Junior High Journal
News and Happenings in the Junior High Department
8th Grade Updates & Reminders 11/7-11/14
- Chromebooks should be charged every night to ensure the battery lasts throughout the day!
- Check Skyward and the homework calendar frequently for missing and current homework assignments, talk to your child about their work.
- Please remember that although you can email your students, absences and early pick-up information must be reported through the office. Please call the Yorkville School office.
Fall Choir Concert
Tuesday, Nov 15, 2016, 06:30 PM
Union Grove High School, South Colony Avenue, Union Grove, WI, United States
Junior High Fall Conferences
Conferences for all junior high students will be held on Wednesday, November 16th and Monday, November 21st from 4:30-7:45. Please have your child attend conferences with you.
Character Education: Growth Mindset
Individual Classes
ELA News and Updates
Katie Nicholls katie.nicholls@yorkville.k12.wi.us
This week in ELA, students finished reading No Promises in the Wind. We had our final discussion circle about the second half of the book. Again, the students did extremely well posing questions to promote discussion and deeper thinking about the text. We also took a final assessment for The Value of Work unit. We rounded out the week with an informational article about what happens when you catch all the Pokemon while playing Pokemon Go. Next week we’ll start a new unit about The Thrill of Horror, and we’ll read some classic, suspenseful tales.
Science News and Updates
Erin Weis erin.weis@yorkville.k12.wi.us
In science class this week, we talked about the advantages of being multicellular, the organization of life from cells to tissues to organs to systems to organisms, and finally the relationship between structure and function. We also took a quiz on this final section of the chapter. Students also completed and presented their cell city projects. Some students did posters, some did 3-D models and some built their city using the game Minecraft to describe the cell to city analogy. They were all done very well. You can check out some posters and the models in the main hallway of the school.
We will have the chapter four assessment Monday or Tuesday next week.
Grades will be completed Friday afternoon and no late work will be accepted as the gradebook will be closed and I am not able to enter grades after that. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Weis
Social Studies News and Updates
John Johnsen john.johnsen@yorkville.k12.wi.us
This week in 8th grade Civics we spent the first part of the week examining the Electoral College and how we elect the president. We then spent Wednesday looking at the election results from the night before. We then spent the rest of the week, working on cards thanking the veterans who will be attending our ceremony on Friday. Next week we quickly go over Chapter 4 focusing on the different amendments made to the constitution. Have a great weekend, Mr. Johnsen
Math News and Updates
Mary Niccolai mary.niccolai@yorkville.k12.wi.us
Intro to Algebra worked on multiplying and dividing monomials. This used the exponent rules we have been working on. It also gave a good review of integer rules for multiplying and dividing positive and negative numbers. We ended the week with some work on scientific notation. We worked with positive and negative exponents, changing them from standard form to scientific notation or from scientific notation back to standard form. We also multiplied and divided numbers written in scientific notation. Next week we will begin our next chapter that deals with rates, ratios, and percents. I look forward to meeting with many of you during teacher conferences next Wednesday the 16th or the following Monday the 21st . Have a great weekend.
Algebra wrapped up the unit on functions and equations. We began the unit test on Thursday but with the Veterans Day program, many students will be completing the test on Monday. Next Tuesday we will delve into our new unit which deals with linear relationships. In this unit, students will be working with linear functions, building and modeling with linear functions, and working with systems of equations. Some of this will review concepts from Pre Algebra but much of this material will be new. I look forward to meeting with many of you during teacher conferences next Wednesday the 16th or the following Monday the 21st . Have a great weekend.
Please contact me via e-mail if you have any questions or concerns
Mrs. Niccolai
Spanish News and Updates
Katy Morrow katy.morrow@yorkville.k12.wi.us
¡Hola! This week, we summed up our Day of the Dead Unit with working on and completing our final project, which will be the last grade of the trimester. Look for the grades to be entered this weekend! We also worked on our adjective unit, making sure adjectives agreed in gender and number with the nouns they were describing. Students played a few games and worked together to translate sentences and find the correct answers around the classroom. We had a great week of being creative and working together!
Physical Education & Health News and Updates
Amanda Peterson amanda.peterson@yorkville.k12.wi.us
This week in health the 8th graders met with their Mental Health Partners on Tuesday and Thursday to discuss how their stress management activities were coming along. We also discussed teen depression and watched a video on several teens who were diagnosed with depression and are now leading healthy, happy lives. Lastly, we learned how to help ourselves or friends who may be struggling with teen depression now or in the future.
This week in PE the students started their badminton unit. We learned and practiced the singles serve, overhead clear, doubles serve, and the net clear. On Friday, we played one of their favorites, Medic Ball!
Have a super weekend!
Mrs. Peterson
Band News and Updates
Mike Beix
The Advanced Band had a great performance at the Veterans Day Assembly on Friday, November 11.
In class, the band continues to go beyond learning notes and rhythms to focus on more advanced concepts such as dynamic contrast, faster tempos, and producing clear tones. Our Winter Band Concert is on December 15 at 9:45am and 7:00pm.
The Jazz Band had a great rehearsal this week! We improved our reading of and performance of syncopated rhythms in Feliz Navidad. Jazz Band meets every Wednesday from 3:45 to 4:15.
Please check out the band website (tinyurl.com/yorkvilleband) to see this year’s Music Spirit Wear. If you would like to order a t-shirt ($10) or a sweatshirt ($24) please click on and print the order form and return it to school by Nov 11th.
Choir News and Updates
Carly Kreuscher
carly.kreuscher@yorkville.k12.wi.us
http://yorkvillemusic.weebly.com
Choir students performed in the Veteran’s Day Assembly on Friday November 11 at 9:45am. They all did a fantastic job. Congratulations!!!
Reminders went home this week for our Fall performance, Tuesday November 15, 2016 at Union Grove High School, 6:30pm. There will be a dress rehearsal from 3:30-6:15pm. Pizza will be served for dinner around 5pm. We will be performing in the Performance Center with Choirs from Nash Elementary in Kenosha.
Thank you to those who volunteered to help with the Fall Concert dinner. I had a great response. Reminder notes were sent home Wednesday Nov 8 to those who are donating supplies. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!!!
Music Spirit wear orders were due Friday Nov 11th!
I have added a “What’s New” page to my website and will be posting at monthly newsletter. Included in the newsletter will be Upcoming Events, Notes from the teacher, What we are learning, songs we are singing, and a “Did you Know” column. Stop by and check it out!!! http://yorkvillemusic.weebly.com
Art News and Updates
Mrs. Herman is currently on maternity leave after having her daughter, Audrey Jean, on September 7th! She will be back sometime in December! 8th grade students currently do not have art.