Intro to Middle School: Ms. Sam Musher, Library Technology Specialist
6th: In my Intro to Middle School classes this week, we’ve been learning about good digital citizenship: how to use technology appropriately and contribute positively to the online world. Ask your child what digital citizenship means to them, and discuss how you make choices about using your phone, reading or posting on the internet, social media, etc.
Spanish: Mr. Nick Paras
Grade 6: Classes start in October, once students are done with Introduction to Middle School.
Grade 7: This week we will be focusing on a few things. We will work with the verb ser and how it is used to describe physical characteristics of people. We will also start going over noun/adjective agreement, (masculine/feminine singular/plural.) Lastly, definite articles will be introduced and practiced using nouns and deciding which definite article goes with the nouns that is given.
Grade 8: Grade 8 will have a busy week. Chapter 5A will be started and it will begin with the chapter vocabulary which includes the family and things that students may see at a party. The class will then move onto the verb ser and then we will go over some vocabulary used to describe physical characteristics of family members. Students will then be put in groups and make a poster about a celebration that they must research. The students will be given a Spanish speaking country and have to find a celebration in the specific country they are given.
French: Ms. Sarah Bilodeau
6th grade: 6th grade will begin French in October. I am looking forward to meeting the 6th grade RAUC French students! Bienvenue!
7th grade: In September we focus on sports in French society. We learn to write a biography of famous French or Francophone sports stars like Zinedine Zidane or Thierry Henri. We also learn how to communicate using the future tense.
8th grade: In September, we learn to talk about and describe our home as well as give a home tour to a French exchange student. We will learn about Francophone Algeria and Algerian culture, history and literature. Last, students review present and future verb formations as they gear up to learn the past tense later in the year.
Physical Education: Mr. Michael O’Connell
6th - 8th grade: Students in all grades are almost halfway through their Cooperative Learning unit. The unit is designed for students to develop and demonstrate the ability to cooperate with classmates during adventure activities, game play or team building activities, and articulate positive feedback/encouragement to their peers. In the coming weeks, students will participate in a variety of problem-solving challenges.
7th grade and 8th grade: The Cooperative Learning unit builds off of work from the previous years, with an emphasis on having students demonstrate the ability to problem solve with classmates during small group adventure activities and game play. In the coming weeks, students will participate in a variety of problem-solving and trust challenges.
In 8th grade, students will participate in a variety of trust and low-element climbing challenges that culminate in (“challenge-by-choice”) high-element climbing.
Art: Ms. Lucia Lee
6th graders have recently finished a “police sketch artist” partner drawing exercise. They are now starting on a tissue paper “stained-glass” project--depicting either a representational or non-objective image. This project is a practice in patience as well as a focus on planning, problem-solving and paper cutting techniques.
7th graders started a relief-printing project in which they sketch and carve ¼ of a bigger design onto a 1x1-inch square block. Markers are used as a coloring agent instead of traditional block printing ink. When repetitively printed and rotated, the block design will create a new and surprising pattern. This project demonstrates that the use of repetition can transform a simple element into a more intricate and interesting image.
8th graders learned about the ornamental characteristics of Art Nouveau and became acquainted with the style of Gustav Klimt, a prominent decorative painter of the Art Nouveau movement. Students will create a Klimt/Art Nouveau-inspired portrait on scratchboard. They will first cut out head and hands of a human figure and/or animal from magazines. Then students will use scratch tools to draw garments, bodies, legs, a background scene and sections of patterns using geometric and/or organic lines and shapes. For this assignment, garments and body proportions need not be realistic. Portrait results tend to be either beautiful, quirky, fanciful, silly, or all of the above.
Health and Wellness: Mr. Justin McNulty
6th Grade: Students are exploring the four dimensions of Health. They have started their Mental and Emotional Health unit and have been learning about ways they can improve their own dimension of health and rules and responsibilities they have as 6th grades.
7th Grade: Students are learning about nutrition and physical activity. They are making the connection between the food choices they make and the forms of physical activity they engage in to live a healthy life.
8th Grade: Students have been studying media and how it affects one’s health. Recently they have defined media, types of media and completed a self assessment on how much time they spend using media at home and in school. In the upcoming weeks, students will chart their data and compare it to other classes.
Band: Mr. Patrick Wroge
6th Grade: We finally have all of the instruments and folders assigned to each student. We are currently working on review of the first seven notes learned on each instrument. We are now ready to apply our current knowledge to a full band piece called “We’re On A Mission To Rock”.
7th Grade: We are up and running, concentrating on our concert Bb and F major scales. We will start working on concert Eb scale in the next couple of weeks. We are also working on the theme from Indiana Jones.
8th Grade: We are working on our concert Bb, Eb and F major scales. We will start working on our concert Ab major scale in the next couple of weeks. We have also started working on “Raiders March”, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, and “25 or 6 to 4”.
String Orchestra: Ms. Brittany Phillips
6th Grade: We have a great mix of students in the 6th grade string orchestra class. Some students have played for a year or longer, while others are just trying the instrument for the first time. Our focus for September is to model excellent playing posture and a strong bow hold while we play our B. B. King style 12 Bar Blues progression.
7th Grade: The 7th grade string orchestra ensemble is focusing on picking up where we left off last spring. We are working on playing in tune when we play in unison and when we play harmonies. Our current project is adding fun rhythms to our D major scale, playing along to a fun Hip-Hop jam, and strengthening our music reading skills.
8th Grade: The 8th grade ensemble is excited to explore the roots and style of modern Hip Hop music. We began with the Blues and R&B style rhythms and are moving into layering instrument voices within a D major Hip Hop progression. We will soon be exploring the influences of Reggae music, and will work on improving our sight reading skills throughout the fall semester.
Chorus, 6th - 8th Grades: Mr. Joshua DeWitte
In chorus, students learn the fundamentals of proper vocal technique and choral singing.