Team 82 Monthly Newsletter

What have students been learning about in Math 8 class?

Math 8 students continued the Module on Solving Equations. Students have solved Two-Step Equations and Multi-Step Equations with distributive property, like terms. Students have completed many group/partner activities including Multi-Step Equations Scavenger Hunt, Multi-Step Equations Error Analysis and Vertical whiteboard activities. We have begun solving Variables on Both Sides Equations and we have returned to note taking in the workbook. At times the equations may look challenging however as I explained to the students, if you break it down to small pieces it becomes easier. Part of making a more challenging problem easier is to show all the work step by step as they work through the problem. Students need to show all their work to earn full credit on problems.

Important update- First in Math- By the end of Trimester 2 (March 13th) students should have completed 2,000 stickers in total. Students should continue to get 100 stickers per week to maintain their goal at the end of the trimester .

Algebra students continued to Graph Linear Functions and Slope of a Linear. Students have found rate of change and slope from graphs(using rise/run), table(-finding rate of change) and given two ordered pairs(using the slope formula). Students also have graphed Linear Equations by using a variety of methods including Graphing by tables, Graphing by using x and y- intercepts and by Graphing by Slope-Intercept Form(y=mx +b). We ended the Module 4 chapter with Arithmetic Sequences and a Quiz on 11/21(which will go on Second Trimester to allow time for students to do quiz corrections if needed).

Upcoming- Creating Linear Equations going through Slope-Intercept Form, Point-Slope Form and Standard Form

Important update- First in Math- By the end of Trimester 2 (March 13th)students should have completed 3,000 stickers. Students should continue to get 150 stickers per week to maintain their goal at the end of the trimester.

🌟 Parent Corner: Homework Help Without Battles

Moving from one activity to another can be tough. Help by giving warnings before transitions — like, “In 5 minutes, we’ll clean up and start dinner.” Visual timers or alarms can also ease the shift.

💡 Tip: Create a “transition object” (like a favorite fidget or stuffed toy) that your child can carry from one activity to the next.

In November, 8th grade ELA students completed an intensive narrative writing unit, developing their creative writing skills through a comprehensive study of literary techniques. Students analyzed full narrative samples, then crafted and expanded their own original stories while focusing on character development, voice, and psychological depth. Throughout the month, they participated in workshops on dialogue writing, pacing, sentence variety, and literary devices, learning to integrate techniques like mood creation through word choice and effective transitions. The unit culminated in peer review sessions using rubrics, final revisions focusing on mechanics, and a celebration of student work. Students also benefited from a library day with Mrs. Scott's lesson on careers, connecting their literacy skills to future pathways.

Our 8th graders are exploring how the systems in our bodies work together to keep us healthy through an investigation centered on a girl named M’Kenna, who isn’t feeling well. Students are acting like medical detectives—conducting experiments to uncover what’s happening inside her body.

They’ve begun testing how nutrients move through the body using a dialysis experiment to model how materials pass in and out of cells. In the weeks ahead, they’ll analyze how food and oxygen interact to release energy, simulate digestion and absorption, and model how the circulatory system delivers nutrients throughout the body.

These hands-on investigations help students connect real-world biology with chemical reactions happening within us every day!

Photos taken by Giuliana Gaggi and Brooke LaValley

Over the next few weeks, students will take on the role of scientists, working collaboratively to design and carry out a series of experiments to help diagnose M'Kenna. Some highlights include:

• Exploring chemical reactions: Students will mix different substances and observe signs of change such as gas production, temperature shifts, or color changes.
  
  

• Tracking temperature change: Using digital thermometers, they’ll measure and graph how energy is transferred during each reaction.
  
  

• Modeling at the particle level: Students will use diagrams and simulations to show what’s happening to atoms and molecules when heat is released or absorbed.
  
  

• Comparing materials: They’ll test various combinations of solids and liquids to identify which ones produce the most heat — and why.

November has been a very busy month! In civics class, we’re learning about rights - why they matter, what they are, and how we can teach others about them. Students are engaged learners applying the importance of rights to their lives and interests.

This month students spent time discussing events during the American Revolution that sparked concerns about rights, how rights are protected in the Bill of Rights, and how it’s the job of the government to protect rights. We recently wrote a letter to ‘break up with Great Britain’ and had fun as a class thinking about how we could apply our historical learning in a creative and modern way! We discussed moments of rights violations, how rights have evolved over time, and how rights apply in schools. Students will work in teams in this unit to create something that can teach others about a specific right and why it matters. This month has been filled with great discourse!

Family discussion prompts:

• I heard you are learning about rights in civics class. What’s one interesting thing you’ve learned?

• Which right matters most to you? Why?

• I understand you wrote a break-up letter in your civics class. Who broke up? How does this relate to your lessons on rights?

• I understand you are doing a project in this unit. Who are you working with? What right are you focusing on?