April 3rd - April 7th
Dear Parents,
We have seen a significant increase in students bringing sodas, soft drinks, coffee, and energy drinks to school. We encourage students to bring a water bottle to school each day, and it is our policy that students do not bring carbonated and/or caffeinated beverages to school. Please monitor the drinks that your student brings to campus so that we can reinforce healthy choices with your student(s). Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards.
Jack Cargile
Head of Middle School
STUDENT SIGN IN/OUT REMINDER
Just a friendly reminder that all students, grades 6th through 8th, should be signed in and out of the middle school office by their parent.
8TH GRADE GRADUATION INFORMATION
DETAILS FOR FAMILIES
We will be having our 8th grade graduation and reception at Isle of Hope United Methodist Church on Wednesday, May 24th. Students will need to arrive for pictures by 9:45am. Graduation will begin at 11:00am in the Sanctuary. Immediately following the graduation, the 7th grade will be hosting the reception in the Anchor Room for graduates and their families. We are looking forward to this exciting event! Please email Mrs. Mannarino if you have any questions.
SLIDESHOW
Every year we display a slideshow of the 8th grade class during their reception following graduation. Families are asked to provide five (5) pictures of their choice (baby pictures, family pictures, friends, etc.) and the high school they will be attending in the Fall. Please submit this information to Mrs. Mannarino via email by Friday, May 5th. For an example of a past slideshow, please click here.
8TH GRADE GRADUATION RECEPTION (7TH GRADE FAMILIES)
If you are interested in participating in the Hancock tradition of hosting the reception for the graduating 8th grade class on May 24th, please follow this link for more information and sign-ups!
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.
Current Opportunities for Middle School Students:
April 7th - Second Harvest - SIGN UP
April 10th - Second Harvest - SIGN UP
April 22nd - Tybee Beach Cleanup - 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. My phone extension is 327.
I look forward to working with you!
Tricia Guggenheim
25. Create a healthy study environment
First, creating an environment that allows middle schoolers to study effectively is essential. When they sit down to study, the atmosphere around the student can significantly influence how they engage with their work.
Create a routine: Students should pick a regular time to sit down and do their schoolwork. They should, over time, determine how much time they need to get the school work done and plan a study block, factoring in adding breaks to their study routine. Parents should monitor this time in the beginning to ensure that they are spending appropriate amounts of time - too much or too little can be problematic.
Create a dedicated workspace: students should find a spot to sit and work without any major distractions. Having a dedicated workspace with all their needed stationery, books, and other requirements is helpful. Some other things to consider are whether there is sufficient light for them to study. Are the noise levels manageable?
Eradicate distractions: try to steer clear of anything/ anyone that may interfere with or hinder your studying. A major distraction for most children is gadgets. Students should put away any devices they do not need for their studies. Even on devices they use for their academics, students should disable unnecessary apps or tabs while working and turn off notifications for social media. Additionally, students often believe that turning on some music helps them study. This is not the case - most music distracts from studies.
Talking to your middle school student about peer pressure is a great way to help them develop strategies to navigate tricky situations before they encounter them.
Creating a family “code word” or “code phrase” is a simple tool that enables your child to indicate they need assistance to leave a potentially dangerous environment. See the link below for tips on how to implement this.
Resources:
6 Ways to Help Your Child Deal with Peer Pressure
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 are beginning Chapter 8. It is a short chapter on the laws of exponents. Quiz 1 on the first two sections will be 4/11 and test 4/18 on all four sections. The Project they turned in 3/31 will take me a little time to grade. It involved Slope in real life.
ADVANCED ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Advanced Algebra, we continue Chapter 9 by learning how to find the surface area of prisms and cylinders (9.2) as well as pyramids and cones (9.3). There will be a quiz covering 9.1-9.3 on Wednesday.
GEOMETRY - Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Geometry, we will complete Chapter 10 by reviewing on Monday and Tuesday and then having the Chapter 10 test on Thursday.
ELA - Mrs. Boyer
The Yom HaShoah projects will be on display at the Jewish Education Alliance on Abercorn for the month of April; please take a trip to see how the City of Savannah commemorates the voices of the survivors and the loss of the victims. The pictures will be posted to the slideshow on Google Classroom, if you’d like to take a look.
**Extra Credit Quiz Grade** April 18th, the JEA will host their Yom HaShoah ceremony. Winners will be announced, and there will be speakers. Students are asked to attend for at least half an hour to forty-five minutes. They will be asked to complete a Google Form regarding their experience.
We are fully into our final novel study with Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Students will not only be focusing on the plot/literary devices within the novel, but journeying through their individual moral growth due to the lessons/discussions had throughout the unit. Students have read Chapters 1-11 and answered discussion questions on their own.
Topics of Discussion:
Racism
Power
Justice
Identity
Stereotypes
Culture vs. Law
The Great Depression
Codeswitching
The Universe of Obligation
The ‘language’ of the time
Jim Crow Laws
Major Projects:
Mock Trial (in conjunction with the History Department) Week of April 11
Moods of Mockingbird Essay
Writing the Lost Chapter
Essay #2?
Final Exam
Assessments:
Ch. 1-11 Quiz 4/3
Ch. 1-20 Test Part I 4/17, Part II 4/18-19
If you have read the book/watched the movie PLEASE do not spoil the ending. Thank you! :)
***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:
Read and annotate (check annotations with Mrs. Boyer’s book). (This has been a challenge this week…)
Ask for practice questions
Come in and practice writing prompts
Spend a solid 30 minutes each night on reading, review, etc.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE - Ms. Hallman
Next week, we will begin our unit on Waves- sound waves, electromagnetic waves, and light waves. We will pretty much be here for the whole month of April. Within this unit, there will be 2 quizzes, 2 tests, and one project before lightening the load as we move toward May. This is the final push! I am looking forward to seeing how the Egg Drop Competition works out at the end of this week and reading their report due Monday (4/3). If you have any questions, please reach out to me and check GC for any updates.
US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier
WW2- From the rise of Dictators to the dropping of the Atomic bombs- will be researched, discussed, and learned. We will dive deep into the understanding of the events and intents as well as look at how the US emerged going forward.
SPANISH - Ms. Crocker
This week we have a quiz Monday and test Wednesday or Thursday for our art mini-unit! We will be doing some dialogue practice and a scratch off art activity:)
ADVANCED SPANISH - Ms. Brown
Students are continuing the long process of making children's books in Spanish -that’s right, books made all by them to be donated to a special lower school class. Our vision for our books is to have them printed via Google Photos (they make beautifully printed, glossy pages with matte textured hard covers -worth every penny) and as we move along in our process of making these books, more information will come!
ADVANCED SPANISH - Ms. Crocker
Last week was full project runway in Spanish class. The students put on a fashion show in Spanish (telling us what the clothes were made of, and what the clothes would be perfect for!) and were so creative with their ideas. Also, so many of them know how to hand sew??
ALGEBRA 1 - Mrs. Taylor
Students are beginning Chapter 8. It is a short chapter on the laws of exponents. Quiz 1 on the first two sections will be 4/11 and test 4/18 on all four sections. The Project they are working on is due now 4/11. However, I do not stress over project dates. I want them to learn and understand slope and how it is applied to the real working world.
PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will complete Chapter 7 by having a quiz covering section 7.6 on Monday. Then we will begin Chapter 8 by learning about relations and functions (8.1), and different ways to graph linear functions (8.2-8.3).
ELA - Mrs. Buchner & Mrs. Boyer
On Monday, April 3rd, there will be a quiz over pages 1-117. Students should use their DQs and Checks to study. Reading and Discussion of pages 118-224 and completion of study questions will be reviewed and checked. Reminder: students are only asked to complete 15 (or so) out of 31 questions, but they are expected to complete the incomplete questions during class as we review/on their own before assessments. The Discussion Question Packet will be a TEST grade and collected before the Exam in May.
We will also be engaging in little activities…some may include a parent reading…so be on the lookout!
We will create Anti-Bullying posters next week with Canva.com. We will also be talking about identity as a theme in coming of age novels. What makes up an identity?
Next Up! Essay! Frost Quoting Frost! Pages 225-296 are not due until the 20th! Great time to catch up if students are behind! Or a great time to reread!!
As usual, students may come in early to ask questions, review homework with Mrs. Boyer and Mrs. Buchner, engage with their studies at home for at least 25 minutes, dive into the creative and reflective process as they prepare for reading checks, constructive responses, and complete their reading comprehension assignments. Mrs. Boyer and Mrs. Buchner are looking to see a ‘boost’ in effort and engagement with this unit. Remember: We are preparing for 8th grade.
Mrs. Boyer and Mrs. Buchner are both available for morning tutorials. If your student needs assistance with journal entries or just a quick check to see if they are completing them correctly, please have them drop by.
Students should have a Dark Blue or Black ink pen for class every day. Points will be deducted from responses if they are not writing in ink going forward for the remainder of the school year. They may use an erasable pen if needed.
Assessments/Assignments:
ERB TESTING- March 27-31
Posted QUIZ pg 1-117 - Monday 4/3
Posted QUIZ pg 118-224 Friday 4/14
Frost Quoting Frost Essay 4/11-4/18
Posted TEST pg 1-296- Thursday 4/21-4/24 (There will be a Part I and a Part II.)
The Exam will be on Posted!
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. (Boyer-You may also email!)
Strategies for Home:
-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 or review their journal entries with the teacher.
**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, we will continue our unit on the Circulatory System. Students will have a diagram quiz on the heart on Thursday, April 6. Also this week, students will investigate what makes a person at risk for heart disease. They will be analyzing data and and looking at various risk factors for heart disease. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom each day for announcements, assignments, and study materials.
US HISTORY - Mr. Gauthier
The studying and learning about the US Constitution continues. The group Amendment projects are due April 5. The grading rubric can be found on google classroom. More reading from the Lord of The Flies will continue through next week with the final product of constructing their own government.
US HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer
Next week in American History students will continue our examination of the New Republic and our study of the Presidents that impacted our early history. We will look at our first four Presidents and study their highs and lows in office. Students will also begin our next class project: The History of Political Parties in America.
ACCELERATED MATH - Mrs. Taylor
Students will continue with Chapter 8, ratios (unit rate, scale drawings). They will have a quiz Monday on the first two sections of Chapter 8.
PRE-ALGEBRA - Mr. Lanfear
Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will complete Chapter 7 by having a quiz covering section 7.6 on Monday. Then we will begin Chapter 8 by learning about relations and functions (8.1), and different ways to graph linear functions (8.2-8.3).
EARTH SCIENCE - Mrs. DuRant
Next week, we will continue our unit on Earth’s Waters. Our focus will be on the difference between groundwater and surface water. We will be studying aquifers and students will make a model of an aquifer in the lab this week. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for announcements, assignments, and study materials.
EARTH SCIENCE - Ms. Hallman
We have begun learning about Earth’s Waters and it is refreshing following our unit on rocks and minerals. There will be a test on Rocks and Minerals on Monday (4/3). We will review this Friday in preparation. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.
ELA - Mrs. Buchner
Students have been exploring Nonfiction Text Structures this past week. This coming week students will begin reading the student-choice biography that I have approved. Students will need to bring a copy of their book to class no later than Wednesday April 5th. Students may secure a book through library loan or purchase a copy. Students are to have ONE-THIRD of their biography read NO LATER THAN Tuesday 4/11. We will have a QUIZ over the Nonfiction Text Structures on Friday April 7th. Students may study the presentation in Google Classroom to prepare for this quiz.
We will be using Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly as a MENTOR TEXT to compare and contrast to the student-choice biography. In class, students will be exploring Hidden Figures by reading excerpts and comparing/contrasting the novel to clips from the movie version of the book, as well as identifying nonfiction text features in the novel, so they can transfer this knowledge to their choice book. The primary focus of the unit will be the analysis of the student-choice book.
We will take our TEST over the February/March Independent Reading Project on Tuesday April 4th. Students will need to PRINT and bring their graphic organizer to the test. They will be writing about their novel in class using the textual evidence they collected about their novel.
Together with the students, we have created a DUE DATES CALENDAR, which is in the Green Folder with their Nonfiction Text Assignments. Please use this as a guide to make sure assignments are completed on time. Also, the Weekly Google Slide Presentation contains the week’s homework assignments, as well as the Class Google Calendar.
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 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 7:45-8:15 a.m. Tutorials are available weekly on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 a.m.
Upcoming Assessments/Assignments:
February/March Independent Reading Book TEST- Tuesday 4/4
Bring to class approved Student Choice Biography-Wednesday 4/5
1/3 of Biography Read by Tuesday 4/11
2/3 of Biography Read by Tuesday 4/18
Constructed Response #3- QUIZ Grade- Tuesday 4/18
Full Biography Read by Tuesday 4/25
TEST over Biography Tuesday 4/25
Completed Green Folder Due (TEST)-Tuesday 5/2
Choice Board Projects- Due Monday ⅝
EXAM will be over Nonfiction Unit and Mythology Mini-unit
INTRO SPANISH - Ms. Brown
Students are excited to begin another video project starting THEMSELVES! These will again be done on Wevideo and will be in the likeness of the famous Planet Earth documentary series. This is meant to bring to life in a fun manner the topics of our most current unit four. We look forward to recording, editing, and eventually watching these videos!
WORLD HISTORY - Mr. O’Hayer
Next week in World History students will continue our investigation of the Industrial Revolution. Students will continue to examine how people’s lives were changes and impacted by inventions of the Industrial Revolution. We will also begin our next IR project. Students will work in groups to “invent” an item that will benefit society.
Good day HDS Community,
This week students are developing their studio habits of mind: Envision, Observe and Reflect. Sixth graders envision their clay bowl in two opportunities prior to hand building. First the sketch reveals the purpose of the bowl in addition to the design and the second drawing in pastel puts the bowl in place through still life.
Seventh graders in the spirit of motion from kinetic sculpture are now using observation skills as they illustrate bikes that suit their interest in terrain being sand, slope or street. The Eighth graders are reflecting upon their favorite character or scene to include as a surreal element of the eye illustration to create mood as surrealist MC Escher. Students will be using multiple skills they have demonstrated and developed in visual art in these upcoming weeks!
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