Team 8-2 News
Mrs. Bense, Mr. Frazier, Mrs. Madera, Ms. Waxman
General News! Week of Nov.13- 17th
Happy Monday !
With progress reports coming home this week, and the end of the first semester just around the corner, we wanted to take a moment to discuss a few concerns. Our biggest is that we have numerous students who appear to be in jeopardy of failing this current quarter, or even the first semester.
These failures do not seem to be due to of a lack of ability, time, or multiple opportunities to complete the work, or even get help with it...it simply seems to be a lack of effort and concern. We have many students with multiple missing or incomplete assignments. Some of these are the result of absences from class or school, others due to poor use of class time or homework, and still others... your guess is a good as ours.
We understand that there may be reason from time to time where a student may need additional time, or some other accommodation,however in an effort to help our students prepare themselves for the "realities" of the high school we are attempting to help them become more responsible for themselves and their work, and if not, be allowed to see the consequences of their actions. (or lack of them!)
Our assignments have due dates for many reasons. Some assignments are used as foundation work to introduce a topic, others as guided practice of the skills, and some as a measure of the students' knowledge. Assignments that are attempted long after the original due date, have lost much of their original purpose.
Please take some time to discuss this with your student. Come up with a game plan for checking on their daily, or weekly progress, and help them get themselves back on track for a successful year. It's not too late. If we can be of assistance to them or you, please let us know. Thank you for your continued help and support from home.
Don't forget the new pick-up for 8th graders staying for Thursday After School:
Beginning last Thursday, 11-9, the 8th graders will dismiss out at the end of the eighth grade hallway. Parents are asked to drive around the back of the building to pick up their child.Thank you for your help with this. We should be able to get everyone home safe and sound much more quickly with this procedure.
Just another quick reminder that student make-up for the school days missed due to Hurricane Irma will be introduced this week. This decision is stated as follows: "Students will complete online or traditional 2-hour assignments for each class during a two week window from November 13-27. All assignments will be monitored and evaluated." These assignments are being given in lieu of making up school days. More detailed information about the make-up plans can be found at:
http://www.camden.k12.ga.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=319921&pageId=3089364
Team 8-2 teachers will be discussing these assignments in detail with our students this week during class. Rubrics and other helpful resources will also be provided so that students are able to gain the most they can from these assignments.
We want to wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving break!
SMMS Yearbooks are on sale now: ( order online at)
SMMS Spirit Bobcat shirts and drawstring backpacks will go on sale beginning Thursday morning from 7-7:30 in the rotunda and during 6th, 7th, and 8th grade lunches in Student Services.
Large Youth - Large Adults $10.00
XL – 4X will be $12.00
Drawstring backpack $5.00
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
November 15th- SMMS Spirit Days... Show your school spirit by wearing red and blue
November 15th- Progress Reports go Home
November 17th - Fall picture retakes
November 20-24th Thanksgiving Break (Hurricane Irma Make-Up work to be completed 2 hour per content area)
Language Arts- Ms. Waxman
Hello from Language Arts!
Last week we took our first Mastery Assessment. Although we had many students who preformed very well on this, it showed us that there is a lot of room for improvement in all three areas of Language Arts. I have entered each student's overall average raw score on the test, as well as three other grades simply for your information,(these will not affect their overall average). The other three grades break the standards into the areas of: LITERATURE, WRITING, and LANGUAGE. Standards that were not mastered will be reviewed, and opportunities to retest in these areas will be offered over the next few weeks of RAP.
Our Narrative Assesslet, which was scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed until after the holiday break. We will use this time to get our second Reading Inventory testing done. This assessment helps us see a better picture of where each of the students are with their personal Lexile levels. Please remember that a measure of 1010 is what is considered passing,by the state of Georgia, when determining measures for promotion for 9th grade.
We will also begin introducing our next novel, Behind Rebel Lines, by Seymour Reit. This is the true and remarkable story of Emma Edmonds, the Canadian woman who disguised herself as a man and slipped behind Confederate lines to spy for the Union army.This novel will tie in directly with Social Studies and the study of the Civil War.
Our current root word set, "Ways of Writing: graph, gram,scrip, and scribs", will be tested on this Thursday. A link for a STUDYSTACK is in Google Classroom. Students should be working on these independently at home.
Book 2 Independent (Choice) Reading was due last Friday,November 10th. Students who missed the deadline should definitely be focused on completing this assignment over the holiday break . The 3rd and final book for this quarter will be due on December 8th.
We have completed six weeks of TweenTribune. These are to be completed each week by Friday afternoon at 3pm. These two independent reading practice assignments are the only assignments that students need to be completing outside of my classroom. This consistent practice will help students build up the reading endurance that they will need for high school and beyond, as well as to increase their Lexile levels.
Thanks for all you do at home! Enjoy your week!
Science- Mrs. Madera
Physical Science
The Matter Mastery Assessment Remediation Assignment has been posted on Google Classroom. Students need to complete the assignment(s) for the standards that they did not master (i.e. score below a 75%). Students who did not master all 6 standards will complete the additional assignment to remediate and will be reassessed during RAP on Friday, 11/17. Students who did not master all 6 standards should be continuing to review their Matter notes and study guides each night.
Last week we began our second unit for the year. Our current topic is Energy! Last week we focused on Potential and Kinetic Energy. Students took a quiz on this content today.
This week students will be focusing on the Law of Conservation of Energy, forms of energy, and energy transformations. There will be a quiz on this material on Thursday, 11/16.
Science homework will be to review notes and vocabulary every night.
The Energy Vocabulary for this unit can be found by visiting my Quizlet link below.
https://quizlet.com/join/kRj6Jgpam
Please check google classroom for additional practice links and simulations.
Hurricane IRMA Make-UP Assignment~Energy Transformation Project
Students will research how energy is transferred from a power plant to a home appliance.
Students were introduced to their science project in class today. The assignment and rubric have been posted on Google Classroom. A paper copy was provided to students who asked for it. Students will have class time this week to begin their research on the energy transformations from a power plant to their chosen home appliance.
Social Studies- Mrs. Bense
This week students will be focusing on the Expansion and Growth in Georgia. They will be creating 2 graphic organizers and working on a few assignments. Students received a copy of the new vocabulary terms and definitions. The links to Quizlet and Study stack can be found on Google Classroom. I will also be explaining in detail to students what their Hurricane Irma assignment will be.
Mr. Frazier
Team 8-2 Mathematics will complete our study of solving equations with variables on both sides Monday. Then, we will spend the remainder of this week reviewing and testing. On Wednesday, we will begin the Master Assessment covering Unit 2. The Unit 2 Master Assessment will include the real number system, squares and cube root, operations with exponents, scientific notation and solving algebraic equations with variables on both sides. Once we complete the Master Assessment, we will complete our Math Inventory, which serves as a direct measure and progress monitor of students’ readiness for math instruction on the Quintile Framework for Mathematics.
For many students, this will be a great week to make up missing assignments. Please encourage all students to coordinate a time with me to makeup missing assignments. Also, students have been provided a Mathematical Activity to complete before November 27. This assignment will satisfy our Hurricane Irma Make-Up requirements. If you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
MONDAY (14 NOV): STUDY FOR MASTER ASSESSMENT
TUESDAY (15 NOV): STUDY FOR MASTER ASSESSMENT
WEDNESDAY (16 NOV): NONE
THURSDAY (17 NOV): NONE
FRIDAY (18 NOV): NONE
QUIZ/TESTS
WEDNESDAY (16 NOV): MASTER ASSESSMENT: UNIT 2
THURSDAY (17 NOV): MATH INVENTORY
KEY VOCABULARY
Coefficient: the number in front of a variable (multiplying the variable).
Constant: a fixed value, or a number on its own.
Infinitely Many Solutions: when any value for the variable in an equation will make the equation true.
Like Terms: terms whose variables and exponents are the same.
No Solution: when no value for the variable in an equation will make the equation true.
Variable: a symbol, such as x, used to represent an unknown value.
RESOURCES
1. IXL (Math) –
https://www.ixl.com/math/algebra-1/solve-equations-with-variables-on-both-sides
2. Khan Academy – Exponents, radicals, and scientific notation – https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra/one-variable-linear-equations/alg1-variables-on-both-sides/v/equations-3
3. Math is Fun – Exponents –
https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/introduction-multiply.html
Teacher Contact Information
Mrs. Bense- tbense@camden.k12.ga.us
Mr. Frazier- ajfrazier@camden.k12.ga.us
Mrs. Madera- kmadera@camden.k12.ga.us
Ms. Waxman- bwaxman@camden.k12.ga.us
Location: 205 Martha Drive, Saint Marys, GA, United States
Phone: (912)-882-8626