Events
12/4: 1/2 Day AM K-12/PM Professional Development Day
12/8: BOE Meeting, 6:30 Kaufman Center
12/11 - 12/18: Hanukkah
12/24 - 1/1: December Recess
12/25: Christmas
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Seventh Grade Art
In 7th grade art, the students have been learning about “Value” and have been practicing their skills with shading. They just finished a project called “Shattered Value” where they “broke” (divided) a drawing into shards and drew gradients in each piece in different directions. The project is for creating a neat looking piece of art while honing our shading skills with pencil.
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Math 7
In Math 7 students are exploring proportional relationships in everyday life. Then we'll move into our Percent Unit.
In Math 7A students are finishing their 2nd Algebra Unit. Then will begin the Proportion Unit.
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English 7
In English 7, we are finishing our unit on A Long Walk to Water. After Thanksgiving break, we will be starting a new short story unit, where we will be taking a closer look at how literary devices such as plot, theme, and conflict are used to help develop a story.
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7th Grade Information Literacy
7th grade Information Literacy classes are busy learning about all the resources that are available to students and how to use them effectively. We’ll also be exploring careers and learning how to verify information we read on social media and on the Internet.
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Career and Technical Ed.
We are continuing our research regarding career exploration. It is a chance for students to see what careers are out there and find out what kind of training and experience is necessary to land their favorite jobs.
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Home and Career Skills
In Home and Career Skills we are in the middle of our Personal Care unit. Students have learned about hygiene, grooming and selecting a wardrobe. Students have also learned how to do laundry and iron clothes. We will be learning about sewing and tackling a sewing project later on in the unit.
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Health Class
We have just wrapped up a unit on Wellness and Disease where students used their knowledge of symptoms, modes of transmission, risk factors and, of course, the internet to diagnose fictional patient cases. We will now begin to talk about mental health issues and the treatment/management of them.
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English 8
In English 8, we are just starting our second unit, The Outsiders (always a class favorite)! Throughout the reading of the novel, we will be exploring further our 20 literary vocabulary words, specifically characterization. Students will have the opportunity to close-read selections from the text and analyze how authors develop character. At the end of the novel, students will watch the film of the novel so that they can get a visual for the characters and events, and make thoughtful comparisons between the two.
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Foreign Language
In 8th grade Spanish, we are finishing our unit on Personal Identification. Students are doing an excellent job describing themselves and others in Spanish! We will be starting the family unit as soon as we return from Thanksgiving.
In French 8, students are finishing the Personal Identification unit. They can describe themselves and others and will be showing off these skills in letters to their pen-pals in France. The next unit students will be studying is the Family unit, which will start after Thanksgiving!
In Foreign Language Exploratory, students just began their 10 week course and are currently learning about the importance of learning a Foreign Language.
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JH Band
Junior high band students are up for the challenge! They are learning up to 14 scales through a scale challenge where prizes are earned as they reach each level of scale challenge. Also, students are earning music bucks by coming to lessons, completing lessons in their book, and accomplishing goals. Music bucks are good for all kinds of things including hand fidgets, fun food, prize box, and gift cards. Keep coming to lessons and earn those music bucks!
Students are also learning to play independently in person and remote learners are getting plenty of opportunity to play their instruments with their friends in our remote class.
Congratulations to the following online band members for completing the first level in the scale challenge!
Ayden Harmin
Adam Lemon
Gabriel Mendiola
Danica Fox
Preston Coffelt
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8th Grade Science
In 8th grade science, we are keeping out the cold by studying HEAT! Students are using their inquiry skills from unit 1 to examine their own questions about these phenomena: conduction, convection, or radiation and how energy moves in a system.
SCIENCE at HOME
Families, here is how you can study heat at home!!!:
What do you predict will happen? Take 3 glasses: one with cold water, one with room temperature water, and one with hot water. Drop 1 drop of food coloring in the center of the water and observe the Brownian motion. Send pictures of your experiment to tjohnson@cortlandschools and we will feature your home experiment in next month's newsletter!
“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” -Ms. Frizzle
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8th Grade Social Studies
We have been busy learning about the settlement of the western U.S. We created cowboy poems that outlined the struggles and joys of cowboy life. Next up is the U.S. Industrial era. Students are learning about the Captains of Industry and the positive and negative effects of an Industrial America. Students will be drawing their own unique inventions.
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Physical Education
Boys' PE has started a new unit of Pickleball. This is a fun and exciting indoor/outdoor game played by young and old. Pickleball combines Tennis, Badminton and Ping Pong as one sport.
Girls' PE have begun their Aerobics Unit and will be learning how to work out in various ways. These include Stations, HIIT Workouts, AMRAP and Fitness Testing.
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Library
Thousands of ebooks are available through Overdrive. Check out the library webpage and browse the library catalog or go right to Overdrive on the students symbaloo. You can also download it for free on your personal device. There is a quick “how to” video on the library webpage if you need help or you can email Mrs. Hay, khay@cortlandschools.org if you have any questions.
“There is no friend as loyal as a book.” ~Ernest Hemingway
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Athletics Department News
Fall Sports:
I want to congratulate the Athletes and Coaches for an outstanding season. Our teams competed in 77 contests this fall despite the many challenges due to COVID. I need to express a big thank you to parents, athletes, coaches, building and grounds, custodial staff, and Mrs. Theresa E Johnson for their hard work and flexibility during this ever changing season.
Winter Athletics:
Currently, Bowling is the only sport with state government permission to begin and is tentatively scheduled to start on 12/14/2020. Registration on Family ID will begin soon.
Our state athletic association, NYSPHSAA, has delayed the start of high risk sports; Basketball, Wrestling, Cheerleading, and Volleyball; until January 4, 2021. In order to begin on January 4th, these sports will need permission and guidance from the Governor’s office.
Indoor Track and field is currently on hold due to a lack of adequate facilities during COVID times.
Please check our Athletics page on the district website for updates.
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Nurse
School physicals have begun. All 7th grade students and new entrants in 8th grade are required to have a physical examination. This mandate applies to all remote and in-person learners. If your child has had a physical with his/her primary care provider, please have a copy faxed to the school nurse at 607-758-4033 if you have not already done so.
Do your part to keep everyone well.
Practice social distancing.
Wear a mask.
Wash your hands.
Avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes.
Don’t forget to schedule an appointment with your doctor for a flu shot.
If your child is feeling ill, please keep them home.
Call the Jr. High Attendance Office if your child will be tardy, absent, or dismissed early. 758-4083.
If you haven’t already completed the School Health Services Consent Form, please consider doing so and submit to the school nurse.
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Title 1 at Cortland Schools
Title I (pronounced “Title One”) is the largest federal aid program for elementary, middle, and high schools. Through Title I, the Federal government provides funding to school districts around the country based on the number of low-income families in each district. Each district uses its Title I money for extra educational services for children who are behind in school. Schools where more than half of all students are low-income can operate a school-wide Title I project. This includes all Cortland schools. Read More
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Cortland Free Library
There is always something fun to do at the library!
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Breakfast and Lunch are Provided for all Students. |
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Stay Tuned for Our Newsletter Next Month! |
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