WIP 6.9-6.13
Information on the Harrogate, England Exchange program is in the 7/8th grade office. Below are some Harrogate due dates:
-Application deadline Wed. June 11th,
-Notification June 13th Friday
-Deposit ($200) & profile due Monday, June 16th
-Student notification of match Wednesday, June 18th.
-Parent meeting Wednesday, September 3rd.
Mathematics
After school:
Monday- Mrs. Jones
Tuesday- Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Towle
Wednesday - Mrs. Jones
Thursday- Mrs. Bennett
We are completing our algebra unit this week with lessons about slope, to make connections to what students have already learned about coefficients and y-intercepts in equations. Last weeks’ work centered around using equations to solve for “break even points” in business situations.
There will be a unit test on Thursday/Friday of next week. Students will be given advice/suggestions on how to study for this test during classes.
The last week of school will probably be probability!
Have a great weekend!
Social Studies
Mr. Stein
jstein@fps.k12.me.us
CURRENT EVENTS RECORD IS DUE FIRST CLASS OF THE WEEK.
This week will conclude the Africa mini-unit. We will finish watching the movie The Devil Came on Horseback, and turn the conversation from Darfur specific to genocide in general. Students will be assigned a specific option for the United State’s role in preventing genocide. As a team they will present their option in a debate format. Students will be assessed on a group and an individual basis. I have enjoyed working with the Gold Crew students for the last few weeks. I am looking forward to seeing what they can produce in this final freethinking exercise.
Science
Mrs. Stuart
estuart@fps.k12.me.us
After school: Tuesday and Wednesday as needed.
Moon Observation are due on Monday June 9th. IF the weather is bad BOTH Sat and Sun students will have until June 11th.
Planet presentations are due Monday for Block B and all others Tuesday.
Students will finish the year learning about the reasons for the seasons and the change of appearance of the moon. They will also compile their “space” knowledge on a mini poster that will be completed in class. The last week of school they will have a final quiz on moon phases/ seasons and the motions of objects in space.
Please have your child check power school and make sure all their science grades are accurate. Any make up or extra credit work is due by Wednesday June 11th.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Wednesday
Email: mcampbell@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
Spanish 7- Next week we will wrap up out stem changing verb clinic with a quiz on the verbs and numbers. We will then start our final activity. This will be announced next we as I am still working on the details, but it will be a way for students to demonstrate what they have learned this year. Notebooks will be evaluated for this trimester on Thursday and Friday as well. Remind your son or daughter to be sure to have it and to make it as complete as possible. If they are missing things they should ask a classmate for the material and copy it into their notebook, aka cuaderno.
Spanish Intro –. We have been learning the bigger numbers to 1000. Next week we will have a quiz on numbers. We will continue learning the song we started today, De colores, as well. Notebooks will be evaluated for this trimester on Thursday and Friday as well. Remind your son or daughter to be sure to have it and to make it as complete as possible. If they are missing things they should ask a classmate for the material and copy it into their notebook, aka cuaderno.
Le Français
Mme Turner
gturner@fps.k12.me.us
After school: Tues. & Thurs.
We will be finishing work around Pauvre Anne. Students should be working at home if they are behind in work. All work should be complete by Friday.
ELA
Becky Hayes
rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
After School: Tuesday
This week we will be completing our poetry unit with “found” poetry. Students will be using any/all imagery that they’ve recorded onto their Image Palette bookmark from their independent reading book, to create a new poem(s) borrowing the words and language from their author and crafting from it a completely new poem (i.e. new subject, new theme, new characters, new setting etc.). We are also working on an analogy unit to review ELA grammar rules from the year (synonyms, antonyms, homophones etc.) as well as to enrich vocabulary, as we finish out the year.
Gold Crew Week In Preview for June 4 through June 8
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School the week of June 4: Monday and Tuesday - NOT Thursday this week
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
There will be a pop quiz at some point in the next two weeks in sections A, B, C, D, and E. This quiz will assess the organization of your student’s math binder: 25% for the book being in the rings of the binder, 25% for having three dividers, 25% for homework being in order, and 25% for having a pencil. These were the requirements stressed throughout the year. It is hoped that your student will take this discipline with him/her to the eighth grade.
Blocks B, C, D, and E will finish Investigation 2 (the mean as an equal share and as a balance point). There will be a check-up on Thursday or Friday.
Block A will do Investigation 3 in which they will hone their ability to “read the data, read between the data, and read beyond the data”. There will be a partner quiz at the end of the week.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
This week will present some challenges. All students should have taken the cuaderno check/test by Monday (when class B takes it) and have the rest of the week, except for the day we go to Lowell, to work on their final project. As you may have heard the projects are very varied, some students are working alone, some with a partner and some in a small group. The final product is also a variable. It might be a skit, an illustrated book, a game, a song or a PowerPoint presentation. The presentations of the product will be the following week over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I have seen some very interesting ideas for this project and look forward to seeing the outcome.
Next week I will also be collecting the textbook. Please remind your children to have it with them in school, in case they have taken it home. Thank you.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tues.
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
The final projects are due this week. Classes A,B,C, and D on Tuesday and Class E on Monday. We will be sharing the projects with classes in other grades. We will begin the film, “Jean de Florette” based on the story by Marcel Pagnol. We watched his romantic autobiography “La Gloire de mon Père” before the Winter Break. There will be a final phrase of the day quiz.
Students may still receive extra credit points by going to the Portland Art Museum and finding 10 French artists and writing the name of the work, and/or going to the grocery store and finding a variety of items from France. Students need to write down detailed information from the label! All extra credit must be turned in by Friday, June 8th!
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday (we will be in Lowell on Wednesday)
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
Next week students will begin their final science assignment. They will be researching the technology and the scientists behind the advancements that have changed our understanding of space. They will present this to their class on June 12th.
There will be a final multiple choice “Space” test on the the 8th for C,D,E and A and B will take the test on Monday.
Social Studies – Ray Fox
Email: rfox@fps.k12.me.us
Next week students will finish presenting thier 1800’s assignment. Ask your child how the presentation went. When presentations are finished we will supplement Lyddie and our trip to Lowell by discussing the industrial revolution.
Current Event log is due June 11th.
ELA – Becky Hayes
After School: As needed
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
Next week students will continue to work on their own allegory as well as reading Lyddie. Just as a reminder - permission slips and money ($10) are due immediately for our field trip to Lowell, MA on Wednesday, June 6th! We may need a few parent chaperones, so if you are able to come with us that day (8-5) please email me!
Thanks and have a great weekend!
Special event reminders:
LifeTouch school photos were sent home this week. You have until June 1 to decide if you want them, or a portion of them, then they must be paid for or retuned to the homeroom teacher. Please note that you may be charged for the whole package if they are not returned. Thank you for being prompt with your responses.
Upcoming Field Trip: On Wednesday, June 6th, Blue Crew will be heading to Lowell, Ma where we will tour the Lowell National Historical Park and the Tsongas Industrial History Center. This trip is a cross-content enrichment experience tying together Social Studies’ Industrial Revolution Unit, ELA’s Oz and Lyddie Units, and Science’s Technology Unit. Permission Slips will be coming home on Tuesday and need to be returned on Thursday. If there is need for financial assistance to cover the cost of admission, please contact the guidance office.
**Please note: This trip will extend beyond normal school hours. We will return to school by 5 p.m.**
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School the week of May 28: Tuesday and Wednesday NOT Thursday this week
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
Although most of you have access to your student’s grades through Power School, I have printed interim progress reports. I have told students whose grades average below 70 to get them signed by you so that you could be made aware of the situation and we could set up a schedule after school to help him/her learn the material before the end of the school year.
There will be a pop quiz at some point during the next three weeks in ALL sections. This quiz will assess the organization of your student’s math binder: 25% for the book being in the rings of the binder, 25% for having three dividers, 25% for homework being in order, and 25% for having a pencil. These were the requirements stressed throughout the year. It is hoped that your student will take this discipline with him/her to the eighth grade.
Blocks B, C, D, and E will be getting back their quiz on dividing fractions. They will start Investigation 2 which expands their concept of mean beyond the algorithm to thinking of it as an equal share (rob from the rich, give to the poor) and as a balance point.
Block A will learn about the software, Tinkerplots, and use it to analyze the sugar content in cereals. There should be a quiz at the end of the week/beginning of the following week.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
This short week will be dedicated to kicking off our last project. I’m still putting together the description of this project and will get it up on my blog and or web page as soon as the details are worked out. There will be some people still taking the Chapter 7 test as a number were out when it was given. If you are one of these be ready to take it after school on Tuesday. Other dates would have to be arranged with me. We will be cleaning up our cuadernos for a final “open book” check/test which will be given at the end of the week.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tues. ‘til 3:15 and Thurs
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
This week students will continue to work on their rough drafts for the final book project. Rough draft due dates and final due dates for the different classes are:
Class A: 5/23 page 2 &3 due, 5/30 page 4 &5 due, 5/31 page 6 due, final project due 6/5
Class B: 5/23 page 3 due, 5/30 page 4 due, 5/31 page 5/6 due, 6/5 final project due.
Class C: 5/29 pages 3 & 4, 5/30 pages 5/6, Final project due 6/5
Class D:5/29 page 3 due, 5/31 pages 4 & 5 due, 6/1 page 6 due, 6/5 final project due.
Class D: 5/30 pages 3 & 4 due, 5/31 pages 5 & 6 due, 6/4 final project due.
We will be sharing our books with the 6th grade so it is important that students meet the due dates. 5 extra credit points if they meet all the due dates!
Students may still receive extra credit points by going to the Portland Art Museum and finding 10 French artists and writing the name of the work, and/or going to the grocery store and finding a variety of items from France. Students need to write down detailed information from the label!
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday and Thursday
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
We have explored moon phases, seasons and eclipses this week. Please ask your child: What causes the seasons? When do eclipses happen? Why do the moon phases occur? They will have a quiz next week on the information.
They also will be turning in the seed lab write up on Wed. for a, b, and c and Thurs. for d and e. Replacement grade labs are also due at that time.
Next week we will be working on space vocabulary and developing the connections between them. We will also be learning more about Galileo and his life and contributions to our understanding of space
Social Studies – Ray Fox
Email: rfox@fps.k12.me.us
Students are working on their “1800’s Change In America” assignment. Student will continue to research and develop a visual for their presentation. Presentations will begin on Thursday and Friday. Check your child’s rubric and graphic organizer for more information.
Don’t forget about the Current Event Log which is due June 11th.
ELA – Becky Hayes
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
Over the long holiday weekend, students have been given the next book that we’ll be reading entitled Lyddie, by Katherine Paterson, about a young girl from Vermont at the turn of the 20th Century, who feels obligated to go work in a mill to earn money in hopes of reuniting her family. Students are expected to read up to Ch. 6; they may read further if they like!
Next week, students will apply their knowledge and understanding of an allegory as they write one of their own. They will also have a quiz on the important allegorical terms towards the end of the week (they have these terms in their Wizard of Oz digital Notebook). We will also be continuing to read and discuss Lyddie, in anticipation of our field trip to Lowell, MA the following week.
Permission slips for the field trip to Lowell, MA will be going home on Tuesday of next week. Please read the information and have your child bring back the form and money as soon as possible!
Thanks and enjoy the holiday weekend!
Gold Crew Week In Preview for May 21 through 25
Special event reminder:
Last dance is on May 25th this Friday! The 7th grade will be hosting the final dance of the year. We need donations of bottled water and healthy snacks that align with our healthy snack guidelines. We are also looking for parent chaperones. Please e-mail if you can contribute in these areas! mcampbellr@fps.k12.me.us
Ping Pong club will meet on Wednesday from 2:30-3:30 in the cafeteria!
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
Blocks B, C, D, and E will be receiving their unit tests from the Stretching and Shrinking unit and will start the new book about data distributions. They will have a quiz to assess their ability to divide fractions at the end of the week.
Block A will finish Investigation 1 and start Investigation 2 in Data Distributions. They will expand their concept of mean beond the algorithm to include thinking of it as an equal share (rob from the rich, give to the poor) and as a balance point.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
This week in Spanish we are wrapping up the unit on sports and weather. We will be reviewing and recombining what we have learned and have the test on Thursday or Friday. See my blog to get the dates for specific classes.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tues. & Wed.
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
We will be focusing on the final project for the next couple of weeks. Students will have a project descriptor, rubric and we will break down the assignment. Students will be writing a 6 page book with each page a topic that we have studied which incorporates vocabulary and grammar covered this year. I have found that this serves as an excellent review and measure of the tremendous progress your children have made this year! Class time will be devoted to writing. If this time is used well, there should be little homework except for the assembling of the final product. Please ask your child to see the product descriptor.
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
Moon observations are due on Wed. for classes A and B and Thurs for C, D and E. We will be learning why moon phases occur and how the tilt of the Earth causes seasons. Next week the seed lab will be due for A,B and C on Wed. and D and E. Please check power school with your child and see if they need to write an additional lab for a “replacement grade”.
Social Studies – Ray Fox
Email: rfox@fps.k12.me.us
ELA – Becky Hayes
After school Wednesday - make up Comma, Colon, & Semicolon Quizzes!
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
This week students will be working on writing their own allegory and creating a key of symbols to go along with it. We’ll begin by using a graphic novel to scaffold their understanding of writing an allegory (the graphic novel already has a message/moral, as well as characters, objects etc.) Students will create a story in words, to correspond with the pictures and allegorize the contents. Students will have the option to either to use the graphic novel as their final allegory or to come up with their own original allegory, towards the end of this week/over the long weekend.
If you’d like to see the graphic novel that they’ll be using, ask your child to show you their “Owly Graphic Novel” Notebook; it’s all contained there!
Thanks and have a great week!
Special reminders:
Progress for the 3rd trimester: As a student’s grades can be viewed on Powerschool by parents, there has not been a progress report sent home. We encourage you to access the grades with your child and to engage in the same dialogue you might have had with the progress report!
Half day on Wed. May 16th. Students will have UA followed be their C block class. There will be an informational meeting on next year’s opportunity for students to participate in the Harrogate exchange. Advisory will meet from 10:30-11:00.
Healthy breakfast snack donations are needed for Thursday 5/17 (the first day the Quebec students leave). As a 7th grade team, we are planning two fun-filled days for those 60 students who will remain with us. Please email, Rebecca Hayes (rhayes@fps.k12.me.us), if you are able to donate/bring in a food item! Thanks, in advance, for your help!
The last dance is coming up on May 25th! The 7th grade will be hosting the final dance of the year. We need donations of bottled water and healthy snacks. We are also looking for parent chaperones. Please e-mail if you can contribute in these areas!
gturner@fps.k12.me.us
Ping Pong club will meet on Monday from 2:30-3:30 in the cafeteria!
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
Blocks B, C, D, and E will finish work with similarity and take a unit test over two days next week. The week after the Quebec trip, there will be a quiz to assess the students’ ability to divide fractions.
Block A finished Filling and Wrapping this week with a unit test. Many students did very well and have demonstrated great improvement in their mathematical ability since the fall. Recognizing that this is a team effort, I would like to thank you all for your support.
On Monday, we will start Data Distributions - Describing Variability and Comparing Groups with a “hands-on” investigation to determine if Mars Inc. has a specific plan for the distribution of colors of M&M’s.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
In Spanish we will continue with Chapter 7. Recombining the vocabulary, the verbs and the adjectives of nationality in new ways. We will be reading actual newspaper articles on sports, looking for cognates (new and old) and to see how far our first year Spanish gets us in authentic press in the target language. If all goes well, we will wrap up this unit the following week (after the Quebec trip) and have the unit test. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tuesday
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
Students will have their ch. 6 exam on Monday or Tuesday. In preparation for the final project which is a book, we will look at how to write interesting sentences. We will also do some readings from the book “Pauvre Anne” over the next few weeks.
Ch. 6 exam:
Vocabulaire p. 173
Les partitifs et l’article défini p.158
Les partitifs au négatif p.159
Faire p.161
Pouvoir/vouloir p. 164
Lecture & Culture p. 168
Extra Credit Opportunity: 10 extra credit points on an exam or final project. Students need to go to the supermarket and find a variety of French products.( not 10 cheeses or wines!) They need to write the product down and if possible note where in France they are from. Nothing needs to be purchased!!!!
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
Students should be collecting moon observations. Ten observations are due on May 23rd or 24th. This weekend the moon will “appear” very early in the morning and “disappear” in the early afternoon. Students have one assignment due before Wed. “Solar System Scale”. This activity ties what they have learned in math about scale factors to the solar system. If they have questions the directions explain the process step by step. Please encourage them to read carefully.
Thanks to all of you who have help make the terraqua columns so colorful and exciting with fish and other variables!!
Mrs. Izzo - Seminar: Accelerated ELA
The “dreaded” vocabulary test will be given on Monday with #3 of the 4 Smart Word groups. The test will include all 75 words to date with 50 multiple choice and 25 written definitions. Next week we will begin our readings in anticipation of our writer’s forum event in connection with The Telling Room. If you would like a packet of the readings please let me know, and I will get one to you. I am excited about this opportunity as our students will be exposed to four award winning writers working in different genres and will consider how a sense of Maine informs their work.
More information is available on the website about the tremendous work being done at The Telling Room - www.tellingroom.org. We are fortunate to have such a great resource available to our young writers. HAPPY WEEKEND!
Gold Crew Week In Preview for May 7 through May 11
Special event reminders:
QUEBEC: There is a very important meeting for all students going to Quebec and their parents on Wednesday, May 9th at 7pm in the cafeteria. At this meeting the you will learn all about the trip, who is rooming with who, what bus the students are on, who are the chaperones, the itinerary, the rules, recommendations for what to bring, and much more. Please be sure to come.
Ping Pong Club Meeting times for May: from 2:30-3:30 on Wed. May 9, 23, and 30. On Monday May 14th from 2:30-3:30. We meet in the cafeteria. We are starting up a new ping pong club. Students will learn the rules of the game and game etiquette while developing new skills and meeting new people. We have two tables so play will be rotated. Any questions please e-mail gturner@fps.k12.me.us.
From the library
With summer and summer reading fast approaching, here are some recommended sites to provide suggestions for what to read: http://lazyreaders.com and the MARVEL! data base - NoveList K-8. To access MARVEL! from home you need to have a current Falmouth, or other Maine town, library card. Check with any librarian for help with this product. Having an issue with that gifted child? This newsletter gives you ideas and suggestions for reading, activities, and much more: http://www.dukegiftedletter.com/
Yearbook orders are coming in fast and furious. Please remember that we order only 600 books and our school has 733 students and 90 staff. Not everyone will have a book, so please pre-order as soon as possible. All students know and understand that they need to have all library and school materials (includes textbooks, team uniforms, library books) returned before they may receive their yearbooks. Thanks for your help.
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
Blocks B, C, D, and E will continue to work with similarity as a way to find missing lengths and angle measures. There will be a take home quiz during the middle of the week and a unit test the following Monday or Tuesday (May 14 or 15). For skills review, we will start work on dividing fractions (multiply by the reciprocal).
Block A is finishing up the book, Filling and Wrapping. This last investigation focuses on the effect of a scale factor on both surface area and volume. Your children have been learning about some interesting volume relationships. Please take a minute and ask how many cones in a cylinder or sphere of the same height.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
In Spanish we are starting out with the quiz on the stem changing verbs. I postponed this quiz till next week to avoid conflicts with other classes. This should give the students plenty of time to practice conjugating these tricky verbs. We will then continue with chapter 7, practicing the vocabulary, doing exercises from the text, reading some sports articles from Costa Rican newspapers. There will be some kind of vocabulary assessment toward the end of the week.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tues. & Fri.
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
Extra Credit Opportunity: 10 extra credit points on an exam or final project. Students need to go to the supermarket and find a variety of French products.( not 10 cheeses or wines!) They need to write the product down and if possible note where in France they are from. Nothing needs to be purchased!!!!
There will be two quizzes this week, one on the verbs Pouvoir/vouloir and one on partitives. We will spend the week reinforcing and applying the lessons from this chapter in preparation for an exam the following week.
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
Students will finish presenting their disease projects on Monday and start on the three seed labs. They will need a clear 2 liter bottle with a lid. They should continue to complete moon observations (early morning is a good time to look).
We will begin our unit on space and the objects in space and their motions. Due dates are still tentative for the moon, due to weather, and the seed labs will be determined by the germination time of the seeds.
Social Studies – Ray Fox
Email: rfox@fps.k12.me.us
We have wrapped up the Constitution Unit, quiz grades will be posted next week.
Next week students will begin a research assignment. The assignment will focus on how America has changed from the signing of the Constitution to present day. Students will select a topic, research and develop a presentation explaining the change and how it has impacted the United States. The assignment will allow for a great deal of creativity.
No Assessments next week.
ELA – Becky Hayes
After School: Tues/Thurs
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
This week Blocks A/B/C/E will take a comma, colon, & semicolon quiz on Monday! Block D will take the quiz on Tuesday. Over the weekend the students need to complete the Study Guide I provided for them, as well as look over and study with the numerous worksheets on these punctuation items! We will continue our Wizard of Oz study next week, completing the book and our charts, comparing the literal and figurative aspects of the allegory. We will hopefully explore other allegories, do some creative writing using a mini-graphic novel/comic strip, to prepare the students in writing their own allegory!
Have a great weekend and as always, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!
Special reminders:
QUEBEC: Mandatory meeting for all students going to Quebec and their parents is on Wednesday, May 9th at 7pm in the cafeteria.
For any parents of a student who is NOT going on the Quebec trip:
If your child is NOT going to Quebec they have a permission slip that must be signed and returned as soon as possible for a field trip to the Boston Museum of Science on May 18th. If they are NOT going on the field trip it is also important for us to know because of the numbers of Busses we need to reserve.
PLEASE return the permission slip with a “Is not going” written on it and your signature.
Furthermore: we are looking for healthy breakfast snack donations for Thursday 5/17 (the first day the Quebec students leave). As a 7th grade team, we are planning two fun-filled days for those students who will remain with us and I’ll be organizing snack donations. Please email Rebecca Hayes (rhayes@fps.k12.me.us) with your interest to help or items you’d be willing to donate/bring in! Thanks for your help.
Ping-Pong Club Meeting times for May: from 2:30-3:30 on Wed. May 2, 9, 23, and 30. On Monday May 14th from 2:30-3:30.
We are starting up a new ping-pong club. Students will learn the rules of the game and game etiquette while developing new skills and meeting new people. We have two tables so play will be rotated. Any questions please e-mail gturner@fps.k12.me.us.
Spring Pictures: On Wednesday students will sit for Spring Photos. This is a wonderful opportunity to see how much your child has grown this year!
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
Blocks B, C, D, and E will have a quiz on two-dimensional geometric similarity either Monday or Tuesday. This quiz was originally scheduled for this last week but we needed the extra time to combat the “amnesia” from vacation.
Block A did very well on the most recent quiz. I was particularly impressed with your child’s use of formulas and ability to present mathematical thought in a clear disciplined manner. There will be a unit test on Friday or the following Monday. It will cover volume and surface area of cylinders and rectangular prisms and volumes of cones, spheres, and pyramids.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
This week we learned some basic weather vocabulary and how to discuss the weather, yesterday, today and tomorrow. We also looked at the weather in different parts of Spain and learned a trick for quickly converting Celsius to Fahrenheit. In the coming week we will continue using the weather vocabulary. A quiz on these expressions can be expected on Tuesday or Wednesday. We have looked at some new stem-changing verbs that will be used more extensively next week when we start chapter 7 in earnest. This unit is on sports.
I’ve noticed that the notebooks, cuadernos as we call them, are looking a little ragged. Please check your child’s and see if it needs some patching up. These need to last till the end of the year when the student will receive a final notebook grade. Gracias.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Monday & Tuesday
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
This week we will deepen our use of food shopping vocabulary. There will be two quizzes: one on the verb FAIRE and one on vocabulary of food and specialty shops. Students will learn to talk about things they want (vouloir) to do and about things they can (pouvoir) do.
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday ( I will be at a Conference on Thursday)
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
Students have TWO activities they are working on. 1)They have a presentation on their disease due on Friday/Monday (for E block only) 2) They are collecting moon observations . Hopefully the clouds will part..
Students will also be taking the NWEA test during one science period.
Today Dr. Mike Bell came in and answered any and all of their questions and helped them dissect a pig’s heart. It was fantastic! You would have been proud of your children’s behavior and the questions they asked were thoughtful and interesting. Mike does a wonderful job, please ask your child what they learned.
Social Studies – Ray Fox
Email: rfox@fps.k12.me.us
Students will have a quiz over the Constitution on Tuesday or Wednesday. (depending on class rotation) All students have a study guide of essential questions as well as an 11 X 17 sheet of paper with various graphic organizers and charts. They should be reviewing the material and be prepared to participate during Monday’s class review.
Students will also participate in a mock trial next week.
Mrs. Izzo - Seminar: Accelerated ELA
We will be finishing our work on The Stolen Child in the upcoming week with group projects, student selected, and, I must say, this time they are doing a marvelous job working collaboratively. They will be presenting Yeats’ poem, The Stolen Child, of course, using creativity to express the words and movements in the poem. I imagine you will begin to see some of their work as movies are being made; music recorded and art integrated into the presentation. Note cards are required for the final presentation to maintain focus and organization. I am really excited about the momentum I am observing with this work. We will also be starting our 3rd group of 25 Smart Words that will add to our next vocabulary test of 75 Smart Words. Students will also be editing their response to the Essay Question to produce a higher quality paper. Journals due on Fridays. Should be a busy week…HAPPY WEEKEND!
ELA – Becky Hayes
After school as needed
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
Next week we will continue reading and discussing The Wizard of Oz. Students will begin to align the literal and figurative elements of L. Frank Baum’s story, with the historical purposes of his allegory. Making these connections and understanding the abstract concepts of the allegory will be a critical exercise for your child. Please feel free to check in with them next week, to assure their understanding of these allegorical elements! We will also be continuing our grammar study on colons & semicolons with a quiz most likely towards the end of the week (commas, colons, & semicolons.)
Thanks again and have a great weekend!
Gold Crew Week In Preview for April 23 through 27
Reminder: April 25th is an early Release Day.
Powerschool: With the recent unveiling of the Power School Parent Portal, many students have asked to have access to their grades. It will be our policy to refer each student back to his/her parent or guardian to gain usernames and passwords to access grades, should that be your decision. In creating this policy, we are considering the following:
1. The Portal creates an excellent opportunity to foster informed conversations between parent and child.
2. Students should be encouraged to be aware of their learning, but not fixate on grades in lieu of the overall experience.
and finally,
3. A student’s performance and achievement deserve quiet consideration, respect and privacy.
Ping Pong Club Thursdays from 2:30-3:30
We are starting up a new ping pong club. Students will learn the rules of the game and game etiquette while developing new skills and meeting new people. We have two tables so play will be rotated. Any questions please e-mail gturner@fps.k12.me.us.
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
The first week back from vacation, Blocks B, C, D, and E will continue with the study of similar figures culminating in a quiz at the end of the week. On Thursday, in line with our review of fraction operations, there also will be a short quiz on subtracting fractions and mixed numbers. You may wish to go over this material with your child if you sense s/he has forgotten how to perform this algorithm.
Block A will review on Monday and take a quiz on Tuesday. This quiz will assess their ability to write formulas for finding surface area and volume and number sentences as well as their knowledge of surface area and volume of prisms and cylinders.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
The week we return from the break we will have a mini unit on the weather and more expressions using TENER. We will start keeping diaries in Spanish using the vocabulary in our CUARDERNOS, and finally, if time permits we will start chapter 7 in the text. Those students who were not able to take or finish the Chapter 6 Unit test before leaving for the break should be sure to schedule the make up as soon as they return. Hasta la vista.
ELA – Becky Hayes
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
Students have received a copy of the next group novel, The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. Students are expected to read up to Chapter 12 over vacation and we will finish the book when we return from break. Please be sure that they have their book packed if you’re going away on vacation, and/or that they spend some quite time reading over break. Please remind your child that even if they’ve seen the MGM movie, the book is different and must be read!
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tues. & Fri. as needed
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
http://monet.edublogs.org/
We will begin Chapter 6 this week, which focuses on the pleasures of food shopping in France. We will also begin an easy reader “Pauvre Anne” which provides a fun way for students to apply what they have learned during their French experience.
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday and Thursday
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
The “Cheeseburger” test will be returned. It is a level two so they can not leave the room. (Grades will be posted as soon as they are graded.) The tests I have graded so far have shown, great understanding, and lots of effort to connect the information!
Our next unit is on disease and how it affects the function of a normal system. This unit will also incorporate library skills so Mrs. Becksvoort will be teaching with us. On Friday the 27th Mike Bell will be in to dissect the hearts with us and answer questions that students have. Hopefully we will not have another snow day!
Students will need a clear two-liter bottle for the next week’s lab, (you may want to save one over vacation).
Social Studies – Ray Fox
Email: rfox@fps.k12.me.us
After vacation students will finish their proposals to make FMS better. All groups are creating slideshows and will present their “bills” to the class and then to an administrator. The activity follows the government policy of how a bill becomes a law.
Don’t forget about the Current Event Log!
Thanks and have a happy & safe vacation!
Gold Crew Week In Preview for April 9 through 12
There are several things to mention this week:
As you know April vacation starts next Friday and we have a short week.
Perhaps this request would be more timely after the vacation as a glance out the window shows a heavily snow covered landscape BUT we would like to remind students and parents to review the dress code together.
This week students chose 4 friends to room with on the trip to Quebec. It was explained that we guarantee only one person from their list. If your student is going on the trip and missed the opportunity to write down roommate choices they should see their homeroom teacher before vacation. Roommates will be announced after the break.
A reminder to all who look at the grades on line: It is still very early in the semester so individual grades have a stronger impact than they will as the semester progresses and more grades are added. A look at the current grades gives an opportunity to monitor ones progress through the semester. The grades change with each new assignment.
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
Please make sure that your child has a calculator. I have none to lend as they have all disappeared. The same is true of pencils.
In Blocks B, C, D, and E we will review and re tune fraction skills. There will be a brief quiz on adding fractions on Tuesday in these classes. We will continue with Investigation 2 in Stretching and Shrinking and explore what constitutes a similar figure using coordinate grids.
In Block A, we will finish Investigation 3 (Surface area and volume of prisms and cylinders). I would like to administer a quiz on this material Thursday.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
Next week is a short week, but I’m hoping to wrap up this unit. We have covered the material in Chapter 6 and will review it, recombine and revisit it next week on Monday and Tuesday to prepare for the unit test before leaving for vacation. Again I feel for most of the students taking the assessment when the material is fresh in our minds is preferable to taking in after a week away. I realize that some of you will be leaving early and will miss the test days, these students will have to take it when they return. I will be putting a study guide up on my web page this weekend. The test has been announced on my new homework blog. Check that out from either my webpage or from my Portaportal. As mentioned before, there are activities on the Portaportal that could be used to practice some of the concepts from this unit.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tues. & Wed.
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
There will be a quiz on the Futur Proche on Monday that students should review for this weekend. They made “cootie Catchers” in class. They could do this activity with you.
We will review possessive adjectives using the vocabulary from Ch. 5. Reinforcing activities will be done in class but students should review the daily lesson at home. The exam includes:
Ch. 5 exam-vocabulaire p. 147-Aller p.133-futur proche p.137-138-use of “y” p.133
-contractions with à and de p.135-136-possessive adjectives notre, votre and leur p.138
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
We will be reviewing and practicing for the level two “Cheeseburger” test. Students should have their diagram and chart ready for me to check early in the week. Ask them to see the test. If you can, reading over the rubric with them would help them clarify the details.
Social Studies – Ray Fox
Email: rfox@fps.k12.me.us
We had a quiz this past Wednesday or Friday depending on the class rotation.
Next week we will continue to examine our Constitution. Topics include, Checks and Balances, Three Branches of Government, Federalism, Bill of Rights and Amending the government. We will also follow the process of how a bill becomes a law by creating ideas to improve the school, researching to support those ideas, designing bills and presenting the proposed bills to an administrator.
No assessments next week.
ELA – Becky Hayes
After School: Tues/Thurs
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
Gold Crew Week In Preview for April 2 - 6
Math – Mrs. Bennett
After School: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email: sbennett@fps.k12.me.us
Web site: http://teacherweb.com/ME/FalmouthMiddleSchool/MrsBennett/h0.stm
Next week, Blocks A, B, C, D and E will have a quiz on finding the area and perimeter of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and circles. Please check with your child to see if s/he understands how to find these measurements. An informal review at home would be GREAT reinforcement. Blocks B, C, D, and E will then continue with discussions about what constitutes a similar figure as we scale up and scale down from the original figure.
Block A just took a Check Up and will start Investigation 3 about developing a strategy to determine the volumes and surface areas of prisms and cylinders. Rather than memorize a formula, students are encouraged to think of finding the area of the base and layering it by multiplying it by the height. This procedure is invaluable because it can also be applied to hexagonal, pentagonal, etc. prisms without the necessity of memorizing many formulas.
If either you or your child is confused by the mathematics of the current unit, please go to the handouts section of my web site and download the parent letter that pertains to the specific book. It provides a clear and concise explanation of the educational goals of the unit.
I enjoyed meeting many of you during conferences. Thank you for your support.
Spanish – Sra. Campbell
After school on Tuesday and Thursday
Email: mcampbel@fps.k12.me.us
Web page: http://www.falmouthschools.org/Marsha/index.html
We are continuing with Chapter 6. We have now been introduced to using the verb tener with que to mean “ have to” do something. We will continue to practice this usage as well as using the verb ir, to go, to say what we will be doing in the future. This is a great time to review the verbs we’ve had in earlier chapters. The students can check their cuadernos for verbs we have had.
The possessive adjectives were introduced this week and we will continue to work with them next week. These are a little confusing so don’t be surprised with your student is baffled. It takes a bit of time and practice. There are more activities on my Portaportal and also on “my Quia” link on my webpage that help with this chapter.
Le Français – Mme Turner
After school Tues. & Wed.
Email: gturner@fps.k12.me.us
This week we will learn to travel to different places with various forms of transportation. We will also finally leave the present and talk about what is going to happen! Students will make Cootie Catchers to use with friends and family. We will continue to work with and reinforce vocabulary from Ch. 5.
Please go to my web site where you can access articles from the New York times about French culture and politics! http://monet.edublogs.org/
Extra Credit: Students have an opportunity to get 10 pts added to their next exam grade. They need to go to the Portland Art Museum and view the French art work. They need to write down at least 10 titles of paintings and the artists names. This needs to be handed in for credit.
Science – Mrs. Stuart
After School Tuesday
Email: estuart@fps.k12.me.us
Next week we will finalize the labs on cellular respiration and combustion. Can your child tell you the similarities and differences between the two? On Monday/Tuesday all students with long hair need to make sure they have elastics or bands to keep bangs etc. pulled back. We will be determining what has more calories, walnuts or marshmallows?
They will also get the “Cheeseburger test”. This test covers a huge amount of vocabulary and information from the digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems. I have found that students embrace the opportunity to prepare and organize their ideas before they will write it in class on April 11th/12th. Please encourage them to write up a rough draft and have me check it.
In addition Mike Bell, MD, will be here on Thursday to talk with students and dissect pig and sheep hearts. Please ask your child about this, he is a wealth of information. We are very fortunate that he is willing to take his day off to help us.
ELA – Becky Hayes
After School: Tues/Wed.
Email: rhayes@fps.k12.me.us
Next week, students will be working on their oral speaking skills as well as their presentation skills. We will be practicing this using a Reader’s Theater technique in small groups; they’ll be reading a selection of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. It should be fun and exciting (don’t worry, no props, costumes, makeup, lighting, staging, music or anything like that is necessary!) It’s a fluency exercise to prepare them for when they’ll be presenting their narrative story later on in the week. We’ll also be continuing our grammar piece focusing on commas, colons, & semicolons.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Izzo: Seminar/ELA
We finished reading The Stolen Child and will begin to process our reading. Everyone will be presenting their small group work on Tuesday: The Timeline Group, Character Development Group, and the Music/Composer Group. We listened to the last chapter of the book…it is so great as everyone is totally silent listening to the words. We will also begin our memorization and interpretation of Yeats’ poem, The Stolen Child, connecting it to the book for the next two weeks. We will also begin to listen to the music that is an integral background element of the dissection of the book…Nat King Cole; Bach; Mahler; Waterboys; Mahler; Dave Brubeck; Miles Davis…should be fun. HAPPY WEEKEND!!! Journals due every Friday.
