News from Team 8L

November Blog – Team 8L

Academic Literacy - We are learning about craft and structure in informational text. Through various texts we will discuss viewpoint, author's purpose, tone and word choice to consider how the author responds to conflicting viewpoints. Students are currently in the process of learning the skill of debate and will be using these tactics in classroom debates. 

Science - This last month we finished up our chapter on Rocks.  We classified and identified rocks by their formation.  Each student was required to identify and pronounce each of the rock names.  We are currently working on the weathering process of minerals and rocks.  During this chapter we have completed two labs.  Students thoroughly enjoyed the "Heating and Cooling" of rocks lab.  They got to put rocks directly into a bunsen burner flame and then put it in a cold beaker of water to see how the rock reacts.  The second lab we just completed was on the surface area of antacid tablets to show how it affects weathering.  Students continue to work on writing lab conclusions.  The science department is working to improve the conclusions and increase the expectations of their writing.  Coming up next students will be playing with dirt in our soil chapter.

Social Studies – We are continuing to travel through the American Revolution and learn about how we overcame various obstacles to defeat British.  Each student has chosen a person, event, or battle and created a “Fakebook” page to depict how that person/event/battle impacted the Revolutionary War.  After our Thanksgiving break, we will be taking a look at the United States Constitution and how it applies to their everyday lives.

English - In Mrs. Park's English class, students are wrapping up a short story unit.  Students have read several classic short stories, and they will now

be constructing short answer essays about those stories. Students will respond to writing prompts using the short answer essay response format.

Students will be required to show textual evidence, make inferences, and draw conclusions as they construct the short answer essay.

Also, during this marking period students will be participating in Book Clubs. Students will select a novel to read with their peers, and they will

then be completing reading reflections, engaging in group discussions, and completing a cumulative group project about the book. Finally, students will

be writing a literary analysis on the book.

Math - Honors Algebra students are studying equations and graphs of linear functions.  There are several linear equation and graphing models that will be utilized; additionally the concepts of parallel & perpendicular lines will be explored to see the effects such characteristics have on the equations.  To add a twist to this unit, students will discover how to graph and write equations of absolute value functions ~ their behavior is rather consistent!

Algebra 1A students have learned several number properties and the application of the Distributive Property.  In the current unit, they are beginning to study writing linear equations that model real-life situations.  Their focus will then shift to using algebraic properties to solve such equations, as well as solving absolute value equations.  Unit 1 will conclude with dimensional analysis and uniform motion word problems.

Pre-Algebra 2 students are in their third unit in which, as their Alg 1A peers have already done, they'll learn the Distributive Property, as well as the basics of equation writing and solving.  As we progress through Unit 3, the work will become more challenging by solving multi-step equations and equations with variables on both sides.

Health class is completing the unit on Mental Health as of this next 3 day cycle (Nov. 18, 19).  We will then begin our unit on Growth and Development, exciting times for 8th graders in Mr Stambaugh's class!!!!!!!