Talon Talk
March 6, 2020
Volume 3 Issue 12
Our Mission
A Word From Dr. Lake
So here we are….March. I’m not sure how August turned to March so quickly, but the good news is our school has been productively busy and focused. Our HMS Leadership team consistently meets to monitor our academic goals and evaluate our academic progress. Upcoming is our third I Ready school wide assessment, on March 9 and 10, to measure students’ progress in reading and math. The I Ready software program is used during SOAR (RTI) time, and it has been a big addition to how we approach student learning. Students receive individual instruction to build skills in these two important content areas, and teachers set academic goals and track students’ progress each week. Much has evolved with SOAR time in just one school year, but one thing is for sure, teachers are continuously adjusting their approach to ensure we are getting optimal gains.
The primary reason we build skills in reading and math is so students can have their best chance for success throughout school, and also after graduation. Students who possess strong skills in math and reading will have an increased ability to be job ready. Another reason to consider is we always want to do our very best with state standardized assessments. As we get close to MAP testing, the HMS PLC Leadership Team is planning strategies to get students motivated and invested in their testing. Parent support is a critical factor as well, and our HMS testing dates are April 27-May 8. With meaningful SMART Goals, a heightened focus on reading and math, and parent support, HMS is setting students up for future success.
Important Dates
March 10 PTSO meeting 6pm HMS library
March 28 PTSO Rink Ratz Skating Party
Events for The Weeks of March 6th- March 20th
Spring Break: No School
Monday, Mar 16, 2020, 12:00 AM
301 Eagle Drive, Holden, MO, USA
Bright Futures will be offering food packages to Holden students for Spring Break!
Please contact Bright Futures at (816) 345-0269 orbrightfutures@holdenschools.org to sign up!
6th Grade
We finished Ancient India with a test this past week. We have begun Ancient China and are discussing the first few dynasties. Next week, we will focus on Chinese Philosophy.
ELA
This week, we are reading The Westing Game and looking at character traits. Next week, we will continue to read The Westing Game and will be looking at story elements.
Physical Science
We are working on understanding Newton's laws. We have gone over the Law of Inertia and are currently practicing using F=MA with Newton's second law. Next week we will cover Newton's 3rd law and then we will start a project.
Math
Regular
We finished our unit on "Independent and Dependent Variables" and started the "Area of Polygons in the Coordinate Plane" unit. Our test will be next Thursday, but it will not go on this term's grade card. We are only going to test on the area formulas on Thursday. We will test on the coordinate plane section soon after we get back from spring break.
Accelerated
We finished our unit on "Independent and Dependent Variables" and started the "Area of Polygons in the Coordinate Plane" unit. Our test will be next Thursday, but it will not go on this term's grade card. After spring break we will start our "Surface area and Volume" unit.
7th Grade
Civics
Over the next week, we will be finishing up with our Mock Congress. The students have all written bills about changes they would like to see at our school. The bills that have made it all the way through the process will be presented next Wednesday to members of the school board and the building leadership team. Once we finish our unit on the legislative branch, we will move on to our investigation of the judicial branch!
ELA
We are just beginning our Storytelling Narrative Unit.
Life Science
We started the Geological Timescale this week and we are looking at fossil evidence. Projects will begin next week.
Math
Regular and Accelerated
We started our unit on Geometry so we will be working on angles, 2-D shapes, and 3-D shapes.
8th Grade
American History
This week the students are learning about "Manifest Destiny." They are connecting the events of The Industrial Revolution to the divide between North/South in the United States. Next Tuesday (March 10th) 3rd Quarter ends. Students need to have all work for 3rd Quarter in by then.
ELA
We are finishing up our short story unit over the next two weeks. We will have our vocabulary test on March 11/12.
Earth Science
We have begun our new ELO of how the Geologic Timescale was constructed. Students are currently time traveling to the beginning of Earth's creation through time to our current time. The assessment project for our last ELO is now due. Some students are trickling in that assignment, so you may check with your student to see if they've turned it in or not. Term ends early next week so there is no time to lose!
Math
We are finishing up our current learning before Spring Break gets here! We are about to take our assessment on Scientific Notation. Next week, we will be doing insight into our next ELO. At the end of the week next week, we will be doing activities to celebrate Pi Day (3.14).
Exploratory Classes
Band
6th - test on #104 this week, and the clarinets are going over the break.
7th and 8th - reviewing material from before contest, about to move into new skills, including scales and key signatures.
Design and Modeling-
8th Grade: Programming a vehicle to blink its lights, travel forward, turn left & turn right. Plus using radio waves to communicate with the vehicle. 7th Grade: Making a puzzle cube out of five different puzzle parts using a total of 27 wooden ¾-inch cubes.6th Grade: Learning how to sketch 2-D items and making it appear to be 3D.
Fitness
We are doing post Presidential Fitness Testing.
Girls Health and Boys Health
Finishing up our ELO's in Health.
STEAM
Medical detectives are using all their skills acquired this term to solve an outbreak in a fictitious Montgomery Hills. Design students finished building/coding a germ fighter app on chrome tablets and are doing independent creation projects to finish the term. Science of tech students are starting building physical dragsters while Intro to Tech students are creating using the CNC machine while either designing videos or virtual reality worlds.
Agriculture
6th grade classes are exploring agriculture around the world. Our final project includes making a dish or drink that represents their country.
Art
6th graders are drawing and coloring their one-point perspective cities.
7th graders have started working on paper relief sculptures.
8th graders are finishing up paper mache letters and painting their clay masks.
Choir
7/8th: Last week we performed in our spring music contest. The choir received a 2+ (similar to an A-) for our performance, and our solos and ensembles received five 2's and three 1's! Way to go, Eagles! Since our contest, we have been reviewing our solfege scale, practicing beginning sight-reading, and reviewing options for our spring pops concert on May 4th. 6th: Choir students have been preparing 5 pieces for our upcoming district honor choir. This is for select students, and they will be participating in an all day festival at UCM on March 7th.
6th grade district honor choir: Saturday, March 7th ALL Choir spring concert: Monday, May 4th
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About Us
Email: comments@holden.k12.mo.us
Website: https://www.holdenschools.org
Location: 301 Eagle Drive, Holden, MO, USA
Phone: 8167324125
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holdenmiddleschool/
Twitter: @HMS_Activities