Maple Avenue Newsletter
April 2109
Student of the Month: Steven Reiner
Congratulations to Steven Reiner, the Aviator Team Student of the Month. Steven is the son of Sandy and Mike Reiner and brother to Sam (5th), Michael (8th), and David (10th). Steven was chosen due to his enthusiasm towards school and learning. Peers and teachers can always count on Steven to be prepared, organized and ready to be a standup role model for all of his classes. Steven has demonstrated that these great attributes have been with him for a long time. He has been a recipient of CAP Awards in other grades, as well as receiving the Aviator PREFECT Award.
Steven’s favorite subject in school is history. Steven loves to learn about other people, cultures, and history timelines. This year Steven joined the Maple Ave Middle School Track Team where he throws discus and shot put. He enjoys track- even the lap he has to run every day for warm ups!
Steven is part of Boy Scout Troop 501 that meets regularly at the Redeemer Church. He is looking forward to summer where he will attend a Summer Boy Scout Camp and work on merit badges. At home Steven likes to relax and play with his dogs. In fact Steven went to Florida to help pick up Dalmatians Dotty and Wonka, who his family bred. Steven helped with the birth of the puppies! There were not 101 Dalmatians, but three - Little Boy, Brownie, and Oreo! It all makes sense that, with his curiosity of learning and love of dogs, he wants to be a veterinarian in the future.
Mary Poppins Jr. at MAMS
Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 at 7:00 pm
PSSA Testing Ahead!
The PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) will be administered to students during the month of April.
Please note the dates below. By state regulations, students are not to be exempted from the exams. Parents who wish to review the assessments may contact the middle school office to schedule an appointment.
April 15-16-17 English PSSA- All grades. One ninety minute session per day.
April 29-30 Math PSSA- All grades. One ninety minute session per day.
May 1-2 Science- Grade 8 only. One 60 minute session per day.
Please note the additional parent information and electronic device policy via the LINK
If you have any questions. please feel free to contact the Maple Avenue Office @ 359-4146
6th Grade: Team Bolts
Core 1-
Mrs. Koontz’s and Mrs. Raubenstine’s Core 1 math classes have recently started Unit 4: Geometry. Students are focusing on quadrilaterals and are investigating how to calculate the area of each shape. Students are working on determining the area of parallelograms, triangles, trapezoids, and composite shapes by using a variety of strategies. Once students have mastered these concepts, we will be applying our knowledge of area of 2-dimensional shapes to help us determine and calculate the surface area and volume of 3-dimensional figures.
Core 2-
Mrs. Koontz’ Core 2 math class is currently working through our Statistics & Probability unit. So far, students have collected and analyzed data to create multiple representations including histograms and box plots. Students then use their graphs to analyze the shape and spread of the data. We are currently making evidence based inferences about data, and learning the different measures of central tendency. As we finish the statistics section of our unit, we will be transitioning to probability and will be examining games of chance. Students will be experimenting with spinners as well as coin tosses and will be determining both theoretical and experimental probabilities that a specific event will occur.
ELA/Geometry
Miss Collins-
We are currently improving skills that we have learned throughout the year as we read a variety of texts. We are practicing annotating the text and using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. This will lead us into our next unit, “Turning Points”. In addition, students should be completing thirty minutes of Edgenuity a week for ELA. Similar to math, Edgenuity is due every Saturday by midnight. Students are encouraged to complete it during their ACE time. In Geography, we learned about the physical and political geography of Africa. We are now using this information to evaluate the impact it has on the daily lives of the people living there.
Mr. Baumgardner’s ELA students are reading and exploring life-changing events from a variety of perspectives, as we read fiction, nonfiction narratives, articles, and poetry. Throughout this unit, students will explore how fictional characters and real people adapt and succeed when life suddenly changes direction. In Geography, we are finishing up our unit on East Asia. During this unit we focused on the countries of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, and Mongolia. From this region, we will be heading to Southwest Asia where ee will be exploring culture, human-environment interactions, maps, and current events. We are getting so close to wrapping up our year around the world.
In Ms. Willet’s ELA/SS class, we are learning how Africa’s environment and people shape life there. We are exploring the many physical features of the area. In ELA we are examining persuasion and argumentative writing. In addition, we are reviewing and honing our skills in TDA writing, annotation, context clues, and comprehension skills. Students should be completing thirty minutes of Edgenuity a week for ELA.
Science-
In Science, all classes will be exploring living things, how living things are classified, and cells. Students will be learning about plant and animal cells as we explore the concept of all living things being made up of cells. As part of the unit, students will be creating a book, either digital or paper to demonstrate what they have learned. This book will be a great tool to take to 7th grade and continue building upon it. After we complete the Life Unit, we will be investigation Physical Science: Introduction to Chemistry and Physics. Students should be accessing Schoology for assignments and using their online text to study at home. LearnSmart is a great tool to use to study the concepts taught in each chapter.7th Grade: Team Aviators
Science-
Spring has Sprung and so has flowers! We will take advantage of some nice warm weather to
to dissect a flower and discover how plants reproduce. We will revisit how Gregor Mendel “The Father of Gentics” controlled his cross pollinating pea plants. Our curiosity of science with allow us to dive into the other branches of science - earth and physical to return again to wrap up with some fun activities in life science. Continue to work with vocabulary and notes each night so students are ready to start the class fresh with questions!!
ELA-
April is here and so are PSSA’s. Students will be taking the ELA PSSA’s April 15th, 16th, and 17th. Students have been working very hard all year in preparation for these exams. Please encourage students to get ample rest and food for testing days. We will be wrapping up The Tragedy of Julius Caesar next week. Students will be starting our new piloted program, Study Sync the following week. I am very excited to teach this new program and hope students enjoy it as much as I do. The last independent novel projects are due May 31st. As always, project choices can be found under the independent novel folder on Schoology.
Math-
As we move into the 4th quarter we will wrap up our unit on Statistics and Probability. Students learned how to analyze and compare two sets of data using measures of variation, box plots, and histograms. The second half of the unit will focus on probability. Each Friday in class the students will work on assignments to help improve in their individual goal areas. On Fridays we will also review Algebraic Concepts which is our class goal area.
Social Studies-
In the fourth quarter, we will be moving into the Middle ages and Renaissance. Students will have one last project for the quarter on one of these two topics. As we go into the Middle ages, we will be seeing how the Crusades set up the an age of exploration.
7th & 8th Grades: Team Lightning
SCIENCE
Mr. Decker and Ms. Enoff
7th Grade Science:
Students are finishing up classifying organisms with plants. We are focusing on characteristics of plants that cause us to classify them differently. Once this section is wrapped up we will be moving into the ecology unit. While in the ecology unit we will be conducting many labs outside. This will allow us to apply the concepts we are learning in the same way a research professional would.
8th Grade Science:
Students are working on simple machines; levers, inclined planes, wheel and axle, pulley, screws, wedge. As we learn about these we are learning how to calculate the mechanical advantage of each machine and understand how the use of these machines makes our lives easier. Throughout this section we will be applying our understanding of simple machines to build mouse trap cars, and create a Rube Goldberg machine.
MATHEMATICS
Mr. Heller and Ms. Enoff
7th and 8th Grade Math:
Math classes have been busy preparing for PSSA and the time has come. Core 2 and 3 students will be finishing up some key Geometry concepts and reviewing other vital themes from previous chapters. We will be incorporating a variety of review assignments, projects, stations, etc. to reinforce the students’ knowledge of this year’s material. Parents, watch for review materials to become part of their daily routine and encourage them to practice at home as time permits.
ENGLISH:
Mr. Peglow and Mrs. Trout
7th Grade:
Mr. Peglow’s and Mrs. Trout’s Classes: Students will be prepped and ready for the ELA PSSA which happens in the middle of the month. We will focus primarily on the literary analysis of a text and improving how we cite evidence in our writing with proper direct quotations or paraphrasing. Lots of discussion will also focus on the importance of explaining why we selected these citations from the text. After completion of the PSSA we will begin our new unit “In Pursuit.” - In this unit, your students will be reading short stories, poetry, memoirs, and several nonfiction narratives to explore the missions some people or characters have pursued to achieve their goals.
8th Grade:
Students will be prepped and ready for the ELA PSSA which happens in the middle of the month. We will focus primarily on the literary analysis of a text and improving how we cite evidence in our writing with proper direct quotations or paraphrasing. Lots of discussion will also focus on the importance of explaining why we selected these citations from the text. After completion of the PSSA we will begin our new unit “Suspense.” - Hairs rising on the back of your neck? Lips curling up into a wince? Palms a little sweaty? These are tell-tale signs that you are in the grips of suspense. But what attracts us to suspense? What keeps us from closing the book or changing the channel? What compels us to experience in stories the very things we spend our lives trying to avoid? Those are the questions your students will explore in this unit. Alfred Hitchcock. Stephen King. Edgar Allan Poe. The masters of suspense are at work in this unit, and after reading classic thrillers, your students will try their own hands at the genre, applying what they have learned about suspense to their own narrative writing projects. Students will begin this unit as readers, brought to the edge of their seats by hair-raising tales, and they will finish as writers, leading you and their peers through hair-raising stories of their own.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Mr. Popoff and Mrs. Trout
7th Grade Ancient Civilizations
As the fourth quarter begins students will be focus on the turmoil of Europe’s medieval times. The Dark Ages are perhaps some the most troubling, yet interesting times in world history. Students will first set their sights on the early Middle Ages before entering into the later Middle Ages. The final hurdles students will encounter before the school year ends will be the Renaissance and Reformation.
8th Grade U.S. History
As the fourth quarter begins students will be focusing on the worst crisis in American history, the Civil War. Students will analyze the many battles of the Civil War including Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Shiloh, and Gettysburg. Students will also examine the battle strategies of the Civil War generals from both the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy) including Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, George Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant. Students will also see one of our nation’s greatest Presidents in action, Abraham Lincoln.
8th Grade: Team Sky Pilots
In English class this month students are finishing research projects and writing persuasive essays. The PSSA begins on April 15th for us, so plan on getting plenty of rest the weekend leading into the test!
History classes will be studying the Civil War and its causes. A field trip to Gettysburg is planned for May 20. Students will visit the Gettysburg National Military Park for a breakout box activity. They will take part in the National Cemetery, or Care of the Wounded U.S. Park Service Ranger Program.
Science classes just finished Chemistry and are now venturing into Earth Science. Please help your son or daughter prepare for the PSSA assessments. Encourage them to get a good night sleep and eat a healthy breakfast.
All Math students will complete the grade 8 PSSA math assessment the last week of April.
Core Connections 3. Students will be finishing the common core content for the math PSSA and will participate in Stem related PSSA math activities a week before the test.
Geometry classes Will be assessed on unit 8, Polygons and Circles and begin chapter 9, “Solids and Constructions” A brief review of PSSA math content not covered within the geometry curriculum will be reviewed prior to the math PSSA
A Message from the School Counselor
Successful students have specific traits in common
No two children are the same, but successful students do have some things in common. Among other things, these students are:
Curious. They want to know things. Curious students won’t accept “just because” as an answer. To stoke your child’s curiosity, expose her to new ideas and experiences.
Persistent. They set goals and work diligently to reach them. Successful students keep trying until they master tough assignments. Praise your child for putting in the long hours studying; don’t focus solely on the resulting grade.
Organized. Even an academic star will struggle in school if she is not organized. Give your child the tools to help her organize her school-work and manage her time, such as calendars, sticky notes and file folders.
Resilient. Everyone fails sometimes, but successful students don’t let failure derail them. Encourage your child to take responsibility for her actions and create a plan for improvement.
Open-minded. They listen to the opinions of others and engage in constructive conversations with classmates—even when they disagree.
Supported. When students know the adults in their lives love them and believe in them, the sky's the limit!
It’s frustrating when you know your child has the ability to succeed but seems not to want to. This is the trap of underachievement. Experts suggest parents do three things to get kids back on track:
Show your child you care about him as a person, not just a student. If a rousing lecture about getting better grades were the trick to motivation, there would be no such thing as an underachiever. Make time to talk to your child about his life, go with him to see a favorite movie, play a board game together. This helps him feel valued—an important step toward getting him motivated.
Recognize improvements. It might not thrill you if your child brings home a low C on his social studies quiz. But if his last quiz grade was a D, he’s made progress. A pat on the back with a simple, “You brought your grade up. I believe in you!” can work wonders.
Harness the power of friends. If your child doesn’t want your help, consider enlisting the help of one of his friends. “Grant is in your social studies class. Maybe the two of you could study for the next test together. I can make a pizza if you want to have him over on Friday.”
Reprinted with permission from the April 2019 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (Middle School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2019 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.
Nurse's Corner
Reminders from the nurse’s office:
- If your 6th grader has not had a physical yet please schedule their appointment and have the form returned to school. Per the Pennsylvania school health law 6th graders are to have a physical. Also please make sure that you get their vaccinations updated while they are at their visit and send a copy along in with their completed physical form. If you have visited the dentist with your 6th grader please have the dentist fill out the dental form and return it to school.
- All 7th graders are required by Pennsylvania school health law to have a dental exam for seventh grade. If you have not already done so please return completed dental form as soon as possible.
- The best way to prevent the spread of colds and flu is to wash your hands (or use hand sanitizer) frequently when in contact with others.
- If your student is running a fever, has diarrhea or vomiting please do not send them to school. It is recommended that the student be fever free, no diarrhea and not vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school.
- Your child is scheduled to take the state testing in the month of April. Please make sure that your child gets a good night sleep before the testing and eats breakfast the days of the testing. Also be sure to make sure that your student has water with them so that can stay hydrated during the test.
- The end of the year is approaching fast be sure to get prepared for the summer vacation.
- Have a safe and Happy Easter.