NOTES FROM MR. CRAWFORD
All School Spirit Day
On Friday, April 27 all students may dress down in HDS spirit wear, or wear green and gold! Go Eagles!
On Friday, April 27 all students may dress down in HDS spirit wear, or wear green and gold! Go Eagles!
Important Dates for all Families!
All middle school students were provided information regarding end of year events with dates and times in Homeroom on Friday, April 19th. In addition, a field trip permission form was given to be signed and returned to the Homeroom Teacher by Thursday, May 24th. The information can also be found HERE.
Important Dates for 8th Grade Families!
8th grade students were given packets with important graduation items in Homeroom on Friday, April 19th. The packets included: a letter from Mr. Crawford with graduation information, end of year events with dates and times, diploma information form, Field Day permission form, invitations w/ envelopes, and a graduation picture form. The information can also be found HERE.
Parent.Edu
No Parent.Edu for April.
Community Service
Hancock Day School has encouraged student involvement in serving the community since it was founded. The Community Service Program at HDS was established to prepare our students for a lifetime of service to others. We hope to provide them with the opportunity to experience firsthand the pleasure of helping others while developing their communication, leadership, and decision making skills. Middle School Students are expected to complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service each school year. Please document service hours on the HDS Community Service Log and submit to Madison Ross in the MS office.
8TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS
8th grade Algebra 1 - Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra, we will review for our Chapter 9 test on Monday and take the test on Tuesday, April 24. On Wednesday, we will go over an activity that will take place on Thursday and Friday in class. Students will be using the vertical motion model to calculate how high a water powered rocket will go in the air. Challenge problem due on Tuesday, April 24.
8th grade Advanced Algebra - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will complete our review of exponent rules and linear equations by having 2 days of review on Monday and Tuesday and then having a test on Wednesday. We will then begin reviewing solving systems of linear equations by learning how to solve them by graphing and by substitution.
8th grade Geometry - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will complete Chapter 11 by learning about geometric probability (11.7), then having a day of review on Tuesday, and then the Chapter 11 test on Wednesday. We will then begin Chapter 12 by learning about 3 dimensional objects and polyhedra (12.1) and beginning to explore surface area (12.2).
8th grade Physical Science - Mr. Cooper
Next week we will move into our last Unit on Electricity and Magnetism. In this unit we will not be using the textbooks other than a reference. Students will review electricity and magnetism and then study electric motors. This unit will culminate in building electric vehicles. Our first quiz on this material will be on Friday, April 27th.
8th grade English Language Arts - Mrs. O’Connor
In the week ahead students will select topics for their research projects and review vocabulary for our test on Tuesday, May 1st. More details about the research project will be distributed early next week. Please don’t forget to be keeping up with your reading log!
8th grade History & Gov’t II - Mrs. English
This week in American History we will continue our study of the Cold War. Readings and homework will come from Chapter 25.4. Topics covered will include the space race, the arms race, and intro to the Vietnam War. We will have a test on Chapter 25.1, 3, & 4 on Friday, April 27th. Lastly students should continue working on African geography. Looking even further ahead, we will have an African geography quiz in two weeks.
8th grade Spanish - Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish the 8th grade will complete Chapter 5B and the test will be Wednesday, April 25th. Students will also begin Chapter 7A. This chapter discusses cooking instructions and advice, recipes and kitchen safety, negative tú commands, and the impersonal se. Students will also learn some new food vocabulary and review the many uses of the word por.
7TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS
7th grade Algebra 1 - Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Algebra, we will review for our Chapter 9 test on Monday and take the test on Tuesday, April 24. On Wednesday, we will go over an activity that will take place on Thursday and Friday in class. Students will be using the vertical motion model to calculate how high a water powered rocket will go in the air. Challenge problem due on Tuesday, April 24.
7th grade Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will continue Chapter 9 by learning how to simplify square roots with and without variables (9.2) and using the Pythagorean Theorem to find the side lengths of right triangles as well as using its converse to determine if a triangle is a right triangle or not simply using its side lengths (9.3). We will also compare and order real numbers (rational and irrational) (9.4). There will be a quiz on 9.1-9.2 on Thursday.
7th grade History & Gov’t I - Mrs. English
This week we will finish watching the PBS video We Shall Remain: Trail of Tears. We will have a test over Chapter 10.3-4 and We Shall Remain on Tuesday, April 24th. The rest of the week we will spend time working on our gov’t research paper bibliography and beginning to dive into research on Native American tribes. Looking forward to a great week!
7th grade Spanish - Ms. Hughes
Next week in Spanish 7th grade will continue to work with the grammar and vocabulary from Chapter 9B. Students will also work with the verbs conocer and saber.Using all the new information from Chapter 9B, students will invent helpful products for popular fictional characters. The grammar quiz will be Wednesday, April 25th.
7th Grade ELA - Mrs./ Boyer
Students will be working on their research paper, which they have already been researching in Mrs. English’s History class. Students will be given two topics to choose from: Students can either compare and contrast two government systems OR they can choose one government system that they think is the most efficient, most sovereign, most...etc. Students will still be meeting in their book clubs to peer review.
Animal Farm! We will be working through the novel study a bit differently this trimester; all students will be put into book club groups where they will create their own reading schedule based on book club meeting dates, activities, and assessments. Students will be journaling five nights a week in order to thoroughly respond and participate in discussions and activities.
Students created their own propaganda ads and the entire seventh grade voted for their favorite. Secondly, students posted on their own discussion board with post its, responding to their classmates and myself. This led to a lively discussion about government, media, and society.
Students have assigned their reading in their clubs and have begun completing centralized activities in regards to focused objectives. So far we have discussed propaganda and the themes of Orwell’s writing. Students should be critically analyzing the media and realizing that whoever controls the media controls the mind.
Students have also been completing journal entries each week in order to further their thinking and practice their writing. I really want students to be focusing on what they get out of the reading rather than plot summary. This week they stapled/pasted a ‘Response Starter’ into their journals to help start their journal responses.
There will be a vocabulary test on 5/2 and a novel assessment on 5/11. Quizzes and writing assignments will be used to analyze the students progress in regards to critical thinking. Students need to be prepared for 8th grade next year and this new way of learning is a strategy which will prepare them for next year’s ELA class.
Reading Logs for T3 are due May 17th. Students will have about two to three class period which will be designated for independent reading. Students may not read any class assigned material, but they may bring something from home (magazines, novels, short stories, etc.) If they do not come to class prepared for independent reading, they may check a book out of the classroom library.
Students need to be prepared for class everyday, which means bringing their novel, journal and a writing utensil.
7th grade Life Science - Ms. Hoffman
We have finished our academic tour of the Wonderful World of Invertebrates! Students participated in a second invertebrate lab focusing on mollusks, annelids, arthropods and echinoderms. We also had our unit test on Invertebrates this week. Next week we will begin the Very Awesome World of Vertebrates. We will begin by defining what the Chordates are and then delve into our first major group, the fish. This information is in chapter 14 of our textbook.
6TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS
6th grade Accelerated Math 7 - Mrs. Reardon
Next week in Accelerated Math 7, we will begin the last chapter of the year!!! We will learn about special pairs of angles and triangles. On Thursday and Friday, students will be working in small groups to create posters using cut outs from magazines that illustrate each type of the special angles and triangles that we learned. Each student will need to bring in at least one magazine that can be cut up. Challenge problem due on Tuesday, April 24.
6th grade Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear
Next week we will continue Chapter 9 by learning how to simplify square roots with and without variables (9.2) and using the Pythagorean Theorem to find the side lengths of right triangles as well as using its converse to determine if a triangle is a right triangle or not simply using its side lengths (9.3). We will also compare and order real numbers (rational and irrational) (9.4). There will be a quiz on 9.1-9.2 on Thursday.
6th grade ELA - Mrs. Guggenheim
Literature: Continue reading The Diary of Anne Frank and making entries into an online journal. Open book quiz over Act 1 Scenes 1-2 on 4/27.
Grammar: Make corrections on Anne Frank vocab slides.
Writing:
Vocabulary: Anne Frank 21-word project - 7 words a week for three weeks. Each set of seven is due on the next three Mondays. Working on one word a night will make it stress free! The third set of 7 words is due 4/23. After the last set is graded, the students should review my comments and edit their slides for a project grade. The project is due 4/30.
Greek/Latin List 10 + 7 SAT words distributed 4/26. Quiz 5/3
Reading Log: Reading for the reading log begins for Trimester Three will begin on Feb 28th. 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 Friday, May 17th.
6th grade Earth Science - Ms. Hoffman
What a great trip through the Wonderful World of the Ocean and all its motion, features and creatures. Students did a great job creating their dioramas and films. (One from each class was entered into our Film Festival on Friday, 4/20.) They also had their unit test on the Oceans this week. We are now going to turn our attention up...way up...toward the stars to begin our unit on Astronomy. Next week we will begin with early space exploration and learning about the moon.
6th Grade Ancient Civ - Mrs. Boyer
Coming up...Students will be creating their own study tool for the Greek Unit using the graphic design website Canva. We will be reviewing the Chapter 8 and 9 questions on Monday and Tuesday in order to prepare for the Unit TEST on Wednesday, the 25th.
**Students should begin studying new material every night for five to seven minutes in order to prepare for these assessments. If a student is studying every night for five to seven minutes (something as little as discussing what they learned at the dinner table), they have a better chance at comprehending the content for a test. A student should never JUST start studying for an assessment two to three days before. Studying is an on-going process.
Study strategies: Create flash-cards, create a graphic organizer, create an outline, create a quizlet, brainstorm the essays beforehand, have a study party with friends, create your own quiz/test and take it without your notes, USE THE FILL IN THE BLANK NOTES TO QUIZ YOURSELF ON WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, come in for extra help with SPECIFIC questions.
All materials will be on GC.
Assessment Dates:
4/19-4/24: Study Tool Project wi/Canva
4/25: Greek Unit Test
5/10: Rome Quiz
5/18: Rome Unit Test
The Exam for Ancient Civ has been changed to an activity.
6th Grade Spanish - Ms. Dubick
Hello Parents and Students! The sixth graders did a great job with their gustar conversations! We’ll continue to work with the verb Gustar with activities, food and fruits and vegetables. We are also reviewing the alphabet.
I’m moving the test to Friday April 27th. It will cover Gustar, food, fruits and vegetables and the alphabet.
I will be absent Friday and Monday!
EXTRA HELP:
Every MONDAY and WEDNESDAY morning before school.
I’ll be doing extra help sessions to reinforce what we are covering, any students who feel they could use the additional support are welcome to come. I also hold study sessions the morning before any assessment. STUDENTS SHOULD EMAIL IF THEY ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND
MS Art - Mrs. Cookson
“I begin with an idea, and then it becomes something else.” - Pablo Picasso
8th grade: Will begin Sgraffito this week. We had to play a little catch up between the classes, and have made great strides.
7th grade: Will wrap up posters this week, and should have two versions completed.
6th grade: Will complete their 1-point perspective drawings.
CLUBS
Science Club Science Club this week used friction to turn cream into butter. First, we put our cream into baby food jars and most students chose to add a marble to increase the mixing and agitation of this colloid. We also added some variables to see what would affect the making of the butter. Some of these included one marble vs two, one marble vs no marbles, shaking at different speeds and different amounts of cream in the jars. We did, however, run out of time to truly test our predictions with a good set of data. After 10 minutes of “shaking” the jar, it had thickened and a few students had a lump of butter. All of them enjoyed their buttery results with crackers.
