8D Curriculum Night

Creekland Middle School

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Meet your 8D teachers

Erin Abramson – Math Johnny Camp – Georgia

StudiesKevin Green– Language Arts Tina Peardon – ReadingRandy White – Science

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Keys to communication

Teacher’s webpage access can be found under STAFF on the Creekland website.

Please e-mail teachers with questions and concerns – fastest response.

Please view Parent Connect (Aspen) frequently for grades.

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Important 2015-2016 dates:• 8D Fall Field Trip – (information and dates to

be announced)

• April 18th - 22nd Milestone Testing – Homeroom volunteers needed to bring water and healthy snacks.

• May 13th – 8th Grade Day – slide show, awards, picnic, and dance

• May 18th – May 20th – 8th Grade Charleston Field Trip- Information will be sent home later this year. If you’re interested in chaperoning, please pick up a packet this evening.

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Math: Erin Abramson

Units of Study in 8th Grade Math:

1) Transformations, congruence & similarity2) Exponents3) Geometric applications of exponents4) Functions5) Linear functions6) Linear models & tables7) Solving systems of equations

Common Core Georgia Performance Standards. You may read these standards in detail at: http://portal.cherokee.k12.ga.us/ps/default.aspx

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Math Weighted grading:

Tests = 50% of gradeQuizzes/tasks = 30% of gradePop-quizzes = 10% of gradeHomework and Classwork= 10% of grade

Tutoring– Mrs. Abramson available Tuesday-Friday at 7:45 – need pass!

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Math Lessons- Warm-up/ Notes/ Practice/Technology

All work must be completed in pencil.

Homework:Average 4 nights per weekHomework Help: go.hrw.com or check out

link’s on Mrs. Abramson’s website

TTM – If students pass 10 lesson by the end of the quarter, I will replace your child’s lowest quiz score with a 100%

Benchmark Tests - 8th grade math teachers will offer an end-of-the-quarter cumulative test that will count as a test grade AND replace the student’s lowest test grade posted thus far that quarter, if applicable

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Reading – Mrs. Peardon- contact @tina.peardon@Cherokee.k12.ga.us

Throughout the year: Focus on a variety of Informational and Literary Texts Active Reading Strategies (critical thinking strategies) Close Reading Strategy (rereading for different purposes,

practicing annotation) Using technology to be career and college ready Routine writing: taking notes, summaries, journals, short

responses Vocabulary Development and Word Analysis Speaking and Listening Skills Test Taking Strategies Constructing extended responses using Schaffer method

Our Reading Textbook

Prentice Hall:

LITERATURE – Language and Literacy Various novel studies throughout the year:

Q2: The Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt

Q3: The Diary of Anne Frank- stage adaptation of

the book The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Q4: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

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Homework• Weekly Homework Requirement: Read 30 – 40

minutes each weeknight or spread it out for a total of 120 minutes per week/Advanced=150 mins. Instead of getting a log signed by parents as evidence, the student are complete a Reading Response Log. For every 30- 40 of reading, students are to write 3 most important facts/details from their reading on a reading response log. Due every Tuesday. They can use these when they take their Reading Counts quiz.

• Finish incomplete work or missed work

• Study for tests and quizzes!!

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Reading Counts Quarterly Goal

Reading Counts Quarterly Goal is counted as one quiz grade and one test grade each 9 weeks. Reading Contract is sent home to be signed each quarter with due dates and then kept in notebooks for student reference.

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Millionaire Reader Book Club Keep track of your reading in your

agenda and on the wall chart. Earn rewards! Every 6 books Highest class RC points party Millionaire participation parties See page 23 in your agenda for

the list of categories and rewards. We have a new Book Club List that gives you more freedom!

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Book Fair

October 5th – 9th

Proceeds help buy new books for our Media Center

Mr. GreenLanguage Arts

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L'Amour

What are we going to learn this year?

The content in Language Arts this year is primarily writing focused. All of the work that students will do will build towards the higher goal of making them better writers. To this end, students will learn the intricacies of the different writing styles, how to determine a word’s meaning based on its constituent parts, and how to write in an appropriate voice and style to effectively accomplish students’ writing goals.

What Happens in Mr. Green’s LA?

On a typical day, students will begin class by taking out their journals and writing to address a prompt or prompts. Students will often have the opportunity to share their work with

their peers and instructor for positive and constructive feedback.

Daily lessons will build off of or otherwise enhance writing exhibited in the journal topic(s).

After daily lessons, students will work on assignments that develop and reinforce skills and information that students learn in their daily lessons. Many assignments allow students to work in groups of 2-4, allowing

students to better learn the information by helping their peers understand it.

Work not completed in class is typically assigned as homework to be finished and turned in for an accuracy or completion grade.

What Happens in Mr. Green’s LA(2)?

Work not completed in class is typically assigned as homework to be finished and turned in for an accuracy or completion grade. Assessments will be announced early to provide

students enough time to prepare, and will range from practical writing prompts to term/vocabulary memorization.

Finally, any and all work (with the exception of assessments) can be found on my website, enabling students to catch up with missed or otherwise uncompleted assignments with ease.

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Science Contact Info: randy.white@cherokee.k12.ga.us

Course Curriculum Unit 1 –Forces in Motion

Scientific Measurements, Motion, Force, Simple Machines,

Unit 2 –Matter

Molecular Structure, Mixtures, Pure Substances, Physical/Chemical Changes

Unit 3 – Energy

Potential/Kinetic Energy, Forms of Energy, Magnetism, Electricity, Energy Transformations

Unit 4-Light and Sound (7 weeks)

Waves, Wave Behaviors, Sound, Light

Unit 5- Science in Action (6 weeks)

Relationship of Forces, Chemical Formulas and Reactions

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Science Grading Policy

Daily Grades /Homework/Labs 50% Tests/Quizzes/Projects 50%

(Projects will count as two test grades)

The class will consist of lectures, presentation note taking, class discussions, videos & quizzes, demonstrations, Internet and computer activities, hands-on labs, projects, and research reports.

Study guides/reviews are provided for tests. Students are not required to do a Science Fair Project this

year, but may complete one for extra credit if they would like.

Some class time is typically given to finish any assignment for that day.

All of the Power Point Presentations we discuss in class will be available on my website as well as important announcements.

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Media center Would you like to be more involved in

the day to day activities at CMS? Please consider volunteering in the

CMS Media Center on a regular basis. Stop by the Media Center tonight to

pick up a volunteer form or visit the CMS Media Center website to download a volunteer form.

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Literacy and go Literacy: 30 minutes daily for reading,

Think Through Math and making up missed quizzes, and/or tests.

Grizzly Opportunity (GO): Special opportunity for students to remediate failing grades, student must qualify with teacher recommendations.

NEW FIELD TRIP RULES THIS YEAR If any of the following occur, the student will not

be able to participate in school field trips: 5 or more unexcused absences within the

current school year 2 or more administrative referrals resulting in

ISS or OSS during the current semester 2 or more failed subjects in the current 9

week period Any infraction of school rules during the

current school year that results in the student being charged by school police

Tentative Fall Field TripNov. 2nd

Chickamauga National Civil War Battlefield Park.

Tellus Museum, Lunch will be provided by Cici’s pizza or Chick-Filet, still in the works

Luxury Coach transportation Approximate Student Cost $60.00

Spring 8th Grade Field TripMay 18-May 20, 2016Tentative schedule for Charleston, SC

6:30am Depart Creekland 12:45pm 1:45pm Arrive in the Charleston area for lunch at

the everyone will receive $7.00. 12:15pm 2:15pm Arrive at Patriots Point for tours of The

Yorktown 2:45pm 4:30pm Gather in Charleston for a guided walking

tour of the Charleston Historic District. 4:30pm 5:30pm Check into the Hotel (TBD) 6:15pm 9:30pm Arrive at River Dogs stadium to watch a

River Dogs baseball game. BBQ Buffet to be served Thursday: Breakfast at Hotel, Tours of Kiawah Island Beach

for marine life impact, Lunch Golden Coral, Walking haunted tour of Charleston Supper (TBD)

Friday Breakfast Hotel, tour of Ft. Sumpter, return Creekland approximately 8:00.

Estimated Cost

Student estimated cost $335 (based on student participation)

Parent estimated cost $370

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Yearbooks Yearbooks are purchased online through Josten’s www.Jostens.com

Yearbooks are distributed the last week of school.

Baby Pictures in the Yearbook: Please bring in one favorite baby/toddler picture

of yourself to go in the CMS 2015-2016 yearbook. A candid picture or portrait (wallet size preferable, not much bigger) is all that is needed. The publisher is supposed to return all photos, but we cannot be responsible for any photo that is lost or damaged. Due to the limited space, it will be on a first come first serve basis. Baby photos are due: Oct.16th, 2015.

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Questions Please feel free to ask me

any general class questions at this time. Since our time is so very limited, please contact the front office to schedule a conference if you feel the need to discuss your child in a specific nature.

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Wish list

• Pencils• Scissors• Glue Sticks• Colored Paper• Tissues• Hand Sanitizer

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connections

Please visit your child’s connections teachers