Canaan Middle School Update

Canaan Families,

We have had a pretty busy few weeks at Canaan Middle School with more activities coming up in the next few weeks. Our 5th graders had the opportunity to take part in a class party that they had earned over the last 9 weeks. 6th graders have been working on their "warm fuzzies" that you will read more about in the 6th-grade update and both grade levels have had the opportunity to take part in some amazing lessons in their specials.

During art class, students have had the opportunity to show off some of their creativity while working with clay. In music class, students have learned a song/game called Sarasponda which teaches students to sing an octave leap. In band, students have improved so much even from their winter concert until now. I can't wait for you to hear them this spring. And in gym, students have been working on their hockey skills including tracking the accuracy of their passing. It is fun to see the engagement and excitement our students have in their specials.

Also coming up, on February 14th, students in 5th and 6th grade will have their grade level Valentine's Day parties. I know the staff and students are excited about these activities as we finish out our winter season and get ready for spring!

Mr. Walter, Principal

Canaan Middle School

***Next student article coming soon!***

All 5th graders will be taking the CogAT test on Friday, February 24th. The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test that measures students’ reasoning and problem-solving skills. These reasoning abilities will develop gradually throughout a person’s lifetime and at different rates for different individuals. Research has shown that reasoning abilities are good predictors of success in school. CogAT does not measure such factors as effort, attention, motivation, and work habits, which also contribute to school achievement.

Math:

Over the past two weeks, we have moved into our decimals unit. Before getting into 5th grade standards, we reviewed basic decimal concepts (such as place value, 3 forms of decimal numbers [standard, word, expanded], comparing). After setting the groundwork, we began rounding, adding, and subtracting decimals. Students are doing very well with this as long as they remember to line up the decimal point(s). On Friday (2/10), we took our Quiz #7 which covered those concepts. For those students who are still progressing with the Quiz #6-7 concepts, they will have an opportunity to fix their mistakes, ask clarifying questions, and do a quiz retake next week.

The Gavrilescu and Hanson Homerooms wrapped up Unit 2 for adding and subtracting fractions by taking their test on Friday, 2/10. We will be starting the next unit covering the decimal concepts mentioned above.

Science: Students explored the characteristics of Asteroids, Meteoroids, Meteors, Meteorites, and Comets over the past week. They ended the week with a “galactical” quiz covering the materials learned. Students truly enjoy this unit, and some of the questions they have are literally “out of this world!” We will move on to discover what causes day and night (Earth’s rotation), and what causes seasonal changes (Earth’s tilt on its axis and revolution around the sun) next week. We will create models to help us better understand these concepts, and try a few simulations with globes and flashlights!

As we work our way through the 3rd quarter, students will have multiple weekly assignments, so please be sure to check Canvas frequently for any missing work! In Math, students will have a Weekly Review assignment due every Friday. In ELA, students continue to have a Reading Response due every Monday (unless we have a short week). Many students are struggling to meet deadlines/due dates and could benefit from reminders from you at home to complete work!

The 6th grade has a long-standing tradition of doing "Warm Fuzzies" instead of traditional Valentine cards. Students should have turned in their red Warm Fuzzy notes to their homeroom teacher today, February 10th. They will pass these out on Valentine's Day on Tuesday and also will receive a treat donated from parents. Students do NOT have to make a Valentine collection box or bring in Valentine cards, although they can if they choose. If your student wants to hand out candy with their Warm Fuzzy notes, they can but that is also NOT required. Check with your student to make sure their Warm Fuzzy notes are done!

5th and 6th graders are learning about the importance of building healthy relationships. Students reflected on the qualities of the people they enjoy spending time with and what it is about them that makes them feel good about themselves. We focused on six characteristics of a healthy relationship: honesty, support, trust, respect, effective communication, and individuality. Students worked in groups to brainstorm what each characteristic “looks like” and “sounds like”.

Commonsense Media

Commonsense Media is an online tool that can help parents and students make informed decisions regarding media use. This tool can be used for many types of media, including books, movies, video games, and apps.

Canvas

Canvas is a Learning Management System that is used in grades 5-12 at Jonathan Alder. You and your student will find a lot of information about the school and your student's classroom through this platform. It is VERY important to stay connected and log on to Canvas. This link should help you log on and explain Canvas.

Families: Please add the following dates to your calendar. Our staff will be taking part in Professional Development meetings on the following dates and students will NOT be in school.

Friday, March 3, 2023

Email: walterro@japioneers.org
Website: https://www.alder.k12.oh.us/canaanmiddleschool_home.aspx
Location: 7055 U.S. 42, Plain City, OH, USA
Phone: 614-873-5621

Click on the School Flyers icon for updated community activities and events. PCABA ball sign-up has recently been added!