BMS Newsletter
"Quality Learning and Positive Personal Development for All"
Principal's Message
Recently, we have been teaching students about the power of their words. We want them to become aware of how their words and actions can effect others. We believe that discussing this topic with our students will help them to become well-rounded adults in the future.
I would also encourage our parents and caregivers to join our efforts in teaching their children the power of the spoken word. We ask that you talk with your child about being mindful of the words used towards others. Ultimately, the more time we devote to teaching the power of words, the more the lesson will stick.
As the Brunswick feeder continues to grow, it is necessary to provide high-quality educational opportunities for our students. Our existing High School is very old and is in need of an update. Please consider lending your support to get this project moving forward. Click on the link below for more information. We appreciate your support!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/462117621262429/permalink/1439723173501864/?mibextid=S66gvF
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Principal Warren
Up-"Dates"
March 6-7th: MISA Testing (8th Grade)
March 9th: PTO Meeting at 7pm.
March 21st: End of Term 3
March 22nd: No School, Teacher Work Day.
March 23rd: Term 4 Begins
April 18-21 MCAP ELA (all grades)
April 25-26 MCAP Math (All Grades, but students enrolled in Algebra)
May 1-2: MCAP History (8th Grade only)
May 4-5: MCAP Algebra (students enrolled only in Algebra)
Administrative Announcements
BMS Term 3 Interims
Mid-Term for term 3 was on February 24th. Student's mid-term grades should be accurately reflected in Schoology.
Any student who has a D or F at mid-term will have their interim report mailed home.
Congratulations!
BMS Teacher of the Year - Ali Cummings
Based on input from staff, students, and parents, our School Improvement Team selected Ali Cummings as the Brunswick Middle School nominee for Teacher of the Year. Ali is a full time math teacher that teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Ali is in her 6th year of teaching. She previously taught at Monocacy Middle School before coming to BMS three years ago. Ali is in her Teach Year of the Vanguard program. She also took on the leadership role of 7th grade team leader this year. Ali is one of our go to teachers when classes need to be covered. She also stays to help with after school activities and was involved in the Elevate Academy during the summer.
Her math classes are built on high expectations and designed to engage all learners. She collaborates with other math teachers to gain insight on best practices, review data to differentiate instruction, and is always willing to use new technology and research to do what is best for her students.
Ali is well respected by both students and staff members. She takes pride in being a Railroader because she lives in the community where she teaches. Our instructional assistant, Alayna Furr said, “In the hallways the students speak about how much they love her. She is always very involved with her classes and in the school community. She is down to earth and loves helping the children. She follows the protocols. She is a team player and willing to help others who have questions or steps in when additional coverage is needed.” Student Mary Alice Carswell said, “She is always so kind, helpful, and understanding and always makes sure you always fully understand the topic and skill. She is very accommodating, for example getting different candy for people with braces, expanders, etc.”. Madeleine Yepez, student, said.”Ms. Cummings deserves to be recognized as the BMS Teacher of the Year because she works so hard and she puts so much time and effort into making sure every student understands the concept she is teaching. She's probably one of the best teachers I've had so far. She always greets her students with a smile on her face and is such an amazing person with an outstanding personality. Student Abigail Hrouda said, “Ms. Cummings works so hard for her students. She cares for students and helps out when they need it. She puts a lot of effort into making her students happy. She does a lot for students so they can understand the concept. Even though our class is huge she does a lot to take time and talk to each student. I hope Ms. Cummings gets the teacher of the year!! SHE DESERVES IT!!.
BMS Support Employee of the Year - Scotty Tompkins
Scotty Tompkins, program assistant at Brunswick Middle School, excels as a program assistant. She is an excellent example of what a program assistant should be for every school. Scotty supports the special education team by making certain that timelines are followed, paperwork is complete and thorough and the team is on task. Scotty is the reason that we are in compliance with our paperwork. Scotty tries to complete as much of the paperwork as possible to free up time for special education teachers so that they have more time to teach.
Scotty takes the initiative to go above and beyond her basic job duties. Scotty regularly works after hours and takes work home to make sure that she is completing tasks that she is committed to completing. Scotty is more of a secretary than a program assistant. Scotty takes notes at IEP meetings, types the notes, sends out invites to families and staff members, calls parents to remind them of upcoming IEP meetings, schedules IEP meetings with case managers, and sends home any completed paperwork. Scotty is an essential part of the special education team. She takes her job very seriously.
Scotty demonstrates exceptional skill and dedication to the job.
Scotty has a very thorough knowledge of special education procedures, processes and timelines that support the team in making certain that we are in compliance with special education laws. Scotty has a philosophy that any of the paperwork, scheduling or notetaking she can take off of teachers’ plates allows teachers to spend more time teaching and working with students
Scotty contributes to the mission and vision of the school system
Scotty contributes to the vision and mission of the school district by engaging families in our school community through scheduling IEP meetings and communicating with families, staff members and students in order to meet essential needs of special education processes and laws. As part of a team that is responsible for maintaining state and federal laws in regard to special education, Scotty is up to date on the newest information by attending meetings, collaborating with central office staff, and school based staff and keeping meticulous records in regard to the special education process. Scotty also updates families on the newest processes when she is communicating with them.
Scotty is respected by her coworkers
Scotty has the respect of her coworkers because they realize the dedication she has to the job and how much she goes above and beyond to support the special education team. Her work is very much appreciated by all team members.
Scotty demonstrates an attitude and manner that has a positive effect on others
Scotty has demonstrated an attitude and manner that can have a positive impact on colleagues. The fact that she is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done comes through as a positive characteristic that helps support the team.
Scotty exhibits exemplary attendance.
Scotty rarely misses a day of school. If she has to leave early Scotty makes certain that her duties are covered and that any paperwork that she has not completed gets done in a timely manner. Scotty works at home to get the job done.
Registration Information for our current 6th & 7th Grade Students
Last week we met with 6th and 7th graders about registration for their classes for the 2023-2024 school year. Students were asked to think about, discuss with families, and choose their electives for next school year. Below is the information we shared with your children including the presentation and links to the electives google form for each grade. We ask that students have their electives chosen by Monday, February 27th. You or your child will need to be logged in to your child's FCPS account to complete the google form. All this information is also posted on the Railroader Depot.
Current 6th Grade Registration slideshow and electives google form:
Current 7th Grade Registration slideshow and electives google form:
Important Registration Dates:
Monday, 2/27 - Electives Google form due
3/2 - Registration forms distributed
3/8 - Registration forms due
Please contact your child's school counselor if you have any questions:
Kelly Mahn 6th grade, 7th grade last name A-K Kelly.mahn@fcps.org 240-236-5364
Erin Malone 7th grade last name L-Z, 8th grade Erin.Malone@fcps.org 240-236-5403
MISA Testing for 8th Grade Students March 6th & March 7th
HOSPICE CAMP JAMIE
Student Government News
We want to send a huge thank you to everyone that helped make our Winter Wonderland Dance such a success! Over 340 students attended and had a great time! We are especially grateful to the parents that donated snacks and drinks, helped with ticket sales or chaperoned! The group of parents that pulled the decorations together at the last minute were simply amazing! We’d also like to thank the members of the BHS Poms Dance Team for their help during the dance as well!
Thanks to everyone that donated to our Sneaker Fundraiser! We were able to collect 35 pairs of sneakers.
PTO
PTO’s next meeting will be March 9th, 2023 at 7pm. Please look out for a Find Out First with the meeting login as it will be virtual.
Upcoming events for March will be the Penny Wars and Family Trivia Night!
Please look out for more information on these events in emails and the PTO Facebook page.
Visit our Website for the form to become a member!
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BrunswickMiddlePTO
WEBSITE: Website: http://brunswickms.my-pto.org/
Wellness Tip
How to help teens get more sleep:
Ban electronics from the bedroom
Charge phones elsewhere
Maintain a regular sleep schedule
Discourage afternoon naps
Don't procrastinate on big tasks
Stick to sleep-friendly bedtime routines
Limit caffeine
Yearbooks are On Sale Now!
Railroader Nation,
It is that time of year again to order yearbooks and online ordering is now open!
If you are interested in one of our fantastic yearbooks, you must order it online. Please use this link: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/ (or call 1-866-287-3096) and the BMS code is 29301 . Like last year, we are offering two options: soft cover books are $28 and hardcover books are $33 until January 31st when the presale ends. Starting February 1st soft cover books are $33 and hardcover books are $38. The presale and regular price include a digital name imprint for every yearbook. Your child’s given name is the default for the imprint, and you will have the option to change it during the ordering process. All orders must be placed by April 3rd to guarantee a copy of the yearbook. Please do not wait to order as we will only have a small number of books to sell when they arrive. Any extra yearbooks that we receive will be sold on a first come, first served basis. We anticipate the arrival of our yearbooks and distribution to be before students leave school in June.
8th Grade ONLY and NEW this year - There will still be a section in the yearbook for 8th grade baby pictures and an optional message to your 8th grader. It’s new and improved: Parents, you can now buy and customize your child’s own baby picture section of the yearbook. You pick the size of the page you want for photo(s)/message. Parent ad pricing: Quarter page - $15, Eighth page - $10, Sixteenth page - $5. Participation in this special opportunity is voluntary and will make the yearbook extra memorable for your child.
**Purchasing an ad will appear for everyone, but as a reminder this feature is only for families of 8th grade students. If parents of non-8th graders purchase an ad, a full refund will be given, and you will receive a notification from us. Thank you for your attention to this and understanding :-)
Please note:
Your child’s given name will be listed in the yearbook. If you have a preferred name for your child, we ask that you make that request on the BMS Yearbook Hub (Name Change Request).
Again, we are extremely excited to get the opportunity to produce another wonderful yearbook and look forward to seeing lots of photos from you to include in this year's edition.
Thank you,
Ms. Clark & Ms. Innocenti
(Yearbook Advisors)
School Culture
What are Executive Function and Self-Regulation skills?
Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully.
Self-Control: The ability to stop and think before acting
Self-Monitor: The ability to view and evaluate oneself
Emotional Control: The ability to manage feelings to achieve goals and complete tasks
Flexibility: The ability to adapt to changing conditions by revising plans or changing strategies
Task Initiation: The ability to start and finish tasks without procrastination
Organization: The ability to develop and use systems to keep track of materials and information
Working Memory: The ability to use information held in memory to complete a task
Planning and Time Management: The ability to create steps to reach a goal.
If your child is struggling with executive function and self-regulation skills:
Take a step-by-step approach to work.
Rely on visual aids to get organized
Use tools like time organizers, electronic reminders, or alarms.
Make schedules and review them several times a day.
Ask for written and oral instructions whenever possible.
Plan for transition times and shifts in activity.
Attendance
Service Learning
If your child has volunteered their time outside of the school day to a non-profit organization, they should complete the Record of Volunteer Hours (form) in order to have these hours officially recorded and work towards earning an award at the end of their 8th grade year (for 25 hours of service while in middle school). More information can be found here. You are welcome to turn in the forms to the counseling office now through the end of this school year. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Mahn, Ms. Richmond, or Ms. Malone.
Mrs. Mahn
6th Grade & & 7th Grade Last Names Beginning with A-K
Ms. Malone
8th Grade & 7th Grade Last Names Beginning with L-Z
Ms. Daniele Richmond
Registrar
BMS Counseling Department
We Are All Smiles in March
As we steal glimpses of warm sunshine and spring flowers, March is full of colors, vibrancy, reasons to celebrate, and occasions to educate.
We wrapped up February with our very first Mix It Up at Lunch Day! On February 23, 2023, Brunswick Middle School students and staff participated in Maryland Mix It Up at Lunch Day. We joined other Maryland schools in prompting students to REMOVE social barriers and EXPAND peer connections.
March 1st is “Share a Smile Day”
This day inspires people to share a smile with everyone they encounter. Smiling doesn’t just only have emotional benefits — it has a lot of health benefits too. It leads you to feel relaxed and happy. This in turn can reduce your blood pressure and stress levels, increase your endurance, and even strengthen your immune system. So if you don’t have a reason to smile, be the reason that someone else smiles and you might be surprised at how quickly you feel like smiling.
March 31st is “National Crayon Day”
Whether you are aware of it or not, the colors you surround yourself with are likely impacting your mood and behavior! Have you ever heard of “Color Psychology?”
Of course, variations exist, but most of us respond in similar ways to specific colors. Hues also influence how we react to colors. A bright red, for instance, might have an entirely different effect on our emotions than a warmer, more subdued red.
Also, our past experiences can create color associations that differ from other people's. If your childhood home had a blue-and-yellow color scheme and you loved it, then you may feel similarly happy if you have that same scheme in your adult home.
Color psychology shows that in general, we associate the following colors with the following emotions:
Yellow: optimism, happiness, vitality, improved mood, laughter
Red: energy, movement, confidence, aggressiveness, stimulation, intensity
Pink: reduced appetite, sweetness, calm, love and romance
Green: peace, innocence, renewal, openness, prosperity, tranquility
White: sterility, cleanliness, purity, light
Orange: ambition, activity, energy, socialization, freeing
Black: power, strength, toughness, anger, authority, intelligence
Purple: luxury, intuition, creativity, spiritual, wisdom, mystery
Blue: serenity, openness, space, contemplation, focus,
Brown: organic, reliability, stability, wholesome, natural
https://www.soletoscana.com/blogs/artigiano/20-tips-for-a-more-colorful-life
Community Service Hours
All required community service hours are built into the FCPS Essential Curriculum, but if a student has completed additional service hours that extended beyond class requirements, those hours may be documented on the FCPS Volunteer Hours and Community Service Form . The form details the types of activities that qualify for recognized service hours. Completed forms may be returned to the School Counseling office or emailed directly to the School Counselor:
Mrs. Mahn
6th Grade & & 7th Grade Last Names Beginning with A-K
Ms. Malone
8th Grade & 7th Grade Last Names Beginning with L-Z
PBIS School & Culture
8 Ways A Child’s Anxiety Shows Up As Something Else
- Anger: The perception of danger, stress of opposition is enough to trigger the fight or flight response leaving your student angry and without a way to communicate why.
- Difficulty Sleeping: In students having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep is one of the hallmark characteristics of anxiety.
- Avoidance: Students who are trying to avoid a particular person, place or task often end up experiencing more of whatever it is they are avoiding.
- Negativity: People with anxiety tent to experience negative thoughts at a much greater intensity than positive ones.
- Defiance: Unable to communicate what is really going on, it is easy to interpret the student’s defiance as a lack of discipline instead of an attempt to control a situation where they feel anxious and helpless.
- Chandeliering: Chandeliering is when is when a seemingly calm person suddenly flies off the handle for no reason. They have pushed hurt and anxiety so deep for so long that seemingly innocent comment or event suddenly sends them straight through the chandelier.
- Lack of Focus: Students with anxiety are often so caught up in their own thought that they do not pay attention to what is going on around them.
- Over-planning: Over-planning and defiance go hand in hand in their root cause. Where anxiety can cause some children to try to take back control through defiant behavior, it can cause others to over-plan for situations where planning is minimal or unnecessary.
Technical Support
TutorMe
TutorMe is an online tutoring platform that connects students to live tutors, 24 hours a day in over 300 subjects, right from their home.
Their network of over 10,000 verified tutors has helped more than half a million students improve their grades, understand difficult concepts, or just get help with simple questions. Students can even have their papers reviewed using TutorMe’s Writing Lab, which provides detailed feedback on their essays or reports in less than 12 hours.
FCPS Dress Code Policy
BMS Student and Family Handbook
Media - Mrs. McFadden
March 3rd is Read Across America day. Celebrate reading in a fun way!
Read together as a family…picture books are for everyone. We have some outstanding picture books in our library.
Check out one of the books highlighted on the BMS Depot.
It’s book award season- we have many of the award winners and honor books in the BMS library. Students can browse on LS2 and put books on hold, or come to the library during LA classes, in the morning before school, or during lunches to browse and check out books.
Advanced Academic Specialist - Ms. Mossburg
As we start thinking about registration for classes next year, we have been meeting with teachers to discuss student data and decide the best placement for them next year. We will continue to use the HAL cluster model next year and students will be hand scheduled into those sections. Our teachers will continue their training in using the best strategies for working with gifted students. There are several opportunities listed below. Please feel free to reach out to Amy Mossburg at amy.mossburg@fcps.org if you have any questions.
William and Mary Center for Gifted Education Summer Sessions Information
MCGATE (Maryland Coalition for Gifted and Talented Education)
2023 Essay Contest
Maryland Gifted and Talented students in public school grades 5-12 are invited to participate in an essay contest: “What have gifted education opportunities meant to me?” February is Gifted and Talented Education Month in Maryland! This is your opportunity to let everyone know why gifted education is important and necessary for all high-potential students in Maryland. Our annual Student Essay Contest opens on February 19, 2023. Deadline for submissions is March 20, 2023. Excerpts of winning essays will be shared with the community to inform them about the importance of gifted education opportunities. Awards: The first-place winner in the Elementary and Middle School categories will be recognized with a $50 award, and the High School winner, a $100 award. A letter of recognition will be sent to their principal and superintendent Rules: The competition is open to any Maryland public school student in grades 5-12 who now participates or has participated in special programs for gifted and talented learners. Essay length is limited to 850 words (about three typed double-spaced pages). Entries must be submitted here. by Monday, March 20, 2023. More details can be found on the MCGATE website.
Math Specialist - Ms. French
Literacy Specialist - Ms. Zimmerman
March not only brings spring (or so it’s hoped!), but it also means it is time to plan for next school year! Registration forms will be handed out soon, but as we continue on in this school year and look ahead to next year, please share any Language Arts/Reading placement questions you have with me at katie.zimmerman@fcps.org.
March also brings plenty of new reasons to read. Warmer days might beckon kids outside, while rainy days are perfect for curling up with a book. March is also Women’s History Month and a great and inspiring time to kick off a month of reading. Here are 10 challenges to keep the page-turning motivation of kids of all ages at a high:
Read a book written by a female author.
Think about your favorite book character — and choose a book you think that character would like to read.
Read a book with words and illustrations by the same person.
Ask our Media Specialist, Mrs. McFadden, or your LA teachers to suggest a Newbery Medal- or Newbery Honor-winning book from the last two years.
Read a nonfiction book about an accomplished woman you’ve never heard of.
Read a book with a title that’s a question.
Ask our Media Specialist, Mrs. McFadden, or your LA teachers to recommend a Caldecott Medal - or Caldecott Honor-winning book from the last two years.
Pick a book you’ve read and loved and make a bookmark inspired by it.
Read aloud to your family (pets included!)
As always, please continue to check on the progress your student is making in Language Arts and let us know if you have any questions! Please reach out and let me know how I can help at katie.zimmerman@fcps.org.
Language Arts
Ms. Baughman
7th Grade LA
Students recently read some informational texts in honor of Black History Month. We continue to work on vocabulary development by studying word prefixes/roots/suffixes. We have finished learning about simple, compound, and complex sentences in some classes, and we will start learning about them in the other two. All classes were introduced to the Titanic. We will soon learn about the Triangle Factory Fire. Students will be introduced to a research project in the near future. They will get to select their topic and their project. We have been going to the media center just about every other week, so students should always have a book to read for pleasure. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Ms. Givens
7th Grade LA
Students have finished up their compare and contrast essay, and are now reading the novel, “Where the Red Fern Grows.” With this novel, students will be identifying tone, the impact of character actions, and how dialogue propels the plot. They will be reading informational text related to the novel in order to argue claims that Billy, the main character, can cultivate resilience. Project options will be given to students for this novel soon!
8th Grade LA
We are finishing up our readings about WWII, specifically The Holocaust. Students will soon be getting their new novel, “The Outsiders”. Pairing informational text with the book, students will be analyzing and discussing the ideas of herd behavior and loyalty through the eyes of the main characters. The next personal essay for 8th Grade ELA Honors has been assigned. This is an argument essay but is written in first person, as it is personal to each student. More information about this assignment will be emailed to you in the coming weeks.
Ms. Mills
6th and 7th Grade LA
Students are starting work on a Shared Inquiry Discussion. We will be reading a text twice and annotating, and then using evidence to hold a small group discussion. Mrs. Mossburg will be assisting with this! After that, students will begin reading non-fiction articles, paying attention to the types of evidence used. They will use this information to plan an argumentative essay. The Term 3 Book Project is due 3/13, and the Term 3 Book Log is due 3/21.
Ms. Remsburg
8th Grade LA
We are wrapping up our WWII and The Holocaust unit and diving into the research process. We have been working toward mastery of central idea, citing text evidence, text structures, and explaining how authors connect ideas, events and people to support central ideas. Honors students are reading a historical novel and completing a novel project.
Ms. Rogowsky
Reading Intervention
6th graders read about the 54th Regiment and its importance in our history. Students referred to the text to identify problems and solutions. Students have also started a program called HD Word.
7th and 8th graders have been reading about the causes of the Civil War, determining central ideas and relevant details in order to write a clear and concise summary. Also an article about John Wilkes Booth was read to determine cause and effect relationships.
Ms. Spence
6th Grade LA
Students will begin reading a novel and compare and contrast how the characters' responses reveal the theme and central idea of the text. In addition, we have discussed how the character’s point of view and reactions are connected.
Students will revisit analytical writing by comparing and contrasting the experience of reading a story to an audio or live version of the text. We will focus on contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. As always, students will use evidence from the text to support their responses.
The benchmark for term 3 will be completed this month as well. Students will create an argumentative writing piece, citing text evidence to support their response after reading two texts.
Please continue checking your child’s grades and emailing if you have any questions.
Happy Spring!!!!
Math
Ms. Botker
6th Grade Math Workshop students are working with fractions and mixed numbers including simplifying, adding, subtracting, and comparing.
7th Grade Math Workshop students will soon finish working with writing and evaluating expressions. We will then begin writing and solving equations.
8th Grade Math Workshop students have been using distributive property and combining like terms. Next we will write and solve equations.
Ms. Cummings
6th grade Math
Students are finishing Unit 4 during the week of 2/13-2/17 and will begin Unit 5 the following week. During this unit we will cover the following skills: solving equations and inequalities using substitution, writing and solving 1 step equations and inequalities from real-world problems, and using independent and dependent variables to represent values in real world problems.
If you'd like your student to have extra practice or review, I recommend using the following pages in their GoMath! Textbook for each concept:
Solving Equations & Inequalities with Substitution: pages 297-298, pages 319 - 320
Writing & Solving Equations: pages 303 - 307 and 311 - 315
Writing & Solving Inequalities: pages 319 - 322
Independent and Dependent variables: pages 337 - 341, pages 345 - 348, pages 351- 354
7th Grade Pathways
Students are wrapping up Unit 5 (2/17) and will begin Unit 6 next week. In Unit 6 we will be focusing on the following skills: writing and solving multi-step equations, writing and solving multi-step inequalities from real-world problems and graphing their solutions on a number line.
If you'd like your student to have extra practice or review, I recommend using the following pages in their GoMath! Textbook for each concept:
One Step Equations w/ Rational#’s - GoMath! Pages 179 - 184
Writing Two Step Equations - GoMath! Pages 185 - 190
Solving Two-Step Equations - GoMath! Pages 191 - 196
Writing & Solving 1 Step Inequalities: pages 203 - 208
Writing 2-Step Inequalities: pages 211 - 214
Solving 2-Step Inequalities: pages 217 - 220
7 Accelerated Math
Students began Unit 5 last week. In Unit 5 we will be focusing on the following skills: simplifying expressions and writing equivalent expressions, writing and solving multi-step equations, writing and solving multi-step inequalities from real-world problems and graphing their solutions on a number line, and solving equations with variables on both sides with one solution, no solution, or infinitely many solutions.
If you'd like your student to have extra practice or review, I recommend using the following pages in their GoMath! Textbook for each concept:
One Step Equations w/ Rational#’s - GoMath! Pages 179 - 184
Writing Two Step Equations - GoMath! Pages 185 - 190
Solving Two-Step Equations - GoMath! Pages 191 - 196
Writing & Solving One-Step Inequalities - GoMath! Pages 203 - 210
Writing Two Step Inequalities - GoMath! Pages 211 - 216
Solving Two-Step Inequalities - GoMath! Pages 217 - 222
Equations with Many Solutions or No Solution - GoMath! Pages 575 - 580
Ms. Hargett
6th Grade Math
Students will be finishing up Unit 4 by the end of February. In this unit students have learned the parts of an algebraic expression, how to solve one using substitution, the properties of arithmetic and how to use them to make equivalent expressions, and how to combine like terms. The Unit 4 Post test will be given on 2/27 and 2/28.
Unit 5 begins in March and will include solving equations and inequalities using substitution, writing and solving 1 step equations and inequalities from real-world problems, and using independent and dependent variables to represent values in real world problems.
Most students are doing a great job keeping up with the pace of instruction. Please encourage your child to check their gradebook frequently and take care of missing assignments or making corrections ASAP, if needed. Students may use TutorMe at home to help them.
Mr. Livingston
8th Grade Honors Math
8th Grade Math classes are starting the unit on systems of equations. This is a challenging unit that combines many different concepts that we have learned throughout the year.
Algebra
Algebra classes have completed a unit on factoring quadratic expressions and are beginning to solve quadratic equations. There are many important applications of these skills, from parabolic mirrors to objects moving under the influence of gravity.
Mr. Miller
7th grade Math
Students will be wrapping up Unit 5 (3/3). We have been practicing combining ‘like terms’ and how to use the distributive property to simplify long expressions into something that is easier to solve. As we round the corner of Unit 5, students are applying previously learned skills of adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers (with fractions and decimals). Hopefully, students are seeing the need to memorize multiplication facts to speed our mental calculations and to determine if an answer is reasonable. Keep working on those facts!!
Ms. Schmidt
8th Grade Math
8th Grade math classes are completing Unit 5 this week on solving Systems of Equations. They are demonstrating using graphing, substitution, and elimination. On Thursday February 23, students will begin a Summative on all of Unit 5.
Beginning the week of February 27, students will work on Unit 6 learning about transformations, congruent and similar figures, and facts on angle sums and exterior angles of triangles.
Stock Market Game
The spring session of the stock market game has begun. Teams are forming. If interested, please contact Ms. Schmidt at kim.schmidt@fcps.org
Science
Ms. Clark
6th Grade Science
We are studying the Human Body! Students are learning about plant and animal cells - what organelles they both have and what makes them different. Students are currently writing “forensic lab reports” using evidence to determine if their given cell is a plant or animal. We will continue to build on what they have learned as we move into examining how the human body is organized (cells, tissues, organs, systems, organism) and how the body is a system of interacting subsystems. Students are also continuing to deepen and expand their scientific vocabulary, as well!
Ms. Rayner
6th Grade Science
We are beginning our unit on a balanced body and have explored different kinds of cells; students will be creating scientific cell analogy models to explain how the parts of a cell help it to function.
7th Grade Science
We are wrapping up our investigation of bath bombs in order to understand how a new substance can be created in a chemical reaction. We will then continue our exploration of chemistry and endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions.
Mr. Quimby
In 7th grade science students are learning the concepts of ‘Chemistry and Matter”. Our class is finishing up with counting atoms, balancing equations and creating models dealing with the density in matter. This week we will be doing a density activity that involves understanding the differences in certain liquids and their density. This lab activity is known as “The Rainbow in a Jar”. Additionally we will continue with the “Bath Bomb Experiment”.
Ms. Thrasher
7th Grade Science
Students are learning about atoms, molecules, mixtures, substances and compounds. Students are balancing chemical equations and how the law of conservation of mass and energy is proven with these concepts.
8th Grade Science
Students are wrapping up their lessons on the solar system. At this time, students should know their moon phases, both types of eclipses and what causes seasons. Next, students will start their unit on motions and will be learning about Newton’s Laws.
Ms. Stone
8th Grade Science
We have been learning all about our Solar System. We have created scale models in class and talked about gravity and gravitational pull with an inquiry lab. We recently moved to the moon, learning about its phases, effects on the Earth and eclipses. We did an Oreo lab creating our moon phases, created eclipse models and have done some computer simulations. We will be learning about what causes our seasons and then will move to a benchmark. After we complete the study of the Solar System, we will learn about Newton’s Laws.
Social Studies
Ms. Innocenti
6th Grade Social Studies
Students have been exploring Ancient China and working on their historical writing skills. We will finish the unit within the next few weeks and begin our next unit, Ancient Greece. This unit discusses the development of Ancient Greece. Included is the rise of Greek city-states, political systems developed, daily life and contributions to the ancient and modern world. Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic period are also covered.
Ms. Gomez
Students have been exploring Ancient China and working on their historical writing skills. We will finish the unit within the next few weeks and begin our next unit, Ancient Greece. This unit discusses the development of Ancient Greece. Included is the rise of Greek city-states, political systems developed, daily life and contributions to the ancient and modern world. Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic period are also covered.
Mr. McCloskey
8th Grade Social Studies
Students completed Research on people and events of the war of 1812 and created Artifacts to educate other students. We will be hosting a museum during ELT for students to complete a gallery walk of other students' work and learn about significant events and people. Students are also learning about the political, economic and social impact of Westward Expansion which they will complete a benchmark essay on and then move into the causes of the Civil War.
Mr. Rhodes
Students are learning about European Feudalism through a simulation. The simulation takes place during Medieval Europe and each class controls a country. The class must work together and apply the concepts from class into the simulation. The Students will continue to use the simulation as we continue through the European Unit and into the Renaissance Unit.
Ms. Rousseau
7th Grade Social Studies
Students are learning about Black History in our daily bell ringers. They are also exploring Europe in Medieval Times. This week we look at the lives of the common people compared to the royalty and the students get a chance to choose an area to research.
8th Grade Social Studies
Students have been exploring Black History in daily bell ringers. They just finished a benchmark writing and this week will begin with an introduction to sectionalism before taking on the events that led to our Civil War.
Ms. Stone
8th Grade Social Studies
Students completed Research on people and events of the war of 1812 and created Artifacts to educate other students. We created a small museum in the back of the classroom for all students to browse and learn. We did one-page projects on our first five presidents. Students are also learning about the political, economic and social impact of Westward Expansion which they will complete a benchmark essay on and then move into the causes of the Civil War.
Physical Education (PE)
Ms. Bures
Ms. Caudell
Mr. Yanez
Mr. Hartman
Special Education Department
Electives and Exploratories
Theatre Arts - Mrs. Twist
Character Development is the process Actors use to create believable characters. Students have been focusing on using analysis to discover 3 core character elements: Objective, Obstacle and Tactic. Next students acted out short scenes in order to focus on how actors can make audiences see these elements in performance. Students performed their scenes twice, to see how using different tactics can impact their performance.
7th Grade
Character Development is the process Actors use to create believable characters. Students have been focusing on using analysis to discover 3 core character elements: Objective, Obstacle and Tactic. Next students acted out short scenes in order to focus on how actors can make audiences see these elements in performance. Students performed their scenes twice, to see how using different tactics can impact their performance.
8th Grade
Character Development is the process Actors use to create believable characters. Students have been focusing on using analysis to discover 3 core character elements: Objective, Obstacle and Tactic. Next students acted out short scenes in order to focus on how actors can make audiences see these elements in performance. Students performed their scenes twice, to see how using different tactics can impact their performance.
World Language Exploratory - Mrs. Twist
World Language Exploratory - Ms. Remsburg
Ms. Remsburg’s WLEX is wrapping up our Latin unit and beginning our German exploration.
Life Skills - Ms. Crider
7th Grade
Mrs. Crider’s 7th Gr. Life Skills class is working on assignments and research about Child Development and Child Care. We have been covering topics including parenting, babysitting, the cost of baby items, laundry, and doing chores. We will begin an assignment exploring children’s art and the perspectives, benefits, methods, and opinions related to children’s art.
Life Skills - Ms. Harne
7th Grade
In Life Skills, we have been focusing on personal financial literacy. We have been working on a budgeting project with certain steps each week. We have chosen a college/training path and a career, learned about resumes and resume writing, about taxes and housing costs, as well as health insurance. This week students learned about and budgeted for transportation including purchasing a vehicle and paying for expenses such as insurance and gas. Students discussed and practiced comparison shopping.
Life Skills - Mr. Yanez
In Mr. Yanez’s Life Skills class students are learning about Financial Literacy. Students are currently learning about budgeting, investing and smart shopping. Students will be working on interactive and real time projects associated with financial literacy. As we transition to Term 4 we will go into a Childcare unit followed by a Nutrition Unit .
Life Skills- Ms. Gomez
Food Science - Ms. Harne
Food Science
In food science we have been working in shifts - students were broken up into kitchen groups and started their first cooking lab baking chocolate chip cookies. 8 groups so far made cookies and I am proud to say every single batch turned out amazingly well. The groups that weren't baking began to learn about career opportunities in the food service industry. They each chose a "famous" chef to research and create a poster showcasing the life and career of their chosen subject.
Spanish 1 and 2 - Ms. Maya
Spanish 1
Spanish one is observing the human anatomy while learning possessive pronouns and direct objects in Spanish. In this lesson, students will be exposed to rich cognate vocabulary to transfer their own knowledge language skills and transferring it to the Spanish language.
Spanish 2
Spanish two is learning vocabulary for the human body while also learning different functions of the inner body as they are learning vocabulary and verb conjugations, including the perfect, imperfect , regular and irregular.
Technology Expo, Comp Science and Pre Engineering - Mr. Hohl
Tech Expo
Students are taking their understanding of Newton’s laws of motion to the next level by creating propeller cars out of cardstock and other household materials
Computer Science Investigation
Game lab has started! Students are learning JavaScript with Images and Animations!
Pre-Engineering
Students are competing for a bridge contract by presenting their bridge designs to be rated in four categories: cost, weight capacity, construction time, tourist destination appeal... may the best company win!
Tech Expo, Lab 21- Mr. Powell
Tech Expo
Students just finished constructing suspension bridges. They had to really focus on researching suspension bridges and how they work before they could construct their bridges. We had many different designs and strategies and most were able to hold a lot of weight. Next, we will be working with our Edison bots as they work on their coding skills to make the robot work its way through a maze.
Lab 21
Students finished creating a lot of fun block coding projects in “Scratch”. If you haven’t been given a chance to look at what your child created, have them show you. They are pretty amazing. We have started working on our STEM unit. Students are exploring some vocabulary that is needed for amusement parks to have successful rides. They will begin creating their own ferris wheel out of popsicle sticks and toothpicks. It always sounds easy but there are some important STEM components they will need to figure out.
Music - Mr. Player
6th Grade
Students have recently been learning about music notation software, and composing their own songs. We have also recently started a new piece of music, and started to learn how to play in the “swing” style, with the piece: “Rock Around The Clock”.
7th Grade
The 7th and 8th grade bands have been preparing for the FCPS band Adjudication. This is where the students will perform in front of a panel of judges and be graded on their performance in regards to different musical elements. They will also have a clinic where one of the judges will work with the band on the stage to help offer suggestions for better performance techniques.
The Band Adjudication will be March 9th, during school hours at Walkersville High School. We will need some volunteers for chaperones for the trip.
Please sign up to chaperone on the permission slip if interested!
Students will need to turn in a signed permission slip to attend the trip, since we are leaving school.
8th Grade
The 7th and 8th grade bands have been preparing for the FCPS band Adjudication. This is where the students will perform in front of a panel of judges and be graded on their performance in regards to different musical elements. They will also have a clinic where one of the judges will work with the band on the stage to help offer suggestions for better performance techniques.
The Band Adjudication will be March 9th, during school hours at Walkersville High School. We will need some volunteers for chaperones for the trip.
Please sign up to chaperone on the permission slip if interested!
Students will need to turn in a signed permission slip to attend the trip, since we are leaving school.
Chorus
The Chorus has been preparing for the FCPS Chorus Adjudication. This is where the students will sing in front of a panel of judges and be graded on their performance in regards to different musical elements. They will also have a clinic where one of the judges will work with the chorus on the stage to help offer suggestions for better performance techniques.
The Chorus Adjudication will be March 7th, during school hours at Urbana High School. We will need some volunteers for chaperones for the trip.
Please sign up to chaperone on the permission slip if interested!
Orchestra
The orchestra has been preparing for the FCPS Orchestra Adjudication. This is where the students will perform in front of a panel of judges and be graded on their performance in regards to different musical elements. They will also have a clinic where one of the judges will work with the orchestra on the stage to help offer suggestions for better performance techniques.
The Orchestra Adjudication will be March 15th, during school hours at Middletown High School. We will need some volunteers for chaperones for the trip.
Please sign up to chaperone on the permission slip if interested!
Students will need to turn in a signed permission slip to attend the trip, since we are leaving school.
Invention and Innovation, Visual Arts and Creative Arts - Ms. Pennington
Invention and Innovation.
Students are learning to design and draw optical illusions. They are learning about one point perspective and how the focal point makes designs look realistic or can fool the eye of the viewer. The students are using different materials including wax resist to enhance the designs.
Visual Arts
Students have been drawing Adinkra symbols from Ghana. They are making patterns out of their four chosen symbols. The patterns are being transferred to their portfolios back side. The students are adding an African scene behind the Adinkra symbols and then painting the scene and the symbols. The students will be painting more Adinkra symbols onto cloth.
Creative Arts
Students are working with Dragons and drawing the dragons onto a larger paper using the Grid method. The students will be adding medieval decor and scenes behind the dragon for background. We are drawing medieval images to practice and use the images in our artwork.
Visual Arts - Mrs. Crider
7th Grade
Mrs. Crider’s 7th Gr. Visual Art Classes will be working on Black History Month projects. The students will select two projects to complete out of five on the Choice Board. The project choices include: Freedom Quilts (made out of paper), Mud Cloth Prints (on paper), Traditional African Pattern painting, Reflecting on Artwork by Kehinde Wiley (writing assignment), and Creating Abstract Fields of Color -after artist Alma Thomas (chalk pastel).
8th Grade
Mrs. Crider’s 8th Gr. Visual Art classes are working on projects after the artist M.C. Escher. The choice of projects are Tessellations or a Room Environment. M.C. Escher was a graphic artist who is famous for his optical illusions and impossible structures. Students are creating tessellating tiles or impossible room environments using Escher’s techniques.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Governor's COVID-19 Pandemic: Orders and Guidance
Brunswick Middle School
Website: https://education.fcps.org/bms/
Location: Brunswick Middle School, Cummings Drive, Brunswick, MD, USA
Phone: 240-236-5400