October 26th - October 30th
TRIMESTER 1 ACTIVITIES AND EXAMS
The conclusion of a trimester always brings an increased workload. In the past, students have had to prepare for 5 exams. Beginning several years ago we began the practice of having some classes have a summative activity and some classes sit for an exam. These activities take many forms: papers, speeches and projects. Here is a chart of this trimester’s schedule for exams and activities:
NOVEMBER LUNCH SIGN UP DEADLINE REMINDER
The deadline for November lunches is TODAY Friday, October 23rd!
Monday-Papa John’s-2 slices of cheese pizza, an apple and a sugar cookie
Tuesday-Chick-Fil-A-sandwich plain or 8pc nuggets with chips and Oreo’s
Wednesday-Jason’s Deli-ham/cheese, turkey/cheese or a grilled cheese sandwich with chips, carrots or seasonal fruit. Also, a baked potato or a 6” personal cheese pizza.
Thursday-Moe’s-cheese quesadilla, chicken quesadilla or a chicken burrito with nacho chips and salsa
Friday-Jersey Mike’s-ham/cheese or turkey/cheese sandwich with Doritos and a cookie
To sign up, you need to go onto your FACTS account and click LUNCH from the menu bar. Click on the monthly option on the right top bar, click on your STUDENT’S name, click on CREATE WEB ORDER, click on your STUDENT’S name again and the offerings should appear. Click on your choices and make sure you do for EVERY week of the month for the days you are participating. Scroll down and hit SUBMIT AND PAY. Follow the same steps for your other child. The order will not come through unless that SUBMIT AND PAY part is done.
IMPORTANT REMINDER - EARLY CHECKOUT
Due to our staggered dismissal times this year, picking up your child early at the Middle School for an afternoon appointment can be a challenge. If you need to pick up your child before their scheduled dismissal time, this must be done NO LATER than 2:15. This will give you time to depart campus with your child before cars begin to line up for the Primary and Lower School dismissals. Please use THIS FORM to inform the office of early pickups.
PE & SCHOOL UNIFORM SCHEDULE
Reminder: students should follow the schedule below for uniforms during T1.
ASSESSMENTS CALENDAR
We have created a great way for students and parents to check for 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 the 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.
This year in the LC Corner, I will be offering tips and strategies to support your work at school and home. Please reach out to me anytime you need assistance or have any questions.
Tip #10: EXERCISE.
Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance (e.g., memory), and classroom behaviors (e.g., on-task behavior).14, 15
Higher physical activity and physical fitness levels are associated with improved cognitive performance (e.g., concentration, memory) among students.14, 15
https://www.cdc.gov/
October is National Bullying Awareness Month. One of the top ways to combat bullying is by encouraging inclusion and respect among students. This following article has some great ideas for raising children to be inclusive.
11 Ways for Teaching Kids to be Inclusive of Others
Allison Maher
amaher@hancockdayschool.org
ALGEBRA - MRS. SMOAK
In Algebra 1 this week, we solved 1 step equations (3.1) to 2 step equations (3.2) to multi-step equations (3.3). We started on equations with variables on both sides (3.4) and will continue solving proportions (3.5-3.6). There will be a quiz on these skills on Thursday 10/29.
GEOMETRY - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Geometry, we will complete Chapter 4 by learning how to perform transformations in the coordinate plane such as translations, reflections, and rotations (4.8). There will be a day of review on Tuesday and the Chapter 4 test on Wednesday.
ELA - MRS. BOYER
We have FINISHED To Kill a Mockingbird!!!! I am so very proud of these students and their accomplishments! We have been working on an analytical/compare & contrast essay which will be due on Monday, 10/26. (This essay assignment was emailed to parents and ‘chunked’ in Google Classroom.)
We will finish out their vocabulary for T1 with Unit 4. There will be a Unit 4 Quiz on 10/29.
Students will be starting their EXAM PROJECTS on 10/27 and they will have until the end of the exam period to complete this assignment. Specific details will be in GC by 10/26.
Upcoming!!
Animal Farm!! Allegories!! Russian Revolution!!!
HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH - MRS. SALE
Hi…we will begin the week by creating a study guide for the chapter 3 test. After reviewing the study guides, a day will be taken to go over missed material….The major test will be taken on Wednesday, October 28th. We will wrap the week up by watching a movie celebrating the Day of the Dead.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE - MS. HOFFMAN
See below for some awesome pictures of the Element Block Project students worked on last week. This individual project incorporated non-internet research utilizing books, periodic tables and the students textbook and/or workbook as they discovered interesting facts/ information about their specific assigned element. This week we finished learning about chemical bonding (ionic, covalent and metallic) and students practiced ionic bonding using bingo chips--see photos below. They also participated in a lab to observe and identify endothermic and exothermic reactions and a second lab to determine factors affecting the activation rates of various concentrations of HCl (hydrochloric acids) on Aluminum. (See photos below.)
A quick reminder that our Basic Chemistry test will be on Monday 10/26/20. (This was a moved date due to the volleyball playoffs from Friday 10/23.) This unit test will cover information on atoms, atomic theory, the periodic table, identifying the name or symbol of various elements/ compounds (students have a list of those I will choose from) and chemical bonding. The final Science in Comic for this Trimester is also due next week on Friday, 10/30/20. We will then finish the trimester with different types of chemical reactions, activation rates and writing chemical formulas and our exam will be during the end of the first week of November.
Science Fair Update: During the Science Fair Project assignment there has been minimal homework over class content for students to complete. This is to allow them time to work on their projects. Our next science fair progress check is on Wednesday 10/28/20 for a log book check showing all updates and revisions, especially for materials and procedures. All other due dates are listed below. Students have started to sign up to borrow equipment for their projects (if they need to do so) and I have given safety forms to those students using chemicals, fire or other potentially dangerous items. These MUST be completed and signed before project experiments begin. Students should email or meet with me with any questions or concerns about their science fair project. I am also available every morning from 7:30 - 8am, after school on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays as well as during break and snack.
**Remember that along with numerous homework grades, this assignment will count as a test grade (formal report), homework grade (log book), classwork grade (class presentation) and Second Trimester project grade (triptych).
Remaining Science Fair Project Dates
(* Indicate Homework Grades)
Wednesday 10/28/20 *Log Book Check with Updates/ Revisions
Wednesday 11/11/20 *Final Draft of Background/ Research Info
(email or share document)
Wednesday 12/2/20 *Log Book Check with Data/ Results OR
Prototype/Solution
Wednesday 12/9/20 *Log Book Check/ Updated Results OR
Solution AND Sketch of Triptych
Completed Formal Report (printed)
Wednesday 12/16/20 All Completed Project Triptych & Log Book
Project presentations also this week
US HISTORY - MRS. ROBINSON
Next week, in American History & Government II, we will wrap up Unit Three: The Civil War. The Unit Three Test will be on Tuesday October 27th. We will finish the week with a fun mini lesson on the Salem Witch Trials. The 8th grade will have an exam for my class for T1. They will be given the study guide for the exam next week and are encouraged to fill it out early and turn it in for review. We will spend the first three days of the week of Nov 2nd reviewing for the exam at the end of that week.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MRS. SALE
Hola estudiantes!!!! We will start the week off with preparing a study guide for the major test. Tuesday, we will review for the test by going over the study guide. The test, Chapter 2, will be taken Wednesday, October 28th. We will wrap the week up with a movie celebrating the Day of the Dead.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MR. ALEXANDER
Hola estudiantes!!!! We will start the week off with preparing a study guide for the major test. Tuesday, we will review for the test by going over the study guide. The test, Chapter 2, will be taken Wednesday, October 28th. We will wrap the week up with a movie celebrating the Day of the Dead.
ALGEBRA 1 - MRS. SMOAK
In Algebra 1 this week, we solved 1 step equations (3.1) to 2 step equations (3.2) to multi-step equations (3.3). We started on equations with variables on both sides (3.4) and will continue solving proportions (3.5-3.6). There will be a quiz on these skills on Thursday 10/29.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will complete the first half of Chapter 4 by learning how to find equivalent fractions (4.3) and how to find the least common multiple (LCM) of numbers and monomials (4.4). There will be a day of review on Wednesday and the Chapter 4.1-4.4 test on Thursday.
ELA - MRS. BOYER
We will end our T1 vocabulary with Unit 4 with a final quiz on 10/29.
We are diving into a Mini Poetry Unit which focus on Shakespearean Sonnets (18, 71 & 65), “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out” by Shel Silverstein, “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, “English B” by Langston Hughes, “Felt a Funeral, in my Brain” by Emily Dickinson, “Oranges” by Gary Soto, “I carry your heart with me” by E.E. Cummings, “Miracles” by Walt Whitman and “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe. Students have written Haikus, Free Verse, Concrete and Narrative Poems! They are such a creative bunch and have really enjoyed this Mini Unit! I always like to use this Unit as a *Brain Break*.
*Highlighted works are works that we have critically analyzed and annotated*
Students will end this Unit with an Exam Project based on poetic figures in history. Students will be given one weekend and three days in class to complete this project before the end of the exam period.
ELA - MRS. SASSER
Students did an amazing job on their children’s books! They closed out our hero’s journey unit beautifully. Stay tuned for pictures!
We are beginning our new unit on The Lord of the Flies this week. Students will examine the themes of human nature and survival as we read. They will be given guided questions for each chapter along with chapter summaries to help them digest the text. As with any novel unit, it is imperative that students stay on top of their reading. Typically, they will have two chapters a week to read. They must come to class prepared to have a conversation over the reading and complete classwork assignments. They will need to pay attention to the reading assignments that will be posted on Google Classroom. I am available every morning and during study hall if they ever have questions or want to have additional conversations about the book.
Students will have an IN CLASS project for their exam, which they will begin next week as well. Like with all projects, I prefer the majority of the work to be completed in class. They’ll have a total of 5 days in class to work on this, with no other homework coming home from ELA. Therefore, students should have plenty of time to craft a great presentation. Final presentations will be on Wednesday November 4th.
There will be no vocab until after exams. We will resume our Sadlier Oxford vocabulary on November 9th with Unit 6.
A reminder about any and all projects in ELA: projects in my class are designed to help students think critically and not just memorize information. Rather, I want them learning how to apply what they’ve learned. They are given detailed rubrics with checklists and a breakdown of my expectations. They should consult their rubric regularly while working on their project. The bulk of ELA projects are completed in class; they are given ample time and multiple class periods where they are strictly working on their project. Therefore, if students use their time wisely, they should have only minimal parts to complete at home.
LIFE SCIENCE - MRS. DURANT
This week in Life Science, students began their study of the cell cycle. They participated in various activities to learn the stages of mitosis. In small groups, they made posters of an assigned stage of the cell cycle, then they made a comic strip about the stages of mitosis. They participated in a lab in which they used the micro-slide viewers to view the stages of mitosis. Next week in Life Science, students will work on their first trimester activity project. This project will be a review of material covered this trimester and will be completed entirely in class.
US HISTORY - MRS. ROBINSON
Next week in American History & Government, we will finish our third unit, Faith & Religion. They will be submitting their final paper outline on Tuesday the 27th in class. We will be working on the outline in class from the 21st to the 26th. If students use their time wisely in class they should have minimal work to do at home on this outline, no more than 15-20 mins a night. We will then have a structured discussion about our research question, are religious tolerance and freedom cornerstones of America? The Unit Three Test will be Thursday Oct 29th. The 7th grade will have an exam for American History & Government this trimester. The study guide will be given to them next week and they are encouraged to fill it out and ask questions early. We will spend the first three days of the week on Nov 2nd reviewing for the exam at the end of that week.
US HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Next week in American History we will have an Assessment on Ch. 2 and 3 (section 1) Wednesday the 28th as we finish our discussion on the impact of the explorers in the Americas. We will finish off the week by examining the foundations that were built in the New World and the colonies that each country established. We will discuss the geographical impacts on the colonies and the challenges each encountered as they began life in the Americas.
ACCELERATED MATH - MR. CARGILE
Next week in Accelerated Math 7 we will continue Chapter 3 Data and Statistics. We will have a quiz to assess understanding of mean, median, mode, and range and then we will take a look at different ways to represent a set of data.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will complete the first half of Chapter 4 by learning how to find equivalent fractions (4.3) and how to find the least common multiple (LCM) of numbers and monomials (4.4). There will be a day of review on Wednesday and the Chapter 4.1-4.4 test on Thursday.
EARTH SCIENCE - MS. HOFFMAN
The students are finishing up their unit on Weather with a unit test and two different projects. This week they had the unit test and worked on a group project. They chose, researched, created and used I-pads to film a newscast on a specific weather disaster. Topics included Hurricane Michael, The Vargas Mudslide Tragedy, Johnstown Flood, Dust Bowl, and Iran Blizzard. (See photos below.) Next week we will begin the End of the Trimester individual project for T1. This project will be on Storms and will include each student creating a Google Slide presentation and teaching the class about their specific type of storm, including hurricanes, tornados, and thunderstorms. Next week on Friday 10/30 will also be the date our October Science in Comics is due. There will not be a Science in Comic due for November or December due to multiple holidays and days off school.
EARTH SCIENCE - MRS. DURANT
This week in Earth Science, students studied air pressure, air masses and fronts, and predicting weather patterns. They participated in an outdoor weather scavenger hunt and also completed a dichotomous key for clouds. They participated in a very engaging activity researching different types of clouds. The results were amazing and the pictures are posted below. Next week, we will research various types of storms and weather disturbances as we begin our first trimester activity project. This project will be completed entirely in class.
ELA - MRS. SASSER
This week, students will start their final project for our plot/mood/suspense unit. As we have gone through this unit, we have discussed the importance of understanding point of view, mood and tone and how they can be used to influence foreshadowing and theme. During this unit, students have read countless stories about monsters. From the fiends that haunt your soul and mind, like in Lucille Fletcher’s “The Hitchhiker”, to the more physical terrors that lurk under the bed, like “Monkey’s Paw”, we have analyzed the way monsters create a sense of fear and suspense.
For this final project, students will be required to imagine that they are a leader in their community who must protect citizens from monsters that are running rampant in your area. They will create a “Wanted” poster for their monster to capture him before he terrorizes the community. They will also construct their monster from found items. Their “Wanted” poster will ask them to draw on their descriptive writing skills to construct a well organized narrative. It is important that students follow their rubric. As always, they are welcome to drop off their writing to me early to get feedback.
Students will have 6 days in class to complete this project with no other homework assigned. All projects are due by Thursday, October 29th by the end of class.
There will be no vocab until after exams. We will resume our Sadlier Oxford vocabulary on November 9th with Unit 6.
A reminder about any and all projects in ELA: projects in my class are designed to help students think critically and not just memorize information. Rather, I want them learning how to apply what they’ve learned. They are given detailed rubrics with checklists and a breakdown of my expectations. They should consult their rubric regularly while working on their project. The bulk of ELA projects are completed in class; they are given ample time and multiple class periods where they are strictly working on their project. Therefore, if students use their time wisely, they should have only minimal parts to complete at home.
INTRO SPANISH - MR. ALEXANDER
Oral TEST on Monday (10/26) and quiz on Thursday. The oral test will cover all the dialogs and vocabulary from Chapter ‘Para Empezar’. The quiz on Thursay will cover likes/dislikes etc.
After the oral test, we will continue learning to express likes/dislikes and agree/disagree as well as prepare for the quiz on Thursday! Have a great weekend!
WORLD HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Reminder: We will continue to pick up the pace in World History. Make sure you keep up with your readings and outlines. Next week in World History we will finish the chapter on Socrates and move on to look at the impacts of Plato and Aristotle on the Ancient World. We will have our test on Ch. 8 and 9 on Wednesday the 28th. Looking forward to Exam week- we will begin reviewing for Exams on Monday November the 2nd.
ART - MRS. COOKSON
“There’s no retirement for an artist, it’s your way of living so there’s no end to it.” - Henry Moore
No Friday classes, due to the half-day schedule.
Sketchbook Prompt: Draw part of the room, but do it as if you were a bug. What would it look like?
8th: Will wrap up work on self-portraits
7th: Will continue to work on Hobbit Houses or Harry Potter World structures
6th: Will continue with a 1-point perspective drawing
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