This week in Language Arts classes we spent some time making connections between various novels the 8th graders had read in Literature class. We had a book tournament where they had to battle it out to see which book is "the best". Then, they made a connections ring by finding similarities between the stories and getting it to make a full ring. They had to think hard, but I think it was fun too!
Outside of Language Arts class, they did something with Monsters and chromosome linked disorders. It sounded interesting, so ask them about that! Beyond the fun of the classroom, here's what you need to know:
Have a great weekend!
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Can you believe we are already at the end of our first trimester? It went so fast! Grades will be coming home next week Friday, so be sure to look for those.
With the new trimester, we (all teachers who have the 8th graders) have made an adjustment to the homework policy. The gist of it is that all assignments must be turned in on time to receive full credit. We will accept assignments ONE day late for 50% credit; after that, assignments must be completed, but will receive a 0. There are a couple reasons why we are making this change:
Other things to note:
With that, I hope you have a great weekend - despite the chilly weather! Weekly News - Monday Edition!
I'm sorry for not getting this out on Friday! I was at a conference all day and my thrown off schedule got the best of me. But, here are the things you need to know for this week and other upcoming events! Tomorrow is an e-Learning day! So, remind your kiddos to be watching their emails. Some things went home after school, others will come out via email and google classroom tonight and/or tomorrow morning. All assignments are expected Wednesday unless otherwise noted. Friday is the end of the first trimester. Hard to believe! But with that comes the reminder that all missing work needs to be turned in by Friday to teachers who will take it! (Hint, hint: I'm one of those teachers!) But, we can't take it after Friday since we need to get grades fully updated and ready to print. Be sure to contact any teachers if you have questions about missing work. Other events:
Happy Fall Break!
This week seemed strange with the 5th and 6th gone for Outdoor Ed, but it was a nice way to head into our break with a bit of a different schedule and some relaxed days. I pray everyone has safe travels and enjoyable vacations or staycations with family and friends. Some things to note: 1. There is no school lunch for the week of October 21st -25th when we come back from Fall Break. 2. October 25th is PJ day as well as Trunk-or-Treat that evening! 3. There is an open gym for Basketball tomorrow morning from 9 to 11 AM. See the following note from the ASF committee: All Saints' Fest tickets are on sale!! ASF is the annual dinner auction fundraiser. You can purchase tickets for this evening before school on Wednesdays and on Sunday morning. Or you can pick up a ticket form, fill it out, and turn it into the office with your payment. Every ticket purchased is entered into a drawing to win 4 Disney World Park Hopper Passes! Ask any All Saints’ Fest committee member or e-mail them at ASF@ourshepherd.org Facebook@AllSaintsFestOSL or instagram@AllSaintsFest_OSL What a week it has been! Between projects, homework, practices, rehearsals, games, tournaments, and just life itself, it has been busy. So today, I told the kids we were taking a break. I have been feeling the pressure of everything and I'm sure some, if not all, of them have as well.
So we took the morning to just be together–to relax and have some fun and not worry about the rest of the things going on right now. And you know what? It was one of the best mornings we've had! Sometimes we just need to take a break and reconnect with each other as people, not students, teammates, or even competitors, just as friends. It was just a great way to be together this morning. I needed that and I know this kids did as well. Hopefully despite all the craziness of life we can all find some time to relax and just be together. Here are some upcoming events to be aware of:
We made it to midterm! We are one sixth of the way through the school year, as hard as that is to believe. There are lots of the things coming up this week, so here are some of the major dates and things to know:
We had another busy, but fun week! A trip to IMA and sharing what we have been working on in our choice classes was a great way to end our week.
Here are some things to keep in mind for the upcoming week:
School is ramping up as we get closer to our first midterm and the 8th graders are definitely starting to feel it. Most classes are working on projects or preparing for tests and papers, making the stress a little more palpable. But, they can handle it! Encourage your child to get enough sleep, eat a good breakfast, and manage their time wisely so they can avoid that overwhelmed feeling. And as always, the middle school teachers are here to help however we can! Encourage your kids to talk to us so that we can do our best to give them the guidance and help they need to be successful.
Things to Note: 1. September 18th is picture day! Mark your calendar and remind you kid to dress nicely! 2. Tomorrow is the first Cross Country Meet! Jonathan will be recognized as the only 8th grader on our team, so come out to support him! It was another busy week with games and our field trip to the zoo, but it was a great week!
The zoo was lots of fun as the kids all got to explore and learn about the different animals as well as spend some time together outside of their normal school setting and even normal class peers. Fun was had by all! Reminders for this week: 1. You can check grades in RenWeb at any time! Be sure to let me or any of the other teachers know if you are unable to log in.
With that, I wish you all a fantastic Labor Day weekend! Another week down and we are really back into the swing of things this school year!
Our Writing Workshop is going really well. Most students have finished their first paper and are on to the second, or even third! In Science they are working on classifying animals by characteristics, and in Geometry they are working on bisecting angles. Pretty much, just getting smarter all around! Some reminders: 1. If you haven't had a chance to look at the website for fundraising, make sure you do that before midnight tonight! All purchases made before then will help students win prizes and maybe even earn a trip to Zip City! 2. On Monday there is a dine out event for All Saints' Fest at Panera Bread. Flyers went home this week! Be sure to check the "homework" and "other important information" tabs to keep up with all the middle school fun! |