October 2026

October will bring plenty of reading, writing, and a little spooky fun to 8th Grade Language Arts! We will finish The Outsiders and celebrate with Outsiders Day before moving into narratives and suspenseful stories after Fall Break.

THE OUTSIDERS DAY

Students will celebrate completing The Outsiders by stepping back into the 1960s! They will have fun dressing as Greasers or Socs and participating in activities inspired by the novel and its characters.

SPOOKY STORIES & NARRATIVE WRITING

After Fall Break, students will explore scary and suspenseful narratives. We will focus on how authors use setting, characters, mood, descriptive details, and suspense to keep readers engaged.

Students will also begin developing their own narrative writing skills, creating stories with interesting characters, engaging settings, and events that keep readers wondering what will happen next!

October is sure to be a fun month of stories, creativity, suspense, and imagination!

October will be an exciting month in Literature & Composition! We will begin by completing our journey through S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders and celebrating with a special Outsiders Day. Students will step back into the 1960s by dressing as Greasers or Socs and participating in activities inspired by Ponyboy, Johnny, and the gang. It will be a fun way to bring the novel to life while reflecting on its themes of friendship, loyalty, identity, and belonging.

AFTER FALL BREAK... ENTER IF YOU DARE!

After Fall Break, we will take a spooky turn as students explore scary and suspenseful narratives. We will investigate how authors use setting, characterization, mood, imagery, descriptive details, and suspense to create stories that keep readers turning the page.

Students will also enter the mysterious world of Edgar Allan Poe and learn about his life, writing, and lasting influence on mystery and horror. We will explore chilling works such as “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Cask of Amontillado.”

As literary detectives, students will look for hidden clues, eerie imagery, unexpected twists, suspense, and unreliable narrators while discovering the techniques that make a story truly memorable.

From Greasers and Socs to ravens and mysterious tales, October will be filled with great literature, creative writing, thoughtful discussions, and just the right amount of spooky fun!

October will be a busy month in Math! Students will wrap up Unit 2 during the week of October 19th. This unit focuses on important skills students will continue using throughout the year, including graphing lines from slope intercept form and writing equations from graphs.

Important Dates:
October 2: Unit 2 Vocabulary Test
October 7: Beginning of the Year Beacon Assessment
Week of October 19: Unit 2 Wrap Up

When students take the Beacon assessment again in December, we will be able to compare their results and celebrate the progress they have made!

Math at Home

Looking for a simple way to help your student review? Ask them to pull out their colorful math notes and teach you something they learned! Explaining a concept is a great way for students to review, strengthen their understanding, and make sure they truly know the material.

Thank you for supporting your mathematician at home!

October brings plenty of math mysteries to uncover! Students will build on their understanding of linear relationships by connecting equations, graphs, tables, and real world data. We will continue developing algebraic reasoning, problem-solving, and the ability to use mathematics to make predictions.

Direct Variation: Students will write equations for proportional relationships and use those relationships to solve real world problems.

Parallel & Perpendicular Lines: Students will explore slope and write equations of lines, including equations involving the x axis and y axis.

Linear Transformations: Using the parent function f(x) = x, students will investigate how adding, subtracting, and multiplying values can change the graph through translations and changes in slope.

Piecewise Functions: Students will graph piecewise functions and examine the characteristics of these special linear relationships.

Bivariate Data & Scatter Plots: Students will identify positive, negative, or no association and explore the important difference between association and causation.

Correlation & Lines of Best Fit: Students will use technology to calculate the correlation coefficient, determine the direction and strength of a linear association, and write lines of best fit.

Linear Models: Students will write functions from data shown in tables and use those functions to make predictions.

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

✓ Recognize and represent linear relationships in multiple forms.
✓ Connect slope, equations, graphs, and tables.
✓ Analyze real world data and make predictions.
✓ Identify relationships between variables and explain what the data reveals.

HOW TO BE READY FOR MATH

✓ Bring a charged device and necessary math materials each day.
✓ Complete classwork and Progress Learning practice.
✓ Ask questions when a concept is unclear.
✓ Review notes and examples regularly instead of waiting until test day.
✓ Need extra help? Mrs. McCall is available at 7:15 a.m. Students should ask their homeroom teacher for permission before reporting for extra help.

WHY THIS UNIT MATTERS

Throughout this unit, students will strengthen their ability to write and graph linear functions in different forms. More importantly, they will develop the habit of looking for relationships between variables, recognizing patterns in real world situations, and using linear functions to solve problems and make predictions.

Have a SPOOK-tacular October in Enhanced Algebra! Keep working hard, asking questions, and showing your math thinking!

October will bring some exciting hands on learning to the science classroom as students begin exploring Force, Mass, and Motion! Throughout this unit, students will investigate how and why objects move and how forces can change that motion.

Students will learn how to calculate speed, distance, and time and apply these skills to real world situations. They will also explore Newton’s Laws of Motion, discovering how these laws help explain everything from a rolling ball to a moving car. Along the way, students will investigate gravity, friction, mass, and the interaction of forces and see how these concepts affect their everyday lives.

Through activities, problem solving, and scientific investigation, students will have the opportunity to connect what they are learning in the classroom to the world around them. October is sure to be a force to be reckoned with!

The American Revolution

Students will begin the month exploring Georgia’s role in the American Revolution, including the events leading up to the war, the Declaration of Independence, and the creation of our new nation and government. Students will wrap up this unit with their Revolution Unit Test on Friday, October 9th, just before Fall Break.

After Fall Break: Westward Expansion
When students return from Fall Break, we will travel west and explore Georgia’s early history and Westward Expansion. Students will learn about Georgia’s five capitals, changes in technology and population, America’s first gold rush, and the history of Indian Removal.

The Westward Expansion Unit Test will be Friday, October 30th.

LEAD: Learning New Tricks!
During LEAD, students will have opportunities to learn some fun and useful new skills, including sign language and cursive writing! Who knows what other tricks we may have up our sleeves this year?

We are looking forward to a fun, busy, and boo-tiful October!

Soon 8th grade students will be diving into Georgia's Top State for Talent checklist. This checklist includes creating an Individual College and Career Plan tailored to your child's unique strengths and interests.

Our students will begin exploring their options this fall by reviewing their career interest and aptitude assessment results and by visiting North Georgia Technical College on October 23. Later in the year, the excitement will continue as they tour Stephens County High School and experience Freshmen Fest firsthand!

Consistent daily attendance is so important during these milestone months, and we want to make sure your child is at school each day so they don’t miss out on these incredible experiences.

Because parent and guardian input is vital to this process, I encourage you to have meaningful conversations at home with your child about their findings. Together with our wonderful teachers, I am looking forward to partnering with you to help your student plan for the future.

Lastly, there are still spots available in the 2nd 9-weeks Christian Learning Center class. Interested? Contact Mrs. Herron.

Visit the SCMS School Counselors' Site for additional information. Questions?

Please feel free to reach out anytime:
Renee Herron, School Counselor
renee.herron@stephenscountyschools.org

706-886-2880 ext. 2023

What a wonderful September we had at Stephens County Middle School! As we settled into a new school year, our halls have been filled with learning, laughter, new friendships, and so many moments to be proud of.

Our students have been working hard in the classroom, challenging themselves to learn new things, ask questions, and grow each day. Beyond academics, we have also enjoyed opportunities to build relationships, celebrate our students, and create memories together as a school community.

As we welcome October, we are excited for all that this new month will bring! Fall is a wonderful reminder that growth takes time, and every day is an opportunity to learn something new. We are so proud of the effort, kindness, and determination our students continue to show.

Thank you to our families for partnering with us and supporting your students throughout the school year. Together, we are helping our students grow into confident learners, responsible leaders, and caring members of our community.

Here’s to a wonderful October filled with learning, growth, and a little fall fun! We are proud to be Stephens County Middle School!

J. Paul DeFoor

• October 2 — House Rally
• October 2 — Kevin Atlas, 9:00–10:00
• October 9 — Outsiders Day
• October 12–16 — Fall Break
• October 19, 20, and 21st — Boys Basketball Tryouts
• October 23 — NGTC Color Tours, 8:30–1:30
• October 24 — Competition Cheerleading: Cherokee Bluff Competition
• October 26–30 — Red Ribbon Week
• October 31 — Competition Cheerleading: Loganville Competition

November

• November 12 — Growth & Greatness Night, 6:00–7:00, Drop In