May 9th - May 13th
END OF YEAR DETAILS
Important dates can be found at this link.
ASSESSMENTS AND PROJECTS CALENDAR
Parents and students 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.
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!
As Learning Coach, I work 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!
Tricia Guggenheim
Ask Two Questions- (Marydee Sklar: 50 Tips to Help Students Succeed))
“When you ask most students ifthey have any homework, the may be able to truthfully say thatthey don’t have any or that they have gotten it done in class. And from their point of view, they are telling the truth. They think of homework as those tasks that are due tomorrow or in the next couple of days/weeks.
Projects that are due in the future are something else….An immature brain with EF challenges doesn’t really think about - or care about - things that are out in “the future.”
There are two critical questions to ask every day if you want to help your child succeed with assignments:
Do you have any homework?
Do you have any projects that need to be worked on?”
I would personally include asking about assessments as well. Building in study time is part of homework.
Research continues to come out about the importance of developing “grit” in kids. It is the ability to push toward long-term goals despite challenges or failure. Luckily, it is something that can be developed and parents can take the lead on helping their child learn. One of my personal favorite tips is for parents to model a growth mindset. This allows children to understand that with hard work, you can truly develop any skill or ability. Parents can normalize mistakes by discussing obstacles or failures and sharing positive “self talk” that helps push towards success.
How (and Why) to Teach Kids to Have More Grit
Please feel free to get in touch with me at amaher@hancockdayschool.org if you have any questions or concerns.
ALGEBRA 1- MRS. TAYLOR
Next week, we will finish up the year graphing quadratic equations in standard form. The intent is to have a quiz on this Friday, 5/13/22. If we do not feel comfortable, we will practice one more day and include it on the review and exam.
ADVANCED ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Advanced Algebra, we will complete reviewing important Algebra concepts. We will review solving quadratic equations using the quadratic formula. We will have a day of review on Wednesday and the test covering factoring and solving quadratic equations on Thursday. This will be the last test of the year other than the exam!
GEOMETRY - MR. LANFEAR
We have completed the Geometry course content! Next week, we will look at some topics students will see next year in Algebra 2. The following week, we will begin exam review.
ELA - MRS. BOYER
It is all coming to an end!! I am so going to miss these fantastic kiddos! :)
This week we will be finalizing their final drafts of their short stories. The final will be due by Saturday morning at 11:00 am. :) We will be working in groups this week for peer editing. :)
The Exam Study Guide has been posted in GC. There will be an essay question. I have given the two topics that I will choose from. I will allow students to bring a ONE page brainstorm with them to the exam for this essay.
**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
The eighth grade did not meet for science class this week as they celebrated their fun 8th Grade Week. Next week we will continue learning about how we see including the effect of mirrors and lenses. See below for photos from last week's Rainbow Test Tube lab where students learned about different colors of pigment. They also mixed them together and named their own color creations. Some of the fun color names were Sweet Tea, Sunset, Witchcraft, Pickle, The Riddler, and Ocean Emerald. Our unit test on the EM spectrum and Light will be on Wednesday, 5/11 for Blocks D and E and on Thursday, 5/12 for Block F.
A reminder that all rubrics, homework and classwork are posted on Google Classroom under the appropriate topic. This includes all videos, websites, diagrams, notes and other material we use in class. Students are encouraged to use them for review, studying and to keep up with assignments they may miss if absent from class.
US HISTORY- Mr. Gauthier
All students will be working on their end of trimester 3 projects. Rubric is in Google classroom.
SPANISH - MRS. SALE
Hello…this week the students will complete two mini translations. The translations will count as a project grade. The rest of the week the students will be treated to a movie.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MRS. SALE
The students will begin work on two mini translations. These will count as a project grade. The rest of the week the students will be treated to a movie.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MS. CROCKER
We are in our last month of school! We are finishing off with a Spanish food unit #7A. We will learn the Spanish irregular verbs poder and hacer. We have a quiz Friday, May 13th on this vocabulary list!
*Remember, students, that Spanish homework is due BEGINNING OF CLASS or it is a zero! Outside of emergency situations!**
ALGEBRA 1 - MRS. TAYLOR
Next week, we will finish up the year graphing quadratic equations in standard form. The intent is to have a quiz on this Friday, 5/13/22. If we do not feel comfortable, we will practice one more day and include it on the review and exam.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will continue Chapter 9 by learning how to simplify radical expressions (9.2), use the Pythagorean Theorem to find side lengths of right triangles (9.3), and identify and compare real numbers (9.4). There will be a short quiz covering 9.1-9.2 on Wednesday (E Block) or Thursday (B Block). There will be a day of review on Friday to prepare for the test next Monday covering 9.1-9.4.
ELA - MRS. BOYER
On Monday we will be working through a final review of the novel. Students will be reading through their final novel assignment for homework.
We will begin working on the Final Essay on 5/10 which will be an example for their upcoming summer reading. This essay will be due by midnight on Friday, May 13th.
The 7th Grade Exam will be on Posted. Students have their study guides and a kahoot to review.
Summer Reading will be posted soon!
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
Students will have their final novel test on Tuesday 5/10. The Kahoot review is posted to Google Classroom, and students should be using their guided questions to study. As always, I am available in the morning or during tutorial if students have questions. We will also go over students’ final project for Posted. They will choose a famous Robert Frost and complete a black out poetry assignment. Their poems will reflect an overall theme from the book or pertain to a particular character. Final projects will be due Thursday 5/19 at the beginning of class.
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
Next week, we will continue our final unit of the trimester - Ecology. We will continue to focus on biomes and ecosystems and conclude the week with looking at ecological succession. Our unit test on Biomes and Ecosystems will be Friday. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for assignments, announcements, and study materials.
US HISTORY - MR. GAUTHIER
Next week students will be working on their final exam project. The rubric is in Google classroom and they will be creating a children's book on a topic that we learned about this year.
US HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Next week in American History: Students will finish up their study of the Civil War. Final Exam Project: Students will write a children’s book covering a topic from either second or third grade history. Students will be presented with options on subjects that the younger kids covered this year. Students will research, illustrate, and bind the book for their final exam. This is a group project and will be completed in class and also in Art. Exam project is Due Friday May 20th.
ACCELERATED MATH - MRS. TAYLOR
Next week, students will complete only two more sections from Chapter 9. Circle graphs with percents (9.5) and Discounts, Sale Tax, Markups, and tip (9.7). The intent is to have one last quiz 5/13/22 on these two sections. If we do not feel comfortable, we will practice one more day and include it on the review and exam.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will continue Chapter 9 by learning how to simplify radical expressions (9.2), use the Pythagorean Theorem to find side lengths of right triangles (9.3), and identify and compare real numbers (9.4). There will be a short quiz covering 9.1-9.2 on Thursday. There will be a day of review on Friday to prepare for the test next Monday covering 9.1-9.4.
EARTH SCIENCE - MS. HOFFMAN
The sixth graders had a great time and represented Hancock well on our out of town trip to the Blue Ridge YMCA. We have also reached our final unit of the year–Astronomy. The students started off learning about different objects found in the sky (comets, asteroids, meteors), the movement of the Earth-Moon system and how this causes seasons, and then they focused on the moon itself including its features and moon phases. Next week we will discuss the Sun, its structure and importance and have a lab activity to visualize the distances between the planets in our solar system. The quiz originally scheduled for Monday 5/9 has been canceled. Instead we will have a practice quiz (only counting as a homework grade) to help students review and prepare for the Astronomy unit test on Monday, 5/16/22. We will also work on a test study guide.
A reminder that all rubrics, homework and classwork are posted on Google Classroom under the appropriate topic. This includes all videos, websites, diagrams, notes and other material we use in class. Students are encouraged to use them for review, studying and to locate any material they miss while absent from class.
EARTH SCIENCE - MRS. DURANT
Next week, we will continue our final unit of the year - Astronomy! We will focus on the planets, asteroids, meteors, and comets. Students will have a test on astronomy on 5/17/22. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for assignments and study materials which have been posted for daily review.
ELA - MRS. SASSER
Please see below for dates on vocabulary 7-12 test.
Students will spend the week working on their final project for The Outsiders. For this assignment, students will choose a particular scene from the novel and illustrate the page, symbolically representing what occurs in that scene. Students will then write a written response on their chosen illustration, connecting to the scene’s overall importance to the novel and how it relates to the theme. Final projects are due
The Outsiders Reading Assignments
*Final test over The Outsiders will be on students’ final exam at the end of May. Students will be given a full study guide of material on the exam and be allowed to use a notecard.
As a reminder: projects and essays in ELA are designed to help students think critically about the reading they have completed. I structure these assignments in a way that almost 95% should be completed in class. I carve out time and multiple periods for students to have ample time to work, ask questions, and be productive, which should limit their homework load. If students utilize this time wisely and stay on task, they should be coming home with minimal homework.
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
Wow! What an adventure in North Carolina this past week! It was so great to get to know the students better and to see them interact with each other outside of the classroom. We are in our last month of school! We are finishing off with a Spanish food unit #7A. We will learn how to conjugate Spanish ir verbs and the irregular verb poder. We have a quiz Friday, May 13th on this vocabulary list!
**Remember, students, that Spanish homework is due at the BEGINNING of class! No late homework will be accepted outside of emergency situations or if you have previously communicated with me**
WORLD HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Next week in World History students will begin working on their exam project full time.
The project is called an ABC Book of History. Students will research certain aspects of the major themes we studied this year: Ancient Greece and Rome, The Enlightenment, The Industrial Revolution, and American Immigration. This is a group project and will be completed in class. The project is due Friday, May 20th.
ART - MRS. COOKSON
“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” – William Morris
Sketchbook Prompt:
8th: Draw two sports figures in a dynamic pose.
7th: Draw an animal playing a musical instrument.
6th: Draw a salad.
Classwork Challenges:
8th: Will continue working on screen printing.
7th: Will finish Faux Stained Glass in conjunction with Math.
6th: Will continue to work on an ocean’s sculptural project in line with Science. Please try to remember to bring in clean, plastic recyclables.
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