The Outsiders: A Novel Look at Film

Eighth grade students just finished reading and studying the award-winning novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.  Since it was first published in 1967, it has remained a popular book among teenagers here at Avonworth.

We will conclude the novel unit by watching the PG-13 movie, The Outsiders: The Complete Novel on  Wednesday, October 22.  The Francis Ford Coppola movie was rereleased in 2005 and captures the spirit of the young adult characters and themes prevalent in the novel.   The author S.E. Hinton helped direct the movie and even played a small part in it. 

Students will learn how to critically watch the film and reflect on key elements of the novel as they complete their “Movie to Film Analysis” sheets.   After comparing and contrasting the movie’s character development, conflicts and themes to those within the novel, students will write and discuss their own reviews of the movie.

If you do not want your student to view the movie, please download, sign and return the linked form by Monday, October 20.   An alternative activity will be provided for students who will not watch the movie.

Magazine Fundraiser

Please remember to sell magazines for the student council! This fundraiser supports many school activities and field trips! 

October Important Dates and Events

Friday, October 17

[Social Studies] Up Front Ebola DUE

Monday, October 20

Reading] AR due
[Social Studies] Immigration Stations DUE

Tuesday, October 21

 [IM 1] Quiz

 [sci] Quiz: Newton's Laws

Wednesday, October 22

 [Social Studies] Chapter 2/3 Test

 2 Hr Delay Teacher In-Service

 [event] Outsiders Movie

Friday, October 24

 [sci] Unit Test: Newton's Laws

Tuesday, October 28

[End of First 9 Weeks]

Wednesday, October 29

[Start of Second 9 Weeks]

Magazine Fundraiser Post Cards

Message sent via Remind on Monday 10/13/14 at 4:30PM

Please remember to fill out and return your magazine fundraiser postcards. They are due to your period A teachers tomorrow!

This week...

Sent 3:00 PM 10/06/14 via Remind to all subscribers

This week... 
No School 10/13 for students - ACT 80 Day
Wed: Reading-Finish The Outsiders & Theme Stcky Nte Assgnmnt due 
Fri: Civics-Test Chptr 2&3

No School - Monday

Monday, October 13

No School for students - Columbus Day

ACT 80 Day for teachers and staff

First Issue of The Herd

Check out the first issue of The Herd, the AMS student newspaper club's publication, online! Students can join The Herd! The staff and sponsors are always looking for students to write articles about Avonworth for the paper! The next meeting will be Tuesday,  October 14. The staff meets in room 110 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM.

Grade 8 Article: Veterans Visit Avonworth Middle School

Magazine Sale

The annual student council magazine sale had its kick off on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8!  If you are a current subscriber or are interested in getting any new titles please consider purchasing your magazines through our fundraiser.  All proceeds to go AMS Student Council and allow us to provide programming throughout the year, support classroom activities and organize social and charitable activities.  Please ask your students for their packet so that they can get you signed up to enjoy a subscription through our fundraiser!

October Events and Dates Updated

Thursday, October 9

 [Social Studies] Complete Step 3 of Historical Editorial

Friday, October 10

 [sci] quiz: velocity & acceleration 

 [Social Studies] Historical Editorial

 [Event] Halloween Social

Monday, October 13

 No School for Students - ACT 80

Tuesday, October 14

 [Social Studies] Historical Editorial Project DUE

Wednesday, October 15

 [Reading] Finish Reading The Outsiders and Complete Theme Stcky Nte Assgnmnt by Wed, 10/15

Friday, October 17

 Read AR Book - AR Points Due Monday, October 20

 [Social Studies] TEST on Society and Citizenship - Chapter 2 and 3

Monday, October 20

 Read AR Book - AR Points due

Wednesday, October 22

 2 Hr Delay Teacher In-Service

Tuesday, October 28

 [End of First 9 Weeks]

Wednesday, October 29

 [Start of Second 9 Weeks]

Visit our calendar online! 

This week...

Sent 3:00 PM 10/06/14 via Remind to all subscribers

This week: 

Tue, Wed, & Thu ISS flyover!http://amsgrade8.blogspot.com/2014/10/students-to-track-iss-next-week.html 

Fri: Science quiz w/ study guide online (https://sites.google.com/a/avonworth.k12.pa.us/sci8/unit-b/velocity-accleration) & Social

Students to track the ISS next week

Next week students in science class will be encouraged to track the International Space Station (ISS) as it appears in our night sky. This is a great way to think about the role of Newton's Laws, motion, and gravity. Finding the ISS is easy due to the various websites that post the location and viewing dates and times. However, there is a small window in which it can be viewed. Also, we will need a clear night to view the flyover. In class, we will explore the impact of sunlight reflection, the shadow of the Earth, and visibility of the ISS during our early evening or early morning.

Pittsburgh, PA - Dates, Times and Where to Look for the ISS: 

Night	Duration	Angle	Start Direction	End Direction
Tue Oct 7, 8:34 PM	3 min	65°	10 above WSW	65 above NNW
Wed Oct 8, 7:45 PM	6 min	69°	10 above SW	16 above ENE
Thu Oct 9, 8:35 PM	2 min	28°	23 above WNW	26 above N

The ISS can be tracked through several different websites and apps:

NASA Spot the Station - Pittsburgh

Astro Viewer  ISS website

ISS Spotter app available in app stores

Space Station being tracked using the Night Sky app on an iPhone.

Is this math or science class? It's both!

The students in the eighth grade are participating in a series of STEM, also known as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, activities in their math and science classes. First we are working through Ramp It Up!, which is an investigation into Newton's principles of motion. Student teams in the different science classes are independently investigating what happens to an object as it rolls down a ramp. As the unit unfolds, students learn about classical physics problems and some of the history behind so many of the discoveries of the 17^th century. They are then applying those principles to everyday problems using scientific investigation.

Students using the ramps in science class.

This week...

Sent 3:00 PM 9/29/14 via Remind to all subscribers

This week:

10/1: IM1 & Math8-quizzes

Science students must bring their science books to class all week!

Middle School Social

The next middle school social is scheduled for Friday, October 10, from 7:00-9:30PM.  It is the Halloween costume party!

What's in the box?

Students experimenting
with the black box.

In science class, we just concluded our work with "the black box" project. We referred to this as the black box because students never see what is inside. Wikipedia  describes a black box as "a device which can be viewed solely in terms of its input, output and transfer characteristics without any knowledge of its internal workings."

With the investigation into the black box concluded, the students had to design what they imagine could be the apparatus inside the black box. Using observation and experimentation the students had to use their data to help define the inner workings. Students discovered that when water was added, sometimes only a fraction of the water exited the box. Other times, the black box released more water than was added. Students had to make inferences about what would cause water in the box to behave in this manner.

Students had to defend their ideas in class by explaining how well their concepts matched the data collected during the investigation. The class discussed each team's ideas and helped them to make needed modifications.

At the end of the project, the students completed a writing activity where they discussed their confidence in their designs. Through the course of the black box experience, students were employing skills in perseverance, teamwork, critical and skeptical thinking, and problem-solving. You can see student work on the lab blog at http://amslab110.blogspot.com.

Student model of the inner
workings of the black box.

Student explanation for the
black box phenomenon.

Grade 8 Math Update

IM 1 and Math 8 will have a  quiz on Wednesday, October 1. 

  

October events and dates

Monday, October 13

 No School for Students (Columbus Day) - ACT 80

Wednesday, October 20

 [Reading] AR Points Due!

Wednesday, October 22

 2 Hr Delay Teacher In-Service

Wednesday, October 27

 First Nine-weeks ends

Environmental Club

Students are welcome to join the environmental club. Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, October 1 until 4 PM in room 110. We will be talking about environmental projects at our school. Also, we will start the paper recycling for the middle and high schools. If you have questions, please see Mr. Haskins or Mrs. Abate.

Summer Vacation Story for The Herd

Have you had an interesting summer vacation? Well you should share it with us! If

your vacation was exciting, adventurous, horrific, or just plain fun you should send it to

the Avonworth’s Middle School newspaper! We are looking for your summer vacation

stories. If you have a good story for the newspaper summer vacation section, you should

share it with The Herd by sending it to Mr. Haskins, The Herd school newspaper sponsor. You

will have your final draft printed in the newspaper or posted to our website!

This week...

Sent 3:00 PM 9/22/14 via Remind to all subscribers

This week: 

Tuesday: [Science] unit test (study guide online) &  [Reading] AR Progress Check

Wednesday: [Reading] Study Island Inferences due

Thursday:  [English] Advertising Project