Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Weekly Update

Hello, Families! 3/27/18

As you know this is SBAC week for all of our middle school students.
Yesterday was a successful day overall. Testing will continue through
Thursday 3/29, and will run Tuesday- Thursday of next week.  

Monday, April 2 is a half day of school.  Lunch (brown bag) will be served.

A huge congratulations to Kylie Agan, Lorelei Right, Jacon Rathbun and
Carter Abell for their award winning science fair projects. These students
took home money, medals and certificates for their efforts.  Carter Abell
has been invited to Washington D.C. to present his work! We are so proud!

Math students are working on long division the old fashioned way!  Parents can help!
Worksheets and answer keys can be found at mathdrills.com

LA students have a Sign of the Beaver summary that was assigned Feb 16,
and many are still not complete.  Students will be given a heads up today if they still
owe the assignment and the expectation is that it is completed by the end of the day
on Friday.

To keep skills sharp,  Literacy students are expected to read a minimum
of 20 minutes per night.

Science fair students are looking at chemical compounds and matter.  The classroom
looks like a real testing laboratory!
Thank you!

Team Independence

Monday, March 19, 2018

3/19/18 Weekly News

3/19/18


Hello, Families!


Announcements:


  • This week parents/ students should receive report cards in the mail


  • Spring Sports Meeting - Monday, 3/26 at 6:30 pm in the MS Gym.


  • This is a busy week of preparation for Science Fair finalists and
Junior Iron Chef participants.  We wish all of you good luck in your
Saturday, March 24 presentations!


  • SBAC (Reading and writing) begins Monday, 3/26 and continues
through 3/30. Math SBAC is the following week.


In Language Arts, students will finish public speaking presentations today,
due to the snow day.  It is wonderful to see the courage our students possess
to stand and deliver in front of their peers.    We will spend the rest of the week
refreshing our reading skills and strategies that have been introduced throughout
the year.


Math students are expected to be practicing their Math skills on Mathdrills.com  
Worksheets and an answer key are available on this site.


Social Studies:  Since we were pushed back a day due to the snow day, the
vocabulary quiz will now be this week.  Also, students have been working in
groups on posters which they will use to "teach" the class about one aspect of
Westward Expansion.  By the end of the week, students will be putting these events
into a timeline.
QUIZ - Friday (students should study the 6 words from their vocabulary
worksheet)


Literacy- As always read at least 20 minutes a night, it makes a world of difference!
 By Tuesday, Chapter 8 reading and questions for a Wrinkle in Time should
be complete.


Have a great week!

Team Independence

Monday, March 12, 2018

Weekly Parent News 3/12/18

3/12/18

Hello Parents!

This week, the book fair is set up in the library.  Students will have limited (if any) time
to visit during the regular day, so please make sure to arrange time after school.  
The book fair is open each day unit 8 pm, and Friday until 5 pm.

Students should bring home a permission slip to be signed and return to their
advisory teacher.  This will allow them to walk to the high school on Thursday,
March 15 to watch a dance company performance.  They will ride buses home
from there.


Social Studies:  This week we will continue with our new unit on Westward
Expansion.  Students are working in groups to specialize in one topic on expansion.  
They will create posters to teach the rest of the class. We will answer questions
based on the presentations.  At the end of the week we will have a quiz on vocabulary
words.
1.  Complete questions - note taking in class from presentations
2.  QUIZ Friday on vocabulary words

Language Arts: Students should be practicing their presentation skills of face,
pace and voice. Presentations will start on Wednesday.  Students that have
not completed last week’s Sign of the Beaver summary need to complete
it this week for homework.

Literacy: Students need to complete chapters 6 & 7 and the accompanying
questions for A Wrinkle in Time.

Math:  Please continue to practice decimals and operations.  
Worksheets can be found on Mathdrills.com

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Weekly Update 3/6/18

Hello, Families! 3/6/18


We hope you had an opportunity to enjoy time with your students during this much needed break!


This week will be a busy one, as it is the conclusion of the second trimester.  
Report cards can be expected in the mail sometime next week. Students will start their
new UA classes today as well as enjoy a a new mix of classmates in their core classes.


We are so very proud of our Annie actors, singers, stage hands, prop masters and artists!  
What a wonderful performance by a talented group of individuals!


Please note that the middle school athletes meeting has been postponed.  
The new meeting time is TBA.


Social Studies:  This week we are starting a new unit called "Westward Expansion".  
The focus will be on how the United States expanded to its current size post American Revolution.  
This will include how a state becomes a state, the ways in which the U.S. acquired land, and many
of the challenges with expansion.  The assignments this week:
1.  Definitions / Sentences (5 vocabulary words) - due Wednesday
2.  Map of US acquisitions - due Wednesday
3.  Questions for 1 assigned acquisition - due Friday


Language Arts: students have two assignments due this week.
1. Sign of the Beaver book summary
2. 300 word story, research or skit with script- to be practiced for a public
speaking grade next week.
3. Past due assignments that must be completed by Friday:  
  • Sign of the Beaver Reading assessment (received by students on February 16 and officially   
assigned February 19)
  • Sign of the Beaver informational paragraph (received by students on February 16 and
officially assigned February 20)
In Literacy, students will need to read through the end of chapter 4 in A Wrinkle in Time and
complete the visualization close read sheet that accompanies chapters 3 & 4. These are both
due tomorrow, therefore, need to be finished tonight.  
Chapters have been copied so that students may take them home.


Have a great week!
Team Independence