8th Grade Q3 Newsletter

Welcome

The middle school team is very excited to share with you all the amazing learning opportunities that have been happening and will continue through Q3 with our first newsletter.

Practice At Home

Please help your student to create good study habits by doing the following:

1. Make sure that the student checks their planner each night and completes any work for the next class period.

2. Make sure students are charging their iPad each night.

Upcoming Dates

Jan 15-Early college applications are due
Jan 17-18 -MAP testing
Jan 20-1st Semester honor roll recognition
Jan 27-Gryphon of the Month Ceremony-Integrity
Feb 3- OBX payment due
Feb. 8 Ski Trip (Sign up on MyPaymentsPlus.)

View our FULL School Calendar here. 

Band

We began Band this year with the wind players and percussion players in separate classes. This helped each group to work on their separate challenges at the beginning of the year. Now we are back to our one big (noisy) happy family where we can hear everybody all of the time. Our winter concert was just a taste of the direction we're heading in. We will be starting new music to learn for our Carowinds trip on Friday May 12. This is a different date from when the chorus will be going. More details on a fundraiser for Carowinds will be coming soon.

Chorus

Chorus has been singing along nicely this year. Our 7&8 combined group has over sixty singers so you can definitely hear them! We have worked on songs in many different styles and will continue doing this in the new semester. Just like the band class, we will be starting new music to learn for our Carowinds trip on Friday May 5. This is a different date from when the band will be going. More details on a fundraiser for Carowinds will be coming soon.

Music

We take a "break" from music every year in January to watch a (school safe!) version of Amadeus. This Best Picture winner in 1984 shows students the life of Mozart, specifically that we was a real human being with real emotions and real problems. Students need to learn that people from the past were just as relatable and goofy as they are!

Science

Students began the year focusing on the Hydrosphere going over the water cycle, water quality and characteristics of the ocean and different aquatic ecosystems. They completed informative projects on varying ocean topics. Next, students dove into the world of Microbiology learning about the benefits of microorganisms and infectious diseases. As we move into quarter 3, students will explore the topic of Chemistry. They will review matter and changes in matter, then move into atomic structure, elements/compounds and mixtures, periodic table and law of conservation of matter.

Math

Main topics in Q1 and Q2: Solving Multistep Equations, Geometric Transformations (Translations, Reflections, Rotations, Dilations), Functions, and Scatter plots. We have two major topics to cover for the rest of the school year. Our unit on the number system consists of exponent rules and scientific notation. Our final unit is on geometry which will cover volume of different 3D shapes and Pythagorean Theorem. There is still A LOT to cover, but we will consistently be spiraling back to the topics from Q1 and Q2 to keep them fresh! These previous topics will continue to show up on current quizzes and tests. Youtube, IXL, and MAP Accelerator are great resources for your child (and you!) to help improve their math skills.

ELA

During Quarter 1, 8th graders read Summer of the Mariposas, and in Quarter 2, read The Omnivore's Dilemma. Beginning Quarter 3, students will read Maus by Art Spiegelman. While reading this novel, we will look at the following guiding questions: What was the Holocaust, and how did it occur? Why do we remember it? How did victims and survivors respond, and how can we honor their voices? How did upstanders respond, and what can we learn from their voices?

Counselor Corner

All Early College applications are due by 1/19/23 5PM. Please ensure that your child email's me upon successful submission of your child's application. 1/23/23 7PM via zoom: West Iredell Capstone Academy will be hosting an info session for interested parents. Zoom link specifics to follow upon receipt. The backpack program is in need of individual snacks, fruit snacks, granola bars, and mini bottle waters. We are also in need of feminine products for students at the middle school. Please donate your items in carline or send with your middle schooler to Mrs. McMiller's office. Thank you for your support!

Physical Education

In addition to continuing with our endurance training,and field sports from Quarter 2, during the 3rd Quarter we anticipate expanding our PE facilities to include our new Gymnasium. In preparation for the many exciting opportunities that come with our new Gym, we will be expanding the focus of our Core Values/Expectations to include what is certainly going to be a source of pride for our students, families and the entire ARS community.

Art

My name is Chrystal Ingersoll and I am the middle school art teacher. I started off in the middle of semester one and I feel like we are off to a good start. Emily at the Vanilla Bean Bakery and Coffee Shop has given us an entire wall to hang your student’s art. You will find some of the 8th grade abstract printmaking. They look fabulous! The students did a great job! This quarter we are working on paintings influenced by Carolina Coto, an artist living in the Outer Banks. In 8th grade we focus on artists from North Carolina and I am super excited for your child to discover the great artists here in this state.Some of our materials are used up very quickly if you are able to replenish our supply we need these items: Black Sharpies, Different colored paint pens, Glue sticks, and Sketch books Thank you for all you do. You can’t spell smart without art.

Social Studies

We are still interviewing for the social studies position. Stay tuned updated information.

Field Trip Information

The Outer Banks field trip is still open for students or chaperones to sign up. Field trip dates will be April 18-21, 2023. Please go to MyPaymentsPlus to sign up for the field trip. Here is a LINK for field trip information. Questions can be directed to Mrs. Waugh ([email protected]).

Math

During the first semester in Math 1, students explored multi-step equations and inequalities as well as linear functions. There's an exponential amount of fun planned for quarter three - we will be expanding into exponential and quadratic functions! Students will extend their knowledge of exponent properties, learn operations with polynomials, and factor quadratic equations. We will also be comparing key features of different types of functions in multiple representations. It's going to be a great quarter!

Spanish

I am Mrs. Davila the middle school Spanish teacher at ARS. Last semester the 8th grade reviewed AR, ER, and IR verbs and how to conjugate them. They learned about Latino culture with projects and videos on Hispanic Heritage Month and The Day of the Dead. This semester Spanish I will be continuing basic conjugation in the present tense, reviewing vocabulary learned in 7th grade, re-learning the difference between Ser and Estar, and stem change. Spanish II will be learning verb conjugation in the past tense: imperfect and preterit, stem change, irregular verbs, and projects using conversational Spanish.

High School Information

For all High School Options, please see the contact information listed below:

CCTL: [email protected]

Statesville High School IB: [email protected].

Crossroads/ Statesville High School: [email protected]

AG Program/ NIHS: [email protected]

WIHS Capstone Program: [email protected]

South Iredell IB: [email protected] (Enrollment for those in district only)

Needed Supplies

Correction