th
8 Grade Newsletter
Princeton Community
Middle School
2015-2016
October 2015
Department Information
Important Dates:
September 29
September 30
Parent Teacher Conferences
Professional Development
Day: No Students
October 1
Interims mailed home
October 16
October 19
Fall Break: No School
October 23
End of Quarter 1
Math:
Social Studies:
Rebekah Schuholz
Gretchen Tash
Ed Jones
Dave Martin
Kevin Lawhon
Casey Fisher
Jessica Janusik
Leroy Foster
Patty Perez
Science:
Language Arts:
Justin Wilson
Tahnee Keyes
Lincoln Cobb
Celine Quinn
Steve Watson
Robyn McDonald-Gordon
Megan Terlau
Jamie Parker
Intervention: Janet Davenport
Matt Fisher
Oak Martin
Linda Lemen
Progressbook Information
If you have not received your Progress Book login information,please contact Patti Scales at [email protected]
or 864-2105.
Content Area Updates:
What is going on in the core content areas…
Social Studies:
There is no AIR assessment in 8th grade Social Studies. Classes have taken the SLO
PreTest, establishing a benchmark for students' prior knowledge of early American
history. We have been studying the making of the 13 colonies. We will take our
September assessment the last week of September. October's focus will include
declaring independence and the road to revolution. If you'd like to have the textbook at
your fingertips, pleases send a flash drive to school with your child, and his/her social
studies teacher will load the History Alive! text onto the flash drive to take home.
Some teachers have also loaded the text onto the Homework Page of ProgressBook.
Social studies teachers encourage parents of students on IEPs to be in regular
contact with their child's intervention specialist with any questions or concerns
regarding accommodations in social studies, as case managers are supporting the IEP
goals through the students' math and language arts classes this year. The general
education social studies teachers are providing in-class accommodations/modifications
as directed by the intervention specialist. Students will be goal setting and reflecting on
their progress on monthly and quarter assessments throughout the school year in social
studies classes. Please have conversations with your child about their progress toward
his/her goals in social studies.
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Science:
8th grade science is wrapping up a study of basic physics, including electromagnetic fields,
gravity, and potential energy. During second quarter we will be journeying through the
layer's of the Earth, examining evidence of its history along way. Students simulated
radiometric dating with skittles, created maps of tectonic plates and supercontinents, and
used slinky toys to demonstrate seismic waves. Soon we will be studying constructive and
destructive forces such as mountain formation, earthquakes, and erosion. Students in
honors classes should be working at home on their Sources of Energy PowerPoints. We
look forward to seeing the great research that will be presented.
Math:
Students have been working hard in the first and second modules of Go Math. We began
the year with learning about rational and irrational numbers. We more specifically learned
how to find the square root of all types of numbers. From there, we will begin exploring
scientific notation. We will look at how to write numbers in scientific notation, and
operations with scientific notation as well. When module 2 is over, the first unit test will be
given. While some math classes move at different paces, please be on the lookout for
exactly when your child’s unit one test will be.
Our new math program GO MATH is up and running and with this program we have
what is called a personal math trainer for our students to use. This should be ready by the
middle of the month so please look for information from your math teachers about this
great resource.
Language Arts:
We are so excited about our upcoming year and here is a sneak a peek at the events in
October. Working with vocabulary, literature, language and writing, we have delved into
the First Quarter. This year we are introducing Code X to both CP and Honors
students. Please ask your child to give you some updates about our
curriculum this fall. Inquire about the specifics from your student. Additionally, many
classes are working on a comparison essay for the Unit 2 Material ("Story of Keesh" and
"Life of Pi". We are all excited about opening Viking mail accounts, setting up Google
Doc accounts, checking our Power School grades and keeping up with all of the new
aspects of our building. Please check Progress Book frequently for updates on your
student's work.
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