on continents and key indicators, including gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy, literacy rates, and infant mortality. This work helped students better understand the development and standard of living across nations.
Our 11th/12th Grade Government students revisited the system of checks and balances, analyzing how the three branches of the U.S. Government share and limit power. AP Government students examined the structure, powers, and functions of the Legislative Branch, aligning their study with AP Exam requirements, and AP Economics students continued their work on the laws of supply and demand, learning to label and interpret supply-and-demand graphs and how price changes affect market behavior.
Over the past few weeks, students in 9th Grade Biology have investigated the structure and function of DNA—the blueprint of life. They explored how DNA codes for proteins and even practiced “cracking the code” themselves. This week, students participated in a hands-on lab in which they extracted DNA from strawberries using simple household materials. Many were amazed to see chromosomes visibly clumped together! They look forward to beginning our Genetics and Heredity unit next.
11th-grade chemistry students are continuing their study of the periodic table by exploring key trends in atomic radius, electronegativity, and ionization energy. They are learning how these patterns help scientists predict the behavior and reactivity of different elements. In addition, they are investigating the Law of Conservation of Mass, observing through demonstrations and practice problems that matter is neither created nor destroyed during chemical reactions. These concepts build a strong foundation for understanding how and why chemical reactions occur.
It was a meaningful week of learning, and we look forward to all that is ahead.
Dr. Joleta Gallozzi
General Studies Principal
Mesorah High School for Girls
