NOTES FROM MR. CRAWFORD
Community Service
Please remember that students should complete ten hours of community service each school year. Service opportunities are advertised in the blog weekly. Additionally, if you know of any service opportunities that would be appropriate for our students, please feel free to send them to Ms. Ross so that they may be included here.
Completed service hours should be documented on the Community Service Form and submitted to your child’s homeroom teacher.
All School Community Service Day
On November 21, the Middle School students will be heading to Second Harvest and Oatland Island Wildlife to perform community service. We are asking for volunteers to drive the students. Volunteer drivers will need to stay with the students for the entire trip (8:30am-Noon). If you are interested, please contact Madison Ross in the MS Office (x315) to sign up.
8TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS
8th grade Algebra 1 - Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra we will begin in Chapter 4 by discussing the coordinate plane in depth. On Tuesday, we will put our knowledge of the coordinate plane to use by playing battleship with our classmates. On Wednesday, we will begin graphing linear equations. We will then begin the Olympics Exam Review starting on Thursday (it will continue through Wednesday of the following week). No assessments this week.
8th grade Advanced Algebra - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will continue Chapter 11 by learning how to rationalize denominators by using the conjugate when there is a binomial in the denominator (11.2). There will be a quiz covering all of sections 11.1-11.2 on Tuesday. We will then begin reviewing for exams.
8th grade Geometry - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will continue Chapter 4 by learning how to prove triangles are congruent by using Angle-Side-Angle (ASA) and Angle-Angle-Side (AAS) (4.5). We will also learn how to use congruent triangles to prove other things about triangles (4.6). There will be a quiz covering sections 4.1-4.5 on Tuesday. We will then learn about properties about isosceles and equilateral triangles (4.7) and learn about translations in the coordinate plane (4.8).
8th grade Physical Science - Mr. Cooper
Next week we will cover Chapter 6 in the textbook (pages 162-178) Section 1 is a review. Section 2 is new material. We will have a quiz on Friday on Sections 1 and 2. The topics these pages cover are electron dot diagrams, chemical bonds (ionic, covalent, metallic) and polar/nonpolar molecules. Students that know they will be absent should come to me to make other arrangements to take their test.
8th grade English Language Arts - Mrs. O’Connor
Students are enjoying To Kill a Mockingbird. Our first quiz has been rescheduled for Monday, October 30th; it will cover chapters 1-8. Next week we will continue to spend time reading the book, discussing the content, and preparing for a test over the first portion of the book. While the test will not cover the entire novel, it will be an important opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding of the material so far. This test is scheduled for Friday, November 3rd. Remember to be reading independently in your free time and logging minutes in the reading log document!
8th grade History & Gov’t II - Mrs. English
This week we will continue our study of the industrial boom in America during the 1800s. Readings and homework will come from Chapter 18.3. We will finish watching part of the Triangle Fire documentary and discuss the pros and cons of big business in America. We also will look at the role the government plays in protecting free enterprise and consumer/worker rights. We will take our Chapter 18.1-3 test on Thursday, November 2nd.
8th grade Spanish - Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish class, the 8th grade will complete Chapter 2A and the test will be Monday, October 30th. We will begin Chapter 3A which focuses on making schedules, running errands, and different places in the community. Students will also begin to work on their summative assessment for the first trimester. This assignment will require them to use the grammar and vocabulary from this year to design and describe their own communities.
7TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS
7th grade Algebra 1 - Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra we will begin in Chapter 4 by discussing the coordinate plane in depth. On Tuesday, we will put our knowledge of the coordinate plane to use by playing battleship with our classmates. On Wednesday, we will begin graphing linear equations. We will then begin the Olympics Exam Review starting on Thursday (it will continue through Wednesday of the following week). No assessments this week.
7th grade Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will continue Chapter 4 by learning how to find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of numbers and monomials (4.2) as well as creating equivalent fractions with monomials (4.3). We will then begin reviewing for exams.
7th grade History & Gov’t I - Mrs. English
This week students will wrap up their Chapter 3 studies with a test on Monday, October 30th (Ch. 3.1-4). We will complete our Chapter 3 study on Halloween with a look into the “spooky” events of the Salem Witch Trials. Were there really witches? Students will develop theories and discover what really happened when we do document analysis of the event.
7th grade Spanish - Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish class, the 7th grade will continue to work with the grammar and vocabulary from Chapter 6B and the test will be Friday, November 3rd. Students will also begin to work on their summative assessment for the first trimester. This assignment will require students to create a board game that reviews everything we have learned this year in Spanish. The board games will be due on Wednesday, November 8th.
7th Grade ELA - Mrs. Boyer
Parents! This week we will be reviewing Chapter 8-11. There will be a Unit 4 Vocabulary quiz on Wednesday, November 11th. There will be a Chapter 8-11 Quiz on Thursday. While reading The Hobbit, the seventh grade ELA class will be focusing on critically analyzing characters and themes. Next week we will be starting our essay on Light versus Dark within Tolkien’s world. Students will be studying religious aspects of Tolkien’s world as well as critically analyzing aspects of film for their essay. We will be working on this essay for the rest of The Hobbit novel study. Students will be receiving their exam study guides at the beginning of next week and I will begin reviewing concepts in order to prepare them for their exams. The students who came to my review sessions this week left feeling extremely prepared; please be aware if your child is struggling with any material and send them my way. Self-advocacy is key. Reading log final due dates are fast approaching. Be aware of your student’s minutes. Reminder: Students are always given rubrics in my class. Please remind your student that following rubrics and keeping up with due dates is critically important. Lastly, I am EXTREMELY proud of all my ELA students for working on their first three paragraph critical analysis essay. Their brainstorming was completed on time, they are listening and revising according to my comments and they are sharing their documents with me beforehand so that I have time to review them. They have really stepped up to the plate! :) FINAL Reading Logs are due on 11/6.
7th grade Life Science - Ms. Hoffman
We finished up our unit on the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems this week, including an opportunity for students to participate in a blood typing simulation lab last Friday. (See the photos below.) Today, we began talking about our immune system by learning about OTC (over the counter) medications and will continue with information on bacteria and viruses and how our immune system helps to keep us healthy. Our exam activity in science for this trimester will focus on pathogens and will include research to create a “Most Wanted” pathogen poster. More information on this will be given at the end of next week. Our Science in Comics for October is due Tuesday, October 31st. There is also an optional homework assignment if students want to do it. They can complete up to two additional science in comics for additional homework grades. These are due by Friday, November 3rd.
6TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS
6th grade Accelerated Math 7 - Mrs. Reardon
Next week in math we will begin in Chapter 4 by taking a look at prime factorization. We will create our own prime factorization trees on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we will learn how to find the greatest common factor of two and three numbers. This trimester, students will have an activity in math in lieu of a written exam, so we will not be reviewing for exams in this class. On Thursday, I will introduce the first trimester assessment and explain all the nitty gritty details. On Friday, students will begin to brainstorm ideas for their trimester assessment.
6th grade Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will continue Chapter 4 by learning how to find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of numbers and monomials (4.2) as well as creating equivalent fractions with monomials (4.3). We will then begin our Summative Trimester Assignment (worth 10% of the trimester grade) on Thursday.
6th grade ELA - Mrs. Guggenheim
Literature: The 6th Grade ELA exam study guide was distributed 10/26.
We will finish reading The Outsiders and review for the unit test. The unit test is scheduled for Friday, November 3. The following week we will be reviewing for the exam.
Grammar: There will be no new concepts introduced.
Writing: Final copies of short stories - printed - are due 10/31. I have skimmed each short story and returned them with notes to assist the students when they edit their rough drafts.
Vocabulary: I am rescheduling the introduction of List 6 to the week after Thanksgiving. It will not be included on the exam, nor will there be a quiz next week.
Reading Log: Some students have been very diligent about beginning their reading logs. Others have not yet turned in any minutes. As stated in the syllabus, all middle school students are required to read 360 minutes during the course of the trimester - reading that is outside of their regular assignments. They have a form on which to keep track of their minutes, and on Mondays in class I post their minutes in a spreadsheet. They need to obtain a parent signature to verify the minutes read. This counts as a project grade. The grading scale is written in the syllabus. Reading log minutes for 6th grade are due 11/6.
6th grade Earth Science - Ms. Hoffman
Students have utilized our school weather data station by collecting data for the last week. (See some photos listed below.) We will now begin our fun in-class small group project to study severe weather, such as hurricanes, tornados, blizzards, thunderstorms and floods/ droughts. In this project students will use class time to research their assigned type of severe weather and then decide how to present and teach this information to the rest of the class, including creating an interactive activity and producing test assessment questions. All of this information on weather we have been studying for the last month will be the main focus of our written exam on November 10th. Prior to that we will also do a basic review of the exam information. Our Science in Comics for October is due Tuesday, October 31st. There is also an optional homework assignment if students want to do it. They can complete up to two additional science in comics for additional homework grades. These are due by Friday, November 3rd.
6th Grade Ancient Civ - Mrs. Boyer
Parents! This week we will be winding down our studies on Chapter 3. There will be a Chapter 3 Test on November 1st. The students have known about this test for four weeks. Please discuss with your student that the test will not be ‘hard’; however, there will be a lot of material as the Chapter has five lessons. As exams are rapidly approaching, I have prepared a study guide for my students, handed it out and explained my expectations. Throughout the next week and days before the exam, I have planned in-class activities which will help them study for the Chapter 3 test and for the exam. After the exams, we will be venturing into Egypt for our next learning adventure. :)
These are some pictures from our Ancient Civilization Ziggurat Projects! The kids did such a good job presenting and following through with all of their deadlines! More projects to come! :)
6th Grade Spanish - Ms. Dubick
Hello parents! The sixth graders will be perfecting their understanding of the use of Ser and Estar this week. The quiz this Friday was cancelled, instead they will have a test on Tuesday over the following:
1. The physical & personality description words and adapting for gender & number
2. using conjugations of Ser with those descriptive words
3. choosing Ser vs. Estar.
They have also been learning about the debate over Catalonian Independence! We will continue to watch this story as it unfolds.
Every Wednesday and Friday morning before school I’ll be doing review sessions, any students who feel they could use the extra help are welcome to come.
I have added a class Quizlet, students should use this resource to help them review.
MS Art - Mrs. Cookson
Imaginations are fired up and there some great hidden worlds are being discovered in the art room. The students have also done a great job with material responsibility. So, we may move into opening our next station very soon. They all have done super working collaboratively and challenging each other.
CLUBS
Science Club
This week in science club students participated in a mini-lab on chromatography. They separated the different colors in markers. Here is an example of their results.
