Spring Break!

Monday, March 30

 School closed (inclement weather forgiveness)

Tuesday, March 31 - Friday, April 3

 Spring Vacation - No School

Monday, April 6

 School in Session (Inclement weather make up day)

See more dates on the AMS Grade 8 Calendar.

PSSA Testing to Begin April 13

Students in the 8th grade are to take three PSSA tests this year. Read more about PSSA testing in April from the AMS Grade 8 Blog.

Homework over Spring Break

Reading
Read your WW II AR book - AR Quiz no later than 4/20
Study for Literary Terms Test Retakes on 74% and below: Monday, 4/6

IM 1
Exponents review worksheet - shade by numbers due 4/6

Math 8
Surface area and volume of cones/spheres worksheet due 4/6

Homework can be found on the AMS Grade 8 Calendar.

Spring Vacation!

Friday, March 27

 No School for Students - Schools closed due to previously scheduled parent conferences

Monday, March 30

 School closed (inclement weather forgiveness)

Tuesday, March 31 - Friday, April 3

 Spring Vacation - No School

Monday, April 6

 School in Session (Inclement weather make up day)

PSSA Testing to Begin April 13

Students in the 8th grade will be taking state PSSA tests this school year.

PSSA TESTING:

April 13 - 16   -  ELA, English language arts (Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs.)

April  21  -23   - Math (Tues., Wed. ,Thurs.)

April  27 & 28  - Science (8th grade) (Mon., Tues.)

Read more about PSSA test from the AMS Grade 8 Blog. 

ELECTRONIC DEVICE NOTICE:

Testing regulations prohibit the use of all electronic devices, including Kindles, Nooks, iPads or other electronic readers during testing times. If you are currently reading a book on an electronic reader, please make the necessary arrangements to find your novel at the library in the old fashioned book form. All cell phones, pagers, portable listening or recording devices, or any device with photographic capability must remain at home or in your locker.

Take your AR book to each testing period. If you have extra time after you complete a test, you may read silently at your desk.

Students Create a Pittsburgh-Themed Board Game

Science Email to Students about Due Dates

March 24, 2015  Hi folks, The following layered curriculum assignments have due dates and must be completed by the day/dates listed below!  Wednesday, 3/25 B-13 Week #1 Question of the Week (4pts) Thursday, 3/26 C-8 Vocab TV Element Slide (4 pts) B-6 Strange Symbols Poster (8 pts) A-5 Quiz Radioactivity & Nuclear Reactions (10 pts) Also note that Spring Break will run from Friday, 3/27 through Friday 4/3. The layered curriculum will continue after school resumes on Monday, 4/6. Be mindful of upcoming due dates:           April 6 C-6 Flash Card Quiz 7 B-14 Critical Thinking Question Week Two due B-10 Atomic Scientist Presentation due 8 A-2 Periodic Table Families Presentation due B-14 Critical Thinking Question Week Two due 9 Presentations 10 A-6 Quiz: Elements and their Properties 13 PSSA Testing 14 PSSA Testing 15 PSSA Testing B-15 Critical Thinking Question Week Three due 16 PSSA Testing A-1 Structure of the Atom & A-3 Podcast Video Structure of the Atom due 17 A-7 Unit Test: Atoms and Their Properties B-15 Critical Thinking Question Week Three due    You can also access layered curriculum assignments online through the science website: LEVEL C - Basic Knowledge LEVEL B - Advanced Practice LEVEL A - Assessment See you in class. Sincerely, Mr. Haskins

8th Graders Explore Game Design

On Thursday, March 12, 8th grade students met with Sabrina Culyba, a game designer at Schell Games. Schell Games is based in Station Square, and has focused on developing educational games for the last five years. Sabrina talked with the students about playtesting (or the process of playing a game to see if and how it works), how game-like thinking can benefit learning and other important gaming principles. The students showed her theirgames-in-progress, which are modified versions of Monopoly. The students' games integrate information they researched during their Pittsburgh Project, which is a research paper that they've just completed over the last six weeks. The students will take their information and apply it to the Monopoly board, pieces and rules, and will ultimately develop a working boardgame (including game pieces printed on the district's 3D printers) that they'll be able to share and play with each other.

Reading Tasks due for Next Week

Reading Literary Terms Review

Literary Terms Packet
due Monday, 3/23

Literary Terms Test
due Wednesday, 3/25

Layered Curriculum Begins in Science

A layered curriculum is a way to allow choice and differentiation in the classroom.  Students can choose activities from a menu of assignments. Assignments can be modified to increase rigor or help a student struggling with the content. The daily “mini-lessons” teach specific topics and skills. The lessons range from ten to fifteen minutes which offers students ample time in class to conduct lab activities, complete worksheet activities, or plan a project. Students should choose assignments that interest them. They should also turn in activities on a regular basis.

Many resources for the layered curriculum are available on the internet.  Students will have a choice of assignments from a menu of activities. Students are to start with “Level C – Basic Knowledge” assignments and move to “Level B – Advanced Practice” and then on to “Level A – Assessment” assignments. Each class period starts with a mini-lesson and concludes with time to work on layered activities.

Scores for the layered curriculum will be tracked by the students in their layered curriculum activity guides (folder created in class). Copies are available from the internet.

Some assignments have specific due dates. There is a special layered curriculum calendar on the menu of assignments.  The online tutorials and assignments require a computer with internet access. All Unit G layered curriculum assignments are due by Friday, 4/17/15.

Calendar Update!

Thursday, March 19

[Event] Courthouse Field Trips

Friday, March 20

[SCI LC] Checkpoint 8 pts due

 [SCI LC] Parent signature for 2 pts {C10}

 [SCI LC] Word Wall due {C7}

Monday, March 23

[Reading] Literary Terms Packet Due

 [SCI LC] Word Wall Quiz open to all {C7}

Tuesday, March 24

 [SCI LC] Quiz- Atomic Structure in class {A4}

 [Social Studies] STUDY for Judicial Branch Test

Wednesday, March 25

 [SCI LC] Week One Question due {B13}

 [Social Studies] STUDY for Judicial Branch TEST

Thursday, March 26

 [SCI LC] Checkpoint 38 pts

 [SCI LC] Quiz: Radioactivity & Nuclear Reactions {A5}

 [SCI LC] Strange Symbols Poster due {B6}

 [SCI LC] Vocab TV due {C8}

Friday, March 27

 No School for Students - Schools closed due to previously scheduled parent conferences

 No School for Teachers

Monday, March 30

 School closed (inclement weather forgiveness)

Tuesday, March 31 - Friday, April 3

 Spring Vacation - No School

Monday, April 6

 [SCI LC] Flashcard quiz {C6}

 School in Session (Inclement weather make up day)

Tuesday, April 7

 [SCI LC] Atomic Scientist Presentation due {B10}

 School in session

Wednesday, April 8

 [SCI LC] A-2 Periodic Table Presentation due

 [SCI LC] Critical Thinking Question Week 2 due {B14}

Friday, April 10

 [SCI LC] Checkpoint 48 points

 [SCI LC] Quiz: Elements & their properties {A6}

Monday, April 13 - Thursday, April 16

 {TESTING} ELA PSSA

Friday, April 17

 [SCI LC] Critical Thinking Question Week 3 due {B15}

 [SCI LC] Last day to turn in LC - all assignments due

 [SCI LC] Unit Test (ALL STUDENTS) {A7}

Tuesday, April 21 - Thursday, April 23

 {TESTING} Math PSSA

Monday, April 27 & Tuesday, April 28

 {TESTING} Science PSSA

Courthouse Field Trip Expectations

Students will be attending a courthouse field trip on March 17, 18 or 19. The following are the expectations for students while being at the courthouse:  Proper dress (Khakis and nice shirt.  Some judges will not permit visitors to their courtroom if they are wearing jeans, shorts, flip-flops, etc.)

• No gum
  
• No talking inside of the courtroom
• No cameras
• No cell phones or iPods
• The courthouse requires that students pass through metal detectors.  They will be asked to remove everything from their pockets, their jewelry, and belts prior to entering the courthouse.
• For lunch, students will be eating at the Ross Park Mall food court. Students should bring money or a packed lunch.

Grading Period to End

The third-nine weeks grading period will end on Tuesday, March 17, 2015!

Headphones for Civics Class

Students should bring headphones/earbuds to civics class on Friday.

Science Quiz

Science Quiz

Monday, 3/16/15

Review Online

Layered Curriculum Begins Monday

Atoms Layered Curriculum

Students in science class will begin their new unit on Monday. Each student needs a portfolio folder with three fasteners for this unit. Many students purchased these folders at the beginning of the school year and stored them in the lab.

Snow Days Make Up

From the Avonworth School District website:

The Avonworth School District School Board of Directors voted at the Monday, March 9, 2015 regular meeting to forgive the inclement weather makeup day for March 30, 2015.  Therefore, the spring break will be as follows: March 30 - April 3, 2015. School will be in session on Monday, April 6, 2015.

                          

This calendar change is contingent on there being no further loss of instructional days due to inclement weather. Friday, March 27, 2015 remains a parent-teacher conference day in the current calendar.

Calendar Update

Thursday, March 12

 IM 1 - Study Island

 Math 8 - Study Island

 [Reading] Submit Character Archetype Doc by Thurs, 3/12

 English Homework: Type of your Property Card

 [SCI] gas properties questions - textbook p 495 #3 & 4 due tomorrow

 [Social Studies] Up Front Magazine in Class

Friday, March 13

 IM 1 - Study Island

 Math 8 - Study Island

 Math 8 Quiz

 [SCI] F8 Lab: Properties of Fluids & Gases (online) due Friday

 [Social Studies] We The Jury simulation game

Monday, March 16

 [SCI] Quiz: Properties of Fluids & Gases

 [SCI] Notebooks collected for a check

Tuesday, March 17

[Event] Courthouse Field Trips

[Lunch] If on field trip, lunch to be eaten at Ross Park Mall

IM 1 Quiz

[End of the 3rd Nine-weeks]

Wednesday, March 18

 [Event] Courthouse Field Trips

 [Lunch] If on field trip, lunch to be eaten at Ross Park Mall

Thursday, March 19

 [Event] Courthouse Field Trips

 [Lunch] If on field trip, lunch to be eaten at Ross Park Mall

Friday, March 27

 No School for Students - Schools closed due to previously scheduled parent conferences

 No School for Teachers

Monday, March 30

 School closed (inclement weather forgiveness)

Tuesday, March 31 - Friday, April 3

 Spring Vacation - No School

Monday, April 6

 School in Session (Inclement weather make up day)

Tuesday, April 7

 School in session

Monday, April 13 - Thursday, April 16

 {TESTING} ELA PSSA

Tuesday, April 21 - Thursday, April 23

 {TESTING} Math PSSA

Monday, April 27 - Tuesday, April 28

 {TESTING} Science PSSA

Book Fair Extended

The Book Fair has been extended through Monday, March 9, and 8th grade students can still purchase items. Students need to bring money or check payable to the AMS Parent Network. 

Also, don't forget about the permission form and payment for the field trips in March and May. You can read more about the field trips on Stay Connected (AMS 8 Blog).

SNOW DAY!

After your fun in the snow... Take a trip to the island... Study Island! All students have math assignments that must be completed!  Also, AR is due soon! Be sure you take some time to read your book today!  Finally, why not take a minute to check for missing work on Edline? The nine-weeks ends in twelve days!

Message sent to student email accounts 9:00 AM on 3/5/15.