Ellsworth MS Newsletter
Here's what's happening in MS this week!
September 10, 2018
Dear parents,
Welcome back to school! We’ve had an exciting first week getting to know all of the new faces and welcoming back everyone else. You will receive this weekly newsletter letting you know what is coming up in English, social studies, math, and science. If you’d like to be added to the email distribution, please email Mrs. Stuck.
ENGLISH
6th Grade: In English we are getting into the daily habit of using our Writer’s Notebook, and reading for enjoyment, based on books students have picked for themselves. Next week Thursday and Friday students will complete the NWEA test for ELA.
7th Grade: On Monday, students will receive their first Article of the Week. Each week students will receive an Article of the Week and they are due on Thursday. Students need to remember to come to class with a pencil and notebook each day and a silent reading book on Tuesday and Thursday each week.
8th Grade: 8th grade is beginning a unit on heroes this week. By the end of the quarter, students will write an essay about a hero that they know. Essays will be submitted to a state competition for 8th grade students.
SOCIAL STUDIES
6th Grade: This week, we will be looking at tools used to study history such as maps, timelines, and documents. We will be practicing locating and labeling places on maps. We are also using IXL Social Studies to practice skills this year. I encourage students to do IXL at home and in seminar.
7th Grade: This week, we will be looking at tools used to study history such as maps, timelines, and documents. We will be practicing locating and labeling places on maps. We are also using IXL Social Studies to practice skills this year. I encourage students to do IXL at home and in seminar.
8th Grade U.S. History: We have been studying various Native American people groups pre-colonialization of the present day United States. This week, we will be presenting our research about their geographical regions, culture, tools, food sources, and housing. Students are also going to build mini models of the housing type of the people group they were assigned.
MATH
6th Grade: Last week we began discussing integers and what they are. This week we will be comparing and ordering integers using number lines and counters. We will have our first quiz on Tuesday and NWEA testing will be happening soon. All students have an IXL account for extra math practice and they can use it at home.
7th Grade: Last week students learned what integers are and they added integers with the same and different signs. This week we will continue using integers in real life applications such as depositing and withdrawing money or the rising and falling of the outside temperature. We will have our first quiz on Tuesday and NWEA testing will be happening soon. All students have an IXL account for extra math practice and they can use it at home.
8th Grade: 8th graders began discussing and differentiating rational and irrational numbers. We will have our first quiz this week and NWEA testing will be happening soon. All students have an IXL account for extra math practice and they can use it at home.
SCIENCE
6th Grade: We will be beginning the week with NWEA testing in Science. We are using IXL Science to practice skills throughout the year. I encourage students to do IXL at home and in seminar. We will also be working with science process skills, primarily observation skills this week and review the scientific method.
7th Grade: We will be beginning the week with NWEA testing in Science. We are using IXL Science to practice skills throughout the year. I encourage students to do IXL at home and in seminar. We will also be beginning our study of weather.
8th Grade: We will also do NWEA testing in Science sometime soon. We are starting the year by reviewing the nature of science and how to design a controlled experiment. This past week, we collaborated in a group building a bridge out of popsicle sticks and binder clips.
SINCERELY,
The Middle School Team
7 & 8 English: Amanda Terryberry aterryberry@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6&7th Sci, 6-7th SS: Sue Goslee sgoslee@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6 Eng, 8th SS: Olivia Speicher ospeicher@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6-8 Math: Erica Stuck estuck@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
8th Science: Clayton Faivor cfaivor@ellsworth.k12.mi.us