HMS Weekly Update #27
Friday, March 17th, 2023
Dear Hoboken Middle School Family,
Happy Saint Patrick's Day! I hope you enjoy this week's newsletter. Please take some time to read through the updates below to learn some more about this past week and upcoming events. I hope everyone had a great week!
Enjoy,
Principal Sorafine
ryan.sorafine@hoboken.k12.nj.us
March Reminders:
- March is Women's History Month!
- World Down Syndrome Day is March 21st! (Best Buddies Event)
- NJSLA Passport to Learning Prep Course ~ (see information below)
- HMS Faculty & Parents vs HMS Students Basketball Game ~ Thursday, March 30th (see flyer below)
- 8th Grade Cap & Gown and Diploma Information ~ due March 31st (see information below)
Arrival Information:
The entrance on the 4th street side of the building is open to all students from 7:30 - 8:15. If your child arrives early, they should report to that door and enter the building. Students will then report to the HMS Cafeteria where breakfast will be served. The grade 6 (Garden Street) and grade 8 (Bloomfield Street) entrances doors open at 8:15 each day.
Please take some time to read through the updates below to learn some more about this past week and upcoming events. Some highlights are:
- HMS Help Desk
- Lunch Application Information Link
- Chromebook Insurance Link
- NJSLA Enrichment Prep Course (keep scrolling for details)
- 8th Grade Cap & Gown and Diploma Information ~ due March 31st (see information below)
- World Down Syndrome Day is March 21st ~ Rock Your Socks!
- Oncourse Connect ~ Parent Information
- PTO Corner
- CogAT Coming in March
- Office of Special Services Corner
- Partners in Prevention Grade 7
- Hoboken High School Informational Sessions! (see flyer below)
- District Musical Information
- Passport to Learning Corner
- Clubs & Activities Corner
- Guidance Counselor's Corner
- Move This World at HMS
- Our corner's that highlight areas within our school community
- Grade and content level summary to give you a peak into the classroom
- Helpful information at the bottom of the newsletter
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
- Students should bring a full water bottle to school everyday. If you would like to purchase an HMS Water bottle for $2 please have your child stop by the main office and see Ms. Munoz. We have water hydration stations in the building on the 1st floor and 3rd floor so they can fill up their bottles.
- Chromebooks must be charged each night at home. Please check in with your child to remind them to charge their Chromebook at night.
- Please communicate any health issues to Nurse Kirwin (NKirwin@hoboken.k12.nj.us). You may also share any documentation with her that the school would need.
- Here is the HMS Student Handbook for your convenience
- Please find the HMS School Uniform Guidance information
NJSLA Enrichment Courses
Passport To Learning Offering NJSLA Prep Courses
Hoboken Middle School and Passport to Learning is excited to share that an NJSLA Enrichment and Prep Course will be available to 6th-8th grades students. This unique course will take place during Passport to Learning Monday - Thursday, from 3:15-4:15 P.M. Math and ELA NJSLA Enrichment Prep courses will take place two days per week and will be taught by certified Math and Language Arts teachers.
This opportunity will benefit all students by offering data driven instruction focused on meeting student's individual needs and provide the following benefits:
- Refining Test taking strategies;
- Building Confidence;
- Improving test scores;
- Individualizing instruction based on benchmark data; and
- Improving mental stamina and resilience while testing
Classroom teachers will be sending out information to families the week of February 27th inviting students to attend this Passport to Learning Course. If you are interested in signing up your child, please email or reach out to Mr. Sorafine via ryan.sorafine@hoboken.k12.nj.us or Dr. Baskinger via robin.baskinger@hoboken.k12.nj.us
8th Grade Cap & Gown and Diploma Information
ATTENTION 8TH GRADE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES...
Please complete the linked 8th Grade Cap & Down/Diploma Google Form to properly order your child's cap and gown and their diploma for the HMS Moving Up Ceremony in June. If you have any questions, please email me. Further information about dates and times for the Ceremony will be shared with families at a later date. Please complete this form no later than Friday, March 31st, 2023.
Thank you,
Dr. Baskinger
(robin.baskinger@hoboken.k12.nj.us)
HMS Faculty & Parents vs HMS Students Basketball Game
HMS PTO BASKETBALL GAME INFORMATION AND SIGN UP
The HMS PTO is hosting a Basketball game on Thursday, March 30th at 6:30pm. It will be Teachers and Parents vs Students! If you would like to play please fill out the form below. If you do not wish to play, no need to fill this out. Thanks! Please note that this is an interest survey and will not guarantee that you will be playing during this event.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4DADA929A7FFC52-facultyparent
Thank you,
Mr. Sorafine
World Down Syndrome Day is March 21st ~ Rock Your Socks!
What is World Down Syndrome Day?
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) , 21 March, is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.
The date for WDSD being the 21st day of the 3rd month, was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.
#WorldDownSyndromeDay
On March 21st we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
On Tuesday March 21, our Best Buddies Friendship Chapter would like you to wear your most unique socks.
Believe it or not, socks get people talking. On Tuesday, choose some socks that are going to get noticed! They might be mismatched socks or your craziest and most colorful socks.
The idea is to start a conversation, so when people ask you about your socks you can tell them, “I’m wearing them to raise awareness of Down syndrome”.
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) March 23rd & 24th
Ensuring Chromebook Readiness for Testing
Here is a short video on how to check if your Chromebook is updated to the proper operating system for CogAT and NJSLA/NJGPA testing. Most HMS student devices are updated, but some units that may just need to be rebooted or go through the below process outlined in the video. Please follow the video steps below to make sure your child's Chromebook is updated and ready to go!
Information and Administration Dates for HMS
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
Throughout the month of March, all first grade through seventh grade students throughout the district will be administered the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The CogAT is designed to measure a students' reasoning and problem solving skills using verbal, quantitative and nonverbal (spatial) symbols. An informational letter about the CogAT, including the purpose of administering, was sent home with all sixth and seventh grade students.
It is important to note that sitting for the CogAT is not mandatory. If you choose to have your child opt out, please communicate your child’s name, grade and school to Supervisor Christy Gaudio via email at cgaudio@hoboken.k12.nj.us no later than Monday, February 20th.
HMS CogAT Administration Dates
- Sixth Grade: Thursday, March 23rd
- Seventh Grade: Friday, March 24th
- Make-up Date for Grades Sixth - Seventh: Thursday, March 30th
Please review the following CogAT Informational Guides to learn more:
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Grades 1 - 2 Informational Guide
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Grades 3 - 7 Informational Guide
HMS Help Desk
Here are some helpful items for our families:
My child is going to be absent...what do I do?
Email WVasquez@hoboken.k12.nj.us and SFalcone@hoboken.k12.nj.us to inform us about the absence.
I need to pick up my child early...what do I do?
Call the main office 15 minutes prior to pick up so your child can be waiting at the 4th street entrance. The main office is (201) 356-3754. You will need to come into the security area to sign the book for your child to leave.I have an issue with my Chromebook...what do I do?
Please visit the HPS-Tech in Our Schools Site for any tech related questions or problems with Chromebooks.
I have a question about dress code or purchasing...what do I do?
Email Dr. Baskinger (robin.baskinger@hoboken.k12.nj.us) for information
I have a question for about my child making up work if they are absent...what do I do?
Email Ms. Falcone for assistance (SFalcone@hoboken.k12.nj.us)
Oncourse Connect ~ Parent Information
Parents/Guardians/Caregivers:
Here is the link for parents to sign up for Oncourse Connect:
https://hoboken.oncourseconnect.com/login
I am also including the link that has FAQ's and videos to assist parents logging in:
https://www.hoboken.k12.nj.us/log-_in_options/on_course_connect_parent__student_login_portal
Girls in Gear!
HMS PTO Corner
March PTO Meeting ~ March 22nd, 2023
When: Wednesday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. @ Demarest Auditorium
Special Guest Speaker: Ms. Kristen Beriloff, CST School Psychololgist - Best Buddies
Email hobokenmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com with any questions.
Please follow us on Facebook at “Hoboken Middle School PTO”
HMS PTO Booster Wall!
Office of Special Services: Special Education Parent Advocacy Group (SEPAG)
Partners in Prevention Kicks Off for Grade 7
Partners in Prevention: We're Not Buying It!
Hoboken Middle School is pleased to announce that 7th grade students will be participating in the We're Not Buying It (WBNI) program from March 17th-May 5th. This program is offered by Partners in Prevention, which aims to strengthen Hudson County through evidence based primary prevention programs that feature "real life situations", and build on educational assets teaching students important life skills.
WE'RE NOT BUYING IT (WNBI) is a prevention education strategies program aimed to reduce early first use of alcohol, marijuana, and prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as bullying behavior. The primary focus is on raising awareness of messages about substance abuse and bullying that are included in popular, non-advertisement media.
WNBI will be offered on Fridays during 7th grade Social Studies classes. Today, Ms. E. from Partners in Prevention provided an introduction to the program. Students learned what and who influences the choices they make. Please take a look at the topics the program will be covering over the course of the next six weeks.
If you have any questions or need further information about WNBI please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Falcone (sfalcone@hoboken.k12.nj.us).
Hoboken High School Informational Sessions
Hoboken Public Schools Theatre Department Presents...
Hoboken School District Musical
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The Hoboken Theatre Department would like to invite your child in grades K-12 to participate in this year’s district production, The SpongeBob Musical. If you are interested in having your child participate in this year’s musical, please visit our website at http://www.hoboken.k12.nj.us under the “The Arts” link/Theatre Department/District Musical for a list of FAQ’s to guide you through this process. This will help acclimate you to policies for rehearsals and the entire district musical experience, as well as answer any questions you may have about the audition process.
All participants in the district musical must commit to a TWO-DAY audition process. Even if your child only wants to dance, they must STILL attend the singing auditions, as both days are required. Participation in the musical is limited in number. Some children who audition may not be cast in the show. Failure to follow the audition process and policies (sign-ups, and attending both days) will result in your child being ineligible to be cast in the
show. While we hope to include every child who wishes to participate, we also need to make sure that we have the resources needed to provide a safe and effective learning environment.
In an effort to expedite auditions, every student must PRE-REGISTER using this google form SpongeBob Audition Form. Online sign ups will happen from now until Friday, February 10th. In an effort to expedite the audition process, after the registration process has closed, you will receive an email from a production team member that states your “specific” audition time. This will be the time that your child needs to arrive on BOTH audition days.
Parents are welcome to stay for the duration of their child’s audition only and not the entire audition process. Each child will be needed for roughly 30-45 minutes both days to complete the audition process. Please keep these audition days cleared from other activities as you will not know your child's audition time slot until a week or so before auditions.
The callbacks list, cast list, and weekly rehearsal schedules are posted at http://www.hoboken.k12.nj.us under the “The Arts” link/Theatre Department/District Musical. If your child is cast in the production, you will be invited to a Google Classroom for both cast members and parents. That is where all information will be posted moving forward such as rehearsal schedules, costume requirements, and dance videos.
Auditions and ALL rehearsals are held at the Hoboken High School Auditorium:
Please also note that the production team is NOT responsible for getting students back and forth between buildings after school. We are only responsible for your child once they have arrived at Hoboken High School’s auditorium.
Reminder, you must pre-register your child before February 10th in order for them to be eligible to audition.
***An audition time slot will be assigned and emailed to you at a later date***
All audition material will be taught the day of auditions. There is nothing that your child needs to prepare in advance. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with The SpongeBob Musical soundtrack which can be found on YouTube as audition material will be chosen from those songs.
Important Dates:
- Monday February 27th: Singing auditions
- Wednesday March 1st: Dancing auditions (please dress your child in appropriate clothing for movement)
- Thursday March 2nd: Callbacks (your child is only needed if they are asked to come back). The callbacks list will be posted on http://www.hoboken.k12.nj.us under the “The Arts” link/Theatre Department/District Musical. These callbacks will take place from 3:15-6pm as a group as it's a small number of students who will be called back. If your child is NOT called back, that does NOT mean they are not cast. Please check the finalized cast list that will be posted on March 4th.
- Saturday March 4th: Cast list and 1st rehearsal schedule will be posted on http://www.hoboken.k12.nj.us under the “The Arts” link/Theatre Department/District Musical.
- Monday March 7th: 1st rehearsal is 3:15-6pm (check rehearsal schedule to see if you are needed).
SpongeBob Show Dates (3):
Friday May 19th at 7:00 pm
Saturday May 20th at 2:00 pm,
Sunday May 21st at 2:00 pm
***Please do not audition if you cannot attend all three performances***
Pack a water bottle and snack for your child for auditions and rehearsals daily. The K-2 grade ensemble will meet Tuesday and Thursday weekly. If your child already has commitments after school these days please do not send them to auditions.
Additionally we will be holding a “Mock Audition Fundraiser” on Saturday February 25th from 9am-12noon. Information will be sent home about this event at a later date. It is meant to help prepare your child for the audition process. Casting will NOT be based on who participates in this fundraiser event. This event coincides with the high school’s Makers Day (noon to 3:00 pm) and is sure to be a family fun-filled day of STEAM activities.
On behalf of the entire production team, we look forward to working with your children in this production.
Hoboken Schools Theater Department Fundraisers
HMS Passport to Learning Corner
Streetwear Startup
This week in Streetwear Startup, we followed up on our first project of creating unique tie-dyed scarves. After creating several different dye patterns, setting, rinsing, and drying our fabric pieces, we began working on a small sewing project to get everyone acclimated to proper hand-sewing techniques. This small project will be a great stepping stone to a more involved multi-step sewing project, which I hope to begin with the students next week. Stay tuned!
Rock Climbing
This week students learned how to top-rope belay. All students were taught how to do this by instructors. Many students are conquering their fear of heights and climbing more challenging walls. Looking forward to next week!
HMS Clubs & Activities Corner
Best Buddies
Weekly Highlights. . . .
On Wednesday March 15, 2023 we held a Back to Best Buddies Pizza Social and engaged in an activity to celebrate “World Down’s Syndrome Day”, which is Tuesday March 21, 2023. We learned about Down’s Syndrome, and discussed why it is so important to celebrate everyone’s unique abilities and promote inclusion in our everyday life and school community
.
Best Buddies is sponsoring a “Rock Your Socks” for World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, 2023. Grab a pair of mismatched socks or unique socks to celebrate! Blue and yellow are the colors that represent support of World Down’s Syndrome Day. An easy way to celebrate is to wear your blue and yellow HMS Colors paired with mismatched or unique socks!
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk
This year, we are participating in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk to raise money to support Best Buddies' programs of inclusion for people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with IDD. Help us build a more inclusive world by joining our team or making a donation today — every dollar makes a difference!
The North Jersey Best Buddies Friendship Walk is Sunday, April 23, 2023 at Bergen County College in Paramus, New Jersey.
Register, support or learn more about our team: Hoboken Public Schools Proud
Newsletter Club
This week the Newsletter Club members continued to work on our third Quarterly Newsletter. Members summarized HMS Weekly Update #26 and emailed HMS teachers asking for their highlights on the marking period. We will begin to wrap up our work on our MP3 Newsletter soon!
Yearbook Club
The yearbook is looking for 8th grade baby pictures for the yearbook. Please upload your picture to the attached google form link. Or email it to tbrown@hoboken.k12.nj.us
HMS Student Council
Academic Team
Chorus Club
Band Club
Effective School Solutions Corner
With us moving towards Spring, we wanted to share with you information and resources regarding suicide. An important fact is that suicide rates increase more in the Spring than what many expect in the Winter. The first article below includes key risk factors that are linked with suicide as well as protective factors which can help an individual "protect" them from their potential risks. The second article includes important warning signs to be aware of for your children and family members. PLEASE take some time to familiarize yourself with these warning signs as well as risk/protective factors, and also the important resources listed below that can support and protect your loved ones.
In addition to contacting 911/going to the nearest emergency room, see more suicide prevention resources below:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (available 24/7) - 1800-273-TALK
The Second Floor Youth Helpline (available 24/7)- 1888-222-2228
Performcare/Mobile Response (available 24/7)- 1877-652-7624
Article: How We Can All Prevent Suicide
Ms. Falcone's Guidance Counselor Corner
I hope all of our HMS students and families had a great week! It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the 3rd marking period. As of Monday, 3/13, you have access to your child's Marking Period 3 Interim Report. If you would like to schedule a conference with your child's teacher(s), please reach out to me.
Stevens Institute of Technology is offering a STEM program to middle school students over the summer. Energy Abounds Summer Academy 2023 is a week-long program that will engage in hands-on engineering design. If you are interested in registering for this program, please see the flyer below.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.
Email: sfalcone@hoboken.k12.nj.us
Phone: (201) 356-3600 ext. 3746
Move This World at HMS
We continue to support our students' social-emotional needs and mental health through Move this World. Move this World is integrated into our Fine & Performing Arts classes during periods 1-3. Additionally, all teachers have been utilizing Move this World in their classrooms to allow students opportunities for a break and movement. This week, Mrs.Bruce's class participated in the Power of Pause, which served as a brain break during Math.
I invite all our families to log into Move this World as well!
Below, you’ll find log in instructions:
Visit: sel.movethisworld.com
Username:hobokenms.family
Password:movethisworld
To learn more about Move this World, please visit their website.
Please let us know if you have any additional questions!
Thank You,
Ms. Falcone
(201) 356-3600 ext. 3746
HMS Nurse's Corner
If your child has any medical needs please feel free to call me to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. As a reminder, if your child has any kind of over the counter or prescribed medication that needs to be kept in school and administered, please have your doctor fill out a medication form and supply me with the medication.
Please do not send in the medication in your child’s backpack or drop it off with the security guard. This is a safety concern! All medications must be handed to the nurse, by the parent, with orders.
Good management of your child’s asthma is important to his or her success at school. Clear communication between you and your child, your health care provider and school staff is the key to managing asthma at school. A written Asthma Action Plan developed by your health care provider and shared with the school will help keep your child safe at school. Following the Asthma Action Plan will enable your child to participate fully in school activities.
If your child has an Asthma Action Plan, please send a copy to the school nurse. If your child does not have an Asthma Action Plan, please talk with your health care provider about developing one that can be shared with the school staff. Your child should not be carrying an inhaler around with an asthma action pan in place.
It can be faxed directly to the school at 201-792-4801 or sent via email to the nurse at nkirwin@hoboken.k12.nj.us.
Should you have any questions or concerns I can be reached at 201-356-3744 or nkirwin@hoboken.k12.nj.us.
HMS World Language Corner
Spanish
In Spanish class, Grade 6 students explored nouns, class schedules, clothing, and colors in context. Students continued to sharpen their listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills by completing a variety of differentiated activities. Grades 7-8 compared and contrasted families in the Spanish speaking countries and the United States. We continued to use the verb to be "estar" to express feelings, conditions and location. Students explored interpersonal, interpretative, and presentational activities. ¡Hasta pronto!
French
In French class, 6th graders demonstrated mastery of the unit 2A vocabulary by completing the speaking, listening and reading sections of their marking period 3 projects. Next week, they will complete the project with the last section which involves writing a letter in French to a friend. In 7th and 8th grade, students reviewed high value numbers and physical description vocabulary. Next, students learned about possessive adjectives in French by taking careful notes and using their notes to help them complete grammar activities using possessive adjectives.
Mandarin
Grade & Content Level ~ What Have We Been Learning?
6th Grade
Language Arts
This week the 6th grad ELA students went above and beyond to prepare for their upcoming link-it test! They have been reading a variety of text, are learning new testing strategies, and enjoying classroom discussions about the main idea and authors purpose. We are so excited to see their growth! Students have also made headway on their feature article research project. This week they organized their writing and decided which type of text structures they wanted to use for their final writing piece. We can’t wait to see their finished projects next week!
Math
This week, students continued to explore geometry. Students learned how to visualize 3D figures as nets and how to identify what 3D a net would fold into. Students then learned to calculate the surface area of both prisms and pyramids. We finished the week applying the volume formula and discovering how to manipulate volume when we are filling our figure with ½ inch and ¼ inch unit cubes.
Social Studies
This week in Social Studies we learned about the problem facing the Framers at the Philadelphia Convention on how much power to give to the Legislative Branch. This included the enumerated powers and the limits put on congress. Later in the week students examined the powers given to the Executive Branch in the Constitution including the system established for electing a president. At the end of the week students were assessed on Unit 3 concluding the Constitutional Convention.
Science
In science this week, students shifted to physics. We reviewed mass and volume, and took a deep dive into the study of density. We covered the formula for density and practiced with various problems. Students explored this concept with a hands-on lab activity where they had to measure the mass of three different rectangular prisms as well as measure the length, width, and height in cm to find the density of each. After finding the density, they were tasked with identifying the type of material each block was made of. We also learned that when mixing liquids of different densities they will create layers and not mix together. The layers go from highest density at the bottom to lowest density at the top. We observed how oil sits on top of water because oil is less dense and will continue to look at other types of liquids of different densities.
7th Grade
Language Arts
This week in seventh grade ELA, students followed Holling Hoodhood through September and October of his 7th grade year in our current core novel, The Wednesday Wars. Students explored plot summaries and characters from the Shakespeare play, The Merchant of Venice, which Holling’s teacher forces him to read in October. Students compared themes, characters, and events from Holling’s life to The Merchant of Venice. In Writing Workshop, students continued to explore mentor texts for our Memoir Unit, focusing on reflective voice. Next week, we will begin the brainstorming process!
Math
This week in math, we were busy: we celebrated Pi Day (3/14) and began a new unit on Probability. Students ate mini-pies and learned how to use probability to describe the likelihood that an event will occur. As the week progressed, students developed and deepened their understanding of theoretical and experimental probability. For some hands-on experience, students compared the results from running actual trials of an experiment to the expected, calculated probabilities. They also used their data to see that additional trials usually produce more accurate results as minor differences even out after many trials.
Science
The students worked on identifying how Earth’s resources are distributed, and the importance of conserving our resources. The classes were able to determine that metallic resources are particularly found near plate boundaries, but are extremely limited and non-renewable. This also makes these resources rare, harder to find, and valuable. The students were able to determine that soil and water on Earth has been identified as an important resource, and they need to be protected and conserved for future generations. The classes will continue this course of study into next week as they prepare for a resource exploration lab experiment.
Social Studies
This week students continued to learn about the Andes and the Pampas. They were able to label the countries and major landmarks in the regions by creating a map. They also learned about the ecosystems and climate in the areas and how the land and climate affect the way people live and what they do for jobs. The seventh graders compared the way that people live in the Andes and the Pampas region to how we live here in Hoboken. They also learned how students’ lives differ tremendously from people their age in the Andes and Pampas region. Next week we will talk about the land use and patterns of migration in the area as well.
8th Grade
Language Arts
This week in ELA class, we finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Students looked closely at the ending of the novel as the story came full circle and Scout learned empathy. Students analyzed the themes within the novel and identified each element of the plot. In our writing unit, we determined our argumentative essay topics and began gathering evidence. We continued to practice vocabulary and relevant 8th grade standards. We finished the week with a film to novel comparison of To Kill a Mockingbird. Our unit assessment will take place next week.
Pre-AP Algebra
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! This week in algebra we focused on differentiating quadratic functions from linear ones and became more expert at expanding binomials to move from the factored to standard form of quadratic expressions. Students used a geometric model (what you might hear the kids calling “box method”) and connected this to the distributive property for multiplying different polynomials. Students also explored the context of optimization by creating quadratic expressions for revenue and profit for a pie selling scenario.
Pre-Algebra
Happy Friday! This week in Pre-Algebra we finished up our Unit on Pythagorean Theorem and took our test. We will now begin our unit on Congruence and Similarity. The students will be learning about transformations and translations of objects/shapes on quadrant planes. This unit will test students' knowledge of plotting points on a graph correctly and moving them to the appropriate spots. I look forward to seeing the students excel during this unit.
Science
This week in Science we finished up our Light Lessons Presentations! Students were placed in groups and tasked with the responsibility of coming up with a lesson on their topic, as well as a hands-on activity and an assessment. Some examples of hands-on activities students came up with included using prisms to separate out different colors in white light, examining how water causes refraction of light, blind-spot tests, building our own retro-reflectors, etc. Next week we will wrap up our lights topic and then start our next unit: Information Technologies!
Pre-AP World History
This week in Pre-AP World History and Geography the students began analyzing a new time period; The Classical Period. We began by tracing the origins, expansion, and consolidation of the Han Dynasty! The students examined concepts of political authority, territoriality and standardized measurements during the Qin Dynasty in order to understand the influence the Qin Dynasty had on the Han Dynasty. The students then learned about the values of Legalism and the central role bureaucracy played in sustaining the first imperial government in China. Finally, the students began analyzing either Daoism or Confucianism in groups and started drafting their mini project posters which will highlight important characteristics of each religion.
Social Studies
This week in World History and Geography the students sequenced events in regional history and traced effects of colonialism and independence on regional societies. They took a look at how physical geography has shaped West and Central African history and how European colonialism and independence affected West and Central Africans. The students also began writing skits about the promises and challenges of independence for West and Central African countries. Each group will be presenting their skits to the class next week!
Fine and Performing Arts Corner
Creative Writing
This week students wrote a mysterious story from a prompt. Some of the prompts the writers could choose from were: If I had known what was going to happen, I never would have opened the door, It was Day 3652, or If you’re reading this it's already too late. In all there were 32 prompts to choose from. After their rough drafts, the writers paired up for peer review before typing their final piece. Great job everyone and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Pre-AP Visual Arts
This week in Pre-AP Visual Arts, we finished up our artwork for the PATH annual poster contest. There are so many wonderful projects that showcase the artistic talent in our school community. Students brainstormed their own unique visuals for these posters, and worked hard every day in class to execute their visions with great intention, precision, and attention to detail. Great job Tigers!
Clockwise from Left: Jayda A., Harrison G., Truman P. Will R.
Hoboken Middle School Recognized as Kindness Certified School!
Parent Resources for Cell Phone Monitoring
Most children today have a cellphone on hand and use it extensively to do homework, communicate with friends, and view social media platforms. It is almost unimaginable to think of a modern-day child who doesn’t take full advantage. These rapid advancements in technology have been proven to be a recent challenge. Below are two suggested cellphone monitoring services that include activity monitoring, location services, filtering, and screen time management. Though not offered through Hoboken Public Schools, these resources may be helpful in managing cell phone usage. Click on each link below below to be taken directly to the resource website.
Qustodio: The All-In-One Parental Control and Digital Wellbeing Solution