Welcome to the Middle School Newsletter!

We will send out this update every other month to keep you informed with all that is happening in Middle School

Examples of student adaptations of

 “Ransom of Red Chief"

Sixth Graders have continued their short story unit with "All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury, and are currently reading and responding to an excerpt from the Gary Paulsen memoir, Woodsong. Students have enriched their vocabularies as well as reviewed and applied key comprehension skills such as author's purpose and types of conflict in literature.



In Writer's Workshop, our Sixth Grade writers have brushed up on the "ingredients" that make writing successful, also known as the Six Traits of Writing. Presently, students are using their writing toolboxes to compose personal narratives.

In the Short Story Unit, Seventh Grade students will review the elements of the short story which were introduced last year and expand their knowledge by analyzing seventh-grade level short stories: "Rikki Tikki Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling, "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto, "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes, “The Last Dog” by Katherine Paterson, and "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry. We will then expand on this knowledge throughout the year as we read novels.  

The Seventh Graders have been practicing writing literary analysis paragraphs. We have expanded on RACE by adding a premise, introduction to evidence, two sentences of justification and a mic-drop concluding sentence. Will will continue to practice this type of writing throughout the year. 

Eighth Graders have started out this year with a short story unit. In this unit, students will review the elements of the short story which were introduced last year and expand their knowledge by analyzing eighth-grade level short stories: "Ransom of Red Cheif" by O. Henry, "The Hitchhiker" by Lucille Fletcher, "A Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe, "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs, "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, and "The Lady, or the Tiger" by Frank R. Stockton. We will then expand on this knowledge throughout the year as we read novels.

 Eighth Grade students have created a comic adaptation of “Ransom of Red Chief” and wrote a review of the Twilight Zone’s “The Hitchhiker” focusing on a counterargument and rebuttal.  

Mrs. Watson's Sixth Grade math class is just finishing their quick study of decimals. When we return from fall break, we will begin our integers unit. This includes working with positive and negative numbers in all four operations, graphing on a coordinate plane, and discussing where we see negative numbers in the real world. 

Ever heard about the mathematician who’s scared of negative numbers? He’ll do anything to stay positive! The Sixth and Seventh Grade Prealegbra students can now empathize with this joke because they have been living in the land of positive and negative numbers all year so far. They are almost done and next up they will start using variables in expressions and equations.

The Seventh Grade Algebra students have been working hard solving equations and inequalities. They have been focusing on modeling real-life situations with different algebraic models.

Vertical angles! Segment Addition! Addition Property of Equality! These are just some of the words you will hear being used in the Eighth Grade Geometry classes. They are working on writing geometric proofs - - not just being able to solve but also to justify each step. After we finish this unit we will focus on the more algebraic topic of parallel and perpendicular lines.

Snickers is a new member of the science lab this year. She adds a neat dynamic to our learning. On Friday, September 27th she laid 24 unfertilized eggs (see picture). This happened during class so we took turns observing this process live in the lab. The questions, conversation, and overall experience that day was something to remember. New prizes have been added to the Gospel Guide Store, including taking Snickers for a walk, feeding her, or bathing her. 

In Sixth Grade Science, we just wrapped up our introduction to science unit where we learned all about using data. This included the difference between observations and inferences, graphing, variables, and measurements. We just began our first life science unit about food chains, food webs, and ecosystem relationships. We will examine the difference between living things that create their own energy and those that eat other living things. We will also create food chains and food webs. 

Here are some possible topics of conversation you could have at home with your sixth grader: 

   -Talking about where you sit in the food chain

   -Discussing whether you are a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore

   -Brainstorming what the food chain might look like for animals in our local area

In Seventh Grade Science we started this year by learning how to use microscopes since our first unit is all about microscopic organisms including cells. We will explore what cells are and learn about the function of the structures inside of them. We will look at the exciting microorganisms in pond water samples. 

Eighth Graders have explored the three main states of matter (along with the two that aren't typically taught in grade school plasma and Bose-Einstein condensate) and the structure of atoms. Now we are building on that knowledge to learn how atoms bond together. If you would like to learn more about the Elements of the Periodic Table ask your eighth grader to share some interesting facts they learned from their research project. 

Sixth Graders created advertisements to encourage people to move to Sumerian City-States.  Sixth graders learned about early people and the impact that the discovery of agriculture had on their lives and how this evolution brought about the rise of the "city-state." Next they analyzed photos of Sumerian artifacts to prove whether or not the Sumerians had GWARTSS (ask your 6th grader!), and could be considered a highly civilized society. Finally, they will end the study of Mesopotamia and embark on a tour of ancient Egypt.

Seventh Grade students have been learning about the Muslim World during the Middle Ages. The main focus point is how culture spreads around the world. Currently we have explored each of the crusades and how antisemitism has occurred throughout history.

In Eighth Grade classes, we wrapped up Unit One: Colonization. Now we're reading, writing, discussing and analyzing the period leading up to the American Revolution. Among our topics is the analysis of Paul Revere’s famous engraving of the Boston Massacre. Comparing the details from eyewitness testimony to the details of the artist’s rendering, reveals numerous inconsistencies which may support the argument for Revere’s engraving as patriot propaganda.

New opportunities for service hours can be found HERE 

In Sixth Grade we will spend most of our study of the Bible and reading in the Old Testament. Before we begin reading the stories of the Old Testament we explore the sections of the Bible and how Bibles were put together during the Middle Ages. The student will learn about Biblical Illumination. 

Religion class introduces students to the mystery of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. In this course Seventh Grade students will come to understand that Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God to humanity. In learning about who he is, the students will also learn who he calls us to be and how we should live - based on Jesus’ example and teachings. 

Eighth Grade religion class is designed to help students come to understand that Jesus Christ’s mother, Mary, is the first Christian; and she is the model for all Christians. Jesus established the Catholic Church upon the Apostle, Peter (Mt 16) and strengthened Mary and the Apostles with the gift of his Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Church is missionary and many holy men and women show us how to live a holy life, which we (as Christians) are called to live also.

In both Seventh and Eighth Grade, we are learning theological terms and concepts and have examine two major questions:

Is Jesus Christ a human person?

What is the most important thing we need to know about Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ is not a human person; He is a divine person - the second person of the Holy Trinity. He became human, and when he did, we understand that to be the Incarnation (the Word of God became flesh). When He became human, he did not give up his divinity, so He is fully divine and fully human–the term for that is hypostatic union.

The most important thing we need to know about Jesus Christ is that He is God.

These terms are important in order to have a mature conversation about who Jesus Christ is, why He established a Church, why He instituted and entrusted Sacraments to the Church, and how we respond to Him and His work in the world. Your child should be learning, and using these terms, as we continue our faith-walk together. Ask them to tell you what the following terms mean: Deposit of Faith, doctrine, dogma, Magisterium, covenant, protoevangelium, concupiscence, Christ, Messiah, Paschal Mystery.

Welcome back to Art Class Middle Schoolers!!! The first few weeks of school have been awesome!! We started this school year off with all of my classes learning about a new artist and doing a big collaborative mural outside of the art room. 

Please ask your children about the artist, Thank You X!! This is his alias! We learned that he is a contemporary artist that lives in Los Angeles, California. He became popular after his work was noticed by the creator of Instagram. He has been commissioned to do big projects for businesses and companies, but still paints for pleasure.

I was excited to put up all of their amazing cubes and see them create an awesome mural. If you are in the building, stop outside of the art room and find your child’s cube, but then step back and enjoy the full view! 

The Sixth Graders are also finishing up their Cityscapes. They have been practicing their sketching techniques and putting them to good use by being inspired by the artist, Paul Klee. You will see many geometric patterns and straight lines. 

The Seventh Graders just finished up their Tim Burton inspired Portraits. They have a dark and quirky feel to them. They practiced their shading techniques and created some whimsical and one of a kind portraits!

The Eighth Graders have been reviewing the elements of art and putting that practice to the test with still life drawings of fruit. After we return from fall break we will get out the clay and make clay crosses.

Middle School students have begun their weekly Scale Master Challenge. Students play eight correct scales, each in a different key signature, to complete a level. This project challenges the students to play using accidentals or flats, sharps, and naturals. Many of these key signatures are often not found in our concert music and it's a great way to challenge each musician. Once a level is completed, students display their name on the Scale Masters Hall of Fame and get a special surprise from Mrs. Kneibel. 

Advanced Band students are preparing a Civil War song medley called the "Last Full Measure" by Michael Sweeney. The title is taken from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the students are currently studying his speech. During the Civil War, songs such as "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic" boosted morale and connected soldiers to loved ones back home amidst the hardship of battle. 

Middle School Music students have been busy reviewing rhythm skills, performance skills, decoding skills and composition skills. All students have been reviewing rhythms and songs in meters or 2, 3, 4 and 6 through both performance and composition during class.

Sixth Grade students have been singing the canons "Morning is Come" and "Dona Nobis Pacem". They composed their first two pieces of the year using 4/4 rhythms and simple 6/8 rhythms in AB Form. We learned to perform the folk dance called "Wedding Reel".

Seventh Grade students have been singing the canons "Jesus I Adore You" and "The Duchess". They composed their first two pieces using 4/4 rhythms and 6/8 rhythms in AB form. They are currently preparing to compose their third composition using skipping rhythms in 6/8 time. We learned to perform the folk dance "Sir Roger de Coverly"

Eighth Grade students have been singing the canons "Wake Up Now" and "Jubilate Deo". They composed and performed a changing meter drum piece that moved from a meter of 4 to a meter of 6. They also composed a two part rhythm piece in 6/8 time. We learned to perform the folk dance "Sir Roger de Coverly".

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Sixth Grade classes spent the month of September learning the rules and terms of flag football. Students practiced throwing, running routes, and playing defense. The month of October will begin our Volleyball unit. Classes will continue to develop their skills and learn more concepts and strategies of the game.

Seventh Grade classes came back to soccer this year to begin their World Cup Tournament. Teams were created and a round robin tournament was played to determine the seeding. The two winning countries in Seventh grade were China and Spain. Classes will start playing Volleyball this month. This year, the net height and heavier ball will be used similar to what high school girl's teams play.

Eighth Grade classes came back to football this year to begin their College Football Playoffs. Similar to Seventh grade, we determined seeding. The two winning teams were Alabama and Texas. Classes will also begin Volleyball this month. Gameplay will be made to be as competitive as possible. For those that do not play volleyball, those students will have opportunities to play with students of similar skill level. The classes will also try boy's height. Did you know that boy's volleyball is now a IHSAA sanctioned sport? It is considered a spring sport, opposite of girl's volleyball (fall sport).

Sixth Grade spent the first few weeks of Spanish building a solid foundation learning what cognates are and how they can help us to learn a second language. We jumped right back into the VAMOS Spanish Curriculum with Unit 4, Los Barriletes. The cultural focus this unit is on Guatemala’s gigantic kite festival in celebration of El Día de Todos los Santos (All Saint’s Day). We are making our own kites this week in Spanish class. Our next unit, El dominó, will focus on Cuba. 

Seventh Grade spent the first several weeks of school reviewing the Super 7 Verbs. We just finished Unit 6 of SOMOS, ¡Siéntate!, with a reading performance task. Currently we are working on a 5-Day Sr. Wooly lesson, Encerrada en la escuela. We will end this mini-unit with an escape room activity. Our next unit in SOMOS is Unit 7, Los Castells de Tarragona. Students will learn about a fascinating human tower competition in Spain. 

Eighth Grade started the year with Unit 18 of SOMOS, Las supersticiones españoles. We are currently working on a review of the present tense verbs. Students have been tasked to write about their school schedule, classes and their teachers. This week we created a rough draft and next week students will write their final draft in class. After completion of this activity, we will begin the Spanish 1 novel, Brandon Brown Quiere un Perro, a sequel to the novel we read last year, Brandon Brown Dice la Verdad.

Did you know we use IXL in Spanish class too? This is a great tool for supplemental review if your child needs additional practice at home. The link can be found in Canvas and Google Classroom. 

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Sixth Grade students have been learning how to organize their Google Drive, and all the cool things Google Docs can do. They made missing animal posters and a travel itinerary.

Seventh and Eighth Grade students have begun coding assignments after a few classes learning how to work with data and spreadsheets. Seventh grade is learning about using movement, sound, and loops in Scratch, and Eighth grade is working on a games unit. We hope to share our games with elementary students later.

All students have been working on their keyboarding skills. We are slowly but surely seeing improvements in words per minute and accuracy. Good keyboarding skills help students spend less time on homework and improve grades as fewer mistakes are made.

Middle school uses the Positive Behavior Plan. Students have cards to collect signatures when caught being good. This could be helping out a classmate, picking up after someone else at lunch, being quiet going in and out for recess, and the list goes on and on. Signatures are redeemed for prizes at the store every Wednesday morning. Some prizes take only a few signatures like a day to wear crazy socks or getting a new mechanical pencil, and some require more signatures like time in the gym during flex or sitting by a friend in class. Our goal as a team is to focus on the good that our students do each day. 

If you would like to donate to the store, please click HERE to see a wishlist.

At the start of school, we showed students how to make anonymous reports if they see something happening to a classmate, experience an issue themselves, or are concerned about someone. We encouraged them to speak directly to a trusted adult if possible, but understand that writing may be easier for some. They can submit a paper report to Mrs. Byron or use a Google form, which goes to both Mrs. Byron and Mrs. Watson. Parents can also use the Google form, available on the school website.

Anonymous Reporting  

All students were given a lunch card at the beginning of the year. If a student needs a new card they are to let Mrs. Cannon know and she will try to replace it within 24 hours. Every time a student requests a new lunch card, that will be considered a strike. Three requests will result in three strikes which would equal a lunch detention. This is a rolling policy and will not be reset at the end of a trimester. If a student receives a lunch detention, alternative options for storing lunch cards will be discussed with the student. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Milliron or Mrs. Watson.

Three outstanding graduates from Saint Pius' Class of 2021—Teddy Berente, Cecilia Letherman, and Serena Miller—have been honored as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists! Go Lions!