Dec. 15-19

Language arts:
We will finish reading and discussing the novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and taking a test on the novel Friday. We are also working on spelling unit 14.

History: The development of the modern corporation, trusts, monopoly, oligopoly and industrial take-off are our next mission with Standard Oil vs. USA as our hallmark case.

Science: We have now finished chapter 4. Our test will be Tuesday. Textbooks will need to be turned in by the end of the week.

Math:
1st and 2nd hours: Chapter 5 Test Tuesday, December 16th. Enrichment activities for the rest of the week.
6th hour: Chapter 2 test Wednesday, December 17th. Enrichment activities for the rest of the week.
7th hour: Chapter 6 test Wednesday, December 17th. Enrichment activities for the rest of the week.

Dec. 8-12

Language Arts:
We are reading and discussing The Invention of Hugo Cabret. We are also working on spelling unit 13.

Science:
We are wrapping up chapter 4 this week. There is a test scheduled for this Friday.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: We will complete chapter 5 by Friday and will have the chapter test next Tuesday.
6th hour: Quiz on Tuesday and chapter 2 test next Wednesday.
7th hour: Chapter 6 will be complete by the end of the week. The chapter test will be next Wednesday.

History:
We are hearing Dawes Act case arguments, looking at the Ghost Dance events including Wounded Knee and writing about the collapse of the Horse culture.

Dec. 1-5

Language Arts:
We will be working on a mini unit on the 8 parts of speech. There will be a test on the 8 parts of speech on Thursday. We will be working on spelling unit 11, and we will be working on proper and common nouns with a quiz on Thursday.

Science:
We will start the week building roller coasters and investigating potential energy. After that, we will begin chapter 4, Temperature and Heat.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: Starting chapter 5. Quiz on Thursday.
6th hour: Starting chapter 2.
7th hour: Starting chapter 6. Quiz on Thursday.

History:
We are approaching Custer's Last Stand to be followed by a case of assimulation on the Dawes Act 0f 1887. We will then move to the development of the industrial state.

Nov. 17-21

Language Arts:
We will be finishing our compare/contrast essay. It is due at the end of class on Tuesday. We will begin reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret. We are also working on spelling unit 10.

History: From separate but equal to the Great Plains for the Dawes Act, we continue to tune up critical-thinking skills.

Science: We have finished chapter three and will be having a chapter test Wednesday.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: Chapter 4 test on Wednesday. An enrichment unit on map coloring will take us through until break.
6th hour: We are finishing chapter 1 this week with the chapter test on Monday (24th).
7th hour: The chapter 5 test will be on Friday (21st).

Nov. 10-14

Language Arts:
We will be reading and discussing folktales. Students will be reading two folktales and writing a compare/contrast essay. We are also working on spelling unit 9.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: We will finish chapter 4 by the end of this week. The chapter test will be next Wednesday (11/19)
6th hour: We finished the 7th grade textbook before the state testing week and began working on the 8th grade math book on Friday. We have a quiz on the first half of chapter 1 on Thursday.
7th hour: We are working on chapter 5 and have a quiz on Thursday.

History:
We will be uniting the country east to west with the transcontinental railroad while altering the horse cultures that preceded the iron horse.

Science:
We will be starting chapter three, Energy, this week. There will be comprehension questions for homework from each section of the chapter.

All 8th graders will be taking the WKCE (state tests) this Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Please be sure that your child gets enough sleep and eats breakfast each morning.

Regular classes will resume on Friday.

Today (Nov. 3rd) is the last day of 1st quarter. Parent/Teacher conferences are this Thursday from 4:15-7:30 in the gym. Report cards may be picked up at that time, otherwise, they will be mailed home on Friday. Please note that Miss Hanson will be leaving conferences at 7:00. If you miss seeing her, please contact her to set up an alternate meeting time.

Oct. 27-31

Language Arts:
We will be reviewing for the WKCE tests next week. We will also be working on spelling unit 8. Journals are due today, and book jackets are due this Thursday.

Science:
Preparing for the WKCE tests next week.

History:
We are moving into the second half of Reconstruction and to the ushering in of Jim Crow laws with the hallmark case Plessy vs. Ferguson.

Math:
All classes are preparing for the WKCE tests next week.

Reminders for all 8th graders:
* Orders and money for the poinsettia sale is due on Thursday.

* Kindergarten and baby pictures are due by the end of this week.

* The end of the quarter is Monday, November 3rd.

* This Friday, Halloween, is an early release. Students may come to school in costume.
Guidelines for costumes:
- no masks
- no gore
- students must come to school in costume, not get dressed here
- if costumes are in poor taste, students will have to change

Oct. 20-24

Language Arts:
Students will receive their fall writing assessment, and they will work on revising and editing their assessment. Students will also write their mini-newspaper related their a short story read last week. We are also working on spelling unit 7.

Science:
We will be wrapping up chapter two this week. There will be a test on Thursday.

History:
We are in the Reconstruction Period 1865-1877 and headed for the Plessy vs. Ferguson land mark case.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: We are starting chapter 4 this week and will have a quiz next Monday.
6th hour: Test on chapter 8 on Tuesday. We'll do a few lessons from chapter 9 after that.
7th hour: We're finishing chapter 4 this week and will have the chapter 4 test next Monday.

All 8th graders:
Please continue working on the 8th grade fundraiser. Orders and money (or straight donations) are due Thursday, October 30th.

Also remember to send in a Kindergarten and baby picture to Miss Hanson by the end of next week.

Oct. 13-17

Language Arts:
We will continue reading short stories with groups and working on activities related to the stories. We will be working on spelling unit 5.

Social Studies: Now that the South has given up, its time for Reconstruction (1865-1877)

Science: We will be continuing with chapter 2 this week. Students will have safety contracts they should be bringing home and going over with parents. These should be signed and returned as soon as possible.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: We will complete chapter 3 by the end of the week. The chapter test is on Monday, October 20th.
6th hour: We will complete chapter 8 by the end of the week. The chapter test will be on Tuesday, October 21st.
7th hour: We are continuing our work on chapter 4 this week.

For all 8th graders:
Fundraiser materials were passed out on Monday. Please look over the materials and start selling poinsettias. All orders and money are due on Thursday, October 30th. Please address any questions to Miss Stinemates.

Remember to send in baby and Kindergarten pictures by the end of October.

Oct. 6-10

Language Arts:
We are starting a short story unit. Students are in small groups, they read the short stories assigned, and complete activities related to the story. Students will be working with their group and independently. We are also working on spelling unit 4.

History: We are in the Emancipation Proclamation and transformation of the purpose of the war. We are headed for Gettysburg and Sherman's March.

Science:
This week we will be starting chapter 2, Properties of Matter. There will be several textbook assignments and several labs that go along with this chapter.

Math:
1st and 2nd hours: Took chapter 2 test Monday. Starting work on chapter 3 on Tuesday. Quiz on Friday.
6th hour: We started chapter 8 on Friday and will continue working on it this week.
7th hour: Chapter 3 test is Tuesday. Then we'll start work on chapter 4.

Please remember to send in Kindergarten and baby pictures to Miss Hanson.

Sept. 29- Oct. 3

Language Arts:
We will be writing the fall writing assessment Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday and Friday we will be watching The Outsider movie. There will be no spelling or journals this week.

History;
We are into force structure, tactics and strategy in the Civil War and will look at Gettysburg and Sherman's March to the Sea for evidence of each.

Science:
We have now finished our reading for chapter 1. The questions for 1.3 and 1.4 are due on Tuesday. We will have a quiz on 1.3 and 1.4 on Wednesday. There will be a test on chapter 1 and all other materials covered in class to date on Friday.

Math:
1st & 2nd hours: We are finishing chapter 2 this week. The chapter test will be next Monday (Oct. 6th).
6th hour: The chapter 7 test is Wednesday (Oct. 1st).
7th hour: We will finish chapter 3 this week. The test will be next week.

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!
The yearbook needs a baby picture from each 8th grader to be used in a collage in the yearbook.
Miss Stinemates also needs a Kindergarten picture from each 8th grader to be used later in the year. All pictures should be labeled with the student's name and turned in to Miss Hanson by the end of October. Pictures will be returned at the end of the year.

Sept. 22-26

Language Arts:
We will be finishing up The Outsiders, reviewing, and taking the final test on Friday. We will also be working on spelling unit 3.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: Quiz on lessons 2-1 to 2-3 on Tuesday. Quiz on lessons 2-4 and 2-5 on Thursday.
6th hour: We will finish chapter 7 on Thursday and start reviewing for the chapter 7 test next week.
7th hour: We are continuing work on chapter 3 and will have a quiz on lessons 3-1 to 3-5 on Wednesday.

History:
We are heading into war studying race, secession, causes of war and strategy and tactics implemented.

Science:
We will continue our investigation of matter this week. This includes a lab on mass and volume and sections 1.2 and 1.3 in the textbook.

Sept. 15-19

Language Arts:
We will continue reading The Outsiders. We will also be writing a persusive essay to start preparing for the fall writing assessment that will take place in a few weeks. We are also working on spelling unit 2.

Math:
1st and 2nd hours are finishing chapter 1 and will take the chapter test of Thursday.
6th hour is continuing to work on chapter 7.
7th hour will take the chapter 2 test on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we will begin direct instruction with chapter 3.

History:
We will hear arguments in Dred Scott vs. Sanford and research the significance of the decision and its impact on the coming of the Civil War.

Science:
Persuasive essays are due on Tuesday. Students will be getting their textbooks this week and we will begin studying matter.

Sept. 8-12

Language Arts:
We are reading The Outsiders. Students will be reading and working on discussion questions. We will also be working on spelling unit 1 with a spelling test on Friday.

Science:
This week we will finish up our measurement practice. We will be doing an inquiry activity in the middle of the week and will wrap up our week by writing a persuasive essay on hunting rights.

Math:
1st and 2nd hours are working on chapter 1 which is a review of basic calculation skills.
6th hour is working on chapter 7 which covers subtraction with some geometry skills mixed in.
7th hour did chapter 1 independently at an accelerated pace and will use the same process for chapter 2. When we get to chapter 3, we will begin a lesson-a-day approach with direct instruction.

History:
We are in the run-up period to the Civil War doing a study of causes. We will be presenting arguments in the Dred Scott case Monday.

Welcome to the 8th Grade Weekly Update

The eighth grade team has created this blog as a weekly update for parents and students. We'll update the blog weekly to give you an idea of what will be happening for the week in our classrooms. Our plans are subject to change due to varying circumstances. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please email us individually.

May 5-9

Language Arts:
We will beginning our Greek Mythology unit that will last until the end of the year. We will be reading a myth and breaking into groups, and they will be reading another myth. We are also working on spelling unit 27.

Math:
All classes are taking the math placement test this week.

Science:
We have finished our unit on Earth's Interior. This week we will begin the last unit of the year. It is called Change Through Time. We will be working on chapter 11 this week.


** All 8th graders need to bring in a Kindergarten picture to Miss Stinemates by Monday, May 19th. Pictures will be returned before the end of the year.

April 28- May 2

Language Arts:
Students will be finishing their biographies, and they are due on Wednesday. They will also be creating a biography box that they will work in class on Wednesday and Thursday. They are due Friday. We are also working on spelling unit 26.

Math:
During the first few weeks of May, all 8th graders will be preparing for and taking the math placement test. This test is one component for placement in a freshman math class. (Quarter grades, their WKCE score, and teacher recommendation are the other components.) This test will be scored, but it will not be a part of the 4th quarter grade. It is important that students do their best on the placement test.

Social Studies:
We are moving through the ideological underpinnings of Fascism heading into American participation in the second World War and the impact on the homefront.

Science:
We will be wrapping up chapter 10 and will be having a quiz on Monday. Students will be doing a writing about plate tectonics on Tuesday and will take a unit test on Thursday.


*Attention all parents: There will be an 8th grade parent meeting this Thursday, May 1st at 5:30 in the MHLT library. We will be discussing plans for graduation and signing up to help. Contact Miss Stinemats (kstinemates@mhlt.org) with questions about the meeting.

April 21-25

Language Arts:
We will take The Lottery Rose test Monday. We will begin our biography unit Tuesday where students will interview a person and write a biography on that person. No spelling this week.

Social Studies:
We are continuing with our work on the rise of twentieth century totalitarian ideologies as we head into World War II.

Science:
We will be working on chapter 10, plate tectonics.

Mathematics:
1st and 2nd hours: Starting chapter 11.
6th hour: Taking chapter 4 test on Wednesday.
7th hour: Continuing work on chapter 11.


Attention all parents: There will be an 8th grade parent meeting on Thursday, May 1st at 5:30 in the MHLT library to discuss graduation plans and sign up to help.

There is early release on Friday at 12:30

April 14-18

Language Arts:
We will finish reading The Lottery Rose this week. Students will continue to create discussion questions, vocabulary, and answer key with their groups. The test for The Lottery Rose will most likely be next Monday. We will be working on spelling unit 25 this week.

Social Studies:
We are embarking on a study of the ideology of fascism as we approach World War II. It is a difficult push in the realm of critical thinking vital to their success in high school.

Science:
This week we will be working on chapter 9. We will also be wrapping up our earthquake mapping project and looking at Google Earth.

Math:
1st and 2nd hours: Finishing chapter 10. The test is on Friday.
6th hour: Working on chapter 4. Quiz on Wednesday.
7th hour: Starting chapter 11. Quiz on Friday.

*Coaches and advisors from LUHS will be here Thursday afternoon to talk to all 8th graders about fall sports and clubs.

April 7-11

Language Arts:
We are reading The Lottery Rose and groups are taking turns creating discussion questions for each chapter. We are also working on spelling unit 23.

Math:
1st and 2nd hour: continuing work on chapter ten. Quiz on Thursday
6th hour: beginning chapter 4. Quiz on Friday.
7th hour: finishing chapter 10. Test on Friday.

Social Studies:
We are into the Schechter New Deal case and the causes of the Depression and will write an essay at the beginning of next week.

Science:
This week we will be wrapping up the chapter on earthquakes. There will be a quiz Tuesday on chapter 8. Mid week we will continue our earthquake mapping project. Maps should start to show patterns after this week. Later in the week we will begin chapter 9 on volcanoes.

March 31- April 4

Language Arts:
We will begin reading The Lottery Rose. Students will be preparing discussion questions for certain chapters for their peers to complete. We are working on spelling unit 22. Late work is due to me by April 3rd.

Science:
We will continue to study earthquakes this week. In class we will use globes to locate epicenters of particular earthquakes. We will also be using the USGS website to help us map earthquakes as they happen.

History:
We are hearing Schechter vs. USA friday looking for an answer to the question of constitutionality of New Deal legislation. We will then finish our study of the Great Depression and head for the Second World War.

Mathematics:
1st and 2nd hours: We took the test on chapter 9 this week and will start 4th quarter with chapter 10.
6th hour: We are finishing chapter 3 this week and will take the test next Monday.
7th hour: We are continuing work on chapter 10 and will take the test sometime next week.

Language Arts:
This week we are working on poetry. We will be reading, comparing, and writing poetry. Book jackets are due Friday.

Science:
This week we will be starting a unit on Earth's Interior. The unit will start with earthquakes. We will be reading chapter 8 in the Science Voyages textbook.

History:
We are into the Great Depression sorting out causes and moving toward a classic New Deal Supreme Court challenge case dealing with the Interstate Commerce clause.

Mathematics:
1st and 2nd hour: We are continuing work on chapter 9. The test will be next week before the quarter ends on Thursday.
6th hour: We started chapter 3 this week and will have a quiz on Friday.
7th hour: We started chapter 10 this week. Students should be working towards an INDEPENDENT understanding of the material in this chapter.

March 10-14

Language Arts:
This week students will be working in groups to create a PowerPoint to present to the class related to their controversial issue. No spelling this week. Journals are due March 25th and book jackets are due March 28th.

Science:
This week we will be wrapping up our unit on simple machines. We will have labs on pulleys and gears Monday through Wednesday. There is a test scheduled for Thursday.

Math:
This week, all classes are working on an exploratory unit on map coloring. The rules for coloring a map state that regions that border each other must be colored with different colors. If regions touch only at a single point, they can be the same color. Map makers have long accepted the fact that any map can be colored using 4 or fewer colors. Mathematicians have been trying to prove this theory for over a hundred years. Students will learn about the history of the theory and practice coloring some simple maps.

History:
We are reading up on mass culture and putting together an outline to organize film and reading materials from the 1920's. We will then write an outline based essay describing the mood and developments of the 1920's.

March 3-7

Language Arts:
We will be writing our research paper using the research that was gathered last week. Students will be in the computer lab writing their research paper. The paper will be due at the end of the day on Friday. We are also working on spelling unit 21.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: Starting chapter 9.
6th hour: Chapter 2 test is on Friday.
7th hour: Chapter 9 test is on Wednesday.

Science:
We will be exploring the different classes of levers early this week. Later in the week we will be learning about pulleys and other simple machines that turn.

Social Studies
We are in the 1920's looking at the mood of the nation coming out of WW I and heading into the growth of mass culture.

February 25-29

Language Arts:
We are in the middle of our controversial research paper. Students will be researching their topic using print and online sources. Students must take notes, cite sources, and organize their information. They be using this research to write a controversial research paper. We are also working on spelling unit 20.

Science:
We are working on a simple machines unit. This week we will be reading about inclined planes and levers. We will follow that reading up with labs on inclined planes and the different classes of levers later in the week.

Math:
1st/2nd hours: Chapter 8 test Thursday. (Classes will be held in the afternoon.)
6th hour: Continuing work on chapter 2.
7th hour: Continuing work on chapter 9.

Social Studies:
We have wrapped up our free speech case and are completing the first world war and are heading for the influenza pandemic of 1918. Then we will move into mass culture as it emerges in the Roaring 20's.

Feb. 11-15

Language Arts:
We will be reviewing for The Giver test Monday and taking The Giver test Tuesday. For the remainder of the week, students will be picking a topic to write a non-fiction book. Students will research and create an interactive non-fiction book for first or second graders. There is no spelling this week.

Science:
On Monday, we will be working on science fair projects. This will be our last day in the computer lab. Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent studying and building simple machines. Thursday and Friday will be spent finishing science fair projects. The projects are due next Tuesday.

Math:
1st/2nd hours have the chapter 7 test on Monday and will be working on chapter 8 for the rest of the week. 6th hour has the chapter 1 test on Tuesday and will be working on chapter 2 after that. 7th hour has the chapter 8 test on Wednesday and will start chapter 9 on Friday.

Social Studies:
As we gather the Big Picture of why World War I, we will be working through Schenck vs. USA the hallmark supreme court case on free speech in time of war. We will then move to the Argonne Forest and discuss the politics of war and its real impact on the battlefield.