Middle School Minute
February 24 - 28, 2025
Please Join PTA!
If you haven't already, please join the AAA PTA!
The Book Fair Is Here!
It is almost time to let the GOOD TIMES ROLL at our upcoming book fair!!! The Crane Book Fair takes place February 21-26. Parents may shop Tuesday night during the Masked Reader & Living Wax Museum Night Event. You can also purchase your child a gift card to use at the bookfair using the link below.
📕 ELA 📕
Mz. Estelle
Honors English: We are now conducting a novel study in class. Our novel is Miles Morales: Spider Man by Jason Reynolds. Students continue to be responsible for work on iReady and ReadWorks. ReadWorks assignments are accessible via Google Classroom. iReady is accessible via Clever. Students should be completing 45 minutes of iReady per week in addition to two passed lessons (70 or better).
For both my English and Science classes, students are accessing work via Google classroom. Within the google classroom, students have access to work on Flocabulary, ReadWorks, iReady, and NewsELA. Science students are also using Generation Genius to expand their science knowledge and skills.
***Please know that classwork must be completed ON TIME. Per our class syllabus, no late work is accepted with the exception of excused absences. If your child is absent and misses work, all work should be completed within five days of return.
*** All sixth grade classrooms are STILL in need of hand sanitizer and tissues. We would be MOST grateful if you can send those items in. Thank you to all those who have sent in supplies!
Ms. Stricklin
Regular ELA - This week students will have assignments on Schoology, AcceleratedReader (AR), and i-Ready. We will go to the library on Friday!
i-Ready - Students are required to complete 50 minutes of i-Ready Reading and two passed lessons. The more lessons they do and pass with an 80 or better; the more tickets they get to spend at the i-Ready store.
Accelerated Reader (AR) - Students need to be reading and taking AR tests. The only way to grow in reading comprehension is to practice.They need to look at their individual goal through Clever on Renaissance Learning.
Schoology -
Writing: We have started working on our personal narratives. We will continue to work and build on these assignments. Up next: Finish up prewriting activities and start the drafting process.
Honors ELA - This week students will have assignments on Schoology, AcceleratedReader (AR), and i-Ready. We will go to the library on Friday!
i-Ready - Students are required to complete 50 minutes of i-Ready Reading and two passed lessons. The more lessons they do and pass with an 80 or better; the more tickets they get to spend at the i-Ready store.
Accelerated Reader (AR) - Students need to be reading and taking AR tests. The only way to grow in reading comprehension is to practice.They need to look at their individual goal through Clever on Renaissance Learning.
Schoology -
Writing: We have started working on our personal narratives. We will continue to work and build on these assignments. Up next: Finish up prewriting activities and start the drafting process.
Ms. Fletcher
The Lions of Little Rock (chapters 10-30). A copy of the novel is in their Resource folder. YouTube has an audio read of the novel, as well. All classes will have short answer questions and a 3-paragraph essay to write this week
➕➖ Math ➖➕
Mr. Moore
Ms. Whitney
Coming soon!
Ms. Cuff
🧪 Science 🧪
Mz. Estelle
Science: We are currently studying all things related to our Solar System. The week of February 18 we are focusing on investigating Lunar patterns. Hands-on activities include modeling the Moon’s cycles and analyzing why they occur, the reason for tides, the geometry of Lunar patterns.
Our science text is available online at carolina science online. The link is posted to the Google Classroom. Username: Estelle Student; password: password123.
This past week we explored a star mapping program: Stellarium. You can download the app to your phone or access via tablet or PC at https://stellarium-web.org/
For both my English and Science classes, students are accessing work via Google classroom. Within the google classroom, students have access to work on Flocabulary, ReadWorks, iReady, and NewsELA. Science students are also using Generation Genius to expand their science knowledge and skills.
***Please know that classwork must be completed ON TIME. Per our class syllabus, no late work is accepted with the exception of excused absences. If your child is absent and misses work, all work should be completed within five days of return.
*** All sixth grade classrooms are STILL in need of hand sanitizer and tissues. We would be MOST grateful if you can send those items in. Thank you to all those who have sent in supplies!
Mrs. Thrasher
6th Grade
We are continuing to learn about weather and we will have a quiz Thursday February 27th. Study guides will be handed out Friday February 21st and will be glued into Interactive notebooks. The expectation is that they are filled out prior to Wednesday February 26th so that we can check answers.
7th Grade
We are continuing to learn about embryology, cladograms, comparative anatomy and the fossil record. We will have a quiz for B- Day on Wednesday February 26th and A Day on Thursday February 27th. Study guides will be handed out for B- Day on Thursday February 20th and A day Friday February 21st. The expectation is that they are filled out for B Day- Monday February 24th and A day- Tuesday February 25th so that we can check answers.
Ms. Plummer
In Physical Science, we are continuing our study of electricity, waves, and information transfer with a focus on transverse, longitudinal, and electromagnetic waves. There will be several collaborative station activities to begin our 1st semester review in preparation for the upcoming ACAP test beginning March 18th.
📜 Social Studies 📜
Mrs. Hester
- Great Depression Flocabulary - Due 3/07
- ISMs Vocabulary Quiz - Friday, February 28 (B)/ Monday, March 3 (A) - Study on socrative.com, room name: HESTER
Mrs. Maynard
Dear Parents,
I hope this message finds you well. As we conclude our section on the Eastern United States, where students showcased their creativity in travel brochure projects, we are excited to embark on our next journey into the Western United States.
Students will read and discuss the unique features of this region and dive into an exciting new project focused on the Oregon Trail. Working with a partner, they will create a story about a person traveling this historic route, combining creativity with historical understanding.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to get involved.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Maynard
Mr. Hughes
🎭 Fine Arts 🎭
🤡 Clowns - Ms. Stricklin 🤡
Make sure you are checking the website, www.whyaaa.org and join the Remind. Please turn in your $20 rental fee if you are renting.
We have started choreography for our first medley called “When I Grow Up/Naughty!” The students are doing well, but they need to keep practicing their music. We will start learning the music for the next song as soon as we finish choreographing the medley. Clowns competition theme is about growing up. We are still working on a title.
🤩 Stars - Ms. Stricklin 🤩
Make sure you are checking the website, www.whyaaa.org and join the Remind. Please turn in your $20 rental fee if you haven't.
- We are almost finished learning our first medley called “Jump ‘n’ Boogie.” We have started learning the next medley called “Rock and Roll is Here to Stay.” We will start choreography on “Jump ‘n’ Boogie” next week. Stars competition theme is Dance Through the Decades! I cannot wait to see this come together.
✍🏻 Creative Writing - Mrs. Hester ✍🏻
- Poetry Packets (Fixed Verse & Song Lyrics) - Past Due
- Ekphrastic Poems - Past Due
- All workshop submission - Due March 5
*Please submit to the AAA Stardust Literary Magazine this week!*
🎭 Theatre - Mr. Feemster 🎭
Coming soon!
🎻Strings - Mrs. Peck🎻
We're going to the SYMPHONY with 4th graders again this year! We've showcased our 4th grade strings program since 2005:)
Middle School MENTOR helper student going with us is Rozlyn Akers.
Middle school students perform FRIDAY, February 28th 9am and 1pm at our Black History Month Program. PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD PREPARE their uniforms.
The rack here at school is looking at little scary and neglected.
Our music dept. bulletin board lists each month through May now. The January section shows how we had our TRI-M inductions. We need to ENCOURAGE all students, and especially TRI-M, to keep all grades C and above.
Stay well and blessed and THANK YOU immensely for your interest and support.
Mary Peck-AAA 3rd-8th Magnet String Orchestras
🎤 Choir - Mr. Snodgrass 🎤
Upcoming Choir Events and Information for Feb. – Mar. 2025
The Festival of Spirituals concert will be at 6:00 p.m. in the Lee High School Theater.
Call time: 5:00 p.m.
Attire: Honor choir shirts, black pants or black skirts, black shoes
The following students will attend this festival:
Charm Bradley, Rhianna Darby, Leah Johnson, Caleb Jones, Maxwell Presha, Jackson
Rooker, Cedric Warren, Sophia Draine, Linda Ingram, Kayleigh Scissum, Alyssa Bullock,
Mollie Mckinney, Leah Davis, Chloe Pride, Jordan Baker, Harper Perkins, Nikesh Bhatt,
Brianna Calhoun, Devon Draine, and Lady Pollard.
Friday February 28, 2025 - Black History Program School Performances (AAA Theater)
Attire: Red AAA Music t-shirts and jeans
Time: TBD
Monday March 3, 2025, 5:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. - UAB Honor Choir Festival (Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center)
1200 10th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294
Attire: UAB Honor Choir shirts and jeans
Parents: We will leave AAA by bus at 5:00 a.m. and return around 9:30 a.m.
Please send money with your child for breakfast and dinner. Lunch is provided.
The festival concert is at 4:30 p.m. and we are one of the featured guest performing choirs.
Parents, you are welcome to drive down to Birmingham and chaperone. Unfortunately, there is
no room for you to ride the bus with us. Since we are performing as a featured choir, the entire
choir (all 37) will be going. Along with Mr. Chris Davis and my student teacher, Ms. Minisee.
Please let me know if you plan to drive and chaperone on this trip. There will be a space
provided on the permission slip to let me know.
6th Grade Updates
- Make sure you have signed up for the 6th grade Remind CLICK HERE
- Have students read at home for 30 minutes every day.
- Students need to be more mindful of the expectations here at school. Students are starting to bend and break the rules and procedures.
*** All sixth grade classrooms are STILL in need of hand sanitizer and tissues. We would be MOST grateful if you can send those items in. Thank you to all those who have sent in supplies!
7th Grade Updates
iReady in ELA and math will be graded based on work completed Monday - Friday going forward. Time and lessons completed on Saturday and/or Sunday will not count toward their iReady classwork grades.
Please encourage your students to complete their classwork at school. The goal is for students to not have much homework and to use their classroom instructional time efficiently. This should also help decrease the number of missing assignments students have in PowerSchool.