MAMS Department Updates
September 2024
6th Grade:
We are wrapping up our unit in geometry and will be moving on to unit 2 where we will be exploring ratios. Believe it or not we use ratios every day. Ratios can be used in something as simple as pizzas! The simple explanation- you are looking at a part compared to part. This is similar to a fraction, where you are looking at a part to whole. Think of our pizza. Someone could eat half of a pizza 4 of the 8 pieces or 4/8. That would be our fraction. Someone could also order a pizza with half cheese and half pepperoni. Again assuming 8 pieces. There are 2 parts of the pizza: 1 cheese and 1 pepperoni. 4 slices cheese to 4 slices pepperoni. For every one slice of cheese there is one slice of pepperoni. Part to part.
There will be occasional practice problems to complete for homework. Classwork and homework can be found on Desmos or in their Desmos workbook. All students will have a review or practice day prior to quizzes and tests, so that they are best prepared to Ace them! If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to your student’s math teacher. Mr. Green greenj@lasd.k12.pa.us or Mr. Barden bardenm@lasd.k12.pa.us
7th Grade:
In Math 7 class students we are beginning Unit 2 - Introducing to Proportional Relationships. In this unit we will use proportional reasoning to problem solve. All students have access to classwork and homework at student.desmos.com. When students are absent, they are expected to make up missed work. Please reach out to your child’s math teacher if you have any questions. Rachel Hamm hammr@lasd.k12.pa.us or Kristen Innerst innerstk@lasd.k12.pa.us
8th Grade:
In Math 8, we are finishing up our unit on Transformations and moving on to Dilations next! Students have homework every week, which is posted on Schoology. Absent students can find what they missed on Schoology as well under the weekly folder. Khan Academy and IXL are great resources to use, but for any questions, I can be contacted by email keilholtzc@lasd.k12.pa.us. I am currently out on leave and my expected return date is October 11th. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns please reach out to my long term substitute, Miss. Kingsborough at kingsboroughj@lasd.k12.pa.us.
Algebra:
It’s been a wonderful start for the Algebra students. They will be beginning Unit 2 Linear Equations and Inequalities the last week of September and throughout October.
This year all Algebra assignments can be found on Desmos and all assignments are posted in Schoology. Homework will be assigned on a daily basis. Since individual feedback on any incorrect homework answer is provided to every student please encourage your child to complete their homework on the day it was assigned.
Notifications of assessments and other important information will be posted in Schoology and text messages will be sent via Remind. Please email me at myersl@lasd.k12.pa.us if you have any questions or concerns.
Geometry:
Geometry students are off to a great start. Students will begin chapter 2 Angle Measurements the last week of September. Homework will be assigned on a daily basis. All daily lesson and homework assignments are posted in weekly folders in Schoology. Notifications of assessments and other important information will be posted in Schoology and text messages will be sent via Remind. Please email me at myersl@lasd.k12.pa.us if you have any questions or concerns.
MAMS Math Minute:
Sharing iPads in Math: The use of cooperative learning in Middle School mathematics allows for students to listen, share ideas and question one another’s thinking. The use of this strategy allows for higher level thinking and questioning among students to take place.
Welcome to the Science Department! Our curriculum and teaching is in a spiral format, which means that each 6th, 7th and 8th grades cover all the branches of science but at differing levels of focus and depth.
— - Communication is key. Reach out to us with any questions you have.
6th Grade - Introduction of Life, Earth, and Physical
7th Grade - Life and overview of all sciences
8th Grade - Physical and overview of all science with preparation for 8th Grade PSSAs.
Materials:McGraw Hill Science (Online-Clever) and Hardcopy Classroom sets of the online version, and other resources
Assessments: Taken on the online program Quizizz
8th Dr. Kathleen Lambe and Mr. Decker: Students are given hard copies of all assignments throughout the week. Digital copies of everything can be accessed through schoology. Dr. Lambe’s class should be keeping notes in their science notebooks and handouts in their science folders. Please email so we can give you the code to access your child’s work through schoology. We have a weekly quiz every Friday (Dr. Lambe’s class may vary) covering that week’s material. We will be studying the following content through September.
7th Grade: Characteristics & Needs of Life, Classification, Kingdoms of Life, Cells
8th Grade: Describing Motion, Forces and Friction, Newton’s Laws
Email: klambe@lasd.k12.pa.us Email: deckerc@lasd.k12.pa.us
7th Mrs. Sanders
Information can be found in Schoology by the week and daily date. A hard copy packet of notes and activities is given for each unit and located in your student's science pocket folder. Please look in Schoology (Sanders Science Course for all my classroom routines, consequences/rewards, expectations/supplies, and guided curriculum. Schoology is the one-stop shop for all work that is being done in class (You can see it virtual real time) and have weekly updates on graded work and future work. I have “usually” a weekly assessment formative assessment. Students are expected to review over daily notes and daily slides each evening to stay current. Students are encouraged to volunteer and learn to participate on their own pace to interact more with science to better commit it to memory and application processes.
7th Grade Units: Review Scientific Controlled Methods, Characteristics and Needs for Life, and Classification. Kingdoms of Life, Cells, Processes of Cells, Genetics, Environmental Ecology
We use Mc Graw Hill Resources, digital & hardcopy Classroom Book Sets
Any questions please contact me via email
September Curriculum - Scientific Method Review and Measuring Tools Discovery, Characteristics of Life Unit - started
6th Mr. NIck Liberty and Ms. Schultz
All information (weekly schedule and links to handouts) is found in the Schoology course. Handouts are paper and kept in their binder. Digital copies are available on the Weekly Schedule. Mr. Liberty's students should expect a quiz every Friday. Science students have been working on basics of science such as Scientific Method and measurement. Ms. Schultz's students have been applying parts of the Scientific Method with mini-labs. Mr. Liberty’s students have been working on the metric system and measuring. Next Topic: Earth in Space, specifically where Earth is and how it relates to other objects in the Universe. Call or email with any questions or concerns.
Email: nliberty@lasd.k12.pa.us Schultzdaileyk@lasd.k12.pa.us
6th Grade:
Geography: Students have been delving into our Intro to Geography Unit. We had our first vocabulary and map quizzes this month, learned about globes and map skills, and participated in discussions about geography, what it is, and how geographers use information about the past to plan for the future. It is great to see the students learn that geography isn’t just about reading maps. Student Learning Packets (SLPs) continue to be checked and will be collected at the end of each unit for a grade. All information (weekly schedule, due dates, and links to handouts) can be found in the Schoology course.
7th Grade:
Ancient Civilizations: This month we are studying Mesopotamia and Egypt. These ancient people groups had a fascinating culture that is very different from how we live today. Their religion, achievements, government, economics and social structure were similar to each other. They both were polytheistic, had a writing system, traded with other people and had similar governments. New artifacts are being discovered even today about these amazing ancient civilizations. All information (weekly schedule, due dates, and links to handouts) can be found in the Schoology course.
8th Grade:
American History students have learned about the interaction between Native Americans and early Europeans. We are currently understanding the importance of the Age of Exploration and European Explorers. In the next few weeks, we will be discovering how the Thirteen Colonies were created.
6th Grade:
Our first unit, “Failure and Success”, is all about grit and resilience. We have been reading both fiction and non-fiction stories as well as poetry that reflect how characters change and grow as they learn to overcome failure. Learning new vocabulary words, identifying themes and main ideas have been our focus throughout this unit.
In our next unit, we will read about Alcatraz. We will transition to include more writing into our learning, specifically RACE and persuasive, while continuing to learn new vocabulary words and build upon comprehension skills.
Resources:
Opinion Writing: Using the OREO Method
7th Grade:
We are excited to kick off the 7th grade year with "Community" as our first unit's theme. We will be tackling the TDA, building vocabulary by looking at prefixes, suffixes, and roots words, building our reading stamina with Drop Everything and Read and literacy circles, and reading fiction (selected short stories, poems, and the novel The Outsiders) and non-fiction texts that all reflect our unit's theme.
Students should be reading at least 10 minutes a day to help build their reading stamina as well as completing their assigned reading logs.
Lastly, we are thrilled to be using i-Ready in class for small group instruction as well as allowing students time in class to work on their own Pathway in i-Ready that will help close the gap and refine their skills in reading.
8th Grade:
Students are getting ready to dive into the world of suspense in our upcoming unit! We'll explore thrilling stories that keep us on the edge of our seats, learning how to identify the central ideas that drive the tension. As we uncover the secrets behind these gripping tales, we'll also work on perfecting our RACES paragraphs. This strategy will help us craft clear, well-supported responses to questions, making sure we Restate, Answer, Cite evidence, Explain, and Summarize with confidence. By the end of this unit, our students will be masters at both reading suspenseful texts and writing powerful, organized paragraphs!
Music
We are excited to share with you the latest updates on our music courses at Maple Avenue Middle School! Our students have been actively engaged in Music 6, Guitar and Ukulele, Keyboard class, and Chorus, and we are thrilled to see their progress and enthusiasm.
In Music 6, our students have been exploring various fundamental music concepts such as rhythm and steady beat. Through interactive activities and games, they have been developing their musical skills while having fun. We are proud of their dedication and eagerness to learn.
In Guitar and Ukulele class, our students have been strumming their way to success! They have been learning chords, and even playing some popular songs. It is wonderful to witness their growth as musicians and their ability to express themselves through music.
Keyboard class has been a hit among our students. They have been actively working through playing chords, and are now beginning to read music. We are excited to see them continue to develop their keyboard skills and explore the world of music.
Our Chorus students have been working hard to develop their vocal talents. They have been practicing harmonies, dynamics, and performance techniques. We are looking forward to showcasing their talent at the Winter Concert on December 11th, in the high school auditorium.
Throughout all our music courses, we are emphasizing the importance of student leadership. Our students have been given opportunities to lead their peers in various musical activities, fostering teamwork and collaboration. We believe that these experiences will not only enhance their musical abilities but also develop their leadership skills.
We are incredibly proud of our students' dedication and achievements in their music courses. We thank you, parents, for your continuous support and encouragement. Together, we can nurture a love for music and empower our students to become confident musicians.