8th Grade Newsletter
Important Dates
December 23 - January 1 - Winter Break
January 20 - Holiday - No School
January 27 - Teacher Workshop - No School
What is going on in class?
ELA w/ Mrs. Remington
We’ve had our first standard celebration of the school year! The students have achieved at least 80% on two writing standards, and to celebrate, they enjoyed a free period.
We have now moved on to our theme unit, where the students will focus on identifying the theme in several short stories and explaining how the characters, setting, and plot contribute to its development. After practicing with short stories, they will dive into The Wave, where they’ll identify the theme and analyze how it is developed. We will begin this after vacation.
Additionally, students will continue working on citing textual evidence properly and strengthening their vocabulary skills.
Literature w/ Ms. Maurais
This month, we wrapped up our argumentative essays and dove into the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. Just before the break, students had the opportunity to put their skills to the test with a fun, in-class mini debate. As we enter January and the new year, we’ll transition into the second half of our persuasive unit: the commercial project. Students will apply their knowledge of the three appeals to design, create, and film an advertisement for a product of their choice. This project is always a highlight of the year, as it fosters hands-on learning, creativity, and teamwork.
Math w/ Mr. Redstone
Students have complete Unit 3. In this unit students learned about linear relationships as well as proportional relationships. We worked on graphing this relationships along with writing equations. While writing equations, students learned about slope and its meaning in the context of the problem. Students also learning about the y-intercept and its meaning in the context of the problem.
We will be moving into Unit 4 when we return to school after winter break. In this unit students will learn how to solve equations and systems of equations.
Science w/ Ms. Cloutier
Happy Holidays! Students did a great job at wrapping up the orrery projects and finished the sun-Earth-moon unit. We have just started the force and motion unit, and will continue it through the month of March. Egg drops will be around the corner after we complete some more book work. Mousetrap cars will be right after that. I look forward to building more with the students.
Social Studies w/ Mr. Oliver
In Social Studies class students have begun to pick up momentum on our Current Unit. Parts are starting to come together between life in the colonies under British rule and the push for Independence. We are close to completing the Declaration of Independence, focusing on the Delegates involved and analyzing the actual document. We will be starting the Constitution portion after Winter Break. I am pleased about the response from students about the increase in demand for work, and depth of understanding of concepts that have been asked of them. I am looking forward to a smooth flowing academic period after Winter Break.
Student Recognition
December Student on the Month
Robert Reny
December Black Bear Award - Positive Attitude
Gianna Mastrianno
Alexis Ward
Aubree Morrison
Madison May
Miranda Colson
How To Contact Us.
Science Teacher: Crystal Cloutier crystal.cloutier@rsu4.org
Math Teacher: Ben Redstone ben.redstone@rsu4.org
ELA Teacher: Tracy Remington tracy.remington@rsu4.org
Literature Teacher: Kayla Maurais kayla.maurais@rsu4.org
Social Studies Teacher: Andrew Oliver andrew.oliver@rsu4.org
Special Education Teacher: Megan Anderson megan.anderson@rsu4.org