Cluster 6 Newsletter

December 15, 2023

Hello Cluster 6 families and caregivers!

The PowerSchool portal is open for students and families and is the best way for families to check on their student’s progress and monitor for missing work. Check your email for a message from Principal Chen Fein with login information (please reach out to your child’s advisor if you need help logging in). Please encourage your student to check PowerSchool regularly.

We would like to remind all caregivers of the importance of nightly homework. All students received a paper agenda book at the beginning of the year; we have noticed that many students are not using this tool. Please remind your student to record and complete nightly assignments, as they are essential to building skills in each content area. We want to set your student up for success, and homework is essential.

Congratulations to our cluster Geography Bee semi-finalists: Julia Breder Neves, Hailey Clinton, Dahlia Cohen, Charles Curtiss, Henrique da Silva Busato, Sean Gillen, Nathan Hardy, Graham Lawson, Mayar Kousheh and Jennie Mosca. They will compete on Friday, 12/15 in another round. Our top two cluster winners will face the other cluster winners on Friday, 12/22. The geography bee is a long standing WMS tradition! Good work!

English

In ELA this week, we took a bit of a break from the direct reading of our novel, Warcross, to do a group activity about characters. We examined the ways that authors introduce and develop characters (using direct and indirect characterization) and we are working in groups to create character posters based on this information. It has been really fascinating to watch our 8th graders focused and collectively working (with a bit of encouragement) through the projects. I love discovering all the artistic talent in our classes.

Next week, we are going to try to complete our novel and take a summative assessment on their progress in CER writing. The prompt will target their character work throughout the book and use their skill of using direct evidence from the text to support their claims.

Civics

This month in Civics, students have been studying the origins of our American democracy. We’re learned how the ancient Greeks and Romans, Enlightenment thinkers, and British documents like the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights influenced our Founding Fathers as they created our new nation. After December break, we’ll put the spotlight on indigenous influence on our government as we examine our founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and look at how the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy inspired our democracy.

At the end of December, students will participate in an Origins of Democracy bracket-style debate, where they’ll represent a foundational idea we’ve studied about that influenced American democracy. They’ll use their creative writing and speaking skills to persuade their class that their idea is superior to all others. We’ll crown a champion of democracy in each class!

In addition, at this time of year, students in 8th grade participate in the Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest, sponsored by the committee that runs our annual Watertown Unity Breakfast in January. We are learning about social justice and equity to help build background knowledge of the civil rights movement, and students are writing an essay that invites them to reflect on the legacy of Dr. King and how his principles of nonviolence have influenced our American community. It’s going to be a busy month!

Current learning targets:

I can name Greek and Roman ideas that influenced American democracy.
I can name the main idea of each Enlightenment thinker.
I can explain the influence that British ideas found in key documents had on American colonial government.
I can write an essay reflecting on the impact of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the struggle for social justice.

Math

8th Grade Math students have done some review of 7th grade solving equations material. We then expanded on what they’ve learned, solving more complex equations that include the use of the Distributive Property and variables on both sides of an equation. They’ll be given a quiz Friday 12/15 to assess their learning of these skills. Next week, we will continue to expand on this topic by learning about equations that have no solutions or infinitely many solutions.

Algebra students have spent the last couple weeks learning about statistical data, particularly two-way/bivariate data. They’ve learned how to analyze a data set bivariate data, and how to compile and display this data using dot plots, stem-and-leaf plots, scatter plots, and histograms. These are all Algebra standards, but they are 7th and/or 8th grade standards as well. Next up, the Algebra group will learn about several different types of relationships and their graphs, including absolute value, quadratic, cubic, and square root.

**I”d like to remind all caregivers that homework/”practice work” is very, very important for their complete learning experience. The 8th grade and Algebra standards in Massachusetts are very full, and in our limited time in school we can’t quite cover the depth of what’s necessary. Most students will absolutely need to complete all practice work to do their best, and learn completely. Please ensure that your 8th grader is completing their homework/practice work each day. I typically update our PowerSchool once per week, and you can see if they’re “missing” work. Students have 7 days to turn work in if it’s late.**

Science

We just finished studying the two types of reproduction, sexual and asexual. Students investigated if a statement related to reproduction was true or false. Ask your student about their Reproduction Test of Truth statement!

We are currently exploring types of cell division and will soon be learning about Henrietta Lacks and her cancer cells that researchers have used to study diseases, vaccines, medications, and how cells grow and function. Her contributions to modern medicine are innumerable, and her story is important to study and share.

After break, we will be studying Gregor Mendel, the father of modern genetics. Students will complete a lab during which they will discover whether or not they are a “super-taster,” a characteristic controlled by our genes.

We will continue our regular schedule of daily practice work and weekly assessments. Please follow along with our progress through this unit on the Science Work Agenda (day-by-day schedule) and the Master Document (links to all relevant materials and additional resources).