Unified Arts Update...

ART:

8th Grade art started the year with a review of the basic elements and principles of art, as well as learning the process of critiquing. Our first project was to create an optical illusion incorporating the elements and principles.

Artwork from Odd day classes: top left - O, top right - N, bottom left - L, bottom right - I

Artwork from Even day classes: top left - L, top right - O, bottom left - I, bottom right - N

We are currently working on our second unit: Drawing Realistically. Students are in the process of using shading and blending techniques with multiple types of media to draw some of their favorite foods. Below are some preliminary sketches:

Samples from: O-Even, I-Odd, L-Even, and N-Odd

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC:

In instrumental lessons, students are learning about note and rest values by working with magnets on the walls.  The students are then applying this knowledge to the music that they are learning for their upcoming performance with the High School Marching Band.  On Friday, Oct. 18th, the Junior High Band will perform at a football game with the High School Marching Lions.

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE:

In 8th grade Family and Consumer Science, we are working on becoming independent.  We had a discussion on dress and why clothing is important.  We are now working on simple clothing repairs and we have completed sewing on buttons.  This cycle we are hand-sewing seams before we start on the sewing machines.

Team I Sewing on Buttons

Team L following directions

Family and Consumer Science 7

Hello everyone! Here is a sneak peak into the world of 7th grade FCS. Classes have completed their nutrition unit where we focused on ChooseMyPlate (choosemyplate.gov), which is an updated version of the food pyramid.

Students also completed their safety, measuring, and recipe reading units. These are all foundational topics for culinary arts. Each student had to perform satisfactory on all worksheets and quizzes within each of these units to have the opportunity to participate in a food lab.

Below is a picture of a student performing a specific measuring task in front of the class.

With that being said, food labs are now upon us! Everyone is excited to have finally earned the opportunity to cook.

Below is a group of students working on their first food lab, scrambled eggs and toast!

Physical Education:

SNEAKERS! SNEAKERS! SNEAKERS!

All 7th and 8th graders need sneakers for every Physical Education class.  Mr. Gordon and Mrs. Downs see 7th graders twice a cycle and 8th graders once a cycle.  Along with their sneakers, they need to bring a black, gold, white or gray T-shirt and shorts or sweatpants.

Right now, the classes are working on the soccer skills of passing, dribbling, throw-ins, goalie punts and teamwork.  In October, all students should be ready to run the mile and do other fitness development and testing.  Remember that all students should be exercising for 60 minutes a day, especially on days they do not have Physical Education class.

MUSIC:

In Music Class, students are learning about the elements of music: melody, rhythm, form, tone-color, harmony, texture, tempo, dynamics, and mood.

Here, students drew an illustration of the meaning of a music element.  They performed a “gallery walk” and tried to identify each element through it’s pictural representation.

Students are doing a “Word Sort” and sorting various words into categories, each category being an element of music.  The words can be part of the definition or an example of the element.

Example

DYNAMICS:

mezzo forte, forte, piano, crescendo

After learning the nine elements of music, students are given a choice of what style of music they would like to study.  They will be researching that style to learn about it’s history, it’s influences, what it sounds like, and be able to describe the elements of music in a song of their style.  Here are some students researching their styles in the library:

TECH ED:

8th Grade Tech. Ed.: Students are currently working on the products they are designing as a group. Many groups have finished the design phase and are beginning construction. This week we explored possible career choices with students taking an online quiz to determine areas of business they might find interesting. They looked at job responsibilities, average pay, work environment, educational requirements and the job outlook for a specific job. Many of our students are turning 14, which means they will have the opportunity to look for part time employment. To better understand how to apply for a job, students were given an example of a completed job application. Their next assignment is to complete the blank copy they were given in class on their own. Links to these papers can be found on Mr. Grothey’s Edline pages.

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TECH ED:

Seventh graders who currently have Tech Ed are heading into projects.  They can still turn in assignments for credit.

LIBRARY:

Seventh grade students are discussing how to safely navigate the internet.  They’ve learned ways in which they can protect their private information while online.  Avoiding sharing information with people they don’t know, never clicking links or opening attachments in anonymous emails, and maintaining security on their devices are topics we’ve covered.  In the picture below, a student is using the smartboard to identify clues he might find to alert him that he has received a phishing email.