Maple Avenue Middle School
March 2018 Newsletter
Student of the Month: Sixth Grader, Jasmine Hersh
Sixth Grade is proud to announce Jasmine Hersh as the March student of the month.
Jasmine is the daughter of Brigitte Hersh and is the youngest of 10! Her sister Nicole is in 7th grade at MAMS. At home there are also many pets, two dogs Brownie and Freckles and two cats Muffin and Cocoa.
In school Jasmine is a hard worker and very conscientious. She always strives to do her best! Jasmine has a positive outlook on everything and everyone, and is always willing to help others. Her favorite class is math and she also enjoys the Pilot classes. At school she is in student council and serves on the school store committee and she is also part of the cast of the middle school musical, Singing in the Rain Jr.
Outside of school you can find Jasmine horseback riding and sometimes swimming. In the future she would like to be a horseback rider and an animal veterinarian.
Congratulations Jasmine!
Mark Your Calendars!
March 5 - Progress Reports distributed in homeroom
March 6 & 8 - 8th grade trips to LHS
March 9 & 12 - Snow Make Up Days (School in Session for Students)
March 14 - Class of 2022 Parent Meeting: HS course scheduling process. 7:00 pm - HS Auditorium. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to attend this course selection meeting.
March 30, April 2 & 3 - Easter, No School
Follow our hashtag on Twitter! #MAMSLearning
Team: Bolts (6th Grade)
Core 1-
Mrs. Koontz and Miss Ambrose’s Core 1 Math classes are currently working through Unit 3: Expressions & Equations. We have been exploring variables, writing and evaluating expressions, and have integrated the distributive property and are extending our thinking to equations and inequalities. Students will be solving one- step equations, writing equations from word problems and applying this knowledge to inequalities. Solutions to inequalities will be written out as well as graphed on a number line.It is important students are showing their work when simplifying expressions and solving equations in order to see the steps they are taking to problem solve. This also helps students with accuracy and less mistakes will be made. As we come to the conclusion of this unit, we will be transitioning to Geometry where students will learn to solve for the area and perimeter of multiple shapes.
Also, a reminder that math homework is assigned twice a week. It is important that students are continuing to complete their homework as well as check their answers every Wednesday and Friday. Homework should be organized within their binders and homework can always be used as a study tool. Remember--homework can always be turned in for late credit!
Core 2-
Mrs. Koontz’s Core 2 math class is quickly approaching the conclusion of Unit 3: Proportional Relationships and Percents which focused on scale factor, distance, rate, and time, rates and proportions, graphing equations, and percents. Students are currently determining the percent increase and decrease as well as calculating tip, discount, and interest. It is important students are showing their work when problem solving in order to see the steps they are taking to problem solve. This also helps them with accuracy and less mistakes will be made. Also, a reminder that math homework is assigned twice a week. It is important that students are continuing to complete their homework as well as check their answers every Wednesday and Friday. Homework should be organized within their binders and homework can always be used as a study tool. Remember--homework can always be turned in for late credit!
In Mr. Baumgardner’s ELA and Social Studies classes the students have been reading, writing, and learning about Mount Everest. We are currently reading the novel Peak by Roland Smith, which is a story about a young boy named Peak who is on an adventure to climb Mt. Everest. Peak encounters a lot of twists and turns along the way. After Mount Everest, we will learn about a young woman named Malala who is inspiring people all over the world. Learning about Malala will drive the ELA skills, standards, and writing. Please check the 6th grade homework page to see what is happening in class and to see if there is any homework.
Mr. Crockett's ELA classes have learned how to analyze a poem and finished our first novel of the term, Wonder. We are continuing to work on writing using evidence. Ask your children to see their Wonder precept essays. Social Studies classes are currently doing a project with the five Nordic Countries focused on climate, types of government, and currency. A few weeks ago, we learned about Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland and now this conflict is headline news. Ask your son or daughter for their thoughts on the Northern Ireland conflict.
In Ms. Willet’s ELA/SS classes, students have been learning about Southern and Eastern Africa. Human-environment interaction and history have been a focus for social studies. We have been honing our skills at citing evidence through argumentative writing, and we are continuing to practice context clues to understand the meaning of unknown words. Fiction studies have revolved around the novel, Hoot.
In Science, sixth grade students will finish their study of cells this month. We will then begin to learn about plant structures and functions as well as how animals are classified. Another area of focus will be looking at how living things interact with the environment. A reminder that students can access their on-line text at https://connected.mcgraw-hill.com/connected/login.do
Social Studies
English
Math
Team: Aviators (7th Grade)
LIFE SCIENCE-
We will be leaving Life Science after Ecology/Environmental Units and start with Chemistry and the Periodic Chart. This is something different in 7th grade since we have the new spiraled program. Next year the Chemistry Unit in 8th grade will take it up a notch and help better prepare students for the 8th Grade Science PSSA and give students a good base for the 9th Grade Keystones.
ELA-
We will be starting our new novel Black Ships Before Troy in addition to reading poetry. Students will be reading about the epic battle of the Trojan War. In preparation for the state assessments, students will be writing more text-dependent analysis essays and analyzing text more fully as we read. We will be incorporating study skills and different strategies into our learning as well.
History -
When in Rome! We will be focusing on the Roman Empire as we inch closer to the end of the third quarter. This empire is perhaps the most influential empire in world history. They continue to affect almost every society TODAY! Students will explore the Roman Republic, the Colosseum, art, literature, and Roman roads! Students will create a book on Ancient Rome! As we finish traveling through Rome we will travel to the Middle Ages. These were some of the more dark times in European history.
Math-
We just started our next unit, probability and statistics. Students will be learning about random samples and which type of sample would best represent a population. They also will learn how to find the probability of outcomes, like rolling a die, flipping coins, or drawing a spade out of a deck of cards. To conclude this unit, students will be creating their own game of chance with a partner. We will come back from spring break refreshed and ready to prepare for PSSAs and our last unit, geometry.
English
Science
Math
Team: Lightning (7th and 8th Grades)
SCIENCE: Mr. Decker and Mr. Liberty
7th Grade Science:
7th graders have finished evolution and now we are moving into the classification of organisms. Students will study the system used to classify living things, as well as learn how to develop their own classification system. The use of dichotomous keys will be a focus of the classification, which will link back to evolutionary relationships. Once we have completed the classification section students will be studying bacteria, viruses, fungi, and Protista.
8th Grade Science:
8th graders have been applying Newton’s laws of motion and simple physics concepts to develop balloon powered cars to enter into the Flour Engineering competition. This requires the students to use a limited list of materials to build a craft that can carry as many pennies as possible across a 30 in course. When these tests have finished students will be studying gravity, centripetal force, and momentum.
MATHEMATICS: Mr. Liberty and Mr. Heller
Mr. Liberty
Core 2 Math:
All classes are quickly approaching the testing window for the PSSA. Along with continuing to work through the regular book lessons, all students are assigned a weekly PSSA review packet. They should be completing this during any extra class time or at home. It is turned in each Friday and graded. This allows me to discover strengths and weaknesses overall as well as expose students to the types of questions and content they will see on these exams. Please encourage students to complete all problems to the best of their ability and always to check work before handing it in.
Mr. Heller
Core 3 Math:
Students are just finishing up Chapter 8 where they were working through the process of simplifying exponential expressions. The next chapter will include good mixture of algebra and geometry as student will work with the Pythagorean Theorem and square roots. It is important that as the work becomes more abstract and increases in difficulty that students are making sense of problems and persevere in solving them (which is a mathematical practice we have been focusing on). With PSSA’s around the corner we will be spending time in the near future reviewing all we have learned throughout the year. Keep up the hard work!
Algebra
Students have been doing a great job working with radical (square root) expressions and equations. We are transitioning to the last unit which include graphing, solving, and evaluating inequalities. Following this section we will spend time before the Keystones to review all of the topics we have covered throughout the year. Students will continue to complete GoFormative activities to compliment the CPM lessons.
ENGLISH: Mr. Peglow and Mrs. Trout
7th Grade:
PEGLOW’S Class: In the month of March seventh graders will finish Black Ships & begin The Giver (the Utopian/Dystopian unit) and our discussions of the “-isms” like individualism, nationalism, symbolism, and extremism and how all of these ideals impact our views of what is right and what is wrong in society. Students continue to apply reading and writing strategies in preparation for the PSSA that arrives in April as well as reading their independent novel. Be sure to check in with your child nightly to learn what topics we are discussing in class and what is happening in his or her novel.
Mrs. Trout’s class: This month we are reading Black Ships Before Troy, the story of the Trojan war. We will review story elements, identify and interpret figurative language and word choice and continue using NoRedInk for grammar and writing support. We will also be reading and writing poetry.
8th Grade:
In the month of March eighth graders will finish up The Giver and begin focusing on persuasion and how to support opinions with facts and evidence. Students continue to apply reading and writing strategies in preparation for the PSSA that arrives in April as well as reading their independent novel. Be sure to check in with your child nightly to learn what topics we are discussing in class and what is happening in his or her novel.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Trout
7th Grade Ancient Civilizations
Currently students in seventh grade are focused on another major world religion, Islam. Throughout the year students scrutinized many major world religions; those religions included Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. While Islam is similar to other religions, there are also some vast differences. Upon our completion of examining the religion of Islam, students will take a trip to our world’s second largest continent, Africa.
8th Grade U.S. History
As the third quarter draws near an end, students in eighth grade will see the United States disintegrate before their very eyes. During the last few weeks of the third quarter students will focus on the primary causes of the American Civil War; some of the causes include: Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the election of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. As we progress into the fourth quarter, students will begin to examine perhaps the worst time period in American history, the Civil War.
Ancient Civilizations
Core 3 Math
Science
Team: Sky Pilots (8th Grade)
Science classes have been working through Chemistry and wrapping it up with bonding. Space is the next destination. We will be working through the Solar System, into the Galaxy and Deep Space. When we return we will investigate Earth Science, Ecology, and Biology. Please help your student stay caught up in their assignments as we move through this unit.
Math
Geometry students will complete Chapter 7 assessment on “Proofs” and begin Chapter 8. “Polygons and circles”.
Core 3 Are currently learning the bulk of the math content for the upcoming Math PSSA. Students will be assessed on Chapter 8 “Exponents and Functions” and begin Chapter 9 “Angles and Polygons”.
We’ll begin PSSA math review the last week of March. Students will practice answering Constructed Response Questions and multi-level questions which assess more than 1 standard. Students will also learn shortcuts using the TI- 84 graphing calculators to increase their math fluency.
Social Studies
Social Studies classes will write slave diaries and convert them into IMovie trailers. They will look at regional differences between the North and South They will soon be preparing for the annual Gettysburg field trip.
ELA
Students are finalizing their inventions and preparing to market their work for our Shark Tank production in early March. Students will use their blog reflections to write a final informative paper. They have been working hard this marking period researching creations, materials, and existing practice as part of their nonfiction and entrepreneurship unit. Student work will be displayed for the public at the end of the month.PILOT: Sphero
American History
English
Guidance Office
News from the School Counselor
On February 28th, the Littlestown High School counselors came down for meetings with 8th graders to give them an idea about the different pathways that are offered at the high school. It was a way for them to gain knowledge and start thinking about their goals for after high school, and how choosing a pathway can get them to those goals. On March 6th and 8th, the 8th grade class will be going up to LHS to get a deeper look at what was discussed during that meeting. They will be in small groups and will go to approximately 10 different stations to learn everything they can about the offerings that LHS has. They will get hands-on classroom experiences, and will be able to meet the teachers and counselors on a more personal level. This will help greatly with their transition to 9th grade. On March 14th, there will be a meeting for parents held in the auditorium at 7PM to go over scheduling and the new systems that are in place for that. Attendance is extremely important for both parents and students. I will be sending out a brochure with more details soon, so look for that information! I was placed at LHS for the first half of this school year, so I am very knowledgeable about their offerings. Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions that you may have regarding 9th grade transitions.
Start talking to your child about the transition to high school
A big transition is ahead for many middle schoolers and their parents. High school is a mere six months away—and you and your child may be nervous.
Most middle schoolers:
- Feel excitement about the opportunities high school offers. These include new friendships and more freedom. High school also lets students pursue new interests through extracurricular activities.
- Feel nervous. High school standards for academics, behavior and independence are far beyond what most middle schoolers are used to. There may be more students and a larger school building, too.
To ease anxiety:
- Tap available resources. Encourage your child to talk to his school counselor and ask any questions he may have. Also be sure to attend orientation sessions offered by the high school.
- Talk to your child. Share some of your own high school memories. Discuss the classes your child wants to take and how he will manage his schedule. Have him talk with current high school students about their experiences.
- Encourage your child. Starting high school is a huge milestone. Your child is growing up. Let him know you are proud of him and are looking forward to this new stage.
Reprinted with permission from the March 2018 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (Middle School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2018 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.
K'Nex Challenge...Accepted!
Teams of 4 students worked together on this project. Each project had to include at least one motor. Students put their solution together at the event. In addition, students were required to keep a journal, make a blueprint, create a budget and give a two-minute presentation.
MAMS did not take home the gold this year, but the students had a great learning experience and are excited to go back next year!
PETE & C
Students from Maple Avenue Middle School were selected to present at the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference on February 13th. These eighth-grade students were selected for their innovative efforts in creating inventions that solve problems in their everyday lives.
Teachers, administrators, and educators of all backgrounds stopped at the Student Showcase to inquire about the inventions and process involved in creating and marketing their products. These four students impressed educators from across the state of Pennsylvania with their creative thinking and application.
Wellness Elective
This 8th grade Health elective module will introduce students to the concept of mindfulness and its practice, as well as basic yoga movements and healthy eating practices. Over the course of 24 lessons, students will experience developmentally appropriate mindfulness instruction that fosters mental health and wellness. Learning about mindfulness can have positive effects on students’ emotional well being, mental health, learning ability and physical health.