MS Newsletter
Here's what's happening in MS this week!
March 13, 2017
Dear Parents,
Thank you to those of you who attended conferences!
ENGLISH
6th Grade: We will continue learning about media literacy and website evaluation this week. We will also continue our study of Greek and Latin roots, adding aud, phon, and spect.
7th Grade: We will begin reading The Giver this week. Our class discussions will focus on order vs. free will. We will also begin learning the basics of argumentative writing, starting with arguments of fact.
8th Grade: This week students will be researching a person who has overcome an obstacle in life similar to Bethany Hamilton from Soul Surfer. Students will have a choice of writing an essay about the person or giving a speech.
SOCIAL STUDIES
6th Grade: We have been learning about Chinese philosophies in our study of Ancient China. Ask your student the difference between Legalism, Confucianism, and Taoism (aka Daoism). Next, we will be studying the Silk Road and how it affected the Chinese culture. We are gearing up for a test by the end of the week.
7th Grade: We have been learning about Chinese philosophies in our study of Ancient China. Ask your student the difference between Legalism, Confucianism, and Taoism (aka Daoism). Next, we will be studying the Silk Road and how it affected the Chinese culture. We are gearing up for a test by the end of the week.
8th Grade: We finished the topic of the Industrial Revolution and are beginning to learn about the years of Andrew Jackson, his policies and the Mexican-American War (Remember the Alamo!). The aim is to have an exam either Wednesday or Thursday before spring break so check back next week for a definite date.
MATH
6th Grade: 6th graders took a percent test on Friday. A few need to finish it on Monday. Next we will be focusing our attention on exponents. We will be discussing what it means when you hear that something is squared or cubed.
7th Grade: We finished our unit on equations and inequalities and next we will be moving on to geometry where we will be using protractors to measure and draw geometric figures.
8th Grade: 8th graders will be graphing linear equations this week and finding points of intersections. We will be using slope intercept form to graph. How do computers use equations of lines to ensure that airplane and train paths do not intersect?
SCIENCE
6th Grade: We are finishing up our Plate Tectonics projects which will be due on Monday March 13th. We will be exploring how volcanoes and earthquakes are evidence of Plate Tectonics and what happens at each.
7th Grade: We have started our investigation of the water cycle and the different ways that humans use water on planet Earth. Did you know that only 2.75% of the water on Earth is fresh water available for human use? Salt water actually dehydrates cells and can not be used. We will continue our study of the processes in the water cycle this week.
8th Grade: Each student has chosen an extinct animal to do a 100 point research project on that will be due this Friday. Ask your student what animal they have chosen. We will continue to study the geologic time scale starting with the Paleozoic era, or ancient life.
SINCERELY,
The Middle School Team
6-7th English: Nic Dziadosz ndziadosz@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
8 English: Amanda Terryberry aterryberry@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6 Science, 6-7th SS: Sue Goslee sgoslee@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
8 SS: Michele Hinkle mhinkle@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
6-8 Math: Erica Stuck estuck@ellsworth.k12.mi.us
7-8 Science: Clayton Faivor cfaivor@ellsworth.k12.mi.us