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Congratulations to some of our 7th Graders on the honor of qualifying for the DUKE TIP Program
Students from our National Junior Honor Society took some time to help with the Pre-K classes!
NOTES FROM THE HEAD OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
EAGLE OPPORTUNITIES (EAGLE OPS!)
This year we began the development of a
program that will increase offerings to our students. These offerings are being presented between
10:30-11:00 each day, a time slot we dubbed Eagle Ops. Many excellent opportunities exist for our
students beyond the walls of HDS. To
facilitate their participation in select events, we are going to run field
trips when possible so our students may attend.
Of course, we always encourage families to attend!
Our first weekend EAGLE OP will be this
Saturday, September 20th. We
will be headed to Georgia Southern University to participate in the GSU STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) FESTIVAL. At the festival students, will participate in
exciting activities that will include:
Robotics
in action
Making
ice cream with liquid nitrogen
Gaze
at the stars in the GSU Planetarium
Learning
how video games are created
….and
many more activities!
A short video showing activities at last
year’s event can be found at http://research.georgiasouthern.edu/stemfest/.
If your child is interested in participating
and would like to attend with the HDS Team (Sean Lanfear, Alex Holmes, Michelle
Jenkner and Howard Crawford) you should contact Melissa Gordon
mgordon@hancockdayschool) by Thursday to reserve a seat on the bus. Students should bring $10 for lunch.
Look for other EAGLE OPS in the future. If you hear of any events that would be
appropriate for our students, please tell us!
HIGH SCHOOL VISITATION SCHEDULE
At this time we have scheduled visitations
for our 8th grade to Savannah Country Day, St. Andrew’s, BC, St.
Vincent’s and Savannah Christian. Still
to be scheduled are the Habersham School and the Savannah Arts Academy. Visitations will be on Mondays beginning in
October.
IS BOARDING SCHOOL AN OPTION TO CONSIDER?
The Hancock Day School Middle School will be
holding a boarding school “fair” so our parents may learn more about the boarding
school opportunities available in the region.
This fair will be held on Wednesday, October 15th beginning
at 10:30 in Hancock Hall. At this time, schools participating include Chatham
Hall, Christchurch School, Christ School, the McCallie School and the Webb
School. Also participating will be
counselors from Savannah Educational Consultants, Helese Sandler and Tad
Davis.
The boarding school option is not something
many of our families consider. This
event will provide you some “food for thought” about the opportunities
available in a residential setting.
FUN AND FITNESS THIS FRIDAY!
This Friday the Middle School will step back
from the rigors of our classes and enjoy some social time in the
afternoon. All core classes will be held
in the morning followed by our famous(?) Chic-Fil-A lunch at noon. From 12:30 – 2:30 Student Government will be
running several FUN AND FITNESS activities.
PICK UP ON FRIDAY IS AT 2:30.
THERE WILL BE NO EXTENDED AVAILABLE.
6TH GRADE NEWS
6th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
Next week the sixth graders will try to write some of their
own nonfiction as they compose rough drafts of memoirs that include sensory
details and figurative language. We will be working on rough drafts of
this assignment in class, and completed rough drafts will be due on Thursday,
9/18. Students also have a grammar quiz on Tuesday (over subjects,
predicates, direct and indirect objects) and a Wordly Wise Quiz (over lesson
two) on Wednesday. Though we’ve been doing lots of preparation for both
quizzes in class, students are always welcome to see me for extra help before
school from 7:30-8 on any Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Soon
we will also begin studying some background information related to the
Holocaust as we prepare to read Anne Frank: Diary of a Young
Girl.
6th Math with Mrs. Reardon
6th-7th Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
6th-7th Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will finally begin solving equations.
First, we will solve simple equations mentally (2.4), and then how to solve
simple one-step equations using addition/subtraction (2.5) and
multiplication/division (2.6).
6th Earth Science with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Earth Science, we will discuss the first
section in Chapter 2 learning about matter, atoms, and elements. Students will begin an in class project on an
element that they will be assigned (example elements might be mercury, neon,
silver, sodium, etc.). The outline for
this project as well as the rubric will be going home Friday (9/12). This rubric is to be signed by the student
and parent, so that everyone is aware of the project guidelines as we go
forward. On Monday, students will begin
researching their element on the laptops and by Wednesday students should be
ready to begin creating their posters.
Any materials that they might need for the poster (markers, glue, &
poster board WILL be provided – unless a student would want a different color
poster board other than white) should be brought to class by Tuesday
(9/16). Posters will be due by the end
of class on Thursday (9/18). Students will also be responsible for the
vocabulary in section 1 for a brief vocab quiz on Friday (9/19). We will begin
presenting our posters in class on Monday (9/22). posters in class on Friday (9/18).
6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake
This week’s chapter test was given back Thursday. If you haven’t seen it, please take some
time to look over it with your 6th grader. The students are starting their chapter on
atoms and elements. As part of this
study the students will be doing their first project. They will be working in pairs to research a
specific element. The majority of their
work will be done in class.
6th Spanish with Ms. Dixon
We’ll begin next week by
reviewing the chapter test from CapÍtulo 1A and then transition into CapÍtulo
1B, covering adjectives and how to use them in conversation, as well as
masculine vs. feminine. We’ll work together in group skits to practice our
conversation skills. Our verse for this unit is:
Salmos 16:8 “A Jehová he puesto siempre delante de mí; porque está a mi
diestra, no seré conmovido.”
6th Ancient Civilizations with Mrs. Hannah
We just finished our unit on Early Humans and took the unit test Thursday, so be sure to check PowerSchool to see how well your student performed! On Monday, we will begin to study Mesopotamia, which is Chapter 3 in the textbook. There will be a project to accompany the unit, so look for that information to go home next week. As always, I am in my room in the mornings at 7:45 if you student has questions about what we cover in class. Have a great weekend!
We just finished our unit on Early Humans and took the unit test Thursday, so be sure to check PowerSchool to see how well your student performed! On Monday, we will begin to study Mesopotamia, which is Chapter 3 in the textbook. There will be a project to accompany the unit, so look for that information to go home next week. As always, I am in my room in the mornings at 7:45 if you student has questions about what we cover in class. Have a great weekend!
7TH GRADE NEWS
7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. Hannah
We are beginning the editing process of creating an original short story. Today and Monday we will be completing peer editing in class, with a revised draft due Tuesday 16 September. On Wednesday, our class will take a quiz over Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, which will encompass not only the story, but also personification and characterization. In grammar, we have been studying subjects, predicates, direct, and indirect objects. There will be a grammar quiz Thursday over these topics, along with a Wordly Wise quiz over lesson 3. This is such a busy week, so if your student would like extra assistance or clarification on anything we have been discussing, I will be in my room every morning at 7:45. Have a great weekend!
We are beginning the editing process of creating an original short story. Today and Monday we will be completing peer editing in class, with a revised draft due Tuesday 16 September. On Wednesday, our class will take a quiz over Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, which will encompass not only the story, but also personification and characterization. In grammar, we have been studying subjects, predicates, direct, and indirect objects. There will be a grammar quiz Thursday over these topics, along with a Wordly Wise quiz over lesson 3. This is such a busy week, so if your student would like extra assistance or clarification on anything we have been discussing, I will be in my room every morning at 7:45. Have a great weekend!
6th-7th Grade Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will finally begin solving equations.
First, we will solve simple equations mentally (2.4), and then how to solve
simple one-step equations using addition/subtraction (2.5) and
multiplication/division (2.6).
7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake
7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra I, we will continue in Chapter 2 by mastering multiplying and dividing real numbers as well as applying distributive property. Students will do an activity using the properties they have learned up to this point in Chapter 2 on Thursday and will have a chapter quiz over sections 4 through 6 on Friday (9/19)
This week, the seventh graders performed a lab on acid-base
indicators and wrote a formal conclusion which was typed in class. They will begin next week by reviewing for
their first test of the year which will be on Tuesday. At
that point, they will be starting their next chapter which is devoted to the microscope
and the cell.
7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra I, we will continue in Chapter 2 by mastering multiplying and dividing real numbers as well as applying distributive property. Students will do an activity using the properties they have learned up to this point in Chapter 2 on Thursday and will have a chapter quiz over sections 4 through 6 on Friday (9/19)
7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish class the 7th grade will be
working with affirmative commands and the present progressive tense. Students
will have a quiz over the grammar on Thursday, September 18th. They
will also begin a writing assignment describing the house of their dreams using
the new grammar and vocabulary.
7th American History with Mrs. English
This week we will begin studying
the first explorers to the New World. Students will see what products,
ideas, and diseases were transported between the Eastern and Western
Hemispheres. Students will have a quiz on Friday September 19th
on the geography of Europe. Students will also pick their Explorers
project!
8TH GRADE NEWS
8th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor
The eighth graders have been discussing perceptions as we’ve
read a variety of fictional pieces related to the theme of identity and
power. In the week ahead, students will review examples of this theme and
the major plot points of each text to prepare for our test on Thursday.
Students will also example the role point of view plays in literature by
rewriting a piece we have read from the point of view of a different
character. Rough drafts of this assignment will be due Monday,
September 22nd.
8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake
The eighth graders have just started a new chapter on
measurement in science. Students will be
using their math skills a great deal in the next few weeks. They begin by reviewing rounding of decimals
and the importance of estimation. They
will also learn the difference between precision and accuracy and how they
relate to each other. All of this leads
to our coming work with metrics.
7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra I, we will continue in Chapter 2 by mastering multiplying and dividing real numbers as well as applying distributive property. Students will do an activity using the properties they have learned up to this point in Chapter 2 on Thursday and will have a chapter quiz over sections 4 through 6 on Friday (9/19).
Next week in Algebra I, we will continue in Chapter 2 by mastering multiplying and dividing real numbers as well as applying distributive property. Students will do an activity using the properties they have learned up to this point in Chapter 2 on Thursday and will have a chapter quiz over sections 4 through 6 on Friday (9/19).
8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will finish looking at graphing quadratic
equations. Students will discover themselves where the formula for the
axis of symmetry comes from. This is part of the “advanced” section –
looking at the deeper mathematics behind the formulas we use. On
Wednesday we will review sections 10.1 – 10.3 and on Thursday we will have a
test on what we have covered in Chapter 10 so far.
8th Geometry with Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will finally start our very first two-column
proofs (2.5 – 2.6)! Students will practice writing, first, algebraic
proofs similar to what they are used to seeing from Algebra (2.5). Then,
we will begin our foray into geometric proofs (2.6).
8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish class the 8th grade will be
working with the new grammar from Chapter 1B. This includes comparisons, time
expressions, and saber vs. conocer. We will also read and discuss some articles
describing a typical day for student in other countries. There will be a graded listening assignment
on Tuesday, September 16th and a grammar quiz on Thursday, September
18th.
8th American Government with Mrs. English
This week we will have a test on the Civil War on Wednesday September 17th. At the end of the week we will discuss Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the effects that is had on Reconstruction in the South. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday September 23rd! The eighth grade will go on a field trip to the Green-Meldrim House to visit the place that Sherman signed Savannah over to Abraham Lincoln.
This week we will have a test on the Civil War on Wednesday September 17th. At the end of the week we will discuss Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the effects that is had on Reconstruction in the South. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday September 23rd! The eighth grade will go on a field trip to the Green-Meldrim House to visit the place that Sherman signed Savannah over to Abraham Lincoln.
