8th Grade Update

August 04, 2024

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Meet the Teacher Night!

It was wonderful to meet you and your child during Meet the Teacher Night. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with us and for the classroom donations.

8th Grade Expectations & Technology Agreement Forms.

These forms were sent home with your child on Friday. Please take a moment to review them together so they understand the expectations in all of our classes. The forms need to be signed and returned to their homeroom teacher by Friday, August 9th. If your child did not receive the forms, please have them reach out to any of their teachers.

REMINDERS!

August

9- 2pm Release

9- 8th Grade Expectations & Technology Agreement Forms due

12 &13- Baseball & Softball Try-Outs

12- NWEA MAP Assessment (Math)

16- 2pm Release

16- SLO Assessment (Science)

Science ~Mrs. Cawley

In Science, we’ll start with a unit on Safety Lab Protocols, focusing on the proper handling and use of various laboratory tools. 8th Grade Science encompasses a range of engaging topics that students will explore through hands-on lab activities. It’s crucial to recognize that science experiments can present safety risks if not conducted properly. Ensuring a safe lab environment is my top priority as students engage in scientific investigations. Additionally, they will participate in their first inquiry lab, which will enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

In the following week, students will learn about the common lab tools and equipment they’ll use throughout the year. Mastery of these tools will help them make accurate measurements and observations while maintaining safety. In adition, all 8th grade Science students will take the SLO district assessment to gauge their understanding of scientific investigation.

STEM ~ Mrs. Cawley

In Quarter 1 of STEM, we will focus on Agriculture Literacy. The goal is for students to understand the significance of where their food comes from, its impact on their daily lives, and how many of life's essentials can be traced back to the farm. Throughout the quarter, they will explore various staple crops grown in Arizona and their role in sustaining future food supplies.

Before diving into the main Agriculture unit, students will work on an Arcade Project. They will have time to plan and design their arcade, but the construction will be done at home. This self-paced project allows students to showcase their creative designs and engage in hands-on learning.

ELA ~Mrs. Jensen

We’ve had an amazing start to ELA and I look forward to getting to know the students more as we continue this school year. During the week of August 5-9, ELA students will take the district reading assessment to get a benchmark for their learning. The assessment will most likely take 2 days to complete, but will not be included in the gradebook. It is merely to get an understanding of their current reading level. We will then move on to course material by practicing our annotation skills and finding context clues within Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Students will write a text-dependent response and cite textual evidence that supports an analysis of the story.

During the week of August 12-16th, we will continue to focus on Poe’s work, but we will shift our attention to language, style, and audience, as well as how to effectively contribute to collaborative conversations about literature. I hope your student will love Poe’s stories as much as I do!

Math~Miss. Kindell

Welcome to 8th grade math! I have loved spending the last couple of days getting to know the students and helping set them up for a successful 8th grade year. We will be jumping into content on Monday with transformations. This unit is all about how we can change shapes on a coordinate plane. Students will have notes and practice most days, but will only have to work at home if they do not finish the assignments in class.

My Canvas page is organized by quarter and week. For every lesson that is taught, students will have access to the completed notes, assignments and a review video (most of the time). Most of our assignments are on paper. If students need copies they can print from Canvas or get it from the folder in class.

8/12 - NWEA MAP Assessment

This is a district assessment that measures a students current math level. Students do not need to study for this test, it is just informative for us.

Social Studies~ Mr. Rowhling

As the beginning of school starts we will be learning about the origins of our Government. What life was like in Europe under the Monarchy, and what influenced America’s views on Government? We will be discussing the different types and purposes of Government. We will start with Feudalism and then get into the influences of Natural Law, Social Contract and our Ideas about Rights and how that shaped the first Colonies and ultimately the Declaration of Independence and much much more!

TRACKS CARD

Each quarter, all middle school students will receive a TRACKS card and are expected to have it in their possession during the school day. TRACKS cards represent a structured behavior program designed for most students. Each teacher/administrator has the right to use his/her professional judgment to modify this plan for individual students as needed.

Students are expected to take their TRACKS card to every class and leave it on their desk. Throughout the class period, teachers can give students positive feedback on one side and infractions for behavior on the other. Students will typically receive warnings before earning infractions in class. If students do not meet expectations after receiving warnings, they will earn an infraction. Parents are strongly encouraged to review their child’s TRACKS card daily. Physical or verbal aggression, theft, vandalism, threatening acts, fighting, or any infraction listed in the DVUSD Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook will warrant immediate consequences in the form of an office referral.