Meeting in the Middle
Linden Middle School Newsletter; October 2015
Dear Parents/Guardians:
As the 2015-16 school year settles in, LMS is in full swing! We have already concluded our annual Homecoming week! It's full steam ahead!
The end of our first Progress Reporting Period is Friday, October 9th. Parent-Teacher conferences will be held on Thursday, October 15th from 3:00-7:00 PM. There is a full day of school on Friday, October 16th.
This year, Linden Middle School continues to offer after-school class help each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2:40-3:40 PM. Registration slips can be picked up in the office or at after-school tutoring. Supervision is not available after 3:40 PM, so please make sure your child is picked up at 3:40 PM.
Parents and students will find daily homework posting on ParentVue/StudentVue! When you log on, go to "Class Website." The tab is located on the left hand side of the main page.
As always, we encourage continued communication between homes and the school. Please contact teachers with any questions you may have.
Respectfully,
Julie Brown
Talented Talons
As a team, we are off to a great start. Our annual team building this Friday with the group from Covenant Hills went very, very well!
Language Arts
In Language Arts, students are learning how to correctly read nonfiction texts. We are focusing on the SQ3R reading strategy. This strategy asks students to Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review over any informational text to help ensure understanding. Please encourage students at home to spend time reading informational texts.
Next week we will focus on an informational writing assignment. Students will be choosing between two events in history (Yellowstone fire of 1988 or Amelia Earhart’s flight) and writing the front page article of a newspaper! This assignment mixes informational writing, creative writing, and technology usage.
Social Studies
Social Studies is off to a great start this year. Students have been learning about globes and maps. Breaking the information further, they have learned about latitude and longitude lines, hemispheres, continents, oceans, and climate zones. Overall, the students did a great job on their first test. Next, we will be studying time zones and map essentials. If you have not purchased color pencils for your child, please try to do so. We use them almost every day. I am looking forward to a terrific school year.
Science
In science we are learning about what makes up matter. We have drawn and labeled the parts of an atom, examined the Periodic Table, and we will be drawing specific atoms of elements that are on there. Students are working to master their learning targets for the test, which should be the second week of October. I am excited with the enthusiasm my students have for science and look forward to working with them the rest of the year!
Math
Math News- Grading: Digits grades will be transferred at the end of each topic (approx. 2-3 weeks) to ParentVue and then combined for a total grade.
Homework (digits and paper combined) 15% of total grade
F.A. –in/out (formative assessments) 5% of total grade
Digits tests 80% of total grade
Math News- Test Retakes: Any test can be retaken the week after the original test date. I’m available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, either during lunch and study skills or after school. Signup sheets are on bulletin board. Student must have a 90% on Digits homework in order to qualify for test retake. All homework is reopened and available starting on original test day until the following Thursday (last day for test retake). Students can upgrade their homework scores even if they are not choosing to retake the test. I always encourage students to strive for 100 % on Digits homework as they can redo the work until they get it correct.
These are new grading and retake policies. So far they seem to be working. I’d love to hear your thoughts on either. I’m always looking for feedback from parent perspective.
Email: bbeckman@lindenschools.org phone: 810-591-0747 prep. Time 1:35 – 2:31
Winged Warriors
The school year is off to a great start! The children seem to be adjusting well to the middle school schedule of passing classes. There are a few students who seem to be late for class daily. Please talk with your child about the importance of being on time. It may be that he/she needs a bit of help getting organized. It is not necessary to go to the locker area between each class. Also, some children need pencils. Please ask your child if he/she has all the supplies necessary to be successful.
In Social Studies, we are working through a unit called “Maps and Globes.” In this unit, the students will learn to read maps using the compass rose, scale, key, and inset map. They will learn to use lines of latitude and longitude to find a place on a map. They will learn about the polar regions, tropical regions, and the mid-latitude zones. They will understand how time zones work. Finally, they will be asked to identify the four hemispheres, the seven continents, and the four oceans of the world on a blank map.
In Science we are half way through our first unit, “What is Matter,” focusing on properties of matter, atoms and their structure, and molecules. Students will be able to read a periodic table to find information for a specific element, draw diagrams of both atoms and molecules, and describe the impact of synthetic materials on our society. Please remind your student to bring the science notebook to class daily - we use it every day in class and is essential for their success!
In Language Arts, students are learning to use the reading strategy SQ3R to help them navigate nonfiction text. The learning target is to cite text evidence to support their answers to inferences and explicit questions. Students will be continuing to read nonfiction and do some nonfiction writing this month. Keep reading at home!!!
Math classes just finished topic 1 and are into topic 2. Student grades are found under their Digits account. Click on the "grades" tab, and you can find grades for each assignment as well as a homework average, test average, and overall grade. I will update overall grades on ParentVue after each test. Students have the opportunity to retake a test for a better grade if they do the practice test with study plan. If a student is absent they can find lessons under the practice tab on Digits.
Regal Eagles
Thank you to all of the parents and guardians who attended Open House. It is our pleasure to work with you and your students this year. Be sure to stay in contact with us throughout the year whenever you have concerns or questions.
The beginning of the year is an important time to promote good work habits. Encourage your child to use the student planner and make frequent checks on homework and study time. Please be advised that daily agendas for each class can be found on both ParentVue and StudentVue. Contact the office if you are not sure how to access these resources.
Learning is in full force! The students in Ms. Mazza’s social studies classes created a collage representing the 5 Themes of Geography. The projects were shared with the class members, and are on display in the classroom. During the month of October, the students will begin focusing on, “The World’s People” to include, “The History of Southwest and Central Asia”. We will take a closer look at culture, economics and population, global connections, and the birth of civilization.
Language Arts students are finishing up a short story unit using literary terms to discuss each story. Grammar lessons have included learning and locating the three main parts of a sentence and proofreading sentences for errors. We will soon begin to read and write memoirs.
Science students have concluded the scientific method and have started learning about the characteristics of life. Students have created multiple “flipbooks” within their notebooks to help them justify life using the five characteristics. During October, our focus will be on cells. Students will be drawing, labeling, and identifying functions of organelles. We will even create our own edible cell! J
Soaring Eagles
Welcome to a new and exciting school year! We hope that your son or daughter is having a great year so far. We encourage parent/teacher communication. Please call or e-mail us with any concerns or questions. Our team information is posted on the Linden Middle School website.
Hopefully, you have had the opportunity to visit ParentVue and check on your student’s grades. If you haven’t received your login, or are having trouble with your login, please contact the main office.
Remember, Parent-Teacher Conferences are on Thursday, October 15 . We hope to see you there!
We would like to welcome the following new students to Linden Middle School and to our team: Austin Jaworski, Alexis Johnson, Lilianne Rice, Robert Smith, Jalee Wilson, Zoe Brown, Bremen Samuel, Cameron Galey, Ashlyn Vinson-Fox, James Sarate, Dylan Stevens and Vanessa Hewitt!
8th Grade October Newsletter Information
Eighth graders are off to a great start in 2015! It is important to check your student’s progress on ParentVue! (Synergy). Did you know your student has a StudentVue account? To activate your child's account, have him/her stop in the office for information. Also, teachers are posting homework assignments with due dates and upcoming tests/quizzes on ParentVue to keep you informed. If you still cannot access your account, please call the office. It is also important to keep checking your student’s Digits math account. This will help you check for missing assignments!
Please make sure your student is properly dressed according to the school dress code. For your reference, use a 4 by 6 inch card to measure length of skirts/shorts (from the knee) and necklines! The dress code information can also be accessed on page 19-20 of your student’s handbook.
Science is starting a unit on the Solar System. It was a great experience for students to view the Lunar Eclipse (the Blood Moon). There have only been five of these since 1900. The last blood moon was thirty-three years ago, and there will not be another for eighteen years!!
Language Arts students have been reading a plethora of realistic fiction stories. We will end the trimester reading The Outsiders. “Stay gold Ponyboy!
8th Grade students are gearing up for the annual Washington D.C. trip! There will be a meeting for ALL parents/chaperones and 8th grade students that are going on the D.C. trip Thursday, October 8th at 7 P.M. in the Cafetorium. Please make plans to attend this very important meeting! Students have already chosen their roommates for the trip. Travelers will start loading the buses at 7:30 P.M. and leave at 8 P.M. on Thursday, October 22nd and return early morning Tuesday, October 27th. Students will be expected to be picked up upon return and not attend school that day.
Students staying behind from the Washington D.C. trip will be going to the Holocaust Museum in Farmington Hills on Friday October 23rd. The cost is $3.00 and includes transportation. Students can bring their own lunch or money to purchase food. We will be stopping at the Novi Mall food court for lunch. Permission slips must be turned in by Monday, October 12th!!
October Calendar
October 8 LMS Pasta Fund-Raiser Begins; All proceeds go to student DC trip account
October 9 Progress Reporting Period Ends
October 15 LMS Parent/Teacher Conferences; 3:00-7:00 PM
October 21 Late Start; Classes begin at 9:45 AM
October 22 8th Grade DC Trip Departs LMS @ 8:00 PM
October 27 8th Grade DC Trip Returns to LMS; AM
November 2 LMS Newsletter Posted