Grade 8

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, students were so excited to dive back into grammar!  (sarcastic) They learned about commas to set off introductory phrases and clauses, commas to set off participial phrases, and commas to set off adjective phrases and clauses.  On Friday, I presented them with their final comma project, which will be due on Thursday next week.  I plan to give them Monday and Tuesday in class next week to work on it before we begin our Anne Frank unit.  I can't believe it's already almost the 3rd trimester!  They say time flies when you're having fun, and when grammar is on the menu, the fun and excitement can be hard to contain.  (Haha!)

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Students should be checking Aspen this week to see what work they are currently missing. If they are missing any skill drill assignments, those should be worked on first! These assignments will be accepted regardless of the due date. Other work that is way past due will not receive credit, however more recent assignments can still be turned in. If there is an assignment in question, please email me to check to see if it can still be turned in.

Pre-Algebra: Students have been working with many different angle relationships to find missing angle measures. We have focused on angle relationships with parallel lines cut by a transversal line and interior and exterior angles of triangles. We ended the week with the test on this topic. 

Algebra: Our focus this week was mainly on simplifying radical expressions and solving radical equations. Next week we will take a look at how to graph exponential equations and the different components of the graph.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we wrapped up our unit on DNA. We learned about transcription and translation and how these two processes are involved in making proteins. We completed a Gizmo activity, in which students modeled both processes to produce a protein. We then learned about mutations and did a hands-on activity to see how 3 types of DNA mutations end up affecting the proteins produced. We will have a quiz on Wednesday 3/12, and study guides will be due Tuesday 3/11.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Thank you to all of the adults who filled out the Community Member Interview paper!  The responses are informative & interesting and will help each class figure out what issue they will work on for the action civics project.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the projects take shape.

In other civics news, we continued studying the articles of the Constitution. The students did a nice job on a stations activity & had entertaining responses on the fun contest of the week.  I continue to enjoy the personalities of the 8th graders & hope to have more fun and educational moments in the last third of the school year!

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

 How many Articles (parts) does the Constitution have?

a.  5

b.  6

c.  7

d.  8

This week's civics trivia question

Which article (part) of the Constitution is the longest?

A. 1 (about the legislative branch)

B. 2 (about the executive branch)

C. 3 (about the judicial branch)

D. 4 (about relations among the states)

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students read two chapters in the novel, Brandon Brown hace trampa. After reading, the students did follow-up activities to check their knowledge of what they read. The students practiced speaking and writing what they read in the chapters. 

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 7th and 8th grade Latin students who are taking the National Latin Exam have been doing a variety of lessons in preparation for the Exam. The students who are not taking the exam have been reading supplementary materials and working on derivatives.

The exam is Tuesday, March 11th and will take place right after flex block. Best of luck to the test takers!

ELA with Ms. Abbott

Students spent their class time this week writing their argument essays. These are due on Monday, 3/3.  On Friday, we watched a biographical video on the short life of Anne Frank, and students recorded their thoughts about the Holocaust and Hitler's rise to power.  SSR projects were also due on Friday, so most students submitted their work.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra 1: Students have been discovering and working with the different laws of exponents. Our focus this week was around the product, quotient, and rational exponent rules. A quiz for these first 3 sections will be on Tuesday of next week. Skill Drill #11 was assigned and is due next Friday, March 7.

Pre-Algebra: We have shifted our focus this week to begin our geometry unit. Students have been working with MANY new vocabulary words to help with finding different angle relationships. In order for students to be successful in this unit, they do need to understand and know the different vocab words.  We have been working in class with different activities to help practice these words, but it's always helpful for students to practice more at home. The angle relationships quiz will be late next week or early on the following week. Skill Drill #11 was assigned and is due next Friday, March 7.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we reviewed mitosis and meiosis and then began learning about the structure of DNA. We also learned how the structure of DNA allows the molecule to be easily replicated. We also completed a Gizmo simulation to both build and then replicate a short section of a DNA molecule.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

We started the 8th grade action civics project this week & the students already have some great ideas! They may ask you to fill out a community survey in the next few days. Your input will be greatly appreciated and helpful.  In addition to action civics we've just started studying the actual Constitution, one of the most important topics of the year.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the last few months with your 8th graders. They have been thoughtful and inquisitive while also regularly entertaining me.  I hope you remember that the next time you have to ask them to bring their dirty clothes to the laundry room for the 5th time (lol or is that just my house???)

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

  The Constitution would be in effect once 9 of the original 13 states ratified it.  Which New England state was the 9th state to ratify the Constitution?

a.  New Hampshire

b.  Massachusetts

c.  Rhode Island

d.  Connecticut

This week's civics trivia question

 How many Articles (sections) does the Constitution have?

a.  5

b.  6

c.  7

d.  8

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students began reading a novel called, Brandon Brown hace trampa. The students read two chapters and completed follow-up activities to go along with the chapters they read. Ask your child what the book is about!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 7th and 8th grade Latin students are working on Roman geography, history, sayings, and mythology. These are fun topics and may be questions on the NLE. 

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we reviewed the mechanics of writing an argument essay, and students learned new techniques to develop hook sentences and thesis statements.  (We will write an argument essay after the break.)  At the end of the week, we had a fun SATIRE activity in which students identified as many examples as they could of exaggeration, reversal, incongruity, and parody in the movie, Shrek.

SSR Projects are due on Friday, Feb. 28th (that's 13 days away). February break is a great time to get caught up on this long term project!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: We continued working with systems of equations this week. Students demonstrated their knowledge by applying previously learned skills to real world word problems. Students created a poster showing their ability of being able to solve real world problems by graphing, substitution, and elimination. Skill Drill #10 was due today. I hope you all enjoy the week off! 

Pre-Algebra: Students took a quiz on Monday (due to the snow day last week) on relations, functions, and patterns. We then took our understanding of linear functions and applied our knowledge to a real world example where students compared different class field trip options. They wrote equations, filled in tables, created graphs, and answered questions based on each field trip option. Skill Drill #10 was due today.  I hope you all enjoy the week off!

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, students took a quiz on reproductive strategies of living things. We then briefly learned about the two types of cell division, mitosis and meiosis. We did a Gizmo to become more familiar with mitosis, and on Friday, modeled Meiosis with a hands on lab activity.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

This week the 8th graders learned about the Federalists and Anti Federalists.  We wrapped up studying the Constitutional Convention with a quiz on Thursday.  There was a fun contest about how Ms. Morgan might react if she saw an 8th graders over vacation.  The students did a nice job on Friday working on one of Ms. Morgan's favorite classwork activity- hexagonal thinking.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

 Who took the most notes at the Constitutional Convention?

a.  George Washington

b.  Ben Franklin

c.  John Adams

d.  James Madison

This week's civics trivia question

 The Constitution would be in effect once 9 of the original 13 states ratified it.  Which New England state was the 9th state to ratify the Constitution?

a.  New Hampshire

b.  Massachusetts

c.  Rhode Island

d.  Connecticut

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students wrapped up Unit 11 in the SOMOS program. The students did a writing activity comparing the sports soccer and football in Spanish. The students worked in groups researching a Hispanic female athlete and shared the information they found. The students also learned some phrases for Valentine's Day!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

Happy Vacation! The 7th and 8th grade students who plan to take the NLE should study over break. The exam will be on March 11th. 

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird and watched the movie to close out the week.  Next week we will write an argument essay about one of the characters.

SSR Update: This long term reading project is due on Feb. 28th. Please check in with your child to make sure they have their book read and are working on the project packet.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: Students this week (classes Monday and Friday) finished looking at patterns and sequences. We ended the week with a review for the Chapter 4 Quiz on Monday (relations/patterns/functions).

Algebra: Students this week (classes Monday and Friday) finished working with a solving system of equations. We ended the week with a review for the Chapter 6.1-6.4 quiz on Monday.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we only met in class for two days. On Monday, we did a lab in which we looked at two different fish spawning strategies and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of each. On Friday, we reviewed the answer to the Reproductive Strategies study guide and played a review Blooket game. Our quiz will now be on Monday due to the snow day.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

It was a bit of a choppy week, but we did as much civics learning about the Constitutional Convention as we could.  There will be a quiz on the Constitutional Convention on Thurs. 2/13.  Helpful study resources should be added to Google Classroom by the end of the day (Fri. 2/7).

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

 Which country's constitution has been in effect the longest?

a. United States  (woot woot U.S.!)

b. Mexico

c. France

d. Italy

This week's civics trivia question

 Who took the most notes at the Constitutional Convention?

a.  George Washington

b.  Ben Franklin

c.  John Adams

d.  James Madison

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the 8th graders did a listening activity about a boy named Rafael, who plays soccer and football. The students had to respond to questions about what they heard. They also read an article about Baseball in the Dominican Republic. After reading, the students answered questions to see what they learned about the article.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students have finished reading "Eumachia" and will have a translating quiz next week. 

Today's Field Trip

The kids were so well behaved on our field trip today.  They seemed to have a lot of fun, and the folks at Gillette told us that it had been a long time since they had had a group of 8th graders this well behaved and engaged.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we continued our reading of To Kill a Mockingbird.  We read seven chapters this week and will read the climax on Monday.  We also had the reading MAP test this week.

SSR Update:  Students should have their books read to the end by 1/27, and by 2/6 they should have their 2nd one-pager completed.  This long term project is due on February 28th.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: This week we have started our work with solving systems of equations. We have looked at how to solve systems of equations by graphing and substitution.  Next week students will take the Math MAP test on Wednesday.

Pre-Algebra: This week students have been working with functions. We have looked at a variety of different relations and discussed what makes a relation a function. We also discovered how to find function values given the input. Next week students will take the Math MAP test on Wednesday.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we wrapped up our unit on reproductive strategies of living things. We learned about different adaptations for pollination and seed dispersal, worked on vocabulary slides to help us become more familiar with important vocabulary, and watched some videos on animal behaviors that ensure healthy offspring are produced and survive. A study guide was handed out on Thursday that will be due next Thursday 2/6. There will be a quiz on Reproductive Strategies on Friday 2/7.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

After working on Wanted posters (really Google Slides) about how a new government was wanted because of the Articles of Confederation's shortcomings, we transitioned into learning about the ultra-secret Constitutional Convention.  

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

How long were the Articles of Confederation in effect?

a. 5 years

b. 10 years

c. 15 years

d. 20 years

This week's civics trivia question

Which country's constitution has been in effect the longest?

a. United States

b. Mexico

c. France

d. Italy

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students began to learn how to compare and contrast football and soccer. The students did a variety of activities to develop their vocabulary in order to compare and contrast. The students heard a new song in Spanish called, "Tú no eres para mí", and read about the singer/songwriter. 

Latin with Ms. Hicks

Any 7th or 8th grade student who would like to sign up to take the National Latin Exam should let Ms. Hicks know next week. The exam will be given sometime during the week of March 10th. 

Field Trip - Important Information

Our Gillette Stadium field trip is one week away (Jan. 31st), and we can't wait!  Please make sure your child dresses warmly, as we are outside for a bit when we first arrive.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, students read and discussed the famous trial scenes in TKAM, then we watched them acted out in the movie on Friday. We will find out the verdict on Monday.  Research papers were due on Wednesday.

SSR Update:  Students should be finished reading their books by Jan. 27th.  This long-term project is due on Feb. 28th.  Please check in with your child to make sure they have not fallen behind.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: Students finished their work with linear inequalities this week. We looked at applying linear inequalities in two variables to real world scenarios and ended the week with our chapter test.

Pre-Algebra: Students have been working hard with one of our more difficult topics this year (systems of equations). We ended the week by tying everything together and applying our knowledge of system of equations to real world problems.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we continued learning about reproductive strategies of living things. When we returned from the long weekend, we presented the slides we made about different asexual reproduction strategies of various organisms. We dissected a flower later in the week to look at the male and female reproductive structures in flowering plants and then worked on vocabulary slides on Friday.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Can't stop won't stop with the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution in the U.S.  In the words of John Green in his Crash Course video, "In one word it was bad. In two words, it was not good."  Students learned about the main features of the Articles, what the Founders were trying to avoid with the Articles, & the many challenges that arose from the Articles.  Understanding the Articles of Confederation helps explain the motivations that led to the U.S. Constitution.

Civics trivia question

How long were the Articles of Confederation in effect?

a. 5 years

b. 10 years

c. 15 years

d. 20 years

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students saw a short video and answered questions about a talented group of indigenous boys from Mexico who play basketball around the world. The students practiced vocabulary on the online program, Garbanzo. They also compared the sports football and soccer in a graphic organizer. Finally, the students practiced asking and answering questions verbally, and were quizzed on them Friday.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jake Castillo, Sesha Chemuturi, Julia Guertin, Charles Marcopul, Duncan Thompson, and Hazel Willis. These 8th graders correctly solved Challenge Question #1 for the Scholastic Hardest Math Problem Student Contest. These students are now invited to enter Challenge #2 with the chance of winning some great prizes. Best of luck!

FIELD TRIP:  On Friday, January 31st,  8th graders will be traveling to Gillette Stadium/Patriot Place for a fun day filled with a Stem Activity and a tour of the Hall of Fame. Students are REQUIRED to bring a bagged lunch from home. If your child needs a lunch from the school, please email Mrs. Manheimer (amanheimer@littletonps.org) ASAP so she can let the cafeteria know. 

ELA with Ms. Abbott

On Monday - Wednesday this week, kids were using their in-class time to write their research papers. (These are due on Wed. 1/22). We jumped back into To Kill a Mockingbird in the later part of the week. We are now reading the trial scenes and will find out whether the jury finds Tom Robinson guilty or innocent of the crime he has been falsely accused of committing.

SSR Update

Kids should have 3/4 of their books read by Jan. 17th, with the first one-pager done.  Please check in with your child to make sure they are keeping up with this long term project.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: Students have been working hard on one of the most difficult topics we learn this year. By the end of the week, we have worked with all three methods for solving systems of equations (graphing, substitution, and elimination). Wednesday, January 22, students will take the test of this unit.

Algebra: Students are diving into the different ways we can graph and read inequalities. We have first worked with how to solve different inequalities and then applied our learning to real world examples. The Chapter test will be on Thursday, January 23.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in 8th grade Science, we began talking about the different reproductive strategies of living things. We discussed sexual and asexual reproduction in living things and the advantages and disadvantages of each. On Thursday and Friday, students selected an organism to research and learned about the asexual reproduction strategies it uses. Students will present their slides on Tuesday.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

We wrapped up our study of the Declaration of Independence this week with the students creating posters related to facts that they thought were important about the Declaration.  The 8th graders put lots of original thought and creativity into their work in addition to very thoughtful explanations about why the facts they chose were important. Next up is looking at the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the U.S.

Answer to last week's Civics Question of the Week

How much did a Dunlap Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence sell for in 2000?

a. $4 million

b. $6 million

c. $8 million

d. $10 million 

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students practiced their new vocabulary by answering questions verbally, listening to a story about a girl who wants to play football, and then they created their own story in groups. There were some very creative stories!

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students began reading the first novella of the year, Brandon Brown à la conquête de Québec. Students will learn about tourism in Quebec City and the history of the city. This is also their first resource using the past tense in French.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Eumachia" and learning about Pompeii. They should be studying for the National Latin Exam if they are planning to take it in March. 

ELA with Ms. Abbott

Students have begun working on their Civil Rights Research Papers this week, focusing on creating a works cited page and in-text citations. We have also been practicing writing in a formal style, summarizing, and paraphrasing from an original source.  We will spend some in-class time next week writing, so students will have an opportunity to ask questions as they go along. This paper is due on January 22nd.

SSR Update:

At this point in the trimester, students should have at least half of their book read, and the first one-pager completed.  Please check in with your child to make sure they are keeping up with this long term project.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: Students began solving using their understanding of how to solve equations and applied those skills to solving inequalities. The quiz on sections 5.1-5.4 will be Tuesday next week. SKD #9 was assigned today.

Pre-Algebra: Students took their knowledge of graphing linear equations written in slope intercept form and applied it to the first method of solving system (two or more) equations. The first method we used was solving by graphing. We ended the week with a short quiz on this topic. Next week we will begin looking at the second method which is by substitution. SKD #9 was assigned today.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we discussed the characteristics of life and what makes something living versus nonliving. We completed lab stations in which we identified various specimens as living, nonliving, dead or dormant. On Friday, we did another lab in which we observed a mystery substance to determine if it was alive and exhibiting characteristics of life.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Can't stop won't stop Declaration of Independence this week.  We have covered a plethora of facts related to the Declaration.  If your 8th grader starts looking for a copy of the Declaration they were probably inspired by Brad Meltzer's Decoded Declaration of Independence episode.  We'll wrap up this topic next week with a classwork project.

Civics Question of the Week

How much did a Dunlap Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence sell for in 2000?

a. $4 million

b. $6 million

c. $8 million

d. $10 million 

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students began a new unit about sports in Spanish-speaking countries. They practiced their new vocabulary, heard a new song, and played a "Guess Who?" game.

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students completed a student-led discussion where they had to choose a restaurant to try based on those restaurants’ menus. Students spoke entirely in French and were assessed in interpersonal speaking. We also read about the offerings in French school cafeterias and why they serve specific foods. In English and French, we discussed the differences between French and American school lunches.

Gillette Stadium Field Trip

Field trip forms were due Friday, December 20. If you still need to pay online, please do so ASAP. If you need to send in the field trip forms, please do so when we return on January 2. The plans will start to be finalized and we need to know how many students are planning to attend. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, students continued reading and discussing To Kill a Mockingbird. We are more than halfway through the book now. On Friday, we watched part two of the movie.  I hope everyone has a fun, safe, and restful winter break. Remember, the holiday break is a great time to get some SSR reading done. 

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: Students were introduced to rewriting equations into slope intercept form to be able to answer questions about the slope/rate of change. We ended the week with a fun competitive math sweater competition. Happy Holidays and enjoy vacation!

Algebra: Students continued working with different data displays. We focused on how to interpret the data, but also being able to take the data and put it into different data displays. All students should have completed their survey question this week so they are ready to start the data display project when we return. We ended the week with a fun competitive math sweater competition. Happy Holidays and enjoy vacation.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we finished our Home of the Future Design projects. I was impressed with the student's effort and creativity in their designs. Over break, students will have the option to make an extra credit 3D model of their house design. Models will be due Friday, January 3rd. We also reviewed for our Climate & Climate Change quiz, which students took on Friday. I hope everyone has a restful and enjoyable break!

Civics with Ms. Morgan

For the week before vacation the days seemed to fly by! I guess that's what happens when ti's can't stop won't stop civics.  The majority of the week was spent preparing for the unit test on the events leading to the Revolutionary War.  On Friday students made a civics themed winter hat that will be displayed in the hall in January.

Hope all families have a restful & enjoyable winter vacation!

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students learned about "El Sorteo extraordinario de Navidad", which is a lottery done in Spain, and the largest lottery that exists. The students learned details about this Christmastime event, which included how much the tickets are, who buys them, and what the prizes are. The students listened to and watched one of the grand announcements for the lottery,  which, in Spain, is like our Super Bowl commercials. 

In January 2025, please remind your student to come to class with a pencil, their notebook, and a charged Chromebook. Increasingly more students are coming to class unprepared, and I am running out of pencils. 

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students shared their research about a dish from a French-speaking country or specific region of France. Students presented (in person or in a pre-recorded video) explaining their recipes, their experience making it, and brought their dishes to try. Students did a wonderful job! All of the dishes presented well and tasted even better! We capped off the week by reading about and discussing winter holiday traditions in francophone countries.

NJHS

Students who are interested in applying to NJHS in the spring will need to meet the following requirements:

-GPA of 93% or higher

-At least 12 hours of community service

-At least 1 leadership experience

-Good character and role model behavior in class

-Participation in civic events (sports, theater, etc.)

If students have questions about NJHS, they should see or email Ms. Tompkins or Mr. Dennis

Gillette Stadium Field Trip Forms are due Friday, December 20th.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week, we finished reading Part One of To Kill a Mockingbird.  Kids took study notes on plot, theme, archetype, characterization, symbolism, foreshadowing, and irony. After this, we played practice games for group review, and then we had a test on Friday.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: This week we continued working with linear functions, mainly focusing on the slope intercept form of the equation. Students applied their understanding of slope and y-intercept to real world examples. The Chapter test of slope and slope intercept form will be on Monday, Dec. 16.

Algebra: Students took a test on Chapter 4 Equations and Linear Functions at the beginning of the week. The rest of the week we moved onto our Data and Statistics unit, focusing on how to create and interpret different data displays.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we reviewed many of the causes and effects of modern day climate change. We also began our "Home of the Future" design project. Students choose U.S. cities to research the impacts of climate change and then design a home to deal with these future issues.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Students learned a plethora of facts about various events leading to the American Revolution.  In addition to Santa's Workshop & a variety of short videos, the 8th graders looked at various primary source accounts of the Boston Massacre and hopefully learned about the lack of consensus around the details of that event.

The Road to Revolution test is Thurs. 12/19. 

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students took a speaking quiz to test their knowledge of the unit vocabulary. The students also saw a short video about a little boy and an octopus. They drew three events from the video and wrote about them.

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students worked independently or with a partner on a French cooking project. Students are researching a dish from a French-speaking country or specific region of France, preparing their chosen recipe at home, and sharing their experience with their classmates. Presentations will take place in class next week, and students will bring in a dish for everyone to try!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are finishing up reading "Labyrinthus". Students who are planning to take the NLE should also be studying. They can do practice exams, use the nle.org practice app. or the gimkits posted in Google Classroom. The exam is in March but sign ups will take place at the end of January. 

NJHS

Students who are interested in applying to NJHS in the spring will need to meet the following requirements:

-GPA of 93% or higher

-At least 12 hours of community service

-At least 1 leadership experience

-Good character and role model behavior in class

-Participation in civic events (sports, theater, etc.)

If students have questions about NJHS, they should see or email Ms. Tompkins or Mr. Dennis

NJHS

Students who are interested in applying to NJHS in the spring will need to meet the following requirements:

-GPA of 93% or higher

-At least 12 hours of community service

-At least 1 leadership experience

-Good character and role model behavior in class

-Participation in civic events (sports, theater, etc.)

If students have questions about NJHS, they should see or email Ms. Tompkins or Mr. Dennis.

Science

This week in Science class, we learned about some of the natural causes for both short-term and long-term climate cycles on Earth. We explored how scientists can learn about past climate using tree rings, ice cores, and other evidence. We then began talking about modern day climate change and some of its causes and effects. On Friday, we did a lab activity to model the greenhouse effect on a smaller scale.

Math

Field Trip Forms for the Gillette Stadium Field Trip on January 31st were sent home this week. Please check with your child for this information.

Pre-Algebra: Students this week began applying their previous knowledge of slope to the equations of linear functions. We ended the week by graphing equations in slope intercept form by creating human graphs. Students did a great job demonstrating their understanding of how to plot points to draw the graphs of these lines. Skill Drill #7 was assigned this week. It is due next Friday.

Algebra: Students this week worked on an in class project demonstrating their knowledge of writing linear equations in slope intercept form, standard form, and point slope form. We ended the week learning about the inverse of linear functions. Skill Drill #7 was assigned this week. It is due next Friday.

Civics

We wrapped up looking at British influences on the U.S. government & have moved onto studying the events that led up to the Revolutionary War.  Lots of rebellious activity was happening in our lovely state of Massachusetts. The colonists were rebels with a cause.

This week's civics trivia question:

The British Petition of Right (1628) stated that British citizens didn't have to quarter troops in their homes.  This later became the _______ amendment in the U.S. Bill of Rights.

a.  3rd

b. 4th

c. 5th

d. 6th

The answer to last week's civics trivia question:

Rule of law, the idea that everyone must follow the law and no one is above the law, comes from which famous British document?

a. the English Bill of Rights (1689)

b. the Petition of Right (1628)

c. the Magna Carta (1215)

8th Grade Spanish

This week in Spanish, the students continued learning vocabulary about emotions. The students read and listened to a passage about the book/movie, Como agua para chocolate, by Laura Esquivel. The students watched a scene from the movie that they read about in class.

Latin

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Labyrinthus" and starting to study for the National Latin Exam.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we read chapters 5-9 of To Kill a Mockingbird, analyzing key quotes for theme and archetype, discussing theme, characterization, symbolism and plot structure.  The kids seem to really be enjoying the novel (no surprise)!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Math Challenge Opportunity: The Scholastic Math Challenge was provided to all students last month.  This is an optional assignment for 8th graders. Challenge problem #1 was distributed to any student who was interested. There are still copies for anyone looking for an additional math challenge outside of class. Students will independently work on the Challenge #1 and submit their entries to Mrs. Manheimer. These are due no later than December 11th.  If students correctly answer Challenge #1, they will be invited to enter Challenge #2. Prizes for the top 3 students include a laptop or tablet and a contribution towards a 529 savings plan. 

Algebra: This week we continued our work with linear equations. We introduced point slope form and have been practicing rewriting between the three forms (slope intercept, point slope, and standard form) and been applying our knowledge to real world examples. All work for trimester 1 MUST BE TURNED IN BY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26th.

Pre-Algebra: This week we dove deeper into the concept of slope of linear functions. We looked at the different ways to find the slope of tables, graphs, and between two points. We took our knowledge of finding slope, and related it to finding the rate of change of a given situation. We ended the week with a slope picture project that we will be finishing in class on Monday. All work for trimester 1 MUST BE TURNED IN BY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26th.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we took a quiz on Weather on Monday. Scores were emailed back on Thursday. If a student scored below an 80, they may do corrections to bring their score up to an 80. Corrections are due back Monday 12/2. On Tuesday, we began our unit on climate. We did a Gizmo activity to observe some of the different climate zones on Earth and discussed the data we use to describe climate. Later in the week, we began discussing the major factors that impact climate, such as latitude, elevation, wind patterns, nearby large bodies of water, and topography. On Friday, we studied how ocean currents can impact the climate of coastal areas.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

The highlight of the week had to be the Magna Carta play that the students performed.  There were so many great thespians that helped bring the maybe-boring-but-extremely-important Magna Carta topic to life. Bravo to the thespians AND the audience. It was an all-around great activity.

On Wednesday there were lots of unique & creative drawings that helped review trimester 1 vocabulary terms. More commendable work by the 8th graders! 

This week's civics trivia question:

Rule of law, the idea that everyone must follow the law and no one is above the law, comes from which famous British document?

a. the English Bill of Rights (1689)

b. the Petition of Right (1628)

c. the Magna Carta (1215)

Answer to last week's civics trivia question:

Which Enlightenment thinker thought that splitting government power into three branches was needed in order to protect political liberty (freedom)?

a. Baron de Montesquieu

b. Voltaire

c. Jean Jacques Rousseau

d. John Locke

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students began a new unit with new, longer vocabulary phrases. The students learned about the legendary Celia Cruz, "The Queen of Salsa Music". The students listened to one of her songs Called, "Rie y llora". They learned the lyrics and filled in missing lyrics to the song. The students also answered some questions verbally to practice their new vocabulary.

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students discussed some of the different dishes served in specific regions of France and other French-speaking places. We encountered more vocabulary for specific foods and continued to compare regional French foods with foods we eat frequently. On Monday 25 November, students will have the opportunity in class to try some of the crepes we have been reading about!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade students are reading "Labyrinthus" and will have a quiz on Monday.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we read the first few chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird, did a bit of vocabulary work, and the kids completed an activity designed to help them understand what it is like to live in poverty.  SSR was due on Thursday.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: During the short week, we wrapped up Chapter 3, reviewed, and took the Chapter test. Skill Drill #6 was assigned for the week and is due next Friday. This is the last skill drill of this trimester.

Pre-Algebra: During the short week, students started a discovery activity on the steepness of ramps and stairs. This led us into our conversation about slope and the mathematical ways we can calculate the steepness/slope of a graph, table, or between two points. Skill Drill #6 was assigned for the week and is  next Friday. This is the last skill drill of this trimester.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we finished our Hurricane Tracking Activity. We also spent time reviewing for our Weather Quiz, which will be on Monday November 18th.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Can't stop won't stop civics focused on reviewing for the quiz on Thursday.  In addition to traditional review questions we had a couple rounds of Blooket because a week without Blooket is like. . . I don't know actually.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question: 

Which Enlightenment thinker believed that the purpose of government was to protect people's basic rights?

a. Baron de Montesquieu

b. Voltaire

c. Thomas Hobbes

d. John Locke

This week's civics trivia question:

Which Enlightenment thinker thought that splitting government power into three branches was needed in order to protect political liberty (freedom)?

a. Baron de Montesquieu

b. Voltaire

c. Jean Jacques Rousseau

d. John Locke

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the 8th graders completed a project they have been working on about food and food groups. The students had to answer questions based on their project and the food groups in Spanish.

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students began reading about how French cuisine varies throughout the regions of France and in other French-speaking cultures. Students discussed likes and dislikes in French about these foods. We also read about traditional poutine in Canada, discussed its variations, and compared it to similar foods from other cultures.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week, we had a vocabulary quiz and read the first two chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird, focusing on characters, setting, dialect, and figurative language. 

The kids' term-long SSR projects (independent reading) are due on Thursday next week (Nov. 14th).

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, students learned about severe weather and how hurricanes and tornadoes form. Students conducted a tornado investigation activity and learned about Tornado Alley and why tornadoes are more common there. We ended the week with a hurricane plotting activity, in which we will look at the path of Hurricane Laura and how it changed in intensity as it made its way toward landfall in Louisiana. Next week, we will wrap up our unit on weather and review for our quiz, which will take place on Monday 11/18.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

In addition to reviewing vocabulary from our current unit (looking at the roots of the U.S. government) and vocabulary from the whole trimester, students learned about how Rome influenced the U.S. government as well as influences from the European Enlightenment.

There is a Unit 2 quiz on Thurs. 11/14.

There is a trimester 1 vocabulary test on Thurs. 11/21.  We have already reviewed 30 of the 40 words that will be on the test.

This week's civics trivia question: 

Which Enlightenment thinker believed that the purpose of government was to protect people's basic rights?

a. Baron de Montesquieu

b. Voltaire

c. Thomas Hobbes

d. John Locke

Answer to last week's civics trivia question: 

How many electoral college votes does a presidential candidate need in order to become president?

a.  170

b.  270

c.  300

d.  370

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students learned about Día de muertos, or Day of the Dead. The students watched two videos about the celebration and what various components of the celebration mean. The 8th graders made an ofrenda, or an altar in class. The class used traditional decorations to create the ofrenda. Later in the week, the students read a story about an old woman and a hairy toe. Ask your student about this story!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are getting ready to read "Labyrinthus", the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. 

Happy Halloween from your 8th grade team!

Left to Right: Ms. Abbott (ELA), Ms. Finn (Science), Ms. Mailhot (Special Needs), Ms. Manheimer (Math), Ms. Oliver (Teaching Assistant), Ms. Ciarfella (ASC), and Ms. Morgan (Civics).

Monday 11/4 is the last day for the NJHS holiday food drive to support local families! Please consider donating if you are able to!

ELA with Ms. Abbott (Sadness)

This week in ELA, after a little bit of poetry analysis, we focused mostly on vocabulary.  We will have a vocabulary quiz on Wednesday next week.

SSR Update: Kids should have their SSR books read to the end by this time.  They should be working on the 2nd one-pager in their packet.  The project is due two weeks from today (Nov. 14th).

Math with Ms. Manheimer (Anger)

Pre-Algebra: This week we continued building on solving equations by looking at special cases, where the equation has no solution or infinite solutions. The Chapter 2 test on solving equations will be next week on Thursday.

Algebra: This week we looked at applying what we learned with slope to the slope intercept form of a linear equation. Students answered real world problems identifying the meaning of slope and y intercept.

Science with Ms. Finn (Envy)

This week in Science class, we completed a Gizmo simulation in which we tracked weather conditions around high vs. low pressure systems and warm versus cold fronts. We also practiced interpreting weather maps and forecasting future weather conditions using these maps. We also constructed isotherm and isobar maps and learned about how we can use these maps to understand our weather better.

Civics with Ms. Morgan (Embarrassment)

Can't stop won't stop civics continues to our next unit about all of the ideas that the Founding Fathers used to create the U.S. government, except for the Electoral College of course.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question:

Each state has a minimum of _____ electors. 

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 4

This week's civics trivia question: 

How many electoral college votes does a presidential candidate need in order to become president?

a.  170

b.  270

c.  300

d.  370

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students wrapped up Unit 9 with a writing assessment. The students wrote about one of three topics, showing their knowledge of the unit vocabulary. The students also began learning about Día de muertos, or Day of the Dead. Next week the students will construct an 'ofrenda' or an altar to honor someone who has passed (the class will choose a celebrity.)

Students need to come to class with a charged Chromebook. More and more students are coming to class asking to borrow a charger. Please remind your student to charge their Chromebook each night, or every other night.

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students practiced unit 8 core vocabulary.  As a class, we wrote a story and practiced retelling it aloud and in writing. We also practiced listening by hearing parts of the story and drawing scenes of our choice, then used those drawings to retell the story to partners.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students have finished reading "Familia Mala" and will have a translating quiz on Monday. 

A note about Chromebooks:

We are seeing too many 8th graders coming to school with uncharged Chromebooks.  The kids use their Chromebooks in nearly every class they attend, and it can be very disruptive to deal with a student who cannot access the curriculum because they are coming to class unprepared. 

Please check in with your 8th grader to ensure they have regular routines around charging.  They all remember to charge their phones overnight; please help them to set a habit of plugging in their Chromebook at the same time.

If they have lost their charger, a new one can be purchased here.  It is not acceptable for a student to go through this entire school year without a charger.  Please help them to be successful by providing them with all of the supplies they need to stay up to date.  If you find that your child has lost their charger, but you need financial help from the school to buy one, please contact Ms. Abbott.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we studied the history and societal conditions in the South during the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird (Alabama, 1931).  Students learned about Black Codes, Jim Crow, The Great Depression, and FDR's influence on the time. Students also read about a court case that was Harper Lee's inspiration for writing her Pulitzer Prize winning novel.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Math Challenge Opportunity: The Scholastic Math Challenge was provided to all students last week.  This is an optional assignment for 8th graders. Challenge problem #1 was distributed to any student who was interested. There are still copies for anyone looking for an additional math challenge outside of class. Students will independently work on the Challenge #1 and submit their entries to Mrs. Manheimer. These are due no later than December 11th.  If students correctly answer Challenge #1, they will be invited to enter Challenge #2. Prizes for the top 3 students include a laptop or tablet and a contribution toward a 529 savings plan. 

Algebra: This week we started graphing linear equations using intercepts and interpreted those intercepts for given situations. On Tuesday, students worked collaboratively in groups to try to escape our breakout boxes (yes they needed to discover codes to open locks to succeed). We had two groups successfully unlock all the  We then began building on concepts learned last year with slope and rate of change. The 3.1 & 3.2 quiz will be Monday next week. Skill Drill #5 was assigned today and is due next Thursday, October 31 (no school on Friday).

Pre-Algebra:  We started the week with a quiz on solving equations. We then started looking at how to simplify expressions using the distributive property and combine like terms. We will apply these two concepts to solving multi step equations next week. Skill Drill #5 was assigned today and is due next Thursday, October 31 (no school on Friday).

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we learned about air masses, weather fronts, and air pressure and how each contributes to the weather. We conducted a lab on air pressure and built our own pressure indicators. Next week, we will dive into interpreting weather maps.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

This week's civics classes centered around media literacy & research.  Students learned a little about the role of AI & deepfake videos in society and how they might affect our democracy.  They also thought about what makes an information source credible or not.  The 2nd half of the week focused on a mini-research project about a civil rights leader.  This project entails working some parts of the project in civics and then finishing up the project in English class later this fall.

Just over one week until the election, wow!  If you have voted already thank you.  If you haven't voted yet (like me) I hope you have a plan to fit voting in your schedule, whether it be early voting or on election day.

Last week's civics trivia question:

How many electors are there in the Electoral College?

a. 100

b. 270

c. 435

d. 538

This week's civics trivia question:

Each state has a minimum of _____ electors. 

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 4

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

It was a busy week for the 8th graders! They described their drawing of the Cucuy, or the Boogeyman, did a reading about the Cucuy, and listened to a variety of Latin songs as a part of the Latin music competition we are participating in, called Locotubre.

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students completed presentational writing, interpretive listening, and interpretive reading assessments from our unit about social responsibility in our local community. As we begin a new unit, we listened to a French song to learn new vocabulary as we prepare to discuss French cuisine and popular foods in different French-speaking countries.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Familia Mala" and are morning on a mini derivative project. 

Food Drive: We are collecting items for our annual Loaves and Fishes food drive! We are especially looking for holiday foods like cranberry sauce, stuffing, pie filling, and broth to gear up for Thanksgiving. Each flex block is competing for the chance to win a breakfast party. The drive will end on Monday Nov. 4th. Please consider donating if you are able to!

We are in need of tissues and hand sanitizer. Donations are greatly appreciated.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, our focus was on PUNCTUATION - specifically commas, dashes, colons, and semicolons.  We reviewed and practiced when to use these punctuation marks for appositive phrases, items in a series, coordinate adjectives, and in compound sentences.  This culminated in a quiz on Friday.  While the kids wish we could have one more week of comma instruction because they loved it so much (sarcastic), we will be moving on to our To Kill a Mockingbird unit next week (Yay!), something I'm sure they will enjoy more than grammar.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra:  At the beginning of the week, we took a break from solving equations and worked through an escape room activity where students needed to use math and solve puzzles to gather correct codes which allowed them to be able to unlock different types of locks. We had only three groups who successfully unlocked all 5 locks. There were MANY other groups who were very close! We then got back into solving equations this midweek and  worked our way to equations with variables on both sides. Skill Drill #4 was assigned today and is due next Friday, Oct 25th.

Algebra: Students started the week preparing for the Chapter 2 Test which we took on Wednesday. We then began working with linear equations and looked at how to write these equations in standard form and how to graph linear equations using intercepts.  Next week, algebra 1 students will get their chance at trying to escape the breakout boxes. Skill Drill #4 was assigned today and is due next Friday, Oct 25th.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we learned more about weather variables, how weather data is collected, and how precipitation forms. We constructed a cloud in a bottle and ran a Gizmos simulation in which students collected weather data using some of the tools meteorologists use. We also introduced air masses and weather fronts.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

8th grade civics students wrapped up our unit on the expansion of voting rights in the U.S. by turning in their one pager projects (most of them at least) & doing a fabulous job on the voting rights hexagonal puzzle classwork.  Each pair made different connections among the various voting rights topics. It was great to hear their conversations about how the different topics could connect.  We have moved onto studying freedom of the press & news/media literacy.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question:

Which state was the first to give U.S. women full voting rights?

a. Massachusetts

b. Idaho

c. Wyoming

d. Colorado

This week's civics trivia question:

How many electors are there in the Electoral College?

a. 100

b. 270

c. 435

d. 538

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students are continuing learning about El Cucuy, or the Boogeyman. The students drew their own Cucuy, and had a speaking quiz talking about their version of the Cucuy. Each day the students are also listening to two Latin songs and voting on their favorite. The genres of the songs they are listening to are: salsa, merengue, banda regional, and flamenco. This is part of a music competition called, Locotubre. It can be found at senorashby.com if you would like to check it out!

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students continued reading about and discussing one way that streets have been kept clean in French cities. We discussed aloud and in writing what a citizen’s responsibilities are and what local resources we need to keep our daily public lives running smoothly.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Familia Mala" which is about Saturn eating the Olympians. 

Math

Room 232 is in need of tissues and hand sanitizer. Donations would be greatly appreciated!

Pre-Algebra: Students took their first test of the year on scientific notation and roots. Check aspen for grades! We started solving equations this week by discussing inverse operations and the goal of when we solve equations. Students finished the week working in groups at whiteboards to show their understanding of writing equations from word problems.

Algebra:  Students have been working hard with building on their previously learned skills of solving equations and applying it to solving absolute value equations, proportions, and literal equations. The Chapter 2 Test is next Wednesday, October 16. We will review and complete a study guide in class on Tuesday.

science

This week in Science class, we began our next unit, weather. We introduced the unit by seeing how much we already knew about some key weather concepts and also what some of our  misconceptions might be. We looked up weather conditions at various places around the world and observed how different these conditions can be from place to place and day-to-day. We also spent time each day tracking Hurricane Milton and discussed predictions and what the overall outcome of the storm was.

French

This week French students shared which pets they have and read about one way that the streets in Paris are kept clean. We also focused on different present tense forms of -er verbs, practicing the forms and learning to recognize them in context.

civics

We've wrapped up our unit on the history of voting rights in the U.S. The students are showing what they know by completing three one pagers which is a project worth a test grade. Most 8th graders have been using their class time well to complete this work & have shown a solid understanding of how voting rights have evolved in the U.S.  The whole project is due on Wed. 10/16 and most students have already turned in the majority of the work.

Civics Trivia Question

Which state was the first to give women full voting rights?

a. Massachusetts

b. Idaho

c. Wyoming

d. Colorado

8th Grade Spanish

This week in Spanish, the students started learning about the legend of "El Cucuy", or the Boogeyman in Hispanic culture. The students read a story, listened to a story, and drew their own version of El Cucuy. The students will talk about their drawing in small groups next week.

Latin

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Familia Mala" and working on derivatives.

he 8th grade team is in need of tissues and hand sanitizer. Donations would be greatly appreciated!

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, our focus was on our first big writing assignment - a literary analysis essay on "The Mentor" archetype.  We discussed and practiced:  

• Finding the best evidence from the texts to exemplify the claim and blending them into our writing with context from the story

• How to generate more and better analysis (using HOW? and WHY? questions)

• Proper introductory and concluding paragraph structure and content, including the hook sentence, the thesis, and the mic-drop sentence.

This essay is due in MLA format on Wednesday, October 16th.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: We are coming to the end of chapter one and have been focusing on finding perfect square and cube roots and estimating non perfect square and cube roots. Students will have a Chapter 1 test on scientific notation and roots on Tuesday, Oct 8. Skill Drill #3 was assigned today and due next Friday, Oct 11.

Algebra: Students have been doing so well with solving equations. We had a quiz on solving multi-step equations and equations with variables on both sides and everyone did so well. Next week we will continue looking at solving different types of equations, such as absolute value equations. Skill Drill #3 was assigned today and due next Friday, Oct 11.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class we wrapped up our unit on Seasons. We completed several review activities, finished a Gizmo exploration called Seasons in 3D, and did a graphing activity that looked at the hours of daylight and angle of sunlight over the course of the year. Students ended the week with a quiz on Friday.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Students continued learning about the expansion of voting rights in the U.S.  Some groups of Americans have had to fight for their right to vote. Did you know that American women in every U.S. state have only had the right to vote in all elections for 104 years?!???  Some topics from this week include the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the 19th amendment, & the well-timed march for women's voting rights the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration in March 1913.

Any 8th graders turning 14 this month will be able to vote in the 2028 presidential election, omg!

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students worked with a story that they wrote, practicing summarizing it by retelling it to each other aloud and in writing. We are also taking a closer look at how to change verbs to match different subjects by rewriting and retelling  a story in a different perspective.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Famila Mala". They are learning about  Saturn and the Olympian gods. 

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, students learned about "The Mentor" archetype (our last of three focus archetypes for the year). We read two myths: one from the Greeks, one from the Crow Indians, which exemplified the mentor character. Students then did a pre-writing activity where they had to think of a mentor character from a book they have read or a movie they have seen and write about how that mentor helped the protagonist and affected the overall outcomes of the story.  Next week, students will be writing an essay on "The Mentor," incorporating their work from this week.  Students also submitted their archetype projects on Friday this week.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Please check aspen for the most up to date grades. This is a good time to check with your child for any missing assignments.

Pre-Algebra: Students continued working with exponents this week. We practiced how to write really large or small numbers using scientific notation and computed (add/subtract/multiply/divide) with numbers written in scientific notation. Next week we will be working in class to sort and compare the sizes of different objects in relation to using scientific notation.

Algebra: Students continued using the skills we learned last week to multi-step equations this week. We discussed the proper way to set up and show our steps when solving equations as we move to solving equations with variables on both sides (next week). The Chapter 2.1-2.4 quiz will be on Thursday, Oct 3.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science we explored the reason for the seasons in more detail. We conducted a lab investigation of the effects of solar angle on light intensity. Later in the week, we completed a Gizmos simulation activity to further explore the interactions of the Sun and Earth that result in seasons.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

After reviewing & taking a quiz, the 8th graders have continued to learn about voting, including barriers & challenges related to voting in the U.S. throughout history.  Ms. Morgan got probably a little too excited about Nebraska & its unique electoral college system being in the news during this past week.  Maybe your 8th grader can tell you a little bit about how Nebraska & Maine are unique when it comes to the Electoral College.

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students listened to a story that contains their unit vocabulary. They played Bingo with details from the story. The class listened to a new song that contains the vocabulary they're learning. Also this week, 8th graders made a graph of fears, and analyzed another graph about fears people have. 

French with Ms. DiRusso

Room 224 is almost out of tissues, so any donations would be greatly appreciated! This week French students continued to learn about the music group Kids United Nouvelle Génération who perform to support UNICEF. Students listened to one of their songs and practiced listening and pronunciation by listening for specific words. We discussed in French the nicest ways to respond to different social situations and made up a class story in French using our unit 7 vocabulary.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students have finished reading "Drusilla et Convivium Magarum" and will have their final book quiz on Monday. 

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we wrapped up our discussions of "The Ages" archetype with some poetry analysis; then we moved into our study of "The Loss of Innocence" archetype.  Students read and discussed three different Greek myths, specifically, how they exemplify the archetype.  On Friday, students were assigned a creative project to highlight what they have learned in these two units.  It is due on Friday, 9/27.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: This week we continued our work with laws of exponents (what happens when we multiply or divide two powers with the same base and what happens when we raise a power to a power). Students will have a quiz on Monday 9/23 on these exponents rules. On Friday, we reviewed for the quiz in class. All students have this study guide to study from over the weekend.  Skill Drill #2 was handed out today and is due next Friday, 9/27. (This can be turned  in ahead of time to be checked so students can make corrections before Friday)

Algebra: This week students discussed what makes a relation a function. We looked at different representations through tables, graphs, mappings, and equations. We also looked at identifying parts of a graph of functions. We finished the week with the Chapter 1 Test. Next week we will start our work with equations. Skill Drill #2 was handed out today and is due next Friday, 9/27. (This can be turned  in ahead of time to be checked so students can make corrections before Friday)

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, students showed their knowledge of lab safety with a quiz on Monday. The rest of the week we learned about the Sun-Earth-Moon system and the observable patterns it creates. We reviewed moon phases, eclipses, and tides with some modeling activities and a Gizmos simulation. Next week, we will investigate the cause of the seasons on earth in more detail.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

This week was mostly can't stop won't stop electoral college. All of the classes did well on the Fast & Curious vocabulary review, reaching over 90% accuracy in three or fewer tries.  Students began trying to Win the White House, an iCivics game.  There's a quiz on Tuesday that we've been reviewing for.

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students learned about a Hispanic food called an arepa. The students read about them, watched a video about a debate on where they originate, and they also wrote about them. On Friday, the students made arepas in class, so they can try out the food they've been learning about!

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students began a new unit about local and global challenges for kids. We began to read about an international music group, Kids United, that partners with UNICEF as well as learn about UNICEF’s world aid efforts.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are almost finished reading "Drusilla et Convivium Magarum". 

MAP Testing

Next week, all students at LMS will be starting the first of three rounds of MAP tests: Wednesday, 9/18 will be a reading test, with a math test on the following Wednesday, 9/25.  Students should come in with charged chromebooks and a good night's sleep the night before.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we mostly focused on vocabulary.  Students played word games, completed practice worksheets, and had word discussions to prepare for Friday's vocabulary quiz.  The word list was taken from our reading, a myth that highlighted the first of our focus archetypes, "The Ages."

Math with Ms. Manheimer

The first skill drill of the year was handed out to all students today. Please see the separate email sent home with information regarding this assignment. If you did not receive the email, please let me know.

Algebra: Students had their first quiz of the year this week and everyone did so well! Our next portion of Chapter 1 will focus on relations and functions. Skill Drill #1 is due Friday, September 20.

Pre-Algebra: Students worked on ordering and comparing real numbers this week. They demonstrated their understanding through an in class project in which students created their own real number lines. Skill Drill #1 is due Friday, September 20.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in science class, we designed our own investigations to determine the scientific cause of the movement of a "fortune fish". (The actual reason was moisture on our hands.) We then began reviewing lab safety procedures and had fun identifying safety violations in a Spongebob scenario. We always played charades and acted out the lab safety rules for more practice. Our quiz on lab safety will be on Monday 9/16. Next week, we will begin learning about the Sun-Earth-Moon system, and dive into the reason for the seasons.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

This week the students learned about the sometimes confusing Electoral College. Hopefully by the later part of next week they will have a good understanding of the Electoral College & might be able to explain aspects of it to you.

This supports standard 3.4 in the 8th grade civics frameworks- "Explain the process of elections in the legislative & executive branches. . . " which includes the subtopic of "the function of the Electoral College in Presidential elections."  The students also worked on a social sciences literacy standard "engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions. . . " 

It's can't stop won't stop civics (per usual) in room 235.  Hope everyone has a voting plan for Tues. 11/5/24. :)

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students continued learning about elote, Mexican street corn. The students read a few articles on the topic, listened to a parody song about elote, and watched a short video about Unicorn Elote. Ask your student about it and why it was created!

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students continued practicing changing verbs to fit different contexts, and were assessed on their ability to rewrite a short story in French from a different perspective (e.g. rewrite a story written in the third person by changing it to the first person). We also began learning how to express needs and ask for help in French.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are having their first translating quiz for "Drusilla et Convivium Magarum"

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we did some poetry analysis of Robert Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay" as an introduction to our unit on "The Ages Archetype."  Students also read two creation myths from both the Greeks and the Chinese cultures and compared their similarities and differences.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we continued discussing the scientific inquiry process. We set up and began making entries into our Science journals and worked on becoming more familiar with scientific inquiry vocabulary that we will be using throughout the school year. Next week, students will design and carry out their own scientific investigations, and we will review lab safety procedures.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Friday was extra-special for Ms. Morgan because she got to show clips of the Republican & Democratic National Conventions roll calls. She has loved watching the roll calls for years.

Students have been learning a little about politics, elections, & voting in the U.S. with much more to come!

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students reviewed the unit they worked on in June. The students did a variety of vocabulary activities, listened to a song, and practiced speaking their vocabulary. Next week, the students will begin a new mini unit on Mexican Street Corn. 

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students read a story in French about a dangerous creature and made predictions about what would happen. We reviewed first and third person verb forms, then rewrote this story from the perspective of a plural narrator rather than the singular narrator in the original version.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are working on comics for the "Drusilla et Convivium Magarum" novella. 

WELCOME TO 8TH GRADE!

What a lovely group of 8th graders we get to work with this year!  They have made these first few days a real pleasure.

Parents FYI:  If you need to reach out to the 8th grade team about your child's needs, please contact our team leader, Jenny Abbott at jabbott@littletonps.org.

A note about cell phones:  Students are already aware that cell phones are not to be used in classes without teacher permission.  In order to eliminate unnecessary distractions in class, starting next week, students will be expected to turn in their phones to the phone holder at the start of every class.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we spent some time learning about teacher expectations and classroom procedures.  Students completed a Six-Word Memoir Google Slides project to tell me a little bit about them, and then I told them a little bit about myself.  

We went to the Library on Thursday, and students picked out their books for our first trimester reading project.  These books are to travel back and forth with them from school to home, so they always have their book with them when they need it.  I have sent each student home with a book approval form for a parent or guardian to sign. This is a term-long project and is due on November 14th.  I will give the kids a timeline next week to help them pace their reading and stay on track.  The 8th grade team also schedules silent reading time during flex block at least two days each week.

I'm really looking forward to a fantastic school year with the class of 2029!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

What a great start to the school year. All students seemed to have transitioned smoothly back into the new school year. I have enjoyed getting to know the 8th graders and look forward to a great year! Students will need a 3 ring binder, paper, and 5 dividers for class on Tuesday. If your child is in need of any or all of these items, please let me know (if you have not already done so). We will start diving into the curriculum next week!

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we reviewed the course expectations and began with lab stations to preview topics we will learn about this year. We also worked on "Elements of Me" and several other "getting to know you" activities. Next week, we will spend time reviewing science and engineering practices.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

So far, so good in 8th grade civics! This week included a civics scavenger hunt and each student designing a shoe related to meaningful aspects of their personality/life.  So far the students have been putting good, focused effort on all of the civics activities.

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students got acclimated with rules, expectations, and a review of basic concepts we did in 7th grade. On Tuesday, the students will pick up where they left off in June!

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week I was excited to continue working with our eighth grade French students! This year we will continue learning some French language for communication and a bit about francophone culture. This week we reviewed classroom procedures as well as greetings and introductions in French using some readings. Please email me at mdirusso@littletonps.org with any questions. I look forward to a great year!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

Welcome back! We have already started reading "Drusilla et Convivium Magarum", Drusilla and the dinner party of witches. It is a story about a girl who really wants a peacock for dinner and thinks that her brother cooks snakes and eats them with a group of witches. Ms. Hicks would really appreciate donations of tissues and paper towels.