8th Grade Parent Newsletter Principal's Message The transition to distance learning for the hybrid groups this past week has been largely successful. Thank you to all the families that continue to support the schools and provide the appropriate learning environment for their children as they learn from home. I would like to highlight our annual Giving Tree drive that is going on now at East Middle School. Gift card donations are being collected in the front vestibule of the building. The donations will be distributed to families in need who have children enrolled at East Middle School. Gift cards will be accepted through Friday, December 11. Stay safe and well. Giving Tree Are you looking to make a difference in the lives of others this holiday season? Our East Giving Tree program is a wonderful opportunity to help families right here in our community. As you know, the holidays can be a time of excitement and celebrations, but for many of our families it is a time of added stress and limited resources. If you would like to help, please purchase gift cards at Target or Cub and drop them off in our Giving Tree Box in the front vestibule at East by December 11. The vestibule will be open between 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on school days. The gift cards will be distributed and delivered to our families in need. All donations will be anonymous. If you have any questions about the Giving Tree program, please contact Kern Wilson at 763-745-6231 or Jessica Morales at 763-745-6218 in the Student Services office. Thank you for making a difference! Student/Family Support During Distance Learning If your student or family needs extra support (academics, SEL/mental health, resources), please feel free to contact our counselor, Kern Wilson or our social worker, Jessica Morales. Students and families can reach out via email or phone and Mr. Wilson or Ms. Morales can set up meetings via Zoom if necessary. Kern Wilson (7 and 8th grade): 763- 745-6231 or Kern.Wilson@wayzataschools.org Jessica Morales (6th grade): 763-745-6218 or Jessica.Morales@wayzataschools.org A good resource for parents to have in order to support their child's academic success is the Skyward Missing Assignment Notification. The notifications are sent to parents every Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Please follow these instructions to turn this feature on in Skyward Family Access. Media Center Media Center and Book Checkout - All Students During distance learning, books will be available for check out and pick up from the Media Center. To put books on hold, students should follow the instructions in the video provided in the East Media Canvas course. The books will be set out on tables in the front entryway of the main entrance to the building and available for pick up on regular school days between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Please check Destiny to make sure that the book(s) are checked out to the student before coming to pick them up. To do this, the student will log into Destiny and see the "my info" tab. Select that tab and then confirm that the book that has been put on hold is actually checked out to the student. There will be times when the book on hold is still checked out to another student and will not be available yet. If you have any questions, please email Beth Benezra. Enrichment Opportunities East now has an Enrichment Canvas page. This page houses academic enrichment opportunities that are open to all students. What We've Been Working On - The past couple of weeks, 8th grade math students have been working on solving systems of equations using the equal values method and graphing method.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Find the solution to the system:
y = 2x - 8 y = -x + 5 What We're Working on Next - 8th graders will begin graphing and solving inequalities.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Solve and graph the inequality: 2x - 9 > 5
What We've Been Working On - We have finished our fourth unit of the year. This most recent unit was on solving systems of equations.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Which method of solving is your favorite? Why?
What We're Working on Next - Next week, we will begin our unit on exponential relationships.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is the key difference between linear and exponential relationships?
- What are some real life applications of exponential relationships?
Notes - Students have an assignment due but the end of the school day each Tuesday and Thursday. Every Friday, students have an assessment that needs to be taken on Friday.
What We've Been Working On - Students just finished up their Decisions Book Club Book and are working on a One-Pager assignment for that book - due Friday, December 4.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Tell me about the Decisions book club book you read with your group. What were the difficult decisions your characters had to make?
What We're Working on Next - We will be starting our Science Fiction unit this week. Students will be reading a variety of short stories from our "Sci-Fi Factor" text. They will be filling out an exploration chart for the stories they read.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is science fiction? Why do we study it and why do authors write science fiction?
Notes - Make sure you are logging on to Zoom class every day for every class!
What We've Been Working On - Layers of the Atmosphere
- Water on Earth
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What layer of the atmosphere does the weather occur in? Why?
- What percent of Earth's water is in the ocean?
- How do oceans help regulate Earth's temperatures?
What We're Working on Next - Water in the atmosphere and clouds
- Air and air pressure
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What type of clouds are associated with thunderstorms? An all day rain?
- What happens to air pressure as you go up a mountain?
What We've Been Working On - We finalized our learning of government systems and examples of governments in the modern world.
- We discussed the various types of disputes nations have at their borders with other nations or groups of people.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is one example of a modern border dispute in the world today?
What We're Working on Next - Students will begin a mini-unit on the major world religions, which will cover the basic facts and distinctions of each.
- Students will analyze how religion has played a factor in shaping the Middle East region.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is one interesting thing you learned about each of the major world religions?
What We've Been Working On - Completed a health unit. The health unit covered: health triangle, self-image, decision making, and nicotine. The homework during the health unit included a health survey, a working document about our in class health lectures, and a health quiz.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What are the 3 C's when it comes to decision making?
What We're Working on Next - The next two weeks will be a focus on personal fitness. Information covered will include components of fitness (health & skill).
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What are 3 of the 5 health-related components of fitness?
Notes - For upcoming Zoom PE/Health classes on Wednesdays or Thursdays students will need some space for movement, they should be wearing athletic clothing, some type of resistance (light weights if possible) and have a water bottle. Please reach out to the teacher with specific questions.
What We've Been Working On - The class worked on labeling solfege in the short folk songs introduced at the beginning of the year. Progress was made in the choir songs for each grade.
- We reviewed both the major and minor scales.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - How do you feel about labeling solfege?
What We're Working on Next - We will continue to label solfege, work on choir songs in each class, and intervals.
- Sight Reading Factory assignments
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Do you know what an interval is?
What We've Been Working On - GarageBand ensembles with partner
- Virtual Concert song
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What do you like about GarageBand?
What We're Working on Next - Finish Virtual Concert song recordings
- Work on Ensemble Projects
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What song is your ensemble doing?
What We've Been Working On - String Basics p. 11-12
- E minor
- C Major
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - How are minor scales different from major scales?
What We're Working on Next Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - How is A Minor similar to C major?
Notes - Students should be practicing on non-orchestra days for at least 20 minutes to be prepared for class.
What We've Been Working On - Students completed a piano unit learning about basic treble clef chords.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Play one of your piano chord songs for me!
What We're Working on Next - Students will be exploring "Motown" records and Barry Gordy Jr.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is one of the musical groups that Barry Gordy Jr. helped make famous?
Notes - Be sure your iPad is fully charged before school starts each day.
What We've Been Working On - We have been focused on researching an artists of student's choice. We have discussed how artists create artworks inspired by others, and how they infuse their own culture into the art.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Who did you choose to research? Why?
What We're Working on Next - We will be focusing on creating an artwork that is inspired by the artist they researched, and infused with their own culture.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - How are you going to create an artwork inspired by your artist and infused with your own culture?
- What parts of your own culture are you wanting to include?
Notes - Your art student will begin creating art at home this week! Please help them find a spot where you are comfortable with them making a potential mess. I recommend having them put their supplies on a cookie sheet or tray with edges, so if they spill it is contained. If you have any questions, please let me know!
What We've Been Working On Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What are you thinking about for your laser design?
What We're Working on Next - Final Design for Laser Engraving
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - How does the laser engraver work?
What We've Been Working On - Over the last two weeks students have been working on their food labs at home. Students have been working on their Cookie Lab and Knife Skill lab. We will be wrapping up our Food Unit next week!
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is a new cooking technique you have tried?
What We're Working on Next - Over the next two weeks we will continue with our Food unit. We will be talking about the attributes of yeast and how they work to make dough rise. We will also discuss nutrition and talk about food labels.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What recipe are you planning to make for our Yeast Lab?
What We've Been Working On Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Describe the service, prices or atmosphere of your favorite restaurant.
What We're Working on Next - Places we go, when, with whom, activities we do there, the verb "to go"
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Name 4 places you like to go, say when and with whom.
What We've Been Working On - Leadership continued; we have defined and personalized the leadership characteristics.
- We also took a week off to work on our team work and logic solving puzzle skills and completed a digital breakout box.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned What We're Working on Next - We will continue with leadership and look at the leaders around us.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Who do you personally know that you would consider a good leader and why?
COVID-19 Resources for Support Culinary Express Meal Updates for December As we transition to all distance learning we are also making some changes to distance learning day meals. We are adding weekend meals to the bundles, adding more pick up sites and opening up the meals to anyone 18 years of age and under. Weekly registration is still required through Nutrislice! You will no longer need a PIN to register for a Nutrislice account, but the weekly orders must still be placed. Pick-Up Schedule and Ordering Information for December Thank a Teacher this holiday season with a bundt cake! Want a fun way to honor your child’s teacher and support a good cause? Show your support and say thank you to Wayzata Public Schools' teachers and staff with a donation to the Wayzata Education Fund. Each donation made in honor of a teacher or staff until December 18 will include a special certificate of thanks from you, and every donation of $25 or more will come with a bundlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes. We’ve always known that we have the greatest staff around, but this year it has been more evident than ever! Whether they’ve helped make a difference in-person or virtually, show your appreciation by participating in our Thank a Teacher program. Cakes and certificates will be delivered as long as it is safe to do so. If deemed unsafe, certificates will be emailed and cakes will be delivered at a later date. Parent Tool Kit: Friendships, Relationships, and Social Distancing Friendships are incredibly important to young people. How do we help our children foster healthy friendships and connection during a time of social distancing? Join Health Educators from myHealth for Teens & Young Adults in conversation and activities to learn what we can do to help our children navigate friendships and relationships. - Date: Thursday, November 5, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
- Place: Online
- Cost: Free
- Learn more
Financial assistance is available or call 763-745-5200 for more information. Tuesday, February 9, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Wednesday, February 10, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday, February 11, 2021 4:30 PM - 8:30 PM Friday, February 12, 2021 8:15 AM - 4:15 PM Friday, March 12, 2021 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Friday, March 19, 2021 10:10 AM - 12:10 PM Thursday, January 14, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Tuesday, January 19, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Wednesday, January 20, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Thursday, January 21, 2021 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Tuesday, January 26, 2021 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Monday, December 7, 2020 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Monday, December 14, 2020 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM 12000 Ridgemount Avenue, Plymouth, MN 55441 | 763-745-6200 |