In Mathematics…

• 7th graders completed the unit on Circles. Students generated characteristics that defined a circle and learned the terms radius and diameter to describe parts of circles. They made sense of the relationship between the diameter of a circle and its circumference. Students recognized that the relationships between the radius and area of a circle is not proportional. They explained and used the formula for the area of a circle to solve problems.

• 8th graders are in their fourth unit of study called Linear Equations and Linear Systems. This unit is complex and will take most of next month as well to complete. Students explored a variety of strategies to solve linear equations with variables on both sides of the equation such as: 

3(x + 8) = 30 + x.

In Language Arts… 

• In 7th grade, we continued to study S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. Our focus is character complexity. We are also using the novel to practice engaging in collaborative discussions. We are also reading independent novels in verse.

• 8th graders have just finished writing their theme essays. In this formal essay, each student has written about the most important theme in a contemporary realistic novel. Next, 8th graders are   learning 

          about 

                     poetry! 

This compressed form of communication is a perfect way to study literary devices and how they shape mood and meaning in a written work.

Upcoming Events:

• 11/10 No School- Teacher Inservice

• PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES Week of 11/17-11/20

• No School 11/24-11/28

Friendly Reminder:  Parent/Teacher Conferences will be offered prior to Thanksgiving break. Your child’s homeroom teacher will email you their sign up document. Please check your email this week for that! 

In Mathematics…

• This month seventh graders worked on their second unit of study, Introducing Proportional Relationships. Students created and compared equivalent ratios using a variety of representations. They recognized proportional relationships represented in tables and determined the constant of proportionality using tables. Students also wrote equations describing proportional relationships and recognized proportional relationships represented with equations. They also determined the constant of proportionality using equations.

• This month eighth graders completed their second unit of study, Dilations, Similarity, and Slope. Students visualized and performed dilations using scale factors and centers of dilation on and off a grid. Students determined if a pre-image can be moved onto an image through a sequence of transformations. Students also explored the connection between similar triangles and the slope of a line.

In Language Arts… 

• 8th graders are studying theme in realistic fiction. "Theme" answers the following question: What life lesson or aspect of the human experience does the text explore? Students have been investigating the different ways authors add deeper meanings to their stories. Soon we will get into book groups and have discussions. We have also been studying grammar, and reading independent books. 

• 7th graders are studying informational text. In this unit, Patterns of Nonfiction, we are learning strategies for reading and organizing informational texts. This is a great way to practice reading skills and explore interesting topics from high quality non-fiction books: like cleaning up plastic in the ocean, whale songs, the science and history of flash freezing, etc. We have also been studying grammar, and reading independent books.

In Social Studies… 

• Students have been studying the U.S. Constitution, learning how it has served as our nation’s blueprint for nearly the past 250 years.

• We have discussed the three branches of the federal government: how laws are created, carried out, and interpreted, and the delicate system of checks and balances that has been tested throughout history.

• This week, we began learning how the Bill of Rights protects individual rights and democracy.  Be prepared, your middle schooler may ask to interview you for their most recent assignment!

In Science… 

• Scientists are continuing to learn about the structure and function of atoms. Over the last two weeks, we learned about the Periodic Table and understanding how to read the information on the table. We have been using a lot of modeling as we learn about these concepts!

• Students are now working on a summative Element Project. Each student has chosen an element. The task is to create a model that communicates information about the chosen element and create a piece that can contribute to a larger display of the Periodic Table of Elements. Students must also create a model showing the subatomic structures of their chosen element.

Students from each homeroom were challenged to "think divergently," and come up with an out-of-the-box use for a paper clip. Congrats to Mr. Hague's homeroom, who gave the most compelling explanation for its use as a belly button lint picker!

Upcoming Events:

• 10/3 Picture Day (10/29 Makeup/Retake Day)

• 10/10 No School- Teacher Inservice

• 10/13 No School- Indigenous People’s Day

• 10/16 Open House 4:30-6:00

• Potential Field Trip- date pending, stay tuned!

Friendly Reminder: JumpRope is used for students and parents to access current student grades by viewing their gradebook. It is important to check JumpRope regularly. Students have practiced getting into it and reviewing grades and comments. Please have your child show you how to receive teacher feedback in JumpRope and their Google Classes. 

In Mathematics…

• 7th graders began their first unit of study, called Scale Drawings. Students explored objects that are and are not scaled copies of one another. They described how scaling affects lengths, angles, and areas in scaled copies, and used scale factors to create and compare scaled copies. Students began to use what they know about scaled copies to create scale drawings.

• 8th graders began their first unit of study, Rigid Transformations and Congruence. Students learned to visualize, describe, and perform translations, rotations, and reflections on a grid. Students learned and used the word congruent and came to understand how congruent figures are related to rigid transformations.

In Language Arts… 

• 7th graders are putting the finishing touches on their personal narratives. We've specifically studied how to incorporate conflicting inner thoughts, five-senses description, purposeful and compelling dialogue, realizations, and leads. We've begun reading our first independent book, and have also started studying grammar.

• 8th graders are close to wrapping up the first unit, which has been oral storytelling. Each student is preparing a "Moth"-style story to be performed live in front of their classmates. Our work has been supported by a guest speaker (local Moth storyteller, Noah Detzer) and lots of opportunities to study the structure and techniques of storytellers. We've also begun reading our first independent book

In Social Studies… 

• We have just finished our unit on Early American History, covering the time period from when the first humans arrived in North America to the lead up to the American Revolution.  Students learned about the effects of European colonialism and how it shaped the modern world. 

• Students have been studying American geography, and will be tested on the 50 states next week.  Ask them to challenge you on where the U.S. states and capitals are!

• Next week, we will begin our American Civics unit, focused around the Constitution and what it provides for citizens and the structure of our Federal government. Students will spend considerable time learning about the Bill of Rights and our criminal justice system.  

In Science… 

• Prodigy scientists started the year by practicing many of the skills scientists use. We have been investigating, modeling, analyzing data and drawing conclusions. These skills will continue to be embedded in the activities we do throughout the year. Students have investigated characteristics of different types of slime, practiced using a triple beam balance to find the mass of objects, and analyzed how substances change when mixed.  We just completed our first summative quiz, about the properties of matter. After looking at the results of the quiz, we are doing a short review on the states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and formation of substances (compounds, mixtures, etc). It was clear that most students could use a refresh of those concepts.