December 12th - December 16th

 

Dear Parents,

With exams on Wednesday and Thursday of this coming week, your student will need to dedicate some time for exam preparation this weekend. Our exams are one of the value-added elements of our program because they give our students experience in preparing for and sitting an extended cumulative exam before they have higher-stakes exams in high school. Here are some tips for how you can help your child prepare for exams:

• Be supportive and show interest in what your child is studying. Be sure to provide your child an opportunity for autonomy balanced with support.

• Remind your student that studying works best if they are actively recalling information… this means that simply reading notes or looking at old assessments is not a very effective way to build durable and transferable learning. Here are a few helpful strategies that build recall

• Cue Cards: write the question on one side and the answer on the other side, then use the cards to quiz independently or with a buddy.

• Draw a Mind Map: write the topic in the middle of the page and then make branches off of the main topic to create a visual representation of the topic. Adding color and/or images helps the student visualize the information.

• Mnemonics: Use a memorable sentence or phrase to aid in remembering a list of words. For example, the mnemonic device for metric conversions, ‘King Henry Died Drinking Chocolate Milk’ helps organize the prefixes kilo-, hecto-, deca-, deci-, centi-, milli-. The wilder the phrase or sentence, the more memorable (and fun!).

• Mind Palace: students think about a familiar space, like a room, and imagine a piece of information in a particular place in the room.

• Be your student’s study buddy or help them set up a time to study with a friend or two. When studying with a partner, it is a good idea to have a plan before the study session to ensure that the time is used wisely.

• Have your student teach you the topic they are studying. If they are able to effectively teach you something, they know it well enough to be successful on an assessment. If your student can explain the concept with details and examples, they’ve got it!

• Help your student develop a study plan that includes break times. Students can effectively study for 20-40 minutes and then they should take an active break or a snack break. Physical activity stimulates the brain and helps the brain work more effectively.

• Be sure that your student is eating nutritious food and drinking plenty of water while they study to avoid ‘crashing’. 

• It is important to remember that each person is different and we all have preferences for how we study best. 

While we are doing our best here at school to prepare the students for exams, your support at home is an important factor in your child’s success. One of the things that makes HDS a great school is the strength of our relationship with our families and your commitment to your child’s growth and development.   

Kind regards, 

Jack Cargile

Head of Middle School

Next Week's Schedule

Monday - Merry Monday (favorite holiday sweater)

Tuesday - Polar Express Day (pajama day)

Wednesday - Winter Wonderland (wear all white), Exams, 12:15 Dismissal/No Extended

Thursday - Holiday Head-to-Toe (hats and socks), Exams, 12:15 Dismissal/No Extended

Friday - Ugly Sweater Contest/Holiday Pajamas (middle school only), 12:15 Dismissal/No Extended

 

Exam Schedule
December 14 and December 15

 

6TH GRADE

Wednesday, 12/14: Math and ELA

Thursday, 12/15: Science and History

 

7TH GRADE

Wednesday, 12/14: Science and History

Thursday, 12/15: Math and ELA

 

8TH GRADE

Wednesday, 12/14: ELA and Science

Thursday, 12/15: Math and History

 

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. Mannarino 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

 

13. Don’t get into drama.

There’s going to be a lot of it. It’s not worth wasting your time and energy on things that won’t matter the next day. 

 

 

 

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 were given their study guide 12/5. They have been able to work on them any free time they had. We began going over them Friday and will continue to work on them until exams.

ADVANCED ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Advanced Algebra, we will review for the exam, which will take place on Thursday, 12/15, at 8:30am.

GEOMETRY - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Geometry, we will review for the exam, which will take place on Thursday, 12/15, at 8:30am.

ELA - Mrs. Boyer

We have finished Macbeth! WOOP WOOP! I am so proud of these kiddos! IT IS CRITICAL THAT STUDENTS KEEP UP WITH THIS WORKBOOK. THEY WILL NEED TO KEEP IT IN A SAFE PLACE FOR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES IN THE YEARS TO COME!! 

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. Students are also expected to come in early to **check** their annotations compared to mine. :)

Upcoming! 

Students will return from Winter Break to work on final Macbeth projects: Reader’s Theatre Major Project, Final Essay, etc. 

It’s Time for a Mental Break!

The 8th graders have been working extremely hard throughout the Macbeth Unit. As a reward, assuming they continue to work diligently, before we begin Night, the 8th graders will receive one week ‘off’ of ELA. This is a ‘tradition/privilege’ I started last year. Students will watch an educational movie in class that week with snacks and drinks. This is a much needed BRAIN BREAK! I will be reaching out for snack/drink donations! :)

We will then begin Night by Elie Wiesel in late January/early February. 

Assessments: 

The Exam will be over Macbeth ONLY! The focus will be on Act I-IV, with a few questions on Act V. We will have a quiz over Act V when we return from Winter Break. 

***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. 

**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.**

PHYSICAL SCIENCE - Ms. Hallman

Next week will be begin reviewing for the exam! I have sent a study guide home and it is posted to Google Classroom. It includes all the topics they need to with corresponding chapters in the textbook, best study practices that I find the most helpful, and even a study schedule to break it up into manageable chunks throughout the next week. Again, we will be done with chemistry after this final exam and dive into the completely different world of Physics. I, for one, can’t wait and I have a feeling the students will enjoy the change of pace as well. 

For improvement in test scores: rewriting notes, making flashcards, or simply quizzing themselves on information from that day would help immensely. It really only takes 15-20 minutes and is a skill they should begin building. I expect them to be doing this each night regardless if they have science homework or not. 

US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier 
Next week we will review and prepare for exams.  After Christmas break we will continue with learning about the US involvement in WW1

SPANISH - Ms. Crocker

The exam is over! Phew! It’s a relaxing week in Spanish, we will be talking about a brief history of the piñata, and doing a craft that will be stress-relieving! 

ADVANCED SPANISH - Ms. Brown
Students were given their study guide 12/5. They have been able to work on them any free time they had. We began going over them Friday and will continue to work on them until exams.

ADVANCED SPANISH - Ms. Crocker

The exam is over! Phew! It’s a relaxing week in Spanish, we will be talking about a brief history of the piñata, and doing a craft that will be stress-relieving! 

ALGEBRA 1 - Mrs. Taylor

Students reviewed for Monday’s quiz all week and learned the last section (parallel and perpendicular lines) Wednesday/Thursday. They will quiz on the last two sections Monday, graded, and return to them the next day. Test on Chapter 5 will be 12/7.. Students will receive their study packet for the review Monday as well.

PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will review for the exam, which will take place on Thursday, 12/15, at 8:30am.

ELA - Mrs. Buchner & Mrs. Boyer

    This week students are writing a five-paragraph essay over their student-choice book, using the Idea Based Writing Process. The essay will count for two PROJECT grades. Students have been given a suggested timeline, conference notes, specific teacher and peer edits, time in class, etc. Students will be given this week to work on their draft; the final draft will be due on the evening of Monday December 12th. This assignment will work in tandem with the 7th grade ELA exam, as students have been given a paper copy and digital copy of the short story, “Thank you, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes.  They should complete the analysis document attached to the assignment/short story in Google Classroom. They will be able to use this document on the exam, so thorough completion of this document is imperative.  The exam will be over the basic foundations of Idea Based Writing, creative discussion questions, and a written portion. 

Assessments: 

PROJECT Part 1 (Analysis Document/Rough Draft)Due 12/5 & 12/9

PROJECT Part 2 (Final Draft)  Idea Based Writing Final Draft-Due 12/12

EXAM Prep Document- Due Tuesday 12/13 

Exam: Thursday December 15th 10:45-12:15 

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 exam 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

Next week in Life Science, we will have our exam on Wednesday, December 14. We will review for the exam on Monday and Tuesday.  Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for announcements, assignments, and study materials.

US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier. Continuing with our Financial Literacy unit.  Your sons and daughters have a good base knowledge of where our money comes from and what we do with it.  To take things a few steps further we are going to discuss and learn about renting versus buying, supply and demand, saving and spending, investing, etc, etc. The culminating activity of the Financial Literacy unit will be a trip to GA Southern Armstrong Campus to participate in the Junior Achievement Financial Literacy program.  Here the students will be given “jobs” and “paychecks” and then learn how to manage their money.  This FInancial Literacy trip will take place on January 10, 2023.

US HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer

Next week we will begin our review for Trimester Exams. Students will receive a study guide. We will spend time covering everything that will be on the exam. 

ACCELERATED MATH - Mrs. Taylor

Students were given their study guide 12/5. They have been able to work on them any free time they had. We began going over them Friday and will continue to work on them until exams.

PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear

Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will review for the exam, which will take place on Wednesday, 12/14, at 8:30am.

EARTH SCIENCE - Mrs. DuRant

Next week in Earth Science, we will have our exam on Thursday, December 15. We will review in class on Monday and Tuesday. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for announcements, assignments, and study materials.

EARTH SCIENCE - Ms. Hallman

Next week we will have two days of review before the science exam on Thursday, December 15th. I have passed out a study guide that details the key concepts they should review. I included a “study schedule” and a few of my best study methods that they can try out or not! They should do what is best for them. I am available each morning for extra help and Thursday and Friday in the afternoons.

ELA - Mrs. Buchner

Students are still working hard on our IDEA BASED WRITING unit. Students took a test over the Idea Based Writing unit and the short story, “The Gift of the Magi”. We have begun preparing for the exam next week. Students will be analyzing a student-choice text and preparing an analysis document, similar to the one they completed for the test. They will be able to use this document when they take the exam, so it is imperative that they thoroughly complete their analysis of the book and the document. 

The exam on December 14th at 10:45 a.m.-12:15 pm will be over the Idea Based Writing unit and their student-choice text for analysis.. They will be expected to prepare notes over the book assigned to them to use as a resource on exam day. Students will be given an entire week to prepare their notes inside and outside of class. Students will PRINT their notes to turn in to me NO LATER THAN Tuesday December 13, 2022 during their class block. The notes will be returned to them at the beginning of the EXAM for them to use on the EXAM.

After winter break, students will begin reading independently and creating monthly book responses to encourage reading outside the classroom, as well to help them become stronger readers. These book responses will count as PROJECT grades each month. A list of book choices have been posted in Google Classroom, so students can begin reading over winter break ONLY if they choose to get a headstart. There is also a PROJECT CHOICE BOARD provided for students to use for their independent reading book response. Students will choose 3 responses from the Tic-Tac-Toe board for each book they read. The first choice novel responses will be due January 31st.

After winter break, students will write a five-paragraph essay on their student-choice text that they have already analyzed for the exam. We will then begin our next novel, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. 

Students will continue to receive Classwork grades for their daily notes. 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:

Idea Based Writing Project (Exam Prep): Wednesday Dec 7th-Tuesday Dec 13th

ELA EXAM:  Wednesday December 14th-10:45-12:15

INDEPENDENT READING PROJECT #1: Due Tuesday January 31, 2023

INTRO SPANISH - Ms. Brown

Be ready for our exam just around the corner! We will use classes as review making study guides over everything we have covered from the start of the year. Make up work and quiz mending included! 

WORLD HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer

Next week we will be reviewing for our Trimester Exams. Students have received their study guides. We have already started reviewing. Our exam is Thursday the 15th.

Good Day HDS community!  Can you see the sound?  The Gratitude for the Senses Unit is in completion this week as  students compose the visual for “Sound”.  Eighth graders assessed their work in critique to find unity in concept, typography and imagery.  Seventh graders persevered in the fiber arts on canvas project in showing a touchable sound bite. Sixth graders designed compositions in marker and tempera paint demonstrating how to select the right paintbrush for the job of their colorful compositions.  Use this Artsonia pdf to access the  publishing of artwork and read their artist statements!  We are now at 90% of parent participation.  Also check out the Winter Warm Up Gallery for the challenge of  all students to scribble a tree without lifting their pen from the first dot.