Tiger Tribune
Marking Period 4, 2020
Hoboken Middle School
Email: amarra@hoboken.k12.nj.us
Website: http://www.hobokenschools.org/schools/hoboken_middle_school
Location: 158 4th Street, Hoboken, NJ, USA
Phone: 201-356-3750
Principal's Message
HMS Families,
It has certainly been a year hallmarked by the unexpected. Our school community has risen to the occasion and flourished throughout. I am honored to lead this collaborative effort and look forward to continued success in the coming school year. While we were not able to share a traditional good-bye, I was able to see many of you (from a safe distance) as you came to pick up your belongings; it was great to see your smiling faces. I am excited for the upcoming school year. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with our dedicated school community: students, faculty and families. I look forward to welcoming you all when we return to school. Until then, have a safe, fun summer!
~Ms. Marra
Classroom Highlights
Students celebrated National Poetry Month in April through an author study of Shel Silverstein. Students discovered common themes throughout his poems, including individuality and time. In addition, 6th grade students created their own poems using a form of their choice; free verse, blackout, biographical, shape, and more.
The final unit of the school year, Greek Mythology, provided ample opportunities for students to analyze myths and discover lessons that ancient Greeks learned from them. Students began the unit by studying the twelve Olympian gods/goddesses closely and used their new poetry skills to craft four poems highlighting their favorite gods and goddesses. After meeting the most famous gods and goddesses, students read myths in which these gods and goddesses came into conflict. To end the unit, students composed their own original myths to explain a natural phenomenon or teach an important lesson.
7th Grade Humanities
During the 4th marking period, students continued to read and annotate poems, myths, and informational texts through the CommonLit platform. Through in-depth class discussions, students gained an understanding to the essential questions:
What makes us happy?
How can we better understand other people?
Why do people act heroically?
Students also continued to develop their vocabulary skills, specifically SAT prep words on vocabulary.com. 7th grade students also read The Old Man and the Sea, and were able to discuss major themes, characters, and the overall message of the story during Virtual Book Club on Friday afternoons with Ms. Rozmester.
Additionally, students traveled to Africa, Australia, and Oceania in Social Studies. Students continued to explore the 5 Themes of Geography in these parts of the world. As a culminating assignment, the 7th grade students had the opportunity to select a research project from a choice board. Choices included: pretend to be a publicist for the Local Visitors Bureau to create a travel advertisement, plan a road trip through the country and devise an itinerary and budget, or make a video or podcast to share findings on selected continents. The 7th grade class, along with Mrs. DellaFave, Ms. Donnelly, Ms. Rozmester, and Mrs. Tagileri enjoyed traveling the world and learning together throughout Remote Learning!
8th Grade Humanities
What does it mean to grow up? This essential question drove instruction in the last unit of 8th Grade Humanities. Students read and annotated poems and short stories, such as “Travel” by Robert Louis Stevenson and “Middle School” by Ira Glass. In addition, students participated in meaningful discussions, analyzing the major themes of growth and development in the passages they read. To close the unit and their middle school years, students composed a journal in which they responded to three out of seven prompts provided by Ms. Anderson and Ms. Falcone. Prompts included:
Where do you see yourself in 10 years and how will you get there?
Make a list of questions to interview someone older than 25 years old about what it was like when they were growing up as a kid. Then, ask them the questions and write about their answers
What is one of the most important things you do each and every day?
6th Grade Humanities
7th Grade Humanities
8th Grade Humanities
The 6th grade class continued to excel in math and science during Remote Learning. Ms. Gerson and Mr. Zayas worked with students in the Connected Math curriculum, completing both guided and independent practice. Students were also introduced to the first skill they will learn in 7th grade; operations and integers. By using a virtual chip board for adding and subtracting, students were able to follow the rules to solve multiplication and division.
7th Grade STEM
Mrs. Genarelli-Lyons and Mrs. Gentile worked with students to complete their last unit of CMP3; Geometry! Students learned about different types of figures, angles, and connections between angles. In addition, students spent the 4th marking period working on the Project Lead the Way Unit, Medical Detectives. This program gave students an opportunity to step into the shoes of a Medical Professional and see first hand what the field looks like. At the start of the marking period students were able to learn more about diseases. Students learned to take vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate. Students were also provided with a hands-on project, creating their own neuron models. Mrs. Tank’s 7th grade Algebra-1 class spent the fourth marking period working on three chapters; Polynomial and Factoring, Quadratic Functions, and Solving Functions. Students have not only learned the high school concepts, but also applied said concepts to real life situations. Mrs. Tank is so proud of her students for working diligently during Remote Learning and attending every Zoom class! 8th Grade STEM Ms. Airey, Ms. Goodwin, and Mr. Grothesun worked closely with students in 8th grade to master solving systems of equations using the online graphing calculator and Desmos. In addition, the fourth marking period allowed students to revisit solving two step equations and inequalities. Students submitted their work in Google Slides, which involved features such as dragging and dropping correct answers, filling in the blanks, and extended constructed responses.
6th Grade STEM
7th Grade STEM
8th Grade STEM
Art with Mrs. Fasolino
Mrs. Fasolino and Hoboken Middle School students have been engaged in a plethora of art projects during Remote Learning. In the 6th grade, students created their own parodies of The Scream. Students composed the scenic nature of the background to the best of their abilities, while blending an aspect of pop culture. Meanwhile, in the 7th grade, students participated in a Textile Design Challenge. Many heavy hitters in the fashion industry across the world are attempting to redesign the way masks can be created and worn. Students were to take on the challenge of designing a face mask for themselves, a loved one, or a front line worker. Finally, the 8th grade class enjoyed their last art unit in middle school called Forced Perspective Photography. Forced Perspective is a technique which employs optical illusion to make an object appear farther away, closer, larger or smaller than it actually is by manipulating visual perception. Students were challenged with getting creative in this camera trick exercise!
The Scream
Textile Design Challenge
Forced Perspective Photography
Band with Mr. Stasiak & Ms. Safko
Hoboken Middle School Band diligently practiced with Mr. Stasiak and Ms. Safko during the 4th marking period. Please click on the videos below to see students’ talents firsthand!
Diversity Dialogue with Kean University: May 21st
On May 21, 2020, Hoboken Public Schools, in partnership with Kean University, celebrated World Culture Day. Facilitated by Dr. Tamika Pollins, students, parents, guardians, and teachers participated in a Virtual Diversity Dialogue. In this forum, participants listened to one another and discussed what diversity means to them. Participants shared poems they created to the title “Just Because.” 8th grade students, Halie Benway, Miguel Cabelin, and Samantha Pennington were selected to attend the event by their Humanities teachers and share their poems by their Humanities teachers. Please take a look at Halie's poem below!
Just because I am a teenager
I am not naive
I am not irresponsible
I am not juvenile
I am a visionary
Just because I’m a Girl
I am not weak
I am not inferior
I am not unintelligent
I am a Boss
Just because I’m a Student
I am not a scapegoat
I am not discouraged
I am not a quitter
I am a Force to be reckoned with
Just because I'm a Person who can change the world
I am not spineless
I am not a wuss
I am not ordinary
I am a Revolutionizer. I change the world each and everyday just by waking up and having something to say. The kids that you look upon will change the world.
Bridge to Hoboken Middle School Book Club
Throughout the marking period, 5th graders joined HMS English teachers in the Bridge to HMS Book Club. Students and teachers enjoyed the novel, Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson, the first novel in a series about a flock of part-human, part-bird children running from the scientists who created them. Over the course of three sessions, the virtual club delved into conversations about character interactions and themes about family, risk-taking, freedom, and truth. Throughout the three club meetings, students got to know one another and the teachers they will meet next year at HMS. 5th graders left the last meeting excited about reading the next book in the series!
Maximum Ride
Social Emotional Learning Week
Research shows that collective efficacy, or the shared belief that together a school community can achieve goals and overcome challenges to positively affect student learning, is one of the greatest factors impacting student achievement. Social Emotional Week, which took place June 15th-June 18th at Hoboken Middle School, encompassed a wide variety of activities, such as mindfulness, wellness, and movement, which continues to grow the shared belief that as a community we can achieve goals and overcome challenges.
The activities planned during Social Emotional Learning Week by Ms. D’Anna and Ms. Beriloff aimed to help our Middle School Community develop skills and habits that can promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. During challenging times, we can take steps to care for ourselves and for others every day. As both individuals and a community, we can try to achieve modest goals to stay healthy, focused, and ready to learn, no matter where learning takes place.
A Message from Student Government
#bethekindkid
@love4theelderly
A Tribute to Hoboken Middle School Class of 2020
Dear Hoboken Middle School Class of 2020:
It is hard to believe that your two years at HMS have come to an end. You set the standards and expectations high for the Hoboken Middle School graduate! Your enthusiasm to succeed and do well in school was evident each and every day. Continue to be ambitious and kind in high school and beyond! Good luck!
Sincerely,
Hoboken Middle School Faculty & Staff