Weekly Update 1/29/18

Good morning Families!

On Friday, your son/daughter should have brought home the progress reports.  
The reports assessed the "transferable skills" (ie. work habits and participation).  
Those are the boxes that you see checked off.  The standards assessment (content),
which you see on the report cards, was not on these progress reports.  
Please initial the colored half sheet to confirm that you saw each progress
report and return it to advisory teachers by no later than this Friday.  

Another quick note......please check with your son or daughter to ensure that they have pencils.
 We are finding a large number of kids showing up without pencils to class.

This is a very busy week as your child nears the deadline for the science fair project.  
Students should be wrapping up experiments and writing conclusions in preparation for the
Science Fair on Thursday, February 8.  

Morning math with Ms. Johnson will be held on Mon, Wed, & Fri 7:00-7:30 focusing on
geometry and statistics.  Please contact Amy if you are interested in this opportunity for your
child. ajohnson@mymtsd-vt.org

In Math, students will have a quiz on division of fractions on Wednesday.  On Thursday,
students will begin decimal operations. Most students have daily Math homework,
please check in with them.

Social Studies:  This week we are continuing with the first English settlements in the colonies.
 We will finish with Jamestown and move on to Plymouth.  

To Do This Week in Social Studies:

1.  students will need to complete the Jamestown worksheet based on the web game we
played in class

2.  a worksheet with questions related to Plymouth

3.  a Venn diagram worksheet comparing and contrasting Jamestown and Plymouth.  

Language Arts:  Students are reading the novel The Sign of the Beaver which will result
in another opportunity to write an informational paragraph using evidence from the text.  
Each day that we read in class, students are expected to write a summary of what is read.  
What is not completed in class for whatever reason will become homework.

As always, let us know if you have any questions. Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Team Independence

Thursday 1/11/18 Homework - Language Arts

Students will be asked to finish answering a series of questions based on a NEWSELA reading on Jamestown.  The assignment will be started in class. Students can access the article through Google Classroom if they did not take a hard copy.

1/9/18 Weekly Update

Happy New Year and Happy January! 1/8/18

Calendar Sales: Student have been asked to participate in a fundraiser for their 8th grade Boston field trip.  The calendar sale is the most profitable for students (their account receives 9 out of every $10 calendar sold).  Mrs. Endres has the calendars to be sold.  Tickets and money are due to Mrs. Endres ASAP.

Progress Reports will be sent home on January 19th, delivered by your student.  Grades and other information that are reflected on the progress report will be from the last 6 weeks, through January 12.  

Science & Literacy:  Students are preparing for the science Fair that is quickly approaching. “How To Do” necessities such as background research and writing, procedures and experimentation is introduced in science class and continued in Literacy.  The hope is that students have more time  and guidance and support to complete each portion of their project.

Social Studies:  Last week we started a unit called Colonization and Settlement.  Most of our focus will be on the early colonies in North America before the American Revolution.  We will examine the various cultures that settled here and reasons why people left their home countries.  We will also look at the challenges colonists faced as well as conflicts with the Native Americans.  This week students will have three worksheets that will be homework if not completed in class (The Early Colonists chart, The Early Colonists questions, and Graphing European Immigration questions).  Lastly, before Christmas break, many students wrote letters to 6th grade students in Hyderabad, India.  The letters were delivered over the break and the Indian students wrote back.  These letters just arrived and will be handed out on Tuesday.  Hopefully this will be exciting for our students!

Language Arts: students have created and designed a PLP (Personal Learning Plan) blog and will write about themselves this week.  They will also begin to examine Jamestown and New England settlements through primary and secondary sources.  We will hopefully begin reading The Sign of the Beaver, a book about a young boys settlement experience in Maine in the 1760s.  

12/18/17

Reminders:

As winter break nears, we would like to celebrate the conclusion of several projects and tests with a student breakfast.  We would like to ask each student to bring in a little something to share on Friday, December 22.  Students will sign up in Ms. Johnson's room.  You can also respond to this email, or contact ajohnson@mymtsd-vt.org

In addition to the breakfast, students will have a variety of activities in which they can choose to participate. If you or your child has a board game they can bring in, this would be a great help.

Outdoor clothing needed for Wednesday advisory time (coats, gloves, boots)

Math: Module 1 Test Wednesday and Practice fractions over break

Language Arts:  Students are expected to hand in their explorer essay today.  Students that are not prepared to meet the deadline are welcome to stay after school today (Monday) and Wednesday 12/20/17.  

Science- Kids are working on creating testable questions. Science Fair will be February 8th

Social Studies:  There are quite a few students who did not complete their "The Things They Carried" project, so Monday will be used for those students who need to complete their work.  For those who have finished, I introduced an opportunity for our students to communicate with a 6th grade class in a public school in India. My son is working their for the year as part of a "gap year" program and has connected us with the classroom.  Some students are make a video, and many others are writing letters.  This will be the focus for part of our week. Here is a link if you would like to see the classroom:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8yovO56diA

We will also be viewing the movie Apollo 13 as it relates to modern day exploration.

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video The school I volunteer at in India

The school I volunteer at in Indi

12/11/17 Weekly Parent Email

Hello to All!

• As I am sure you are aware, report cards have been delayed due to a systems error.  They should be out this week!

• Please Note- the STAR Math and STAR reading assessments have been moved to February.

Math students have been filling out their planners daily and are expected to show their parents.  This week, students should have at least 3 nights of math homework.  Next week there will be a Module 1 test on rates and ratios.

Social Studies:  Last week, students finished their research on their "modern day" explorer using a graphic organizer.  This week they will take their research and put it together into a "journal" like project called: The Things They Carried.  This will be due at the end of the class Friday.  They can bring them home during the week to work on them and to show you their progress.

Language Arts:  Using the research compiled in this class as well as in Social Studies, students will write a 2-4 page informational essay.  The first day of essay writing is today, and all essay writing will be completed by Friday.  Several students still owe a Dead Man at Indian Creek summary, as well as a two paragraph written piece on Columbus.  These should be finished for homework and turned in before Friday. Students are welcome to stay after today, Wednesday or Thursday if they need assistance.

As always, students are expected to read a minimum of 20 minutes per night for their literacy class. There are still many overdue storyboard projects that need to be completed.  Arrangements can be made to stay after school with Miss Baldwin if the project cannot be completed for homework.

Language Arts Homework 12/4

For Language Arts class, students need to complete their book summary for Dead Man In Indian Creek.  The summary should be 2-3 paragraphs in length, focusing on the first half, then the second half (2 paragraphs) or the beginning, middle and end of the book (3 paragraphs).

Weekly Team News 12/4

Good Morning Team Independence Families!

Announcements:

Report cards can be expected in the mail any day now!

12/5/17-MMS Concert 6:30-8:00

12/7/17-PTO meeting immediately after school; all are invited to join

There is a middle school dance on Friday, December 8, from 7-9pm with a glow in the dark/black light theme.  Students can wear neoen, white or glow in the dark clothing.

Social Studies:  Last week was great to see all of the presentations.  Students presented a minimum of 3 times to small groups and it was easy to see the improvements made each time.  I opened it up to students to present in front of the whole class.  I was amazed to see all of the volunteers step up to present.  We are beginning the final phase of our exploration unit.  Students will focus on modern day exploration.  Ms Endres and I put together a list of explorers from the modern age for students to choose from.  By Tuesday, all students should have chosen an explorer to research.  Research will only be done through our MMS online library resources (students all have a packet entitled "Exploration: Research Paper and Project" with the instructions).  By Friday, all of the research should be complete.  They will have a graphic organizer to complete during the week for their notes.  Please check in with your son/daughter on their progress.  Thanks.

Language Arts: As noted above, students will be researching beginning in their social studies class and continuing in LA class.  An informational essay requirement will follow the research with a deadline set for December 15. On December 18, the STAR Reading assessment will occur.

Math students should be gearing up for the STAR Math assessment by reviewing their math facts.  The assessment will be held on December 11.

For Literacy class, students should continue to read a minimum of 20 minutes per night

Science students will continue their study of ecosystems and prep for the Science Fair.

We hope you have a great week!

Team Independence