November 5th - November 9

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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NOTES FROM MR. CRAWFORD

RECOGNIZING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS!

Our Middle School students achieve success in many ways.  It is with great pleasure that we are recognizing qualifying 6th and 7th grade students to the Duke Talent Identification Program aka Duke TIP.  To be nominated, a student had to earn a qualifying score of the 95th percentile or better on one of the ERB subtests (excluding the Vocabulary test).  The Duke TIP program offers students a wide array of challenging opportunities throughout the school year.

Qualifying 7th grade students:

Harris Glidewell

Mary Tippins Solana

Emiline Baxter

Karenna Lapp

Hayden Anderson

Anna Loren Dekle

Samuel Bueno

Charlie Moody

Julianna Jones

William Shearouse

Nathan Scarbrough

Jack Owen Myers

Ava Grace Harris

Brayden Allen

Madeline Brainard

Whit Watson

Qualifying 6th grade students:

Kate Barber

Laney Berman

Liza Swan

Jasmine DeWitt

Duncan Manning

Lilly Gayle Helton

Hannah Burt

Annalee Huff

Phoebe Lynch
Louisa Coley
Marcos Simon
Lula Tollison

FALL SPORT SEASON END

It has been an exciting week in the HDS sports world this season.  Earlier, our cross country team made up of students in grades 5-8 won the City of Savannah Cross Country title.  Last Monday our 6th grade girls volleyball team won the SPAL championship! Thursday night our 7th - 8th grade varsity football team lost a hard fought semifinal game to Country Day.  Congratulations to all of our teams on a great season. Be on the look for information about the upcoming sport recognition assembly.

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.

ST. VINCENT’S ACADEMY OPEN HOUSE - NOVEMBER 4
SVA will be hosting an open house on Sunday, November 4 at 1:00pm.  Click HERE to view the Open House flyer.

BENEDICTINE MILITARY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE - NOVEMBER 4
BC will be hosting an open house on Sunday, November 4 from 2:00pm-4:00pm.

HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS EXPLAINED!
Information about the high school admissions process can be found HERE.

8TH GRADE YEARBOOK AD!
Click here for information regarding ordering an 8th grade ad in the yearbook.  Last day to order these will be November 6, 2018.

DC TRIP DEPOSITS DUE!
DC DEPOSIT OF $250 WAS DUE FRIDAY, 10/12!  On September 25 we had an informational session about the upcoming 8th grade trip to Washington.  Trip details and forms can be found HERE.  

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

Next week in Algebra, we will jump right into Chapter 4 by taking a look at the coordinate plane as well as graphing linear equations in 2 different ways.  Students will have a quiz over the first 3 sections on Thursday, November 8. On Friday, we will play Battleship in the coordinate grid. A new challenge problem will be distributed on Monday, November 5 and it will be due on Monday, November 12.

Advanced Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete Chapter 11.-11.2 by learning how to rationalize binomial denominators using conjugates (11.2), and then have a quiz on 11.2 on Tuesday.  Students will receive the quiz back the next day and we will have a day of review on Wednesday and the Chapter 11.1-11.2 test on Thursday. We will then begin 11.3 by learning how to solve radical equations (equations that have a variable under the radical symbol).

Geometry - Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will begin Chapter 5 by discovering the Midsegment Theorem in triangles (5.1) and the Perpendicular Bisector Theorem and its converse (5.2).  We will also learn about some of the different “centers” of triangles and their properties such as the circumcenter (5.2), the incenter (5.3), and the centroid (5.4).  We will also explore angle bisectors (5.3) and medians (5.4).

Physical Science - Ms. Hoffman

Earlier this week, the 8th graders participated in an mini-lab activity learning about sand.  They chose two samples of sand from a variety of places around the world, including the Australian outback, France, Costa Rica, Mojave Desert, and the Bahamas.  The goal was to use observation skills and comparison charts to provide details in describing their samples. (See the photos below.) These are some of the skills the students will need when we begin our Science Fair Projects next week. This Science Project will be due at the end of the second trimester and will count as their trimester exam project.  A very detailed list of deadlines, expectations and grading rubric will be sent home on Monday 11/5 and also posted on Google Classroom. Students will also spend class time next week deciding on a topic and working on a “sample” experiment to practice writing detailed procedures and material lists. To finish our final section of chemistry, the 8th graders are learning about chemical equations, different chemical reactions and factors that can affect reaction rates.  After discussing notes, practicing balancing chemical equations and participating in a lab, we will have a quiz on these topics next Thursday, 11/8.

English Language Arts - Mrs. Boyer

Literature: We are diving in to our Unit on The Power of One Voice. Students will be reading  I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai, short stories regarding education, standing up for one’s beliefs, and important historical events. There will be frequent reading checks that will be classwork grades. Students may use these to check their comprehension. Students should also be annotating their novels as they read.

Writing: Students will be writing a persuasive speech and completing a project that centers around the power of one voice on a nation.

Assessments: Because I am Malala is an autobiography, the assessment will be based on the ideas surrounding her story, the short stories read, and the discussions had in class. The first quiz will be on 11/8.

Vocab: Students will be working on Unit 9 Ex. The date for the Unit 9 Vocab Quiz is 11/5.

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 watch the PBS documentary film on the Triangle Fire and discuss the lasting impacts that the fire had on legislation and working conditions in America. Students will have readings from Chapter 18.2 & 3, which deal with the rise of corporations and labor unions in America. We will also look at how American workers began filling spare time with entertainment like sports, shopping, and amusement parks. We will have a quiz over Chapter 18.2 & 3 on Friday, November 9th. Looking forward to a great week!

Spanish - Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish we will continue to work with the vocabulary and grammar from Chapter 3A. In this chapter students will talk about schedules, running errands, and places in the community. We will review direct object pronouns and learn some more irregular verbs in the preterite. The vocabulary quiz will be Wednesday, November 7th.

7TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS

Algebra 1 - Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Algebra, we will jump right into Chapter 4 by taking a look at the coordinate plane as well as graphing linear equations in 2 different ways.  Students will have a quiz over the first 3 sections on Thursday, November 8. On Friday, we will play Battleship in the coordinate grid. A new challenge problem will be distributed on Monday, November 5 and it will be due on Monday, November 12.

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete the first half of Chapter 4 by learning how to find the least common multiple (LCM) of monomials (4.4).  We will have a day of review on Tuesday and the Chapter 4.1-4.4 test on Wednesday. We will then begin the next half of Chapter 4 by learning the rules of exponents including the product rule and quotient rule (4.5), as well as what a zero exponent means (4.6).

History & Gov’t I - Mrs. English

This week in American History I we will continue our study of government and slavery in the American colonies. On Monday, students will work on a Challenge Colonial Crossword puzzle, which will be due on Monday, November 12th. It will count as a project grade. On Tuesday and Wednesday we will finish notes from Chapter 4.3-Slavery in the Colonies. Students will read and discuss the roots of slavery and the lasting impacts it had in America. We will have a quiz on Thursday, November 8th over Chapter 4.1 & 3. Looking forward to a great week!

Spanish - Ms. Hughes

Next week in Spanish we will continue to work with the vocabulary and grammar from Chapter 7A. In this chapter we will talk about shopping, clothes, and making purchases. Students will learn how to indicate specific items through the use of demonstrative adjectives, and how to express preferences. The vocabulary quiz will be Thursday, November 8th.

ELA - Mrs. Boyer

Students are at least halfway through if not more than halfway done reading their novels for the Dystopian Universe (The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Lord of the Flies, and Gathering Blue). Students will be working in groups on activities regarding theme, point of view, characterization, vocabulary, writing, etc. Because the students are reading a variety of novels, the quizzes and tests will be formatted in a different manner.

Literature: Students are analyzing the definition and vocabulary of the word Dystopia. Students are discussing theme, archetype, symbolism, etc.

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. The first quiz is on November 14th.

Vocabulary: Unit 3, Quiz on November 7th

Writing: Students will begin writing an essay on the word “Dystopia” and how it applies to their novel.

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

Life Science - Ms. Hoffman

Earlier this week the seventh grade students were able to watch the Healthy Heart Habits videos of their classmates to learn about other heart-related health conditions  or illnesses that can occur. This project counted as their First Trimester Project Exam. All of the films were wonderful and it will be hard to choose the best to enter into the Spring Film Festival. This week we also started our information about diseases and the immune system, including bacteria and viruses and all of our body’s defenses. Next week, the students will receive a new syllabus and information about an upcoming Pathogen Project, as we continue to learn about dangerous microbes and ways, such as vaccines and minimizing animal vectors like mosquitoes, used to fight against them.

6TH GRADE ASSIGNMENTS

Accelerated Math 7 - Mrs. Reardon

Next week in Accelerated Math 7, we will continue in Chapter 4 by finding the greatest common factor of 2-4 numbers.  We will also take a look at equivalent fractions and how we can use the greatest common factor to help us find equivalent fractions.  On Thursday, students will take a brief quiz over sections 1-3. A new challenge problem will be distributed on Monday, November 5 and it will be due on Monday, November 12.

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week we will complete the first half of Chapter 4 by learning how to find the least common multiple (LCM) of monomials (4.4).  We will have a day of review on Tuesday and the Chapter 4.1-4.4 test on Wednesday. We will then begin the next half of Chapter 4 by learning the rules of exponents including the product rule and quotient rule (4.5), as well as what a zero exponent means (4.6).

ELA - Mrs. Guggenheim

LITERATURE: We will continue reading The Outsiders. The chapter summaries will be turned in 11/9 upon completing Chapter 12 for a project grade. The unit test is scheduled for 11/13.

VOCABULARY: List 5 Greek/Latin + 7 SAT words will be given out 11/2. The quiz is scheduled for 11/8.

2nd Trimester Reading Assignment: The new reading assignment for second trimester is attached to the Blog and was given out to students today in class. It is also posted in my Google Classroom. While it may be turned in at any point during the trimester, it is DUE  BY FEBRUARY 1, 2019.

Earth Science - Mrs. Taylor

Students will continue to work on their storm projects. The new due date will be Wednesday, 11/7 at the beginning of class. They need to bring a cereal box covered or to be covered by Monday, 11/5 at the latest. Wednesday, we will continue with weather and climate. There will be no assessments until the following week.

Ancient Civ -  Mr. O’Hayer

Wow. I can’t believe it’s November already. After a busy week of exams, Halloween, and 6th VB winning the SPAL Championship, we move on in our travels and arrive at our next destination- The Egyptian Civilization. We will start with Lesson 1: The Nile Valley. We will study how geography affected the political, economic, and religious structures of early Egypt. Mid-week we will move on to Lesson 2 The Old Kingdom. Homework will consist of outlining lessons, worksheets and reading check questions. We will look to have a quiz Friday. Our Ch. 4 test will be Thursday, November 15th.

Spanish - Ms. Dubick

The students will be learning about Puerto Rican American history this week. They will also be learning how to say the time in Spanish!

Art - Mrs. Cookson

“In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

What a whirlwind of activities, days missed, catching up over the past few weeks. Here’s to hoping we can get back on track.

8th: Will finally have the opportunity to start a new project with Toppling Towers

7th: Will continue to build Hobbit Houses out of clay

6th: Will continue to paint their Collaborative, Imaginative drawings