Cluster 6 Newsletter
December 19 - January 6
English
This week we have been refining our academic writing skills. We are taking everything we have learned so far about writing and putting it together in a culminating essay. The essay’s topic is writing on the theme of deception in our class novel Warcross. Students are examining evidence and reading it through the lens of deception in order to craft an 8th grade quality piece of writing. We are using our “Writing Wall'' which is physically on the wall in the classroom, as well as a digital version on Google Classroom. The Writing wall has all of the tools one will need to be successful. I am looking forward to reading everyone’s writing, as Warcross was an exciting read!
Next week, we will be powering through the last few days before the highly anticipated Winter Break! We are going to take a step back from rigorous academic writing to find our voice in creative writing. Students will be exploring several different types of creative writing in order to try and discover our author voice. I am sure we will have lots of laughs and big emotions this week, as it usually turns into many students’ favorite mini units of the year.
Although Winter Break is a time to relax, and not have to think about school, I do highly recommend the following activities in order to keep our brains sharp: Reading a choice book, listening to an audiobook, Listening to a podcast, completing logic puzzles, following a recipe, watching a tv show or movie of a book you have read and comparing the two!
Have a restful and warm break,
Aine
Civics
We are still learning about the Origins of Democracy in Civics this month. After reading about the ancient Greeks and Romans, Enlightenment thinkers, and British documents like the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights influenced our Founding Fathers as they created our new nation, we are ready to use our persuasive skills for a debate! Students will convince their classmates that their person, idea or event had the most significant impact on our American democracy in a bracket-style debate tournament.
Students are also submitting their Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay contest writing next Wednesday, Dec 21. The MLK Essay contest is a long standing tradition in the 8th grade and the top essay writers will get the chance to share their essays with the Middle School at our MLK assembly as well as the Unity Breakfast in January. Students have been researching historical topics or writing about personal experiences to understand the legacy of MLK for all Americans. We look forward to reading your child’s writing!
When we return from winter break, we will be reading and learning all about America’s founding documents including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Enjoy your holidays!
Math
8th Grade Math students are nearing the end of Unit 3, having learned the basics of linear relationships. Our End Assessment will be at the end of next week, or when we return from Winter break. In Unit 4, we will solve all sorts of equations, including those that require multiple steps and include variables on both sides of the = sign.
Algebra students have also learned a lot about linear relationships, and are now working on graphing and predicting relationships that are not linear. We are using techniques such as predicting using patterns and evaluating expressions or solving equations to find solutions. Real-life scenarios are portrayed in most of the work we are doing, so students have the opportunity to see how this math really is all around us.
Science
We have just wrapped up two weeks looking into Mendelian genetics. During this time students examined how the traits that offspring inherit from their parents are determined by the genes that get passed down. Next week we will explore DNA: what it is, its structure, and what it is used for, and learn the story behind how its structure was determined.
Next week, students will have the opportunity to retake any quizzes from this term. Please encourage your student to prepare at home using materials in the Unit 2 Master Doc (linked here and posted on Google Classroom), if they are planning to retake anything.
Upcoming Learning Objectives:
3.3 The Cell and Inheritance
- I can explain that offspring receive genetic information from their parents in the form of chromosomes.
- I can understand that genes are segments of chromosomes and code for proteins that affect traits.
3.4 The DNA Connection
- I can describe how DNA is a molecule that is shaped like a double helix and contains the blueprints for life.
- I can communicate how cells use the code stored in DNA to create proteins that are needed to grow and function.
- I can connect the idea that mutations are changes in DNA that can cause changes in genes and changes in traits.
- I can explain how the structure of DNA was discovered.