October 2015 - Lincoln Middle School

Lincoln Middle School
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 1
Principal’s Letter
Dear Parents and/or Guardians of Lincoln Middle School Students:
By the time you are reading this, we are nearing the end of quarter one. I hope you had
the chance to stop in for Parent Teacher Conferences and meet your son or daughter’s
teachers. All students at Lincoln Middle School have taken a quarter one writing
assessment and are working on specific skills for improving their writing. Some of the
specific things we are working on include; writing a thesis statement, providing
examples, using a topic sentence, using a variety of transition words, organizing their
ideas into paragraphs, using complex sentences with consistent subject-verb agreement,
using correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar.
I hope you have an opportunity to ask your child to see some of their writing samples
from class.
We are completing a whole building book study on The Long Walk to Water, by Linda
Sue Park. It is the true story of Salva Dut, a Sudanese Lost Boy, and the fictional story
of Nya, a young village girl. Salva is separated from his family during a school
shooting. He walks for days, with the hope that one day he will find his family
again. Salva struggled to find food for survival and they did not have much water. It is
a wonderful story about family, hope, and the impact we can have in our world. Steal a
moment in the car or at the dinner table to ask your child about the book. They will be
surprised that you already know what it’s about!
Best Regards,
Penny Stires
Principal
Lincoln Middle School
Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Poudre Valley School District
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 2
6th Grade
6th grade ELD students are writing personal, academic, and language goals for each
month. The students are using their ACCESS scores, IB work habits, and daily
school performance to help guide them through this process. The students are
preparing to share this information at Parent Teacher Conferences.
6th grade geography students are wrapping up map skills work and will spend
October analyzing and interpreting various kinds of maps, including political,
physical and thematic maps (population density, climate, land use and resources as
well as other topics). Look for your student to be working on a large project called
“Create a Continent” toward the end of October. Most work will be done in class,
but some students might need to work on this at home.
In 6th grade English we are well into the book Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman. If you
have not read it, check it out! It is a great story about a community coming together.
Students have been working hard at knowing the difference between central idea and
theme, finding theme in a challenging text, and providing text support to back up
their opinions.
Homework is still due each Thursday, and Lancer Reader (independent novel) book
projects are due October 9th.
Welcome to Lincoln’s 6th grade math classes!
We are learning the last math concepts included in unit 1 (addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division of decimals, prime factorization, greatest common factor
and least common multiple). Get ready for the Unit 1 assessment coming soon!
In unit 2 we will explore the concept of a ratio, rate, and unit rates. Students will be
able to compute rates and unit rates. They will be able to apply the concept of a ratio,
rate, and unit rate to a real-world and mathematical situation. Students will also
expand upon their understanding of fractions and ratios to divide fractions by
fractions, including in the context of a problem.
Continued
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 3
Please don’t hesitate to call or email us. We are also available with prearrangement
to help your child if they are struggling or just have questions. We are encouraging
all our students to arrange to come to see us at school for extra help if they need it.
Ms. Gerber and Mr. Martinez
Students are well into our first unit of inquiry, Ecology. We have looked at the
different trophic levels within an ecosystem and have explored some population
ecology factors through a case study on the Kaibab deer.
Students will soon be exploring how food chains interact to form food webs and how
species populations within a community are affected by the biotic and abiotic factors
of the environment they live in.
Below are key vocabulary words and skills our students will be assessed on
throughout this first unit of study.
Abiotic
Biome
Ecosystem
Consumer
Decomposer
Secondary
Carnivore
Herbivore
Prey
Community
Population
Niche
Organism
Symbiotic
Pollination
Interpret
Reason
Apply
Biotic
Ecology
Habitat
Producer
Primary
Tertiary
Omnivore
Predator
Parasite
Competition
Scavenger
Host
Species
Mutualism
Conservation
Analyze
Investigate
Outline
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 4
7th Grade
In Mrs. Kurtz’ 7th grade math we will be wrapping up Unit 1 covering Common
Core State Standards 7.NS.A, applying and extending previous understandings of
operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.
We will begin Unit 2 around the 3rd week of October. Unit 2 covers proportionality
and linear relationships hitting on Common Core State Standards 7.RP.A, 7.EE.A,
and 7.EE.B. This will include analyzing proportional relationships and using them
to solve real-world and math problems, using properties of operations to generate
equivalent expressions, and solving real-life and math problems using numerical and
algebraic expressions and equations.
We continue to build our team work skills and all academic behaviors following the
6 Ps and Approaches to Learning. In October, we will begin utilizing ClassDojo,
which is taking our individual, group, and class points to an online facet. Be looking
for a letter coming home that gives you access to your child’s ClassDojo data. This
will allow you to see points that your child is earning around positive and needs
work categories.
For math you can help your child at home by checking their Math’s Mate assignment
that goes home every Friday and is due the following Friday as well as by checking
your child’s grades which will show how they are achieving on Common Core State
Standards and Academic Behaviors.
Jessica Kurtz
Students have been able to dive full force into science this month with a combination
of labs and mini projects! We got to scrape our cheek cells, put them on a slide, and
dye them blue so that we could view them under the microscope. In order to wrap
up this section of our cells unit, students made Wild West Wanted posters and turned
their assigned organelle into a criminal whose crime matched their function in a cell.
Many creative posters were made and are on display in Ms. Wren’s classroom and
the science hallway!
Continued
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 5
October will bring the exploration of photosynthesis
and respiration in cells and discovering the importance
of each and the relationship between them (and
therefore all living things)! Students will continue to
work in their interactive notebooks, displaying various
outputs of information based on their individual
learning styles.
Finally, we will begin discussing body systems and
explore the larger question about relationships between
any systems that function together and debate their
importance for each other.
Becca Wren
October is here, and Fall is in the air! In 7th grade Language Arts, we are wrapping up
our first novel study of A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. Students have
spent the last several weeks practicing their active reading skills by keeping and
maintaining a reader’s notebook. Students have also been developing their paragraph
writing skills by responding to weekly journal responses that elicit deeper thinking
about the larger themes and topics in A Long Walk to Water. As we finish the unit,
we will be exploring the refugee experience by researching and making connections
to the current Syrian refugee crisis. We will end our novel study with a broader
perspective of the experiences of the 60 million people worldwide who have been
displaced by conflict.
Micah Schnellinger
After finish our intro unit, we have moved into studying Europe. Students have
worked hard to create a google slide with information presented in a timeline fashion.
Each student has focused on a specific time period in European history for their
google slide and has presented the information to their peers. Next week we will
begin a study on World War II. There is high interest among students surrounding
this topic. We will examine primary source documents to gain insight to the
struggles people all over Europe faced during this dark time in history. Students will
complete this study by producing a writing assignment that will reflect the
perspective of a person living through the war. Once we complete Europe we will be
off to Russia!
Jen Mills
Thank you to all parents and guardians who came to conferences on behalf of your
students. It was great meeting and conferencing with each of you!
This month’s IB profile trait was THINKER. Congratulations to 7th graders Arielle
Damiana and Jasson Antillon for winning this month’s trait, by being elected by their
peers!
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 6
8th Grade
Space: the final frontier. These are the
voyages of the 8th grade team. Its 8 week
mission: to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out new life and oddly shaped solar
system bodies, to boldly understand how
lunar phases, tides, and eclipses all relate to
the moon, and to go where no one has gone before. We will culminate our Solar
system unit with a portable planetarium the last couple of weeks of October. The
students have demonstrated their understandings through multiple ways on google
classroom, please ask them to share all of their great work.
The last two weeks of September was 8th grade historians moment to shine. After
completing their unit on early colonization, students had the chance to share their
learning through a choice project or comic. Students presented their learning in a
variety of unique and engaging ways. From cakes to childrens’ stories we saw many
fun (and tasty) forms of communication. Having built a solid base of understanding
around reasons for colonization, October will see students learning more specifics
about each of the colonial regions and the growing American identity.
In 8th grade English students are perfecting their paraphrasing skills in a group
project. We are also continuing our exploration of the concept of heroism and
challenge. Next week, students will begin a mini-unit on narrative writing before we
begin our first novel for Quarter 2. The novel we will be reading in Q2 is, The Giver.
After finishing our paragraphs on personal heroes, eighth grade is beginning to
examine the challenges of being a hero. Now they are analyzing quotations about
challenges. The next assessment will be to create a poster a present their analysis to
the class.
Lincoln Newsletter
OCTOBER 2015
PAGE 7
IB Profile
Congratulations to the following students for winner September’s monthly IB Profile
Trait: Thinker! Included are paragraphs, written by their peers, about these
phenomenal students.
Thinker 6
Sammi (Samantha) York
Sammi York is always thinking. Whenever Sammi is given a correction or direction,
she applies that immediately to her current situation, and also to similar situations
that come up later. She came to her teachers with solutions to both a locker problem
and a computer problem within the first two days of school. Her positive attitude and
enthusiasm toward learning and solving all puzzles she encounters make Sammi a
great choice for thinker of the month!
Parker Vanden Hoek
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools speak because they have
to say something.” -Plato This is the quote Parker chose for his “All About Me
Project” and it truly speaks to his personality and intelligence. Parker was nominated
by his peers as a thinker because he thinks “out of the box” when solving difficult
problems. He is a valued member of any class because he loves to help people and
always takes the time to listen to his peers, so he understands why they are struggling
before offering a solution. Parker hopes to become a civil engineer as an adult, a
profession where his skills as a thinker will be put to the ultimate test.
Thinker 7
Arielle Damiana
I think that Arielle Damiana should be the winner of the thinker award. She gives
everything as much thought as she can, and she definitely make good choices. Arielle
likes to go to the library after she finishes eating lunch. She knows that since you
can't leave the cafeteria, you need a pass to go. Arielle always tells me, "If you want
to go to library with me, you'll need to get a pass." Last year, I was working in a
group with her on a project, and she thought of multiple solutions so we could pick
the one that worked best. For these reasons, I think Arielle is the best candidate this
month.
Jasson Antillon
I nominate Jasson Antillon for thinker of the month. I nominated Jasson because he
is always thinking about other people’s feelings. He also thinks hard about his work
also. For example, in math class when he presents his work you can just hear that he
really thought about it, and didn't just guess. He speaks before he acts too. These are
the reasons why I think Jasson Antillon should be the MALE thinker of the month.
Continued
Lincoln Newsletter
OCTOBER 2015
PAGE 8
Thinker 8
Lily O’Conner
Although I see many “thinkers” during all of my classes, when I hear the term
‘thinker’ Lily O’Conner come to mind. First of all, I can see her logical reasons in
her ideas/statements in the classroom. Especially her critical thinking when she
shares her ideas and turns the class discussion around.
She also uses her thinking to lead a group – in group work she approaches problems
head on using a reasonable approach. As long as I’ve known Lily I have seen her use
a lot of different kinds of thinking, including red hat and yellow hat. Lily O’Conner
is definitely the best choice for thinker.
Damion Morales
I nominate Damion Morales because he is a very creative thinker. He is good at art
and has very creative ways of solving problems. Plus, he is always thinking of ways
to help his classmates. If you ever have a problem, just ask and Damion will help
think of ways to fix it. That is why Damion should be the IB student of the month
for thinker.
PE
It is already October and finally, the weather is changing!
In our Physical Education classes, we have been completing our district-required
fitness testing. The data from these tests are recorded and will follow students
throughout years in Poudre School District. These tests are valuable and measure
students muscular strength/endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and
body composition of every student. The fitness tests are: curl-ups, push-ups, pacer,
sit and reach, shoulder stretch, trunk lift, height and weight. Feel free to work on any
of these fitness tests at home your son or daughter. Stay Healthy!
Read 180 students are well into their first units of the school year. Sixth graders are
learning about how immigration is changing America. Through 3 separate real-life
profiles, your child is learning about the challenges and successes immigrants
experience when coming to our country. Seventh graders are discussing what makes
up a person’s identity. Through a fictional story, the students learn of a girl who
changed her identity and how that affected her life. Eighth graders have been
discussing the importance of keeping their eyes on graduation and how having a high
school diploma can prepare them for life. Each unit targets specific reading and
writing skills that are crucial to the reading success of your child. Students have also
been working hard during their independent reading and computer rotations. I have a
vast library of books that are available for your child to checkout and bring home to
read. Please continue encouraging your child to read for 20-30 minutes every night.
Ms. Shirley,
Read 180 Teacher
Lincoln Newsletter
OCTOBER 2015
PAGE 9
Moudy
All kids who have Mr. Moudy’s Intro, Exploring, and Applied Technology classes
are in the midst of their Mechanical Projects!!! The 6th and 7th graders are building
3-speed transmissions within their rubber-band powered Lego cars. Qualifiers for
the 10 feet race (gear 2) must finish in less than two seconds to be included in the
championship race.
8th graders are now integrating at least one right-angle drive system into a Lego
Amusement Park Ride that has advertisement, a liability waiver, and commercial
valuation! Don’t worry parents, only Lego mini-figures may ride. Please send Lego
people to school!
Since afterschool Robotics Club went over like a lead-balloon, kids’ Drone Club will
be on Monday’s 3-4:30pm. Only ten lucky kids were chosen for Drone Club, but we
will accept ten new kids in January for Semester 2 Drone Club. See Mr. Moudy for
an Application. Please stop in to Room 112 to see our new 3D Printer…busy
making an Iron Man Suit!
6th Grade Spanish Literacy:
We are working on a project that focuses on detailed written descriptions. After some
examples and practice, students chose a place (real or imaginary) and took a mental
snapshot of it. They have been using a list of key questions to draw a sketch of this
place which will later be used in their written description. Next, they will make an
outline of their ideas for the final product, 1-2 paragraphs.
7th Grade Spanish Literacy:
We are working on a writing project that compares the students’ culture with another
Spanish-speaking culture. Students chose a theme to use as their comparison and
have been investigating the theme in a Spanish-speaking country of their choice.
They have been taking detailed notes on these comparisons in order to later on
structure them in an outline and finally, write a 3-5 paragraph comparative essay.
8th Grade Spanish Literacy: We are wrapping up our project on south America and
discovering the diversity within. Next week we will start reading Casa on Mango
Street by Sandra Cisneros which is a wonderful book that explores what it’s like to
grow up Chicano and grapple with cultural identity, immigration issues, speaking
Spanglish and simply being a teenager. This book will allow us to develop student’s
abilities to analyze, explain, interpret, and compare and contrast a text.
6th Grade Beginning Spanish - Students are learning how to meet and greet people
in Spanish and how to use those polite words (please, thank you, you're welcome,
etc.) and lots of ways to say "good-bye." They will also be learning the Spanish
alphabet and using it to spell their name aloud. Please practice at home a little each
day or when you are out in the car together. You can also start practicing
numbers. (Watch for numbers on speed limit signs, jerseys, scoreboards, etc. and say
it in Spanish). 6th graders will be learning and using numbers up to 30 and will be
able to ask and tell dates and time.
Continued
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 10
7th and 8th Grade Spanish - As first quarter winds down, we will be finishing our
intensive review of the previous year's material (although we will continue to use it,
since those basics are essential). Ms. Stockton and Mr. Vavrina are looking to make
some schedule changes for several students so that a few sections of Spanish can go at
a faster pace and students in the other sections will have more time and support to
catch up. These changes are based on the district pre-assessment results, class
assessments and the availability of a different section at the same time in the
schedule. (Parents will be notified at parent-teacher conferences or by phone or mail
the last week of September, before you get this newsletter. So that's old news by now
and we hope it went well.) We are working hard to meet each student's needs so that
everyone will show growth in Spanish this year. Please keep on eye on your student's
progress by checking grades often. Please let us know if you have any questions - and
keep on practicing.
Culture Note - Do you know when and what Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos)
is? It is a special Mexican holiday honoring loved ones who have died. Children are
remembered on November 1st (Día de los angelitos) and adults are honored on
November 2nd (Día de los Muertos). Traditions include making a family alter
(ofrenda), fixing special food (like pan de muerto), decorating sugar skulls (calaveras
de azúcar) and visiting the grave sites. Be watching for Día de los Muertos
celebrations in Fort Collins and learn more about this special holiday.
Friday, November 7th 10:30 - 11:15 am Old Town El Día de Los Muertos
Preschool Storytime Celebrate el día de los muertos with the Outreach staff through
their love of books, stories, songs, fingerplays, and more with preschoolers
(approximately ages 3 1/2 - 6 years). Caregivers are welcome. 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Council Tree Noches en Familia - Family Nights Noches en Familia (Family Nights)
is a time of children’s stories, crafts, puppets, and music. This event is in Spanish.
Visual Arts @ Lincoln
The art classes are moving right along this semester. Here are some highlights!
8th Grade has just started the Power of Words unit. They will be using graffiti art
style to create an image based on a powerful word. They will complete reflection
questions and present their work to the class. Along with this hands-on learning
they will be exploring the concept of Street Art and how art can send a message in a
variety of spaces.
7th Grade is working on building their drawing skills while experimenting with a
variety of media. They will create a portfolio of drawings and a number of
reflections about their process. While we are focused on technical skills we are
balancing it out with lots of reflective artful thinking.
6th Grade is working with the stages of the Design Cycle (a.k.a. the artistic process)
and have created an origami book to organize their thinking. This book is the final
project for this unit and will be chuck full of great experimentation and
thinking. Ask you student how to make the book!
OCTOBER 2015
Lincoln Newsletter
PAGE 11
Mr. Gould’s Computer Classes
My 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade – Web 2.0, Game Programming,
and Web Design classes are utilizing the first few minutes
of every class to practice KEYBOARDING. With the ever
-increasing expectation that students be familiar with the
“QWERTY” keyboard (for purposes of completing certain tests and homework),
with the ultimate goal of mastering this necessary 21’st Century Skill, we regularly
review the basics, and do daily drills/tests.
6th & 7th Grade – Web 2.0 & Game Programming students are focusing on SketchUp (A 3D modeling computer program, with a wide range of drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, civil and mechanical engineering).
8th Grade – Web Design students have completed their Basic Introduction to HTML
(A webpage/site coding language), and will begin individualized and partnered
projects related to creating and developing their own Websites, utilizing Hyper-Text
Markup Language (HTML) – Coding.
As always there is a focus and expectation that students embrace 21st Century Skills
in our classes. Every student’s voice is expected and encouraged to be heard. Every
student will collaborate; Every student will strive for technological literacy; and
Every student will recognize their ability to be flexible and adaptable to the content
being studied.