HMS Weekly Update #34
Volume 2: Friday, May 6th, 2022
Dear Hoboken Middle School Family,
Happy Friday, HMS! I hope everyone has had a good week. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns AMarra@hoboken.k12.nj.us.
Happy Mother's Day to all of our HMS Family Mom's :)!
Grade 6 and Grade 7 students begin NJSLA testing on Monday. Please make sure to get a good night's sleep!
Attention 6th, 7th & 8th Graders:
Please mark your calendars for the HMS Spring Dances sponsored by the HMS Student Council. Please see the Student Council Section below for the flyers.
Grade 6 ~ May 26th 6-7:30
Grade 7 ~ May 26th 8-9:30
Grade 8 ~ June 9th 7-10:00
Attention 8th Graders:
- Please complete the HMS Moving Up Ceremony 21/22 - Cap & Gown Order Form.
- The HMS 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony will be on June 23rd, as per the district calendar. The ceremony will be on JFK Field at 2pm.
Arrival Information:
The entrance on the 4th street side of the building is open to all students from 7:30 - 8:15. If your child arrives early, they should report to that door and enter the building. The grade 6 (Garden Street) and grade 8 (Bloomfield Street) entrances doors open at 8:15 each day.
Students Waiting For Covid Results:
If you take your child for a PCR Covid test and are awaiting results, please do not send them to school during while results are pending. You may direct any questions you have about this to Ms. Marra
Please take some time to read through the updates below to learn some more about this past week and upcoming events. Some highlights are:
- HMS Help Desk
- NJSLA Testing Begins Monday, May 9th for Grade 6 and Grade 7 students
- Family Health Night - May 12th
- Family Science Night - June 5th
- HMS & HHS Spring Concert Date - June 9th
- New Jersey School Climate Improvement (NJ SCI) Survey
- HMS PTO Corner
- HMS in the News
- All Schools, City Wide Dance event - Calling All 6th & 7th Graders!
- Hoboken Holi Celebration information
- HMS Yearbook 2021-2022 is ready for purchase! CLICK HERE
- Digital Citizenship Spirit Days
- HMS Softball Corner
- HMS Passport to Learning Corner
- Dr. Baskinger's Curriculum Corner ~ May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
- Grade 6 Field Trip Information ~ DATE CHANGE
- Stevens University Math Olympiad Information
- New Jersey Student Learning Assessment Overview
- Our HMS Clubs & Activities Weekly Update
- Our corner's that highlight areas within our school community
- And a grade and content level summary to give you a peak into the classroom.
- Helpful information at the bottom of the newsletter
- Parent Resources For Monitoring Cell Phones
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
- Students should bring a full water bottle to school everyday. If you would like to purchase an HMS Water bottle for $2 please have your child stop by the main office and see Ms. Munoz. We have water hydration stations in the building on the 1st floor and 3rd floor so they can fill up their bottles.
- Remember to do the daily Covid form for your child(ren).
- Chromebooks must be charged each night at home. Please check in with your child to remind them to charge their Chromebook at night.
- Please communicate any health issues to Nurse Kirwin (NKirwin@hoboken.k12.nj.us). You may also share any documentation with her that the school would need.
- Here are the HMS Student Handbook & HMS Code of Conduct for your convenience.
As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Have a great weekend!
Fondly,
Ms. Marra
HMS Help Desk
Here are some helpful items for our families:
My child is going to be absent...what do I do?
Email WVasquez@hoboken.k12.nj.us and SFalcone@hoboken.k12.nj.us to inform us about the absence.
I need to pick up my child early...what do I do?
Call the main office 15 minutes prior to pick up so your child can be waiting at the 4th street entrance. The main office is (201) 356-3754. You will need to come into the security area to sign the book for your child to leave.I have an issue with my Chromebook...what do I do?
Please visit the HPS-Tech in Our Schools Site for any tech related questions or problems with Chromebooks.
I have a question about dress code or purchasing...what do I do?
Email Mr. Ramos (Ivan.Ramos@hoboken.k12.nj.us) for assistance.
I have a question for about my child making up work if they are absent...what do I do?
Email Ms. Falcone for assistance (SFalcone@hoboken.k12.nj.us)
NJSLA Testing Begins Monday, May 9th
The New Jersey Statewide Assessment, NJSLA, will begin on Monday, May 9th 2022 for Grade 6 Students.
HMS Grade 6 Orientation: 2022-2023 School Year
Family Health & Wellness Night-May 12, 2022
Family Science Night
Our Title I Family Science Event: Spring Science Extravaganza will take place on Sunday, June 5th from 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm at the Hoboken High School Football Stadium (1000 Jefferson Street). If it rains, we will postpone the event and announce a new date.
Families are invited to view a gallery of our K-12 students' science labs accompanied by hands-on, project-based lessons. Project Lead The Way and Science Dimensions Programs will be highlighted, as well as iScience. A number of life, physical and earth science stations will provide fun, interactive experiences in the following areas: Virtual Reality, Oobleck, Bubble World, E-Sports and App Creator Gaming, Germination/Planting and Composting, Heart Rate Monitoring, Human Body Inflatable, Magnetics and Electricity, Flight and Space, Buoyancy, Engineering & Construction, and much more.
We will have live entertainment including an hourly reptile show and our STEAM Tank, SSEP and NJ STEM winners will display their winning projects. We will also have an informational curriculum table available for all families to review our K-12 science programs.
At this Spring Science Extravaganza, we'll be serving a wide range of springtime, fun food options for all Hoboken Public School District families in attendance!
Our Title I Family Events are meant to celebrate our students, families, and the greater Hoboken Public School Community! To join in the celebration be sure to complete this Google Form, mark your calendars, and RSVP. This will help us plan accordingly. We can't wait to see your family for our Spring Science Extravaganza!
Sincerely,
Christine Johnson
Superintendent of Schools
HMS & HHS Spring Concert Information
New Jersey School Climate Improvement (NJ SCI) Survey
Everyone’s voice matters, which is why we will be asking all students, staff, and parents to take the New Jersey School Climate Improvement (NJ SCI) Survey (Click Here for more information). We are counting on everyone’s support in this work and look forward to sharing updates and opportunities about how to get involved. Please contact Mr. Ivan Ramos for more information.
HMS PTO Corner
Krispy Kreme Fundraiser Kick Off!
The HMS PTO + Krispy Kreme Doughnuts fundraiser is in full swing! Thanks to everyone who has placed an order already. The fundraising window runs through Sunday, May 8th.
Please place your order using the online order form and payment can be sent through Venmo at @HobokenMiddleSchool-PTO. You can purchase Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts by the dozen and Krispy Kreme Coffee by the bag. There is an option to donate doughnuts to the Hoboken Shelter and Hoboken first responders, or donate to the cast & crew of Matilda as they prepare for the return of the district musical. A percentage of every sale will be donated to the HMS PTO.
Orders can be picked up on Wednesday, May 11th near Church Square Park from 7:45 – 8:45 am. We will have hot coffee – hope you can join us! After that, orders can be picked up at HMS with the security guard at the 4th Street entrance. Additional details will follow shortly.
Please email hobokenmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com with any questions.
As always, thank you for your support!
HMS Parent Meet & Greet
The HMS PTO is sponsoring a morning “HMS Parent Meet & Greet” on Wednesday, May 11th from 7:45 – 8:45am in Church Square Park. Join us for some coffee, doughnuts and conversation – we will be on the 4th Street side of the park. (And if you placed an order in our Krispy Kreme fundraiser, we will be distributing orders during this time as well!). Hope to see you there! In case the weather does not cooperate, the rain date will be Wednesday, May 18th.
Hoboken Middle School in the News!
Hoboken Middle School Shines In National Physics Competition (Tap Into)
Hoboken Middle School Takes Home Physics Awards In National Contest (The Patch)
All Schools City Wide Dance! - Calling All 6th Graders!
The City Wide All Schools 6th Grade Dance will take place on Friday, May 6th, from 6:30-8:30pm at Hoboken High School. All attendees must complete this form to attend:
The $5 admission fee can be sent via venmo @Kate-DeCock or cash will be accepted at the door. If parents/guardians would like to volunteer to set up, chaperone, or clean up, sign up here: signup genius.
All Schools City Wide Dance! - Calling All 7th Graders!
7th GRADE CITY WIDE DANCE - MAY 13th
TIME: 7:00:-9:00pm
LOCATION: Hoboken High School
COST: $5.00
For your child to attend please fill out the attached permission slip by May 4th: HMS 7th Grade Dance Permission Slip
Please venmo $5.00 to @Michael-Gallucci-6 or bring cash the day of the dance.
LASTLY - we need a few parent/guardian volunteers to help with the sign in process, chaperoning, set up and clean up. If interested please fill out the following link: Volunteer Form
Hoboken Holi Celebration - May 14th
Digital Citizenship Spirit Days
HMS Softball Corner
Softball Schedule
Please see the MS Softball schedule below. Bold Dates will be held at the Weehawken Waterfront Park. Games will start at 6:15 PM. For Weehawken the bus will pick up from JFK. Please make sure the equipment is organized for these days.
May 10th
May 12th - Baseball is home vs Irvington Middle School 4:30 JFK Stadium
May 18th-Home vs Irvington 4:30 Start
May 19th- At Irvington 693 Lyons Avenue (Rita's across Street) 4:30 Start
May 24th
May 26th
Hoboken Middle School Passport to Learning Corner
Rock Climbing
This week, our rock climbers enjoyed experimenting on different types of walls around the gym, including the speed walls, bouldering walls, and auto-belay walls. Students made goals centered around each climb. Some goals focused on speed, while others focused on height or grading. These attainable goals are called “projects,” and they help us find walls that challenge us. Next week, we will revisit our projects and continue to challenge ourselves! Please see some photo highlights below!
Archery
This Week at Jersey City Archery, students had the opportunity to sharpen their accuracy trying to hit animal silhouette targets from 20 yards out! Though difficult at first, archers became more understanding of bow placement and arrow drop the more they shot! Eventually, our students became spot on accurate on almost every shot! Way to go!
Chef It Up
This week at Chef It Up!, we had wonton fever! Students had the opportunity to make cream cheese wontons and later on, open chicken wontons. The cream cheese wontons were filled with sugar and oregano if students chose to fill them! The open chicken wontons, students had the option to make the bbq, spicy or plain! All in all, our chefs decided that the chicken wontons were the winner! For dessert, students wrestled with their sweet tooth when we made cannoli dip! Though it was so simple to make, it was absolutely delicious! Later in the week, our chefs made a fresh batch of healthy cookies! Chocolate chips, oats and bananas were the recipe and delicious healthy cookies were the results! We look forward to getting back in the kitchen next week!
Passport Band
This week in Passport Band, we reviewed our first two concert songs, "Wade in the Water" and "Avengers" and pushed further in our final piece, "The Oncoming Storm." Just as the title implies, "The Oncoming Storm" contains some quite dramatic moments, but also has some light-hearted parts in which the "storm" lets up. It has been our challenge to change personality in the middle of the piece and not play these more lyrical sections too aggressively. This week we really mastered this contrast and applied it to what we have learned so far. We look forward to taking on the woodwind feature next week as we aim to complete most of the piece.
Passport Chorus
Dr. Baskinger's Curriculum Corner
May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
Stevens University Math Olympiad Date Announced
The Stevens Mathematical Olympiad is a free mathematics competition for students in grades 3-12 that entails solving mathematical and logical problems, as well as demonstrating the joy and excitement of mathematics. The 2022 Stevens Math Olympiad is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the Stevens Institute of Technology campus in Hoboken, NJ.
Registration Information:
This event is FREE, but participants are required to register for the Math Olympiad by submitting a consent form and online registration form in advance of the event. Registering on the day of the event is not possible.
2022 Stevens Math Olympiad Consent Form (Download Here)
REGISTRATION STEPS
Download the 2022 Stevens Math Olympiad consent form to a mobile device or computer (do not complete the form in your web browser)
Complete all fields on the Stevens Math Olympiad consent form
Save the completed Stevens Math Olympiad consent form on a mobile device or computer
Complete the Stevens Math Olympiad online registration form
- Part of the online registration form process is uploading the completed Stevens Math Olympiad consent form
Participants will receive event information and updates via the email listed on the online registration form. Please note a planning committee member may contact registrants if there are issues with their registration, such as a missing parent/guardian signature on the consent form or a missing page of the consent form. Registration is not considered FINAL until the planning committee has a completed Stevens Math Olympiad consent form on file.
*Space is limited. Registration will close when the event reaches capacity. To secure a spot, register as soon as possible.
If you have any questions about HMS Student registration, please reach out to Dr. Baskinger (robin.baskinger@hoboken.k12.nj.us)
New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) Overview
Grade 6 Field Trip Information ~ Date Change
Hoboken Public Education Foundation Funded Field Trip Grade 6
**DUE TO NJSLA GRADE 6 TESTING, THE MAY 16TH DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO MAY 19TH. Students who were attending Weis Ecology on Monday, May 16th will now be attending Thursday, May 19th. New Permission Slips have been distributed to students and can also be found in the Permission Forms section below.
On Tuesday, May 17th and Thursday, May 19th, Grade 6 HMS students will be attending their grade level Field Trip to the Weis Ecology Center. This hands-on experience will give students an opportunity to be outdoors learning about the environment. Please read field trip details below. If you have any questions regarding the Grade 6 Field Trip, please contact Dr. Baskinger via email. (robin.baskinger@hoboken.k12.nj.us)
Where: The New Weis Center for Education, Arts, & Recreation
When: Tuesday, May 17, 2022 & Thursday, May 19, 2022 (Grade 6 will be split over 2 days to accommodate Weis staffing and facility.)
Permission Forms: Weis Center Form Tuesday, May 17th & Weis Center Form Thursday, May 19th (Please note students were informed on Friday, April 29th which day they will be attending. The appropriate form was sent home with students. Please choose the correct form based on your child's attending date. If you have questions about which date, please contact Dr. Baskinger.)
Departure Time: 8:30am (Students attending must arrive to school on time in order to join the field trip. Students who arrive after bus departure will not be able to attend the trip the following day.)
Arrival Time at HMS: 2:30pm (The bus will leave Weis around 1:15pm.)
Lunch Information: Chartwells will provide bagged lunches for students. Lunch will be “picnic style” as there are no indoor eating facilities in the park.
Important Tips for the Day of Your Field Trip:
Masks are optional.
Dressing Attire: Old sneakers are best and students should expect them to get dirty. Light colored clothing. Weather appropriate clothing (rain or shine).
Sunscreen and bug spray is recommended.
There is no gift shop.
Please refer to this link for The New Weis Center ground rules.
Information Regarding Parents/Guardians Attending the Field Trip:
Parents/guardians not considered as pre-approved bus chaperones, are allowed to attend the field trip; however, please keep the following in mind:
They must meet you at the destination (They can follow the bus but from their own vehicle). Only school-based chaperones are able to join the students on the bus. All other parent/guardian chaperones must follow the bus to the destination in their own vehicle.
They must cover all costs of the trip.
They must stay with their assigned group and are not permitted to take their child off on their own.
Clubs and Activities Corner
Academic Team
This week, the Academic Team participated in a competitive, intramural Quiz Bowl Tournament from the NAQT (National Academic Quiz Tournament). Our sixth graders competed against our seventh and eighth graders; the audio-based tournament challenges students to respond to questions that relate to history, pop culture, science, and math. Students had 15 seconds to respond to each audio recording. Congratulations to our sixth graders for beating the seventh and eighth graders! Next week, we will compete in the National Social Studies League competition.
HMS Student Council Club
This week, the Student Council met to continue our project from last week. In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, our members put together themed bulletin boards to recognize all of our amazing teachers at HMS. Last week, students prepared by coloring and cutting out our decorations. This week, we worked together to decorate a bulletin board on each grade’s floor level. We hope that our teachers feel appreciated this week and every week!
Grade Level Dance Information
National Junior Honor Society at Hoboken Middle School
New Inductee Update - LETTERS TO CANDIDATES WERE EMAILED TO STUDENTS AT 3PM FRIDAY, MAY 6TH.
Several parents and students have reached out regarding NJHS inductees and possible applicants. At this time, the NJHS Committee is not meeting until the conclusion of Marking Period 3. Based on NJHS bylaws and guidelines that follow National Honor standards, new applicants are not contacted until three consecutive marking periods grades have occurred. This is based on grade 6, grade 7 students, grade 7 students who did not turn down the invitation last school year, and any new HMS students that have arrived during the 2021-2022 school year. If you have any questions regarding NJHS at HMS, please reach out to Dr. Baskinger via email. (robin.baskinger@hoboken.k12.nj.us)
Newsletter Activity Club
This week, Newsletter students created a survey for HMS teachers to complete for the MP 4 Quarterly Newsletter. Newsletter will share this survey with the staff shortly. We appreciate any staff responses, so we can feature the wonderful HMS teachers in the Marking Period 4 Quarterly Newsletter! Newsletter will meet on Monday, May 9th!
Best Buddies / Diversity Club
This week, Best Buddies students played Memory. The students had a lot of fun playing this with their peers. Hoboken Public Schools Friendship Walk is scheduled for June 8th. More information will be shared regarding this at Wednesday’s meeting.
Yearbook Club
Now that the Yearbook is complete, this week's meeting was a time to relax and reflect. Club members that attended the meeting got to see a glimpse of the final yearbook, after Ms. Gradzki's final revisions. We actually found a couple alignment errors that we sent in to Walsworth to fix. In our upcoming meetings, we are going to plan out the calendar for next year and a strategy for collecting more student memories. If you are interested in ordering an HMS Yearbook, they are $20 each. Please click the link below to order: https://yearbookforever.com/schools/hoboken_middle_school_363178/K4eUJDvfCFgwFD2HKB9vtscU
GSA Club
This week in GSA, students continued watching Hairspray the movie and discussed the prejudice and lack of diversity on the Corny Collins show. Students also began discussion on Mental Health Awareness as May is Mental Health Awareness month. Members of GSA discussed how mental health awareness is extremely important in the LGBTQA+ community. Next week, students will finish watching Hairspray and their discussions on how to raise awareness of mental health.
HMS Literary Club
This week in Literary Magazine club we continued to create our biographies for one another. As more students arrived this week we had more to share and write about! The biographies are at this point very informative about each writer. We also have a title for a the magazine, "The Printed Tiger." After much debating we finally agreed on this great title for the magazine.
Band Club
Ms. Falcone's Guidance Counselor Corner
Attention 8th Grade Students:
During the week of May 9th, I will continue to meet with 8th grade students to select their 9th grade courses at Hoboken High School. This is an exciting time for our 8th grade students as we begin the transition from middle school to high school. Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions regarding this process: sfalcone@hoboken.k12.nj.us.
Save the Date: Student Development Day #5 will take place on Friday, May 27th.
As always, should you have any questions please contact me by email:
Move This World
HMS Nurse's Corner
Healthy eating in childhood and adolescence is important for proper growth and development and to prevent various health conditions. A healthful diet typically includes nutrient-dense foods from all major food groups, including lean proteins, whole grains, healthful fats, and fruits and vegetables of many colors.
Food is a vital part of a student’s life. It’s the source of energy a student utilizes to absorb all the nutrition to learn things. Not only does food help as a good source of energy, but it also helps in the proper development of the brain and physical strength. For students, eating healthy is not an option, it is a necessity! It is very important to have a sound mind in a healthy body if one wants to succeed in their academic career. Certain nutrients and vitamins helps your brain to function more efficiently. They not only strengthen your brain but also help you in learning things faster than those who are lacking nutrients and vitamins.
Effective School Solutions Corner
The month of May is NAMI's (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Mental Health Awareness Month. NAMI's campaign this year is titled "Together for Mental Health", and stresses the importance of coming together to reach our nation's shared vision of getting support and quality care for anyone affected by mental illness. This campaign is also focused on spreading the word through awareness, support, and advocacy.
Important and current statistics to be aware of:
1 in 6 youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health condition each year.
Half of all lifetime mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24.
1 in 5 adults in the US experience a mental health condition in a given year.
Fewer than half of the adults in the US who experience mental illness get the help they need in a given year.
Article: NAMI Mental Health Care Matters
Article: NAMI You are Not Alone
Call the NAMI Helpline at 1-800-950-6264 Mon-Fri 10 AM - 10 PM ET, or in a crisis text NAMI to 741741 for 24/7, confidential, free crisis counseling.
HMS World Language Corner
Spanish
This week in Spanish class, students learned about how to say where things are located using Spanish location words. Students were engaged in a variety of Total Physical Response activities, by saying where classroom objects are located in the classroom. We also had a magnificent time when we reviewed adjectives to be used for an Acrostic Poem dedicated to the celebration of Mother's Day. Students had three choices to choose from. We used words like MAMÁ, MADRE, or MAMI, as these are all words used to say mom in the Spanish speaking countries. Students created a Mother's Day Card for their moms and they wrote their moms an Acrostic poem in the target language. Students were thrilled to be able to share this keepsake with their mom, or someone who is really special in their life. Below is a picture of Grade 8 students Brayah O'Connor and Anabelle Peña showing their completed Mother's day cards. ¡Feliz Dia de las Madres to all of you!
Mandarin
This week in Chinese class, students completed presentational writing and speaking tasks where they introduced information about China. Students demonstrated mastery of using vocabulary and sentence patterns to introduce China including nationality, language spoken, experiences having been or not having been to China, and describing different cities in China. Afterwards, students moved on to the countries of North and South America, where they learned the names of many countries from the North, Central and South American continent as well as the language each country speaks. Students also learned about the history of European migration to the continent. The following picture is of students completing a presentational writing quiz.
French
Grade & Content Level ~ What Have We Been Learning?
6th Grade ELA
Our ELA students continued to read our unit novel Lunch Money, engaging in discussions, and using the text to respond to critical thinking writing prompts. Themes, plot, and character development are among the items of focus in the novel. We also continued our preparation for next week’s NJSLA assessment. Throughout the year, our students engage in activities to develop and master each of the ELA core standards, and they are monitored as they progress. This week, using that student data, we took the opportunity to concentrate on specific standards in order to strengthen and ultimately master these standards ahead of next week’s state testing. Some activities included analyzing student writing samples for their effectiveness and practice in plot structure, vocabulary/context clues and comprehension skills.
Finally, students completed their final reading of an excerpt from Jim Murphy’s book The Great Fire. Students performed a close-reading of the text and answered text-based questions in the form of annotations and notes. Students then applied their analysis of the conditions of Chicago at the time by using the information given to propose modern fire codes that could have been implemented to prevent such a tragedy; such as leaving adequate space between buildings and using fire-resistant materials such as stone or brick.
6th Grade Mathematics
The NJSLA is around the corner and our 6th grade mathematicians are utilizing LinkIt! Progress Monitoring assessments to review what we have been working on all year. The assessment is this Monday, May 9th and will last approximately 6 days. Our focus this week was on standards 6.NS.A.1, 6.NS.C.6, 6.NS.C.7, 6.RP. A.3, and 6.SP. A & B. Students reviewed ratio and rate, the use of percent, area, surface area and volume, and how to display, describe and summarize data. The students are confident that they will be successful in the upcoming assessment. In our ILP classes, students continued to sharpen their skills by practicing the individualized IXL diagnostic recommendations.
6th Grade Social Studies
This week during Social Studies class our little historians delved into the life and achievements of one of America’s most influential Presidents, Abraham Lincoln. During these lessons students learned about the ways President Lincoln tried to convince the Southern States not to secede from the Union. After all, The Declaration of independence clearly states that “all men are created equal” yet the Southern States held Africans as slaves, a practice that completely contradicts the U.S Constitution.
This week students also demonstrated their knowledge on previous lessons by completing quiz about slavery, and how it spread into the newly formed western States. Topics covered on this quiz included lessons on The Trail of Tears, slave rebellions in the American South and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Lastly our Social Studies class immersed themselves into the world of today’s current events.
6th Grade Science
This week in science, students presented their food chains project from last week. The audience gave feedback and identified the producer, consumers and decomposer in all the different food chains presented. Students also learned this week about fossils and the fossil record. They took guided notes and answered comprehension questions that led them to understand what conditions needed to be met for a once living organism to fossilize. They also identified which rock layer consisted of newer fossils. In tied to this we did a Charles Darwin Biography. Students creatively showed pictures and descriptions on his journey and what "survival of the fittest" really means. Learning more about the father of evolution allows them to understand that things change over time and organisms that change adapt to their environment. Lastly, we finished watching a case study on rock pocket mice and came to conclusions that the mice that blended in with the environment were more likely to survive and reproduce while those that did not were caught more easily by predators!
7th Grade ELA
7th Grade Mathematics
Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful “Moms” out there :)
7th Grade Social Studies
7th Grade Science
8th Grade ELA
This week in ELA, students continued writing their rough drafts of their memoirs. By following their outlines, students wrote their rough drafts, adding transition words and phrases. Students also worked to create descriptive language that helps their reader picture their memoirs. We will publish our final pieces next week!
Additionally, students continued to prepare for NJSLA by working through various 8th grade ELA standards. We covered standard RI 8.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts, standard RL 8.1 - Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, standard RL 8.2 - Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text, and standard RI 8.5 -Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.
8th Grade Mathematics
Pre-Algebra I
This week in Pre-Algebra, students began NJSLA Review. Students finished reviewing standards 8.EE.A.1 through 8.EE.A.4 covering skills such as applying the properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent expressions, evaluating square roots and cube roots, and performing operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation.
We then began reviewing 8.G.B.6: Explain a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse and 8.G.B.7: Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in real-world and mathematical problems. Next week we will conclude our review in preparation for the NJSLA test. Students used the released items from previous year’s NJSLA tests to review these skills. At the conclusion of each review unit, students took a mini-quiz on Link-It to demonstrate their understanding. Next week we will continue with NJSLA review, and discuss test taking strategies to ensure our students are ready for the NJSLA test!
Pre-AP Algebra
This week algebra students took a deep dive into the different contexts and solution systems for quadratics. We focused on the concept of solving quadratics in order to see solutions to geometry problems with unknown length. We looked more at projectile motion and considered problems that are more like puzzles that can be solved with quadratics. Students have learned three different systems for solving quadratics- factoring, completing the square and using the quadratic formula. Each of these has its place and students are considering when it is best to use each of these and what the solutions mean. This week we have also spent time reviewing solving equations for a given variable and factoring polynomials with degrees larger than two.
8th Grade Social Studies
Social Studies
This week in social studies we continued to learn about the events of the Second World War. Students first learned about the early war period where the blitzkrieg was most effective. Then, we transitioned into the entry of the U.S. into the war after the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Students analyzed several primary sources to pick apart the reasons for why the Japanese attacked the USA. Finally, students finished the week with a research timeline project on several battles from WW2. Students were tasked with researching and analyzing battles and determining their significance to the war overall.
Pre-AP World History
This week in Pre-AP World History we started the week by finishing the Punic Wars. Students completed their project on major events from the second Punic War, then read the primary source account of the destruction of Carthage from Appian. Students analyzed the effects this event would have had on the wider world and Rome perception. Then, after analyzing the height of the Roman Republic we began learning about the rise of emperors in Rome with the rise of Julius Caesar. Students analyzed several primary sources to then create a conclusion for why Caesar was assassinated by the Roman Senate.
8th Grade Science
This week in science, students began writing their formal lab reports for the circulatory system lab completed on gizmos last week. Students wrote their lab report based on the question, “How does blood travel through the heart and the rest of the body?” Students completed their hypotheses, materials and lab procedures sections at the start of the week. At the end of the week, students completed their data, results, and conclusion sections of the lab report. In addition, students drew a model of the heart and how the blood travels through each chamber, the lungs and other organs. Next week, students will be continuing their preparation for the science NJSLA.
Fine and Performing Arts Corner
Pre-AP Music
Pre-AP Dance
This week students started working in groups to create their first dance phrase product. Students will use a combination of elements that include action, body, energy, time and space to tell the story of "Snow" by Julia Alvarez. The story is about a young girl that moves to New York City with her family and is experiencing snow for the first time in her life. We cannot wait to see what the students create!
HMS Strings
Ms. Monblatt's HMS String students had an outstanding week! In Pre-AP Music, students continued to analyze Ashokan Farewell while considering their audience and the context in which they are performing. Students presented potential expressive changes that they intended to contribute to the performance, shared their ideas with classmates and reflected on what changes might best serve the work. String students continued to work performing “Ashokan Farewell", focusing on the second half of the piece. Students also enjoyed a challenging sight-reading sesion of an arrangement of "In The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World. The arrangement had complex rhythmic notation patterns including dotted note values and sixteenth notes, giving students a great opportunity to analyze unfamiliar sheet music! Bravo to all of these incredible students for all of their hard work!
Pre-AP Theater
This week in Pre-AP theater we continued exploring West Side Story. It is time for this marking period's students to conduct a table read of the play. This involves reading each scene out loud. Students are selected to read a character's lines so that the script can be heard from different voices as intended. We stop at each song to listen to one of the film versions before moving on. It is important to read the whole script in order to provide the context surrounding Act II Scene II. It is the goal for the first learning cycle to block that scene specifically.
Health & Fitness Education
Physical Education
Students were able to hone in on their handball skills and get into the game, especially when the weather wasn't the greatest for outside physical activity. It was a great way to get out some energy and get our bodies moving!
HMS Health
The 6th grade health classes are catching up on taking care of our skin and nails, which falls under the personal hygiene category we have been exploring. The 7th graders are learning how to say no to tobacco and the warnings of tobacco use. The 8th graders are learning about the excretory system and how it affects our bodies.
Parent Resources for Cell Phone Monitoring
HMS School Store
Most children today have a cellphone on hand and use it extensively to do homework, communicate with friends, and view social media platforms. It is almost unimaginable to think of a modern-day child who doesn’t take full advantage. These rapid advancements in technology have been proven to be a recent challenge. Below are two suggested cellphone monitoring services that include activity monitoring, location services, filtering, and screen time management. Though not offered through Hoboken Public Schools, these resources may be helpful in managing cell phone usage. Click on each link below below to be taken directly to the resource website.
Qustodio: The All-In-One Parental Control and Digital Wellbeing Solution