Blue Team Weekly Update
Week of 11/4-11/8
Breaking News
- Please click here to learn more about the PTO’s new online directory!
- You can find the link for Remind messages here or text @hxblue to 81010
- We are excited to be able to offer the opportunity for all of our students to attend a showing of Harriet on November 26th at Ronnie’s Cinema. Harriet is a biopic about Harriet Tubman, the abolitionist who, after escaping enslavement, led 70 other slaves to freedom. Please click here to complete the permission slip and turn it into the office no later than November 11th. You can either send in the $10 payment with your form or complete your payment online here.
Hi Hixson families! Each year, we set a goal to organize and collect food to make 20 holiday meal baskets that go right back to a Hixson student and their family. This is a collaborative effort amongst our staff and families that reminds us to practice gratitude and lend a helping hand when able. If you are able/willing to donate an item, please see the link below. We ask that you have all donations dropped off at the office by November 18th. Thank you for supporting our Hixson community. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c094fa9ab2aa7f49-hixson
- The 28th Annual Webster Groves Holiday House Tour, sponsored by Hixson PTO, will take place on Sunday, December 8th from 11am to 4pm. This is the biggest fundraising event of the year and it takes many volunteers to make it successful! We have 6 beautiful homes and a holiday boutique that are opening their doors and we need LOTS of volunteers to work the event! The event time is 11am-4pm, and we have it split into 2 shifts. Please sign up using this link. If you have any questions about the event itself, please reach out to Teresa Herrell at tabrussel4975@yahoo.com or 314-607-0957. Thank you for your help and support!
Upcoming Due Dates
Two personal reading books are due for November. Fill out completed book forms as you finish your books. These count as summative grades!
Classroom Happenings
ELA: Mrs. Camden
In ELA this week Mrs. Oleskiw-our practicum student from Webster University- reviewed comma rules. Each student created a comma flipbook with 14 rules to reference as they write.
We also look at our mentor texts as writers and began to try using the techniques that we noticed the author’s using in our own writing.
We had library on Thursday. Just a reminder, students are required to read two books each month for the rest of the school year. These books count as summative grades. Remind you child that they must fill out a completed book form for their reading to count. Completed book forms are in the classroom next to the pencil sharpener.
I will be placing a Scholastic book order on November 15th for anyone who submits an order online.
If you’d like to donate books to our classroom library, we have wish-lists on Scholastic and Amazon. Thanks!
Science: Mr. Vorel
This week in Science we wrapped up our series of labs which investigated Newtons’s three laws, balanced/unbalanced forces, and kinetic/potential energy. Students took notes on these concepts and learned about vectors. Specifically, students learned how to use vectors to visualize the forces acting upon objects and how we can illustrate movement.
On Wednesday, students started our next big project - Bullseye launchers. This project is designed to bring together the force and motion concepts that have been taught into a design/build project where students will apply these concepts. The goal is to build a launcher that can move a ping pong ball toward a bullseye with points being awarded for accuracy and precision. Students will compete with their peers both in class, on team, and the whole 8th grade to see who can build the best launcher!
As we move into this project, any material donations would be greatly appreciated. Our classroom could particularly benefit from donations of hot glue sticks, duct tape, and rubber bands. Thank you in advance!
Social Studies: Mr. McGinnis
This week in Social Studies We had our first test on the foundations and ideas of our Constitution. Instead of a retake students can replace this test score with our more in-depth Constitution test - Date TBD.
The key is to review every night up to 10 minutes, practice vocabulary every night and ask questions.
Last Wednesday, Bobbi Kennedy, from Civitas, introduced the Model UN program. We will discuss the program on Friday and sign up for it starting tomorrow. Info at this link.
Tomorrow, The Salem Witch Trials and a lesson on how fear and ignorance can be manipulated very easily.
SPRINGFIELD FIELD TRIP:
We have 40 confirmed students.
If you have not yet, please click on this link to get information on our Springfield Trip.
In addition, please fill out the Google form - https://forms.gle/6ZtPTdtqVMzHNk1c7
- so that we can estimate how many students plan on going with us. This will allow us to set the price for the trip. We will be going to Springfield IL 5/13/2020.
Mark Your Calendars
Wednesday, November 13th: 7th and 8th Grade Choir Concert, 6:30-7:30pm in Auditorium
Friday, November 15th: Step Team Dance Event, 7-9pmWGHS-Roberts Gym
Contact Us
Mr. McGinnis: mcginnis.tim@wgmail.org
Mr. Vorel: vorel.adam@wgmail.org