Middle School Minute
January 6 - 10, 2025
Please Join PTA!
If you haven't already, please join the AAA PTA! As of right now, we only have 14% family participation in PTA. We would love to have 100% participation!
📕 ELA 📕
Mz. Estelle
Honors English
We are studying opinion speech writing. We will be analyzing exemplar texts and then drafting and revising an opinion piece in speech form. Students are still responsible for work on iReady and ReadWorks. ReadWorks assignments are accessible via Google Classroom. iReady is accessible via Clever.
For both my English and Science classes, students are accessing work via Google classroom. Within the google classroom, students have access to work on Flocabulary, ReadWorks, iReady, and NewsELA. Science students are also using Generation Genius to expand their science knowledge and skills.
***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.
Ms. Stricklin
Regular ELA - This week students will have assignments on Schoology, Accelerated Reader (AR), and i-Ready.
i-Ready - Students are required to complete 50 minutes of i-Ready Reading and two passed lessons.
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 on Clever.
Schoology - We are starting a short story unit using Langston Hughes’s “Thank You, Ma’am” as an anchor text.
Honors ELA - This week students will have assignments on Schoology, Accelerated Reader (AR), and i-Ready.
i-Ready - Students are required to complete 50 minutes of i-Ready Reading and two passed lessons.
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 on Clever.
Schoology - We are starting a short story unit using Langston Hughes’s “Thank You, Ma’am” as an anchor text.
Ms. Talley
Please come to class prepared with paper and pencils. 1,000 pencils were purchased at the beginning of the year and they are all gone.
➕➖ Math ➖➕
Mr. Moore
Our focus for the beginning of the new year is Dividing Fractions. Completing assignments in a timely manner will only help reinforce learned concepts and principles of dividing with fractions. All class assignments will be due by the next class period, unless students have a valid excuse. Here is the assignment schedule for our new quarter:
Alek's assignments will be due Tuesdays and Thursdays
Two iReady lessons pass by the end of each week.
Quizzes and Tests will be on Thursday or Friday. Students will know by Wednesday.
🧪 Science 🧪
Mz. Estelle
Our next unit is on Space Exploration. We will be using AMSTI materials to explore Earth and Space concepts via the AMSTI hands-on investigations.
Students have been assigned a Moon Journal via Google Classroom. Students are expected to observe the sky daily, looking for the moon phases, and recording their observations on their Moon Journal. We will also have some class time to do sky observations. Please make sure your child dressed appropriately for the weather for possible class time outside.
For both my English and Science classes, students are accessing work via Google classroom. Within the google classroom, students have access to work on Flocabulary, ReadWorks, iReady, and NewsELA. Science students are also using Generation Genius to expand their science knowledge and skills.
***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.
*** All sixth grade classrooms are in need of hand sanitizer and tissues. My science class is in desperate need of paper towels. We would be MOST grateful if you can send those items in.
Mrs. Thrasher
6th Grade
Welcome back! We are continuing our lessons on Sun-Moon-Earth interactions. We are learning about what causes Earth's seasons this week! Just a reminder that late work is not accepted except in cases of absences.
7th Grade
Welcome back! We are learning about how cells reproduce and replicate through meiosis and mitosis.
📜 Social Studies 📜
Mrs. Hester
We will be continuing our study of the 1920s.
Tentative Test Date - January 14/15
Mrs. Maynard
Civics
Grades are still in the process of being input and updated due to Mrs. Maynard's maternity leave and absence. If you have questions or concerns about your grade, please reach out to Mr. Jones or Mrs. Smith and they will get you the information you need.
Mr. Hughes
We will be studying Ancient India & Ancient China this next three weeks.
🎭 Fine Arts 🎭
🤡 Clowns - Ms. Stricklin 🤡
Upcoming Dates
- Auditions: Bedtime Stories (As Told by our Dad) (Who usually messed them up) on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
- Prepare a 30 second memorized monologue
- Fill out the audition form and resume online at https://www.whyaaa.org/ms-theatre.html
🤩 Stars - Ms. Stricklin 🤩
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.
Upcoming Dates
- Auditions: Bedtime Stories (As Told by our Dad) (Who usually messed them up) on Tuesday, January 13, 2025.
- Prepare a 30 second memorized monologue
- Fill out the audition form and resume online at https://www.whyaaa.org/ms-theatre.html
✍🏻 Creative Writing - Mrs. Hester ✍🏻
3rd 9 Weeks Genre Study: POETRY
Students must sign-up for a 3rd 9 weeks workshop date on the discussion post in Schoology.
🎭 Theatre - Mr. Feemster 🎭
Welcome Back! Auditions for Bedtime Stories will be January 13-15th after school. Please see www.WhyAAA.org/MS-Theatre for more information.
Reminder! Students in Introduction to Theatre will switch their classes from Tech to Performances and vice versa.
🎨 Art - Mrs. Dare-Jackson 🎨
February 2025 is National Magnet Schools Month, and we are thrilled to announce the 19th Annual National Magnet Schools Poster Contest! This is a fantastic opportunity for elementary, middle, and high school students to express their creativity. Each school can submit one poster!
Entries are DUE January 10th, 2025! Please turn them into your art teacher.
Poster Requirements/ Scoring Rubric
- Use of Pillar(s) Theme (Themes are: Diversity, Innovative Curriculum and Professional Development, Academic Excellence, Leadership, and Family and Community Partnerships) 30 pts.
- Poster Sizes: 8.5x11, 11x17, or 22x28 20 pts.
- Originality and Organization 30 pts.
- Use of Color and Design 20 pts.
__________________________________________________________
Middle School Art Students who would like to join National Junior Art Honor Society can now visit https://www.whyaaa.org/ms-art.html to fill out a membership application form.
6th Grade Updates
- Make sure you have signed up for the 6th grade Remind CLICK HERE or HERE to join the class the code is @ceecdk
- Check PowerSchool often. Directions for creating a Parent Portal account are attached below.
- Have students read at home for 30 minutes a day.
7th Grade Updates
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.