October Community Newsletter

We have had a great start to the year and now we’re coming to the end of Quarter 1! If you have any questions about your child’s grade, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s).

Reminders:

• Chromebooks/laptops need to be completely charged and brought to school everyday.

• Cell phones need to be powered off and put in backpacks during the school day.

• Students are encouraged to bring in a water bottle to school.

• Students are expected to be in each class, on-time.

• Please encourage your child to and check your child’s grades in Schoology, on a regular basis.

NEED COUNSELOR SUPPORT? ❤️

Use your grade level counseling page on Schoology and select "Student Support Request Form." Your grade level counselor will speak with you as soon as they are .

Mr. Webber: johnny.webber@fcps.org

Ms. Reese: rebecca.reese@fcps.org

The Math Department is excited to be able to offer a new learning tool for our students this year called ALEKS. Your child might have mentioned needing to take a pretest on the new program in their math classes. ALEKS is designed to identify standards that students need extra help with or where they can be enriched. Unlike other programs used in the past ALEKS designs a learning path specific to each student's needs and adapts the learning path as the student works through material. Students can access this material at any time so this is perfect for students who want to brush up on some skills at home!

Going forward, Math classes will be assigning a specific number of topics each week for students to complete in their learning pathways. This information will be listed on schoology course pages.

In order to get to ALEKS your student will need to complete the following steps:

1. Log into their FCPS account

2. Click on FCPS Bookmarks

3. Click on Clever Portal

4. Click on McGraw Hill

Any questions about the math curriculum or ALEKS please reach out to the math specialist, Laura Boyer (Laura.Boyer@fcps.org) or the math department chair, Ashley Dickson (Ashley.Dickson@fcps.org).

7th Grade

We are working on writing our next writing assignment, focusing on informational writing about Abby Sunderland. Then, we will transition back into studying fiction, moving towards our first novel unit starting sometime in November. We plan to be reading our first novel over the holidays and wrapping it up by the start of winter break. Information about accessing the novel will be coming out in the next few weeks.

8th Grade

8th Grade students are wrapping up their first unit of argument writing analysis. We have learned about counterclaim, rebuttal, rhetorical appeals, and argument structure. Looking ahead to Term 2, students will begin to analyze the differences between points of view and perspective by comparing and contrasting intergenerational differences within short stories and poems.

6th grade science students will be attending Outdoor School next week.Students will evaluate biodiversity within the local ecosystem. Students will be conducting a variety of water tests as well as surveying the vegetation and animal life within the Potomac River Watershed. Students will also conduct an organism search to complete a biotic index of Big Hunting Creek. Please make sure your students are dressed for the outdoors!

Our students have been working hard to complete assignments by the end of term one. All work is due by Monday, October 18th. Please check schoology for missing assignments. Together we will make a difference!!

We would like to welcome:

Emily Pemrick to 8th grade. She moved over from the Pyramid Program. We are lucky to have her on our team. There was a meet and greet last Wednesday. If you weren’t able to make it, she will be making contact with families on her caseload. Her official day to join the 8th grade team is October 18th.

6th Grade

In 6th Grade, students started learning about the geography of Egypt. Over the next few weeks, students will learn more about the geography, social classes, religion, and other various aspects of Egyptian culture and society. Students will also be practicing some historical skills such as creating and reading timelines.

Just a reminder that all students should check their grades and complete any missing/revised work by Monday, October 18, unless otherwise stated by their teachers.

7th Grade

In 7th Grade Medieval World History, students have been learning about the Arabian Peninsula. We have studied its geography and culture. By the end of the term, students will have completed a multi-paragraph writing assignment that required them to write a historical argument regarding what method the Islamic Empires of the Arabian Peninsula used to expand their territory and influence.

Afterwards, students will learn about a variety of scientific and cultural advancements made by scholars working in the Baghdad “House of Wisdom.”

Mrs. Montgomery and Mr. Schaller would also like to remind students and parents to check Schoology for missing assignments as the window for submitting late work is quickly approaching. Any questions or concerns can be directed to the appropriate Social Studies teacher.

8th Grade

In 8th grade history, we have been learning about the Constitution and how our country's laws were made. We've also been looking at different examples of conflict and compromise when the founders were creating the Constitution. By the end of the term, students will have a better understanding of our branches of government, how a bill becomes a law, the Electoral College and the Bill of Rights.

Just a reminder that all students should check their grades and complete any missing/revised work by Monday, October 18, unless otherwise stated by their teachers.

EL English - In our EL English class we have been learning about Fall traditions and vocabulary in the United States. Be sure to ask your English learner about the scarecrow and the jack-o-lantern. Soon we will begin our narrative unit where students will learn to tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end in English.

Exciting Upcoming Event!

All English Learner families are invited to…

“EL Technology Night” at Tuscarora High School

October 25, 2021 from 4 - 6 pm

The event is to help EL parents learn more about Schoology, Talking Points, and Find Out First. All of these are important technology tools in order to be able to check your child’s grades, communicate with teachers, and receive important communications from the school. We hope you will come!

Please RSVP for the event at https://tinyurl.com/eltechnight

• Visit the STEM Lab on the second floor of the C. Burr Artz Library to experience the following: 3D Printers, BB8 Sphero Robots, Bloxels, iPad minis with apps, a Light Table, Magnaformers, Osmo Sets, Ozobots, Sensory Bins, and Snap Circuits.
  https://www.fcpl.org/branches-hours/c-burr-artz-public-library/stem-lab

• Visit the FCPS Earth and Space Science lab for Sharktober! on October 19th and 21st at 6pm and 7pm. https://education.fcps.org/essl/home
  
  

• If you are interested in debate, global political issues and international diplomacy consider joining the Model United Nations. We meet every other week on Thursdays. To sign up please pick up a permission slip from room 111 either before or after school from Mr Schaller.
  
  

• The BCMS Gay Straight Alliance meets every Tuesday from 3:15-4:00pm. To sign up please pick up a permission slip from room 111 either before or after school from Mrs Montgomery.