Monday, November 30, 2015

8th grade classroom update

Welcome Back!  We wanted to remind you that the first trimester closes on Friday, 12/4, as well as share the upcoming units of study for the next three weeks.


Social Studies classes will focus largely independent study of the Gilded Age.  Students received a menu of activities from which to choose to demonstrate their learning.  Some of the menu items have common due dates, which can be viewed on the 8th grade Google calendar.  Students will assign themselves due dates for the remaining activities.  One hundred points on the menu earns an A+.  Please ask your child to share his/her menu and calendar of due dates.  


Science classes will embark on a study of Energy and Systems focusing on Simple Machines and work.  This unit will culminate with a classroom project that involves creating Rube Goldberg machines and a Simple Machine test on Friday, 12/18.  


Language Arts classes, having recently finished a brief short story unit that focused on literary elements, are now engaging in poetry writing.


Math classes will be finishing our unit Filling and Wrapping over three-dimensional measurements, and then we'll shift gears toward studying the Pythagorean Theorem and its application to various real world scenarios in our unit Looking for Pythagoras. Students will be provided a makeup opportunity for the Filling and Wrapping unit test if the need arises.




Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Article for you to read

Below is a link to an article about online privacy that I wanted to share with you.  I think you will find it interesting, and may possibly want to share it with your children. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Rod

Monday, November 16, 2015

Classroom Update 11/16

As we approach the end of the first trimester, we would like to highlight a few upcoming events.



Thursday, November 19: Social Studies- Reconstruction test


Friday, November 20: Language Arts- Letter Essay due.  Also, there will be a practice lockdown at 8:15 am.  

Eighth Grade Math- Investigation 2 Quiz


Monday, November 23:  5th grade buddies gather in the afternoon to write a Thanksgiving meal poem.

   Intensive Math - Unit Test over Filling & Wrapping


Tuesday, November 24: Science- Forces and Motion unit test (chapters 1, 2 and 3).


Wednesday, November 25: Beginning of Thanksgiving break- No school


Friday, December 4:  1st Trimester ends

Monday, October 19, 2015

Classroom update 10/18

8th Grade parent-student-teacher conferences begin this week.  Conferences are being scheduled on the following days: Tuesday, 10/20, Wednesday 10/21, Wednesday 10/28, Thursday 10/29 and Tuesday 11/3.  The instructions and link to select a conference date and time was sent in a previous email on October 6.  There are still several open slots, if you have not signed up.  

Students will have a science quiz this Wednesday 10/21 (Inertia and Newtons' First Law of Motion). 

Students will participate in group discussions about the 2nd half of Watt Key's book, Alabama Moon, on Wednesday 10/21.  

Watt Key will then visit with the middle school students on Thursday 10/22 to discuss his book.      

Next week, a social studies assessment will be administered on Tuesday 10/27 (Old Hickory and the War of 1812).  

Monday, September 21, 2015

Fwd: This week in the 8th grade... CORRECTION

CORRECTION:

The Physical map quiz for social studies is on Wednesday.  
I apologize for the confusion.










---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rod Corey <rod_corey@yarmouthschools.org>
Date: Mon, Sep 21, 2015 at 6:59 AM
Subject: This week in the 8th grade...
To: Blogger <rod_corey1.update@blogger.com>


Additional information regarding schedule details can be found on the 8th grade google calendar on my webpage.

Tuesday:  
  • A walking field trip to the Yarmouth Historical Society for a Yarmouth history slide show.  All students will be back in the building for lunch and the rest of the day.   
  • Science quiz (decimals, place value, scientific notation and time conversions)
Wednesday:  
  • Math MAP testing in the morning.
Thursday:  
  • Physical map quiz in social studies (lakes, rivers, mountains and parks) 
  • Reading MAP testing in the morning.
Friday:  
  • Maine map test in social studies
  • Walking tour of Main Street in Yarmouth.  All students will be back in the building for lunch and the rest of the day.  

This week in the 8th grade...

Additional information regarding schedule details can be found on the 8th grade google calendar on my webpage.

Tuesday:  
  • A walking field trip to the Yarmouth Historical Society for a Yarmouth history slide show.  All students will be back in the building for lunch and the rest of the day.   
  • Science quiz (decimals, place value, scientific notation and time conversions)
Wednesday:  
  • Math MAP testing in the morning.
Thursday:  
  • Physical map quiz in social studies (lakes, rivers, mountains and parks) 
  • Reading MAP testing in the morning.
Friday:  
  • Maine map test in social studies
  • Walking tour of Main Street in Yarmouth.  All students will be back in the building for lunch and the rest of the day.  

Thursday, September 10, 2015

A quick hello from the 8th grade wing

Just a quick note to say hello and introduce myself as your child's 8th grade science teacher.  For some of you, I will also have your child in social studies class.  Periodically, I will send a note out to everyone as an update and reminder about upcoming dates and events.

If you would like to get a peek at our science and social studies curriculums, you can view our units of study on my web page https://sites.google.com/a/yarmouthschools.org/mrcoreyshomepage/home

On my webpage, you will also find a homework/event calendar, unit resources and classroom photos that catch the kids in action.  I will talk more about this at Open House on Wednesday, September 16 (6:30 to 7:45 pm).  Looking forward to seeing you there!

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Rod Corey




Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year at HMS!


Thursday, May 21, 2015

Classroom update

The energy level in the middle school is beginning to rise as we approach the end of the year!  Below is a snapshot of what's happening in the classroom.  

Social Studies:
Students are highly engaged in the research phase of their civil rights projects.  At some point in the next few days, your child should ask you to have a conversation about his/her civil rights topic.  A minimum of ten pages of notes are due on Wednesday 5/27 before class.  At that point, students will begin to use their knowledge to create an exhibit that explains why their chosen topic is a civil rights issue.  The museum night for parents is scheduled for Wed. June 10, 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

Science:
Students have begun a study of sound and light which is the last unit of the year.  We also have two senior Freeport students coming to present their senior project on flight to students on Tuesday 5/26.  The topic is flight.  

End of the year dates for your calendar:
Monday 5/25 Memorial Day -no school
Monday 6/1 and Tuesday 6/2- MAP testing (mornings)
Wednesday 6/10 Civil Rights night (6:30 to 7:30 pm)
Friday 6/12 Step up day (8th grade students will be dismissed from YHS)
Tuesday 6/16 End of the year celebration field trip to Range Pond (2:25 dismissal)
Wednesday 6/17 Last day of school- Breakfast, awards, slide show and talent show (students dismissed at 11am)

More information will be coming soon regarding the June end of year dates. 

Sunday, May 3, 2015

classroom update

Just a quick note to let you know about some of the big events happening in the 8th grade over the next two weeks.  Please let me know if you have any questions!


Monday 5/4:  FMA Live!  Assembly
8th graders will view a science assembly with their 5th grade buddies in the gym on Newton's Laws of Motion (8 to 9 am). "An award-winning science education concert from Honeywell and NASA!  FMA Live!'s Forces in Motion show is an interactive, traveling hip-hop concert that teaches Newton's Universal Law of Gravity and Three Laws of Motion."  https://fmalive.honeywell.com/

Students will also have a quiz in science on harmonic motion.  


Tuesday 5/5:  Science MEA testing

Friday 5/8:  Career Fair

Monday 5/11- Thursday 5/14:  MEA testing (math, reading/ writing)


Friday 5/15:  Young Athletes' Festival

The 8th grade students will be hosting the 3rd annual Festival for Young Athletes (ages 2-8).  Eighth grade students will be assisting and cheering on athletes from the greater Portland area as they participate in various games and activities. This event will take place from

9:00 - 11:00 a.m. at the Winslow fields.

Monday, April 6, 2015

8th grade science and social studies assessments

This week:

All the People unit test (1945 to 1990) will be in two parts.  Part 1 occurs this Wednesday and focuses on vocabulary of the time period.  Part 2 occurs this Thursday and focuses on bigger ideas (short answer/constructed response).  Each student received a list of terms to review last Friday.  We will continue our review tomorrow in class.  

Next week:
The unit assessment for our study of the physical properties of matter, temperature and energy will occur on Tuesday 4/14. 

No school on Friday 4/17.  

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Fwd: Grade 8 news

Happy St. Paddy's Day!


This week in science: 
Why atoms combine, molecules and compounds.

"Impact" testing on Thursday 3/19.  Sarah Holmes, the YHS athletic trainer, will be visiting science classes to administer an online concussion, base line test.  Please look for the blue permission slip with more information.  


This week in social studies:
The 50s, Kennedy, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.  
Students will take a quiz on Friday 3/20  that focuses on Chapters 1-19 (the 1950s and early 60s)


Other:
2nd trimester grades will be complete on Friday afternoon 3/20. 
Periodic Table unit test tentatively scheduled for Friday 3/27.



Friday, March 6, 2015

Coming up next week

Science:
  • Current event share on Monday 3/9
  • Periodic Table quiz on Tuesday! 3/10

Social Studies:
  • Guest speaker Edith Pagelson, a holocaust survivor, will speak to the 8th grade students on Monday 3/9 about her experiences during World War II.  
  • On Tuesday, we begin our study of the last half of the 20th century.  

Other:
Have a great weekend!

Sunday, March 1, 2015

3/2 - 3/6

This past week, the YHS guidance counselors and 9th grade teachers visited with the 8th grade students to share information about the high school schedule and classes.  Each student received a YHS course selection booklet. Videos of the presentations can be viewed here.

Next week students will have the option to register for 9th grade honors level classes or college prep. level classes.  The honors level classes are more challenging, have more homework, and require more independent work.  Discuss class selection with your student, to identify the most appropriate level for each class.  Please let me know if you have questions regarding course selection.  

This week in science:
We begin a study of Matter and Energy that focuses on the organization of the periodic table.  

This week in social studies:
We will wrap up our study of Gandhi, and will begin our study of the Cold War next week.

Looking ahead:
  • Your student's transition conference is scheduled for either this Tuesday 3/3 or Wednesday 3/4. 
  • At the transition conference you will sign up for a follow up course registration conference at YHS for next week.  (Bring your calendar to the transition conference).
  • 2nd trimester ends on Thursday, March 12.  Please check in with your student regarding his/her progress this trimester.
  • Friday, March 13- Teacher inservice day (no school for students)
Happy March :)

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Welcome back from February Break!

Just a few items to share with you.  

Science:
We have finished our electricity unit and are currently studying electromagnetism.  Motors and generators this week!  The electromagnetism test is scheduled for this Friday 2/27.

Social Studies:
We finished our study of WWII before break and will be starting a short video unit on Gandhi.  The Cold War will follow.  

Looking ahead:
  • Your transition conference is scheduled for Tuesday 3/3 or Wednesday 3/4.  If you did not receive an email regarding your scheduled day and time, please let me know.
  • 2nd trimester ends on Thursday, March 12.  Please check in with your student regarding his/her progress this trimester.
  • Friday, March 13- Teacher inservice day (no school for students)