The Titan Exchange
DECEMBER 15, 2014 / Trinity Springs Middle School
NEWS YOU COULD USE
Titan Yearbook: Friends and fun, classes and clubs...the yearbook staff is capturing the year. Buy a 2015 yearbook so you can remember this year anytime! To purchase, visit yearbookforever.com or bring cash or check made out to TSMS to Mrs. McDaniel or to the front office. The cost through December 31st is only $45. Name-stamping starts at $6.50 extra and can be purchased online. Have you taken some amazing photos at TSMS events? Please send your high resolution photo to Mrs. McDaniel at the email address, amanda.mcdaniel@kellerisd.net.
Monday, December 15:
7/8 Grade Boys Basketball vs. Keller (7th Home; 8th Away - 5:00 PM)
TSMS Band Winter Concert (Students arrive at 7:00 PM; Concert starts at 7:30 PM)
Tuesday, December 16:
TSMS Spelling Bee (9:00 AM)
TSMS Choir Holiday Performance (Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth)
iGraduate Meeting (Hillwood Middle - 6:00 PM)
Thursday, December 18:
7/8 Grade Girls Basketball vs. Keller (7th Home; 8th Away - 5:00 PM)
TSMS Helps Support Phillips Wish
Here at Trinity Springs, we are endeavoring to put into practice the words from Winston Churchill, “You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give." Ever want to make a difference but you don’t really know how to help? Fellowship of Christian Students, PALS and Student Council have teamed up to support Phillips Wish during this holiday season. Phillips Wish is a non-profit organization that was founded by a little boy in Keller who saw a need in the world and decided to do something about it. We are collecting blankets, mittens, hats and sleeping bags. These items will be distributed to the homeless in Fort Worth by the Phillips Wish Foundation. Students may drop off donations to classrooms B107, D102 or D112. We will be collecting through December 18!
iGraduate
Recently, 8th grade students have been learning about the iGraduate program. Keller ISD is committed to communicating with parents about this program as well. Meetings will be held at each middle school campus to discuss this program. Choose a time that works best for you, and come get informed about iGraduate. We are encouraging both 7th and 8th grade parents to attend. Also, make sure to check out the iGraduate link under “Hot Topics” on the Keller ISD website. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your campus counselor. Meeting dates and locations are listed in the “News You Could Use” column directly to the right.
Titan Insider: 7th Grade
AVID: Students are continuing to set high goals for themselves in AVID class and will be checking their own grades in class to hold themselves accountable. We will continue to refine our note-taking skills and will reflect on our guest speaker's inspirational story and how it affects our lives. Students will need to bring in tutorial request forms on Monday and Wednesday, like every week. We do not make exceptions since these are the days slated for tutorials every week. AVID students must also keep their binders organized and write down what they are learning as well as due dates for every class everyday. Please feel free to check with your student to be sure he/she has completed his TRF for Monday and Wednesday as well as spot check his/her assignment sheet. I do randomly check the assignment sheets and take grades on them.
Language Arts: Students will continue the important process of analyzing poetry. An effective mnemonic (memory) device for all readers to utilize is "SIFTT"; by using SIFTT, we are equipped and ready to detect and extract symbols, imagery, figurative language, tone, and theme from poetry. We are proud of the wide variety of poems and poets we present to students. Not only is it our goal for our students to be experts at analyzing poetry, but also engaging in writing original poetry. For example, "a paired voice poem/a poem for 2 voices", students will write then speak their poem in tandem with a partner.
History: This week in Texas History students will continue their unit on the Texas Revolution. Pre AP classes will be attempting something new, a Mini DBQ. Students will be researching 5 primary sources from the Texas Revolution to create a writing response. This is very similar to what is done at the high school AP level. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woods is an all-time favorite novel of ours here at TSMS. It is actually a "novel in verse"; instead of traditional chapters, this author links a series of poems instead of chapters to reveal the plot of the central character. There are many "novels in verse" out on the market, and we encourage all to expand their reading repertoire with this genre, "novels in verse".
Math: In math class, students will be finishing up the unit about finding and using percentages to solve problems and moving on to a unit about similar figures and proportions. In class, they will work on problem-solving and higher level thinking skills in both units. Students have been informed and should be expecting to take a test over the percent unit this week. Students are welcome to use the online textbook for some extra practice and tutorial opportunities. They have been given a username and password, and teachers are happy to give them that information again, if needed.
Science: This week students will be studying genetics. Students will learn how a variety of traits can be passed down from generation to generation. They will create Punnett squares that determine the probability that a certain trait will be dominant in an organism. They will also discuss Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest. A good question to quiz you student with this week would be: Why do certain traits thrive while others die out?
Titan Insider: 8th Grade
English: This week students will practice finding an author's message in various types of literature, but especially excerpts from speeches. Some of the speeches may be well-known to all (MLK's "I Have a Dream") and some of the speeches may be well-known to only some (Lebron James's Sports Illustrated letter about returning to Cleveland). Students will determine the author's message using textual evidence and inference skills. Students will drill down and analyze style, tone, and figurative language while trying to figure out what the author's message is. You can help by asking kids why authors write? Why does anyone write? How would the purpose of a letter to the editor differ from the purpose of an email to your boss asking for a promotion?
History: Students will be finishing the Government and Constitution Unit over the next two weeks. They will cover the Bill of Rights and/or the Seven Principles of the Constitution this week, with a review and test early next week. Look for a review coming home at the end of this week or early next week.
Math: In Math 8, students will be starting a two week study of Pythagorean Theorem. They will be doing lots of fun activities and taking notes, so ask your students to show you! Math students should have homework most nights, so ask to see their homework. Students will have a test over Pythagorean Theorem the week before winter break, so a great activity to do at home with your students is to ask them to teach you an example question. It not only helps you see what they are doing, but if they can teach it, they know it! In Pre-AP Algebra this week, students will be learning about the standard form of linear functions and how to write parallel and perpendicular lines to linear equations. Students will have homework this week due on Thursday, and a test on Friday. If your child is needing additional help, students have access to a great website called Shmoop.
Science: This week, students will learn about weather patterns, and how to read symbols on a weather map. Students will create their own weather map, and predict the weather for an area on their map. They will create a weather broadcast, and present it to the class. Parents can supplement their student’s learning by asking questions such as: What does High pressure look like? What does Low pressure look like? What is a front?
About Us
Questions, comments or suggestions?
Email: Briana.Simpson@kellerisd.net
Website: http://campus.kellerisd.net/schools/TSM-045/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 3550 Keller Hicks Rd, Fort Worth, TX, United States
Phone: (817)744-3500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TrinitySpringsMiddleSchool/148435471846774
Twitter: @KBUCKHALTON