November 26th - November 30th

NOTES FROM MR. CRAWFORD

DRESS CODE REMINDER

With the end of the fall season, we need to refocus our attention to the dress code. Students should be dressed in the approved Hancock uniform each day. Team jerseys and team shirts are not part of the regular dress code.  Team hoodies are acceptable outerwear options.

2ND TRIMESTER READING ASSIGNMENT
As the new trimester begins, the English Language Arts Department is altering the format of the Reading Log in order to promote student engagement and creativity.  In place of assigning 360 minutes of reading this trimester, students will choose one age-appropriate book to read during the course of the trimester. Before beginning to read, students must share the title and author with their ELA teacher for approval.  The book may be of any genre, fiction or nonfiction. After reading this book, students will create a brief book review using a 5 x 7 note card, which we will supply. Click HERE to view more information regarding this new assignment.

AFTER SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES

ART CLUB
Ms. Dubick will be offering an after school art club from 3:15-4:30 every Monday during second trimester.  The cost will be $150 for the term.  There is a five student minimum in order for the club to run, there is a cap of twelve students.  Art club participants will explore mediums and projects not covered during art class. Alcohol ink, wire sculptures, detailed clay projects and glazes will all be covered, among others.   Please email Ms. Dubick to sign up or for questions. cdubick@hancockdayschool.org.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Each middle school student is required to complete ten hours of community service over the course of the school year.  Please remember to list hours worked on a daily basis, do not log total sum of hours worked over an extended period of time.  See below for a few upcoming service opportunities.

PACK, a local nonprofit that delivers weekly bags of food to children at risk of experiencing hunger, seeks volunteers to help pack bags on the first Sunday of each month.  Upcoming dates are November 4th, December 2nd, and January 6th. More information can be found here.

America’s Second Harvest needs volunteers to help prepare monthly bags of food for senior citizens in our community.  Upcoming packing dates are November 17th, and December 15th. Volunteers should arrive by 7:45 and must wear closed-toe shoes.  Contact Bryce Seuntjens at bryce@helpendhunger.org for more information.

GUIDANCE & CHARACTER EDUCATION

This month we are exploring respect as our virtue of the month. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Ms. Pedrick at apedrick@hancockdayschool.org

8TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS

Algebra 1 - Mrs. Reardon

This week in Algebra, we will wrap up Chapter 4 by modeling direct variation and graphing linear functions.  On Thursday, students will review for the chapter quiz (4.4-4.7) that will take place on Friday, November 30.  A challenge problem was distributed today (11/27) and will be due on Tuesday, December 4.

Advanced Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

This week we will continue Chapter 11 by using the Pythagorean Theorem to discover the distance formula.  This will enable us to find the distance between 2 points on a coordinate plane. We will also use the midpoint formula to find the midpoint between 2 points on a coordinate plane and to find the missing endpoint of a line segment given one endpoint and the midpoint.

Geometry - Mr. Lanfear

This week we will complete Chapter 5 by learning how to prove statements indirectly, or by contradiction (5.6).  There will be a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 5 test on Friday.

Physical Science - Ms. Hoffman

Welcome back from, what I hope, was a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving break.  Before our long time away from school, the eighth graders began learning about potential and kinetic energy.  They also went on a field trip to Savannah State University for GIS Day. There they participated in two hands-on activities (mapping and using compasses/GPS) as well as completed a scavenger hunt focused on projects and businesses utilizing Geographical Information Services.  (See some photos below of our field trip.)

We will continue this week with a two day energy lab demonstrating the various forms of energy, including electrical, solar, chemical and thermal.  We will also start to investigate some of the math involved with calculating potential and kinetic energy. Some things that will be due this week include our November Science in Comics due Friday, 11/30 and the Science Fair Project materials and procedures due Wednesday, 11/28.  (See below for the list of all due dates for this project. As a reminder, Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:30-8am are designated to helping the eighth graders with their project.) The students will also have a quiz on Friday, 11/30.

Science Fair Project Dates

Wednesday 11/7/18 Signed parent letter due

Friday 11/9/18 Science Fair Topic/ Purpose/ Hypothesis due

Wednesday 11/28/18 Science Fair Materials/ Procedure due

Wednesday 12/5/18           Science Fair log book check/  Rough draft of literature review due

Wednesday 12/19/18 Science Fair data/ results review /  Sketch of triptych due

Wednesday 1/16/19 Science Fair log book check/  Final draft of literature review due

Wednesday 1/23/19 Completed formal report due

*Wednesday    1/30/19 Science Project due (triptych and log book)

*Presentations will also occur this week

 

 

English Language Arts - Mrs. Boyer

Literature: We have finished I am Malala! Woo that was quick! Students will be watching the documentary, He Named Me Malala, and completing thought provoking discussion questions. These questions responses will be turned in for a quiz grade.

Writing: Students will be completing a project that centers around the power of one voice on a nation (project grade).

Assessments: He Named Me Malala discussion questions, Vocabulary Unit 10 & 11 Quiz on 12/5. We will also be reading a few short stories regarding the final pieces of this Unit (and there may be a final assessment before the winter holiday).

Vocab: We will be picking up the pace in regards to vocabulary. I will be combining units for the rest of the year. The Unit 10 & 11 Vocab quiz will be on 12/5.

Reading Novel Card:  Due before or on February 1st.

Extra Reading Opportunity: Students will have an opportunity to read a small fictional novel regarding the same topic as their in class novel study over I am Malala. There will be an assignment regarding this; the rubric for the assignment is on GC. This opportunity will be due on December 14th.

History & Gov’t II - Mrs. English

This week in American History we will begin our study of the Progressive Era in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Readings and homework will come from Chapter 19.1-2. We will discuss the three Progressive presidents, Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson. We will also learn about the role of reporters and muckrakers and how they helped reform society. We will use primary sources like Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives to enhance our study of this era. Looking ahead, students will have a quiz over Chapter 19.1-2 on Tuesday, December 4th. Looking forward to a great week!

Spanish - Ms. Hughes

This week in Spanish the 8th grade will present their towns they created using the grammar and vocabulary from Chapter 3A. Students will learn about the Sister Cities International program and discuss what it means to be a youth ambassador. The test will be Thursday, November 27th and will cover all of the grammar and vocabulary from Chapter 3A.

7TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS

Algebra 1 - Mrs. Reardon

This week in Algebra, we will wrap up Chapter 4 by modeling direct variation and graphing linear functions.  On Thursday, students will review for the chapter quiz (4.4-4.7) that will take place on Friday, November 30.  A challenge problem was distributed today (11/27) and will be due on Tuesday, December 4.

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete Chapter 4.5-4.7 by learning how to multiply numbers in scientific notation (4.7).  There will be a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 4.5-4.7 test on Friday.

History & Gov’t I - Mrs. English

This week in American History I we will continue our study of the events that led to the American Revolution. Readings and homework will come from Chapter 5-Section 2. Events covered will include the Proclamation of 1763, the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and the Boston Massacre. We will discuss the risks involved with protesting the government and the role of newspapers in spurring conflict between the colonists and the British crown. Students will have a quiz over Chapter 5.1-2 on Friday, November 30th.  

Spanish - Ms. Hughes

This week in Spanish the 7th grade will continue to work with the grammar and vocabulary from Chapter 7A. We will discuss traditional clothing and currency in different Spanish-speaking countries. Students will present their “desfile de moda” or fashion show projects on Thursday, November 29th. The test will be Wednesday, November 28th and will cover all of the vocabulary and grammar from Chapter 7A.

ELA - Mrs. Boyer

Literature: Students will be completing a final small activity on their Dystopian Novels this week. Starting on Friday, we will be starting our Poetry Unit.

Grammar: Gerund/Participles/Infinitives & Prepositional Phrases, Direct Objects & Indirect Objects. Students have learned the basics of all of these skills; we are now going to break them down and students will see how they are used in everyday language. There will be a FINAL test on 12/12.

Vocabulary: Students will begin Unit 4 this week and have a quiz on 12/5.

Reading Novel Card: Due before or on February 1st.

Life Science - Ms. Hoffman

Welcome back from, what I hope, was a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving break.  Before our long time away from school, the seventh graders completed and presented their information for the Pathogen Project.  For this project, they researched a specific disease and created an informative “Wanted” poster. These are on display in our main middle school hallway.  (See the photos below.) Our new unit of study beginning this week will be Genetics. Students will start off participating in a fun activity learning about inherited traits and then will learn about the Father of Genetics,  Gregor Mendel, and his experiments using pea plants. We will also discuss genotypes vs phenotypes, dominant vs recessive genes and alleles. Don’t forget our November in Comics is due Friday, 11/30. Next week we will study Punnett Squares and how they relate to heredity.  

6TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS

Accelerated Math 7 - Mrs. Reardon

This week in Accelerated Math 7, we will wrap up Chapter 4 by taking a deeper look at mixed numbers and improper fractions as well as converting fractions to decimals and decimals to fractions.  On Thursday, students will review for the chapter quiz (4.4-4.7) that will take place on Friday, November 30. A challenge problem was distributed today (11/27) and will be due on Tuesday, December 4.

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete Chapter 4.5-4.7 by learning how to multiply numbers in scientific notation (4.7).  There will be a day of review on Thursday and the Chapter 4.5-4.7 test on Friday.

ELA - Mrs. Guggenheim

LITERATURE: We will finish watching West Side Story and will write a poem in two voices comparing the Sharks with the greasers. At the end of the week, we will begin our nonfiction unit. A test over nonfiction terms is scheduled for 12/19.

VOCABULARY: Poetic Device terms were handed out to the students on Tuesday. There will be a quiz over them on 12/6. Many of the terms we have covered, but there are a few that are new.

GRAMMAR: We will have a quick review of subject and predicate; next week we will move on to a more in-depth study of compound/complex sentences, fragments, and run-ons. There will be a quiz on 12/12.

2nd Trimester Reading Assignment: The new Middle School reading assignment for second trimester is attached to the Blog and is also posted in my Google Classroom. It takes the place of the Reading Log. While it may be turned in at any point during the trimester, it is DUE  BY FEBRUARY 1, 2019.

Earth Science - Mrs. Taylor

Weather Quiz and Water Cycle bracelets complete!! Have your kids recite the cycle to you from their bracelets. Next up...Potential and Chemical Energy. Why Energy? Energy is transferred throughout the water cycle. This section on energy will pave the wave for the understanding of renewable and nonrenewable resources. We go directly to the lab the Tuesday we return for a potential and kinetic energy discovery. They will be introduced to a project for 8 out of the 9 types of potential/kinetic energies. In this project, they will observe the world around them at home or out with family. They will take pictures of real life examples of each type of energy. A sheet for student and parent to sign regarding this project will be sent home this week. If you are not able to print the pictures, students may download them on one google doc and send to me for printing when they have all they need.

Ancient Civ -  Mr. O’Hayer

This week students will continue preparations on teaching their portion of Chapter 4. Students are working in small groups and have done a great job so far. Their creativity has been impressive. So far we have had a really fantastic Scavenger Hunt with questions/teams. We also had a great TV show like team board game. Our Chapter 4 Test that was scheduled for Thursday the 29th will be moved due to the student’s lessons. The test will now be Dec. 5th. I have attached a very informative resource on Ancient Egypt on Google Classroom. I encourage you to read it. We will go over it this week and it will be included on your test.

Spanish - Ms. Dubick

The students will continue learning about Puerto Rican American history as they lead into West Side Story with Mrs. Guggenheim.  They will also be learning greetings in Spanish and how to conjugate verbs.

Art - Mrs. Cookson - Week of November 26th
“Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.” - Marc Chagall Welcome back. There are only a few art classes left before we head off for Winter Break, wow! 8th: Architectural detail sketches 7th: No class due to Thanksgiving break 6th: 1-point perspective drawing