Looks like we are finally putting to rest our first unit of the school year. Eighth Grade Science is split into 8 separate units that we have worked hard to put into an order that creates seemless learning; building each unit on the last one. Wednesday we will take the benchmark test on Structures and Functions of Living Organisms (Pathogens and Biotechnology). Thursday we will review the test and Friday we will take a pre-assessment on the next unit, Molecular Biology. With all of this in mind, we can officially say that we are past the idea that this is a "new" school year and we are now in full swing. The first progress reports go out on Thursday and while most of the students are doing very well, there are many who will be in for a big surprise to see how much not turning in an assignment can hurt your grade. If you would like to see your child's grade, it is available 24 hours a day on Powerschool, ask your child for their log-in.
As always, at HJ MacDonald Middle School: We are One Vision, One School, ONE SQUAD!!!
0 Comments
All around us in the media we hear about political debates. Republicans have held theirs, democrats will be doing so as well. Well here at HJ MacDonald we will be holding a unique style of debate. In class we are learning about Biotechnology and its role in the economy of North Carolina. The students will be given 2 topics, Genetically Modified Organisms (commonly known as GMO's) and Cloning. They are then split into two teams, pros/cons (for and against) each topic. Wednesday they will spend the day researching their topic, Thursday we will hold an online debate. Through the use of Google Documents, we will have the students perform a silent debate by typing their arguments and counter-arguments into a document at the same time. This is a collaborative assignment that finishes with an essay that is worked on by the whole group. The essay will be written on Friday, during the half day. We will use this time to not only show the rules of debate, but also how to act when presenting sides of an argument and how to work as a group effectively. We will also tie in the information and process with the political debates currently taking place.
I am looking forward to these next few days. As always, One Vision, One School, One Squad! Today I shed a tear in class.
At 9:11 am on 9/11/2015 the administration at HJ MacDonald Middle School held a moment of silence in remembrance of the tragic events from 14 years ago. This was a day that many of our students will not be able to remember because they were not born yet. Mr. Wallace described the events of the day, and then asked for silence... and got it. After a brief moment, he played taps and on this cloudy Friday morning, one of my students noticed the room got brighter, The Sun Came Out! Light entered the room and the class was moved. As teachers, we were asked to share our memories and where we were. This was important and took me a while. I kept thinking of the first-responders who did their jobs that day. Left for work, kissed their families Good Bye (maybe even left after an irrelevant argument), and never saw them again. These brave men and women ran into the towers when all others were running out. Make no mistake, we were at war that day and for many to follow, but we were one. There was no division in this country. Color did not matter, race did not matter, religion did not matter, sex did not matter... we were one. We need to Let THE Light Shine Into Our Lives Daily. As always, One Vision, One School, ONE SQUAD! And for today... One Nation! Week 3 is off to a great start. We are watching the movie "Osmosis Jones" to tie together all of the information from our unit on Structures and Functions of Living Organisms.
There is one more vocabulary quiz for this unit on Friday. The we will finish the unit with a project that is due on Wednesday, 9/16. The students have the information for the project, but is also available on here on the website under Assignments and Classroom Resources. Today is the first football and volleyball games of the season. Volleyball takes on Jones Middle School at HJ and Football is the home team vs Grover C Fields at Grover. Looking forward to a great end of the week. As always, One Vision, One School, ONE SQUAD! It has been an exciting first two weeks of school. Today is Sunday, right in the middle of the first of many 3-day weekends. This one is well deserved with the way the students have gotten off to a running start in Science class.
Continue to look for ways to become leaders in the classroom and the school, I have had an amazing time getting to know you so far this year. As always, One Vision, One School, ONE SQUAD! |
Mr. CI am looking for a fun school year. But be ready to work. Archives
September 2016
|