October 14th - October 18th

NO SCHOOL MONDAY, OCTOBER 14TH
Hancock Day School will be closed on Monday, October 14th.  Classes will resume on Tuesday, October 15th.

PICTURE RETAKES WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 16TH
InFocus will be on campus on Wednesday, October 16th to take pictures of students that were absent on picture day.  If you need for your student to have their pictures retaken, please email Madison Mannarino ASAP to be put on the list.

8TH GRADE VISIT TO BC AND ST. VINCENTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH
Hancock Day School 8th graders are invited to visit Benedictine Military School and St. Vincent’s Academy on Thursday, October 17th.  Classes will be held for students that choose not to participate in the high school campus visits.

MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL MAKE UP - NO T1 EXAMS!

Dorian marked the third year in a row that Savannah life has been disrupted by a hurricane.  At the Middle School level we feel it is important to capture the lost instructional time. To do this we are cancelling the T1 exams scheduled for October 29th and 30th.  Those dates will now be FULL DAYS.  A new exam schedule for T2 and T3 will be posted at a later date.

HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Click HERE to find the letter detailing the steps for selecting a high school.  Click HERE for the Hancock Guide to applying to high school.  Our next scheduled high school visit is October 17th - BC and SVA.

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE - HANCOCK DAY SCHOOL’S GOT TALENT

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE - SPRING PERFORMANCE

DRIVER’S EDUCATION...ALREADY?

We recently received an announcement detailing a driving school opportunity for teens older than 15.  While this does not include any of our middle schoolers, it might be of interest to an older sibling. This national organization, Tire Rack Street Survival School is sponsored by the BMW Car Club Foundation, Michelin Tires and Enterprise Car Rental.  The one-day school is being held at the track on Henderson Island at the Club at Savannah Harbor (Westin) on either Saturday, October 19 or Sunday, October 20 from 8:30 - 4:00. Click HERE for more information.

THE VAPE TALK

Significant data is now being developed that detail the sometimes horrific effects of vaping.  Now is the time for families to discuss this emerging epidemic. See this link HERE for more information.

ASSESSMENTS CALENDAR

We are very excited to introduce a new easy way for parents and students to look at upcoming assessments.  THIS LINK leads to a Google Sheet that will have the next 2 weeks of assessments.  The link below will lead to the 6th grade assessments, but by using the tabs in the lower left corner (shown below), you can navigate to 7th grade and 8th grade assessments, as well.

Different subjects will appear in different colors:

History is black, Science is green, ELA is blue, Spanish is red, and Math is pink.

Please bear in mind that Middle School Assessments may be added, removed, or changed at any time.  This Sheet will always be up to date, however - once a teacher assigns or adjusts an assessment, this Sheet will reflect that change.

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. Click HERE for a log form.

HDS Extended Day Care needs volunteers to help out after school.  We are currently limiting this opportunity to 8th graders, with a possibility of opening it up to 6th and 7th graders later on.  If a student is interested in earning some community service hours, they will need to sign up a week in advance using THIS LINK.  Please contact Mrs. Mannarino with any questions.

The Old Savannah City Mission needs volunteers for various positions.  The mission provides food, shelter, and clothing to the homeless.  For more information, contact Connell Stiles at 912-232-1979 or stiles@oscm.org.

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

As we enter the month of October, the Virtue of the Month is Cooperation.  Working together involves multiple skills, with negotiation often being one of the most challenging for middle school students.  In “Lunch Bunch” we will be working to identify the roles of group members and what makes up an effective group. We will also talk through some of the challenges that groups run into.

-Allison Maher, School Counselor

Algebra 1 - Mr. Cargile

Next week in Algebra 1 we will go over the results of the Chapter 2 Test on Tuesday and then we will begin our new chapter, Solving Linear Equations. Students will begin working on one-, two-, and multi-step equations.

Geometry - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Geometry, we will continue Chapter 4 by learning how to prove triangles are congruent by Side-Angle-Side, Hypotenuse-Leg (4.4), Angle-Side-Angle, and Angle-Angle-Side (4.5).  There will be a quiz covering sections 4.1-4.5 on Friday.

Advanced Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week, in Advanced Algebra, we will continue Chapter 11 by practicing simplifying radical variable expressions (11.2) and learning how to rationalize denominators when there is a radical expression in the denominator (11.2).

Physical Science - Ms. Hoffman

 We have created an HDS Periodic Table of the Elements! The students used the periodic table and other resource books to research information about one specific element.  They were then put the forty-two elements together and they are on display in the hallway of the middle school. (See photos below.)

The eighth graders have also been learning about chemical bonding (ionic, covalent and metallic) and which elements bond with each process.  We did a mini-simulation with this using bingo chips. (See photos below.) They are also learning about cations and anions and some of the basic characteristics of various types of molecules.  On Friday, they used household products to observe examples of endothermic and exothermic reactions. (See photos next week.)  

Upcoming topics for chemistry will be chemical reactions, equations and activation energy requirements. The students will also participate in labs and watch demonstrations on activation energy, reaction rates and chemical reactions. Our chemistry unit test on all of this material, as well as the periodic table, will be on Friday, 10/25.  Their October Science Choice Board is due on Thursday, 10/31. For this monthly assignment there are nine different assignments to choose from and students must complete at least one Science in Comics, one practice science test/quiz and one study guide. They can turn in a total of two of the same choice overall for the year. Additional choices include creating a science song/poem, wordsearch, crossword, and finding Science at the Movies.  Each student has a copy of all the grading rubrics (handed out in August) and they are also posted on Google Classroom. 

Our next science fair project check will be on Wednesday 10/16.  This will be for a rough draft of the background information that will be included in the formal report. It should be approximately one to two pages long written in paragraph essay form.  This rough draft can be printed and turned in OR shared with me on a google document. (The actual formal report, with all its’ components -see the science fair packet- is due on 12/4 and counts as a test grade.)  Our next official log book check is not until Wednesday, 10/23, but students are welcome to ask me to look over anything they are including before then. (Please note: If chemicals or other potentially hazardous materials are to be utilized there will be an additional form(s) to be completed and I have given these to each student who needs this completed before they begin their experiment or project construction.)  Finally, limited lab equipment is also available for students to borrow from the school. Parents should not be spending large amounts of money to purchase materials for this project. Students will, however, need to be providing their own large cardboard triptych display board for their final completed project due on 12/11/19.

Remember, the log book should contain all the students thoughts, ideas and information about their projects and each page is numbered and dated.  Below is the list of all the due dates for our project. I am available for specific project questions by email, during the 8th grade independant time 1 - 1:30pm each day and  each morning (especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays) from 7:30am until 8am.  

Science Fair Project Dates

(* Indicate Homework Grades)

Monday                       8/26/19                        Science Fair Packets Home

Friday                           8/30/19                        *Signed Science Fair Proposal Form AND Parent

   Approval Form (1B) Due

Wednesday                9/4/19                          *Log Book Check/ Science Fair Topic and

   Question or Problem Due

Wednesday                9/18/19                        *Log Book Check with detailed Science Fair

                                                                               Materials and Procedures Due

Wednesday                10/02/19                     *Log Book Check with Research Notes Due

Wednesday                10/16/19                     *Rough Draft of Background Information Due

                                                                               (email or share document)

Wednesday                10/23/19                     *Log Book Check with Updates/ Revisions Due

Wednesday                11/6/19                        *Final Draft of Background Information Due

                                                                               (email or share document)

Wednesday                11/20/19                     *Log Book Check with Data/ Results OR

   Prototype/Solution Due

Wednesday                12/4/19                        *Log Book Check/ Updated Results or Solution AND

                                                                               Sketch of Triptych

 Completed Formal Report (printed) Due

Wednesday                12/11/19                     All Completed Projects Due

(Triptych, Log Book and completed Abstract Form)

            Complete abstract on-line or use form in the packet 

                                                                     Project presentations will also occur this week

                              

English Language Arts - Mrs. Boyer

Students are finalizing their reading of To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM). They should be in the mid twenties in regards to the novel’s chapters. This novel will address some hard-hitting issues, so look forward to some engaging dinner conversations! I have sent out a reading schedule with your students, but it can also be found in the TKAM Topic in GC. The majority of their reading should be completed at home and during their free time. In class we will be interacting with activities based on this reading. 

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOUR CHILD STAY ON TRACK WITH THEIR READING SCHEDULE. If students are not keeping up with the reading, then they will not be able to participate in projects, discussions, and activities. I am always in my room by 7:45 am if your child wants to hop on my couch or comfy chair and read for 15-20 minutes!! :)

TKAM Assessments

Ch. 1-20 Test 10/16

Vocab Unit 13 & 14 Quiz 10/16

Reading Log Due 10/23 (This has been on my homework board since the first week of school.). 

All class materials have been scanned into GC for students to use as study aids. :)

History & Gov’t II - Mrs. Robinson

Next week in American History and Government Part II, we will continue our study of Reconstruction. Students will take what we learned this week about the challenges of Reconstructions, but also the positives that came from it, and explore where it all went wrong. Students will study white supremicist backlash to Reconstruction as well as the end of Reconstruction. The Unit Two test on Reconstruction will be on Tuesday Oct 22nd, we will review in class on Monday the 21st and study guide will come out at the end of next week.

8th grade Spanish - Ms. Hill

Review and practice games on Tuesday for test on Wednesday, October 16th.

Check Google Classroom during the week. Review your warm-ups. 

Binder check this week, hint hint. 

Vocabulary and grammar: Posted on Google Classroom

Describing yourself and others. ¿Cómo eres?

Algebra 1 - Mr. Cargile

Next week in Algebra 1 we will go over the results of the Chapter 2 Test on Tuesday and then we will begin our new chapter, Solving Linear Equations. Students will begin working on one-, two-, and multi-step equations.

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will almost finish Chapter 3 by learning how to solve multi-step linear inequalities when you have to multiply or divide by a negative (3.5-3.6).  We will have a day of review on Friday to prepare for the Chapter 3 test next week.

History & Gov’t I - Mrs. Robinson

Next week, in American History & Government Part I, we will begin our Unit on English Colonies in North America. Students will learn about the first English colonies settled. We will explore their successes and failures and learn about the precedent they set for later English colonies, and America as its own nation. Towards the end of the week we will begin to discuss the colonies by region and start our study of why each region was so distinct. 

7th grade Spanish - Ms. Hill

Review and practice games Tuesday for our test on Wednesday, October 16th. Check google classroom throughout the week. Review your warm-ups.

Binder check this week, hint hint.

Vocabulary: Posted on Google Classroom - Describing what you like to do or do not like to do using the verb Gustar. ¿Qué te gusta hacer?

ELA - Mrs. Boyer

Literature: Students should be finalizing their reading of The Hobbit. This novel is a part of the fantasy genre, so look forward to some interesting dinner conversations! I have sent out a reading schedule with your students, but it can also be found in the The Hobbit Topic in GC. The majority of their reading should be completed at home and during their free time. In class we will be interacting with activities based on this reading. 

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOUR CHILD STAY ON TRACK WITH THEIR READING SCHEDULE. If students are not keeping up with the reading, then they will not be able to participate in projects, discussions, and activities. I am always in my room by 7:45 am if your child wants to hop on my couch or comfy chair and read for 15-20 minutes!! :)

Usually Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are Literature Days. 

Students will have a test on Ch. 1-11 on 10/16, and a final novel test on 10/30. 

Reading Logs are due on 10/23. This has been on my homework board since the first week of school. 

Vocabulary: Students will begin Unit 3; the quiz is TBA. Students have their vocabulary workbooks; this workbook will be collected in May and used during their 8th grade year as well.

Grammar: Our grammar units will begin this week; therefore, please send your child in for morning help if needed. Also, I always post extra resources in GC such as practice sheets, IXL links, Youtube videos, etc. Grammar is a difficult concept to grasp which means your child needs to identify their learning style and use that to succeed in regards to these concepts. 

There will be a test on Indirect and Direct Objects/Transitive & Intransitive/Predicate Nominative and Predicate Adjectives on 11/. 

Usually Tuesdays and Thursdays are Grammar and Vocabulary Days. 

Assessments can be any day Tuesday-Friday! :)

Life Science - Mrs. DuRant

The students have been bringing in their cell models throughout the week, and they look amazing.  They have been displaying a great deal of planning, effort and creativity. We will present them on Friday and take pictures to share on the next blog. Next week in Life Science students will have a unit test on Cell Structure and Function on Wednesday, October 16. After our test on Wednesday, we will begin a new unit on the Cell Cycle and Cell Division. 

Accelerated Math 7 - Mr. Cargile

Next week in Accelerated Math 7 we will continue our study of Decimal  Operations. Students will work with measurement in the Metric system, we will have a preview assessment, and on Friday we will have our Chapter 2 test.

Pre-Algebra - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will almost finish Chapter 3 by learning how to solve multi-step linear inequalities when you have to multiply or divide by a negative (3.5-3.6).  We will have a day of review on Friday to prepare for the Chapter 3 test next week.

ELA - Mrs. Sasser

Students will have NO vocabulary this week. We will be focusing on digging more in-depth with our DGP (daily grammar practice). For DGP, students will examine parts of speech, sentence types, and proofreading marks. Students finished their “Monkey’s Paw” projects and did a great job! Please check out the pictures of a few projects below! This week, students will finish up their suspense unit by completing stations for the text “The Hitchhiker” and by reading the Edgar Allan Poe poem “The Raven.” They’ll continue to examine suspense, mood, tone, and foreshadowing in preparation for their unit test on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Earth Science - Mrs. Hoffman

We are continuing with our weather unit by discussing air masses and weather fronts.  At the start of each class this week the sixth graders have also been going outside and completing a weather log of weather conditions at school.  Next week we will also discuss weather forecasting, maps and patterns and look at how meteorologist predict the weather. Our weather unit test will be Wednesday, 10/16 and the October Science in Comics assignment is due Thursday, 10/31.  At the end of next week the students will begin an in-class group project to learn about severe weather. Each group will research a type of storm (blizzard, hurricane, tornado, flood/drought or thunderstorm) and create a google slide presentation, decide on an activity/ demonstration and produce assessment questions for the class.  Then they will become “storm teachers” as they explain this information to the other students and lead the activity they have chosen to share. Everyone will take the combined student written assessment questions for their quiz on this severe weather material.

Earth Science - Mrs. DuRant

We will begin the week reviewing  for our unit test on Earth’s Atmosphere which will be on Wednesday, October 16. Then we will begin to explore the world of weather which will include daily monitoring of the school weather station, keeping a weather log, conducting a weather scavenger hunt and reading weather maps. We will review 4 types of clouds and the water cycle, and then move into pressure systems and air masses.

Ancient Civ -  Mr. O’Hayer

This week we explore the Middle and New Kingdoms of Egypt. In the Middle Kingdom we will look at Egyptian trade in the Mediterranean and the Nile Valley. The New Kingdom allows us to see how Egyptian society was structured and how religion and government changed and impacted daily life of the Egyptian people. Our Chapter Test covering Lessons 2, 3, and 4 will be Thursday the 17th.

Spanish - Mr. Alexander

SPECIALS

Art - Mrs. Cookson

“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” - Twyla Tharp

8th: Will finish the final drawing of the Hidden Details in Architecture and move into a surprise project that will be cross media

7th: Will finalize ideas for Hobbit Houses and have a demo on proper clay construction

6th: Will have a demo on proper brush washing and paint the Imaginative, collaborative drawing