Mrs. Ahearn, Mrs. Yates and Mrs. Connors teach our

Middle School Language Arts and Writing Classes

MATHEMATICS

Prealgebra 

Our students in Prealgebra started out the year learning about productive ways to work in small groups by participating in some fun math tasks. Their first unit is data collection and statistics. They have been learning how to ask strong mathematical questions and how to represent data collections using different representations such as dot plots, box plots, and histograms. We are looking at different data sets and learning ways to describe them such as looking at their shape, their center, and their spread. Their next unit of study will be integers.

SCIENCE

The school year is definitely off to a strong start! The middle schoolers participated in some team-building challenges in science since many labs are done in groups. Thank you for signing and returning the lab safety contracts. 8th graders have the opportunity to participate in Science Fair this year. If this topic has not already come up at home about participation or project ideas, I encourage you to ask your 8th grader their thoughts. Looking forward to a collaborative year ahead. 

Algebra

Our Algebra students dove right into some productive group work by making their own coordinate planes with topics of their choice. Their first unit is equations. They have been thinking like mathematicians by looking for patterns and learning the different properties that keep an equation balanced. They have also been representing real life situations using numbers and variables. Their next unit of study will be inequalities.

Math Course 3 

Course 3 is a typical 8th grade math course. Our goal this year is to be prepared to take Algebra 1 in their freshman year. To start the year, we have been solving multiple types of equations. Next up will be solving and graphing inequalities. Both of these skills will be building blocks for the rest of the year, and a skill that we will continue to review as the year goes on. 

Geometry

Geometry is a high school course so we are moving at a brisk pace. We have completed our first unit on the building blocks of geometry. During that unit there was a lot of new vocabulary introduced that we will be using throughout the entire course. As we move through this class, many students will be pushed out of their math comfort zones. I keep telling the class that we will get through it together. This will become very evident as our next unit introduces proofs. 

RELIGION

6th grade religion begins the year focusing on the forms of prayer and practical ways to pray in our lives. 

Trivia: What album was released in 1994 to combat stress in modern life?  Chant performed by the Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de Silos in Spain.

The 6th graders will meditate while listening to a piece of music from this album. Make sure to ask your 6th grader if they know why Gregorian Chant is important to music today.

7th Grade: We are diving into our Christology (study of Jesus Christ) unit with an in depth look at the Gospel of Matthew. We want to see who Christ is, how he offers spiritual and physical healing, and how people respond to him.

8th Grade: We are building upon our work from last year, focusing more intently on the theme of Discipleship as we prepare for Confirmation in the spring. Our first effort is to tackle the Gospel of John. 

SOCIAL STUDIES

6th Grade: Students began the year being “History Detectives” by taking on the roles of archaeologists, historians, and geographers while conducting cave explorations. In addition, students reviewed basic geography skills and aced the first geography quiz.

7th Grade: Students are studying Europe in medieval times. They will focus on feudalism, life in medieval towns, the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Byzantine empire. Geography of Europe will be our map focus for this unit. Students will have a European countries test in September. 

8th Grade: Students will began with a review of U.S. geography, including knowing the location of each of the 50 states and be able to name the capitals. Currently, students are learning about "European Exploration and Settlement." These lessons will conclude with a "Pop-Up" debate responding to the question: Should there be a Columbus Day? Both sides must present convincing evidence which leads to a lively debate. Pop-Up Debates will occur occasionally throughout the year.

SPANISH

6th Grade has started Unit 1 of SOMOS (Dice). They are learning basic introductions and how to say “This is a…” and describe people and animals. We also learned a famous song from Latin America “Los Pollitos Dicen…”  Home connection: Ask your child to sing you the Los Pollitos song. Additionally, you could ask them the question, ¿Cómo es …? (What’s he/she like…?) and have them describe someone in your home (in Spanish of course!)

7th Grade has started Unit 6 of SOMOS (¡Siéntate!). They are reviewing body parts and commands. We read the story Corey está sucio (Corey is dirty), played Simón Dice (Simon Says) and drew monstruos (monsters) with their eyes closed while listening to the descriptions. We had a lot of fun with this! Home connection: Ask your child to name the body parts in Spanish and how many of each they have.

8th Grade has started Unit 15 of SOMOS (El Gaucho Argentino). We continue to look at cultural connections to Argentina: the tango (dance) and the gaucho (Argentine cowboy).This week we created our class story together in Spanish about a man who still lives with his mom (but she wants to live alone!)  The students did great and the story was very creative! Home connection: Ask your child to retell as much of the story in Spanish as possible and have them describe a “gaucho”.

ART

Welcome back to art class 6th & 7th graders!!! I'm so excited for this school year and all of the projects we will be doing!

Our first project was a collaborative one! All of the students made a colorful sculpture out of construction paper using all sorts of different lines. We talked about the difference between 2D and 3D artwork. Then, I took each amazing sculpture and put them together in a checkered pattern on the bulletin boards outside of the art room to make one enormous sculpture! They are soooooo cool!!! 

8th graders have just completed their first project studying Keith Haring and his simple shapes that show motion and a positive message. As a beginning-of-the-year warm-up, this project used drawing media. They turned out so bright and fun! Students will be keeping all their artwork at school until later in the year, as we use a portfolio approach to tracking our growth in art class. Next up: drawing desserts, focusing on highlights and shadows to create a more realistic drawing.

BAND

During this trimester, band students will focus and reflect on how best to use at-home practice time as we look to improve as a music ensemble in the classroom. We have begun to learn our music for the Fall Concert in November. Each week, students begin class with breathing exercises and a warm-up in a meter other than the common time (4/4). Students learn to count the rhythm aloud as well as clap the rhythm before they play it on their instrument. Meters include 2/4, 3/4, 6/8.

MUSIC

Middle school music students are reviewing basic rhythm performance and notation skills. 6th, 7th and 8th grade students have learned how to map out rhythms on a Beat Map. A Beat Map is a chart that breaks down standard notation so that students can understand timing in music. They have also begun using Soundtrap to practice performance skills and create recordings of rhythms that they compose in class. Students in each music class will be working towards composing rhythmic accompaniment for a familiar tune.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

PE classes are starting their first sports units this month. 6th grade will be learning proper skills and rules of Flag Football. 

7th grade will be participating in a Soccer World Cup as part of their Soccer unit. 

8th grade will be creating their own College Football Playoffs as part of their Flag Football unit.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR PLAN

New to the middle school this year is a Positive Behavior Plan. Students have cards to collect signatures when caught being good. This could be helping out a classmate,  picking up after someone else at lunch, being quiet going in and out for recess, and the list goes on and on. Signatures are redeemed for prizes at the store every Friday morning from 7:40-7:55. Some prizes take only a few signatures like a day to wear crazy socks or getting a new mechanical pencil, and some require more signatures like time in the gym during flex or sitting by a friend in class. Our goal as a team is to focus on the good that our students do each day. 

21st CENTURY SCHOLAR

Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program provides up to four years of undergraduate tuition to income-eligible students at participating colleges or universities in Indiana. To receive the 21st Century Scholarship, students must be Indiana residents and meet income eligibility requirements. You can enroll your child from the time they enter 7th grade to June 30th of their 8th grade year. Get started at ScholarTrack.IN.gov.

MS YOUTH GROUP

6th-8th graders are invited to a color competition to kick off youth ministry for the year! Colorful, messy games, pizza, Kona Ice, and lots of fun! Advance sign up is requested.

ABSENT STUDENT?

If your student misses school, they should check Canvas and PowerSchool for missed school assignments. If there are any questions, please feel free to email the teachers.

SAVE THE DATE 

Friday, October 7

Spaghetti Dinner to benefit 8th Grade trip to Washington D.C.

During the first few days of school we showed the students where they can make anonymous reports. This can be used when they see something happening to another classmate, if something is happening with them, or if they are worried about someone. We shared that if they feel comfortable, it is always best to talk directly to a trusted adult, however, we realize that sometimes putting things in writing is easier. They can do this in a paper version to Mrs Byron or on a Google form that goes to Mrs Byron and Mrs Watson. Parents are also welcome to use the Google form as well. The link can be found on the school website. 

Anonymous Reporting