Hi all,
Everything is back to normal - for a middle school, that is. Students are fully engaged, have homework. Hopefully computer contracts are in as computers start going home next week - 8th graders first.
Calendar
September 26 - Open House : ⅞ families visit EXP teachers 7-7:30, THEN Team Fusion presentation starts at 7:30
September 27-28: Artist in residence, Mary Lacy (BRMS/MMU graduate), working on mural with 8th grade (both grades will have a session with her on Wednesday)
October 13 (Really?! Yes) - field trip to Burlington… permission form goes home next week (no cost except lunch money)
October 11 - Two Hour Delay
October 19 - Parent Conferences (more details at open house)
October 20 - No School/School Recess
October 27 (change!) - Fusion Sponsored School Dance (donation of food/drink item from each family for no more than 10 people - basically, no more than 10 servings:)
November 8 - Two Hour Delay
Reading
All students were asked to get a book this week (from the library or brought in from home). Books should be brought to all study halls and LA class each day. .
Schoology
All students have been introduced to this online system for homework submission and assignment tracking. At Open House
Computer Contracts
The computer contracts are due back ASAP. A student must return their contract before they will be allowed to take their laptop home. The 8th grade should be able to take their laptops home by next week.
Curriculum Updates….
LA
7 This week we began a reading unit: A Deep Study of Character. The focus this week was on tracking character traits, first across a short story read aloud in class, then with characters in students’ own books.
8 We are about a week into our Investigative Journalism unit. The focus thus far has been on practicing observation skills and looking at different examples of journalism. Students have written a few short, informal mini news stories to start getting used to this genre.
Math
7: This week we explored using benchmark angles to estimate measures of unknown angles. We also learned to use angle rulers and protractors to more precisely measure angles. Next week we will focus on the relationships of interior angles to the number of sides in a polygons as well as their exterior angles.
8: This week we continued to work on linear relationship and using slope and y-intercept to write equations in slope-intercept form as well as graphing equations from slope intercept form. We will have a quiz on this on Monday and then will move into using linear equations to model and make predictions about real world data.
Science
7 - Students are practicing the skill of “arguing from evidence” as they debate the key characteristics of living things and develop a working definition of life. They began a multi-day investigation of 5 mystery materials, which will give the opportunity to directly observe several key characteristics of living things. This investigation will carry into next week.
8 - Students continued their study of the universe by conducting a brief research project on one celestial object, and by practicing making observations of the night sky. They learned how several astronomers contributed to our current understanding of the universe organization. The district assessment will be given in stages, with the first phase happening next week.
SS
7 - The first couple classes focused on reviewing the field trip. Then students spent time working in groups to identify cultural activities, behaviors and items from France and Britain that are evident in United States culture. Students ended the week with a beginning look at social norms and boundaries that are within cultures around the world.
8 - The first couple classes focused on reviewing the field trip. Students have begun looking at a moment in time within American history - 1763. They are creating “characters” from that time period, and studying the developing “American” identity through in class activities and individual research.
Have fun at Harvest Market - and continue to enjoy this wildly warm and scenic weather,
The Fusion Team
