Winthrop Middle School Newsletter
December 2018
Important Dates
- Monday, December 3rd - PTO Meeting
- Tuesday, December 4th - Picture Retakes
- Thursday, December 6th - Winter Concert
- Friday, December 7th - Holiday Fair
- Friday, December 14th through Sunday December 16th - Beauty and the Beast
- Wednesday, December 19th - After School Movie - "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
- Friday, December 21st - Early Release Day
- Monday, December 24th through Tuesday, January 1st - Holiday Vacation
- Wednesday, January 23rd - National History Day
WMS MCAS Calendar
- Wednesday, April 24th - 6th/7th/8th Grade ELA
- Thursday, April 25th - 6th/7th/8th Grade ELA
- Wednesday, May 15th - 6th/7th/8th Grade Math
- Thursday, May 16th - 6th/7th/8th Grade Math
- Tuesday, May 21st - 8th Grade Science
- Wednesday, May 22nd - 8th Grade Science
8th Grade Field Trip to Washington D.C.
Follow WMS & WPS on Facebook!
December Activities Calendar
Google Classroom at Winthrop Middle School
If any of your child's teachers use Google Classroom and you are not quite sure about all the features - please click HERE to watch 3-4 minute tutorial for parents on how to use Google Classroom.
Thank you to Mr. Beckvold for volunteering his time to help parents understand Google Classroom.
WMS Partners Once Again with the Boston Celtics & Jet Blue
Please click HERE to see what the Boston Globe had to say about the project.
Winthrop High School & Winthrop Middle School Bands Present "A Winter Concert"
WMS Drama Society Presents Beauty and the Beast
- Friday, December 14th at 7pm
- Saturday, December 15th at 7pm
- Sunday, December 16th at 2pm
*All shows will be held in the Neil Shapiro Auditorium at Winthrop Middle/High School.
Buy a Chromebook and Support WMS
Winthrop Middle "Mitten Tree"
November Elks Students of the Month
Every month, the Winthrop Lodge of Elks honors one to two students from each grade. The students chosen are those who show strong leadership, put forth a great effort, and demonstrate our core values "Stand Up As One". They set the example for other to follow and illustrate the promise of the young generation for the community and our nation. These students receive a certificate, bumper sticker, and a $25.00 gift card to Winthrop Book Depot.
Grade 7 Falcons - Nadia Aldweib
Grade 8 Bruins - Erion Ramadani
Grade 8 Patriots - Welvis Acosta
Curriculum Updates
Grade Six is finishing up division of whole numbers using the standard algorithm. We will be studying operations of decimals next, highlighting the standard algorithm for each operation. We will develop visual models of each and applying the operations to real life situations.
7th grade students started the second term discussing percents through real-world applications. In class they practiced solving problems involving tips, taxes, discounts, markups, interest and percent of change. Currently, students are reviewing these concepts as well as ones surrounding the topic of constant of proportionality in preparation for their upcoming Unit 2 Assessment.
8th Grade is currently working on writing linear equations in slope-intercept form (y=mx+b). Students are able to writing from three different scenarios; from a graph, two points, and from one point and the slope. We will then be moving to graphing linear equations from slope-intercept form and comparing proportional and non-proportional relationships.
Science
6th Grade - The sixth grade wrapped up our Ecology Unit earlier this month. We have now begun our Exploring Space unit. The sixth graders started to research the history of our space program and how the technological innovation of the Space Race played a role in increasing our understanding of space. Students are now comparing observations of space objects with the use of technology verse the naked eye.
7th Grade - Students began November by designing experiments to observe and explain the transfer of heat, followed by an intro to understanding of basic electrical terms. Students compared the electric current flow in conductors vs. insulators, while learning how electricity is created. Students are currently working with magnets to understand magnetic fields and creating static electricity. To finish our energy unit, students will utilize their creativity to show understanding of our energy unit in a final project of heat, energy, electricity, and magnetism.
8th Grade - During the last month, grade 8 science classes have been running activities out of the Chemistry of Materials unit. We have learned about atoms and elements, molecules and compounds, as well as create many chemical reactions to observe how matter changes in form chemically, to create new materials. We have discussed the structure of matter and how the pieces of an atom (electrons) allow certain atoms to bond together to create new molecules with new sets of physical and chemical properties.
English Language Arts
6th grade ELA recently finished the historical fiction novel Maroo of the Winter Caves. Students worked on vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and making cross-curricular connections. Students engaged in both analytical and creative writing activities. The next unit of study involves defining and identifying literary elements and the reading and analyzing a variety of short stories. Students are also required to independent reading, with follow-up activities related to different literary aspects, upon completion.
7th grade ELA just launched Unit 2 in which we will focus on identifying and analyzing themes using a variety of texts types and genres. To begin, we will be reading Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Our essential questions are centered around the importance of Choice/Free Will.
8th grade ELA is currently working on a "Types of Writing" unit that will take us through the end of December. Each week, students will be studying a different type of writing and creating their own, original work. We start with biographies and then study fairy tales, speech writing, and, finally print advertisement writing. Students will be presenting their biography slideshows and original speeches to their classes. They will be writing their own, original fairy tale and creating a persuasive print advertisement for an original product or service. In addition, our next Outside Reading Test is on January 3, 2019.
Social Studies
The 6th grade is finishing up their unit on Mesopotamia and are preparing to learn about Egypt next month. During the past month, students have learned about the 5 essential elements of a civilization and how Mesopotamia became a successful civilization.
7th grade geography will discuss the role of geography in explaining why the Europeans were so successful in conquering the Inca Empire, and why it was not the Inca sailing across the Atlantic to conquer Europe. We will be reading excerpts and watching a documentary on Jared Diamond's book Guns, Germs, and Steel as well as analyzing primary sources from the era.
The 8th grade just finished discussing and learning about events leading up to the Revolutionary War such as the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, and the Intolerable Acts. Currently, students are studying the Declaration of Independence and looking at how the ideals expressed in the document apply to today.
Instrumental/Band
Grades 6-8 have been continuing work towards their first concert of the year! Students have been challenged by new time signatures and challenging rhythms in their repertoire this fall.
Please join us Thursday December 6 at 6:30 PM in the Neil Shapiro Auditorium. The performance is free and will showcase the WHS/WMS Concert Band as well as the WHS/WMS Select Band.
Spanish
Grade 6 has completed Unit 1 (Numbers, counting, and basic math) & Unit 2 (Greetings, introductions, and goodbyes). The students are now at the beginning of Unit 3 (Cultural Unit) - All students have been assigned a Spanish speaking country or a country located in Spanish speaking regions. The students will be teaching their classmates about some interesting facts about these countries. This is a major project used to expose students to the diversities in cultures within the Spanish speaking world.
Grade 7 is starting Unit 3 (Pronouns and Basic Verb conjugations. This unit exposes the students to some basic grammar concepts to build a base for a transition into the creation of sentences with proper grammar.
Grade 8 is working on Unit 3 (The School). This unit uses chapter 2 of the Como te Va? Textbook. Students are learning new vocabulary related to school topics (how to get to school, school supplies, classes, etc). The main objective of this unit is to continue the translation and understanding of verbs, adjectives, pronouns, and nouns in more complex sentences. Students are doing lots of translations of conversations, and also responding to questions related to the school topic.
In the next couple of weeks, all three grades will also be doing activities related to the Holiday season. Activities include vocab, Songs, Writing a letter to Santa in Spanish, and learning about the different celebrations of the Holidays around the spanish speaking world.
Drama
6th Grade - "Students will explore what elements make up stories and what theater as a medium specifically can do for the act of storytelling. In groups, they will create and perform their own original short story." - This Unit is Taught by Mr. Burling.
7th Grade - Students will be exploring one of the most important tools an actor has: Their Voice. Students will be defining "Projection," and "Diction," and how an actor uses these techniques to make sure they are heard and understood. As a class they will learn techniques for improving and strengthening their "Projection" and "Diction," and in small groups they will create their own tongue twisters to present to the class.
8th Grade - "Students will be forming teams to compete on Ensemble Island, the latest island based fictional television craze. These teams will engage in various theatre activities designed to strengthen a sense of ensemble and community. They will build their teamwork and listening skills necessary for theatre-making in order to survive and emerge victorious from the trials of Ensemble Island, and then create a museum performance honoring their team." - This Unit is Taught by Mr. Burling
Physical Education & Health
6th Grade Physical Education
The Volleyball Unit provides activities for students to practice, develop, and apply volleyball specific skills such as the forearm pass, overhead pass, underhand and overhand serves, as well as offensive and defensive strategies required for successful game play. Volleyball is an enjoyable and challenging activity that is played at different skill levels from recreation leagues to highly competitive clubs and teams. Activities in this unit have been modified to be more inclusive, active, and enjoyable than traditional volleyball drills and games.
6th Grade Health
Students are learning about self-image, and how they can develop self-compassion and self-love when negative thoughts and feelings arise. Students will learn that relationship with the self is vital to overall health and that they have the power to create a healthy positive self-image and have compassion for themselves.
7th and 8th Grade Physical Education
Students are learning Basketball. The basketball unit provides activities for students to practice, develop and apply skills such as dribbling, passing, pivoting, and shooting as well as offensive and defensive strategies required for successful game play. Activities follow a high-activity skill progression which utilizes small groups, simplifies rules, and equalizes play and touches to maximize student participation and enjoyment.
7th and 8th Grade Health
Students are learning about Drug abuse and Violence. Topics discussed will be the causes of drug abuse, social factors that promote drug use, social realities of drug use, and describing the addictive process. The unit closes with a look at violence and its relationship to the use of substances.
Art
We are off to a creative start in art this quarter! Grade 6 classes have examined the artwork of M.C. Escher. Escher was a graphic artist known for his perspective drawings, optical illusions, interlocking shapes, and tessellations. Each student cut a unique shape to morph into a tessellated design. Grade 7 classes are using geometric and organic shapes and lines to create kaleidoscope art designs that show symmetry or rotation. Later this week we will mix powdered seaweed and water to make a marbling solution to customize colors and patterns. Grade 8 classes looked at the illustrations in the Caldecott Award winning book The House in the Night and are marking line drawings on scratch paper to show the influence of the illustrator Beth Krommes.
Music
Grade 6 students have been exploring the history of some of our most beloved patriotic songs and singing them as well. Their upcoming unit will focus on music literacy through singing and playing. Elvis is in the building this week as we flash back to the decade of the 1950’s! Everyone will listen to a special song by The King and share a fun fact before our sock hop on Friday. What’s your favorite Elvis song?
We’re off to a great start with Quarter 2! Grade 7 students explored music prodigies and have been singing about blackbirds. They just started their journey through the history of American popular music, starting with the music of West Africa and spirituals. They enjoyed a Turkey Cakewalk the day before Thanksgiving!
Grade 8 students are getting ready to select a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for their tribute project. They are currently looking for knowledgeable advisors to help them with their decision! Also, the 2019 nominees were revealed to them today, and we are waiting for the upcoming announcement of the new inductees from the Rock Hall!
STEM
Safety is a priority in STEM Lab. Sixth Grade students use the first three classes of the quarter learning about safety rules and procedures. The students are made aware of the importance of using "the right tool for the right job", wearing appropriate clothing and using goggles when cutting, sawing, and drilling.
Seventh and Eighth graders spend the initial class of a quarter reviewing safety rules and procedures. They take a quiz to make sure they are up to speed and then begin an engineering and design project.
The STEM Lab safety record is excellent and this is a testament to the diligence and hard work of our students.
Helpful Links for Parents
School Lunch Menu/My School Bucks Account/Lunch Application
Email: bcurley@winthrop.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.winthrop.k12.ma.us/Domain/287
Location: 60 Payson Street, Winthrop, MA, USA
Phone: (617) 846-5507
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/winthrop.k12.ma.us/