9/18/23

This week's Week at a Glance:

• Monday- vocabulary check (ch. 3)... students can check their scores on Q. If a student needs to finish then they can finish and show me when it's done for an improved score.  Vocabulary is essential to success in history.  It is difficult to do well on tests if they don't have vocabulary finished to study.  

• Wednesday- Colonial America Test retake forms are due!

• Thursday- Colonial America Test Retake after school... if a student cannot make this time, they should schedule another time with me by email (before Thursday)

• Friday- Students will be working on a skit assignment and creating a skit about the British taxes... Friday will be the last day to work on it.

9/11/23

This week the only important date will be Tuesday (tomorrow).  This will be the day of the Colonial America Test.  Students have known about this test since last Tuesday so they've had a week to study for 15 minutes a night.  

Studying is something students in 8th grade must learn to do.  

GUIDE TO CITIZENSHIP/EFFORT GRADES

Citizenship Grades:

• O: Outstanding student behavior... student is a role model and makes good choices all the time.  Students with "Outstanding" use appropriate language in the classroom and I can look to as an example for others.  They are on-task and do not need reminders to do their work or stay focused.

• S: Satisfactory student behavior... student is sometimes a role model, but uses reminders.  They may have been tardy once or twice or have been caught on their phone.  Maybe they used an inappropriate word in the classroom.  Usually, an "S" means they take frequent reminders to stay focused or on-task without socializing often.

• NI: Needs Improvement student behavior... student uses frequent reminders for behaviors.  The student has probably been either frequently tardy, used inappropriate language often, or takes many reminders.  This student may have also been sent to another classroom for a "buddy" room to take a break from our classroom.

• U: Unsatisfactory student behavior... this is very rare to receive.  The student basically puts in much effort to become a very disruptive/distracting student.  

Effort Grades: 

• 4: ALWAYS prepared with materials, on-task without prompting, completing homework and classwork, engaging, participating, and taking advantage of retakes/asking questions if confused about something.

• 3: USUALLY prepared with materials, on-task without prompting, completing homework and classwork, engaging, participating, and taking advantage of retakes/asking questions if confused about something.

• 2: SOMETIMES prepared with materials, on-task without prompting, completing homework and classwork, engaging, participating, and taking advantage of retakes/asking questions if confused about something.

• 1: RARELY prepared with materials, on-task without prompting, completing homework and classwork, engaging, participating, and taking advantage of retakes/asking questions if confused about something.

***Effort grades are usually calculated using assignments (classwork and homework), but can sometimes fluctuate if students are continuously not doing things from the above criteria.  

9/05/23

I hope everyone had a nice 3 day weekend!  Here's what's going on this week:

• Students should be studying for next Tuesday's Colonial America test for at least 15 minutes every night.

  • If they are in grade level history, they are studying pages 10-11, 13-15 in their history notebook.

  • If they are in honors history, they are studying pages 12-16 in their history notebook.

• 50 States retake is on Thursday after school.

• Q1 Progress Report period ends on Friday.

DONATIONS

If any families are able, and willing to, I would gladly accept the donation of the following items:

Markers

Colored Pencils

Glue Sticks

Kleenex

Fine point pens (Paper Mate or Sharpies) for outlining projects

8/28/23

Happy Monday Panthers!  Here are the most important things this week:

• We are beginning a new unit on Tuesday about Colonial America.  The vocabulary that we work on during class will be due on Thursday of this week.  The definitions, sentences, and images must all be complete to receive a 4.

• World Map Test retakes are on Friday after school!  Use this as an opportunity to improve your grade in the class since it was the very first graded assignment.

If you have any questions, please let me know by emailing me.

8/21/23

Happy Monday Panthers!  This week there is a lot going on:

Monday- practice quiz on Northeastern and Southern States

Tuesday- no practice quiz

Wednesday- practice quiz on Middle and Northwestern States

Thursday- practice quiz on Southwestern States

Friday- 50 States Test (NOT PRACTICE!)

If you have any questions, please let me know by emailing me.

8/14/23

Welcome to the 2023/2024 school year!  Please use this website for weekly updates.  I will put general updates or information on this home page.  Any additional information specific to a class will go under the tabs at the top of this page.

This week, students will dive into geography.  Students will take a continents and oceans quiz on Thursday.  We filled out the map for them to study in class today.  

Students will begin to label and learn the 50 states this week.  Their first test on the 50 states will be next Friday (8/25).

Students will also create an identity chart that lists characteristics about themselves.  They will create a visual for this, in which a paper was handed out in class today.  All students will be sharing these with the class on Tuesday (tomorrow) and Wednesday.

Have a great week! :)