8th

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If you see Mr. Rouse making a beeline for home plate, get out of the way- and certainly don’t throw the ball at Mr. Rouse, ask Liam. Yes, the usurpers have been displaced, Faculty are back to being the Kickball Champs! All jokes aside, we’re happy to have the kids back. It’s cold! We are nearing the conclusion of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, so just putting it here, we will likely watch the PG-13 movie. Let me know if you have any issue with your child watching the movie.

English w/ Mr. Rouse – 

• Continued our work with our daily warm-ups and spent a bit of time with dangling modifiers.
• We are in the process of wrapping up the book, the final project is still being decided.
• We started a creative writing assignment with the theme of 12 days of Christmas writing.
• Continued our vocabulary work.
• If we get our book and assignment properly wrapped up, I might show the movie: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. McFadden and Mr. K –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – No Tests or Quiz Scheduled
• Students in the middle have adventured through Greek mythology and conquered the trials and tribulations of mythic quests. They’ve been divided into houses of various gods and goddesses and are working on designing Percy Jackson-style living quarters. We’ve discussed what myths meant in the past and how they still affect us today. We will continue this adventure by transitioning into Norse myths and discussing how there are similarities and differences throughout various cultures.

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – none scheduled
• Students continued relearning and reviewing the skills they needed the most help with on laws of exponents. The students have been working on making test corrections with an emphasis on finding their mistakes and understanding what went wrong. Also, an emphasis is placed on showing their work in a neat and orderly fashion. 
• Practice continued on working with the order of operations with equations using fractions. Fractions are a very important skill to master. This isn’t the last time they’ll see fractions!
• We moved on to a new skill – perfect squares, square roots, and radicals. Next week, students will learn how to simplify radicals.
• Algebra 1/Geometry – The students have joined the others in the class for a review on square roots and radicals. They will use this review as we move on to the Pythagorean Theorem.

Social Studies w/ Mr. Jividen –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes –  No Tests or Quizzes Scheduled
• Students continued to study ancient civilizations
• We read about The Twelve Tables of Roman Society
• Students wrote about the similarities and differences between The Code of Hamarabi and the Twelve Tables

Science w/ Mrs. Farris – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – 
• The 8th graders completed a circulatory exam, marking the conclusion of the cardiovascular unit.
• Their study skills have noticeably improved, with many students using Google Classroom resources to practice heart anatomy and functions.
• The students showcased exceptional effort, using their knowledge and preparation to achieve success on the exam!

Music w/ Mrs. Chelsey – 

• This week and next few classes are all about rehearsing and solidifying all the work we’ve done so far this year to be ready to perform!! 
• Our music journal prompt this week was : what song motivates you or helps you when you need a boost?

Elective

• Adulting 101 w/ Mr. Jividen and Mrs. Ochap- 
• Students learned about time management and maximizing free time
• Each student can now write a check
• Students tracked their stock market investments

Design  w/ Mrs. Boldrick and Mr. Hill- After a Shark Tank style presentation to Mrs. Ochap regarding some campus improvement projects,  we shifted gears into the elementary holiday show set/prop building.  The students are hard at work building backdrops and prop pieces for the 5th grade holiday show.

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

Mid October into November can be a brutal stretch in terms of events and full weeks. This year was no exception, and I think I can speak for teachers and students when I say, we are ready for this break. There’s just one last thing to take care of… That’s right folks, this Tuesday, our faculty is taking back the kickball title! Don’t miss it. Enjoy the break!

English w/ Mr. Rouse – 

• Wrote a Professional Letter/Email expressing gratitude for an impactful teacher.
• Continued our reading and discussion of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
• We did various creative writing exercises to begin class instead of our routine warm-ups.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. McFadden and Mr. K –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – No Tests or Quiz Scheduled

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – none scheduled
• A few of the students continued to work on their laws of exponents tests. Extra time was given to everyone to make sure they showed each step and felt comfortable with their work. Tests were carefully graded, evaluating each step, and returned.
• Students worked on order of operations problems with rational numbers. Fractions are the biggest challenge. 
• Next week, we’ll move on to squares and square roots.
• Algebra 1/Geometry: The students worked on solving literal equations for a particular variable. This will help them as they move into geometry and solve formulas for surface area and volume.

Math w/ Mrs. Howells

• No Upcoming Tests or Quizzes 
• We continued working with one-step equations this week.
• Everyone received their results from last Friday’s quiz.

• We spent time working on individual needs by reteaching those who needed an extra explanation and offering advanced work to those who were ready for a challenge.
• We began solving 2-step equations and will continue this topic next week.
• There are helpful videos and review &  practice links on our class website: mhowells.weebly.com

Science w/ Mrs. Farris – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – December 8th Cardiovascular Test 
• This week, we explored the cardiovascular system and uncovered fascinating facts about how it works.
• Students attempted to “pump” 5 liters of “blood” in a minute using cups as hearts. Even with fully functioning “hearts,” we could only reach 3 liters! This activity helped students appreciate the heart as an involuntary muscle, how hard it works, and a vital organ essential for life.
• To deepen our understanding, we took detailed, color-coded notes on how blood transitions from deoxygenated to oxygenated and the workings of the heart. One student reflected, “Wow, the heart is way more complex than just four chambers!”

Music w/ Mrs. Chelsey – 

• We reviewed our STOMP routine and are working on getting the transitions from one moment to the next down. We also continued putting together our sound bath and practicing with the instruments. 
• The students shared their research on topics they were given pertaining to Sound Bath Meditations. They discovered some very interesting facts about brain waves, frequencies, the history of the instruments they’re playing, and more!
• Our music journal prompt this week was “If you could meet any musician, who would it be and what would you ask them?”

Elective

Design  w/ Mrs. Boldrick and Mr. Hill- Design – The students were challenged to find areas in our classrooms that could be improved. They divided into groups and came up with four ideas – an announcement board, attendance and lunch count board, backpack hooks in each classroom, and a cabinet to organize the school games. The students worked on schematics, pricing, and placement. They also wrote and designed presentations, which they will pitch to Mrs. Ochap on Monday. If approved, they will go forward with the design and implementation of their ideas.

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

Please mark your calendars for the “Middle School Winter Concert”, which will be held on Monday, December 16th at 6:00 on Main Campus. We will have a rehearsal on Friday December 13th at Main Campus from 1-3pm. Students will be bussed over to Main Campus and will need picked up at Main Campus.

I tend to talk about how late October and November tend to feel like a blur. These last few weeks perfectly illustrate why. We keep these kids busy- and they keep us busy in return. This week: we wrapped up our exhibition and then took a trip to the Clay Center! Shout out to Britney Farris for setting up and chaperoning; Britney always goes above and beyond for these kids!

English w/ Mr. Rouse – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes: 
• Continued our reading of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
• In our Warm-Ups, we reviewed sentence sentence formulas for simple, compound, compound-complex, and complex sentences.
• We created a writing prompt together for writing on Friday.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. Ochap and Mr. Jividen –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – 
• Wow! These kids really did an amazing job at exhibition.  Their knowledge of the subject and their confidence while speaking to families was outstanding.  I loved watching them get excited about their topic and engage with parents about questions they had.  We hope that they can continue to enjoy riding and gain the confidence to ride even further one day.  
• Next trimester the 6th-8th graders will will move on to their Mythology Deep Dive with Mrs. McFadden and Mr. K.

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – Exponents Test, Wednesday, November 13
• The last two laws of exponents were introduced this week – Power of a Power, and Power of a Quotient.
• I require each step to to written down to receive full credit for each problem. I remind them that writing each step gives a visual representation, which makes solving the problem much easier.
• The students will review for the test by taking a practice test on Monday. We will review this practice test and answer any questions about the processes on Tuesday.
• Algebra 1/Geometry – The students learned about supplementary and complementary angles, adjacent and vertical angles, and linear pairs of angles. They will have a test on angles next Wednesday, November 13.

Science w/ Mrs. Farris – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – 
• We enjoyed NASA Day at the Clay Center! Our day was packed full with different STEM activities and exhibits to visit. 
• Students love the climbing exhibit, testing out robotics, calculating the speed of their volleyball serve, exploring density, building hydraulic claws and more! 

Music w/ Mrs. Chelsey – 

• This week the students experienced a Sound Bath Meditation using various instruments that immerse the listener in frequencies and vibrations that activate our brain waves that are responsible for relaxation and rest. They wrote responses to what they experienced and it was really great to read what it was like for each of them. We will begin researching sound healing as well as learning how to play all the instruments and present our own mediation at the winter concert.
• Our journal prompt this week was “What song could you listen to on repeat and never get tired of?”

Elective-

• Movie Making- Movie making- The students worked hard all trimester writing, filming and editing their movies and now you can enjoy them at home
• Please include this link to the final project- https://youtu.be/E14gfX2uIz0

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

(This is where you and I imagine the perspective of a teenage boy or girl on a school biking trip through the woods.)Huff* Huff* Skibbidy* Huff* Aura* Huff* Huff* Bring duckface selfies back* Huff* OMG is that a luchador!?! Who is this magnificent, masked cyclist? Ahem** This is Mr. Rouse speaking now. If you had any anxieties about this trip- you shouldn’t have. There isn’t a safer pair of guardian hands in the U.S. of A. than a masked Mr. Kalcum. All jokes aside, it was a terrific way to spend Halloween. Don’t forget about our exhibition next week!

English w/ Mr. Rouse – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes: none
• Shorter week with the field trip.
• Continued their reading and discussion of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. Ochap and Mr. Jividen –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – No Tests or Quiz Scheduled
• Students are making final adjustments to their exhibition pieces.  We will gather one last time on Monday to do a runthrough of Monday night.  Don’t forget that 7th/8th grade exhibition is Monday, Nov. 4th @ The Wheeling Park Campus 5pm – 6pm. 
• On their much-anticipated field trip, the students set off on bikes, pedaling down the trails and through sunlit paths with eager anticipation. Along the way, the group learned the value of patience and resilience, finding encouragement in one another’s progress. By the time they reached their final destination, every student wore a smile of accomplishment, having faced their own unique challenges and come out stronger and more connected than before.

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – Wednesday, November 13
• We continued learning new laws of exponents, which now include exponent products, quotients, zeros, and negatives.
• The students needed more guidance with the law of quotients. We broke down each step, and they were required to show me the work for at least 4 steps for problem. Writing down their work helped them see the process more clearly.
• I am still requiring that they show me their work to receive full credit for each problem.
• We’ll have a test on the laws of exponents in two weeks, which will be Wednesday, November 13.
• Next week, we continue work with the laws of exponents and will also move into the order of operations using rational numbers.
• Algebra 1/Geometry – The students continued working with angles. I encourage them to draw a model of each problem to help them see each problem. Next week we will work on complimentary and supplementary angles. They will have a test on Wednesday, November 13 on lines, line segments, and angles.

Science w/ Mrs. Farris – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – 
• Science w/ Mrs. Farris – Middle School Field Trip Nov. 7
• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – 
• Students observed different muscular tissues under the microscope. 
• Then it was time to put our muscles to test in a muscle fatigue lab. 
• Monday’s class will be spent on review for the test. To help your students prepare, encourage them to use the interactive study tool in google classroom.

Important Dates: 

• October 22nd—Students are encouraged to wear pink to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness this Tuesday! Classroom teachers will collect donations and send them to local breast care centers.
• October 28th-6th Grade Exhibition: Face Your Face @ Ohio County Public Library: (5 pm – 6 pm)
• October 30 & 31-7th/8th Grade Bike Ride: (More Details to Come)
• Nov. 1 –Monster Mash Middle School Dance -(7 – 10 pm) Wear your costume! 
• November 4th-7th/8th Grade Exhibition: Time and Location TBD

How can you not love October? Andddddd how can you not stop to deeply appreciate Appalachian October when you teach in a beautiful park!!!! We’re reaching the turning point where autumn gets spooky for a bit. The kids are looking forward to Halloween and starting to make plans. I wonder what’s in store…

English w/ Mr. Rouse 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes: none
• Students wrapped up I Must Betray You.
• Their final projects were a split assignment for creative writing: an Epilogue wrapping up certain events of the book -or- they were to write a letter to America following the format of the main character’s letter to Romania. Their other project was a character analysis-based essay.
• Started Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. Ochap and Mr. Jividen 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes:  None
• This week, the students finished up their model bikes and wrote a description about why they chose what they did to make them.  We are looking ahead to our exhibition, and the students have started to split into groups based on their interests of the different aspects of bikes that they have learned throughout this deep dive.  
• We are taking our final bike ride on Wednesday, October 30th, and Thursday, October 31st. A permission slip and more information will be sent out next Monday.  
• Science Behind Cycling Exhibition: Monday, November 4th (Time and Location TBD)

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – Not Scheduled
• The students took a test on using all operations with rational numbers. The tests are graded and handed back for corrections. Any student with a 79% and lower may submit corrections for half credit.
• Students were given the opportunity to do practice work for the test and earn participation scores. This was a chance to gain study time while also gaining extra points. I will provide more of these opportunities. I encourage the students to take advantage of this work.
• Next week, we will learn about positive and negative exponents and the laws of exponents.
• Algebra 1/Geometry – The students took a test on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and factoring polynomial expressions. These skills are preparation to solving geometry problems that are solved algebraically.
  • The students solved geometry problems using line segment measurements. 
  • Next week, they will move onto angles and angle measurements.

Math w/ Mrs. Howells

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – None Scheduled 
• Students took the Chapter 1 Test and showed that they have learned new concepts and perfected their skills! The tests were graded, handed back, and students made corrections to earn half credit. Your child’s graded test is in their folder and the grades are posted in Google Classroom. 
• We began Chapter 2: Expressions & Equations with a lesson on Mathematical Expressions.
• Next week the students will learn to simplify and evaluate algebraic expressions and work with equations.
• Students are assigned homework most days except Friday. Please check in with your child on the completion of those tasks.

Science w/ Mrs. Farris

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – None scheduled (Great job on their quiz this week!)
• We reviewed the appendicular and axial systems by labeling the newest member of our class – Skelly! 
• The class defined joint articulations and the different types. 
• Students built joint models and presented the type of joint, movement, and an example to the class. 

Arts w/ Mr. K 

• We continued to work and finish up the art project based on pumpkins/creating a unique card with a fall/spooky theme.

Music w/ Mrs. Chelsey – 

• We are practicing really getting our ‘scene’ changes down and knowing what comes next/where to go. We also added in some of our rhythm props like trash can lids, metal trash cans, and kazoos! 

• This week’s music journal prompt was “ If you could write a song, what would it be about?”

Elective-

• Movie Making- That’s a wrap! Now that filming has completed, the kids have moved into the editing stage of the process.

Important Dates: 

• October 18th – Talent Show Videos due to Mr. Alex!
•        We are excited to announce that our WCDS Tallent Show will be shared as a Viewing Party during our 29 Hours of Giving from November 13th to 14th! To ensure we have videos in and compiled in time, please send all submissions by October 18th. Videos should be no longer than 60 seconds and sent to talentshow@wcdsedu.com. Please email Mr. Alex at ahill@wcdsedu.com with any questions! (See Image Below)
• October 18th – 9:00 am Coffee Conversations on Main Campus
  Article 1 Article 2 Article 3
• October 19th – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Fall Campus Refresh! Volunteer for a few hours by swinging by 8 Park Road with gardening gloves to help freshen our campus. Lunch and refreshments will be provided! (See image Below)
• October 22nd – Students are encouraged to wear pink to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness this Tuesday! Donations will be collected by classroom teachers and sent to local breast care centers.

• Nov. 1 (7 – 10 pm) – Bash Middle School Dance -Wear your costume! 
• November 4th Time and Location TBD – 7th/8th Grade Exhibition

Would you believe me if I said I had the 8th-grade boys (and Adrienne) peering over a pumpkin spice latte at the park in its rarest and most beautiful form? They didn’t drink lattes, but we are back to Starbucks. Also, did someone say field trip!?!?! The kids had a wonderful trip to Wheeling Park to see Violins of Hope. Please check the dates

English w/ Mr. Rouse 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes: None
• Students wrapped up Thesis Paragraph #1 and began #2.
• Students are nearing the end of I Must Betray You, so if they haven’t ordered or bought Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, they should do so. 
• We will soon begin the final project for I Must Betray You.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. Ochap and Mr. Jividen 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes: No Tests or Quiz Scheduled
• This week, the students took on the challenge of building a model bike out of any material they could find at home or school.  The groups had five criteria to be shown on their model bike.  These kids are so incredibly talented with how they chose to design and create their bikes.  I can’t wait to show them off at the exhibition.   

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – Operations with Fractions and Decimals Quiz – Wednesday, October 16. This quiz was moved to Wednesday of next week due to the short week and our field trip on Wednesday.
• This week, we reviewed all operations with Fractions
• The students’ memories were refreshed on how to divide decimals.
• We will review all of these operations on Monday, then take a practice quiz on Tuesday in preparation for the quiz on Wednesday.
• Practice and review work in preparation for the quiz is posted on Google Classroom. I recommend that each student use these materials to “study” for the quiz.
• Algebra 1/Geometry – We finished with polynomials with multiplying monomials and polynomials. They also relearned and practiced the FOIL method for multiplying polynomials. They ended the week with factoring polynomial expressions.

Math w/ Mrs. Howells

• Upcoming Test on Chapter 1 – Tuesday, Oct. 15 
• This week we reviewed for our quiz on Chapter 1, Lessons 7-11
• Students took the quiz on Tuesday.
• They are graded and in student folders and also posted on Google Classroom.
• We reviewed for the cumulative Chapter 1 test. We’ll revisit that again on Monday for the chapter test on Tuesday. There are review resources available on our class website: mhowells.weebly.com
• Next we will begin Chapter 2: Expressions and Equations

Science w/ Mrs. Farris

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – Skeletal System Quiz – Thursday, October 17th 
• Students learned the major bones in the axial system. 
• They made hand models using straws representing the 14 phalanges and five metacarpals. 
• Then were encouraged to draw the carpal bones, label them, and compare short and long bone functions. 

Arts w/ Mr. K 

• Students are working on creating a pumpkin-style character or a fall/Halloween card in art. They are working on shading with pencils, colored pencils, or watercolors. Some goals are to understand overlapping and perspective while creating an original piece. 

Important Dates

• Monday, October 7 – NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, October 8 – Classes Resume – 10:00 AM Start.
• October 15th – Reimagine Middle School Night 6:00 – 8:00 P.M.
• October 18th – Talent Show Videos due to Mr. Alex!
• October 18th – 9:00 am Coffee Conversations on Main Campus
• October 19th: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Fall Campus Refresh! Volunteer for a couple of hours by swinging by with some gardening gloves to help us freshen our campus. Lunch and refreshments provided!

Parents,

Thank you for sharing your children and their wonderful smiles and personalities with me for Picture Day this year. We had rain, sun, humidity, cool air- and a ton of smiles.  To view the photos and make a selection for printing please click the link below:

https://jessicamaxwell.shootproof.com/gallery/22485383

Once in the gallery, you will be able to navigate to your child’s grade and individual folder. Once inside their folder, please select ONE favorite image by hovering over the image and selecting the star. This will mark this image as your favorite. Please refrain from selecting multiple favorite images as only one will be printed with your package. You have until Monday, October 7th at 12:00 pm to select your favorite image.  If you choose not to select an image, I will select the most natural pose for you.

Please note that these photos are only rough edited. Dirty faces and shirts will be fixed (within reason) once you select an image. Thanks!

If you have an immediate question, please contact me via call or text @ 740-296-9700

If your child was absent for picture day, the make-up day will be Thursday, October 10th. Thank you for trusting me with your wonderful kids!

Ahhh yes, the time of year when it’s 39 degrees in the morning, 70 degrees at noon, 80 degrees at 3pm, and 50-60 degrees by night fall. The leaves are starting to show just a faint dusting (smattering?) of orange and yellow hues. Despite the fluctuating temperature, it was the perfect weather for Special Person’s Day. Many people complimented the park’s beauty, and overall, it was an excellent turnout for our middle school. Also, enjoy the long weekend!

English w/ Mr. Rouse – 

• Started our Weekly Thesis paragraph exercise where students get a topic and practice generating an intro paragraph and thesis for the topic.
• Continued our reading of I Must Betray You.
• Reviewed paragraphs from previous 8th graders.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. Ochap and Mr. Jividen –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – No Tests or Quiz Scheduled

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – Quiz, Wednesday, October 9 – Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide Fractions and Decimals
• We concentrated on using fractions with all operations. These fractions are positive and negative.
• We used decimals with all operations.
• Next, we’ll learn about Algebraic Properties, and move on to exponents and the laws of exponents.
• Algebra 1/Geometry – The students worked on adding and subtracting polynomials. They also found the perimeter of polygons using the skill of adding polynomials.

Math w/ Mrs. Howells

• Upcoming Quiz on Ch. 1, Lessons 7-11 – Tuesday, Oct. 8 (rescheduled from Thursday, Oct. 3.) 
• Upcoming Test on Chapter 1 – Monday, Oct. 14 
• This week we focused on reviewing Lessons 7-11, mainly focusing on order of operations, negative bases with positive exponents, and using the laws of exponents.
• Other topics reviewed this week were properties of multiplication and addition, the coordinate plane, and adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers.
• There are many review materials, including some fun and challenging Jeopardy games, on our class website. Check them out with your child! mhowells.weebly.com

Science w/ Mrs. Farris – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – 
• Students were introduced to the skeletal system and identified the 5 functions.
• Math collided with science when we calculated the strength of bone. 
• We made different diameters out of paper to test the strength of solid and hollow. 

Important Dates

• Thursday, October 3rd – Grandparents Day
• Friday, October 4th – 11:30am Dismissal for Fall Long Weekend
• Monday, October 7 – NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, October 8 – Classes Resume – 10:00 AM Start

Have Homecoming(posals?) always been a thing? Do these ceremonious dance invitations have anything to do with WCDS Middle? I don’t know, I just work here. Anyway, yes, it’s our homecoming, I’m happy and thankful for the time at Northern, but I’m looking forward to returning to Wheeling Park.

English w/ Mr. Rouse – 

• Continued our reading of I Must Betray You.
• Not much happened this week with a bike ride day, a science lab day, and a midterm day.
• Please check with your student regarding their progress in my class.

Deep Dive w/ Mrs. Ochap and Mr. Jividen –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – No Tests or Quiz Scheduled

Math w/ Mrs. Boldrick –

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – Fractions and decimals Test – Wednesday, October 9
• We continued using positive and negative fractions and mixed numbers with addition and subtraction. They have a “process” that they can follow (notes given) to add and subtract these positive and negative fractions. They continued to practice this skill all week.
• Next week, the students will multiply and divide fractions and decimals.
• Mid-term grades were given to each student (Google Classroom is in the works). Please remember that this is at the six-week mark. The students have time to improve their scores, but more importantly, improve their understanding and thinking with these concepts.
• Algebra 1 and Geometry – The students continued to brush up on their algebra skills. They will learn more geometry concepts about lines and angles next week.

Math w/ Mrs. Howells

• Upcoming Quiz: Thursday, Oct. 3 
• The quiz will cover Lessons 7-11 in the math book.
• Study resources will be available on our weebly site: mhowells.weebly.com
• Lately we have covered Powers and Laws of Exponents, Order of Operations, and The Coordinate Plane.
• Next week, we will review for the quiz then prepare for our first test (Chapter 1).
• Mid-term grades were given to each student (see Google Classroom). Please reach out if you have any questions. Students have ample time to improve their grade before the end of the trimester; however, understanding the material is of utmost importance. They are encouraged to ask for extra help, resources, or extra credit work. 

Science w/ Mrs. Farris – 

• Upcoming Tests/Quizzes – No Test or Quizzes Scheduled 
• As a class, we review mitosis by using our hand signals and drawing each phase. 
• Students continued to study and used the practice quiz to prepare for a challenging cell division and cell transport test. (Check their science binders to review – they did well!) 
• Dr. Heather Kalb, a biology professor, guided students through 6 stations where they identified prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and created a cheek cell slide. Students enjoyed using their prior knowledge to identify various cell types and organelles. 

Music w/ Mrs. Chelsey – 

• This week we continued putting together our basketball “Stomp” routine and adding some new rhythm textures into the mix! Students wrote their own rhythm patterns and then practiced speaking it as well as dribbling it! I also sang a Mozart song I am using for an audition this weekend for them and it was fun to see their reactions as well as discuss the piece.
• Our journal prompt this week was “If you could play any instrument, what would it be and why?” I’m looking forward to reading their responses!