Announcements: February 17-21, 2014

7th graders take a seat after touring the the work of Robert Henri.in the Jepson Center. 

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

Maybe, just maybe, this cold, gloomy weather has left us for the winter! 

3 x 3 LEAGUE BEGINS

Today, Friday, marks the beginning of the Middle School 3 X 3 basketball league.  The students formed 10 teams made up of both boys and girls.  Each day there will be two games during lunch.  We will conclude league play with a tournament to finish up the year. If you’re near the school around 1:00 come see the likes of “The Flaming Flamingos,” The Hancock Heat,” or the “Flying Purple Elephants!”

8^TH GRADE TRIP

Everything is in place for an exciting trip to the Mountain Trail Outdoor School at the Kanuga Conference Center.  The cost for the trip will be $325/student.  A printed letter with the details for the trip will be coming next week.  A deposit of $100 is expected by March 1^st with the balance due on April 1^st.

FIELD TRIPS

The 7^th grade had an exciting and informative time touring the Spanish Sojourn exhibit at the Jepson Art Museum, a Mexican lunch downtown rounded out with a tour of the SCAD Art Museum.  On tap this week is a trip for the same group led by Mrs. Blake to the Skidaway Marine Institute.

SUGAR OVERLOAD

We had a festive Valentine’s Day in the Middle School. We completed our fundraiser by delivering Candygrams throughout the entire school.  Students (and many families) shared treats during the day!

LONG WEEKEND

Enjoy the good weather and the 4 day weekend. School is closed on Monday to celebrate President’s Day and on Tuesday for a faculty/staff inservice.  We look forward to seeing everyone back next Wednesday!

6TH GRADE NEWS

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

In the short week ahead the sixth graders will be exploring poetry, figurative language, and sound devices in our literature textbooks. We will also begin working on lesson 7 in Wordly Wise and examining adverb clauses in our GUM books. We will have some graded homework assignments next week, but there will not be any tests or quizzes.

Math 6 with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, we will wrap up chapter 8 by solving proportions using cross products and looking at scale drawings and models using proportions.  On Friday (2/21), students will have a math facts quiz. They will receive the outline for the quiz on Wednesday (2/19).

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford

We will wrap up our study of plate tectonics next week by studying volcanoes.  The students will be working from two handouts, “Volcanic Eruptions” and “Types of Volcanoes.”  Supplemental material will be given through class discussions about the material on pages 328-355 in the Orange Earth Science text.  Homework will center around the completion of study questions at the end of each of the handouts.  A laboratory exercise and unit exam on plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes will be completed during the week of February 28^th.  This exam will draw material from the handouts and from the notes taken during class discussion.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

The sixth graders have just started a chapter dealing with the Earth & Moon.  Next week they will be relearning several vocabulary words dealing with Earth's movement on its axis and orbit around the Sun.  The students will be using globes to review the seasons and to illustrate how the tilt of the Earth influences these seasons. 

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish, the 6^th graders will finish Chapter 4A. We will be reviewing on Thursday and the test will be Friday, February 21^st. Student should know how to use the verb “ir” + infinitive to express the simple future tense.

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English

This week in World Civilizations we will be continuing our study of the Peloponnesian War and begin discussion on Alexander the Great and the cultural learning hub of Alexandria.  We will see how the Greek culture spread from the Greek Islands to the Indus Valley in India.  Finally, students will understand how the Romans conquered the Greeks and spread their culture even more.  Students will see that we have Greek influence in our society today because of the Roman Empire’s affinity with Greek culture.  Students will have Chapter 9-Lesson 3 reading, vocab, and questions 1-6 due on Wednesday.  Homework next week will also cover Chapter 9-Lesson 4.  Students should be prepared to take a test on Chapter 9 the following Tuesday (February 25^th). I hope you all enjoy your holiday! If you go out of town bring me a postcard so I can put it up in our room!

7TH GRADE NEWS

Touring the Jepson Center.

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

Seventh grade students are just beginning a short unit on poetry.  In the week ahead students will take some background notes on poetry terms and begin reading a few poems in our literature textbook.  We will also work with adverb clauses and gerunds in our GUM books.  We will have some graded homework assignments next week, but there will not be any tests or quizzes.

Pre-Algebra with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will continue in chapter 8 by writing linear equations and learning about function notation. On Friday (2/21), students will have a math facts quiz. They will receive the outline for the quiz on Wednesday (2/19).

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

 Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class (Grades 7/8), we will continue learning how to solve systems of linear equations.  We will begin learning a new way of solving them – the Elimination Method (7.3 – 7.4).

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

A new Robert Henri work. 

The seventh graders have just finished their presentation on invertebrates by looking at the most advanced group-the echinoderms.  Next week, they will have a lab in which they compare two types of arthropods-the grasshopper and the crayfish.  Also, next Friday the seventh grade will be going to the UGA Marine Center for the morning.  They will have the opportunity to see several of the invertebrates that they have studied in the past few weeks.  Their test on this chapter will be Tuesday, Feb. 25.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish, the 7^th grade will continue to work with the new vocabulary and grammar from Chapter 9B. We will also be going over the difference between the verbs “conocer” and “saber”. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Friday, February 21^th.

7th American History with Mrs. English

This week in American history we will be discussing how the Revolutionary War widened in the colonies.  Over the long weekend students are expected to read pages 186-190, define vocab, and answer questions 1-2, and 5.  Next week students will be expected to read Chapter 6-Section 4, define vocab, and answer questions 1-2, and 4-6.  We are planning on a Chapter 6 test the following week on Thursday, February 27^th.  I hope you all enjoy your holiday! If you go out of town bring me a postcard so I can put it up in our room!

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

 Eighth graders are beginning to examine some resources as they work through the research process.  In the week ahead students will examine websites and print sources as they locate information to support their selected topics. Students will take a quiz over Wordly Wise and additional SAT vocabulary words on Friday, February 21^st.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders spent this week learning why equations must be balanced and how to do that.  Next week they will learn about the various types of chemical reactions.  They will then perform an extended lab which illustrates each type.  Also, they will look at factors that influence reaction speed. 

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

 Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class (Grades 7/8), we will continue learning how to solve systems of linear equations.  We will begin learning a new way of solving them – the Elimination Method (7.3 – 7.4).

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class (Grade 8), we will be discussing the three basic trigonometric functions – sine, cosine, and tangent – and how they are used in right triangles.

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish, the 8^th grade will continue to work with the vocabulary and grammar in Chapter 5A. This chapter covers natural disasters and current events so there will be several reading comprehension activities covering these topics. The vocabulary quiz will be Friday, February 21^st.

8th American Government with Mrs. English

This week in American Government we will continue our study on political campaigns and the impact of fundraising for campaigns. We will specifically discuss Political Action Committees and their influence on elections. I will return the most recent quiz taken this week and the presidential project grades. This week students should expect to read Chapter 12-Section 2, define vocabulary, and answer questions  1-3 on page 375. Students will also be expected to read current events provided by the teacher and be prepared to discuss the topics in class. I hope you all enjoy your holiday! If you go out of town bring me a postcard so I can put it up in our room!

Announcements: February 10-14, 2014

The middle school dance was a hit! 

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

On Thursday evening our 5^th grade boys' basketball team avenged an earlier loss to Savannah Country Day with a 14 – 13 victory in the SPAL league tournament.  We look forward to the men of the 5^th grade joining the Middle School next year!

OPPORTUNITY!

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the Middle School office gets publicity about activities that are presented seeking “nominations” from our school.  While some of these offerings are or appear to be of a high quality, with the exception of the Duke TIP program we do not endorse any particular program.  I do want to use the blog to make families aware that these opportunities exist.  The latest invitation we received is from the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D. C. The literature indicates that it is appropriate for students in the 5^th, 6^th or 7^th grade. If you would like more information, contact Ms. Edie. I do have to submit the names of potential participants by February 21^st. Participating families are responsible for tuition, fees and chaperoning and all other possible liability. Beyond the submission of names, HDS does not endorse or support these opportunities.

3^RD QUARTER AT MID POINT!

We are at the mid point of the 3^rd quarter.  It is hard to believe the year is passing so quickly.  This is a good time to check progress on Power School and make any needed adjustments.  If you would like to discuss anything with the Middle School Team we are always available. Call Ms. Edie to make an appointment.

6TH GRADE NEWS

From the collaborative fiber arts project with Katherine Sandoz

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

Next week the sixth graders will finish up their essays over “staying gold” in The Outsiders.  By now all students should have completed their rough drafts and received feedback from me. Typed, final drafts of this assignment are due on Wednesday, February 12^th.  Students also have another quiz over sentence structure coming up on Thursday, February 13^th.  We will also take our Wordly Wise Quiz over lesson six on Friday, February 14^th.

Math 6 with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, we will continue in chapter 8 learning how to describe slopes of lines.  This concept stems from ratios, as slope is rise to run. We will also begin writing and solving proportions. On Wednesday, we will review for a chapter quiz over sections 8.1 – 8.4.  Thursday, students will take their chapter quiz. Friday we will use the laptops to work on a math skills website called “Ten Marks”.

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford

We had a great week completing a project on earthquakes. Oral presentations and our “poster hanging” will be on Monday.  Homework over the weekend is to prepare for oral presentations.  Next week we will explore volcanoes. The reading will come from two handouts, “Volcanic Eruptions” and “Volcanic Activity.” Monday’s homework is to complete questions 1,3 and 5 in “Volcanic Activity.”  Tuesday we will discuss hot spots and discuss how volcanic activity relates to the tectonic plates we have been discussing.    Homework for Wednesday will be to read “Volcanic Eruptions.”  We will spend Thursday and Friday discussing volcanoes.  On Friday there will be a quiz on the week’s work.  Students will have specific assignments in their Planner each night.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

Next week the sixth grade will finish their chapter on space exploration.  We spent a good deal of time on Projects Mercury, Gemini, & Apollo and our race to the moon. They also learned about John Glenn and his shuttle flight at age 77. Monday they will briefly look at the possibility of future space missions. The sixth graders will have their test on this chapter next Wednesday.

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 6^th grade will continue to work with the vocabulary from Chapter 4A. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Tuesday, February 11^th. Students will also learn the simple future tense using the “ir+ a + infinitive” formula along with places in the community.

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English
This week in World Civilizations we will continue our study on the gifts that the Greeks gave to the world.  These gifts included theater, architecture, science, advanced arithmetic, arts, sculptures, and the Olympic Games. We will  see how great wealth and achievement also brought about war in ancient Greece between the Athenians and the Spartans.  We will take notes on Chapter 9-Lesson 3.  Students should expect a quiz on Chapter 9-Lesson 1 & 2 on Tuesday February 11^th.    

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

Seventh grade students have just started working on a creative assignment pertaining to The Hobbit. Students selected what they would like to create for this individual project, and students will have the majority of class time next week to work on this task. This assignment is due on Friday, February 14^th and will count as a project grade. We will also examine adjective and adverb clauses in the week ahead.

Pre-Algebra with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will venture further into chapter 8 learning about slopes of lines, as well as slope-intercept form. On Wednesday, we will review for a chapter quiz over sections 8.4 – 8.5. Thursday, students will take their chapter quiz.  Friday we will use the laptops to work on a math skills website called “Ten Marks”.

From the collaborative fiber arts project
with Katherine Sandoz

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class, we will be finishing our exploration of areas of different shapes.  We will learn how to find the area and circumference of a circle.  We will also use central angles to find the area of only a portion of the circle, not just the entire object (8.7).  We will have a review session for Chapter 8 on Wednesday and the Chapter 8 Test on Thursday. On Friday, we will start revving our engines for the next unit, Trigonometry!!

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders continue their study of invertebrates. This week they were introduced to a more complex group of invertebrates. Next week, they will look at arthropods, the largest of all animal phyla, and echinoderms, the most advanced invertebrate phylum. Their test over this chapter will be on February 20.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class the 7^th grade will complete Chapter 9A and take the chapter test on Tuesday, February 11^th. On Thursday, February 13^th, the 7^th grade will be taking a field trip to the Jepson Center for the Spanish Sojourns exhibit. After the exhibit, we will walk to Carlito’s Mexican Grill where the students will order their lunch completely in Spanish. Each student should bring $10.00 in cash which will cover their lunch, beverage, and tip. Please contact me with any questions. 

7th American History with Mrs. English

This week in American history we will discuss the major events in the Revolutionary War.  Students will discover how the colonies defeated the greatest military in the world.  Students will also learn how the Revolutionary War set a foundation for life in America.  Homework and discussions will come from Chapter 6-Section 2.  Students should expect a quiz on Friday February 14th on Chapter 6-Section 2.  

From the collaborative fiber arts project with
Katherine Sandoz

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

Eighth grade students are finishing up a major paper analyzing how mood is established in The Hound of the Baskervilles.  Final drafts of this paper are due on Tuesday, February 11^th.  Our next major unit pertains to writing a persuasive research paper, so students will begin selecting topics and examining sources during the latter portion of next week.  Students also have a short quiz over sentence structure scheduled for Wednesday, February 12^th.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders have started a new chapter on chemical reactions. The class spent the end of this week reviewing chemical formulas. They will review the Law of Conservation of Mass and the need for balanced chemical equations.  They will spend next week working on balancing equations and will have a quiz on Friday.

From the collaborative fiber arts project with Katherine Sandoz

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class, we will be finishing our exploration of areas of different shapes.  We will learn how to find the area and circumference of a circle.  We will also use central angles to find the area of only a portion of the circle, not just the entire object (8.7).  We will have a review session for Chapter 8 on Wednesday and the Chapter 8 Test on Thursday. On Friday, we will start revving our engines for the next unit, Trigonometry!!

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra class (Grades 7/8), we will begin the lengthy Chapter 7 by looking at systems of linear equations. There are a plethora of methods to solve these, but we will begin with the simplest: finding the intersection point of the lines (7.1). We will then move on to the Substitution Method (7.2) and have a quiz on Friday (7.1 – 7.2).

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 8^th grade will complete Chapter 4B and take the chapter test on Tuesday, February 11^th. We will also begin a new unit discussing natural disasters, weather extremes, and newsworthy events. Students will continue to work with the imperfect and preterite tenses.

8th American Government with Mrs. English
After the snow days and sicknesses going around…we have almost caught up on our president’s presentations. This week we will finish those with the final four on Monday and Tuesday.  The Final President debate will be on Friday. Each student will be responsible for contributing to the debate and will be graded on their participation. The president that wins will be crowned the greatest president award (*according the Mrs. English’s 8^th grade government class).  We will also be learning how campaigns are conducted in the U.S.  All of Chapter 12 is preparing students for our major election project starting at the end of the month.  

Announcements: February 3-7, 2014

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

8^th GRADE TRIP

The 8^th grade will be traveling to Asheville, North Carolina in April for its capstone trip.  Our host will be the Mountain Trail Outdoor School located at the Kanuga Conference Center.  This trip was also taken and enjoyed by last year’s 8^th grade.  2014 marks the final transition year for these trips.  In 2015 the 8^th grade will be traveling to Washington, D.C. for its capstone experience.

While at the Outdoor School students will participate in activities that enhance leadership skills, team building, and the ecology of rural North Carolina. We will also take a trip to tour the Biltmore Estate and enjoy downtown Asheville.

Details for the trip:

Depart Monday, April 14^th at approximately 6:00 am.  We will travel in the Hancock bus and two rented mini-vans.  Arrive at the Outdoor school in time for lunch and afternoon activities.

Return Thursday, April 17^th following lunch (about 1:15) and arrive back at HDS around dinner time.

Cost will be between $300 and $350 dollars. This will be finalized next week. Along with the exact cost we will publish dates for deposits and final payments to be made.

An exciting time!

UPCOMING FIELD TRIP

The 7^th grade will be going to the Jepson Center on February 13 to see the Robert Henri exhibit entitled “Spanish Sojourns; Robert Henri and the Spirit of Spain.”  The trip will be discussed in the both the Art (Ms. Oosterhoudt) and Spanish (Ms. Hughes) curricula.

ADMISSIONS

The admissions season for high school is coming to a close. We have one final set of applications to deliver to the Habersham School next week. Then it is wait and see where our students will be accepted. In the spring I will be hosting an evening program to discuss with parents the next steps for a successful transition to high school. What role does the family play at this point in advocating for and developing your child’s high school program?  We have families that have many varied experiences that I hope to share that evening.

OPPORTUNITY

St. Vincent’s will be offering a 3 session Study Skills workshop.  Sessions will be Thursday, February 13^th and Friday, February 14^th 3:30 – 5:30; Saturday, February 15^th 9:00 – 2:00.  Cost is $85/student.  Ms. Edie has information to share or contact Jody Riddle at St. Vincents, jody.riddle@svaga.net. 

ACTIVITIES

Middle School dance tonight, 6:30 – 8:30 in Hancock Hall.

SPAL basketball tournament begins next week. Hancock will hosting the 5^th grade tournament with playoff games Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Championship games on Thursday.  6^th and 7^th grade tournament sites and schedules are being developed. The format will be the same with playoffs early in the week and championship games late in the week. PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT OUR ATHLETES AND CELEBRATE THEIR HARD WORK!

6TH GRADE NEWS

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

In the week ahead sixth graders will work on writing a persuasive essay pertaining to The Outsiders.  We will also begin a new unit in Wordly Wise and review types/kinds of sentences.  Students can expect a short quiz over these grammatical concepts on Thursday, February 6^th.

Math 6 with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, students will take their math facts quiz on Monday, February 3 and their Chapter 7 test on Wednesday, February 5. On Thursday and Friday, we will explore Chapter 8 by learning about ratios and rates.

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford

Mother Nature derailed my schedule so I am now officially slightly behind my plans!  We’ll get caught up!  Monday – Wednesday of next week we will wrap up our discussion of Earthquakes. Students will be completing a project in class to explore the major earthquakes.  Thursday and Friday we will begin our discussion of volcanoes and how they are related to the overall discussion of plate tectonics. Homework Monday will be to write about an assigned earthquake using notes and data researched in class. Tuesday will be to read the handout “Volcanic Activity.”  Wednesday we will discuss characteristic of volcanoes.  Homework questions 1-3 page 4. On Thursday night students will read the handout “Volcanic Eruptions.”

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

 Due to our unexpected days off this week, the sixth graders just had their quiz over telescopes and the electromagnetic spectrum today.  Next week they will begin their look at the U. S. space program which was pushed to the forefront by the 1957 launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union.  They will look at all three projects that led to the moon landing in 1969.

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Due to the short week, the 6^th graders will now be taking their Chapter 3B test on Tuesday, February 4^th. We will also begin a new unit discussing locations in a community, leisure activities, and use of the verb “ir”. Students will continue to work with interrogative words in Spanish.

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English

This week in World Civilizations we will have our Chapter 8 Greece test on Monday February 3^rd.  We will also introduce Chapter 9 on the Greek Golden Age.

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

Seventh graders will take their test over The Hobbit on Tuesday, February 4^th.  After the test we will begin working on a character analysis essay.  We will also begin working on a new unit in Wordly Wise in the week ahead.

Pre-Algebra with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will start into Chapter 8 learning about relations and functions, linear equations in two variables, and using intercepts to graph equations. On Thursday, we will review for the Chapter quiz on Friday over sections 8.1 – 8.3.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra (Grades 7/8) class, we will finish our discussion of Chapter 6 and inequalities by learning how to graph linear inequalities. This process involves graphing a line (either dotted or solid) and then shading the appropriate half-plane (side) of the line.  There will be a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 6 Test on Friday.

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The unexpected days off this week will postpone the seventh grade chapter test until Tuesday of next week. They will spend Monday reviewing. After the test, the students will begin looking at complex invertebrates starting with mollusks and segmented worms. There will be a quiz over mollusks near the end of the week.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 7^th grade will continue to work with the new vocabulary and grammar points in Chapter 9A. Due to the short week, the Chapter 9A test has been moved to Tuesday, February 11^th. 

7th American History with Mrs. English
This week in American history we will be discussing the Declaration of Independence and major battles of the American Revolutionary War. Students will be expected to memorize their section of the Declaration of Independence and present as a class on Friday February 7^th. 

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

Eighth graders will continue working on their mood essay over Hound of the Baskervilles next week.  Rough drafts of this will be due on Wednesday, February 5^th, and final drafts will be due on Monday, February 10^th.

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The unexpected days off this week will postpone the eighth grade chapter test until Wednesday of next week. They will spend Tuesday reviewing. After the test, the students will start a new chapter in which they will look more closely at chemical reactions. After reviewing the characteristics of chemical changes and chemical formulas, they will learn about chemical equations. A chemical equation is simply a shorthand method of showing what occurs during a chemical reaction. Because of the Law of Conservation of Mass these equations must be balanced.  We will spend the last half of the week working with balancing equations.   

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra (Grades 7/8) class, we will finish our discussion of Chapter 6 and inequalities by learning how to graph linear inequalities.  This process involves graphing a line (either dotted or solid) and then shading the appropriate half-plane (side) of the line.  There will be a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 6 Test on Friday.

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Advanced Algebra/Intro to Geometry class (Grade 8), we will be continuing our exploration of Chapter 8 involving the areas of various polygons.  We will start with the basic rectangles, squares, and triangles, and then move on to areas of parallelograms, trapezoids, and finally circles (8.3 – 8.7).

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 8^th grade will continue to work with the new vocabulary and grammar points in Chapter 4B. Due to the short week, the Chapter 4B test has been moved to Tuesday, February 11^th. 

8th American Government with Mrs. English
This week in American Government we will begin our study of American campaigns. Students will learn the ins and outs of how election campaigning works. This unit will prepare us for our Hancock class campaign project starting in a few weeks.  We will also finish our presidential debates this week.  Students should look for a Chapter 12-Section 1 Quiz on Friday February 7^th.  

Announcements Jan 27-31, 2014

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

STUDENT COLDS

By now most of our families have been touched by one of the two “bugs” traveling around the Middle School, the dreaded stomach bug or the sinus/head cold. These have hit our students (and faculty) hard with symptoms ranging from minor to fevers.  If your child appears to be coming down with an illness, please keep him/her home. That will help minimize the spread to other students. If you child is out, email Ms. Edie and she can get assignments together that can be completed at home. 

STUDENT SERVICES

From time to time I hear from people, businesses or agencies that are providing educational services.  I am going to start passing along this information. This information is forwarded as a resource for families and unless specifically noted, comes without recommendation. 

This week I met with Sally Greenberg, the tutoring coordinator at the Royce Center.  The Royce Center does one on one tutoring as well as broader programs that are offered both during the school year and during the summer.  The Center just provided me with information about a Study Skills program they are offering from February 10 – April 14 on Mondays from 4:00 – 6:00 for $250.  We offer Study Skills once a week for our students.  This might be something you would like to consider to supplement that as the classes are small (generally 6 – 8).  I have a flyer at school and Ms. Greenberg can be reached at sgreenberg@roycelc.org for more information.

HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

The admissions season grinds on for our 8^th graders.  Please keep an eye on any deadlines for submission of applications.  Many are coming up and some have gone by already.  Most of the admissions packets that were submitted to us to process are complete and forwarded onto the appropriate school.  I will be sending emails to our 8^th grade families next week confirming our submission of your student’s admissions packet.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

The intramural program is looking for students to assist on Saturday mornings with the basketball program.  Duties include running the clock and preparing the gym for the games.  There are two times available each Saturday, 8:45 – 11:00 and 10:45 – 1:00.  An EXCELLENT opportunity to help our the HDS community!  Sign up in Ms. Edie’s office.

ACTIVITIES

The first Middle School dance of the year will be Friday, January 31st, 6:30 – 8:30.  The students are planning a stylish event! 

Here is a list of things that would be helpful for parents to provide:

Mr. Lanfear: desserts (brownies, squares, cookies, candy etc.)

Mrs. Blake: Finger foods and apps (chicken fingers, chips and dips etc.)

Mrs. Reardon: 2 liters, tea, lemonade, water

Ms. Hughes: 2 liters, tea, lemonade, water

Mrs. O’Connor: Paper products (cups, plates, napkins, cutlery)

The regular basketball season concludes the week of January 27^th and the SPAL tournament begins the week of February 3^rd.  Bring on February Madness!

Second Harvest of America is a great organization to volunteer community work hours. What they do is give food to the less fortunate by getting food donations and either bag it and send it to the people receiving the food or they stock it in their mobile food pantry which is a place where people can come to the warehouse in Second Harvest. I usually go to the warehouse to bag the groceries, but this year, as a class, we went to stock the Mobile food pantry. We also got a tour around all of Second Harvest and got to learn about how they are helping the community. America's Second Harvest is a great organization and is a great place to donate some of your time to help them out. --Philip Dusek, 8th grade

6TH GRADE NEWS

6th grader creations from art

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

It’s been a quick week, and the sixth graders are rapidly concluding their study of The Outsiders.  Questions over chapters 11-12 are due on Monday, and students will take their test over the book on Tuesday, January 28^th.  On Wednesday we will begin working on a persuasive essay exploring some themes from the novel.  Students will also continue working on compound and complex sentences in their GUM books.

Math 6 with Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Math 6, we will wrap up Chapter 7 by learning about functions and equations, as well as graphing functions. On Wednesday and Thursday we will review for the Chapter 7 test and on Friday, January 31, students will take their Chapter 7 test.

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford

Remarkably I am adhering to my New Year’s resolution and remaining basically on schedule for the semester!  We will continue our exploration of earthquakes this week.  Friday (1/24) night’s assignment is to read “Measuring and Predicting Earthquakes” and answer questions 1 & 2 found on page 6. Monday we will discuss earthquakes and prepare for an examination on Plate Tectonics and the underlying hypothesis’s (Continental Drift and Sea Floor spreading) that surround that theory. Tuesday is the exam; homework is to complete the last two bulleted questions on page 6 of the “Measuring” paper. Wednesday and Thursday will be working on a project exploring the major earthquakes that have struck the United States. While we will be completing a majority of the work in class, Wednesday night’s homework might require some online research. Thursday night homework is to read “The Nature of Earthquakes.” Friday we will wrap up our discussion of earthquakes and prepare to move to volcanoes.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

 Next week the sixth graders will continue their study of space exploration.  They will look at the beginning of the “Space Age” and NASA’s various missions.  Also, they will construct a time line of the milestones of the program. They will have a short quiz on Wednesday.

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 6^th grade will continue to work with the new vocabulary and grammar from Chapter 3B. This includes stem-changing verbs and ways to maintain one’s health. The students will present their skits over healthy decisions on Monday and will finish their Spanish cookbooks throughout the week. The 6^th grade will have their chapter test on Friday, January 31^st.

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English
 This week in World Civilizations we will finish writing our Greek myths and complete our study of Chapter 8-Lesson 4 on life in Sparta and Athens. Students will see how the cultures of Sparta and Athens were starkly different from one another.  Students will have a test on Chapter 8 on Friday January 31^st. 

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

The seventh graders really seem to be enjoying The Hobbit!  Questions over chapters 9-14 are due on Monday, and our test over the novel will be on Friday, January 31^st.  This is a change from the original reading calendar, and I have announced the new date in class several times.  We will spend some class time reviewing and preparing for the test.

Pre-Algebra with Mrs. Reardon

 Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will review for the Chapter 7 test on Monday, students will take their Chapter 7 test on Tuesday, and on Wednesday we will do an in-class project that will help students calculate sales tax and tips on restaurant bills. Thursday, we will start into Chapter 8 learning about functions and linear equations in 2 variables.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class, we will begin discussing general facts about polygons (Chapter 8).  We will discuss classifying polygons (convex/concave/equilateral/equiangular/regular) (8.1). We will also discover for ourselves a way to find the sum of all the interior angles of any polygon (8.2). We will then begin discussing area formulas for different polygons (8.3 – 8.6).

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

The seventh graders continue their student led study of invertebrates. They are now learning about two phyla of simple worms-the flatworms and the roundworms. Next week they will have a short lab in which they will look at slides and specimens of representative animals from the four phyla studied thus far. Their test over this chapter will be on Friday, Jan. 31.

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 7^th grade will begin a new unit covering television shows, movies, and entertainment. The grammar points will cover “gustar-type” verbs and discussing about events that just occurred. Students will begin a project where they will create a movie trailer and the project will count as a quiz grade. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Friday, January 31^st. 

7th American History with Mrs. English

This week in American History class we will finish our news articles on the Battles at Lexington and Concord. We will finish our notes on Chapter 5-Section 4—“War Begins.”  Students should expect a Chapter 5 test on Thursday, January 30^th. 

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

This week students finished reading Hound of the Baskervilles and submitted their final set of questions over the novel.  Our test over the book will take place on Tuesday, January 28^th.  Students will spend the latter portion of next week working on a literary analysis essay explaining the how mood is established in the novel and why it is significant.  

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth graders have finished their review of atomic structure and the periodic table.  Next week they will work on electron dot diagrams. Also, they will learn about the different types of bonds. They will have a short quiz on Wednesday.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Intro to Geometry class, we will begin discussing general facts about polygons (Chapter 8).  We will discuss classifying polygons (convex/concave/equilateral/equiangular/regular) (8.1). We will also discover for ourselves a way to find the sum of all the interior angles of any polygon (8.2). We will then begin discussing area formulas for different polygons (8.3 – 8.6).

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra (Grades 7/8) class, we will finish our exploration of inequalities in Chapter 6.  We finished last week by learning how to solve absolute value equations.  We will begin the week with learning how to solve absolute value inequalities (Chapter 6.6).  We will also explore graphing inequalities (Chapter 6.7), which involves the ever popular shading of graphs (cue dramatic music).

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

 Next week in Spanish class, the 8^th grade will begin a chapter over family celebrations and other celebrations in Spanish-speaking countries. Students will continue to use the imperfect tense when discussing these events. We will also begin to use both the preterite and the imperfect tenses together. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Friday, January 31^st.

 

8th American Government with Mrs. English
This week in American government class we will start the presidential debate bracket.  Students will debate about who is the greatest U.S. president of all time. Student’s speeches should be five minutes long and persuade listeners that their president is the greatest in American history. These speeches will count as a quiz grade. We will also examine president Obama’s State of the Union address. Finally, students will be assigned their roles for the February campaign project. 

Announcements: Jan. 21-24, 2014

7th graders show off their timeline projects!

WORDS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

NOTES FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

Short week next week so we can celebrate the life of Martin Luther King. New clubs will be starting on Wednesday. Offerings will be chess, dance, film, reading for pleasure/quiet study, board games, Junior National Honor Society and student government.

Our new basketball goal has arrived and is ready for use!  This should expand the activities available to students during their lunch break.  I am working with the President of Student Government and his team to define what other items/games we can put in our area.

HIGH SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

The first group of high school applications were delivered today to St. Andrews.  Next Friday marks the deadline for Savannah Country Day. The high school team is working with families to complete recommendations and assemble documents for this process.  As mentioned before, completed applications are then mailed directly to the high school from the HDS main office.  If you have not yet informed us of your plans, please do so as soon as possible. The process of assembling a quality application with recommendations and supporting documents takes a couple of days and we prioritize them by deadline.  If you need more information, please do not hesitate to call.

FIFTH GRADE VISIT!

On Tuesday, January 21^st the Middle School will host our 5^th grade students for a visit to Middle School classes. The schedule calls for students to join us during our break at 10:20 and then attend short (5 minute) classes from 10:30 – 11:00 to meet our team. Other activities will follow throughout the semester.

BASKETBALL

‘Tis the season!  Our teams are in full swing with games every Tuesday and Thursday and some Saturday mornings.  Not always winning, but ALWAYS EXCITING!  Please come and support our students and teams!

Here at Hancock, we value community service. Here is a segment from a letter by Lily Horton and Caroline Massey explaining their service with the Human Society:

This year we raised money for the Humane Society of a Greater Savannah. We sold rubber              band bracelets from one to two dollars. We decided to do this fundraiser because animals               mean a lot to us. We need to respect them just as we respect others. If there's a will, there's a             way!

6TH GRADE NEWS

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

Sixth graders have a quiz over chapters 4-7 of the The Outsiders on Tuesday, January 21^st.  Questions over chapters seven and eight will be checked on Wednesday, and questions over chapters nine and ten will be checked on Friday.  We will also explore complex sentences in our GUM books and begin working on a persuasive essay.  Remember that our test over The Outsiders is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28^th.

6th Earth Science with Mr. Crawford

Next week we will be concluding our study of plate tectonics and moving into a study of earthquakes. Homework due Tuesday is a vocabulary word search worksheet. Homework for Wednesday and Thursday will center on completing an internet lab exercise on earthquakes.  Thursday we will also review for a test on material this semester to date which will be Friday.

6th Earth Science with Mrs. Blake

The sixth graders will start a new chapter on Space Exploration next week.  The first topic to be addressed is the different types of electromagnetic waves.  They will learn about everything from radio waves to gamma rays and the uses of each.  This information will help as they look at the various instruments used to study space.

6th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish, the 6^th grade will continue to work on their recipes and begin a new chapter. Chapter 3B will talk about food and beverages for dinner, descriptions of what people are like, and health and exercise choices. Students will have a quiz over the new vocabulary on Friday, January 24^th. 

6th World Civilizations with Mrs. English
This week in World Civilizations we will continue our discussion about Greek myths. We will begin Chapter 8-Lesson 3 on Greek City States. Students should expect a geography quiz on Mediterranean geography on Friday. Have a nice long weekend!

7TH GRADE NEWS

7th Grade English Language Arts with Mrs. O'Connor

I will be checking questions over chapters six, seven, and eight of The Hobbit on Wednesday the 22^nd.  Seventh graders also have a quiz over chapters 5-10 of The Hobbit (and contextual vocabulary) coming up on Thursday the 23^rd.  Additionally we will continue exploring subordinate clauses, types of conjunctions, and complex sentences in our GUM books.  Our test over The Hobbit is scheduled for Thursday, January 30^th.

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra (Grades 7/8) class, we will be learning how to solve absolute value equations and calculate absolute deviation (6.5).  We will then take a quiz at the end of the week on solving compound inequalities and absolute value equations (6.3 – 6.5).

7th Grade Life Science with Mrs. Blake

This week the seventh graders started their study of invertebrates. Thus far they have learned about sponges.  Next week we will begin the first student led class. Each presentation includes a visual presentation of a phylum with notes. Also the students will administer a quiz on their specific phylum. I have been impressed with how hard they have worked putting together their presentations.  

7th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 7^th grade will finish presenting their charities and we will wrap up Chapter 8B. They will have a chapter test on Thursday, January 23^rd. On Friday we will begin a new unit discussing entertainment, things you have recently done, and “gustar-like” verbs.

7th American History with Mrs. English

This week we will introduce the fighting during the Revolutionary War.  We will see how the colonies united against the biggest empire in the world. Have a nice long weekend!

8TH GRADE NEWS

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

Eighth graders are continuing to read The Hound of the Baskervilles.  Students have a quiz over chapters 9-13 coming up on Tuesday, the 21^st, and questions over chapters 11-15 will be checked on Friday, the 24^th.  Next week we will also begin working on an essay in which students will analyze the different ways in which Doyle establishes mood in the novel.  Our test over the book is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28^th.  

8th Grade Physical Science with Mrs. Blake

The eighth grade will spend next week reviewing the periodic table and valence electrons.  They will learn about Lewis electron dot diagrams and how these diagrams help to illustrate which elements will chemically combine to form compounds.  At the end of the week they will look at the different types of bonding.  

7th-8th Algebra with Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Algebra (Grades 7/8) class, we will be learning how to solve absolute value equations and calculate absolute deviation (6.5).  We will then take a quiz at the end of the week on solving compound inequalities and absolute value equations (6.3 – 6.5).

8th Advanced Algebra with Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Mr. Lanfear’s Advanced Algebra/Intro to Geometry class (Grade 8), we will use our discoveries involving medians of triangles and the centroid to build mobiles whose pieces hang perfectly parallel to the ground.  We will complete our exploration of triangles by discussing the triangle inequality (4.7).  We will then have a day of review and our Chapter 4 test at the end of the week.

8th Spanish with Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish class, the 8^th grade will finish presenting their biographies and we will wrap up Chapter 4A. They will have their chapter test on Thursday, January 23^rd. On Friday we will begin a new unit discussing manners, customs, and special events. Students will continue to work with reflexive verbs and the imperfect tense.

8th American Government with Mrs. English

This week we will have a  quest on the Legislative Branch on Wednesday. We will also work on our President debate projects where students will debate against each other to determine who is the best American president. Have a nice long weekend!