Students begin to learn about electricity

This past Monday, students started to learn about electricity in science class. Students will work through several learning activities, projects, and assignments to help them learn about the role of energy in the production and usage of electricity. Students will be also learning about conservation and sustainability of resources through practical changes that can be done at home.

Parents can download a copy of the latest list of assignments from the science website. A daily list of class activities and homework can be seen on the classroom timeline. 

Next week students will be coming home asking for help from their parents and guardians as they complete an electric usage audit. As adults paying the bills, we know the impact of wasted electricity on the budget. This project aims to help students understand electric utilities and how some simple changes could lower the power bill! Students will be introduced to the project on Tuesday, 1/13/15. There are many resources students will need to access from the class website, www.HaskinsSci8.info. Students will be asked to research various facts about commercial electricity, collect data from their home, and analyze how to save power resources. Also, there are plenty of helpful hints and explanations on the website to assist students as they put together their digital portfolio. Students will gather materials and modify a template that has been made available through the Google Drive. It will be helpful if students can access the electric meter at their home as well as read and analyze the latest electric power bill. The choices and habits students make today could have a great impact on the environment and the pocketbook!

Parents and guardians can choose to take energy conversation further with their child by completing the Watt Choices program online. https://www.duquesnelight.com/wattChoices/ If you are a Duquesne Light Company customer, you are eligible to participate in real electric energy audit, and in return you can get free CFL light bulbs, information on rebates for new energy efficient appliances, night lights and a free phantom power killing surge protector!

Free Watt Choices energy saving kit!

• Complete the Duquesne Light online home energy audit with your science student! 
• Refrigerator and freezer recycling program 

Grade 8 article in The Herd

AMS Grade 8 student, Caitie Bellotti, had an article posted to The Herd website this week.  Read it here:

Veterans experience at the history center

Calendar Update

Thursday, January 8

 2-hr delay - Inclement Weather

Monday, January 12

 [Social Studies] Extra Credit Essay DUE

 [Event] BAAHA 8th Grade Civics Accelerated Topics

Tuesday, January 13

 [sci] Quiz: Electric Current Tuesday (study guide online)

Friday, January 16

 [Event] Pancake Breakfast

Monday, January 19

 No school for students - ACT 80

Tuesday, January 20

 [Event] Junior Achievement

Wednesday, January 21

 [Event] Advisory

Tuesday, January 27

 [Social Studies] Study for Bill of Rights TEST

Wednesday, January 28

 [Social Studies] Bill of Rights TEST

Monday, February 16

 No school for students - ACT 80

Happy New Year!

WELCOME 2015! 

School resumes on Monday, January 5, 2015! 

Don't forget to read your AR book! AR due January 6!

Winter Break!

Happy Holidays
and have a fun, safe
winter break! 

School resumes on Monday, January 5, 2015! 

AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23

AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23 - if you'd like to donate anything please contact ehickman@avonworth.k12.pa.us
or sabate@avonworth.k12.pa.us!​

Science test on waves

 There will be a science test on 

Monday, 12/22/14.

A study guide for WAVES
is available online.

Accelerated Reader DUE soon!

NOTE:
 AR will be due
Tuesday, January 6, 2015!

Wave lessons continue this week

Email sent to science 8 students on Monday, 12/15/14. 

Dear students,

We are continuing to learn about waves in science class. You can follow along with the science website. The following links may interest you:

Class Timeline 

Downloadable Assignments 

Copies of Notes from Class 

Waves YouTube playlist 

Also, below you will find a summary of the homework for this week:

If you have any questions, be sure to see me during class. 

Sincerely,

Mr. Haskins

Day	Homework (click links below to view assignment)
Monday (12/15)	Reading Activity: Chapters 12  & 13 – complete the broken outline due for Tue
Tuesday	HW: Elements of Sound & Light (due Thu)
Wednesday	HW: Elements of Sound & Light (due Thu)
Thursday	Study for the unit test – Chapters 10, 11, 12,& 13
Friday	Study for the unit test – Chapters 10, 11, 12,& 13
Saturday & Sunday	Study for the unit test – Chapters 10, 11, 12,& 13

Calendar Update

Thursday, December 18

 [sci] D3 Elements of Sound & Light due

 [Social Studies] Study for TEST
 [Math 8] Quiz today

Friday, December 19

 [English] Founders or Traitors paper due Dec 19 (end of class)

 [Social Studies] Chapter 5 TEST

Monday, December 22

  [sci] Unit Test - Waves

Tuesday, December 23

  [Event] AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23​

Wednesday, December 24 - Friday, January 2, 2015

  Winter Vacation

Monday, January 5, 2015

 School is in session

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

 [Reading] AR Points due Tues., Jan. 6

 Monday, January 19, 2015

 No school for students - ACT 80

Congratulations Mr. Smith, National Certified Teacher!

Congratulations Mr. Smith!

National Board Certified Teacher

Read more here.

Photo from the ASD website.

Students out of class / getting caught up

With the holidays and cold/flu season upon us, many students will be out of class and miss work in the next few weeks. Please note that science assignments are available on HaskinsSci8.info and that English and Reading assignments can be accessed through the Google Classroom (which is available through asdlopes.org). If you have any questions about posted assignments, feel free to contact teachers as needed. 

8th grade Homework calendar

Please remind your students that they should access the 8th grade Homework calendar to find out what assignments they missed.  We appreciate your support at home as we help our students develop the self-direction habits they need to complete their missing assignments.  Thank you!

8TH GRADE TEAM COntact InFormation

Mrs. Abate; learning support teacher

Mrs. Crothers; mathematics teacher

Mr. Haskins; science teacher

Mrs. Galecki; reading teacher

Mrs. Hickman; English teacher

Mr. Smith; social studies teacher

Science waves unit

The following email was sent to students on 12/09/14: 

Dear students,

We are currently learning about waves in science class. You can follow along with the class using the science website. The following links may interest you:.

Downloadable AssignmentsCopies of Notes from ClassWaves YouTube playlistQuiz Study Guide

Also, below you will find a summary of the homework for the remaining nights this week:

Day/Night	Homework
Tuesday	D1 Waves Review Worksheet (due Thursday)
Wednesday	D1 Waves Review Worksheet (due Thursday)
Thursday	Study for quiz Sound broken outline (for Friday)
Friday	Light broken outline  (for Monday)

If you have any questions, be sure to see me during class.

Sincerely,

Mr. Haskins

Calendar Updates

Friday, December 12

 [sci] D2 Quiz: Properties of Waves

 [Social Studies] Constitutional Convention Newspaper DUE

Monday, December 15

 IM 1 Quiz

Tuesday, December 16

 [English] Founders or Traitors paper due Dec 19 (end of class)

 [sci] D3 Elements of Sound & Light

Wednesday, December 17

 [Social Studies] Complete Study Guide and prepare for TEST

Thursday, December 18

 [English] Founders or Traitors paper due Dec 19

 [Social Studies] Study for TEST

Friday, December 19

 [English] Founders or Traitors paper due Dec 19 (end of class)

 [Social Studies] Chapter 5 TEST

Monday, December 22

 [Reading] AR Points due Tues., Jan. 6

 [sci] Unit Test - Waves

Tuesday, December 23

  [Event] AMS Children's Hospital Auction

Wednesday, December 24 -  Friday, January 2, 2015

 Winter Vacation

Monday, January 5, 2015

 School is in session

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

 [Reading] AR Points due Tues., Jan. 6

8th Grade Veterans Experience

On Wednesday, December 3, thirty-two 8^th grade students traveled to the Heinz History Center for the annual Veterans Experience Workshop.  

These students spent the school day with local veterans who shared their personal stories of service in our nation’s military.  Students earned eligibility for this field trip by completing an essay and creating questions for the veterans.  

While at the History Center, students rotated through four stations, each featuring a veteran from a different war.  Students listened to first-hand testimonials, examined primary source artifacts, and asked questions to veterans from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War.  

In addition, the students participated in a panel discussion with all of the veterans where they discussed topics such as segregation in the military, the difficulty in returning home after combat, changes in communication technology, and their favorite military related book or film.  Students took detailed notes from all of the veterans’ stories and were encouraged to share them with others in the future.  

Thanks again to veterans Walter Patton (World War II), Dave Borland (Korea), Jack Sheehan (Vietnam), Larry Woods (Vietnam), and Debbie Dapper (Gulf War) for spending the day with our students.

Science layered curriculum final projects

As the science layered curriculum comes to an end, the students have been busy developing their final assessment. As with the activities throughout the unit, students had a choice in how they are to be assessed for the final grade. Some students have chosen to build something that relates the use transfer of energy while others have decided to take the unit test on Friday.

Students building a roller coaster.

Another roller coaster being built. 

Students creating a Rube Goldberg machine.

Toboggan coaster style coaster being built. 

Mousetrap race car under construction. 

A Rube Goldberg machine being tested. 

Calder inspired mobile representing the wide-world of sports. 

Calendar Updates

Thursday, December 4

 [Social Studies] Turn in Revolutionary Town Hall packet

Friday, December 5

 [sci] layered curriculum - final assessment due

 [Social Studies] Up Front Magazine worksheet DUE

Monday, December 8

 [Event] Photo Retakes

Tuesday, December 9

 [Reading] AR Points due Tues., Jan. 6

 [sci] D1 Homework: Waves Review

Wednesday, December 10

 [sci] D1 Homework: Waves Review

 2 Hr Delay Teacher In-Service

Friday, December 12

 [sci] D2 Quiz: Properties of Waves

Tuesday, December 16

 [sci] D3 Elements of Sound & Light

Friday, December 19

 [sci] Unit Test - Waves

Tuesday, December 23

 [Event] AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23​

Wednesday, December 24 - Friday, January 2, 2015

 Winter Vacation

Monday, January 5, 2015

 School is in session

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

 [Reading] AR Points due

Monday, January 19, 2015

 No school for students - ACT 80

New science topic starts Monday

In science class, students will be learning about waves through the end of December. Assignments, notes, and other information can be found on the science 8 website, https://sites.google.com/a/avonworth.k12.pa.us/sci8/e---waves.

Photo Retakes

Photo retakes will be on Monday, December 8th for both the high school and middle school. Order forms are available in the offices.

AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23

AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23

AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23 - if you'd like to donate anything please contact ehickman@avonworth.k12.pa.us
or sabate@avonworth.k12.pa.us!​

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! 

American Revolution Book Club Project

Eighth graders just finished the American Revolution Book Club Project in Mrs. Galecki’s reading class.   Each club had four scheduled reading and note-taking assignments to complete over a four week period.  After completing each assignment, students shared their prepared analysis and response to the text during a scheduled, structured Book Club discussion session.   Students proved that they can engage in student-led, higher-level critical discussions about literature.  They shared their analysis of their texts' literary techniques, vocabulary, historical facts, conflicts, point of view and themes. 

Students will continue their study of the American Revolution when they return from Thanksgiving Break by reading The Declaration of Independence.

AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23

AMS Children's Hospital Auction is Dec 23 - if you'd like to donate anything please contact ehickman@avonworth.k12.pa.us
or sabate@avonworth.k12.pa.us!​

Carson Scholars Fund

The Carson Scholars Fund awards $1,000 college scholarships to students in grades 4 through 11 who excel academically and are dedicated to serving their communities.  To be nominated for this award, the student must have a 3.75 or better GPA on a 4.0 scale.

Anyone may refer a student to Mr. Pellicano that meets both the qualifications! Avonworth Middle School can only nominate one student.  Each nominee will be required to write a short essay.  See or email Mr. Pellicano for more details! Deadline is December 10, 2014.

Upcoming Dates and Events

Thursday, November 27 & Friday, November 28

 Thanksgiving Holiday - No school

Monday, December 1

 School is in session

Tuesday, December 2

 [Social Studies] Revolutionary Town Hall Event and Research Packet DUE

Friday, December 5

 [sci] layered curriculum - final assessment due Friday (update)

Wednesday, December 10

 2 Hr Delay Teacher In-Service

Tuesday, December 23

 [Event] AMS Children's Hospital Auction

Wednesday, December 24 -  Friday, January 2, 2015

 Winter Vacation

Monday, January 5, 2015

 School is in session