October 10th - October 14th

 

Dear Parents,

We have had a short, but action-packed week here in the Middle School. Spirit Day on Thursday was a huge hit with many students donning tie-dyed spirit shirts and bold neon outfits. Our Spirit Day culminated in a schoolwide assembly where the volleyball, cross country, and football teams were introduced, and our amazing cheerleading squad brought the students in the assembly to a near frenzy with their enthusiastic cheering, chanting, and dancing! Tonight (Friday) we have the Middle School dance in Hancock Hall from 6:00-8:00 PM, and I encourage everyone to attend this fun Student Government sponsored event. 

School spirit is one way for us to express our sense of identity and membership in our Hancock community. Attending and participating in school-sponsored events represents our investment in the community and demonstrates our commitment to one another and the Hancock Way. Looking ahead to next week, you don’t want to miss the lineup of brilliant student acts in our Talent Show on Friday night at 6:30 PM in the gym. 

Kind regards,

Jack Cargile

Head of Middle School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 or see Mrs. G in the office.

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. My phone extension is 327. 

I look forward to working with you! 

Tricia Guggenheim

 

Tip #6 How Can We Keep Homework Organized?

Homework is posted in Google Classroom. Go to the “Classroom” section and click on the Calendar towards the top. If “See More” is listed, click on that to get all of the work assigned that night. Write it down in bulleted form! You may use an agenda, a calendar, or even a spiral notebook. When each assignment is complete and back in the binder or submitted, then cross it off or highlight it. 

HINT: When writing down homework, if it needs to be submitted online, write “S” next to it. If it’s paper and needs to be turned in, write “T” next to it. You can mark homework papers with a Post-It Note off the side so you can easily find them in your binder.

Have you enthusiastically asked your student how their day was at school to be met with an unenthusiastic “fine”? Or, have you asked your student what they learned at school and they responded “nothing”? 

You are not alone. Getting middle school students to talk about their day can be like pulling teeth. However, this article has some good tips and conversation starters to lead to meaningful after school discussions.

Check out this quick read: How to Get Your Child to Talk About School

Please feel free to get in touch with me at amaher@hancockdayschool.org if you have any questions or concerns.

ALGEBRA 1 - Mrs. Taylor

Students will review for Chapter 3 test Monday. They were given a review sheet Friday. There are IXL’s posted in GC as well as videos for support. B block will not get Monday review so I am offering a 7:15 am review Tuesday Morning. This will be for B Block only as they will miss the review. Chapter 4 will begin Thursday..Slope and Linear equations.

ADVANCED ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Advanced Algebra, we will continue Chapter 10 by having a quiz on Tuesday covering 10.5 (completing the square).  We will then discover together as a class the fabled Quadratic Formula (10.6)!  We will learn how to use it to solve any quadratic equation.  We will also begin to use the discriminant to see the number and type of solutions to a quadratic equation (10.7).

GEOMETRY - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Geometry, we will complete Chapter 3 by having a day of review on Monday and the Chapter 3 test on Tuesday.  We will then have a day of reviewing Algebra topics such as factoring the greatest common factor and simplifying radical expressions.  Then we will begin Chapter 4 by discovering some properties of triangles (4.1).

ELA - Mrs. Boyer

Your child has finished reading The Westing Game! Yay! We have successfully completed our first novel study!  The Interactive Notebook is a main priority this week! 

In 8th grade it is critical that students need to be completing their homework each night. This is a KEY component to success for 8th ELA. Students will have PLENTY of time to complete their Interactive Notebook to the best of their ability. This will be a TEST grade at the end of T1. Almost like a final project. This is incredibly important to their overall success with this novel. 

POP Quizzes are continuing…Students are learning that it is critical for students to annotate their books in regards to characters and key details. For students to do well on these assessments, please use the following strategies: 

1. Read and annotate (check annotations with Mrs. Boyer’s book). 

2. Ask for practice questions

3. Come in and practice writing prompts

4. Spend a solid 30 minutes each night on reading, review, etc. 

Assessment Dates!

Interactive Notebook Test Grade Due 10/19

Socratic Seminar Test Grade 10/25-10/26

The Westing Game Unit Test 10/26-10/27

**Students are currently writing in an ELA specific journal. This journal will be a critical piece throughout the year. I would highly encourage students to take very good care of this journal as it will be extremely helpful as they venture on to high school.**

UPCOMING!!

Macbeth

**As students mature 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. Hallman

This week in science we have started looking at elements and chemical bonding. Students will “adopt their element this week” and this project will be due on Friday 10/21. In addition to this, they will give a very brief presentation on it to the class on this day as well. There is a copy of the rubric on Google Classroom and they have received a physical copy as well. We will have a quiz on Monday 10/17 to get them in the habit of reviewing information in advance for the test that will be the following Wednesday and Thursday (10/26-27). Encourage your students to review their notes in the coming weeks to make studying for those two assessments a breeze! I am excited for the labs in the coming weeks as well. Now that we have most of the basics under our belt, chemistry is about to get fun! 

I have also sent home a test prep practice for students. It will be worth 3 separate homework completion grades provided that the student simply turns it in with all the questions answered. However, it will also be graded for accuracy and be worth a small quiz grade. The first grade for this will be due Friday. I have made it clear that since these packets are large and take a lot of paper to print, should they lose it, they will risk getting zeros for those grades.This is to help them prepare for standardized tests they will have in their future and should better prepare them for high school entrance and placement exams. 

Below are the grades that should be going in prior to the end of the trimester. If your child is not satisfied with their grade in science, these are their opportunities to make those up.

Grades:

Another lab

Project and presentation grade (100 point test grade and 50 point project grade)- 150 points

Test grade- 100 points

3 Quiz grades- 100 points 

3+ homework grades 

 

US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier

Debate speeches will be assigned.  Robber Baron or Captain of Industry classroom project will be completed.  Introduction to Gilded Age Journal project.

SPANISH - Ms. Crocker

This week we are wrapping up our podcast projects and listening to how awesome our classmates did in the sound booth! We are working on ser versus estar, los artículos, and more verb conjugation practice.

There is a quiz this week on Vocab List #3 and ser, gustar, hablar, vivir, estar, and tener! Each block has a different quiz date-check Google Classroom, students! Our second test will be Monday, October 24th. This will be WRITTEN + VERBAL (2 separate test grades!)

REMINDER: Students have received a lot of material so far…they should be studying vocab ON THEIR OWN AT HOME 10-15 minutes/day! Flashcards are HIGHLY recommended!

ADVANCED SPANISH - Ms. Brown
Our 7th graders have been putting in work! Tests, projects, plenty of in-class work, and yes, even cartoons! Years ago, I conducted research on linguistic acquisition through the implementation of cartoons… long story short, it works! Learning language and developing one’s skills through cartoons is a fun and creative way to trick the brain into appling the language.

All cartoons are in Spanish and whether the language comes from the minds of the students or is prompted by the teacher aloud, images serve as a helpful scaffold for understanding of the information or for assistance in communicating information.

See an example of some of our 7th graders’ cartoons below! Cartoon #1 is from the imagination of one of our ladies, and Cartoon #2 is from a prompted story that was read aloud to the students completely in Spanish. Enjoy!

Cartoon #1: A day in the life at school for a duck! What sweet images and an even sweeter imagination!

Cartoon #2: A first attempt at a comprehensible input cartoon centered around our very own, Mr. O’Hayer! Nicely done. 

ADVANCED SPANISH - Ms. Crocker

Last week we had late night entrevistas (interviews)! See pictures below! The students did an EXCELLENT job interviewing their classmates and keeping us entertained!

This week we are diving into more differences between the important verbs ser and estar, and practicing vocabulary from Lista #3 for our upcoming quiz and test. 

There is a quiz Monday, October 17th on Vocab List #3 and ser, gustar, hablar, vivir, estar, and tener! Our second test will be Monday, October 24th. This will be WRITTEN + VERBAL (2 separate test grades!)

REMINDER: Students have received a lot of material so far…they should be studying vocab ON THEIR OWN AT HOME 10-15 minutes/day! Flashcards are HIGHLY recommended!

ALGEBRA 1 - Mrs. Taylor

Students will review for Chapter 3 test Monday. They were given a review sheet Friday. There are IXL’s posted in GC as well as videos for support. B block will not get Monday review so I am offering a 7:15 am review Tuesday Morning. This will be for B Block only as they will miss the review. Chapter 4 will begin Thursday..Slope and Linear equations.

PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will begin Chapter 3 by learning how to solve two-step equations (3.1) and how to solve multi-step equations (3.2).  There will be a Math Facts Quiz on Wednesday (E Block) or Thursday (C Block).  The outline of what the quiz will cover was handed out to students this past week.

ELA - Mrs. Buchner & Mrs. Boyer

     We are finishing the novel this week! Students will be working on an individual Constructed Response which will be like a mini-essay. Students will be working on this in class and conferencing with their teacher. This Constructed Response will serve as a guide for essays that are coming up in T2. We will continue to have Reading Checks, and students can better plan for these by completing all reading assignments, annotating as they read, and completing Discussion Questions while they read. For those students struggling with the comprehension of the text, listening to an audible version of the novel, while following along may help them better understand the story.

Reading Schedule Outside of Class: 

• Friday October 14th- Read Chapters 12-14

• Study Questions will be due on 10/17 for Ch. 12-14

Assessments: 

• Constructed Response-Due Friday 10/21-QUIZ Grade

• Interactive Notebook Study Guide Assigned 10/24 due on 10/31 TEST GRADE

• Ch. 12-19 TEST on 11/3

Students are highly encouraged to come in for extra help if they are having any difficulty with any assignment. Mrs. Buchner and Mrs. Boyer are available weekday mornings from 7:45 am to 8:15 am.

Strategies for Home: 

-Students should be reading The Hobbit and answering study questions each night. *Don’t wait until the night before the study questions are due to complete your reading.

-All homework assignments are in Google Calendar and Our Weekly Google Slide Presentation.

-Students should be coming in from 7:45-8:15 am to review/ask questions/work 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. 

LIFE SCIENCE - Mrs. DuRant

Next week in Life Science, students will have a quiz on the Animal Cell Diagram and Cell Organelle Functions on Monday, October 17. They will then begin a study of cellular transport by working on an in-class project creating a Cellular Transport Booklet. This project will count as a project grade and a classwork grade. Students have also received their instructions for their at-home project in which they will build a Cell Model. They can construct a Plant Cell or an Animal Cell. Their rubric contains a checklist for both. This project is due October 24. Instructions are also posted in the Google Classroom. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for announcements, assignments, and study materials. 

US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier. We will be continuing our learning and discovering about Financial Literacy.  This unit will also be incorporated throughout the year into the other units we will be teaching. 

US HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer

Next week in American History we continue our focus to the formation of the 13 Colonies. Students will research and analyze how each colony began and how each developed as we move toward Revolution. Students will also continue working on their Colony Project.

ACCELERATED MATH - Mrs. Taylor

Students will review Monday for a quiz Tuesday (F Block) and Wednesday (C Block). It will cover 3.1-3.3.  They will get a review guide Monday. There are IXL’s in GC for extra practice as well as videos.  Thursday and Friday we will be discovering histograms and box and whiskers and how it is used in real life. Their Chapter 3 test will be 10/25 and 10/26.

PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will begin Chapter 3 by learning how to solve two-step equations (3.1) and how to solve multi-step equations (3.2).  There will be a Math Facts Quiz on Thursday.  The outline of what the quiz will cover was handed out to students this past week.

EARTH SCIENCE - Mrs. DuRant

Next week in Earth Science, students will have a test on Atmosphere and Winds on Tuesday, October 18. We will then begin our unit on Weather in which we will explore clouds, weather instruments, and weather forecasting. Students will be monitoring the school weather station and also conduct a weather scavenger hunt. Please have your student check the Google Classroom daily for announcements,assignments, and study materials. 

EARTH SCIENCE - Ms. Hallman

This week we will be finishing up the units on Winds and Air Pollution and will have a short quiz on Friday over this information and a test on Tuesday (10/18). Have students check the Google Classroom for any updates and encourage them to be reviewing their notes consistently. Next week we will begin our very fun unit on Weather with plenty of opportunities to take our learning outside as the weather cools down! 

ELA - Mrs. Buchner

  This is a short week for us, but we are full steam ahead to work toward finishing the novel, Harbor Me. Students seem to be really comprehending the text well. They are completing discussion questions, completing teacher-led reading checks, and participating in class discussions. 

 My expectation is that they will underline where they find the discussion question answer, then noting in the margin of the book which question it is referring to in the discussion guide. This will help them when they have to complete their project or any writing assignment on the book. Every four chapters, students will take a short reading check, so I can assess their reading comprehension, as well. This will be completed with my guidance and will serve as a study guide for each of the two tests over the novel. 

 

Students are also completing vocabulary for the book by creating flashcards to study from, as well as activities in their Vocabulary Booklet. We will have a QUIZ over the Vocabulary words on Wednesday November 2nd (D,E Blocks) and Thursday November 3rd (A Blocks). Students should be studying their vocabulary words each night. They have a vocabulary packet, as well with the definitions, synonyms, and the textual reference for each vocabulary word.

 

     Homework assignments can be found in your student’s Google Calendar, as well as the weekly Google Slide Presentation in their ELA Google Classroom. Students are highly encouraged to come in for help in the mornings from 7:45-8:15 a.m.  I am unavailable on Wednesdays from 7:45 to 8:00 a.m. due to carpool duty. On occasion, I will announce a 7:30 a.m. tutorial on a given morning if I see students are struggling with the content. This will appear in the Google Classroom stream. You can also email me if you would like for your student to have a longer tutorial starting at 7:30 a.m.

Reading Schedule: 

• Wednesday 10/12 or Thursday 10/13- Read Chapters 13-16; Discussion questions due Thursday @ 9 pm

• Friday 10/14-Read Chapters 17-20; Discussion Questions due Sunday 10/16 @ 9 pm

• Monday 10/17-Read Chapters 21-24; Discussion Questions due @ 9 p.m.

• Tuesday 10/18-Read Chapters 25-32; Discussion Questions due @ 9 p.m.

• Wednesday 10/19 & Thursday 10/20- Read Chapters 33-36; Discussion Questions Due Thursday 10/20 @ 9 p.m.

• Friday 10/21- Read Chapters 37-40; Discussion Questions due Sunday 10/23 @ 9 pm

Upcoming Assessments:

Tuesday October 25- TEST over Chapters 13-40

Wednesday October 26-November 3rd- Hexagonal Thinking/Constructed Response PROJECT 

Wednesday November 2nd & Thursday November 3rd-Vocabulary QUIZ Chapters 1-40

INTRO SPANISH - Ms. Brown

Congratulations to our 6th graders for taking on their first Spanish test! 

Memorization is key to laying the foundations for language for we cannot apply that which we do not know. Tasks can seem overwhelming when there are holes in our bank of knowledge and growth seems impossible. Unfortunately, memorization is not really a tool we use all too often…

With the ease of access to information through our modern devices, we rarely are required to memorize anything -we literally have a device in our purse or pocket that can answer any question you can think of. Why memorize anything if we can just look it up? These are some thoughts that our 6th graders felt prior to the test.

But they made it! The majority of the tests are looking good and I am excited to know that the much needed foundational knowledge will help open the doors for us to dive into developing our skills.

I am so appreciative of the support from our caring parents and of the desire to excel by our students! Keep up the determination!

WORLD HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer

Next week in World History students will examine the Golden Age of Athens. Our focus will be on how/why Athens became the leading City-State in the Ancient World.From there we investigate the Rise of the Athenian Empire and the cultural achievements of Athens.

Middle School Art with Mrs. Byrne 

Good Day HDS community!  In keeping with HDS monthly virtues, art students took inspiration from the Mi’kmaq Culture. Students learned the eagle feather of the Mi’kmaq people is a reminder of responsibility. The center stem represents our being, creation story and responsibility as a contributor to the land and each other. First, students produced an observational drawing and then a stylized feather design. Students expand the observational drawing by creating designs that incorporate a focused message on Responsibility.   One of our clever eighth graders is right on track to say “Don’t judge a book by its cover”  HDS Feathers will be on display at the Hancock Harvest November 4th! Use Artsonia code NNNY-YPFY to access the  publishing of artwork!  

                                                                            Boo!