Hi all,
Things are starting to bubble a bit on Team Fusion - two weeks until break. Some students just need a quick reminder from families about their two jobs at school: taking care of each other and doing their best as we finish the trimester.
8th Grade Families Only: MMU Recommendation Forms
Please review and then sign the form. Questions about specific courses should be referred to the content teacher or Ms. Wisniowski. Forms are due back to Ms. Wisniowski no later than today - Friday, February 10.
Career Panel February 22, 8-9am
The 8th graders will be starting the annual career unit this coming Monday. The team would like to provide a panel of Fusion parents willing to discuss their career choices, the pathways they took to their present career, and the challenges/rewards of that career with these 8th graders.
Please note - the team wants all parents comfortable participating on this panel to volunteer, but teachers may need to pick from this pool to provide a broad spectrum of careers. Thank you for understanding.
Field Trip Permission Form
Please check in with your child regarding the field trip permission form to Spare Time on Thursday, Feb. 23rd. We are still missing a few. Thank you.
Calendar
February 10 - 8th Grade High School Course Recommendation Forms due back.
February 10 - ⅞ Dance (Fundraiser for Team Fusion - donations of food to the dance)
February 16 - NAEP testing (8th Grade only - Afternoon)
February 17 - YRBS questionnaire (7th and 8th grades only - morning)
February 22 - 8th grade Career Unit Panel, 8-9am
February 23 - Field Trip to Bowling/Lunch of Pizza and Chinese
February 24 - Day before break: All school activity in afternoon (please notify team if your child is not attending school that day)
February 24 - close of Trimester 2 report card
Curriculum Update
LA -
Process Pieces (Competitive Sports Essay -7th and Literary Essay - 8th) were due last Friday. Both grades will be taking a break from writing and focusing reading units this week. This means no reading logs for both groups until break! Students will be completing in-class reading tasks related to each grade’s respective reading units. Both 7th and 8th grade students will be taking on demand writing assessments next week. See below for specific details:
7th - Students have already begun research to prepare for the Argument Writing Assessment that will take place in class on Monday February 13th.
8th - Students will begin preparing for in class on Monday for their Argument Writing Assessment taking place on Wednesday, February 15th.
Science
Trout Update! Students are having a great time tracking the development of our brook trout! The trout are currently at the “swim-up” stage, learning how to swim to the water surface and to consume food. Apparently, if the trout are not offered food at the right time, they may miss the opportunity and never learn how to feed! We will be planning to feed them several times per day, hoping that most of the 101 alevin become regular feeders before the vacation. 
7th - Besides tracking the trout, students dissected flowers this week, identified male and female structures, and studied the processes of pollination and fertilization. Next week, we look at the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction. We’ll have a quiz before moving on to a quick study of the Madagascar hissing cockroach!
8th - We finished our background work understanding the properties and interactions of waves last week, and learned more this week about how engineers design and plan for the energy that different types of waves apply to human structures, such as building and bridges. Next week, we will focus on light waves and other types of electromagnetic radiation.
SS
7th - 7th graders spent a lot of time preparing for the Sovereign State Challenge. In preparation, students spent time reviewing propaganda techniques, the role of the United Nations, gross domestic product, and creating a world map - see the picture. Next week, the students will start SSC in earnest, with the district assessment portion assigned early in the week.
8th - The focused continued to be on the Bill of Rights, especially focused on the 3rd and 2nd amendments. There is a quiz Monday over the Bill of Rights and the district assessment project will be assigned on Tuesday.
Math
7th: We finished the first investigation of Comparing and Scaling this week. We investigated setting up and solving proportions using “between” and “within” relationships. We have also begun to launch the stock market game. In teams, student with simulate having $100,000 to invest in the stock market. This simulation helps teach real-world mathematical and economic concepts. More information is available at www.smgww.org.
8th Grade CMP: We continued our work with exponents this week with working with Scientific Notation and Exponential Decay. We have also begun to launch the stock market game. In teams, student with simulate having $100,000 to invest in the stock market. This simulation helps teach real-world mathematical and economic concepts. More information is available at www.smgww.org.
8th Algebra: We have explored 3 methods for solving a system of equations: Graphing, Substitution, & Elimination. We will be having another unit test before break. We have also begun to launch the stock market game. In teams, student with simulate having $100,000 to invest in the stock market. This simulation helps teach real-world mathematical and economic concepts. More information is available at www.smgww.org.
