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Mears Middle School

Thank you to the Alaska Walking Store for their frisbee donations as prize incentives for our 6th graders for showing positive behavior at lunch!

The Mears PTSA is has Volleyball hoodies and stickers for sale in the school store. We are always open during lunch waves! Stop in today to purchase your volleyball swag!

In 8th grade Health, students are finishing up their social health unit. We explored our ancestry and created individual culture trees in order to appreciate the social context we come from. We also practiced our communication skills with I messages, active listening, and assertiveness.

We hope to cover the entire area with a blizzard of leaves. Help us out!!

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to Project Pie Face! We are taking donations until Friday, November 1st. 6th grade is dominating with their donations. I hope 6th grade teachers like Pie (lol!) NJHS is still looking for high need items like canned proteins, shelf-stable milk, cake mixes, frosting, nut butters, and cereal.

This week’s tip is: Talk to your teachers! Communicate before class if you need anything. Talk to them if you need more time or clarification. Use Canvas and student connect to check on grades and reach out.

8th Grade has finished their Canjos. Parents be prepared to enjoy some music this week

Students helped unload our shipment of wood today. We are excited to get going with more projects.

Thank you! A huge thank you for making it up to the 2nd floor to say hello and meet to speak about your student’s experience in Robotics- I really appreciate all of you who took the extra time to visit! If you missed me or conferences, please feel free to email jones_kristin@asdk12.org and we can figure out a way to either meet in person, over a phone call, or a Zoom!

Narrative Report on Grade 8 Project Presentation: Materials Testing - Bridge Construction (Dr. Michael R. Maglaque, Room 124 Class)

In an exciting culmination of our recent unit on engineering principles and materials science (Nature of Science and Basic Principles of Chemistry), the Grade 8 students presented their project on “Materials Testing: Bridge Construction,” demonstrating impressive engineering skills and an in-depth understanding of structural integrity. This project was initiated in our science class following a comprehensive discussion on the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse case study, which served as a foundational reference to analyze the importance of material selection and structural design in real-world applications.

The students were tasked with designing and constructing model bridges, focusing on testing various materials to determine which combinations would provide the optimal strength and durability. They investigated properties such as tensile strength, elasticity, and load-bearing capacity, using accessible materials like wood, plastic, cardboard, and other household items to simulate the materials used in actual bridge construction. Throughout the project, students demonstrated critical thinking by hypothesizing which materials would best withstand weight and environmental stress, applying their theoretical knowledge in a hands-on project that mirrored real-world engineering challenges.

The project presentations highlighted each group’s approach to material selection, testing, and design adjustments. Students illustrated their design processes, showing before-and-after models where initial trials prompted improvements. The testing phase was particularly engaging, as students subjected their bridges to various weight challenges to showcase their stability and durability. These practical demonstrations allowed the students to witness firsthand the effects of material properties on structural performance.

Moreover, students linked their findings to the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse case, drawing insightful comparisons and discussing how engineering failures in the real world underscore the critical role of meticulous planning and material testing. This reflective process helped reinforce their understanding of engineering ethics and responsibility.

Overall, the Grade 8 students’ project on “Materials Testing: Bridge Construction” successfully integrated theoretical knowledge with practical application. This initiative not only deepened their comprehension of engineering principles but also fostered teamwork, problem-solving, and analytical skills essential to scientific inquiry and engineering. Their presentations demonstrated a high level of engagement, creativity, and enthusiasm for learning, making this project a valuable and memorable experience in their science education journey.

Additional Readings:

Related Published Scientific Research Work (Multi-disciplinary) of Dr. Michael R. Maglaque available in Google Scholar about Climate Change and Forestry.

https://doi.org/10.17613/74g8-tk90

https://doi.org/10.17613/80qx-1b53

https://doi.org/10.17613/azz9-gx36

Next week is SPIRIT WEEK! On Friday, November 1st, represent our team by sporting our team color — BLUE! Go Nexus!

Team Nexus presents Ben Russell as our Student of the Week. Ben’s mission is to be a better version of himself every single day! Other than his continuous pursuit of excellence, he is also kind and compassionate to others. Thank you, Ben. We appreciate you!

Team Nexus students measuring the temperature and pH of various liquids. FUN!

Team Fusion thanks all the families that attended conferences! Quarter 2 is off to a strong start!

Thank you to everyone who reached out to us during conferences. It was wonderful connecting with you about the successes of your students.

Quarter one is in the books and we have a fresh slate for Quarter two. As a team we are going to work with students on organization and communication.

“Lesson one from this experience: Realize how much you don’t know. Lesson two: Make sure to learn from lesson one.” - Jacen Solo

In Math we will be moving into decimals, fractions, and ratios. Our Canvas pages are updated with the Quarter 2 schedule and pacing. Take a moment with your student and ask them to show you their Canvas page and how to access their iReady book online.

In ELA we will be starting Unit 2, working on our first Novel Study of Walk Two Moons and dissecting the movie UP.

In Social Studies students are starting their Alaska Studies unit. Students learned about Benny Benson and are trying their hand at designing an Alaskan flag.

Team Synergy thanks all the families that attended conferences! It was nice to meet everyone and put faces to names. As always, thank you for your continued support. We are off and rolling right into Quarter 2!

In ELA, we are sharing our essays and learning how to revise and edit them. We are a community of editors who make our essays ‘A+.’ We created the best “personal narratives” that we will share with parents.

Our students will explore expository essays and text and learn how to write ‘informational essays.’ We have been studying the following writing techniques: appositive phrases, prepositional phrases, complex sentences, subordinating conjunctions, and parallel structure. After conquering the mighty ‘semicolon,’ we will practice the ‘Useful list tool’: the ‘colon.’

We have started our “Myth Multimedia projects” and how to navigate the following: context clues, juxtaposition, research, and bibliographies; our students are becoming more aware of how to use writing tools and reading skills that will help them prepare for the upper grades. Plus, we are learning about ‘each other,’ and our great ‘stories.’

Parchman_tina@asdk12.org

My favorite moment this week came from a student exclamation during a Kahoot! game designed to check our understanding as well as introduce some new ideas… from the front row, “What in the placebo effect is that!?” It was certainly a welcome vacation from other slang, but the bonus of using scientific vocabulary really made it a top tier moment of the week!

jones_kristin@asdk12.net

Word of The Week: Nik'udinlchit - Raise Your Hand Listen here

Please visit this link to stay up to date on all that is going on in our program Indigenous Education News.

Ms. Smith

smith_mirandah@asdk12.org

Please visit this link to stay up to date on all that is going on in our program Indigenous Education News.

Session Two is going well. Students are learning and hitting the targets more than missing.

Volleyball started Oct. 15 and Mears has 180 players. Teams will be formed soon. Please check the VB website for your best source of information:

What?

• For users determined to be under the age of 18, Instagram has decided to automatically convert their accounts to private accounts by default, along with other changes meant to enhance safety and well-being. Kids under 16 can't change some settings without parent permission, as controlled by the in-app parental controls.

Now What?

• Ask students if these changes will affect them, and how they feel about the changes. Do they think social media has more positive or negative effects? What advice about social media would they give to younger kids? Why do they think Meta is making these changes now, and are there other changes they should make around the safety and well-being of younger users?

What?

• Lunchly is a new brand of packaged lunch (like Lunchables) from YouTube stars Jimmy Donaldson (Mr. Beast), Logan Paul, and Olajide Olatunji (KSI). The latter two also created Prime energy drinks, for which there was high demand (especially from teen boys) and then a shortage—those who had managed to get the drink were seen as having a status symbol.

Our front office is busy with calls in the mornings and afternoons and if you do not leave a message on our attendance line, the office can not process early dismissals and issue blue passes in a timely manner. If you know you are in need of a blue pass you can always email the attendance line the morning of or day before. We do not accept blue pass requests after 3:15 pm and blue pass requests need to be in 1 hour prior to the pick up time.

Remember, all fees and fines are paid through Q Parent Connect this year. If you do not have the ability to make an electronic payment, or you have difficulty with Q, please email Ms. Robin in the office. spartz-hays_robin@asdk12.org

Is your child going to absent from school? Save time and send a quick email to our attendance email box, mearsattendance@asdk12.org or you can call the school at 907-742-6400 and select the Attendance Line option to leave us a voice mail, either option is a great way to notify us!

Our office staff is available daily, please don't hesitate to reach out if we can help you in any way, our hours are 8:45-4:15. Thanks so much, we are here to help serve you!

We do not accept, Door Dash/Uber Eats/ETC, food deliveries for students before, during, nor after school. We will NOT accept deliveries of any kind. We have a school meal program offering balanced meal choices daily. In addition, the Black Cat Cafe offers smart snacks daily for purchase

Lunch Detentions are held daily during each lunch wave in Room ST6.. Students are expected to check-in with the supervisor at the beginning of lunch. Students who need to purchase food from the cafeteria will be issued a fast pass to procure their food and return to Room ST6 to serve the assigned lunch detention.

Eighth Grade: Mrs. Nogg

Seventh Grade: Mr. Edwards

Sixth Grade: Mrs. Trawicki

Detentions are 8:45 am-9:15 am, in Room 212, with Mr. Bennice Tuesday-Friday. Please drop-off your student at the NORTH entrance to access the building. Mr. Bennice will greet your student, they will sign-in on the attendance sheet and be escorted to Room 212. Please contact AP Svendsen or AP Matthews with any questions.

Everyone

Accepted

Respected

Safe

Email: marquand_carla@asdk12.org
Website: https://www.asdk12.org/mears

YouTube: @JaneMearsMiddleSchool

Facebook: Mears Middle School
Location: 2700 West 100th Avenue, Anchorage, AK, USA
Phone: 907-742-6400