Gender Groups in Advisory

In Advisory last week, girls and boys were separated for two sessions in which we discussed the definition of "Bystander," Upstander," and "Whistle Blower" in reference to various situations.  The kids were given scenarios and discussed what they might do - stand by and do nothing, approach the person/intervene themselves, or talk to an adult.  Next week, the advisories will be doing a similar activity with their "Little Buddy" groups.  The middle schoolers have already created scenes that they will act out for the younger kids and discuss their various roles.  This lesson is helping to bring home the point that even if a situation is not happening to them, they can still help.

In library, eighth graders completed a project addressing the annual event known as Banned Books Week.  Sponsored by the American Library Association, Banned Books Week explores the reasons that books are challenged and banned in various libraries and school districts and encourages us to celebrate our freedom to read.  The students were paired up and each had to answer a question pertaining to the subject.  Their presentations can be found at this private youtube link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-ACWbqywAs&list=UUJXphDkBGKuDIOwCbqNxAug.

Week 7: Motion

Week 7

Topic:  Motion:  Describing and Measuring Motion

Students will be able to: 

Determine when an object is in motion.

Calculate an objects speed and velocity.

Demonstrate how to graph motion.

Essential Question:

How do you know when an object is in motion?

This week the kids will complete their metric unit unit and transfer their metric knowledge into the study of motion.  They will be conducting experiments to calculate speed, see velocity as a change of direction, and how acceleration is the speed within a speed.  

Key Terms:

motion

reference point

speed/velocity

instantaneous and average speed

slope

Differentiated Instruction:

inferring 

math integration

kinesthetic

measuring

Upcoming:

How would a physicist write the fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare?”

WWI Debate

The 8th graders are currently learning about World War I.  They spent last week learning about the many events that led to the United States' growing involvement in the war overseas.  Today, they participated in a debate about whether or not the United States should join the war.  Each student looked at the question from a different perspective: Pro-war, Anti-war, American government, British government, and German government.  Students used arguments from their knowledge of the chapter and they also drew on the information that they had learned in our Imperialism unit.  Students will have a quiz over the first two sections of chapter 23 on Thursday.

Questions for your 8th grader:
-What side did you take in the World War I debate?
-Do you think the United States should have joined WWI?
-What is propaganda?

8th Grade Language Arts: Elements of Stories Unit

The 8th grade graphic novels are really coming together.  Students finished planning and creating a first draft of their graphic novels.  This week students are creating their final drafts.  This unit will come to a close within the next week with the final draft submission and the final test.

Upcoming 1st Quarter Assessments & Due Dates:

Literary Elements and Techniques Final Test: Thursday, October 9th, 2014

Graphic Novel Final Due: Friday, October 17, 2014

Language Arts Office Hours: Wednesday and Friday mornings at 7:45-8:15 a.m.

Ragtime Dance Party!

During the 1910's and 20's, adolescents would dance in a way that was considered to be wild in the eyes of their parents.  In order to push the criticism even more, young adults would create dances to reenact animalistic behavior, such as the Turkey Trot or Fox Trot.  In the celebration of the era, our 8th grade students created animal dances that also had to portray animals.  Couples (and one group of three) performed their dance in order to have their classmates guess the animal they were mimicking.  Seen here is our Ragtime Dance Party with all the 8th grade students performing their animal dances.

"PE Shorts" Tuesday 10/7/2014

8th Grade has been playing Ultimate Frisbee the last few weeks in PE. Ultimate Frisbee, not to be confused with Frisbee Golf, is a highly active game that has become really popular at the high school and college level. Using various skills and situations similar to football, soccer, and basketball; players need to rely on teamwork and passing to advance with frisbee up the field to score a point in an endzone. We also had a fitness/team building class where we first performed the pacer test, followed by a trust building activity guiding a friend around the gym while wearing a blindfold.

-Mr. Hirsch