Muskego Lakes 8th Grade Newsletter
February 2022
Absent? 8th Grade Agendas!
Agendas are the tools students will use when they are absent to stay caught up. The expectation is that students access each agenda and complete the listed tasks for their classes. If your student is unable to complete the tasks for any reason, please have them contact their teacher directly to let them know. Click on the links below to check them out!
Literacy:
Math:
Social Studies:
Science:
CLASSROOM CATCH UP- LOOK TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN 8TH GRADE CLASSES THIS MONTH!
Literacy - Tome, Koeller, Lehmann
February Recap: We wrapped up our Holocaust unit with a research- based informational essay on a choice of topics. Students have now had a 2nd round of implementing their knowledge of strong organization in an essay:
Starting with an attention-getting hook that is connected to their topic and providing necessary background information
Including a strong thesis that is the main idea of their essay
Topic sentences to begin each body paragraph followed by a good amount of information from cited sources to develop and support the thesis.
Restating the thesis in their conclusion, along with a reflection on the topic, and an effective concluding sentence.
Coming up in March: We begin our next unit: “What Matters.” In this unit students will read argumentative writing, looking at how author’s support their arguments with evidence and reasoning. At the end of the unit, students will get a chance to research both sides of a topic, form an opinion, plan an argument, and give a persuasive speech.
For the independent reading in this unit, students will be selecting a classic novel to read. Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, Little Women, and many others…here we come!
Current Standard we’re focusing on: “Citing the text evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly, as well as inferences drawn from the text.”
Ongoing work: weekly vocabulary, grammar skills on the spiral and often on IXL, iReady lessons on reading standards, practice annotating text, and on-demand writing
Math 8 - Vogler & Michalski
February Recap:
We recently finished Unit 5 Systems of Equations. This is one of the toughest units of the school year and one that will be revisited next year in Algebra.
Targeted skills:
Solving a system by graphing
Solving a system algebraically (by substitution or elimination)
Identifying the number of solutions to a system by inspection
Solving application problems that involve a system of equations
- Expect to see these coming home soon for parent signatures!
Upcoming in March:
Unit 7 → Functions. This unit builds on Unit 4: Proportional Relationships. Our Functions unit will include our last two Standards of Focus for the school year, which are:
Compare properties of two functions each represented in a different way (algebraically, graphically, numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions).
Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values.
Reminders:
Please remind your child that they should be working on Math 20-30 minutes each night. If they are done with their practice, they should spend the time working on iReady.
Important Tools:
Unit 7 IXL List (Click to view and see the grading rubric!)
Unit 7 Vocabulary
Algebra - Vogler
Algebra students recently finished our unit on Polynomials. These skills will be used in our upcoming unit on Quadratic Functions. After this unit, students will have a strong understanding on the difference between linear functions and quadratic functions and will have multiple methods to solve a quadratic equation.
Social Studies - Tsakonas & Koeller
February Recap:
Young Nation “Pathway Project”
We learned about the ways that the young nation was impacted by government decisions and economic changes.
We also focused on agency: What can I do to take more control of my learning, advocate for myself, and stay on track?
The United States expanding west:
Why did people move or travel west and what happened when they did?
Topics included: Lewis and Clark exploration and other pioneers, the Erie Canal, Manifest Destiny, U.S. Government and Native American relationships, the Gold Rush, industrialization, and the expansion of slavery.
Upcoming in March
Causes of the Civil War
Differences between the North and the South (economy, immigration, education, political beliefs)
Northern industrialization
Slavery and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
Government decisions and compromises
The Election of 1860
Science - Goldberg & Tome
In February, we completed the periodic table study as well as dissolving of solids, liquids and gasses. In March, we will complete our chemistry unit with chemical reactions. After our chapter, we will get some practice balancing equations and then complete a project exploring the science behind synthetic products.
Example projects would be rock candy, lip balm, bath bombs, slime, crayons, gum, gummy bears, play dough, lava lamp, chemistry art, soda, filters, bouncy balls, and many more!
Daily Assignments
8th Grade Syllabus
8th Grade Website
This is a website worthy of being bookmarked! This is a great tool to get your questions answered.
Here are some items that are found on our website:
- Syllabus for each core class
- Rolling Agendas
- Contact Information
- Daily Assignments (What your students should have in their assignment notebook!)
- Monthy Newsletter links
Encore Newsletter
Important Dates Ahead
Band Solo & Ensemble - March 12th
Musical Tech Week- March 28-April 1st
Lion King Musical - April 2-3rd
Band Concert at MHS PAC - May 19 at 7pm
Choir Concert at MHS PAC- May 24 at 7pm
Tuesday Emails from Your Child!
1. Current grades in Core Classes
2. Missing Work Updates
3. Areas students are proud of
We hope that receiving this communication will help you stay up to date on what is going on in your students 8th Grade world. As teachers, we feel it provides such a great talking point and area for parents to follow up with students and truly feel more in the know! If you have additional feedback regarding the Tuesday emails, please reach out to your child's resource teacher! Thanks so much for supporting!
8th Grade Staff Directory
8th Grade Staff Directory
Need to contact your child's teacher? Look below for a complete 8th grade staff contact list.
Cassie Vogler - Math 8 and Algebra: cassie.vogler@muskegonorway.org
Brittany Michalski- Math 8: brittany.michalski@muskegonorway.org
Heather Goldberg- Science: heather.goldberg@muskegonorway.org
Angela Janusz (Koeller) - Literacy/Social Studies: angela.janusz@muskegonorway.org
Amy Lehmann- Literacy: amy.lehmann@muskegonorway.org
Laura Tsakonas- Social Studies: laura.tsakonas@muskegonorway.org
Nicole Stevenson - Learning Strategist: nicole.lowe@muskegonorway.org
Kristen Thimmesch- Spanish: kristen.modica@muskegonorway.org
Beth Brown- Speech: beth.brown@muskegonorway.org
Stacie Capstran- Spanish: stacie.capstran@muskegonorway.org
Mitch Hasey- Phys Ed: mitch.hasey@muskegonorway.org