Ask your student what the world would be like if we had micro-gravity. How would they have to change things to do their normal activities?

What are the 4 different types of friction? How do they affect the motion of objects?

Since there were several questions about Schoology last night, we thought we'd share this. It is a copy of the Schoology parent training presentation we gave a couple of years ago at Oak. There are a lot of great tips and trips so that you can get the most from Schoology!

It was great to get to meet so many of you last night! Here is our slideshow in case you were unable to attend.

We had a great day at Teamworks today! The purpose of the trip was for the students to get to know each other and work on developing their teamwork skills. The students were great! They worked together to solve challenging problems, and many pushed themselves outside their comfort zone by trying the outdoor climbing elements. Check out the photos from the trip!

We have been busy this month getting to know one another and the expectations of 8th grade. We spend time each day completing a warm up activity, and then reviewing topics being covered in class, including homework.  This is the perfect time for students to let me know if they are having difficulty with their homework or are not clear on what is going on in class.  I encourage students to let me know when they are having difficulties with their work.  Self-advocacy is a skill that is hard for many students but an important skill to develop as we prepare for high school.  

We have begun to make tool kit cards for math class. These index cards will have examples for students to follow when completing classwork and homework. At this time we have completed 4-5 cards and students should have them with them at all times.
Please encourage your student to use them when completing their homework.

I am available for after school help on Monday's and Wednesday's from 2:30 to 3:15/3:30. Students may come on a regular basis or come 'as needed'.  

We have had a great start to the school year and I am sure it will continue. 
Please do not hesitate to contact me at anytime. 

  We've had a great start so far in Social Studies.  Students started off the year looking at some of the tools we use to learn about history.  The Domino Effect, primary & secondary sources, recognizing bias, and identifying social, political, cultural, and economic issues were the main themes. We also covered September 11, Constitution Day, and have had discussions about current events.  I am very impressed with the students' insightful comments on these topics and their genuine curiosity about the world around them.  One thing we will be working on a lot this year is primary and secondary sources.  Students made source guides with the goal that a younger student could look at their guide and learn the differences between the two types.  A couple of examples done on paper are below!

This week, we are jumping into our first report card standard, Explains the development and rise of the Roman Empire​.  As we simulate the Roman senate and watch Rome grow, more information and pictures will come!

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me with questions: namaral@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

This week we experimented with pendulums. Ask your student about how "Mary" was able to fix her grandfather's clock by changing something about the pendulum.
Next week we are going to start exploring motion.