August 29- September 2

Action is picking up in the Middle School.  This past week all of our volleyball teams opened their seasons.  Congratulations to the 6th grade girls for their victory over the Habersham School!  This year we have both a junior varsity (5th & 6th grades) football team and a varsity (7th & 8th grades) football team.  They scrimmaged Country Day and did a fine job.  They will be exciting to watch!  Their season opens next week against St. Andrews on Thursday.  Please check the calendar on the website for the athletic schedule.

Thank you again for the great job you are doing on afternoon carpool.  Not arriving on campus until 3:15 gives the gold and green zone cars a chance to move through pick up and clear the traffic pattern for Middle School pick up.  On those days where you do have to be here early, please take a marked parking spot until 3:15.

Our lost and found is growing at a brisk rate!  Remember to mark all clothing (and water   bottles!) so we can return items to your child.

Cross Country

Cross Country forms are due Monday the 29th. Practice begins Tuesday the 30th. The CC roster will be finalized on the 29th at 3pm.

NOTES FROM 8th GRADE

8th Grade Algebra 1 Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, students should expect their first homework quiz on Monday.  Please ensure that all homework assigned since day one is in your math notebook.  We will wrap up chapter 1 by representing functions as rules and tables and by graphing those functions. On Wednesday, we will review chapter 1 in preparation for their test that will take place on Thursday, September 1st. On Friday, we will work on an in-class project in pairs where students will analyze the evaporation rate of a cup of water by creating a table, graph, and function.

8th Grade Geometry Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete Chapter 1 by having 2 days of review on Monday and Tuesday and then having the Chapter 1 Test on Wednesday.  We will then begin Chapter 2 and preparing for proofs by learning about reasoning and logic.

8th Grade Advanced Algebra Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete Chapter 9 by practicing the AC Method.  We will have a day of review on Tuesday and the Chapter 9 Test on Wednesday.  We will then begin Chapter 10 by learning how to graph quadratic functions and parabolas.

8th Grade Language Arts Mrs. O’Connor

Our quiz over grammar and vocabulary has been rescheduled for Tuesday, August 30th.  Additionally, next week I will issue students copies of the literature textbook and we will read “Charles” as well as beginning an excerpt from Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.  We will also practice varying sentence structure in our writing.

8th Grade History Mrs. English

This past week we studied the events leading to the Civil War by looking at primary documents and exploring the North and South as dividing regions. This coming week, the students will study what life was like for soldiers at camp, in prisons, and on the battlefield. We will also look at one of the earliest battles, the First Battle of Bull Run. Homework and readings will come from Chapter 15.1 & 2. As we move forward students will be asked to use the website Recap to summarize and recount important concepts learned in class. In order to best use Recap students need to bring a pair of earbuds to keep at school. Looking forward to a great week!

8th Grade Physical Science Mrs. Huennekens

Now that the students have finished up with the review of Lab Safety and the Scientific Method, they will push right into physical science.  We are starting with forces and how forces are involved in nearly every motion in our daily lives. Forces come to play in every sport, kicking a soccer ball, throwing a football or spiking a volleyball. With all the sports taking place now, like soccer, football and volleyball, it’s the perfect tie in for the students to understand this concept.

8th Grade Spanish Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 8th grade will continue to work with the grammar and vocabulary from Chapter 1A. This will include negative and affirmative words and new stem-changing verbs. Students will begin a writing activity where they will describe their ideal school and school rules. The grammar quiz will be Thursday, September 1st.

NOTES FROM 7th GRADE

7th Grade Algebra 1 Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra I, students should expect their first homework quiz on Monday.  Please ensure that all homework assigned since day one is in your math notebook.  We will wrap up chapter 1 by representing functions as rules and tables and by graphing those functions. On Wednesday, we will review chapter 1 in preparation for their test that will take place on Thursday, September 1st. On Friday, we will work on an in-class project in pairs where students will analyze the evaporation rate of a cup of water by creating a table, graph, and function.

7th Grade Pre-Algebra Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will be completing Chapter 1 by learning how to multiply and divide integers.  We will also review how to plot points on the coordinate plane.  There will be a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 1 Test on Friday.

7th Grade Language Arts Mrs. Hannah

Seventh grade has had a great first week back at school! Next week, we will begin analyzing plot, theme, conflict, and symbolism as we read The Treasure of Lemon Brown. Students will review personification and apply to Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. For each short story, student will complete a plot mountain graphic organizer to help keep track of important events and identify literary elements. In grammar, we will review parts of speech and sentence construction in order to strengthen writing skills. We will also begin working with Greek and Latin vocabulary, and students will have a vocab quiz on Friday.

7th Grade History Mrs. English

This week we studied the impact of 1500s trade routes in the Eastern Hemisphere on the coming of the Age of Exploration. This coming week we will look at the religious and cultural impacts from Europe that also influenced the Age of Exploration and ultimately life in the Americas. Readings and homework will come from Chapter 1.3 & 4.  As we move forward students will be asked to use the website Recap to summarize and recount important concepts learned in class. In order to best use Recap students need to bring a pair of earbuds to keep at school. Looking forward to a great week!

7th Grade Spanish Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 7th grade will continue to work with the new vocabulary, the difference between the verbs ser and estar, and tener expressions. Students will begin a writing activity where they will either create a skit, or write a few paragraphs using the grammar and vocabulary from Chapter 5B. The grammar quiz will be Thursday, September 1st.

7th Grade Life Science Mrs. Heyward

Next week, we will finish the Scientific Method with a quiz on Monday, August 29th.Then we will dive right into living things and how they are classified. The students should expect a quiz of the information we studied this week.  We will also begin their weekly INB self-assessments. These self-assessments are to ensure they are keeping up with all topics and forming good study habits--personal accountability. In addition to their self-assessments, I will be performing an overall assessment of their INBs. I’m excited for the upcoming week!

NOTES FROM 6th GRADE

6th Grade Accelerated Math 7 Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 7, students should expect their first homework quiz on Monday.  Please ensure that all homework assigned since day one is in your math notebook.  We will continue in chapter 1 by taking a more in-depth look at order of operations, equations, and area and perimeter.  On Thursday, we will do a fun activity involving perimeter, area, blue tape, and the middle school hallway.  Students should expect a quiz over sections 4 through 6 on Friday, September 2.

6th Pre-Algebra Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will be completing Chapter 1 by learning how to multiply and divide integers.  We will also review how to plot points on the coordinate plane.  There will be a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 1 Test on Friday.

6th Grade Language Arts Mrs. Guggenheim

6th ELA Blog for the week of August 29, 2016

Next week in ELA we will begin our study of nonfiction literature in earnest. A quiz over the nonfiction literature terms is scheduled for Thursday, September 1. At the end of the week I will introduce our Greek/Latin roots vocabulary course of study. The first list will be given on Friday, September 2. We will also discuss complete sentences and sentence fragments. Have a great weekend!

6th Grade Ancient Civilizations Mrs. Hannah

Sixth grade had a great first week in Ancient Civ! We have learned about the settlement of the continents and the life of early modern humans. Students will have their first quiz on Tuesday, which will cover chapter one, the map of continental settlement, and latitude and longitude. Looking forward, we will begin to discuss the formation of complex societies and the changes in economy, technology, and society that occurred as a result. Your students are having a wonderful time learning about a new (to them) era of history!

6th Grade Earth Science Mrs. Huennekens

We ended our fabulous week with our lab called “How many drops of water can a coin hold?”  This coin lab allowed the students the opportunity through experimentation to apply the scientific method as they worked through the lab. This lab was done with a partner. For the week of August 29th, we find ourselves asking “What is Earth Science?” We will be taking a look at the nature of science and all the branches of Earth Science.  We will begin signing up for Current Events. These will be presented on Fridays.  The students will have a guideline of how to complete this assignment. They will be responsible for one current event each trimester. This is usually a very popular discussion in the classroom. **Photos below!

Learning all about the Scientific Method!  

 

6th Grade Spanish Ms. Sotomayor

This week we’ve enjoyed learning about Ms. Sotomayor and our special “personas especiales” as we practice interviewing in Spanish. We’ also reviewed colors, definitie and indefinite articles, the word “hay”, and classroom objects vocabulary. Next week, we will discuss Hispanic Heritage month, review this week’s material and beginning composing sentences and moving through our interview questions.

Ensemble Mrs. Cookson

What an exciting first week. Many students have now learned a bit more about Ensemble, and how we will work together in the coming weeks to develop the course together. We will continue to establish trust, while sharing ideas, and developing creative approaches to problem solving.

Art Mrs. Cookson

While a few students still have not yet had art, the room came alive this week with the addition of many students and all of their positive energy. After a refresher of basic protocols and expectations, we dove into the new possibilities and project ideas available. In addition to the essential foundation materials, the art room now has new tools with which to explore and create. Keep an eye out for information regarding the Cardboard Challenge.

August 22-26

The Middle School is off to a strong start.  Thank you to all of our families for your support.
CARPOOL
Thank you to all families for NOT arriving in the white zone until 3:15.  This has made the flow through all three zones much smoother.  Keep up the good work!
HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
After Labor Day we will get information to families detailing our plan to support our 8th grade students during the admissions process.  A number of families have asked for some more immediate help understanding the requirements and admissions process for the Savannah Arts Academy.  This can be a daunting process and requires a great deal of effort by students and families.  If you are interested in SAA you should go to their website and become familiar with the school’s admissions process.  To help you sort through that information we will be scheduling an information session at HDS for interested families during the week of August 29th.  More information on this next week

NOTES FROM 8th GRADE

8th Grade Algebra 1 Mrs. Reardon

The first week of school is off to a great start! The first chapter in Algebra might look somewhat familiar to the students.  We will use concepts that were learned last year, but take them to the next level.  Next week we will continue in chapter 1 by writing and solving expressions, equations, and inequalities.  We will also briefly talk about problem solving so that they can apply what they learned in class to some challenging word problems.  Students should expect a quiz over sections 1 through 5 on Friday, August 26th.

8th Grade Geometry Mr. Lanfear

We had a great first week of school!  Next week we will be continuing to build the fundamentals of Euclidean Geometry by learning about the distance and midpoint formulas (1.3), defining and measuring angles (1.4-1.5), and polygons (1.6).

8th Grade Advanced Algebra Mr. Lanfear

We had a great first week of school!  Next week we will continue to review Chapter 9 by factoring and solving quadratic equations.  We will have a quiz on Tuesday covering 9.1, 9.2, and 9.4.  We will then continue factoring trinomials (9.5) and by the Difference of Two Squares method (9.7).

8th Grade Language Arts Mrs. O’Connor

The eighth graders are off to a great start in English Language Arts!  Looking ahead, we will be engaging in a Socratic Seminar reflecting on concepts and themes from summer reading on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.  This activity will count as our first quiz grade of the year!  Students also have a quiz over some basic grammatical concepts and unit 11 in their vocabulary books on Friday, August 26th.  We will spend class time reviewing both the grammatical concepts and the vocabulary words in preparation for this assessment.  Students should also remember that their signed syllabus is due on Monday!

8th Grade History Mrs. English

We had a great start to the year! I've enjoyed seeing how much your children have grown and matured over the summer! This past week we introduced the Civil War and talked about the scenarios that ultimately led to division between the North and the South. Next week we will continue this conversation and dive into specific events that further splintered the two regions. Readings and homework will come from Chapter 15.1-2.  A reminder that students should bring their headphones because we will start recording Recaps. Looking forward to a great week!

 

8th Grade Physical Science Mrs. Huennekens

Welcome back to school!  We have been busy refreshing our minds about Lab Safety and the Scientific Method. On Monday, we will be conducting a lab on writing a clear and concise lab procedure.  The students will then try to follow the instructions provided by their classmates to see if the lab procedure works.There will be a quiz on Lab Safety and the Scientific Method on Friday.  All homework is posted on Google Classroom. The students are submitting their homework right to classroom. Please ask them to share their password so you can access their account and see all that we are doing in the lab!  

8th Grade Spanish Ms. Hughes

I hope everyone had a wonderful first week of school! Next week in Spanish class, the 8th grade will begin Chapter 1A. This chapter discusses classroom rules, classroom items, stem-changing verbs, and Affirmative and negative words. There will be a graded listening over the new material later in the week. The vocabulary quiz will be Friday, August 26th.

7th Grade Algebra 1 Mrs. Reardon

The first week of school is off to a great start! The first chapter in Algebra might look somewhat familiar to the students.  We will use concepts that were learned last year, but take them to the next level.  Next week we will continue in chapter 1 by writing and solving expressions, equations, and inequalities.  We will also briefly talk about problem solving so that they can apply what they learned in class to some challenging word problems.  Students should expect a quiz over sections 1 through 5 on Friday, August 26th.

7th Grade Pre-Algebra Mr. Lanfear

We had a great first week of school!  Next week we will begin working with our textbook and learning about expressions and variables (1.1), comparing and ordering integers (1.4), and adding and subtracting integers (1.5-1.6).

7th Grade Language Arts Mrs. Hannah

Seventh grade has had a wonderful first few days back in school! Students are working in groups to complete an Amazon listing for their summer reading book, which will be due on Tuesday. Next week, we will review basic literary elements, including plot and theme, in order to have a solid foundation for analyzing short stories. Students will create a personal mission statement and create a symbolic representation of their mission statement. Daily homework assignments will be posted in Google Classroom, and a signed syllabus is due by Monday!

7th Grade History Mrs. English

We had a great first week! It was wonderful getting to know all of your children. We played a game called "Who am I?" to review some of the concepts learned last year and prep our brains for asking good questions (below are a few pictures). Next week we will finish our overview of empires in the Americas and begin studying world religions and cultures that influenced Europe and ultimately led to the Age of Exploration. Readings and homework will come from Chapter 1-Section 1 & 3. Looking forward to a great week!

7th Grade Spanish Ms. Hughes

I hope everyone had a wonderful first week of school! Next week in Spanish class, the 7th grade will begin Chapter 5B. Students will learn about indirect object pronouns, how to describe others, and how to express needs. We will practice our new vocabulary through different listening and speaking activities. The vocabulary quiz will be Friday, August 26th.

7th Grade Life Science Mrs. Heyward

6th Grade Accelerated Math 7 Mrs. Reardon

The first week of school is off to a great start!! The 6th graders have transitioned unbelievably well...you’d never know it was their first week stepping into middle school! We started this week by reviewing some prerequisite skills that students should be extremely familiar and comfortable with. The one concept that is a little rusty for the majority of students is adding and subtracting integers.  If you get a chance to review this over the weekend, it would greatly benefit the students!  Next week we will jump right into Chapter 1 by describing patterns, writing expressions with variables, and exploring powers and exponents.  Students should expect their first quiz over sections 1 through 3 on Friday, August 26th.

6th Pre-Algebra Mr. Lanfear

We had a great first week of school!  Next week we will begin working with our textbook and learning about expressions and variables (1.1), comparing and ordering integers (1.4), and adding and subtracting integers (1.5-1.6).

6th Grade Language Arts Mrs. Guggenheim

What a great first week! I’m so excited to have the opportunity to teach your children. This week we have been introduced to Quizlet, a fabulous online flashcard app, and have learned about Recap, an app that allows students to video record their responses to a teacher’s prompt. We’ve also discussed and digitally commented on our first Reading Reason: Reading is Rewarding. There may be bugs in the digital system at first, but I’ll work with the students to iron out any kinks. Next week in ELA we will continue our study of  annotating text, discuss the nonfiction literature terms, and review writing paragraphs. Have a great weekend!

6th Grade Ancient Civilizations Mrs. Hannah

Sixth grade had had a fabulous first few days! We have become familiar with the textbook and have begun to analyze the importance of time and it’s link to history. Next week, we will begin studying early humans, continental settlement, and the development of cultures and society. Homework and assignments will be posted daily in Google Classroom in the “Stream” section. Unit materials (Notes packets, presentations, activities, and learning resources) will be posted in the “About” section. Have a wonderful weekend!

6th Grade Earth Science Mrs. Huennekens

Welcome back to school!  We have been busy learning about Google Classroom, Lab Safety and the Scientific Method. On Friday, the students will be experimenting in the lab on “How many drops of water can a coin hold”? This helps students to remember and also reinforces the lab safety and scientific method that we have been working on all week. There will be a quiz on Lab Safety and the Scientific Method on Thursday.  All homework is posted on Google Classroom. The students are submitting their homework directly to our classroom. Please ask them to share their password so you can access their account and see all that we are doing in the lab!  

6th Grade Spanish Ms. Sotomayor

We’ve had a great week of getting to know each other by working through the questions from “La Persona Especial” series of questions. We have also started from the very beginning of learning a language by becoming familiar with sounds and going through the Spanish alphabet. Next week, we will interview our first “persona especial”, go over classroom vocabulary, colors and numbers, definite articles, and the word “hay”. We will have an unannounced quiz over the most recently reviewed material as discussed in the syllabus, but I will drop hints to remind them to be prepared. No quiz on Monday. Please make sure your child has added himself or herself to Google Classroom by Monday with the provided code.

Ensemble Mrs. Cookson

What an exciting first week. Many students have now learned a bit more about Ensemble, and how we will work together in the coming weeks to develop the course together. We will continue to establish trust, while sharing ideas, and developing creative approaches to problem solving.

Art Mrs. Cookson

While a few students still have not yet had art, the room came alive this week with the addition of many students and all of their positive energy. After a refresher of basic protocols and expectations, we dove into the new possibilities and project ideas available. In addition to the essential foundation materials, the art room now has new tools with which to explore and create. Keep an eye out for information regarding the Cardboard Challenge.