MYP Newsletter 2/20/15

Middle School interims will be sent home on Tues. 2/24. This is a change due to snow days.

The Middle School exam schedule has been updated and posted:

For exam schedule: https://saintmary.org/middle-school-exam-schedule-announced-for-may-2015/

Our students have a great opportunity to participate:

For Math League contest (not a test!): https://saintmary.org/middle-school-students-to-participate-in-math-league-contests/

Language and Literature- Mr. Schaefer

6^th Grade- In The Giver, Jonas has received his rules and reported to begin his training. Jonas has no idea what is in store for him so he is quite anxious. The children can expect the possibility of a quiz every Wednesday or Thursday. I will let them know each week. On Friday, February 27^th they will have a vocabulary test on Unit 11 since we did not have it this week.

7^th Grade- In Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne and Peter’s relationship is developing into a friendship where they can rely on each other for emotional support. Up until now Anne has only been able to rely on her diary while Peter has internalized everything. The children can expect the possibility of a quiz every Wednesday or Thursday. I will let them know each week. On Friday, February 27^th they will have a vocabulary test on Unit 11 since we did not have it this week.

8^th Grade- We will be wrapping up our discussion of pronouns. The students can expect a test on Wednesday or Thursday. On Friday, February 27^th they will have a vocabulary test on Unit 11 since we did not have it this week.

Language and Literature- Mr. Maddock

6th Grade Grammar and Writing– We’ll be finishing up the Verb Unit the week of the 16th, and by finishing up, I mean reviewing the material briefly and then sitting down to the Unit test. At the same time, we’ll begin working on the Personal Narrative, our next writing project.

7th Grade Grammar and Writing– Beginning the week of the 16th, the 7th grade will start examining the tiny but ubiquitous Preposition. We’ll also move toward the Personal Narrative essay.

8th Grade Literature and Writing– On Treasure Island, everybody’s intentions (with the notable exception of Long John Silver’s) are becoming clear. At the halfway point of the little novel, we’re all trying to guess which side will get out alive!

Science- Mr. Short

All grades:

The Science Fair is due on Friday March 20th. The Science Fair will be on Thursday March 26th from 6:30-7:30pm. All student should attend this event. There will be no weekly assignments for the next 2 weeks. Students should be working on their experiments.

7th grade will be given an assignment next week where they are asked to track their eating and design a meal plan to meet all of their personal nutritional needs.

8th grade will have a test next week and the Neogeo poster is due on Friday.

Language Acquisition- Madame Rooks

French 6^th grade: We are finishing up our unit on Food and Art. We’ll begin our study of the body, health, clothing and color.

French 7^th grade: This has been a big unit, and we have accomplished a great deal. This week the students have interviewed a classmate in French, and then introduced or presented their friend to the class.

French 8: A wonderful time was had by all at Les Crêpes Restaurant at Stony Point Fashion Park. Thank you to our drivers and chaperones. Thank you for sponsoring your student’s French meal! Check out the photo on St. Mary’s Facebook page. We are finishing our study of airports and air travel, so will have a chapter test this coming week. Then we will begin to learn how to get around in a train station.

Bonne Fête de Saint Valentin!

Language Acquisition- Senora Thompson

Spanish:

6th grade- We have started High School level 1 Spanish. They should be able to tell you the pronouns in Spanish and are learning to conjugate their first verb “ser”. It’s all very exciting. They are officially in Unit 1 and should be studying “Palabras 1″. They will have a quiz on “Palabras 1″ this week.

7th grade- We have started Unit 5, our food unit. Yum! We are very interested in making some of these foods that we are learning about. This unit has so much vocabulary that it is split it up into four sections. This week they are working on “Palabras 1″ and “Comidas 1″. They will have a quiz on “Palabras 1″ this week.

8th grade- We have started Unit 10. It’s all about the movies,theatre and other cultural events. We will be performing some plays for the younger audiences soon! They will have a quiz on “Palabras 1″ this week.

7th & 8th grade classes are welcomed to stay after school Wednesday, February 18 for NSE practice from 3-4.

Math- Mrs. Koehler

NOTICE: Math Lab will only be on Wednesday next week, due to the Monday Holiday, from 3:00-4:00 in the MS math room.

To all Middle School Parents/Students:

On Tuesday, February 17th all middle school students will take part in a Mathematics contest sponsored by the Virginia Mathematics League. Over 138 registered schools throughout the state of Virginia participate in the Math League Contest. Each contest, grades 6, 7, & 8, is a 30-minute multiple-choice contest, not a test. The value of our students getting involved in the contest is to pique their interest in mathematics. Math contests give students an educationally enriching opportunity to participate in an academically-oriented activity. This is a great opportunity for our students to show what they know. Please, no studying is necessary!

6^th Grade: The students are excited since we have moved into the Algebra Unit. We are working on learning the “integer rules”. These must be mastered just like the multiplication tables. Please work with your student as we move through this chapter drilling them on the integer rules. I will be assessing them periodically. Ask your student about how we practice the integers in class while allowing for a little movement in catching the sphere. The first assessment was Friday so I am anxious to see how they did. I anticipate a Chapter 8 test next Friday, 2/20, or possibly Monday, 2/23. The integer rules for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division must be mastered before moving on to 7^th grade in order to insure a smooth transition. As always, please check the Communicator weekly for recorded grades.

7^th Grade: Please don’t forget to check your student’s Communication binder for math test/quiz grades. We are moving well through Chapter 7 on Linear Equations, Inequalities, and Functions. I hope by the time you are reading this they will have been given a Mid-Chapter 7 Quiz on Friday. If not, anticipate it next week.

8^th Grade:

Advanced Algebra (HS) – Please be sure to check the Communicator for your student’s grades. We are moving through Chapter 7 on “Solving Linear Inequalities” and the students seem to find this to be a nice change after the last, more difficult, chapter. I hope by the time you are reading this they will have been given a Mid-Chapter S Quiz on Friday.

Algebra (HS). I offered an optional re-test on Tuesday, 2/10 to try to improve the previous test score on Chapter 6 (Part 1) test. Some of the students improved their scores while others did not. The two grades were averaged. I must move on as we have been on this material for some time and there are so many other concepts I must cover by year end in order for them to have success in Algebra II and Geometry in high school. Please follow-up with your student on their progress and if these skills have not been mastered, I recommend tutoring. I am happy to provide you with some tutors names/numbers if you are interested. I am anticipating a Chapter 6 (Part II) test Friday, 2/20, if all goes as planned!

Ms. Koehler

Math- Mrs. Schiavo

Sixth Grade Pre-Algebra

On Tuesday, February 17th all middle school students will take part in a Mathematics contest sponsored by the Virginia Mathematics League. Over 138 registered schools throughout the state of Virginia participate in the Math League Contest. Each contest, grades 6, 7, & 8, is a 30-minute multiple-choice contest, not a test. The value of our students getting involved in the contest is to pique their interest in mathematics . Math contests give students an educationally enriching opportunity to participate in an academically-oriented activity. This is a great opportunity for our students to show what they know.

Individuals in Societies- Mrs. Tuskey

No update this week.

Religion- Mrs. Slifka

6th Grade- We are closing up our unit on the Creed. All Jesus Journal assignments will be collected this week. Friday is the last day to update the grades for the creed.

7th Grade- All assignments in the Jesus Journal to be collected this week. Gradebook to be closed out on Friday 13^th

8th Grade- Assessment on Thursday-Friday on study guide reviewed in class.

We will be doing uniform checks in the next few weeks. Please see the handbook if needed.

Please contact me at jslifka@saintmary.org if you would like more information and/or an application.

The Diocesan Youth Conference is Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 1, – info on this will come out closer to the date. We are asking that all students bring a Saint Mary’s Sweatshirt so that Father Mike can find us easily on Saturday- plus, we have quite a crowd!!

Design- Mrs. Clopton

6^th Grade- Students will be working on their iMovie trailers in class. Students will be using school equipment and do not need to bring their own devices to school. Students can however bring in any supplies they may need to complete the project to class. I can’t wait to see what the students will come up with in their interpretation of the following books.

Hatchet

Cheaper by the Dozen

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie

Tom Sawyer

7^th Grade- Students are getting at taste in creating ringtones using Garageband. It gets a bit noisey in class with all the music playing, but students are having a great time and are being very creative.

8^th Grade- Students are watching the Disney movie Walle in class. Students are learning about the impact of technology use on individuals at home and in the workplace. (e.g., computer has replaced the TV for some individuals, free time is spent using technology versus outdoor activities, jobs have been created and/or eliminated due to technological advances, possible infringement of privacy).

PE- Coach Spicer

The middle school students will be finishing their soccer units with a test on 2/23.

Music- Mrs. Taylor

Composer of the Month: February: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart-a child super star who burned out too soon, he wrote the music that would become Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at the age of five. He was a perfect IB example writing music in multiple languages, such as this from one his operas:

La Nozzi di Figaro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLtqZewjwgA

6th grade: Students are doing a “Glorious” job on the song we are working on for the Spring Sing. We will be rescheduling many of their Music Inspiration presentations due to TAW and the snow days.

8th grade: We are completing World Music Reports and focusing on our Dinner Theater Production. The production date has been set as Wed. May 6th. Our production this year will be benefiting the TRF (detailed in a past newsletter) and is in behalf of pediatric cancer. TRF was founded with Tyler’s family along with Imagine Dragons. The foundation has an upcoming worldwide event that our 8th grade is going to be a part of-M4. March 4th is the date Tyler passed away two years ago, the foundation is using the date to now “March Fourth” against childhood cancer, raising awareness and offering a voice of hope to families. The event already has 41 events happening in 21 countries. Tyler’s brother Jesse is helping to run the foundation and is thrilled that our students are writing and producing a show that will benefit TRF. He told me he is so grateful for the students and wanted me to share with them that “by small and simple things things are GREAT things brought to pass.”

Check out www.trf.org/m4 for more info.

Art- Mrs. Dunham

6^th Grade Religious Arts

Sixth graders are applying the finishing touches to their amazing Madonna and Child portraits. The students are pleased with their pieces, and should be! Soon the students will choose which piece to submit for the May Art Show.

7^th Grade Art

Seventh graders have been very good about remembering to bring their hardbound sketchbooks to art each week. I have been pleased with the high quality of the homework, in general. Some students are putting in more than the required 20 minutes and it shows! They are continuing to work on drawing and composition for their “Rad Bikes” piece. Color theory will be introduced as we start to think about the background for these pieces.