Ellsworth MS Newsletter
Here's what's happening in MS this week!
January 21, 2019
Dear parents,
Please make sure to continue to check Power School for missing work. We are busy into the third quarter of the marking period.
ENGLISH
6th Grade: This week, students have a grammar and language packet to complete, in addition to the reading and thought log for their independent novel. Students will also be required to complete online vocabulary and mechanics activities on IXL, and online practice for M-STEP testing. Finally, Friday the students will participate in the School Spelling Bee.
7th Grade: We were unable to finish the spelling bee on Friday so we will finish it on Monday. 4 students will participate in the school spelling bee on Friday. We have just started reading The Giver and will have activities to go along with our first class novel. Most of the reading will be done in class.
8th Grade: Monday students will be presenting a pre-reading project as we start reading The Outsiders. We will continue our study of adjectives and adverbs and a test over the chapter will be at the end of the week or the beginning of the next week.
SOCIAL STUDIES
6th Grade: Students have Ancient China projects due Thursday January 24th during Social Studies class. They will have some time in class, but we will also be doing some videos, Histagories and Geography activities during the week.
7th Grade: Students have Ancient China projects due Thursday January 24th during Social Studies class. They will have some time in class, but we will also be doing some videos, Histagories and Geography activities during the week.
8th Grade U.S. History: The students finished researching the 27 Amendments, and Monday will conclude the remainder of the group presentations that cover what the amendment is and evaluate the amendment’s significance. We will then begin studying for an assessment over our units on important founding documents: the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Students can expect an assessment on Thursday.
MATH
6th Grade: 6th graders have been working on conversions this week. We have been focusing on the customary system (feet, pounds, etc) and the metric system (meters, liters, grams). Next week we will have a quiz and then practice converting between customary and metric systems.
7th Grade: We had a quiz on Thursday finishing our 2-step equation chapter. Next we will begin with 2-step inequalities. See PowerSchool for current grades.
8th Grade: We had a quiz on Friday finishing our equation chapter. Next we will be focusing on solving systems of equations. See PowerSchool for current grades.
SCIENCE
6th Grade: We will be starting independent science investigations this week. Students will be required to follow the scientific method which we will review at the beginning of the week. They will need to identify an investigable question, create an hypothesis, follow a procedure, collect data and come up with a conclusion.
7th Grade: We will be starting to investigate the theory of plate tectonics this week. We will be learning about forces on tectonic plates and identifying evidence of plate movement.
8th Grade: We have been doing an educationally fun lab learning about natural selection. The students designed bird beaks out of household materials and then were timed picking up “food” items. Ask your student about it. We will continue investigating the geologic time scale next week.
ART
8th Grade: We will be continuing on our lesson of shape shading and texture of our chosen celebrity.
PE
7th graders just finished a week long unit in volleyball. They were able to learn the basic rules and skills while practicing each of these. For three days we played full volleyball games where they had to serve, and bump the ball over net as well as work with their team in communicating and encouraging. What a lively, great group of kids. Ask them about their week in PE.
SINCERELY,
The Middle School Team
7&8 English: Amanda Terryberry aterryberry@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6&7th Sci, 6-7th SS: Sue Goslee sgoslee@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6th ELA, 8th History Olivia Speicher ospeicher@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6-8 Math: Erica Stuck estuck@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
8th Science: Clayton Faivor cfaivor@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
Art: Kurt Zimmerle kzimmerle@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
Music: Ashley Ford aford@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
PE: Laurie Yost lyost@ellsworth.k12.mi.us