Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year at HMS!

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. 

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.

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.  

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.

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:

• Tuesday 3/10 and  Wednesday 3/11 :  YHS class registration conferences.  Conferences are with the high school advisor at YHS.  
• Friday 3/13:  Teacher inservice day (no school for students).
• A great article on understanding the teenage brain.
• Additional articles and parent resources are located on my homepage in the "Parents' Corner".

Have a great weekend!

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 :)