Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Black Box Blog
Students have published their results from the black box project! Check out what they are saying on the blog! It is available on the following website: http://amslab110.blogspot.com/ Soon, students from Milford, IL will be joining us on the discussion.
Monday, September 14, 2015
AR Progress Check
AR
Midterm Progress Check & Quiz September 22, 2015
Click the icon below to access the Home Connect log-in for Accelerated Reader. Parents, ask your child for the AR Home Connect letters that were sent home Wednesday.
Special Symbols on Edline Reports
Teachers in the 8th grade use the grading symbols on Edline reports in different ways. Click here to see how each teacher uses the special codes for scoring assignments.
Also, there is a new grading scale in effect. You can see the new grading scale on the AMS website.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Univ. of Pittsburgh SWE Event for Middle School Students
The following is a message from University of Pittsburgh SWE and AMS/ASD does not sanction the following the message or their activities.
Dear students and parents,
Dear students and parents,
You are invited to University of Pittsburgh Society of Women Engineer's Middle School Engineering Day. The flyer with all details of the event and how to sign-up for the event is linked below. The event is Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 9 am to 1 pm and the event is free! Please forward this on to your students/parents of 6th-8th graders and to anybody else who may be interested. Thank you for your support.
The link for signing up is below:
Middle School Engineering Day Committee
KidScience at the Zoo
The following is a message from Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium and AMS/ASD does not sanction the following the message or their activities.
The KidScience program at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, is seeking to recruit students with a strong interest and ability in science. KidScience is a two-year program aimed at students in grades 6-8 who are interested in science, research, animal behavior, and conservation. It is an intensive, but fun, program that introduces students to scientific principles and research methods within a zoo environment.
KidScience is a two-year, year-round program. Classes for the upcoming school year will begin October 3rd, and we will continue accepting applications for the 2015-2016 school year through mid-September. Students will attend class at the Zoo every other Saturday from October through May. The program will continue with a summer camp, which runs Monday through Thursday for three weeks in July 2016. Throughout the program, students will learn research methods and problem solving techniques, which will allow them to conduct their own research projects on a favorite zoo animal. In addition to research, the kids are exposed to local and international conservation issues, and they often work with peers on fun and educational group activities. KidScience is tuition-based, but there are full scholarships available to any students who may need them.
Contact Information:
Amanda (Mandy) Revak
KidScience & Zoo U. Coordinator
One Wild Place Pittsburgh, PA 15206 412-365-2567 (Tues. – Sat.) fax 412-665-3661 |
Friday, September 11, 2015
Science Extra Credit/Enrichment Opportunity
Students can earn four additional Prep Points for the unit test in October! Students will need to attend two after school meetings until 4:30 PM. Read more about the project and earning a digital badge by clicking here. Online sign ups continue through the Thursday, 9/17/15.
AMS 8 BYOT Policy
Students are reminded to follow the BYOT policy during school. Students should not have on their headphones/earbuds while walking in the hallways. Devices may only be used when a teacher allows the use of the device.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Reminder! AMS 8 Curriculum Night - Tonight!
REMINDER
Tonight, September 10, 2015
6:30 - 8:30 PM
Middle / High School Auditorium
6:30 - 8:30 PM
The 8th grade team would like to welcome our parents and guardians to curriculum night, Thursday, September 10, 2015! The night will begin at 6:30 PM in the auditorium. The curriculum night will allow parents and guardians to hear about the important events and activities the students will be involved in this school year.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
School Pictures!
Tuesday, 9/15, is AMS school portrait day!
Wear your outfit and a smile for your picture!
Forms were sent home earlier this week.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
You're Invited! AMS 8 Curriculum Night
Thursday, September 10, 2015
6:30 - 8:30 PM
Middle / High School Auditorium
6:30 - 8:30 PM
The 8th grade team would like to welcome our parents and guardians to curriculum night, Thursday, September 10, 2015! The night will begin at 6:30 PM in the auditorium. The curriculum night will allow parents and guardians to hear about the important events and activities the students will be involved in this school year.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Welcome Back-To-School!
8TH GRADE TEAM
Mrs. Abate; learning support teacher
SAbate@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Miss Raitano; English teacher
JRaitano@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Google ClassroomOWL: Online Writing Lab
Mrs. Galecki; reading teacherKGalecki@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Google ClassroomStudy Island
Ms. Costantiono-Poruben; mathematics teacherMCostantino-Poruben@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Math TextbookInstructions to use IM1 & Math 8 textbooks
Study Island
Mr. Haskins; science teacherDHaskins@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Science websiteClassroom timeline
Mr. Smith; social studies teacher
JSmith@Avonworth.k12.pa.us
Other Resources
Monday, August 24, 2015
Remind: 8th grade text messages for parents and students!
During the 2015-2016 school year, the 8th grade team will be using the free message system called Remind. Each afternoon, an update will be sent from the AMS 8 Team for parents and students. Homework, updates, and event information will be sent through the Remind system. Some messages will require multiple SMS messages to complete.
To sign-up for our text alerts, follow these simple directions:
On your phone send the text message, @amsgrade8, to 81010! Follow the directions when prompted!
Students and parents can also connect to Remind through their app and website!
8th grade homework calendar
The 8th grade team uses a Google calendar to keep students and parents informed on due assignments. The Google calendar can be viewed on our webpage page at the following address:
https://www.edline.net/pages/Avonworth_Middle_School/Team_Teaching/8th_Grade
https://www.edline.net/pages/Avonworth_Middle_School/Team_Teaching/8th_Grade
This calendar can be synced with mobile devices such as phones, iPods, and tablets. Learn more about accessing the calendar through the Parent Academy (Information), by clicking here!
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Welcome!
Below is the email sent to parents and guardians through the Edline messaging system.
Dear parent/guardian,
Welcome!
On behalf of the 8th grade team, I want to welcome you to
another great year at Avonworth Middle School! For our students and your
son/daughter, this is an important year. It is our goal to help prepare our
students for the challenges and demands of high school. Hopefully, your son/daughter
will find the eighth grade to be an exciting time, as well as a time for growth
and new experiences.
We understand that the start of the new school year can be hectic.
Please use the resources below to help you and your family prepare for the first
day of school. The 8th grade team and I are excited to meet your son/daughter
on Tuesday! Happy New School Year!
Sincerely,
Doug Haskins
science teacher/AMS 8 team technology & communications
science teacher/AMS 8 team technology & communications
Back-to-School
·
Supplies
(as found on Edline)
·
Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - First Day of School
·
Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 6:30 PM - AMS 8 Curriculum
Night
Contact Us
Mrs. Abate, learning support teacher, sabate@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Miss Raitano, English teacher, jraitano@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Mrs. Galecki, reading teacher, kgalecki@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Ms. Costantiono-Poruben, mathematics
teacher, mcostantino-Poruben@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Mr. Haskins, science teacher, dhaskins@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Mr. Smith, social studies teacher, jsmith@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Staying In-Touch (Three helpful AMS 8 communication
tools)
·
Remind
(formerly Remind 101) - AMS Grade 8 text messages
A nightly reminder of homework and
important information for students and parents. This is a free service provided
to teachers and schools. You can choose a text message or an email from this
service provider. Click
here to enroll!
·
Google
Calendar - AMS Grade 8 Homework & Event Calendar
The 8th grade calendar with
homework reminders and other information can be seen on Edline
under middle school teaching teams. You may choose to add this calendar to your
Google Account, a mobile device, or another digital calendar such as Outlook. Learn
more about using the calendar from the AMS
Parent Academy (Information).
·
Stay
Connected - AMS Grade 8 Blog & Weekly Newsletter
To help parents and guardians stay
informed, we have provided a blog to help families know about the projects,
events, and activities happening at school! You can see the blog on our site amsgrade8.blogspot.com or you can enroll in our
weekly newsletter by submitting your email address. The newsletter will be
sent after school each Thursday starting the first week of September.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Stay Connected. blog and weekly email
Stay Connected. is a communication tool used by the 8th grade team to send parents, students, and interested community members information about our classes. The posts are updated and submitted every Thursday starting 9/10/15. If you subscribe by email, you will receive the newsletter in your inbox!
Monday, August 17, 2015
Students can access AMS 8 homework & event calendar through the Google Calendar App
Earlier today, AMS 8 Student Google Accounts were connected to the grade-level calendar. Students can see the nigthly homework and other information posted to the calendar by going to the Google Calendar App, https://www.google.com/calendar. Students can also get the information automatically downloaded to their device. Click here to read more about getting the Google Calendar on your tablet or other mobile device.
Learn more about Google for Education at Avonworth through the Parent Academy (Information).
Friday, July 24, 2015
AMS Parent Academy
Over the summer, teachers and administrators have created a Parent Academy on the middle school website to help answer frequently asked questions. Click here to see the academy!
Friday, July 10, 2015
Join AMS 8 Text Messages
Students and parents can receive our daily text reminders about homework, due dates, and projects! See the information below.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Freshman Expectations
On Wednesday, June 3 ninth graders visited AMS 8 to discuss student expectations in the high school. Students were given the sheet linked below to help them transition to the high school.
Click here to download a copy of the ninth grade expectations.
Click here to download a copy of the ninth grade expectations.
Remind Text Message Subscriber Info
Soon, all subscriber information will be deleted from the Remind text message service for @AMSGRADE8. We are preparing the account for next year’s students and parents.
Thanks for a great year!
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Return Your Borrowed Materials
Search under your beds and in your closets for overdue library books and textbooks. Please return them to school!
Check out the AMS Grade 8 Blog to review the end of the school year information. This blog post will be updated regularly.
- Library materials return
- Textbook return
- Exams
Ohio Township 5k and Kids Fun Run
The Ohio Township 5k and Kids Fun Run that will take place at Ohio Township Park on Saturday, September 12.
What makes this race so unique is the involvement of the 8th Grade class. During the month of April, the entire 8th grade class worked with the Ohio Twp. Director of Parks & Recreation, Andy Rubino to plan the race. In each Civics class, students worked in small teams on a variety of tasks. Some Students developed the t-shirt, the registration form, and course route. They designed posters, fliers, commercials for announcements, and awards. Students also called local businesses to secure monetary donations to sponsor the race. The students selected Animal Friends to receive a donation from the proceeds of the race. Other groups researched the history of the race and called previous race winners to invite them to come back and participate in this year's race. Another group wrote letters to local businesses to ask permission to display fliers and posters to advertise the race.
All of the students work was shared with Mr. Rubino and the race is now open for registration. You can register online at: http://www.raceit.com/search/
A paper registration form (designed by students in my Period D Civics class) is attached to this email.
I think this is a great opportunity for students to showcase their work to the community. Please let me know if you need any additional information about the event.
Thanks,
Freshman Insect Collection
Next year students will be required to make an insect collection during the first-nine weeks. You can get started collecting specimens over the summer!Read more here.
Cross Country
Any student that is planning to be a part of the Cross Country team in High School should be sure to ask Coach Smith for a copy of the Summer training information if they didn't receive one at the meeting on Tuesday.
Parents should also complete the contact form online at http://goo.gl/forms/
Monday, June 1, 2015
The Results are In! Bridges to STEM Careers Project
8th grade students tested their bridges Friday, May 29 during the Bridge
Exposition, part of the Bridges to STEM Careers project. Thirty bridges
were tested by adding weight to each of the spans until collapse. Students and parents are welcome to check out the final ranking on the winning bridges webpage!
A special thanks to our guest experts, bridge
engineers and architects from the Pittsburgh region. Representatives from HDR,
Inc., Michael Baker Corp., and Penn Dot District 11 used their insight and expertise to help enrich
this learning activity. Bridge designs can be seen on the classroom website through the gallery page.
 |
| Cassie Lloyd from Penn Dot District 11 with Ryan Felter as his team's bridge has increasing amounts of weight added to the structure. |
 |
| Allen Peng from Penn Dot District 11 with Dennis Manko and Mr. Haskins testing a bridge. |
 |
| The bridge pictured above held the most weight. It is form team AB and held 120 N or 28 pounds of weight. |
 |
| Another bridge being tested! |
 |
| A leader board was on display in the library during the event so students could see how their bridge compared to others in the class. |
 |
| Storing thirty bridges in Lab 110 is no easy feat! Here are all of the models prior to the Exposition! |
Calendar Update!
Thursday, June 4
Return all textbooks & library books!
Friday, June 5
Last Day of School
- Library materials return
- Textbook return
- Exams
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Textbook Return
Science books are past due.
Math books are due tomorrow.
Reading & English books are due June 2.
Civics textbooks will be collected on June 4. Replacement cost for a lost textbook is: $70.47
Read about more end of the year information from the Grade 8 Blog.
Math books are due tomorrow.
Reading & English books are due June 2.
Civics textbooks will be collected on June 4. Replacement cost for a lost textbook is: $70.47
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Anne Frank final test on Tuesday
Anne Frank final for reading class
June 2
Read about more end of the year information from the Grade 8 Blog.
Cross Country Pre-Season Conditioning
Cross Country pre-season conditioning concludes next week with practices on Tuesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 4 from 3:00 to 4:00 at the High School Track.
Also, on Tuesday, June 2 from 4:00 to 5:00 in the Middle School Cafeteria there will be an informational meeting for all parents and athletes who plan to join the Cross Country team. At this meeting, you will meet the coaching staff and team captains, and also receive copies of the summer workout calendar, the summer practice schedule, a list of local 5k races, and important running safety tips. Please try to attend. However, if you cannot attend the meeting but would still like to be included in future emails about the team, contact Coach Jason Smith at jsmith@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Also, on Tuesday, June 2 from 4:00 to 5:00 in the Middle School Cafeteria there will be an informational meeting for all parents and athletes who plan to join the Cross Country team. At this meeting, you will meet the coaching staff and team captains, and also receive copies of the summer workout calendar, the summer practice schedule, a list of local 5k races, and important running safety tips. Please try to attend. However, if you cannot attend the meeting but would still like to be included in future emails about the team, contact Coach Jason Smith at jsmith@avonworth.k12.pa.us
Monday, May 25, 2015
Calendar Update
Thursday, May 28
Friday, May 29
9:45am [EVENT] Bridge Expo / Engineers Visit
8:30am AMS Awards Assembly
Tuesday, June 2
[Reading] Final Anne Frank Quiz
Wednesday, June 3
[Social Studies] CIVICS FINAL EXAM
7:00pm AMS Commencement
Friday, June 5
Check out the AMS Grade 8 Blog to review the end of the school year information. This blog post will be updated regularly.
- Library materials return
- Textbook return
- Exams
Memorial Day
The 8th Grade Team honors the sacrifices of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States of America. It's because of their bravery and dedication we commemorate this day.
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