April Newsletter
Sandwich Middle School
6th Grade News
April showers bring May flowers AND a lot of exciting new units in our 6th grade classes! Math will be starting statistics or starting the Geometry Unit and will be studying perimeter, area, and volume, while the AT and ACC Math classes spend the next two months working on Pre-Algebra. Social Studies classes will take a trip down the Silk Road by studying the Ancient Cultures of Asia! Science classes will explore forces of motion, while the Language Arts classes read The Lightning Thief or Welcome Home, Jellybean and will work on elements of literature and comprehension skills.
April 11th is Game Day!! Those who participated in the Ozzie Reading Program will be going to the Kane County Cougars game for the day. Permission forms will be sent home after Spring Break.
Our Students of the Month for April are Leah Hawkins and Wyatt Miller—keep up the great work!!
7th Grade News
Hope you enjoyed the great break and are ready for the final quarter of the year. As we settle into April, we will begin our focus in social studies on the antebellum period. This will identify reasons and causes as to why we engaged in a serious Civil War. To enjoy living and local history the re-enactors of the 10th Illinois will be at Knight’s park on the 21-23rd of April so students can appreciate what it took to serve in that time era. This will help in the understanding of events around the Civil War period.
In science, we are continuing with our Astronomy unit. We are learning about Earth and Earth’s atmosphere. We will then talk about climate change. This will lead us into spending a week on learning about Earth’s moon. After the moon, we will learn about NASA and different technology that is used to collect data and images in space, the Space Race, rockets and different telescopes.
In the math classes, we just finished up our unit on the introduction to geometry. During this unit, the students learned how to classify angles, triangles, quadrilaterals and other polygons. They also learned how to make a model to solve a problem, how to use scale drawings to calculate measurements, and how to draw and dissect 3-D figures. After we get back from the break, we will be starting our next unit that is also on geometry. During this unit the students will learn how to find the perimeter and area of two-dimensional figures.
In the pre-algebra classes, we just finished up our chapter on the basics of geometry. During this chapter, the students learned about lines, points, planes, angles, triangles, and other polygons. They also learned about coordinate geometry, congruence, transformations, and symmetry. After we return from break, we will continue the next chapter that is also on geometry. During this chapter, the students will learn how to find the perimeter and area of two-dimensional figures and how to find the surface area and volume of three-dimensional figures.
Happy Spring Break! The students and staff are looking forward to this break. When we all return, hopefully, we will all finish strong for the remainder of the year!
In language arts the students will be working on both short stories and informational text. They will be using graphic organizers to compare and contrast the text and to develop their responses. Both regular language arts and AT language arts will finish the year with a novel unit. They will be reading, responding and completing appropriate projects.
The students of the month are Emily Gomez and Bella Romano
8th Grade News
8th Grade Newsletter
Soon after the PARCC Testing ends, the Map Testing begins! We know this great group of 8th graders will do well! In language arts, we will be starting poetry and practicing our grammar skills. Later in April, we will begin an independent novel unit. In history, we will begin the study of the Cold War and start then our study of the United States & Constitutions. Science will be finishing up a unit on oceanography and marine biology. They will begin working on a physics unit, where students will learn and apply Newton’s three laws of motion. In regular math, we are doing a unit on linear relationships and also and also discovering non-linear graphs and equations. In advanced math, we will be working on solving quadratic problems.
8th grade promotion will be held at Sandwich High School on Tuesday, May 23 at 7:00 pm.
Our Students of the Month are Paula Ferrer and Nate McGill.
They are dedicated students who really shine. Their hard work, positive attitudes, and willingness to succeed are commendable.
Band/Explore News
SMS is proud to present the 1st Annual Fine Arts Night on Thursday May 4th. Class projects from Art, Speech & Drama, S.T.E.M., Lifeskills and P.E. will be displayed in the SMS cafeteria. Doors will open at 5:30pm. The 7th-8th Grade Band and Choir will perform in the SMS gym at 7:00pm. Come out and explore the Fine Arts offerings at SMS!
STEM
Welcome 4th quarter STEM students. During the first two weeks of the quarter 6th grade students in Introduction to Engineering completed their first design challenge. They will continue to learn about the work of engineers and the design process this month. 7th grade students are learning about different types of sketching and technical drawings used by engineers to document and communicate designs. They will be working with an internet based CAD program, called TinkerCAD, as they begin to explore the possibilities of computer modeling. Finally, 8th grade students have just finished a PowerPoint project and presentation about famous robots. This month they will be learning about mechanisms and how automated systems work. They will design and build exciting projects which include the mechanism they have studied. Congratulations to Peyton Rogers who is the STEM Student of the Month.
ART
Students are getting off to a great start to the fourth quarter. All grade levels are beginning with shading practice projects before getting into their first major project, which is a portrait drawing. Seventh and eighth graders are working on a full portrait, while sixth grade is only working on a half portrait. After that is finished, we will continue to work on our skills of drawing and get into painting and other types of projects.
Physical Education
Hello from the Physical Education staff!
As the seasons are changing, so are the activities in class. Our P.E. classes have just finished up our very exciting Olympic themed unit which includes events such as; the torch relay, Luge, snowball throw, and curling. It was very amusing and encouraging to see our students incorporate a little strategy and teamwork to accomplish their goals set out in front of them. Congratulations to all of our students/countries that finished in the top medal categories! In the near future, P.E. will be partaking in a speedball/tcoukball unit, fitness testing, track unit, and our exciting time of going out into the community and having a little fun at the bowling alleys. Some of our students have portrayed excellent qualities in class and we would like to give them a special recognition for their great efforts/characteristics in class. These students are:
6th grade- Chris “Manny” Mandel & Everett Ford
7th grade- Destiny Ortega
8th grade- Carey Coakley
6th Grade STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
7th Grade STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
8th Grade STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
NEWS FROM THE LRC
“April showers bring May flowers” is true and I am hoping April will bring me “bouquets” of great book ideas for next year. I am putting out a questionnaire for the students to tell me what they wish they could find in the LRC. I am guessing there are some amazing books that I have missed and I can have them ready for next year.
It is official…THE CROSSOVER by Kwamie Alexander is the state-wide winner of the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award program. SMS chose it as our building winner. We know good books! All students who qualified to vote received a certificate from the RCYRBA committee and a picture of the whole group. “Well done you” to the each and every one of them!
FYI to anyone who thought they missed our spring book fair…you didn’t miss it…we will be having a SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR from Monday, May 8th – Friday, May 12th. It will be a great chance to stock up on summer reading. More details will come home with the students soon and info will be available on our website.
Cafeteria News
For those parents who choose to use the regular or electronic payment plan for hot lunch or snack milk, please make sure you pay in advance on your child's account. This way, you will avoid carrying negative balances from week to week on your student's lunch card. All questions regarding balances may be directed to Linda Fox at 815-786-8881.
Summer Meal Program
Nurse Notes
Also, parents of current 6th grade students, please be sure to read the letter regarding the dental exam requirements.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions.