December 6th - December 10th
JANUARY LUNCH REGISTRATION
Registration for January lunches is now open! We will close sign ups on Wednesday, December 15. Please remember to log in to your parent portal to sign up!
WATER BOTTLES
We have an increasing number of students coming to school without their water bottle. We are happy to supply an occasional cup, but many of the same students are coming to the office, and it is becoming wasteful. Please, please, please send your child to school with a water bottle with their name on it.
UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Wednesday, December 8th - Middle school festive dress down for Toys-For-Tots. Cost to dress down is $3.00+.
Tuesday, December 14th - Middle School Student Government will be going shopping at Walmart for Toys for Tots during enrichment.
Friday, December 17th - 1/2 day with no academic classes. There will be Student Government organized winter festivities.
CARPOOL CHANGES
As a reminder, our carpool change form can now be found on your parent portal - it is no longer available on our school website. Additionally, all early checkouts should be done by 2:15. Thank you.
ASSESSMENTS AND PROJECTS CALENDAR
Parents and students now have an easy way to look at upcoming assessments and projects. 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.
Topic: Savannah Arts Talk hosted by the HDS Theatre Department
Time: Dec 8, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78820826534?pwd=eDllTlQ0bXI3ejkxdU1uYVA5bFQrQT09
Meeting ID: 788 2082 6534
Passcode: s5CuHA
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.
HERB RIVER BEND CROSSWALK SCHEDULE
Reminder: duty hours are 7:45 - 8:10. ½ hour of community service credit each day. Students should keep a log of their hours on the community service form. If you are interested, see Mrs. Mannarino in the middle school office to sign up!
Monday, December 6: Volunteers needed
Tuesday, December 7: Volunteers needed
Wednesday, December 8: Volunteers needed
Thursday, December 9: Volunteers needed
Friday, December 10: Volunteers needed
As Learning Coach, I will be working with students, parents, and teachers to offer support and strategies throughout the year. Please reach out to me if I can be of any assistance to you and your child/ren. I will share ideas and strategies often in this space. My email is: tguggenheim@hancockdayschool.org. I look forward to working with you as the year progresses. Tricia Guggenheim
The ZERO EFFECT - Not turning in assignments, whether they are homework, classwork, or projects, can have a devastating effect on your grade point average. Writing homework and due dates down on a calendar/agenda is the best way to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Using Google Classroom to make sure you know all of your assignments is key. “I forgot” is not a viable excuse when it’s just a login away.
School is in full swing and the holidays are approaching! While this is a great time of year, it can also add extra stress to the lives of families and students. Structure and routine continue to be the best ways to manage anxiety. However, you need to have extra tricks in your toolbox to keep stress at bay. Here are some tips:
10 Ways to Help Your MIddle or High Schooler Manage Stress
Please feel free to get in touch with me at amhaer@hancockdayschool.org if you have any questions or concerns.
Google is constantly trying to update to make their platform easier and more convenient to use. On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, they announced smart canvas, a new product experience that will help people coordinate and communicate through Google. The new additions include updating smart chips in Google Docs. Smart chips are already available for use, displaying a person’s information when their name is typed in a Doc. The function has been expanded to include files and events. The insert link function has also been improved, with document suggestions according to your highlighted text. You can also create a checklist in docs, making it easier to keep track of your schedule. Soon, you will be able to assign checklist items to people and these item will appear in Google Tasks. New smart chips are constantly coming out, so look out for more new features in your Google workspace.
By: Mollie Dugas
ALGEBRA 1- MRS. TAYLOR
Students will investigate sections 5.3 and 5.5 deeper this week. By the end of the week, they will complete 5.6. Chapter 5 test has been moved to Monday, December 13th. They may use Tuesday (Block A) or Wednesday (Block B) as a rollover day if they need more time to complete the test.
ADVANCED ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Advanced Algebra, we will begin the Geometry portion of the course. We will be skipping around doing different units that are of particular interest or challenge to help prepare students for a full Geometry course next year. We will begin with triangles and classifying them (4.1), the Triangle Sum Theorem and Exterior Angle Theorem (4.2), the Base Angles Theorem and its Converse (4.3), and the Pythagorean Theorem Inequality (4.4-4.5).
GEOMETRY - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Geometry, we will begin Chapter 6 by learning about similar polygons and scale factor (6.1-6.3), proving triangles are similar by various methods such as Angle-Angle (6.4), Side-Side-Side and Side-Angle-Side (6.5). We will also learn about the Proportionality Theorem (6.6) and Dilations (6.7). There will be a quiz covering 6.1-6.5 on Thursday.
ELA - MRS. BOYER
Students have finished reading Macbeth! Students are now into the Act II section of their workbook. **Reminder: The Workbook is a TEST grade which will be collected on 2/1/22.** We are reviewing the workbook pages in class, and students are allowed to use their workbooks on announced quizzes.
It is imperative that students are reviewing their workbooks, coming in for questions and practice prompts, taking the Sparknote quizzes, etc. Shakespeare is challenging, but I am doing everything in my power to help your child. They need to meet me halfway. :)
It is incredibly important that students understand that although Shakespeare is challenging, it is supposed to be FUN!! Most students will be reading Shakespeare next year in their 9th grade course. This 8th grade unit is designed to introduce students to Shakespeare with a SAFETY net. :)
Act I-II Quiz on 12/7/21 OPEN WORKBOOK
Act III-V Quiz on 1/18 OPEN WORKBOOK
Final Macbeth Test on February 1st, 2022
We will also be working through three major projects: Reader’s Theatre (Dramatic Work-Group), Body Bios (Group), and a Narrative Writing Piece (individual)
**As students continue into their 8th grade year, it is imperative that they keep up with their reading, annotate their novels, and come in for extra help. The foundation of this class is heavily based on discussion and the sharing of ideas; students will need to participate to be able to engage with the material in a productive manner.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE - MS. HOFFMAN
Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! I hope it was fun, restful and full of turkey. Our eighth graders have concluded their large Chemistry Unit with a look at acids and bases. See the photos below for this week’s lab testing the pH of solutions including ammonia, bleach, vinegar, sprite and HCl. Students used a variety of testing techniques using liquid indicators (phenolphthalein and bromothymol blue), red & blue litmus paper and a pH test kit. Prior to the Thanksgiving break they also participated in a lab determining the dissolved oxygen content and salinity of water from the Wilmington River. In this lab the students used a refractometer to test salinity and saw the formation of a precipitate during a titration to determine the amount of dissolved oxygen in one of our local waterways. One student, Wyatt N, actually used this testing method during his science fair project to help determine water quality in a similar environment. With his knowledge of the testing procedure he actually led his class through the experiment process. We then concluded our week with a quiz over acids/bases and chemical reactions/ equations and had our final in-class research day working on the science fair project formal report.
Next week we will be exploring the world of Forensics and Whodunits. This cross-curricular week of hands-on labs relates to the novel MacBeth the students are reading in ELA and the study of historical assassinations in history class. Students will be looking using scientific observation skills and specific lab procedures to determine differences in several types of evidence including fingerprints, fibers, and blood spatter. Following this mini-unit and leading up to the winter break will be our science fair project presentations starting on Tuesday, 12/14/21.
Science Fair:
We are into our final weeks of science fair. The formal report is due on Tuesday, 12/7/21 and will count as a test grade. This document includes everything associated with the project and follows a specific format outlined in the science fair handbook and also found on Google Classroom. There will also be another log book check with final data/ results and updates, along with a sketch of their triptych. The following week on Tuesday, 12/14/21 students will turn in their completed log book for a quiz grade, along with their completed science fair triptych which counts as two test grades. This triptych board must be cardboard and 36” tall X 48” wide and will contain all the same information as the formal report except for the abstract, acknowledgements, background research and bibliography. Details on how to organize this are also found in the science fair packet and on Google Classroom. Students have seen several examples of both the formal report and triptych during class to help them. We will begin class presentations (classwork grade) on Tuesday, 12/14/21.
I am available for any questions students may have each morning (7:30 am until 8 am) and several afternoons per week. Students may also come see me during our end-of-the day tutorial and/ or email me questions.
US HISTORY- Mr. Gauthier
Speech #4 completed. Discussing and learning about Reconstruction will continue. We will also be learning about (in conjunction with a forensic unit in Science) significant assassinations in US history. Speech #5 , a debate, will be assigned. Quiz Thursday.
SPANISH - MRS. SALE
Hello...I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We will start off the week with new vocabulary words and a new chapter. In the middle of the week, the students will work with the verb IR/to go. On Friday, the students will have a quiz over the verb IR & the new vocabulary. Afterwards, the students will work on stem changing verbs.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MRS. SALE
This week the students will start off with a review game of BINGO. On Tuesday, the students will have a quiz over possessive adjectives and -er and -ir verbs. Midweek, the students will begin working on the verb TENER along with personal expressions of tener. There is only one assessment this week.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MS. CROCKER
This week we will be going more in depth about describing our friends and family by telling their age and where they are from. We will also be learning some common travel items that would be in our suitcases as we continue our journey through Central America. There is a quiz on Tuesday over vocabulary list #1A, and a test on Friday over vocabulary lists #1A and #1B. We had fun with a postcard project we “sent” to the lower school! Here are a few moments! >>
ALGEBRA 1 - MRS. TAYLOR
Students will investigate sections 5.3 and 5.5 deeper this week. By the end of the week, they will complete 5.6. Chapter 5 test has been moved to Monday, December 13th. They may use Wednesday (no math on Tuesday) as a rollover day if they need more time to complete the test.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will continue the second part of Chapter 4 by learning about scientific notation and its uses in astronomy (4.7). We will review exponent rules to prepare for the test the following week.
ELA - MRS. BOYER
Mini Unit! Students are reading The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell! We are working through plot games, writing prompts, activities, etc. There will be a TEST on this short story on 12/16 and a Final Project as well.
Mini Quiz (10-15 questions) on TMDG on 12/7/12/8.
Strategies for Home:
-Students should be reviewing for a few minutes each night. Students should ask for parent/guardian help as a study buddy!
-Students should also annotate the rubric for projects and activities.
-Students should have a calendar of ‘chunking’ due dates for projects and studying.
-Students should be coming in from 7:35-8:15 am to review/ask questions/take more time on their homework.
**As students continue into their 7th grade year, it is imperative that they keep up with their reading, annotate their novels, and come in for extra help. The foundation of this class is heavily based on student reading and the sharing of ideas; students will need to participate to be able to engage with the material in a productive manner. All class activities are based on the reading completed prior to class time. **
ELA - MRS. SASSER
This week, students will examine Stave IV and V of A Christmas Carol. They will look at Scrooge’s present and potential future, analyzing the way a character’s choices lead them down certain paths and propel the plot. We will continue to dissect the symbolism that Dickens uses, especially in relation to the use of each ghost. They will have a socratic seminar on Monday.
Looking ahead:
A Chrsitmas Carol Vocab Test---Friday 12/3
A Christmas Carol final test---Thursday 12/9
A Christmas Carol final project due---Friday 12/17
For this unit’s final project, students will create an ugly sweater that depicts various symbols that represent a character of their choosing. We will go over this project in-depth as we get closer to finishing the novella, but please start being on the lookout for old SOLID colored sweaters that your child can use for this project. Comb through your closets, check out the local Goodwill, or order a cheap one on Amazon! Students will need their sweaters by Tuesday 12/7. :-)
I am available every morning and during tutorial if students would like to review the reading or ask questions. Because I make sure to be consistently available for the students, I expect them to walk into our class discussions and quizzes prepared and ready. I am here to assist the kids with their overall comprehension of the novel and expect them to reach out if they have questions.
It is imperative that students keep up with their reading. They will be unable to complete our class discussions and activities without completing the reading. All reading assignments and homework are posted on my classroom board and on Google Classroom daily. Students should check Google Classroom every single day. All reading should be ANNOTATED.
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
We had a great week in Life Science last week learning about DNA. Students participated in 2 labs. In the first lab, they constructed a model of DNA and in the second lab they extracted DNA from strawberries, prepared their own slides, and viewed them under the microscope. Next week, we will have a test on Genetics and Inherited Traits on Tuesday for Blocks A & F and on Wednesday for Block C. Then we will begin our unit on the body systems beginning with the skeletal system. Please remind your student to check the google classroom daily for assignments and study materials.
US HISTORY - MR. GAUTHIER
Creating own government project is due Monday! Articles of Confederation continued to be introduced. Quiz on Wednesday.
US HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Next week in American History students will finish their work on the American Revolution. We will continue to examine important events during this time. Events like the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, The Shots Heard Around the World. We will also discuss the strategies both sides used and how these impacted the War. We will have an assessment on Wednesday the 15th.
ACCELERATED MATH - MRS. TAYOR
Students will take the Chapter Test 5 Monday. They may have Tuesday as a rollover day if they need more time. Those that are finished will begin investigating integers.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will continue the second part of Chapter 4 by learning about scientific notation and its uses in astronomy (4.7). We will review exponent rules to prepare for the test the following week.
EARTH SCIENCE - MS. HOFFMAN
Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! I hope it was fun, restful and full of turkey. The sixth graders are finishing up their unit on energy. They are currently working on their Energy Project with the option of completing ONE of the following: a written report, or a poster board or a 3-D display. We conducted research in class before the holiday break, but the rest of the assignment needs to be completed at home. It will be due on Wednesday, 12/15/21 and counts as a test grade. The students will begin their class presentations this day as well. There will also be a progress check on Monday, 12/6/21 where approximately ½ of the project must be completed. (See the specific rubric for details.) The project rubric and other information were handed out and reviewed in class and can be found on Google Classroom. Students also had two days of in-class research for their project, including using library books and posters, both of which are still available in my classrooms for use. Students needing a blank poster board for their project may get one from me if they would like or can purchase one on their own. To learn more about energy resources students also participated this week in a “cookie-mining” lab simulating coal mining and its effect on the environment. In this lab they had to excavate “mineral” chocolate chips using “tools” (paperclip and/or toothpick) and then reclaim their land back to the original shape, all while being aware of the economic factors involved. The goal was to see who could earn the most profit and, of course, everyone got a separate cookie to eat. In a second lab this week students used pizza boxes to build solar ovens and tested their effectiveness by cooking s’mores. (See photos below for both labs.) We finished the week with a quiz on energy and renewable/ nonrenewable resources. Next week we will have a guest speaker from Ga Power on Monday, 12/6/21. Then we will begin learning about Geology starting with the layers of our earth and mapping skills, including latitude and longitude and topography.
EARTH SCIENCE - MRS. DURANT
Last week, in Earth Science we discussed renewable and nonrenewable energy sources during which students participated in an energy lab working with different sources of energy. We were also assigned an Energy Project. The instructions and rubric have been given to students and posted in Google Classroom. Students are to select an energy source and make a poster or diorama/demonstration/display about their energy source. Projects are to be completed at home and are due December 15. Next week, we will have a guest speaker on Monday from GA Power. We will have a quiz on Renewable Energy Sources on Wednesday. Students will also participate in 2 labs next week: a cookie mining lab which simulates coal mining and its effect on the environment, and they will also build solar ovens to further investigate solar energy as a renewable source of energy. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for assignments and study material which have been posted for daily review.
ELA - MRS. SASSER
Students are almost done with their first middle school novel study! I know that this has been a new approach for many of them, but they are catching on quickly and doing much better at keeping up with their assigned reading.
This week, students will review their assigned reading and play a Kahoot review on Monday in preparation for their novel test. The Kahoot has been posted to Google Classroom since Monday 11/29. Students should also study their guided questions and annotations.
In the middle of the week, we will go over students’ final project for our novel study. They will be asked to complete an extended metaphor poem. They will draft the poem in class and complete an art component with the poem in Mrs. Cookson’s class. All projects are due NO LATER than Friday, 12/17.
Important Dates:
B/C Block: Ch 19---31 due Monday 12/6 (QUIZ)
D Block: Ch 19---31 due Monday 12/6 (QUIZ)
*Students were given two full reading days in class this past week.
B/C/D Block: Vocab Test Ch 16-31 Friday 12/10
B/C/D Block: Final projects due Friday 12/17
REMINDER: In order to find success with novel studies in middle school ELA, it is essential that students keep up with the assigned reading, annotate their novels, and THOROUGHLY answer their guided questions. Students will be assigned a set number of chapters and have a week to complete the reading/questions. All of our in class lessons will center around the assigned reading and failure to keep up with the reading will have a drastic effect on their ability to complete in class assignments/projects. I expect students to pace themselves and be reading each night, come to class prepared to discuss our reading, and come see me if they have questions.
All reading assignments and homework are posted on my classroom board and on Google Classroom daily. Students should check Google Classroom every single day.
Students MUST follow my writing formula for all formal writing assignments and should follow the MLA formatting guidelines I gave them. The students have a handout on how to do this and we have practiced together multiple times. Any paper not formatted correctly or color-coded will not be accepted.
INTRO SPANISH - MS. CROCKER
This week the postcard project is due on Monday (most students finished in class last week!). For this project, we sent a holiday card to the lower school and had a great time with our buddies! On Monday, we are getting a new vocabulary list and learning to conjugate the verb “tener” in the present tense. We will also be learning numbers 1-100 so we can tell how old people are. There is a quiz on Wednesday on list #1B, and a test on Friday on lists 1A and 1B. Please study your flashcards every night! We are moving fast this week! I’m available every morning at 7:40 for extra help/specific questions!
WORLD HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Next week in World History students will continue our dive into The Enlightenment. Students will continue to study the Great Thinkers of the Enlightenment. This week we focus on Thomas Hobbs and John Locke. We will have an assessment next Friday, the 10th.
ART - MRS. COOKSON
“One today is worth two tomorrows.” - Benjamin Franklin
Sketchbook Prompt:
8th: Draw cakes, cookies, and pies in a bakery window.
7th: Draw a day in the life of a bee.
6th: Draw someone eating, and illustrate the background behind them. Use expressive colors, textures, and shapes that you feel would describe the flavor.
Classwork Challenges:
8th: Will have an introduction to Pointillism and begin studies to further explore the genre
7th: All will work on cross-collaborative projects with ELA, however some will work on graphic layout while others will explore shadow boxes
6th: Will wrap up Image Analysis and move into an ELA collaboration with extended metaphor and illustration
ROBOTICS - MRS. SMOAK
Look at the projects that students have been working on in Robotics!
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