To kick off our work with systems we first looked at some Solvemoji puzzles. We made connections between the strategies used to solve emoji puzzles and the strategies that can be used to solve systems in algebra. Can you solve these student puzzles?
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We are working with atoms, elements, molecules, and compounds. Students have learned about atomic structure, how specific atomic structures make specific elements, learning how atoms combine to form molecules, and molecules are the smallest piece of a compound. Chemical reactions here we come!
Now that trimester two is over, we are moving out of the Middle Ages and into the Early Modern Period of the Renaissance, Reformation, and Age of Discovery. Students did an excellent job anticipating changes that might occur following the decline of the feudal system, and we were able to take a couple of days to examine Magna Carta and make parallels between it and some of our more modern documents that limit the powers of our leaders and give us basic rights.
This week, we started specifically looking at the Renaissance and reviewing Greco-Roman achievements to explain how this "re-birth" paved the way for the modern world. We spent some time with Petrarch and examining how the (often complicated for 8th grade) idea of humanism will affect this time period. I was really impressed with how well students are able to identify the new themes we are working with. Today, students are working on creating seals or logos for humanist thought. I can't wait to see the final products :) The Oak Student Council has put together items to be raffled off each day in March. The cost is $5 per chance, with all proceeds going to support the field trips, enrichment activities, etc for the kids. If you would like to participate, you can send in the information with your child Wednesday or Thursday this week. Please see the attached calendar - you can print it out and fill in the name and amount of chances to be entered. Please send either cash or a check made out to Shrewsbury Middle School PTO. Student volunteers will choose the winner each day, and the more chances the students purchase the more chances they have to win. Students can win multiple prizes if they purchased more than one chance. The students will purchase their chances during lunch. The kids are very excited about this fundraiser since they chose all of the items. Thank you for your support!
Is this substance a solid or a liquid? How do you model the difference between a solid and a liquid?
This is what we observed in class this week. We then designed an experiment that would help us understand why the Coke can sometimes sinks and sometimes floats.
Ask you student about what this has to do with density. A few updates/reminders.
1. Yearbook sale ends on Monday, the yearbooks are $35 each. We don't want anyone to miss out who wants one. Please email Mr. Yonker or the homeroom teacher if this is a financial hardship for your family. 2. Math Placement Test for SHS will take place Wednesday morning across team. 3. Item Drive for Shrewsbury Human Services Food Panty (non-food items). We have attached the flyer with list of items requested. Please help those in our community. Some suggestions - How to help your child with media bias and fake newsDuring this unit, students are learning about the difference between "fake news," satire, propaganda, and media bias. Here are a couple resources that I've found to be helpful. The chart below shows where many news organizations fall on the bias spectrum. It's helpful to look for news sources that fall in the middle of the chart, or to use information from both sides of the spectrum for comparison purposes. For more information about the chart and how it was created, check out www.adfontesmedia.com/ Another helpful source is the website allsides.com. It labels news sources as Left, Center, or Right, and it shows many issues presented from all sides. It's a great tool to check for bias, as well as a great place to find information. As always, please contact me with any questions!
Information about ordering yearbooks is attached. The sale will go from January 21 - February 1. The cost is $28 until January 28 and it goes up to $35 after that date. If the cost is an issue for your family, please contact your child's homeroom teacher or Scott Yonker. We want to be sure that every student who wants a yearbook is able to get one.
Our current math unit is called, “Say it with Symbols.” It involves simplifying expressions and solving equations. The family letter from Pearson can be found here.
One way to help your child with math is to encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning. If they seem to be struggling with homework you can suggest that they:
Pearson CMP3 Math is Fun Khan Academy |
The 8 Blue TEamMs. Amaral - Social Studies Archives
August 2019
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