Middle School Minute

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This week, we will continue to focus on essential skills and strategies for middle school ELA that will help us work smarter, not harder. In addition, we are adding requirements for iReady.

iReady: Students in Regular ELA are required to complete 50 minutes and pass 2 lessons with at least a 67%. Students in Honors ELA are expected to complete 60 minutes and pass 3 lessons with a 67% or better.

Here are the key concepts we'll cover this week:

• Text-Dependent Responses: Answers to questions that require students to refer directly back to the text for support and evidence.

• Textual Evidence: Specific examples or quotes from a text that support a student's ideas or arguments.

• RACES Strategy: This is a strategy that helps students write text-dependent responses.

• R: Restate the question - Turn the question into a statement to start your first sentence.

• A: Answer all parts of the question - Double-check. There may be more than one part to the question.

• C: Cite the text to support your answer - Give a direct quote from the text. Don’t forget to use quotation marks. Make sure to introduce your quote with a phrase like:

• For example

• According to the text

• The author states that

• E: Explain your citation - Explain how your evidence helps you prove your point. Use phrases like:

• This quote shows how

• This evidence proves that

• S: Summarize or sum it up. This final step involves restating your main points and providing a concise conclusion to your response after explaining your evidence and arguments. Use phrases like:

• In conclusion

• To summarize

• In closing

Additionally, on Grammar Friday, we will be studying interjections to enhance our understanding of sentence structure.

Please note that there will be a test on grammar concepts on Friday, September 26, including:

• Conjunctions: Words that connect clauses or sentences (e.g., and, but, or).

• Prepositions: Words that show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence (e.g., in, on, at).

• Interjections: Words or phrases that express strong emotion or surprise (e.g., wow! ouch! hey!).

• Perfect Tense Verbs: Verbs that indicate completed actions, often formed with "have" or "has" (e.g., I have finished my homework).

Ideas to Support Learning at Home:

• Reading Together: Encourage your child to read aloud at home. Ask questions about the text to practice using context clues and identifying textual evidence.

• Practice Annotations: Provide your child with a short article or story and ask them to annotate it by underlining key points and writing notes in the margins.

• Grammar Games: Play grammar games that focus on conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections. Online resources or flashcards can make this fun.

• Writing Prompts: Give your child writing prompts that require them to use perfect tense verbs and various grammatical concepts.

• Discuss Everyday Language: Encourage conversations that include the grammar concepts we’re studying. For example, ask your child to use interjections in their responses.

Students started reading the Hunger Games this week. All classes have read through the end of Chapter 5 and have completed characterization work on Katniss and either Peeta or Cinna, as well as R.A.C.E. format questions on the first three chapters. Students are not to remove the library copies of the Hunger Games from my classroom. If they miss class and need to catch up on reading I can assign a spare copy to take home.

This week will bring the introduction of Whole Number Exponents and Expressions. Students will have two Alek's assignments and two iReady Lessons for grades. iReady is extremely important to either fill the gaps and/or excel students who are demonstrating proficiency at the current level. Please email me jody.moore@hsv-k12.org for any questions or concerns you have about your student's current level and/or class performance/behavior.

Greetings students and AAA family,

Welcome back to a fabulous 2025-2026 school year! We have gotten off to an amazing start. Next week in math, we will continue working on refreshing previously learned skills with fractions, conversions between decimals and fractions, order of operations, etc...We are still preparing for our Real Number System unit. We have been working on simplifying square roots, cube roots, squares and cubes, simplifying radical expressions, simplifying basic powers and using the product property. We will continue these topics into next week. The students are completing their iReady assessments this week. The results from the first iReady assessment of the year will be used as a resource to guide learning and instruction. The students must complete 2 iReady math pathway lessons each week. This will be worked on in and out of school (homework). Have an amazing week. :-)

We are going to start a Cell Analogy Project (A day starts September 2nd and is due September 8th) (B day starts September 3rd and is due September 9th). Students are going to apply what they are learning about cell organelles as analogies. This project will have 2 parts, the analogies and the reasoning behind the analogies and cell organelle definitions, this will be submitted on Canvas. The second part of the project is the display of the analogies. The rubrics for grading will be posted on Canvas as well. This will count as a test grade.

I am also handing out study guides for our first test this week (A day test will be September 10th and B Day will be September 11th). Topics covered on the test will be: the cell theory, prokaryotes, eukaryotes, plant cell organelles and animal cell organelles. Students are to glue their study guides into their interactive notebooks and fill in the study guide. Study guides will be checked for completion on A day September 8th and B day September 9th.

- All Chapter 3 assignments should be submitted by September 1.

- Check PowerSchools for missing/incomplete assignments.

- We will start Chapter 4 - The Industrial Age after the Labor Day Weekend

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]Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our costume design process! This week, we will continue to hold costume conferences based on the designs. I appreciate your patience, as this may take some time, but I will ensure I meet with everyone. I am still missing several costume design projects. Please check with your student about the completion of the first part of this project.

During the conference, we will discuss any changes and identify your child’s favorite design. This chosen design will be used for their swatch project. Remember, students have the option to present this on Google Slides or on paper. Even if you choose to rent a costume, students will still complete the project, as it is essential for meeting our theatre design standards. This project allows students to engage deeply in the creation of their costume, so please hold off on renting or fabricating until after their project is complete. Early decisions can dampen their excitement and impact their grades.

Here’s a quick overview of the process:

1. Gather Ideas

2. Draw – 3 Different Themed Ideas

3. Attach Pictures – If drawing is a challenge

4. Approval – Conference with Mrs. Stricklin

5. Swatch Fabrics

6. Approval – Conference with Mrs. Stricklin

7. Work with a Seamstress

8. Costume Notes from the design team

9. Final Edits and Alterations suggested by the design team

Basic Concepts to Consider:

• Bright Colors

• Black and White

• Washable/Dry Cleanable

• Durable Materials (e.g., sequins, satin)

• Mix and Match Prints that will read from the stage

• Follow the Rule of 3

Fit and Accessories Reminders:

• Must allow for movement

• Should enable touching toes and wrapping arms

• Allow room for growth

• Legs must be covered (socks, tights)

• Shoes should have rubber soles

Some students are ready to start their swatch project. Their design will come home with them today. I will take a picture of their costume and send it to their email if they want to do their project in a Google Slides presentation instead of in person. Here is a link to the fabric help document that I sent in Remind.

The students worked hard to learn the choreography for this number. We will continue working on our first number, "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town." This beloved song has become a cherished tradition, as we perform it every year and invite alumni from both Stars and Clowns or the Lee High School Trouveres who have previously performed it.

We will continue with our music theory concepts, focusing on solfege and its related ideas, which will help enhance our students' musical skills.

Music Theory

Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. It helps us understand how music works, covering elements such as:

• Notation: How music is written and read, including notes, rhythms, and dynamics.

• Scales and Keys: The foundation of melodies and harmonies, including major and minor scales.

• Chords: Groups of notes played together, forming the basis for harmony.

• Rhythm: The timing of music, including beats and tempo.

• Form: The structure of a piece of music, such as verses and choruses.

Understanding these concepts allows musicians to analyze, create, and perform music more effectively.

Solfege

Solfege is a method used to teach pitch and sight-singing using syllables. The main syllables are:

• Do (1st note)

• Re (2nd note)

• Mi (3rd note)

• Fa (4th note)

• Sol (5th note)

• La (6th note)

• Ti (7th note)

• Do (8th note, octave)

Each syllable corresponds to a specific note in a scale, helping singers understand the relationships between pitches. Solfege is often used in ear training, allowing students to recognize and reproduce musical intervals and melodies. Overall, both music theory and solfege are essential tools for developing musical skills and enhancing performance.

- Elements of Short Fiction Chapters 1-3 should be submitted by September 1.

- 5A and 4B - Check the workshop schedule on the Canvas assignment. Be sure to submit your workshop piece on time according to the schedule.

Tech is currently working on Safety and preparing the theater for the upcoming production schedule.

Congratulations to the Cast & Crew of Willy Wonka Jr! We are so excited to have you be apart of the show! Remember all information is on our website WhyAAA.org/MS-Theatre. Please make sure you are checking this and joining Remind 101!

Unfortunately, if you and your student were unable to attend any of our meeting and we have not been in communication yet, then your student is out of the show. We hope we can see everyone in November for the performances!!

If you didnt get chosen, no worries! We will have more auditions in January for our play, 67 Cinderellas!

Thank you!

Josh Feemster

Updates coming soon . . .

Student members of orchestra should now have their own 3 ring binder specifically for strings sheet music repertoire we are rehearsing. They will have a hard copy of the year's schedule for upcoming mandatories -a few after school rehearsal playing and snack parties chaperoned, AND our amAAAzing mandatory concert performances (2 on calendar prescribed by Admin for 2025 Nov.13 and Dec. 2 evening 6:30pm) AAA Magnet expectations come from HCS and Mr. Jones and Mrs. Smith so please be sure you prioritize your calendars. Magnet contract obligation expresses the understanding that AAA events override any other non school extra activities- missing performances is a hard 'zero'.

Please continue to seek out finding your instrument provider-our deadline will be the first MONDAY after Fall Break-October 13th (YOU'VE ALREADY SAVED TWO MONTHS RENT $ :)

We are so excited to be in this pivotal year of welcoming so many NEW FAMILIES. I am experiencing so much JOY and SATISFACTION with String Orchestra classes. We're going to have nothing but a fabulous and energetic year.

Our Best Always-

Mary Peck-Academy 4th-8th Magnet Strings Artistic Director/Educator/Maestra

Visual Arts Update

Visual Arts students have been diligently creating Zentangles by exploring the elements of art: line and pattern. Next week, they will study the artist biography, career, and design patterns of Brazilian artist Romero Britto. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own designs inspired by his style. Additionally, they can continue working on their Zentangle artwork, which is due by Friday, September 5th.

Media Arts Update

Media Arts students have transitioned from Adobe Express to an introductory level of Canva. Both new and returning students are focusing on learning or refreshing their understanding of Canva's design features. This week, students created two flyers: one for a Food Advertisement and another for a Summer Camp. Next week, they will explore the life and career of media artist Mary Blair, Disney's first female artist, and learn how she used design in Disney animations. Students will then have the chance to create their own designs in the style of Mary Blair.

My Amazon Wishlist:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2K9OTEY7SRJGD?ref_=wl_share

Please review the 6th Grade Behavior Essentials