November 3-7, 2014

NOTES FROM THE HEAD OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR EAGLE FOOTBALL TEAM!

Last night, the football team competed for the SPAL league championship.  Unfortunately, we came up short falling to St. James.  It was a GREAT season and an EXCITING run to the championship.  We all learned a lot along the way.  Thank you Coach Gilpin and your staff for leading our students through this exciting season.

BASKETBALL RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

With fall sports done our basketball teams are beginning to practice for the upcoming season.  We will have 8 teams playing, so get ready for some long nights in the gym!  Practices are being scheduled by individual team coaches who will notify families of their schedules.  The season will begin during the week of December 1^st.  AT THIS TIME THE SCHEDULE HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED!!  We will get it out as soon as it arrives in our hands.

PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES - OR MAYBE YOUR DANCING BOOTS!

Next Friday, November 7^th, the Middle School will have a dance in Hancock Hall from 6:30 – 8:00.  Theme for the dance is “Harvest Hoe Down.”  Dress is casual country and western.  Boots may be worn. 

FOOD DRIVE BEGINS IN SUPPORT OF SECOND HARVEST

The dance is our kickoff for the HDS annual food drive in support of Second Harvest.  The drive officially opens on Monday, November 10^th and ends Friday, November 21^st.  Last year we met our goal of collecting 2000 pounds of canned or boxed dry goods.  This year our goal is to collect 2014 pounds.  11 days of intense effort are needed to meet this goal.  To jump start the drive, admission to the dance is 5 items for Second Harvest.

SCHOOL VISITS CONTINUE

This Monday, the 8^th grade will be visiting Savannah Country Day School.  Students have returned from our previous visits excited and full of questions.  This is a good time in the selection process for families to discuss exactly what they are looking for in a high school and to match those expectations with what their children are seeing on these trips and with the material they are bringing home from the admission offices.

The admissions process is still not open at the Savannah Arts Academy.  The school is waiting for final approval from the Board of Education.  If the plan is approved as submitted, applications will be accepted through January with auditions in February.  As soon as the process opens I will schedule a visit for interested 7^th and 8^th grade families.  A note to our families, if you think you might be interested in attending SAA, you should begin preparing during your 7^th grade year as auditions are a critical part of the admissions process.

HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS

You have visited the school, toured and possibly shadowed.  Now what?  Family discussions!  After you have selected a school or schools to which you wish to apply, complete the parent section of the admission packet and then give the entire packet to us.  We will assemble the documents and recommendations requested and then hand deliver the application to the appropriate school.  This usually takes us about 3 days to a week to complete.  If you have any questions about this process, please contact me at school, 351-4500 X1 or hcrawford@hancockdayschool.org.  

Congratulations to Marla Worrill

Marla Worrill, one of our 6th graders, organized a school wide dress down day on Thursday. The students had to wear pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the cost was $1. We raised over $400 and all proceeds benefit the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion at St. Joseph's/Candler. Great job, Marla! 

6TH GRADE NEWS

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

Next week the sixth graders will continue to work on lesson three in Wordly Wise and study character development and theme in several short stories.  Students will take a quiz over the Wordly Wise lesson on Thursday, November 6^th.  We will also begin preparing to write our own short stories by brainstorming plot structure.

6th Math with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, students will take their chapter quiz over sections 4.1 – 4.4 on Monday (11/3).  Starting Tuesday we will begin to wrap up chapter 4 by comparing and ordering fractions as well as converting fractions to decimals and vice versa.

6th-7th Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will have a quiz on Monday (as decided by the students this week) covering sections 4.1 – 4.2.  We will also learn about finding equivalent fractions (4.3) and finding the least common multiple of numbers and monomials (4.4).

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Earth Science, we will jump into a new chapter by learning about the theory of plate tectonics.  Students will learn about two very influential men in the theory of plate tectonics: Alfred Wegener, who contributed to the theory of continental drift and Harry Hess, who contributed to the theory of seafloor spreading.  Students will have a quiz towards the end of the week.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

Next week will be a busy one for the sixth graders.  They will be introduced to Alfred Wegener and his theory of continental drift and they will spend time learning about Harry Hess’s theory of seafloor spreading.  The work of these two men led to the theory of plate tectonics which is the topic of our new chapter. 

6th Spanish with Ms. Dixon

Next week we’ll begin the second part of Capítulo Dos and explore additional classroom vocabulary. There will be quiz covering new vocab and verbs (conjugation) on Friday, November 7^th, ,with a Jeopardy and review day on the 6^th. Continue to work on our quote by Julius Erving. 

6th Ancient Civilizations with Mrs. Hannah
Ancient Civ- Monday and Tuesday we will study mummification, complete with a fun demonstration in class. We will have one more day with the laptops in class to work on the booklet project, which is due on Friday 7 November. Please remember that students can come to my room daily at 7:45 to use the computers if needed! Refer to the rubric and project guideline sheet with any questions. 

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. Hannah
We will complete our reading of Roll of Thunder next week! Students should refer to the reading calendar for specific daily requirements. We will have a quiz over chapters 9-12 on Friday, and a novel test is planned for next Tuesday 11 November. We will also begin studying phrases and clauses in grammar. Newspaper project deadline has been extended until Monday. 

6th-7th Grade Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will have a quiz on Monday (as decided by the students this week) covering sections 4.1 – 4.2.  We will also learn about finding equivalent fractions (4.3) and finding the least common multiple of numbers and monomials (4.4).

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders will spend the week learning about chemical reactions that occur within the cell.  These reactions include cellular respiration, fermentation and photosynthesis.  They will examine the close connection between respiration and photosynthesis.  The week will end with their test over chapter 3

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, students will take their chapter quiz over sections 4.1 – 4.3 on Monday (11/3).  Starting Tuesday we will begin to wrap up chapter 4 by finding slope and rate of change as well as graphing using slope-intercept form.  On Thursday, we will do a common writing assessment dealing with Algebra I.  The chapter 4 test will take place on Tuesday, November 11.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class the 7^th grade will continue working with the preterit tense and direct objects. We will have a reading comprehension check and the chapter test will be Thursday, November 6^th. Student should be reviewing the material each night as this chapter covers a lot of new topics.

  

7th American History with Mrs. English
This week we will finish our Salem Witch Trials investigation and begin discussing Chapter 4—Section 1.  This section deals with how colonies governed themselves.  We will have a short quiz on Chapter 4-Section 1 at the end of the week.  Looking forward to a great week!

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

In the week ahead the eighth graders will begin reading The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Students will get a reading calendar outlining homework assignments and quiz dates for our entire study of this novel.  Our first quiz will be on Thursday, November 6^th and will cover chapters 1-4.  We will also continue to practice identifying types of sentences.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders are now looking at compounds and mixtures.  The students will perform a lab in which they will use chromatography to separate dye components and then calculate the Rf value of each dye.  They will also perform a lab in which they carry out various tests in order to identify the different compounds in a mixture.   Their chapter test will be at the end of the week.

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, students will take their chapter quiz over sections 4.1 – 4.3 on Monday (11/3).  Starting Tuesday we will begin to wrap up chapter 4 by finding slope and rate of change as well as graphing using slope-intercept form.  On Thursday, we will do a common writing assessment dealing with Algebra I.  The chapter 4 test will take place on Tuesday, November 11.

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will learn how to rationalize denominators that have square roots in them (11.2) and then we will review for the upcoming test the following week.

8th Geometry with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will continue to learn how to prove triangles are congruent by various methods including Side-Angle-Side (4.4), Angle-Side-Angle, and Angle-Angle-Side (4.5).

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class the 8^th grade will continue working with the irregular commands and irregular present progressive tense. We will have a reading comprehension check and the chapter test will be Friday, November 7^th.  Students should be reviewing the material each night as this chapter covers a lot of new topics.

8th American Government with Mrs. English
This week we will have a quiz on Chapter 18—Section 1 & 2 on Tuesday.  Later in the week we will begin discussing Chapter 18-Section 3 and the growth of major American cities.  Looking forward to a great week!

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October 27-31st

NOTES FROM THE HEAD OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

8^TH GRADE VISITATION

Monday we will be visiting Savannah Christian Preparatory School on Chatham Parkway.  Drivers for the trip will be Mrs. Burgess, Mrs. Woolridge, Ms. Gordon and myself.  We will board at 9:05 and depart HDS at 9:10.  Students will return to HDS by 12:30.

COOKBOOK

The recipes that have come in for the HDS cookbook being produced by Carlisle McCullough look TREMENDOUS!   I must confess to actually trying one at home and it was delicious!!!  It is time to wrap up the 8^th grade capstone project being produced in Mrs. O’Connor’s class.  PLEASE LOOK ONE MORE TIME and consider sharing your special delight with the Hancock community!!!  Recipes can be dropped off with or emailed to Ms. Gordon (mgordon@hancockdayschool.org). 

CHAMPIONSHIP FEVER!

Thursday night we defeated Blessed Sacrament to earn a spot in the SPAL CHAMPIONSHIP game next Thursday.  We will meet St. James at their field.  Gates open at 5:15 and the game begins at 6:00.  Be there or be square!

GOOD LUCK CHEERLEADERS

The competitive cheer squad will be traveling to Statesboro for a cheer competition on Saturday, October 25^th.  Best of luck to the girls.  Look for pictures in next week’s blog and on Facebook.

 Middle School Student Government is sponsoring a Halloween Dress Down Day on Friday, October 31st. Students may wear appropriate Halloween Costumes and the cost is $3. More details to follow. 


Support your school!!!! Collect your BOX TOPS!!! Remember, each one is worth 10 cents, so each one adds up! Deadline for first collection is Oct. 31st! Please check expiration dates, cut neatly, and put in baggies of 50. Whether you have 50 or not, please mark how many are in the bag with sharpie.

CONGRATULATIONS HUNTER SIMPSON

We have just been notified that Hunter Simpson won the 6-8 grade division of this year’s Young Writer Contest.  There were over 1,000 entries for this year’s contest!  Below is the press release from the Live Oak  Public Library.

In celebration of this year’s Savannah Children’s Book Festival.

Live Oak Public Libraries is pleased to announce the winners of its 2014 Savannah Children’s Book Festival Young Writers Contest and Book Trailer Contest. This is the 11th year of the annual writing competition and the second year for the video book reviews contest.

Entrants in the Young Writers Contest range from students kindergarten to college students, and attend public, private and home schools. They were tasked to select at least five words from a list that was drawn from books by this year’s Savannah Children’s Book Festival featured authors and illustrators. There was no restriction on form, and their poems ranged from haiku to sonnets and beyond.

Grades 6 - 8
First Place: Hunter Simpson, “ Golden Autumn Memories,” 8th Grade, Hancock Day School
Second Place: Millie Sellars, “Tomorrow,” 8th Grade, South Effingham Middle School
Third Place: Kaleigh Lamont, “Time,” 8th Grade, Hesse K-8 School
Honorable Mention: Zoe Culbreth, “We Dream,” 8th Grade, Memorial Day School
Honorable Mention: Landri Morgan, “Secrets,” 7th Grade, Ebenezer Middle School

 Our Admissions Season is off to a great start! 

6TH GRADE NEWS

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

Next week sixth grade students will write a short in class response to Maurice Ogden’s poem “The Hangman”.  Students will take a quiz over predicate nouns and adjectives on Wednesday, and on Thursday we will begin our new unit studying short stories.  We will also start work on our next lesson in Wordly Wise. 

6th Math with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, we will continue in Chapter 4 by revisiting greatest common factors, equivalent fractions, and least common multiples.  On Thursday (10/30), we will review sections 1 through 4 and students will take a quiz over those sections on Friday (10/31).  Also, on Monday (10/27) students will receive an outline for their math facts quiz that will take place on Wednesday (10/29).

6th-7th Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will begin our exploration of Chapter 4, which covers some number theory.  We will look at prime numbers (which are a personal passion of mine) and composite numbers (4.1).  We will learn how to factor a composite number into its Prime Factorization (4.1).  Students will then learn how to factor monomials (4.1) and find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of numbers and monomials (4.2).  We will a have a quiz on Friday covering 4.1-4.2.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Earth Science, we will continue discussing latitude and longitude, the various time zones around the world, and daylight saving time (ready or not, we “fall back” on November 2^nd!).  Students will apply their knowledge of latitude and longitude as well as time zones to answer some critical thinking questions mid-week.  On Friday (10/31), students will take a quiz over everything covered since their Chapter 2 test.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

The sixth graders will finish their review of latitude, longitude, and time zones next week.  There will be a quiz over this on Friday.  At that point the class will be introduced to Alfred Wegener and his theory of continental drift.  Wegener proposed his theory one hundred years ago and it was not accepted at the time.  The students will look at the evidence he used as the basis for this theory and the reasons other scientists did not readily embrace Wegener's ideas.

6th Spanish with Ms. Dixon

Next week, we will review our quizzes from Friday and continue to work on conjugation. We’ll explore new vocabulary involving the classroom and student life, and wrap up the first half of Capítulo Dos.  

6th Ancient Civilizations with Mrs. Hannah

 We have begun to study Egyptian civilization by analyzing the geography of the Nile River Valley. To gain a deeper understanding of Egyptian culture, your student chose a research topic in class today: Egyptian fashion, god and goddesses, or King Tutankhamen. We learned today how to create source cards and note cards so that students can organize their research. At home this weekend, students need to complete 2 source cards and 4 notecards about their chosen topic.  Students will compile the information into a booklet about their topic, complete with a cover page and photos. We have 2 days next week dedicated to in-class research! The due date for this project is Friday 7 November. Below is a link to a list of websites that contain all the information the students will need for this project, along with the project assignment sheet. If your student is unsure of the format for the cards, I am in my room at 7:45 each morning for extra help!

https://dprovin.wikispaces.com/Ancient+Egypt+Research+Project

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. Hannah

We are continuing to analyze Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by completing a newspaper article project with literature circle groups. We have already begun the planning process, and we will work in class to complete the writing portion of the project in groups. The students are responsible for binding the project at home. The completed newspaper will be due Friday 31 October. We will have a quiz over chapters 5-8 that includes character identification, content, and vocabulary. Students should refer to their reading calendar to stay current with the reading expectations.

6th-7th Grade Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will begin our exploration of Chapter 4, which covers some number theory.  We will look at prime numbers (which are a personal passion of mine) and composite numbers (4.1).  We will learn how to factor a composite number into its Prime Factorization (4.1).  Students will then learn how to factor monomials (4.1) and find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of numbers and monomials (4.2).  We will a have a quiz on Friday covering 4.1-4.2.

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders will continue looking at molecular movement in and out of the cell next week. These processes are critical to a cell’s ability to function.  The students will also perform a lab dealing with osmosis. They will have a quiz over the first two sections of this chapter on Thursday.

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, we will begin into Chapter 4 discussing the coordinate plane, graphing linear equations and graphing using intercepts.  This material (and graphing in general) can become increasingly difficult for students, so I highly recommend that if they are having trouble that they seek extra help in the mornings when I am available!  Thursday (10/30), we will review for the chapter quiz that will take place on Friday (10/31) over sections 1 through 3.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 7^th grade will continue to work with the preterite tense conjugation and the new vocabulary. I will introduce the Spanish direct object pronouns as well. It is very important for students to review the new information each night as the grammar becomes more challenging.  There will be a grammar quiz over the new material on Thursday, October 30^th. 

  

7th American History with Mrs. English

This week we will continue our study of the 13 colonies.  Students will see how the colonies formed unique identities based on their physical geography.  The South moved towards farming and large plantations while the North moved toward factory working and industry.  Students will have a quiz on Chapter 3—Section 1 and summary notes on Chapter 3—Section 2-4 on Thursday, October 30^th.  

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

Eighth grade students will finish watching To Kill a Mockingbird during the early portion of next week.  We will also be reviewing types/kinds of sentences, and students will take a short quiz over this material on Thursday.  Our next literature unit will explore the impact of a setting on mood and tone as we read The Hound of the Baskervilles.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders will continue their study of the periodic table.  One of the most important features of the table is that it helps students understand why certain elements will form compounds and others will not. They will have a quiz on the periodic table next Thursday.  The class will then look at the different types of mixtures and ways in which they can be separated.  

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra I, we will begin into Chapter 4 discussing the coordinate plane, graphing linear equations and graphing using intercepts.  This material (and graphing in general) can become increasingly difficult for students, so I highly recommend that if they are having trouble that they seek extra help in the mornings when I am available!  Thursday (10/30), we will review for the chapter quiz that will take place on Friday (10/31) over sections 1 through 3.

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will continue Chapter 11 by looking at how to simplify radicals (11.2).  Students will simplify radicals with and without variables, as well as combining “like radicals.”  There will be a quiz on Wednesday covering sections 11.1 (graphing square root functions) and the basics of 11.2.

8th Geometry with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will continue looking at Chapter 4 and triangles and congruence.  We will investigate transformations (rotations, translations, and reflections) (4.3) as well as begin to prove triangles are congruent by a variety of means (4.4).

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 8^th grade will learn how to give directions using Spanish prepositions, the new vocabulary, and a map from Mexico City. We will also be discussing irregular affirmative commands and irregular present progressive forms. There will be a grammar quiz over this material on Thursday, October 30^th.

8th American Government with Mrs. English

This week we will continue our study of the Industrial Revolution.  We also will discuss how government helped the Industrial Revolution rise.  We will have a quiz on Chapter 17-Section 1 and Chapter 18-Section 1 on Wednesday October 29^th.   End of the week readings will come from Chapter 18—Section 2.   Homework will include defining vocabulary, answering checkpoint questions, and end of the section questions.

October 20-24

NOTES FROM THE HEAD OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

High School Visits Begin!

Monday morning, our 8^th grade students will begin visiting area high schools as a first step in selecting a school for next year.  The boys will travel to BC and the girls to St. Vincent’s Academy.  Each morning will consist of a tour, visits to classes, student/faulty panels and conclude with lunch.  Next up on the visitation schedule is Savannah Christian Preparatory School on Monday, October 27^th.  A special thanks to all the parents who volunteered to drive!

***We will be scheduling a visit to Savannah Arts.  Their admissions process has not yet opened.  Watch for the date in upcoming blog posts.

Parent Conference Day

The first quarter ends today, October 17^th.  Wednesday, October 22 is Parent Conference Day.  Appointments with Middle School teachers can be scheduled through PTC Wizard at https://hancockdayschool.ptcwizard.com.  There is a limited number of appointments available on Tuesday, preceding Conference Day and on Thursday, following Conference Day.

Fundraising underway

The 8^th grade has begun its fund raising project.  They will be selling our ever popular wrapping paper as well as other gifts through Great American Opportunities.  This is a very short, but intense project that ends in two weeks.  Please support our students!

 We had a fantastic turn out for our Boarding School Forum this week! 

6TH GRADE NEWS

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

Next week sixth graders will view the documentary Anne Frank Remembered.  We will also begin writing persuasive essays and continue identifying predicate nouns, predicate adjectives, direct and indirect objects.  I look forward to seeing many of you on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday for conferences.

6th Math with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, we will review for the Chapter 3 test on Monday and then students will take the test on Tuesday, October 21.  Thursday, we will begin into Chapter 4 by learning about prime factorization.  On Friday, we will do a hands on activity where students will create their own prime factorization trees.

6th-7th Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete Chapter 3 by finishing looking at solving inequalities.  There will be a day of review in class on Thursday and the Chapter Test on Friday.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Earth Science, we will review for the Chapter 2 test on Monday.  On Tuesday, October 21, students will take their Chapter 2 test.  Towards the end of the week will begin discussing longitude and latitude and the important role that they play not only in Earth Science, but in World Geography as well.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

The sixth graders have just finished their chapter on atoms and matter.  They will start next week with a review and test.  At the end of the week they will be looking at latitude and longitude.  This information is not new to the students, but is of great importance in Earth Science.   Their knowledge and understanding of basic geography is necessary and helpful as they cover future topics such as plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

6th Spanish with Ms. Dixon

On Monday, the class will present their “El Estudiante” skits based on our vocabulary from Capítulo 2A. There will be a quiz on Friday, the 24^th, covering vocabulary taken from the “Repaso del Capítulo.” We will review for the quiz together on Thursday. 

6th Ancient Civilizations with Mrs. Hannah

We completed our unit on Mesopotamia this week, and those test grades have been applied to the first quarter. We will begin our study of Egypt next week, including completing a map over the physical features and important locations found in Egypt. I look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday for conferences! 

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. Hannah

Next week students will be assigned a group newspaper project in correlation with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. We will dedicate class time to completing this project, in addition to the class discussion over the novel. Students should refer to their reading calendar to stay on track with the assigned reading. I look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday for conferences!

6th-7th Grade Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete Chapter 3 by finishing looking at solving inequalities.  There will be a day of review in class on Thursday and the Chapter Test on Friday.

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders are beginning a new chapter that introduces them to organic compounds.  These are the compounds that build the cells of all living things.  First, they will have a quick review of atomic structure.  On Thursday, they will have a quiz over selected elements and their symbols.

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, we will wrap up Chapter 3 by solving percent problems.  On Tuesday, students will receive a study guide for their test that will take place on Friday, October 24.  Thursday, we will review for the Chapter 3 test.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class the 7^th grade will present their fashion projects.  We will also begin Chapter 7B. This chapter contains a lot of new grammar points. Students will learn about the preterit tense and direct object pronouns. The vocabulary quiz will be Friday, October 24^th.  

7th American History with Mrs. English
This week we will continue our study of the 13 colonies by looking at the first English colonies in America. We will see how early colonists risked a lot to form colonies in the New World.  Readings will come from Chapter 3-Section 1 & 2. 

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

Next week the eighth graders will conclude our study of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.  Students will take a test over the book on Tuesday, October 21^st.  We will continue to work on our 20% Projects on Thursday, and Friday we will begin viewing and studying the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird.  I look forward to seeing many of you on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday for conferences.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders will finish their review of the various atomic models at the beginning of the week.  On Thursday, they will have a quiz over selected elements and their symbols.  The class will then focus on elements and the periodic table.   They will be looking at the development of the table and be learning how to use it.

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, we will wrap up Chapter 3 by solving percent problems.  On Tuesday, students will receive a study guide for their test that will take place on Friday, October 24.  Thursday, we will review for the Chapter 3 test.

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8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will begin looking at Chapter 11 and square roots.  We will graph square root functions (11.1) and simplify radicals (11.2)

8th Geometry with Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will begin looking at Chapter 4 and triangles.  We will examine some properties and classifications of triangles (4.1) and then begin looking at congruent triangles (4.2)

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class the 8^th grade will begin Chapter 3B. This chapter covers direct object pronouns, prepositions, irregular commands, and irregular present progressive forms. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Friday, October 24^th.

8th American Government with Mrs. English

This week we will be starting Chapter 18-Section 1 and discuss big business in America. We will have a quiz on the geography of Europe at the end of the week. 

October 13-17

6TH GRADE NEWS

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

We are continuing to read and study Anne Frank:  Diary of a Young Girl.  Next week students will finish reading the diary and take a test over it on Friday, October 17^th.  Students should review all previous quizzes to prepare for this test.

6th Math with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, we will continue in Chapter 3 working with data displays.  We will learn about histograms and how to determine which type of display best suits a particular data set.  On Friday, students will receive a study guide for Chapter 3 which they can work on over the weekend.  The Chapter 3 test will be on Tuesday, October 21.

6th-7th Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week, we will finish Chapter 3 by learning about solving inequalities.  These are very similar to equations, just with < and > signs instead of an equals.  There will be a test on Chapter 3 the Tuesday after next.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Earth Science, we will do a lab called paper chromatography.  This lab will involve separating substances in a mixture.  Since Chapter 2 is so content rich, we will begin to review for the Chapter 2 test that will take place on Tuesday, October 21.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

During the next week, the sixth graders will be finishing their test on matter.  This chapter covered the makeup of atoms, elements, compounds and mixtures.  They also learned about physical and chemical properties.   They will perform a chromatography lab which will demonstrate one method of separating mixtures.

6th Spanish with Ms. Dixon

Next week we will continue to explore classroom objects and vocabulary. We’ll practice conjugation by working together in pairs to create a skit that will be performed on Friday, the 17^th. Our quote for this unit is: “Creo firmemente que el respeto es mucho más importante y mucho mayor que la popularidad.”  –Julius Erving

6th Ancient Civilizations with Mrs. Hannah

We have a short but busy week next week! Our chapter 3 test over Mesopotamia is Thursday 16 October. Your student should review notes and maps over the holiday weekend to prepare for this assessment. 

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. Hannah
We are continuing with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Your student has been given a reading pacing calendar that outlines the daily reading expectations, class discussions, and quiz days. Please note that quizzes and assessments on this calendar are subject to change! Students should use this resource to ensure they remain up to date with the reading so they can participate in class discussions. On Thursday 16 October, we have a grammar test on objects, complements, and prepositions. To prepare, students should study their notes and classwork we have covered over these topics. 

6th-7th Grade Pre-Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week, we will finish Chapter 3 by learning about solving inequalities.  These are very similar to equations, just with < and > signs instead of an equals.  There will be a test on Chapter 3 the Tuesday after next.

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders are finishing their chapter on cellular structure and the microscope.  Next week they will be reviewing and taking their chapter test.  After that, they will begin a chapter on organic compounds.  These are the compounds that build the cells of all living things.  Also, they will have a quick review of atoms and how they combine to make compounds.

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, students will work on their recipe proportion projects.  They will be creating a brochure in class that features the original recipe and the same recipe increased and decreased.  Students will use proportions to create the increased and decreased recipes.  On Friday, October 17, students will be allowed to bring in their original recipe to share with the class while we present our projects.Next week in Algebra I, students will work on their recipe proportion projects.  They will be creating a brochure in class that features the original recipe and the same recipe increased and decreased.  Students will use proportions to create the increased and decreased recipes.  On Friday, October 17, students will be allowed to bring in their original recipe to share with the class while we present our projects.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class the 7^th grade will begin their project for Chapter 7A. Students will use all of their new vocabulary and grammar in order to present an HDS fashion show. Students will receive the rubric on Wednesday, October 15^th. This will be the first grade of the 2^nd quarter.  

7th American History with Mrs. English
This week we will start Chapter 3-Section 1. Students should expect to answer review questions at the end of the section for homework. We will also have a geography quiz on Friday. The quiz will build on the other geography quizzes we've already taken. Students will be responsible for knowing the political borders of Europe, South America, and the 13 English colonies for the quiz. 

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

We are continuing to read To Kill a Mockingbird and work on our 20% projects in the week ahead.  On Thursday, October 16^th students will give a brief (2-3 minute) presentation to the class explaining their progress on the 20% project.  Our test over To Kill a Mockingbird will take place on Tuesday, October 21^st.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

After finishing their chapter on measurement, the eighth graders will move fully into chemistry.  They will spend next week reviewing the atom and the development of the atomic theory and how that theory changed over time.  From that point they will progress to elements and the periodic table.   

7th-8th Algebra I with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, students will work on their recipe proportion projects.  They will be creating a brochure in class that features the original recipe and the same recipe increased and decreased.  Students will use proportions to create the increased and decreased recipes.  On Friday, October 17, students will be allowed to bring in their original recipe to share with the class while we present our projects.

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week, we will spend two days reviewing the second half of Chapter 10 and then we will have our final test of the quarter on Friday.

8th Geometry with Mr. Lanfear

Next week, we will finish Chapter 3 by practicing some more proofs about parallel lines.  We will have a day of review on Thursday and then the Chapter 3 Test on Friday.

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class the 8^th grade will finish up Chapter 3A. We will review on Wednesday, October 15^th and the chapter test will be Thursday, October 16^th. Their writing assignment will also be due on Thursday, October 16^th. 

8th American Government with Mrs. English
This week we will start discussion of the American railroad system and see how the railroads standardized and laid the foundation for big business in America. Students will have a quiz on the political borders of Europe on Friday October 17th. This assessment will prepare students for understanding America's involvement in global politics at the beginning of the 20th century. Students should plan to read Chapter 17-Section 1 and answer checkpoint and section review questions for homework.