May 2021

In Ms. Spencer’s Social Studies classes, we recently finished our unit of study of the American Revolution and are transitioning into our final unit of study about early United States government and civics!

Mr. Bushey’s Math 8 class is excited to be nearing the end of this school year. We now know how to solve systems of equations and exponent rules. We’ll be delving into scientific notation, pythagorean theorem, radicals, and volumes of 3 dimensional shapes. Geometry just finished looking at the properties of various quadrilaterals and have just begun our exploration of the properties of circles. We’ll be ending the school year with finding the area and volume of complex 3-dimensional shapes.

Mrs. Black’s ELA 8 classes are working on argumentative writing this month. We will discuss sound reasoning, claims versus evidence, and how to locate and evaluate sources. Students will continue to submit work via Canvas throughout the quarter.

In Ms. Weingartner’s science class, we are beginning our unit on Earth Science. We’ll be learning about geology, earthquakes, and volcanoes - all important things to know as Alaskans!

In Mrs. Sedor’s Social Skills and Study Skills classes continue to focus on how to be a successful student. We talk about how we observe, listen, and interact in class, and practice those skills.

Language Arts:

This was a school year like no other. Thank you for being flexible throughout this one-of-a-kind school experience. I’ve enjoyed meeting all of you (online and in person).

To finish the year, we will soon read a few “Who Done It?” mysteries, where we will analyze the texts and make inferences.

On Monday and Tuesday, May 3 and 4, students will be taking the iReady diagnostic for Reading during language arts class. If they do not finish in class they are encouraged to finish the diagnostic on Wednesday at home.

Math:

It has truly been interesting to believe that the 2020-2021 school year is coming to an end. I have truly enjoyed each and every one of my students. The students have enjoyed working on interest, discounts and learning about how percentages work in everyday life. I really hope students have enjoyed me as much as I have enjoyed them. Students will complete the year by completing the I-Ready Diagnostic Assessment for math to show how much growth and understanding they have obtained. I really want to salute all of the students for their hard work and resiliency in these new times of education and learning.

Science:

The students have been working on motion and forces in physics. We started out with a few simulations exploring kinetic and potential energy and have progressed to the construction of our paper roller coasters. The students are excited to finish the planning stage and move into the construction portion of the activity. After roller coasters we will be exploring energy sources and current issues in science.

On Thursday and Friday, May 6 and 7, students will be taking the iReady diagnostic for Math during science class. If they do not finish in class they are encouraged to finish the diagnostic on the following Wednesday at home.

It’s been a very interesting year. Most students have adapted to mask wearing and social distancing. Hopefully when they return as 8th graders school will look more as they expect. I hope everyone gets outside and enjoys their summer.

Social Studies:

It is hard to believe that the school year is almost over. This quarter has flown by! It has been so great having students back in the classroom. Recently we have been learning about the birth of civilization and ancient Mesopotamia. Before the year ends we will continue to study Asia, Africa and Australia. This has been a historic year. I hope you all have a great summer!

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SCIENCE

In science, we are ending the year studying energy. We will also pull out the microscopes to look at cells and examine some of the new life emerging this spring. Please remember to check Q in addition to Canvas since Q has all grades. We sometimes do class activities that are not in Canvas. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer!

SOCIAL STUDIES

As we end the school year, students will be finishing up the dual unit on CLIMATES and NOTE-TAKING. In addition, we will be focusing our last few weeks on ASIA. In the ASIA Unit, we will do a comparison of government and economic systems - especially comparing and contrasting those systems of the major countries in Asia with those of the United States.

LANGUAGE ARTS

This year is wrapping up quickly. For Language Arts, we will be continuing with our SpringBoard curriculum, as well as practicing grammar, reading short stories, and analyzing poetry. Every evening, I recommend students read for at least 20 minutes without interruption, and then either discuss what they read with an adult or a peer, or write about a character, the setting, the attitude (tone and mood), how the conflicts propel the story, what they learned, how they can relate to the story, etc. I also suggest reading from a variety of genres and authors. Happy last month of school!! If I can help with anything, please don't hesitate to email me at lake_noel@asdk12.org. Thank you!

We made it through an entire school year! We all faced many challenges this year and we have seen some amazing growth from our students. There has been so much progress this past year, you all should be proud!

As we look to finishing the year strong,, we would like to reiterate the following tips for success:

Encourage your student to participate during the zoom sessions. A lot of times when teachers check for understanding, students say they understand and are set to work independently. Oftentimes, they don't ask questions during or after instruction. Please encourage your students to ask for specific help right away in the chat feature or at the end of class, before they're frustrated and stressed. If they don't speak up, we can't know where they got lost.

Encourage your student to set a timer for 2-5 minutes before each class period Zoom session, so they can wrap up whatever they're working on, finish a break, and are ready to go and in Zoom at the beginning of their classes.

Encourage your student to eliminate distractions; extra open tabs and browsers, cell phones, music, etc.

Encourage students to have Canvas and the class activities open as we're discussing them. Teachers are modeling how to do the work, doing it with them, and showing how to turn it in, etc. This is critical.

Turning in something is better than nothing. There are unlimited attempts at each activity so far. They can fix their work for a better grade and it gives teachers a chance to give feedback and coach them so they can improve it.

Encourage them to use their time wisely. We meet in Zoom each period and allow time for independent work. This schedule allows students to have time each class period to work independently on the course work (as they would if we were in a physical classroom). Many times we stay on the zoom meeting as they are independently working, but there are times they are to do the work on their own without us being on Zoom with them. We realize students may want breaks, but this is important work time, so they complete the days' work that is related to the next lesson.

All of the lessons and assignments are in order in the "Modules." They can check their progress under "Calendar" and "Grades" also.

Greetings families!

Below is our team supply list for in-person classes:

Chromebook/laptop and charger

Composition Notebooks- one each for science and math

Pencils-needed daily!

We are almost to the end of a very challenging year. We are so proud of our students here at Hanshew!

Mr. Dykstra’s classes have been primarily taught by our student teacher intern since mid January. Mrs. Serfass is officially done with her student teaching and I will be back in class beginning April 30th. She did a great job with the kids and they will be sad to see her go. Fortunately, she will be substituting at Hanshew until the end of the year.

In Mr. Dyer’s 7th grade Social Studies students are continuing to keep up with current events daily and creating a class map on Padlet for places that are in the news. Students have also created Padlet timelines, slide presentations, and mini-posters for countries in South America and Africa. Our next unit of study will be Asia and students will be researching human-environmental interaction.

In Mr. Oliver’s 8th grade science class we have just concluded our studies of plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes. We are now venturing into space to distinguish between astrology and astronomy, rediscover the Earth-Moon-Sun system, explore the planets of our solar system, and analyze the possibility of establishing a sustainable human base on Mars. It has been a bold and challenging academic year, and we are concluding it by aiming for the stars.

Mr. Denney’s 7th grade Language Arts classes continue with the Language Arts SpringBoard curriculum. Our exploration of choices continues as we cosider how advertising and media influence our choices. The question, “What role does advertising play in the choices young consumers make,” has us exploring a variety of informational texts, and creating informational essays. We are in the final stretch: students should be working on the outline of their essays, and should have read 7 of the 9 articles for their independent reading assignment.

Welcome to 4th Quarter! Mrs. Duprow’s 8th grade language arts students finished up The Giver and reflection about the world today. This quarter students have moved to Logos, Pathos, and Ethos and constructed those themes through an argumentative essay.

8th grade Social Studies with Mrs. Duprow students have continued a journey through U. S. History and the creation of the U. S. Constitution.

In Video Production with Mrs. Duprow 4th quarter, students have been working hard creating a new virtual tour for Hanshew and an accompanying website.

In Mr. McKenzie’s Algebra 1 class we are finishing the year with a unit on solving quadratic equations. 7th Grade Math will be learning about statistics and data displays. And 8th Grade Math will be finishing up with a unit on surface area and volume.

In Mrs. Whitesell’s 8th grade social studies students just finished a WebQuest on the War of 1812. We have been discussing the early republic, our first presidencies, first political parties, and our first war as an independent nation.

In Strategies for Success, students just completed our ongoing project. It started with a quick write about inclusion, themselves, and what they can do as 7th and 8th graders. Students decided they wanted to bring school spirit into our halls by decorating the lockers outside our classroom with the theme “We are Hanshew.” Students completed individual projects about themselves, words of affirmation for all of Hanshew, and a mirror to include all who view the display. We are also working on missing assignments in our other classes and learning to be organized and finish this year strong!

Mrs. Chico’s ELL Newcomers classes:

In ELL Social Studies, we are on Government and Citizenship. The Constitution lessons helped us learn more about our new home country as we learn our rights and responsibilities. We will continue to enhance our English Language skills as we finish the school year.

In ELL Science, we are in the Physical Science unit and currently working on States of Matter, Physical and Chemical Changes and will finish the year with Elements and Atoms. We are enjoying the many mini experiments as we go.

Mrs.Hughes – Our Social Skills and Affective Skills classes will be working on developing an awareness that living by laws and rules and developing self-discipline will make them stronger, which will open the doors of opportunity for the future. They will work on developing perseverance and positive work habits. Students will work on prosocial skills related to negotiating, using self-control, and standing up for their rights in a positive way. In study skills, we will be focusing on note taking strategies and test taking strategies.

Mr. Willis - We are currently working on adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying mixed numbers in 8th grade Transmath. In 7th grade Transmath, we are currently working on division. In study skills, we are learning about the process of learning; including talking about active and passive learning.

Keep moving!

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FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT: WHAT DO THE ARTS DO FOR THE WORLD?

“Art influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Research has shown art affects the fundamental sense of self.

Painting, sculpture, music, literature and the other arts are often considered to be the repository of a society’s collective memory. Art preserves what fact-based historical records cannot: how it felt to exist in a particular place at a particular time.

Art in this sense is communication; it allows people from different cultures and different times to communicate with each other via images, sounds and stories. Art is often a vehicle for social change. It can give voice to the politically or socially disenfranchised. A song, film or novel can rouse emotions in those who encounter it, inspiring them to rally for change.” (Reference.com)

Some may consider the arts “fluff” or a throw away class, but everything you see has been touched, in some way, by the arts.

CERAMICS ART CLUB

We are going strong in our after-school program. Students have already created pinch pots, coil bowls, and slab work. This week they began working on the potter’s wheel and have started throwing pieces already! We have a rack full of pottery that is drying and will be fired in the kiln soon. Mrs. Linquist can’t wait to see how the students choose to glaze them. There are fun and exciting things happening!

May: Finalizing our introductory conversation, talking about where we are from and how old we are. Describing what we are like and what our families like to do. Come explore the culture, weather, and activities of Spanish Speaking countries with us. Along some culture videos to see the real life in Spanish Speaking Countries. ¡Vamonos a descubrir y a disfrutar!

TOP 10 REASONS TO LEARN SPANISH:

· It is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world

· The Spanish language has a bright future, because it is growing in popularity

· It will boost your employment aspects

· Your travel experiences will be enhanced

· You could work or study abroad

· It will expand your entertainment options

· Multiple studies show bilingual people experience health benefits (such as delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s and Dementia)

· Spanish is relatively simple to pick up

· It can improve your grasp on your first language

· Spanish is fun to learn!

Gracias,

Sra. Leslie Álvarez-Correa, M.Ed.

Spanish Teacher

CTE “Free” Equipment

Supplies for CTE classes (Applied Tech & Computer Tech) are available (free!) to students currently enrolled, just stop by Hanshew (curb-side only) for pick up.

The procedure for getting this equipment is as follows: first, you need to stop by Hanshew one of the following days:

• Monday 8:00-2:30

• Tuesday 8:00-2:30

• Thursday 8:00-2:30

• Friday 8:00-2:30

Next, pull up to the curb in front of the Hanshew library (near the red "Boys & Girls Club" donation box), and use your cellphone; text the number 81010 with the message @hscurbside. The librarian or some other staff member will deliver the CTE equipment to your car.