October 24th - October 28th

 

Dear Parents,

Our Lower School Halloween Parade is on Monday, October 31st, and Middle School students will line the parade route and cheer as the procession of  costumed Lower School students passes. After the parade, all of the Middle School students will gather on the Turf Field and they will have a fun, lighthearted costume contest. After the costume contest, Middle School students will have a day of special activities planned and facilitated by the Student Government. Our Halloween festivities are always one of the highlights of the school year! 

Halloween costumes are such fun for middle schoolers, and I would like to encourage you to have a chat with your son or daughter to remind them to be supportive, kind, and inclusive on Monday when everyone is dressed in costume. Each child here in Middle School has a unique personality, appearance, and interests, and it is our hope that all of our students can joyfully celebrate the costumes and one another on this special day. 

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.

Middle School Service Opportunities

Provided by The HDS Parent’s Association

If you have questions or need more information about the following service opportunities, please contact: Jessica Bowden (912) 308-5337

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Skidaway Island State Park 

This opportunity is for Saturday, October 29th and the sign-up deadline is October 22nd! For Skidaway State Park’s Trunk or Treat Event we need student volunteers and four volunteer parents to keep the ratio at 6:1 per the State Park's request. Slots are added as well for Parents or other adults to volunteer with their child.

Click this link to sign up for Trunk or Treat!

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Hancock Fall Festival

Our carnival committee needs students to set up and clean up on Saturday, November 6th. Students who do set up and/or clean up will earn service hours. Other links for assisting with the cake walk, bounce houses, and individual grade booths have been sent out.

 

Click this link to sign up for the Hancock Fall Festival!

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Second Harvest

On Parent-Teacher Conference day, Friday, November 11th we will have a service opportunity a Second Harvest. This has students working in the Kids Cafe Kitchen. Students need to wear closed toed shoes, a hair net will be given for those not in baseball hats, and they will also be given a plastic apron if desired. We suggest not wearing nice clothes for this opportunity!

Click this link to sign up for Second Harvest!

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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

 

7. Should We Skip Tough Homework Problems?

If you come to a homework question (or two or three) that you find confusing, highlight or circle it and move on. The more you dwell on something you don’t understand, the more anxious you will get. The more anxious you get, the less energy you have for the rest of your homework. Stick with what you can figure out. Take the hard problems to your teacher at the start of class or before school and ask for help.

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 begin Chapter 5. It is another short Chapter but it is  content heavy so we will take out time. There will not be any assessments next week. Slope is still what we are concentrating on.

ADVANCED ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Advanced Algebra, we will begin Chapter 11 by learning how to graph square root functions (11.1) and begin simplifying radical expressions (11.2).  There will be a short quiz on Friday covering 11.1 and the beginning of 11.2.

GEOMETRY - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Geometry, we will continue Chapter 4 by learning how to prove triangles are congruent by a variety of methods including SSS (4.3), SAS and HL (4.4), and ASA and AAS (4.5).

ELA - Mrs. Boyer

We will be starting Macbeth on 11/7. It is imperative that your child keep up with their text and their Macbeth Workbook (this will be a test grade at the end of the unit). Although we will be reading/acting out the entire play IN CLASS, it is critical that your child reread each scene as their work through the workbook pages. Shakespeare is challenging, but incredibly transformative to the mind if done right. I need the students to truly complete their homework each night to be prepared for activities, POP quizzes, assessments, projects and writing assignments. 

Through this unit I hope that your children have learned a valuable lesson in time management. I also hope that they have learned that ELA has multitudes of opportunities to maintain a grade that they are proud to have in Renweb. If they are challenged by ELA, please see the strategies below. 

***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. 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 10/31

**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

The PET element projects were FANTASTIC! I loved looking at all the posters, the examples students brought in, and hearing them share all about their PET element. They seemed to really enjoy it and I am looking forward to more projects in the future. This week we are officially wrapping up Unit 2 and will be heading into Unit 3 for the next trimester. I have asked the students to share with me some ideas they have about how I could improve my teaching style to increase their interest in learning and how I could help them internalize the information better. There were, of course, many suggestions and I can’t wait to try them in this upcoming unit. This week, I really feel like we are working to be better together and it is awesome! 

US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier Test 11/2 and 11/3) and debates (11/1 and 11/3) scheduled for next week.  A major Gilded Age project has been assigned.  Project and rubric is in GC

SPANISH - Ms. Crocker

This week is all about la música y el baile (music and dance!) We received a new vocabulary list that covers verbs and vocabulary associated with songs, dance, and going to concerts! See photos below of us practicing the “Choco-choco-la-la” song…competition was fierce! November 4th is our next quiz!

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
Students have been working with their assigned Spanish buddy to develop their listening and writing skills. Upon finishing their first mini-essay of their day at school, they will take to the front of the class again to recite their written work! Bit by bit, we will develop our pronunciation. What a fun group to work with!

ADVANCED SPANISH - Ms. Crocker

This week is all about la música y el baile (music and dance!) We received a new vocabulary list that covers verbs and vocabulary associated with songs, dance, and going to concerts! November 7th is our next quiz!

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 begin Chapter 5. It is another short Chapter but it is  content heavy so we will take our time. There will not be any assessments next week. Slope is still what we are concentrating on.

PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will complete Chapter 3 by learning how to solve multi-step inequalities (3.5-3.6) and practicing word problems.  There will be a day of review and then the Chapter 3 test on Friday.  There will be an optional quiz covering 3.1-3.3 offered on Wednesday before and after school for 7th grade.  Taking this quiz cannot hurt the student’s grade (it will only be entered if it increases their grade).

ELA - Mrs. Buchner & Mrs. Boyer

     We are working hard on our project/study guide over The Hobbit this week and next week. Students have various due dates for each slide. Please see the due dates in Google Classroom Instructions for each due date or the rubric students received in class this week. Feedback will be provided as students turn in their slides (CW/HW grades), so they can make corrections to the FINAL DRAFT of the project. It is important that students use the feedback to improve their final draft, so they do not lose points on the project grade. The final draft will be due Tuesday 11/1 at 8:30 p.m. It is important that students do not wait until the night before to complete their corrections, but make these corrections as they receive feedback. 

Students should have begun studying for the test over Chapters 12-19 of The Hobbit next week (see test dates below). The Interactive Notebook Study Guide will assist students in studying for the test. Students may also study the Discussion Questions, reading checks, and the vocabulary from the Discussion Questions. We will also review in class the block prior to the test. Please make sure your student does not wait until the night before the test to study.

Assessments: 

• INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK STUDY GUIDE (Various due dates-see rubric) FINAL DRAFT DUE Tuesday 11/1-This is the due date for ALL Classes!

• The Hobbit TEST (Chapters 12-19)- Thursday 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 studying for the test a little each night. Students retain information much better if they study along the way, rather than cramming the night before a test.

-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

The students did an amazing job on their Cell Model projects! They keep getting better and more creative each year! Their projects reflected a great deal of planning and time constructing the models. They used a variety of materials, making each project unique and interesting. Next week in Life Science, Blocks A and F will have a unit test on Cells on Tuesday. Block B will have their unit test on Cells on Wednesday. Then we will begin our unit on Mitosis. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for announcements, assignments, and study materials. 

US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier. Next week we will be learning about the causes to the American Revolution and comparing them to the parent child relationship over 18 years.  Stay tuned and talk to your son or daughter about this!!!!!

US HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer

Next week in American History we continue our focus on the formation of the 13 Colonies. Students will study the reasons the colonies were founded and investigate the challenges each colony had. Students will also continue working on their Build a Colony project. The project is due Nov. 4th. Next week also brings the first trimester to a close

ACCELERATED MATH - Mrs. Taylor

Chapter 4 begins this week. Fractions, decimals, ordering fractions, factoring, LCM, GCF. This is all practice from last year but with a little more twist. The Chapters will take longer as the content becomes more challenging. No assessments next week. 

PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will complete Chapter 3 by learning how to solve multi-step inequalities (3.5-3.6) and practicing word problems.  There will be a day of review and then the Chapter 3 test on Friday.  There will be an optional quiz covering 3.1-3.3 offered on Tuesday before and after school for 6th grade.  Taking this quiz cannot hurt the student’s grade (it will only be entered if it increases their grade).

EARTH SCIENCE - Mrs. DuRant

Next week in Earth Science, students will wrap up their in-class project researching a severe weather event in the United States. For students who have not finished, they will need to complete this project at home. Instructions are in the Weather topic of the GC. This project is due November 1. They will present their project to the class on November 1. We will then wrap up the unit the remainder of the week by analyzing weather maps. Test on the Weather unit will be on Wednesday, November 9. Please have your student check the Google Classroom daily for announcements,assignments, and study materials. 

EARTH SCIENCE - Ms. Hallman

This week the students have been working on their Severe Weather Projects. They have been awesome at independently working. I am looking forward to hearing those presentations come early next week! We will continue applying our learning of weather with weather maps. The test for the weather unit will be on Thursday, November 10th. 

ELA - Mrs. Buchner

  Students are hard at work on their Harbor Me project/study guide this week and next. They should be working on the project in class and at home. The Interactive Notebook will also help prepare them for the test over the novel next week on 11/2 (D,E) & 11/3 (A). There are specific due dates for each of the slides in the GC Assignment and Rubric. I will provide feedback on each slide as the students turn them in. This will be for a daily CW/HW grade. Students then have the opportunity to make corrections before turning in their final draft of the project on November 4th. It is important that they review the feedback, then apply the corrections, so they can earn their BEST grade on the final draft. 

I have also included a Study Guide “Assignment” in Google Classroom. The study guide has the keys to all of the study questions over Chapters 13-40, as well as several Kahoots! Students can review at home. We will also review in class on Tuesday November 1st for the test, as well.

Students were given the opportunity to complete and turn in flashcards over the Vocabulary for extra credit on Wednesday 10/26 & Thursday 10/27. They can use these to begin studying for the quiz on Friday 11/4. 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. They also have a Vocabulary Booklet with activities to complete for review.

 

     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.

Upcoming Assessments:

Harbor Me PROJECT: October 25th-November 4th (check rubric for various due dates)-FINAL DRAFT DUE FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4TH

HARBOR ME TEST: Wednesday 11/2- D & E Block; Thursday 11/3- A Block

HARBOR ME VOCABULARY QUIZ: Friday 11/4 All Blocks

INTRO SPANISH - Ms. Brown

6th grade has been busy reflecting on their work over the past 1st trimester in an effort to compile it all on their e-portfolio (more info to come). What a creative bunch of kiddos!

WORLD HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer

Next week in World History students will be study the impacts of Plato and Aristotle on the Ancient World. Students will analyze and reflect on the new ways of thinking brought about by these great thinkers. Next week also brings a close to the first Trimester. 

Middle School Art 

Good Day HDS community! This week students are exploring the traditions of cultures.  The images along the top row are of Sixth Grade work in creating Exquisite Corpse.  Inspired by the celebration of life in the culture of Ghana, the ceremony is themed from the loved ones interest, the students design an exquisite corpse and coffin inspired by their interests.  Pete’s exquisite corpse combines a bird, athlete and cheetah then uses the color and pattern as tradition goes in the ceremonial coffin.  Seventh and Eighth grade students apply their knowledge of color and pattern in designing Sugar Skulls from Mexico. Taking a challenging topic of mortality and channeling the feeling into an artistic product or even profession is what students viewed from watching artisans from Ghana and Mexico.  Use this Artsonia pdf to access the  publishing of artwork!  Parent connection to Artsonia is on the rise at 37%.  Students will continue to add to galleries each Trimester.