Friday, February 28, 2014

Announcements March 3-7, 2014

Last week's 7th grade field trip to Skidaway Marine Institute  

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR
SUMMER OPPORTUNITY
The University of Georgia is sponsoring a Summer Reading Skills program in the Savannah area.  The program for entering 6 – 8th graders is designed to help students make substantial gains in comprehension while doubling their reading speed.  They also learn the best way to read textbooks, take notes, and study for tests.  As a result, students complete homework more quickly, get better grades, and enjoy reading more. The program will be held on Thursdays beginning Thursday, June 12th and end on Thursday, July 10th.  Cost is $340.73.  Location – Savannah Country Day School.

COLLEGE WORKSHOP…ALREADY??!!
The College Savings Foundation in conjunction with the Georgia 529 Plan (Hope Scholarship) is hosting a seminar this Thursday, March 6th entitled "Planning for and Paying for College."  The program begins at 5:30 and will be held at The Mansion on Forsyth Park.  We will have more information by Monday of next week.  Having moved to HDS from an independent high school I can confirm that it is never too early to begin developing post secondary plans.

MAKE UP WORK
We have had many students miss a day or two of school and on some occasions multiple days.  The Middle School Team is always ready to work with students and families getting caught up on work.  Everyone needs to know how this process works so that neither the student nor the teacher become stressed out about catching up on assignments.  First, it is important to tell teachers as soon as possible when planned absences will occur. This will initiate a discussion about what can be completed early or worked on over the absence.  Second, it is CRITICAL that upon return to school the STUDENT check in with each teacher to establish a schedule to get all missed assignments submitted and test and quizzes taken.  Following this protocol will ensure a smooth transition back to class.

END OF QUARTER
Believe it or not, the end of the third quarter is rapidly approaching. This means there will be increased major assignment activity.  The best way to avoid stress is to plan ahead. Tests and quizzes are posted at least a week ahead of time on the schedule board.  Projects always have submission dates established at the beginning of the project to avoid those last night sessions  Avoid the stress, plan ahead!

6TH GRADE NEWS
6th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
This week the sixth graders studied a variety of poetry forms, sound devices, and types of figurative language.  Students are in the process of creating poetry portfolios which should contain examples of poetic devices, two detailed explications of selected poems, and two of their own unique poems.  This assignment is due Monday.  We will spend the rest of next week wrapping up our studying of poetry, and students will take a test over this unit on Friday, March 7th.  We will also begin working on lesson 8 in Wordly Wise and continue exploring adjective and adverb clauses.

Math 6 with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Math 6, we will continue into Chapter 9 by solving proportions involving percents.  We will also convert percents to decimals and decimals to percents.  On Wednesday, we will review for a chapter quiz over sections 9.1 – 9.3 which will take place on Thursday, March 6.  Friday we will be working on an in class mini-project.

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford
We will begin a study of rocks and minerals on Monday.  Next week’s work will concentrate on atomic structure. I am putting the finishing touches on the structure of the unit over the weekend.  I will distribute the week’s schedule on Monday morning to my parents’ email.

There is no homework over the weekend.  Monday in class many will be finishing today’s examination. 


6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake
The sixth graders continue their study of the Earth and Moon.  This week, the students have been learning about the phase cycle of the Moon and solar and lunar eclipses. Next week they will look at features of the moon and have their last chapter test of the quarter on Thursday.

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish, the 6th grade will finish up Chapter 4B. We will continue to work with the vocabulary and verbs from the chapter. Students will practice their questions words with “¿QuiĆ©n es?” as well as accepting and declining invitations. There will be a graded listening on Wednesday, March 5th and the Chapter 4B test will be Friday, March 7th. 

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English
This week in World Civilizations we will start our unit on ancient China.  Students will discover the amazing contributions that China has given the world.  China is responsible for some of the greatest inventions in history including ice cream! We will also discover how China’s geography influenced its culture and people. Students should expect to have reading from Chapter 11-Lessons 1 & 2, define vocab, and answer chapter review questions.  Students should also expect a geography quiz on ancient China on Friday, March 7th.

7TH GRADE NEWS


7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
Seventh grade students have been studying poetry and will continue to do so in the week ahead.  So far students have read several narrative poems, concrete poems, and haiku poems.  We have practiced explicating poetry in groups and explored the unique role that poetic devices play in deepening the meaning of a poem.  In the week ahead students will study the poetry of Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Robert Frost as we conclude this unit.  Our test over poetry will take place on Friday, March 7th We will also begin working on lesson 7 in Wordly Wise.

Pre-Algebra with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will review all of Chapter 8 on Monday and Tuesday and then students will take the Chapter 8 test on Wednesday, March 5.  Wednesday we will introduce Chapter 9 by discussing square roots.  Friday, we will work on the laptops by doing some math skills practice on the website “TenMarks”.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class (Grade 8), we will begin a new topic of angles. We will talk about complementary, supplementary, and vertical angles (2.3 – 2.4).  We will also discover what angles are formed by 2 parallel lines being cut by a transversal (3.3 – 3.4). We will end the week with a quiz.

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake
Last Friday the students spent the morning at the UGA Marine Extension Center.  They toured the aquarium and got to encounter several invertebrates in the touch tanks.  After collecting items from the dock community the students were able to look at various organisms under the microscopes. The student did a great job and the marine educators were most impressed by their knowledge. This week the students moved on to chordates and the cold-blooded vertebrates.  As they learned about the three classes of fish, they compared various aspects of the groups. They are continuing to see a progression in complexity as we move through the animal kingdom.  Next week they will finish with amphibians and reptiles and have their test on Friday.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish, the 7th grade will finish Chapter 9B. Students will continue to work with the vocabulary and verbs from the chapter. The students will present their fictional products on Monday and the Chapter 9B test will be Wednesday, March 8th. To finish up the quarter, each student will be responsible for presenting a topic we have covered so far this year. These topics will be assigned on Friday, March 7th.

7th American History with Mrs. English
This week we will study the formation of the new American government.  We will discuss the problems that Americans faced and how they overcame those problems.  We will also examine the Constitution and the three branches of government.  Students should expect to read Chapter 7-Sections 1 & 2, define vocab, and answer chapter review questions. Students should expect a quiz on Chapter 7-Section 1 on Thursday March 6th

8TH GRADE NEWS

8th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
Eighth grade students have finished outlining their research papers and are currently working on their rough drafts.  These drafts are due Wednesday and do not have to be typed.  We will also continue to work on lesson five in Wordly Wise as well as exploring some techniques for mastering analogies and short reading comprehension passages.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake
The eighth graders are finishing their chapter on chemical reactions.  This week’s focus has been activation energy and reaction speed. Their last test of the quarter will be on Tuesday of next week.  At that time they will begin looking at solubility. 

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class (Grade 8), we will begin a new topic of angles. We will talk about complementary, supplementary, and vertical angles (2.3 – 2.4).  We will also discover what angles are formed by 2 parallel lines being cut by a transversal (3.3 – 3.4). We will end the week with a quiz.

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class (Grades 7/8), we will finish our discussion of Systems of Linear Equations and begin exploring Systems of Linear Inequalities (7.6).  We will see what happens when more than one inequality is graphed on the same coordinate grid.  We will also do a group project in which the students discover how these can be used in real world applications.

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish, the 8th grade will finish Chapter 5A. Students will continue to work with the vocabulary and verbs from the chapter. The Chapter 5A test will be on Wednesday, March 8th. To finish up the quarter, each student will be responsible for presenting a topic we have covered so far this year. These topics will be assigned on Friday, March 7th

8th American Government with Mrs. English
This week students will begin their campaign project which will stretch over the next several weeks.  Simultaneously we will begin looking at the exact roles of the Executive Branch and how that branch influences our everyday life (Chapter 7-Section 1).  Readings will cover Chapter 7-Section 1-2.  I will also provide some current events on the Executive Branch’s role in everyday life.  Students should expect reading checks on homework assignments and be prepared to participate in classroom discussion. 

Friday, February 21, 2014

Announcements Feb. 21-24, 2014

Photos from the National Junior Honor Society induction ceremony Thursday. 
Congratulations to the new members of our chapter of National Junior Honor Society. (not all members shown) 

8th grade members of National Junior Honor Society. 

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

It's Play Season!
This year’s play will be a production of “Greek’s on Stage!” Auditions will be held Monday, February 24, from 3:15-5:30. No acting experience is necessary so encourage your child to audition and participate in the collaborative process! There are opportunities backstage as we also need lighting designers and stage managers. Rehearsals for the play will be held Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:15 to 5:30. Students will have free time during rehearsal hours to work on homework. The production is scheduled for the beginning of May. We would like to see at least everyone try out so they can experience the audition process! 

Please contact Ms. Oosterhoudt if you have any questions. noosterhoudt@hancockdayschool.org 


NATIONAL NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginning in 1921.  Hancock Day School honored a group of 17 Middle School students at an induction ceremony Thursday.  

3 X 3 BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Our 3 X 3 basketball league kicked off it season this past week.  Tied for first place after a torrid first week of play are the Flaming Flamingos, The Elites, The Flying Purple Elephants and the Flobots.  Looking for some mid-day excitement?  Stop by any day between 1:00 and 1:30 and watch a game!

8th Grade Trip
Details have been finalized for our trip to the Mountain Trail Outdoor School.  Letters went out today to all 8th grade families detailing the schedule for getting prepared for the trip which departs April 14th.   On April 1st a deposit of $100 is due and there will be a parent meeting at 6:30pm to go over the details of the trip.

FIELD TRIPS
‘Tis the season when our students venture out from the confines of HDS to apply all of the knowledge they have acquired this year.  Today the 7th grade is visiting the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.  Next Friday our 6th graders will be taking a trip to Armstrong University to see a math play entitled “Eureka.”  MANY, MANY THANKS to all parents who have helped drive and chaperone.  Without you these opportunities would not be available to our students!!!

6TH GRADE NEWS

6th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
The sixth grade English Language Arts class has been busy this week exploring poetry.  So far we’ve read poems by a variety of authors including Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and Ogden Nash.  We’ve also discussed sound devices, figurative language, and different poetry formats.  In the week ahead we will continue exploring poetry as we create a portfolio demonstrating our understanding of poetic devices.  Details for this assignment will be given to students on Monday, and the finished product will be turned in on the following Monday, March 3rd Our test over this unit is scheduled for Friday, March 7th.  Students will also take a Wordly Wise quiz over lesson 7 on Friday, February 28th.

Math 6 with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Math 6, we will review all sections from Chapter 8 on Monday and students will take their Chapter 8 test on Tuesday, February 25.  On Wednesday, we will continue to work on a mini project where students are creating a scale drawing.  Thursday, we will begin into Chapter 9 by discussing percents and fractions.  On Friday, February 28th all 6th grade students will be attending the performance of EUREKA! at Armstrong’s Fine Arts Center.

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford
We will conclude our study of earthquakes and volcanoes this week.  Over the weekend students are completing questions 1 – 6 at the end of the “Volcanic Eruptions” handout and reading pages 1 – 4 of “Types of Volcanoes.”  Monday we will discuss types of volcanoes and work on the vocabulary sheet for the unit.  Homework will be to complete questions 1 – 3 on page 5 of “Types of Volcanoes.”  A detailed diagram for each question is required.  Tuesday we will conclude our discussion of the types of volcanoes, work on question #4 on page 5 in class, and prepare for a quiz on volcanoes Wednesday.  Homework is to complete a volcano worksheet and study for the quiz.  Wednesday is the quiz. Thursday we will prepare a study guide for an exam on Friday covering both earthquakes and volcanoes.  Friday we will have the examination.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

Over the last week and a half, the sixth graders have been learning about the Earth.  Thus far they have reviewed how the tilt of the Earth causes our seasons and causes the hours of daylight to be different at different latitudes. They will have a quiz over this information on Tuesday.  Next week we will learn about the phase cycle of the Moon and the surface features of the Moon.

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish, the 6th grade will begin a new chapter discussing activities outside of school. Students will learn how to extend, accept, and decline an invitation, work with the verb “jugar”, and talk about when certain events occur. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Thursday, February 27th.

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English

This week in Ancient Civilizations we will be wrapping up our unit on ancient Greece with our Chapter 9 Test on Tuesday February 25th.  Students should be studying this weekend and on Monday.  Also we will complete our unit project by writing and performing a Greek play in class.  Students will have a choice of a tragedy or comedy and will be asked to stay consistent with ancient Greek life.  Should be a great week!

7TH GRADE NEWS

The 7th grade from last week's field trip to the Jepson Museum.

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
This week the seventh grade students finished presenting their Hobbit projects and began exploring poetry.  In the week ahead we will read poems by a variety of authors in addition to studying sound devices, figurative language, and a variety of poetry forms.  Students will have a Wordly Wise quiz on Wednesday over lesson 6, and a short quiz over adverb and adjective clauses on Friday.  Looking ahead, our test over poetry is scheduled for Friday, March 7th.  

Pre-Algebra with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Pre-Algebra, students will take their math facts quiz on Monday, February 24 (originally scheduled for 2/21 – but students were at SKIO).  Tuesday, we will start to wrap up Chapter 8 with systems of linear equations and graphs of linear inequalities.   On Thursday, we will review for the Chapter quiz over sections 8.8 and 8.9 that they will take on Friday, February 28.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class (Grades 7/8), we will continue our in depth exploration of solving Systems of Linear Equations (SOEs).  We will discuss further solving by Elimination Method (7.3 – 7.4).  On Thursday, we will have a quiz over the 3 different methods of solving SOEs (7.1 – 7.4) – Graphing, Substitution, and Elimination, oh my!  We will end the week by discussing SOEs that have no solutions or even infinite solutions (7.5).

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders have finished their invertebrate presentations and I was pleased with the effort they put into this project. They had a lab this week in which they compared two different arthropods. They will have their chapter test over complex invertebrates next Tuesday.  At that point they will start a new chapter on the phylum Chordata which includes vertebrates. In this chapter we will be looking at fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish, the 7th grade will continue to work with the vocabulary and grammar from Chapter 9B. We will be focusing on the differences between the verbs conocer and saber. Students will begin a project where will they combine the new verbs and the new vocabulary to create an advertisement for a fictional product.  

7th American History with Mrs. English
This week in American history we will wrap up our study of the American Revolution with a Chapter 6 Test on Wednesday February 26th.  Next we will introduce the how the American Constitution was created and go into deep discussion about the American government under the Constitution.  Students will be expected to read and examine the Constitution.  We will start a Constitution “scavenger hunt" Friday.

8TH GRADE NEWS

8th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
Eighth grade students have been working on research for a persuasive research paper.  Highlighted copies of five sources will be due Tuesday, and we will spend the latter portion of next week organizing our research and creating outlines.  We will also be continuing to study MLA format, how to embed quotes, and how to effectively use parenthetical citations.  The Wordly Wise quiz that was originally scheduled for today was moved to Monday, so students should be sure to review for this over the weekend. 

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders have learned about the different types of chemical reactions.  They will perform two labs which illustrate each of the various types.  Next Tuesday the eighth grade will have a quiz on these chemical reactions and then learn about the factors that influence reaction speed.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class (Grades 7/8), we will continue our in depth exploration of solving Systems of Linear Equations (SOEs).  We will discuss further solving by Elimination Method (7.3 – 7.4).  On Thursday, we will have a quiz over the 3 different methods of solving SOEs (7.1 – 7.4) – Graphing, Substitution, and Elimination, oh my!  We will end the week by discussing SOEs that have no solutions or even infinite solutions (7.5).

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class (Grade 8), we will complete our brief introduction to Trigonometry.  We will learn how to use Trigonometry to find angles in right triangles when given two sides. Students will use their knowledge of Trigonometry to calculate the height of the HDS flagpole without actually measuring it!  Neat!  We will have a review class on Thursday and then our Trigonometry Test on Friday.

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
 Next week in Spanish, the 8th grade will continue to work with the vocabulary and grammar from Chapter 5A. Students will begin a group project where they will create a “newscast” highlighting current events, sports, weather, and entertainment completely in Spanish. 

8th American Government with Mrs. English
This week in American government we will have a Quest on Tuesday February 25th on the second half of Chapter 12-Section 1 and Chapter 12 Section 2.  Later in the week we will study the 2000 Bush v. Gore election as a case study for how elections work.  Students will see how the voting process goes for each voter. Content will be based off of Chapter 12- Section 3.  This will be the last section before we commence our class election project.  Students should look for a test on Chapter 12 in the first week of March.  Pay attention to the news this weekend! Lots of interesting politics and democratic discussions going on in the Ukraine. 

May 21st - May 25th

NOTES FROM MR. CRAWFORD Important Dates for all Families! All middle school students were provided information regarding end of ye...