Grade 8

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we did some poetry analysis and then learned about "The Ages" archetype (the first of three core archetypes we will study this year).  Students read two different creation myths, one Greek and one Chinese, comparing the similarities and differences of both.  Students also wrote a paragraph writing sample, describing a memory from their childhood.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: Students have been settling in well this week as we began our new learning. I am excited with the level of engagement, kindness, and energy that these kids have been bringing to class each day. We will have our first quiz of the year on sections 1.1 through 1.4 on Tuesday, 9/9. Students will review and prepare in class on Monday. 

Pre-Algebra: Students have been settling in well this week as we began our new learning. I am excited with the level of engagement, kindness, and energy that these kids have been bringing to class each day. Next week, we will begin our first project of the year. It will all be completed in class on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Back to school means lots of explaining- routines, expectations, how to listen & stay quiet, the Do Now sheet. . . you get the point.  After completing a "What is Civics?" activity & thinking about positive behaviors for the classroom, students started learning a little about politics (in a generic sense), elections, & voting in the U.S.  There's lots more in store for the can'tstopwon'tstopcivics classroom! :)

Science with Ms. Finn

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students began learning new vocabulary about being afraid of things. We talked about various fears people have, and wrote about them. 

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. We also began our first unit by discussing relationships in French, listening to a song to review key vocabulary, and writing a class story using our unit’s core vocabulary. Please email me at mdirusso@littletonps.org with any questions. I look forward to a great year!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students started the year making vocabulary posters. They are also reading "Drusilla et Convivium Magarum".

What a great first few days we had up in the 8th grade hallway!  It's been so much fun getting to know our new 8th grade bunch.  They are so friendly and have left a really positive first impression on their teachers. Have a great long weekend!  We look forward to seeing you all back on Tuesday and a fantastic year ahead!

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we spent our three academic days watching the movie, 

A Midsummer Night's Dream. We watched it with subtitles, so the kids could read the lines as they were being spoken. I think the students were surprised at how much of the play they were able to understand without the teacher going over every little detail.  I also think they were surprised at how funny Shakespeare can be.  It's a lot more than "To be or not to be..."  

As this is our last Weekend Update of the year, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I have enjoyed teaching this year's class of 8th graders.  They are fantastic kids with so much personality and talent.  Have a great summer everyone!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

It is hard to believe the end of the school year is here. I have enjoyed teaching this amazing group of kids and I will miss you all. My wish for you is that you continue to grow wherever your high school years are taking you, encourage each other to try new things, and to be kind to one another. Never stop being YOU! Have a great summer! You deserve it!

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we completed a final Gizmo STEM case, in which students investigated physical and chemical changes and how counterfeit gold coins can be created. We also closed out the year with a final End-of-the-Year Blooket on Thursday.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

We wrapped up 2024-25 8th grade cantstopwontstopcivics with an infographic about a variety of Supreme Court cases.  Even though they wanted to be done with school prior to the infographic, most 8th graders put good thought and work into the assignment.  

Best of luck to the class of 2029, some of the future voters & leaders of our country.  It's been a memorable, exciting school year and I hope in 15 years you all still remember that each state has two Senators! :)

Answers to last week's civics trivia question

The Supreme Court's decision in Ingraham v. Wright (1977) stated that

A.  schools can search a student's belongings if there is probable cause to do so.

B.  the 8th amendment doesn't prohibit corporal punishment in schools. 

C.  students can't be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance or salute the flag.

D.  schools could censor which articles were included in a school newspaper.

Regarding the Ingraham v. Wright case, approximately 17 states allow corporal punishment although only 14 practice it.  Massachusetts is NOT one of those states.  Just because a state allows it doesn't mean that every district in that state uses corporal punishment.

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students completed their final unit. The students did incomplete or makeup work in class.

Good luck to all of the 8th graders in high school! It's been a pleasure to have these students for two years; they will be missed!

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students wrapped up their middle school French years by reading a short story and writing our last story as a whole class. We celebrated our time together and look forward to continuing French in high school!

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th graders finished watching "Hadestown" and completed mini projects connecting the play to what we have learned in Latin class. Their projects came out great! Thanks for a fabulous year of Latin and have tons of fun learning more in high school. I will miss each of you and hope you keep in touch! Have a wonderful summer!

Important events next week in 8th grade:  

• Wednesday - Class field trip to New Hampshire

• Friday - "8th Grade Day" (class breakfast, yearbooks, ceremony practice, etc.)

• Friday evening - 8th grade promotion ceremony at 5:00 on the turf field bleachers.

  • Students should arrive at the turf field at 4:45.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we read through Act II of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  The kids are starting to get used to Shakespeare's language and starting to get the gist of it.  I also showed kids a great Shakespeare website that they should use whenever they are confused by Shakespeare.  SSR projects were due on Monday.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: Students this week have been working on their end of the year project. This project has them take Zeek the Alien around Littleton showing Zeek all around. Each page of this project requires students to demonstrate understanding of one topic learned this year. Some of the topics included are volume of 3-D shapes, pythagorean theorem, solving equations, order of operations and many more. The students are showing their creativity while also demonstrating all they've learned this year! This project is due on Tuesday, June 10th.

Algebra: This week we finished our final unit of the year. Students took a test on graphing and solving quadratic equations. We ended the week by starting our end of the year project. This project will span 3-4 days and allow students to demonstrate their understanding of linear and quadratic equations. The equations will then be graphed in the coordinate plane to create a stained glass window. This project is due on Tuesday, June 10th.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we learned about states of matter and how matter changes from one phase to another. We explored how particles are arranged and move in the different states using a pHet simulation activity. At the end of the week, we practiced calculating density by measuring the mass and volumes of mystery cubes. After finding their density we were able to determine their identity.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Can't stop won't stopping in civics means studying as many Supreme Court cases as Ms. Morgan can fit in before the end of the school year, especially because the Supreme Court cases are Ms. Morgan's very favorite topic.  This week the students learned about-

• In re Gault

• Tinker v. Des Moines

• Bethel v. Fraser

• Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier

• Engel v. Vitale

• Ingraham v. Wright

• & more!!!

A big congratulations & thank you go out to the 8th graders who participated in Civics Day on Monday June 2nd!  This was LMS's second year participating in this science fair-like event with action civics projects.  Representing their respective classes were Phoebe Austin, Margaux Berecz, Lizzie Boyer, Brooke Buckley, Lukas Canete, Sophia Capoccia, Jake Castillo, Ebba Eriksson, Claire Gerbig, Paige Horton, Nyla Jacob, Olivia Livingston, Bailee Lombardo, Abby Muddasu, Kashika Ralhan, Saanvi Sadineni, Emily Schocklin, William Tesz, Hazel Willis, and Ruby Willis.

Answers to last week's civics trivia question

Which Supreme Court case stated that a school can't censor student speech unless it "materially & substantially disrupts" the educational process? (HINT- This case is related to a black peace armband.)

A. Tinker v. Des Moines

B. Bethel School District v. Fraser

C. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

D.  Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.

This week's civics trivia question-

The Supreme Court's decision in Ingraham v. Wright (1977) stated that

A.  schools can search a student's belongings if there is probable cause to do so.

B.  the 8th amendment doesn't prohibit corporal punishment in schools. 

C.  students can't be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance or salute the flag.

D.  schools could censor which articles were included in a school newspaper.

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students took a reading assessment to check their knowledge of the unit vocabulary. The students also did some informal writing, using vocabulary they have learned.

French with Ms. DiRusso

This week French students kindly welcomed me back from maternity leave and caught me up on their progress. We began discussing a bit of French history and culture. We read a simple introduction to the French revolution in French, and completed an Edpuzzle for a few more details.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

Congratulations to the following 8th grade students for their success on the 2025 National Latin Exam. 

Gold Summa Cum Laude

Sesha Chemuturi

Marcus Li

Charlotte Dunbar

Silver Maxima Cum Laude

Duncan Thompson

Magna Cum Laude

Bradley Lewis

Devansh Peddi

Myles McNaught

Cum Laude

Audrey McMahon

ELA with Ms. Abbott

With a very short week of only two teaching days, we still managed to pack a lot of learning into the beginning and the end of the week.  On Tuesday, we reviewed a Shakepearean sonnet that students had translated and analyzed last week.  On Friday, students learned about the wonders of iambic pentameter.  We will start reading the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, next week.

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

Third Trimester SSR Projects are due on Monday!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: With a shorter week this week and Civics MCAS for two days, we had two days for learning. We continued looking at how to solve different quadratic equations in different ways. Our last unit test will be next Wednesday, June 4!

Pre-Algebra: With a shorter week this week and Civics MCAS for two days, we had two days for learning. We spent that time working with theoretical and experimental probabilities and working through stations to perform different experiments to collect individual and class data. Next week we will begin our end of the year project (all done in class).

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we did more practice counting atoms in molecules. Students were also assigned a mini research project, in which they picked five elements from the periodic table and made google slides with information about each element. We ended the week by beginning to explore some of the physical properties of matter.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

Time is flying by, as is the time for civics learning.  So many of my favorite Supreme Court cases to study & so little time.  The 8th graders will learn about cases related to student free speech rights as well as other significant court cases throughout U.S. history.

In addition to their 7th & 8th sessions of MCAS, which related to civics, students worked on their action civics projects.  It's possible that your soon-to-be-high schooler will ask you to fil out a student designed survey about their class's project.  We'd greatly appreciate your input!

Answers to last week's civics trivia question

Which branch of government has the power to declare war?

A. executive

B. judicial

C. legislative

This week's civics trivia question-

Which Supreme Court case stated that a school can't censor student speech unless it "materially & substantially disrupts" the educational process? (HINT- This case is related to a black peace armband.)

A. Tinker v. Des Moines

B. Bethel School District v. Fraser

C. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

D.  Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students did a variety of activities around the story they heard last week about a kleptomaniac. The students created their own questions about the story and ordered the events of the story.

Please remind your student to come to school with a charged Chromebook. Many students are consistently coming to class with an uncharged Chromebook.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are finishing reading "Brando Brown Canem Vult".

ELA

The students worked hard this week on their poetry projects, which were due on Friday.  Every year I look forward to reading their poetic creations as they are very unique and interesting!  In addition, we began our short but sweet Shakespeare unit, looking at background information about the Bard and attempting to write sonnets.  In the words of Ms. Morgan, it's can't stop won't stop Shakespeare in the coming weeks.

math

Pre-Algebra: Congratulations to section 3 for winning the MCAS Quiz Bowl! This week students worked with simple and compound probability. We looked at the different ways to determine the sample space (or total outcomes) in an experiment. We ended the week with a mini test (the last test of the year!!!)

Algebra: Congratulations to section 1 for winning the MCAS Quiz Bowl! This week we resumed with Algebra 1 concepts (after pausing to review for MCAS). We looked at different ways to graph quadratic equations and ended the week looking at how to solve quadratic equations.

science

This week in Science class, we began learning about classifying matter. We learned about the atom, its subatomic particles, and what makes the atom of one element different from others. We constructed atoms using Atom Building Kits and practiced vocabulary and how to count atoms from a chemical formula.

Latin

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Brando Brown Canem Vult".

Spanish

This week in Spanish, the students read two stories about two kleptomaniacs that steal things while out on dates with their girlfriends. The students compared and contrasted the two stories, along with a variety of other activities to check their understanding of the stories.

civics

The civics learning this week included an assortment of civics topics including- the legislative & judicial branches, separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances, and the action civics projects.  Perhaps the most exciting civics-y event this week was the distribution of pocket Constitutions to the 8th graders!  The class of 2030 will hopefully be the first class of many to receive their own personal copy of this handy Constitution reference.  It's hard to know when one might need to reference the Constitution so how the Constitution can always be close by their sides.

Answers to last week's civics trivia question

According to state data, in 2023 there were 134,269 total crashes inMassachusetts.  This equals an average of a crash every _______ minutes.

A. 20

B. 10

C.  7

D.  4

This week's civics trivia question-

Which branch of government has the power to declare war?

A. executive

B. judicial

C. legislative

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we finished reading the play, The Diary of Anne Frank. I presented the kids with their final assessment, a creative poetry book of reflection and self expression with an Anne Frank theme. We also watched Part 3 of the movie on Friday.

SSR Update: SSR projects are due on June 2nd (two weeks)!  By 5/21, students should have their books read to the end, with three of their packet pages completed.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

8th grade had Math MCAS on Wednesday and Thursday this week. We used our time on Monday and Tuesday to review and practice.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we reviewed for the quiz on Newton's Laws, which took place on Tuesday. After two days of Math MCAS, we ended the week by using the microscopes and looking for microorganisms in pond water.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

In the can't stop won't stop civics world this week involved learning about the executive & legislative branches of government as well as research related to each class's action civics research topic. All five classes are researching road &/or sidewalk safety.  Next week we'll look at the research facts to determine a goal for each class's project.  

Students interested in possibly representing their class at Civics Day on 6/2 should fill out the Google Form that was posted in Google Classroom on Friday.  Please fill out by the end of the weekend. Thank you :)

Answers to last week's civics trivia question

The U.S. last used the draft in 

A. 1955

B. 1965

C. 1970

D. 1973

This week's civics trivia question-

According to state data, in 2023 there were 134,269 total crashes in Massachusetts.  This equals an average of a crash every _______ minutes.

A. 20

B. 10

C.  7

D.  4

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students began a new unit. The unit is about courtship, relationships, and meeting people. The students heard a new song called, "Sale el sol" by Shakira.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

On Monday in ELA, we reviewed for Tuesday's literature test.  The kids' scores came back very high: it's important for students and parents to recognize that the good grades students overwhelmingly earned on this test were NOT incorporated into their progress report grades.  For many kids, this means that their actual grade in ELA is higher than what you will see on their progress report.  For others, there may be a slight drop.  

After the test, we continued reading The Diary of Anne Frank (Act 2), and on Friday, we watched part two of the movie.

SSR Update:  By Monday, students should have their SSR books read 3/4 of the way. They should also have the 3rd page completed in their SSR packet.  Please check in with your child to make sure they are keeping up with this long term project.  It is due in less than a month (June 2nd).

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

**DAY 2 of Math MCAS: students may use a handheld calculator or the one provided digitally on the test. If students wish to use their own calculator, make sure they bring it in on Thursday 5/15 for testing.**

Pre-Algebra: This week we have begun our spiral review to prepare for next week's MCAS test. Each class is in a friendly competition with each other in what we call a "quiz bowl". The students receive class points for participation, engagement, group work and work completion. This will end next Tuesday. 

Algebra: This week we have continued our "mini" lessons from last week on topics that students may see on the MCAS test. We have looked at volume of 3-D figures, angle relationships with parallel lines, pythagorean theorem, and transformations (translations, rotations, reflections, and dilations). We ended the week introducing the "quiz bowl" in which the two classes will be competing against each other during our 3 MCAS review days. Students receive points for participation, engagement, group work and work completion.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, students investigated Newton’s Laws in more detail. We completed a Gizmo Stem Case, in which students investigated concussions in football and helmet design to reduce risk. We also completed another investigation where students decided whether or not to ban headers in soccer to also reduce the risk of concussions.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

There was a medley of topics to learn about in the can't stop won't stop civics classroom this week.  There was a little on citizens/citizenship, the action civics project, the civics MCAS performance task, & the three branches of government. Just trying to can't stop won't stop learning about civics until the very end.  So many topics, so little time at this point! 

Answers to last week's civics trivia question

Male citizens and noncitizens who are ages ____ - _____ must register with the Selective Service.

A. 18-25

B. 21-25

C. 18-28

D. 21- 28

This week's civics trivia question-

The U.S. last used the draft in 

A. 1955

B. 1965

C. 1970

D. 1973

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students learned new vocabulary about interactions between people. The students learned new verbs and phrases about knowing and meeting a person. The students practiced speaking, did a read and respond activity, and did a final writing activity for the unit.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Brando Brown Canem Vult".

ELA with Ms. Abbott

We finished reading Act I of The Diary of Anne Frank this week, followed by some test review for Tuesday''s assessment.

SSR Update: Students should have their books halfway read at this point, with two packet pages completed.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: This week, students have been finalizing our work with data and statistics. We will start to review topics learned throughout the year to prepare for our upcoming MCAS test.

Algebra: We have taken a pause with our Algebra concepts and focused on a few mini lessons to prepare for the math MCAS test. Students have worked with volume of 3-D shapes and angle relationships created when two parallel lines are cut by transversals. Next week we will continue with the Pythagorean Theorem. 

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we spent Monday practicing another MCAS Innovative Task on energy and motion to prepare for the upcoming test. On Tuesday and Wednesday, students took the STE MCAS. On Thursday and Friday, students worked on an activity called "that's using Your Head" in which they began investigating concussions in soccer.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

In spite of a choppy week due to MCAS & an early release day, the can't stop won't stop civics-ing this week involved learning more about the duties and responsibilities of citizenship. Additionally, the 8th graders got a look at the 100 questions that are part of the Naturalization Test that would-be citizens must take.  Note- prospective citizens are given 10 of the 100 questions and pass the test by getting at least six of the 10 questions right.  Maybe your child will quiz you on some of these questions???

Answers to last week's civics trivia questions

 Which idea is mentioned in both the 5th & 14th amendments?

A.  the right to a lawyer

B.  eminent domain

C.  double jeopardy

D.  due process

On April 19, 2025 it was the ________ anniversary of the Battles of Lexington & Concord.

A.  150th

B.  200th

C.  250th

D.  275th

This week's civics trivia question-

Male citizens and noncitizens who are ages ____ - _____ must register with the Selective Service.

A. 18-25

B. 21-25

C. 18-28

D. 21- 28

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students learned new vocabulary and practiced it by listening to a song and reading an article about the singer of the song.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Brando Brown Canem Vult". It is the story of a boy who wants a puppy for his birthday. 

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, after reading and analyzing a speech by Elie Weisel, we finished reading Act I of The Diary of Anne Frank. On Friday, we watched the 1959 movie based on the play.  Have an enjoyable April break, everyone!  When we get back to school, we will officially be in the home stretch!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: Students reviewed at the beginning of the week for the Chapter 8 test on simplifying and factoring polynomials. We ended the week with breakout boxes where students reviewed/answered puzzles that focused on slope. All groups were able to solve the four puzzles and break out of the locks!

Pre-Algebra: Students have been focusing on concepts around data and statistics. We have looked at scatter plots, measures of center and spread, box and whisker plots and two way tables this week. We ended the week with an application problem of two way tables and a fun probability game.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we began learning about Newton's Laws of Motion. We reviewed forces and how we describe motion. The second half of the week, we did some MCAS prep work for the STE MCAS that will be held on Tuesday 4/29 and Wednesday 4/30 after April vacation.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

The can't stop won't stop civicsing this week involved finishing the 2025 Bill of Rights March Madness, preparing for the Bill of Rights/Amendments test, & trying to narrow down topics for the action civics test.

The 1st amendment repeated as the Bill of Rights March Madness champion.  I'm not sure many were surprised.  It won handily over the 5th amendment, 84-18.  So many important freedoms in the 1st amendment.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

Which amendment limits a president to serving two terms?  (Hint- There's an easy way to remember which number it is that I've told the students. Adults- see if you can make an educated guess.)

A. 19th

B. 22nd

C. 23rd

D. 26th

This week's civics trivia questionS (bonus question this week!)-

Which idea is mentioned in both the 5th & 14th amendments?

A.  the right to a lawyer

B.  eminent domain

C.  double jeopardy

D.  due process

On April 19, 2025 it will be the ________ anniversary of the Battles of Lexington & Concord.

A.  150th

B.  200th

C.  250th

D.  275th

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students listened to a new song called, "El chico del apartamento 512" by Selena. After listening to the song, the students read the lyrics and did a matching activity to test their knowledge of the Spanish vocabulary. They also heard a story that was similar to the song, and then the students compared the song with the story.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Brando Brown Canem Vult". Have a great break!

ELA with Ms. Abbott

Monday and Tuesday in ELA were spent on hard core MCAS review and practice.  On Friday, we jumped back into the Anne Frank unit, analyzing a speech given by Elie Wiesel on the 50th anniversary of Aushwitz's liberation.

I was so happy to see how many 8th graders poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their MCAS essays over the past two days.  So many of them showed such dedication and effort. I am bringing them treats on Monday, for sure!

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: Students continued practicing the different ways to factor polynomials this week (other than the two MCAS days)

Pre-Algebra: Students completed a composition of transformations project in class this week (other than the two MCAS days) to demonstrate their understanding of translation, rotations, reflections, and rotations.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we only had 3 learning days with ELA MCAS. On Monday, we wrapped up lab stations on evidence for evolution. On Tuesday and Friday, we worked on a mini poster project, in which students demonstrated what they learned about evidence for evolution in a visual way. Students also had the option to create slides instead of a poster. Posters are due on Tuesday 4/15. Next week, we will begin learning about Newton's Laws of Motion and also do some prep work for the STE MCAS that will take place on 4/29 and 4/30 after April vacation.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

It was a bit of a choppy week due to MCAS but we can't stopped won't stopped civics as much as possible.  Other important amendments (in addition to the Bill of Rights) were the focus of the learning.  The students have been working hard on posters related to the amendments 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, & 26 and have had some really creative drawings.

The Bill of Rights 2025 March Madness Final Four happened this week.  The 1st amendment emerged victorious over the 9th amendment (last year's final matchup) to earn its second consecutive spot in the finals.  On Friday the 5th & 6th amendments squared off to determine the 1st amendment's opponent.  Results were not known at press time.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

The most recent amendment to the Constitution was added in. . . 

A.  1971

B.  1992

C.  2001

D.  2014

This week's civics trivia question-

Which amendment limits a president to serving two terms?  (Hint- There's an easy way to remember which number it is that I've told the students. Adults- see if you can make an educated guess.)

A. 19th

B. 22nd

C. 23rd

D. 26th

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students began a new unit. The students copied and practiced their new vocabulary.

Please remind your student to charge their Chromebook at night and bring a pencil and their notebook to class.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are studying for the final "Duo Fratres" quiz. 

NJHS Announcement

Students who have met the minimum GPA requirement to apply to NJHS have received an invitation via their school email and must request an application before April vacation.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

With the ELA MCAS test coming up next week, our focus this week was on reinforcing essay organizing skills, and other test preparation tips and strategies.  On Friday, students worked in groups to assess various sample essays according to the MCAS grading rubric.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: This week we began looking at how to factor polynomials. We started with the first two (of many) methods. Skill Drill #13 is due next Friday.

Pre-Algebra: This week we finished our work with transformations in the coordinate plane. We ended the week with a quiz on translations, reflections, rotations, and dilations. Skill Drill #13 is due next Friday.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we learned more about Charles Darwin and how natural selection leads to evolution of species over time. We ran a PHet natural selection simulation lab and learned how certain mutations in rabbits could be beneficial, harmful, or neutral depending on different environmental factors. Adjusting the environmental factors allowed us to witness how the rabbit populations changed over time. We also "camouflaged" paper butterflies and hid them around to see which were found and which survived. We ended the week by beginning lab stations to explore all the different evidence we have for evolution.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

We continued our Bill of Rights March Madness this week and almost have our final four amendments.  The students have been thoughtfully explaining why they think some amendments are more important than others.  Additionally, they started to learn about other important amendments.  There will be a Bill of Rights/Amendments test before April vacation.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

How many amendments have been added to the Constitution since 1791?

A.  27

B.  20

C.  17

D.  30

This week's civics trivia question-

The most recent amendment to the Constitution was added in. . . 

A.  1971

B.  1992

C.  2001

D.  2014

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students finished reading Brandon Brown hace trampa, along with follow-up activities to check their knowledge of the book. The students completed a Google Form, a one-pager, and a speaking activity as assessments on the novel.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, students went to the library to select their SSR books for 3rd trimester. We had to put The Diary of Anne Frank on the back burner, so that we could focus on Narrative Writing. With ELA MCAS coming up in less than two weeks, if the kids get a narrative writing prompt, I want them to be prepared.  Kids practiced proper dialogue punctuation and specific strategies for writing descriptively. Then, after taking some notes on the Nine Parts of a Short Story, students watched a short film and broke it down for its nine parts.  Next week, students will write their own continue-the-story narrative essays.  It's always fun to see their creativity come out in their writing.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: Students this week have been working with multiplying polynomials and simplifying expressions. We ended the week looking at special products. The Chapter 8.1-8.4 quiz will be Tuesday 4/1.

Pre-Algebra: This week we began looking at transformations in the coordinate plane. We started with translations and reflections of shapes and discussed what happens to the shape itself and what happens with coordinates when we perform a translation and reflections. Next week we will look at rotations and dilations and the quiz on transformations will be on Thursday, 4/3.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we wrapped up our unit on Genetics. We completed a simulation lab activity in which we looked at how a sugary diet impacts whether rats with a predisposition for Type 2 diabetes develop the disease. We also spent time practicing an MCAS Innovative Task to prepare students for that portion of the Science MCAS testing next month. On Thursday, we reviewed for Friday's quiz. Next week, we will begin our unit on Evolution.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

It was can't stop won't stop Bill of Rights and 8th grade action civics project this week.  The students did a nice job discussing & categorizing some of the issues that emerged from the Community Surveys.  They were also introduced to the Generation Citizen advocacy hourglass.  The next element of the action civics project will be picking a specific issue to focus on.  

Ms. Morgan's beloved Bill of Rights March Madness started this week.  The amendment pairings were randomly selected using the Wheel of Names website.  In the battle between the 1st & 4th amendments the 1st amendment scored a 14 point victory. In the 2nd vs. 8th amendment battle the 8th amendment had a resounding 42 point victory.

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

How many amendments are included in the Bill of Rights?

A. 10

B. 11

C. 12

D. 13

This week's civics trivia question

How many amendments have been added to the Constitution since 1791?

A.  27

B.  20

C.  17

D.  30

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students finished the novel, Brandon Brown hace trampa. The students completed a number of activities to enhance their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary from the book.

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students are reading "Duo Fratres" and will have a translating quiz on Monday. 

NJHS Announcement

Students who have met the minimum GPA requirement to apply to NJHS have received an invitation via their school email. It is important that all potential applicants read through their letter and reach out to Ms. Tompkins or Mr. Dennis with any questions.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, we read and discussed an eye-opening Scholastic article about the Holocaust. Then we analyzed a poem (about the destruction of Poland during WW2) for sound devices (alliteration, repetition, parallel structure, and meter).  All of this was preparation for our reading of the play, The Diary of Anne Frank, which we started on Thursday.  We have read Act I, Scenes 1 & 2 so far.  The kids have been enthusiastic to volunteer for roles and read aloud in class.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Algebra: We began our unit on operations with polynomials. We started discussing the different terminology to describe how many terms a polynomial has and its degree. We ended the week looking at how to add, subtract, and multiply polynomials. Skill Drill #12 was assigned this week.

Pre-Algebra: We finished our work with the Pythagorean Theorem this week and started looking at similar figures. We discussed how to determine if shapes are similar, congruent, or neither. Skill Drill #12 was assigned this week.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we continued learning about heredity and genetics and learned how to set up Punnett Squares to predict the probability of certain dominant and recessive traits in offspring. We completed a Gizmo activity and Spongebob Genetics problems and ended the week by discussing other methods of inheritance.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

This week we can't stop won't stop civics-ed the Bill of Rights & federalism.  Our study of the Bill of Rights is just beginning and next week we'll start Bill of Rights March Madness.

While federalism sounds like a snooze-fest, it brought up issues like what happens when state law conflicts with federal law or when a state chooses not to follow federal law.  

Answer to last week's civics trivia question

 In October 2024 a rare copy of the Constitution from 237 years ago was sold at an auction.  How much did it sell for?  

A.  $6 million

B.  $7 million

C.  $8 million

D.  $9 million

This week's civics trivia question

How many amendments are included in the Bill of Rights?

A. 10

B. 11

C. 12

D. 13

Latin with Ms. Hicks

The 8th grade Latin students have started reading "Duo Fratres", the story of Prometheus and Epimetheus.

ELA with Ms. Abbott

This week in ELA, students worked on and turned in their final comma projects.  We also had discussions and watched videos about World War II and Anne Frank. We will start reading the Pulitzer Prize winning play based on Anne's diary next week after a bit of solemn Holocaust history.

Math with Ms. Manheimer

Pre-Algebra: Students began this week discovering the Pythagorean Theorem by using models and jelly beans. Students recognized that for all right triangles, the amount of jelly beans that fit the area of the small square added to the number of jelly beans that fit the area of the medium square equaled the number of jelly beans that fit the area of the larger square. We used this model/idea to come up with the Pythagorean Theorem ( a^2 + b^2 = c^2). We then applied this theorem to real world situations. The test on the Pythagorean Theorem will be Thursday, March 20.

Algebra: Students continued their work with exponential functions this week. We looked at how to graph exponential equations, how to determine geometric sequences and use the formula to answer questions, and how to find exponential growth, decay, and compound interest in different scenarios. The Chapter 7 Test will be Wednesday, March 19. We will review on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Science with Ms. Finn

This week in Science class, we reviewed DNA, Meiosis, and Mitosis and had a quiz on Wednesday. Corrections can be done over the weekend for students who received lower than an 80%. On Thursday, we ended the week by starting our next unit on heredity.

Civics with Ms. Morgan

The students finished learning about the seven articles of the Constitution this week & began to review for the Constitution Quiz on Tues. 3/18.  We wrapped up the week with a Constitution USA video (episode one) which is about federalism, a topic that has a boring name but is one of Ms. Morgan's favorite civics topics to talk about.

Answer to last 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)

This week's civics trivia question

In October 2024 a rare copy of the Constitution from 237 years ago was sold at an auction.  How much did it sell for?  (NOTE:  This isn't something that was mentioned in class so don't expect your 8th grader to know the answer.)

A.  $6 million

B.  $7 million

C.  $8 million

D.  $9 million

Spanish with Ms. Tetrault

This week in Spanish, the students read two more chapters in Brandon Brown hace trampa. The students did a variety of verbal activities to practice speaking about what they read. The students acted out two scenes from a chapter, and played a game called "La silla caliente" or "The Hot Seat".

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.