Announcements: Dec 2-6, 2013

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

WELCOME 5^TH GRADE FAMILIES

Beginning with this issue our weekly newsletter will be distributed to all 5^th grade families as well as Middle School families. The goal of our newsletter is to highlight student accomplishments, class activities, and inform families about the upcoming week’s schedule.  Today’s issue is not as comprehensive as usual due to the holiday. Please browse through previous posts to get a flavor of all that goes on in our Middle School community. This week’s issue is being sent on Monday because of the holiday. Normal distribution is on Fridays.  Please look for our email on Friday!

CHRISTMAS CONERT!

This Friday the Middle School students will be presenting its annual Christmas concert. An event not to be missed! Following the concert the school will travel to the Savannah Mall to present a concert at 11:00. Please join us a both locations. THERE WILL BE SHORT CLASSES THAT DAY both before our departure for the Mall and after our return. Students will eat at the Mall so should have enough money to purchase a meal. If your child participates in the HDS lunch program, a Chick Fil A lunch will be sent home.

WE DID IT!

Last Friday we delivered over one TON – THAT WOULD BE OVER 2,000 POUNDS of food to Second Harvest. Students toured Second Harvest and helped stock shelves. While there the staff highlighted a need for volunteers to distribute over 1,700 bags of groceries to families.  These bags are packed on the third Saturday morning of each month from 8 – 10:30am at Second Harvest. PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING to assist in this effort. Volunteers at Second Harvest account for 21 – 8 hour days of work that would otherwise get left undone. They are critical to the success of this organization. 

THE RACE IS ON!

It does not seem possible that there are only 3 weeks left in our first semester. Semester examinations will be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, December 18 – 20^th.  Thursday and Friday will be half days of classes. BEING IN SCHOOL EACH DAY IS CRITICAL at this point of the year. Please try scheduling outside appointments after we adjourn for the Christmas holiday. Missing school only puts undue pressure on your child.

6TH GRADE NEWS

6th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

Sixth grade students are continuing to read The Giver. Students can expect a quiz over chapters 1-14 on Wednesday, December 4^th. Our test over this novel is scheduled for the following Tuesday, December 10^th. Students can also expect a short quiz over the most recent grammatical concepts we’ve been working with (adverbial prepositional phrases and appositives) on Monday, December 9^th.

Math 6 with Mrs. Reardon

This week in Math 6 we will continue learning about integers. Today we will multiply integers.  Tomorrow (12/3), students will take a quiz over lessons 6.1-6.3. It is important that students review this material as it was covered before break. On Wednesday and Thursday we will divide integers and talk about rational numbers.

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford

Over the next two weeks we will finish our unit on weather. This week we will discuss the basics, What is weather?; Understand humidity; clouds; precipitation. Monday homework – read 456 – 457, problems on page 478 # 11-16 & 21; Tuesday – problems on page 479 # 22, 24, 33 & 35; Wednesday – Dew point lab; Questions on handout and questions 9 & 10 on page 458; Thursday – prepare for quiz on Friday, complete handout sheet in preparation. We will be doing a lab on Wednesday and have a quiz on Friday.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

Next week the 6^th graders will finish their chapter on earthquakes. The students have done an activity in which they plotted data about major earthquakes in the United States and determined which areas are most likely to have strong earthquakes. They will also have an activity in which they apply information from the Mercalli Intensity Index to various locations in order to determine the epicenter of an earthquake. Thursday (Dec. 5) they will have their chapter test which will be the last test before exams. 

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

This week in Spanish class, the 6^th grade will be going over the differences between “ser” and “estar”. There will be a grammar quiz over this concept on Thursday, December 5^th. Students should begin reviewing their notes and organizing their binders for the upcoming exam review. I encourage any students who are struggling to sign up for extra help.

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English
This week in World Civilizations class we will be continuing our study of Ancient Egypt in Chapter 4.  Students will discover why the Egyptians went to great lengths to preserve bodies for the afterlife. We will also finish our first semester geography with a test on Thursday 12/5/13. 

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

Seventh grade students are just beginning to read a dramatic interpretation of Charles Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol. Students will take a quiz over the first act of this play on Thursday, December 5^th. Our test over the play in its entirety will take place on Friday, December 13^th.  Students can also expect a quiz over the most recent grammatical concepts that we’ve been working with (appositives, participles, and infinitives) on Monday, December 9^th.

Pre-Algebra with Mrs. Reardon

This week in Pre-Algebra we will solve proportions using cross products. Starting on Tuesday, students will begin a recipe proportion project. They will research a recipe online that contains at least 8 ingredients and yields 6-12 servings. They will use their knowledge of proportions to make their recipe serve 50 people. We will do this in class on Tuesday and Wednesday and then on Thursday students can bring their recipe to share with the class as they present their projects.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

This week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class, we will be finishing the rest of Chapter 5 by discussing scatterplots and lines of fit. We will start using the TI-series (TI 83/84) graphing calculators to plot data points and find the line of best fit.

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders have been studying Gregor Mendel and his contributions to the study of genetics. They have also learned how to work inheritance problems using a Punnett Square.  On Wednesday, Dec. 4, they will have a quiz on Mendel and the Punnett Square. The class will then look at incomplete dominance.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

This week in Spanish class, the 7^th grade will be working on their travel projects. These projects require a lot of research and will count as a test grade. Students will present the projects on Tuesday, December 10^th. Students should also begin reviewing their notes and organizing their binders for the upcoming exam review. I encourage any students who may be struggling to sign up for extra help.

7th American History with Mrs. English

This week in American history we will be continuing our study of English colonial government.  Students will understand why we are a representative government today and who was influential in bringing representative government to the English Colonies. We will also finish our first semester geography with a test on Thursday 12/5/13.

8TH GRADE NEWS

8th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

Eighth grade students are currently working on a major paper in which they must analyze a character from To Kill a Mockingbird. The rough draft of this essay is due on Tuesday, December 3^rd, and the final draft is due on Thursday, December 5^th. During the next two weeks our class will be studying several short pieces of fiction and nonfiction thematically related to To Kill a Mockingbird.  We will take a short test over these pieces on Wednesday, December 11^th.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders are learning about pressure and buoyancy with fluids. Next week the students will be looking more closely at the Gas Laws and at density. They will have their last test before exams on Thursday, Dec. 5.  

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

This week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class, we will be finishing the rest of Chapter 5 by discussing scatterplots and lines of fit. We will start using the TI-series (TI 83/84) graphing calculators to plot data points and find the line of best fit.

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

This week in Mr. Lanfear’s Advanced Algebra/Introduction to Geometry class, we will discuss simplifying rational expressions (12.4). This is essentially reducing fractions, but more complicated ones such as those with a variable in both numerator and denominator. There will be a quiz towards the end of the week.

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

This week in Spanish class, the 8^th grade will be working with Imperfect vs. Preterite tenses. There will be a grammar quiz over this material on Tuesday, December 10^th. Students should begin reviewing their notes and organizing their binders for the upcoming exam review. I encourage any students who may be struggling to sign up for extra help. 

8th American Government with Mrs. English 

This week in American government we will be completing our study of the Electoral College and begin discussion on the presidency. We will answer who is qualified to be president? How presidents are chosen?  And what are the powers of the president? We will also finish our first semester geography with a test on Thursday 12/5/13.