Middle School Minute

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We will begin the week after Spring Break. Please ensure your students get plenty of rest, are well fed, and are prepared with charged devices for testing days. Testing dates are listed below. Small group testing and make up test may occur on days following planned testing dates. Elementary will test the same dates and time as middle school, but testing content may vary.

Tuesday, March 18: Science (grades 6 and 8 only)

Wednesday, March 19: ELA sections 1 and 2

Thursday, March 20: ELA sections 3 and 4

Tuesday, April 8: Math section 1

Wednesday, April 9: Math section 2

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.

• 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.

Coming soon!

Science: The week of March 3, 2025 we will be reviewing material that will be covered on our Science ACAP. The ACAP test is scheduled for science the week after Spring Break.

Our science text is available online at carolina science online. The link is posted to the Google Classroom. Username: Estelle Student; password: password123.

***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.

6th Grade

We are completing a 1st semester review this week.

7th Grade

We are learning about how matter cycles through organisms: the nitrogen cycle, water cycle, and carbon cycle. I would like all missing work submitted by Wednesday March 5th.

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.

Please remember to check for student's yellow course request form, sign and return by March 5!

- All assignments due - March 7

As we wrap up this nine-week period, I wanted to share some important updates regarding your child's progress in our classroom.

Grade Updates:
I have updated all grades for assignments currently submitted. Students have been informed that any missing assignments are due by March 5. Please encourage them to check their progress and complete any outstanding work.

Current Learning Focus:
We are currently exploring Chapter 5, which covers the Western United States.

Upcoming Project:
After Spring Break, we will begin an exciting project where students will write a narrative from the perspective of traveling across the Oregon Trail. This will be a wonderful opportunity for them to apply their creativity and knowledge in a historical context.

Thank you for your continued support! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.

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.

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.

- All workshop submission - Due March 5

*Please submit to the AAA Stardust Literary Magazine this week!*

• Volunteers Needed! We have a AAA Theatre Workday scheduled for Saturday, March 1st from 10-3pm. We need adult help.
• Ticket Sales GO LIVE on Saturday, March 1st! Make sure you purchase your tickets at WhyAAA.org!

See the flyer regarding dance merch!

Tickets for Princess and the Frog are coming soon! Stay tuned for more details!

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

Upcoming Choir Events and Information for Feb. – Mar. 2025

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.

• 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!

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.