Grade 8 Religion

8A: Mrs. Suellen Foti 8B: Mrs. Maureen Gigliello sfoti@stfrancisschoolbh.net mgigliello@stfrancisschoolbh.net

Students in Grade 8 are prepared for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Students are also required to engage in acts of community service. The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church (together with Baptism and Holy Communion).

This special anointing given by the bishop or priest has the effect of increasing, deepening, and strengthening the sanctifying grace of God given to us at our baptism; while baptism removes from our souls the stain of original sin, Confirmation pours into our souls the power of the Holy Spirit and his seven gifts – just like the Apostles received at Pentecost. 1. The Gift of Wisdom is our ability to value spiritual things over worldly ones. It enables us to desire the things of God and correctly order the things in our life. 2. The Gift of Understanding helps us grasp the truths of the faith more easily and profoundly. This gift strengthens our insight through prayer, scripture, and the sacraments. 3. The Gift of Right Judgment/Counsel acknowledges the difference between right and wrong and bestows proper judgment. Counsel inspires us to speak up and encourage others to do the correct thing. It bestows upon us prudence, allowing us to act promptly and rightly in the face of difficult situations. 4. The Gift of Courage/Fortitude sustains our decision to follow the will of God in any situation. It allows us to stand up and defend our faith, even when threatened by bodily injury or death. 5. The Gift of Knowledge is awareness of God’s plan. It is not simply an accumulation of facts, but rather an understanding of God’s purpose and how we ought to respond. 6. The Gift of Piety or reverence is our obedience to God and our willingness to serve him. It is not just obedience through a sense of duty or obligation, but rather obedience out of love and devotion. It facilitates a deeper respect and honor for God and His Church. 7. The Gift of Wonder and Awe/Fear of the Lord makes us aware of the glory and majesty of God. Wonder and awe increases our desire to draw closer to God and depart from sin. MAJOR AREAS OF EXPLORATION:

September & October: Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation November - June: Personal Relationship with God (The Shack)

The Year Culminates With The Presentation of Students’ Final Product On THE SHACK GRADING POLICY: Report card grades are computed according to the following weights:

Exams 60% Homework 20% Writing 10% Class Participation/On Task 10%

100%

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I have read the above information in regard to 8th Religion. I also give permission for my son/daughter to

attend Religion class on the beach. ___________________________________ _________________________________ Parent’s Signature Student’s Name and Homeroom

7th and 8th Grade Social Studies Mrs. Maureen Hayes mhayes@stfrancisschoolbh.net Welcome to American History Class! The goal for the year is to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the history of the United States of America. You will gain an in-depth knowledge of the material, and draw connections to overarching themes that historians use when examining the past. At the heart of the class will be the analysis of primary and secondary sources, reading critically, and articulating thoughts and ideas through speaking and writing. The following are the requirements for class whether you are in person or remote. Classwork/Homework - 15% In Class Daily Expectations

Charged Chromebooks Notebook Pens (Variety of Colors) Highlighter Pencil In class assignments

Students are responsible to have notes in their possession daily. Students are also expected to be active participants in classroom activities and discussions. Homework will be given throughout the year. Sometimes essays and projects will be completed at home. Some homework assignments will count as a quiz grade. I will inform students in writing of any homework assignment counting as quiz or high stakes writing assignment. Homework Grading Rubric Most homework assignments will have a value of 10pts.

10pts = Complete, thorough, and/or evidence of effort. 5pts = Incomplete and/or only some evidence of effort. 0pts = Not completed and/or little to no effort.

Late homework assignments will be accepted the next day. All late assignments will receive a maximum of 5pts only. Please note that I will not remind students of missing work. It is their responsibility. A zero will be given to any homework assignment not submitted within two days of the due date.

Quizzes - 15% Quizzes will be given throughout the chapters. Some homework assignments will count towards your quiz grade. Projects/Low Stake Writing Assignments - 20% Most projects will be done in class, however occasionally students will be assigned to complete a project at home. Low stake writing assignments will be short and creative writing assignments such as a newspaper article, diary entry, or social media post about a time period being studied. These assignments will be done both in class and at home. Late assignments will be penalized 10pts for everyday it is late. After three days late it will no longer be accepted and you will receive a zero. Please note that I will not remind students of missing work. It is their responsibility. Exams/High Stakes Writing Assignments - 50% Exams and/or high stakes writing assignments will be given for each chapter. Exams will mostly be in the form of multiple choice and short answer questions. High Stakes writing assignments will mostly be in the form of essays, document based questions, and other informative or persuasive writing assignments. These assignments will be done both in class and at home. Late assignments will be penalized 10pts for everyday it is late. After three days late it will no longer be accepted and you will receive a zero. Please note that I will not remind students of missing work. It is their responsibility.

Notebook SetUp Section Review Questions All Chapters are divided into 3-5 different sections. For each of these sections, you will be given review questions to compete. The questions should be completed in your notebook. You do not need to copy the questions but your answers must be in complete sentences unless otherwise directed. For example, define or list questions may not necessarily be answered in complete sentences. Sample Heading in Notebook Chapter 1 Section 1 - Review Questions September 9, 2020 Sample Answer in Complete Sentences Question: How do scientists think people first reached the Americas? Answer: Scientists believe the first people arrived in the Americas by land. Points will be taken off if you do not have a heading or if you do not answer in complete sentences. I will be counting these review questions as unannounced quizzes so make sure to stay on top of the assignments.

Note Taking Tips All students will be given a copy of the teacher’s notes in advance of the chapter. Some suggestions:

1. Print my notes out and bring them to class. Using a colored pen and highlighter you can add more notes, questions, or highlight important details while we are reviewing the notes.

2. Keep my notes on your chromebook and place them in a folder labeled for that chapter. As we review notes. Use a different colored font and highlighter to add or emphasize important material.

3. I always find it helpful to retype or rewrite my notes to help me remember and understand them. I highly suggest you do this at the end of each section.

4. I also highly recommend that you read over your notes every night. Some chapters will have a tremendous amount of information and it will be helpful to review nightly instead of waiting till the night before an exam.

Work Space at Home

I am aware and very sensitive to everyone’s home life situations that may interfere with remote learning. Please contact me in advance if there are any extraordinary circumstances, you feel I should know about. I do ask to the best of your ability to set up a consistent work space. Your workspace should be free from distractions. It should be set up with all necessary supplies books, pens, chromebooks etc. At times students will need art supplies but I will try to tell them in advance what is needed. Mostly colored pencils and white copy paper. If you're not set up and ready to work at home, points will be taken off your classwork grade.

Please join me in saying this prayer as we venture once again on a new road this school

year. Let us be patient and understanding with each other.

Father,

This is the day You have made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

It doesn’t look like we thought it would look, nor will tomorrow or the days to come

likely be executed in the way we expected and prepared for.

Help us to see the good in each day.

Help us to find reasons to rejoice and ways to be glad.

Litter our lives with moments of laughter and lightheartedness, even in these

extremely dark and trying times.

The sun keeps coming up, and You remain the same.

We are created in Your image, God, to do good and great things to bring glory to Your

name.

Each one of us was created with a specific purpose, please help us to be holy.

When it is hard to see the good, grab our attention, Father.

When we are sad and miss, our normal routines encourage our spirits.

Sustain us through our very real fear of what is and will happen in our world,

God, remind us we are not alone, even when we feel isolated.

Amen

September, 2020 Dear Parents, Welcome back to another year of learning, growing, and challenging the mind of your child. I am looking forward to a productive partnership with you to insure that my students can achieve their highest potential. I recognize that in order to be successful in school my students need support both from school and home. Every Math student is expected to put forth their very best effort during Math class. Our Math curriculum is dense and the skills build upon one another. It is critical that students keep up with lessons, practice assignments, and prepare for all assessments. As partners, we share the responsibility for our student’s success and want you to know that I will do my very best to carry out this task. I ask that you guide your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she: • Attend school daily and arrive on time, ready for the day’s learning experience. • Completes all homework assignments. • Shares school experiences with you so that you are aware of his/her school life. • Knows what you expect of him/her to succeed in school and go on to High School. • Understand the guidelines set forth in the Student Handbook. This year is unique for students because they will be required to take some of the math class at home. When at home the student must be logged in and engaged in the lesson from start to finish. I will have 5 lessons planned each week so attendance and attentiveness are of the utmost importance. All assignments due on days home must be submitted to me via email or Google Docs (when permitted). Some important things that you need to know for Math: • Homework will be given on a regular basis. • Tests will be given 3-4 times a trimester. • Quizzes will be given 5-7 times a trimester. • All homework and other assignments will be on google calendar The breakdown of grades is as follows: Math-Tests- 65% Religion-Tests-60% Quizzes- 20% Homework-20% Projects- 5% Writing-10% Homework- 5% Participation-10% Class work- 5% We use technology daily in Math class. Students are expected to bring their school-issued Chrome book to class each day. Devices should be protected from damage by a case. We use these devices to access instructional materials, complete practice assignments, and engage in personalized learning activities during our block. Students are not permitted to use Chrome books or personal devices for any purposes other than those that the teacher permits. Texting, gaming, taking pictures, or posting to social media is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the teacher. Cell phone use is not allowed in our Math class.

All course materials and links to resources will be shared through our Google Classroom. Students will join our Google Classroom during the first full week of school. Parents are encouraged to explore our Google Classroom with your child frequently. The curriculum for Math in 7th and 8th grade is challenging and requires the students to work to their full potential. I truly believe that everyone of my students has the ability to understand and conquer the math topics that are put before them. If you need to get in touch with me, please feel free to email me at : sfoti@stfrancisschoolbh.net Sincerely, Suellen Foti 7th and 8th Grade Math Teacher & 8th Grade Religion Teacher

8State: NYS 8th Grade Earth Science and Lab

Mrs. Maureen Gigliello mgigliello@stfrancisschoolbh.net GENERAL OVERVIEW: Our State course is Regents-based. In addition to astronomy, the course examines the interactions between the four spheres that make Earth. We cover all areas of the NYS 8th Grade Earth Science curriculum as well as a large portion of the high school level Regents Earth Science curriculum. MAJOR UNITS TAUGHT:

I. Astronomy II. Earth Structure / Plate Tectonics III. Rocks and Minerals IV. Weather and Climate

GRADING POLICY:

65% exam average 15% assignments 10% lab grade 5% written submissions/projects 5% class participation/decorum

Learning Materials: Chapter notes, Barron’s Book (BB) assignments, cheat sheets, labs, rubrics etc. will be available for download and/or printing via Classroom. Chapter Notes: Students are required to stay one half page ahead of our classroom discussion. This is accomplished by critically reading (not skimming and/or scanning) his/her chapter notes. If your child is not reading 3 or 4 nights per week, our academic agreement is not being fulfilled. Suggestion: ½ page of notes per night, read 2x. Barron’s Book Assignments (replace last year’s review sheets) Students must indicate why the other choices are wrong (not just circle their answer). If this requirement is not met, the student’s assignment and/or class participation grade will be negatively impacted. Cheat sheets are also teacher-chosen/generated. 100% credit is awarded for completion, alone. I record all the 100’s and then we review the sheet. Cheat sheet work is not accepted late as the due date is announced well in advance. Labs: a. Labs are subject to scheduling on any day of the week. b. On the report card, a “2” is achieved for a numeric grade average of 70-79, “3” for 80-93 and “4” for 94-100. c. Students will sit for the NYS 8th Grade Science Lab Performance Exam. The score for this Performance Exam is a scaled portion of the final NYS Science Exam Grade. Exams: Students are advised to focus on chapter notes and their own written notes. BB/cheat sheets come next. Finally, any and all diagrams covered in class. Assignments due on days you are participating in Google Meets and discussions at home must be: 1. Submitted a minimum of 5 minutes prior to the start of that day’s class 2. Submitted via shared google doc or emailed picture(s).

Grades will be recorded on OptionC in a timely fashion. Should I make a mistake (not in your favor!), kindly email me and I will correct my error ASAP. My apologies, in advance, for any mistakes. Life happens: the printer runs out of ink, kids get sick, etc…. When Absent (unforeseen) , cheat sheets (and other assignments) should be emailed by 2:30 pm on the due date or as soon as the student is well enough to do so. When Absent (scheduled) , cheat sheets (and other assignments) due while the student will not be present, must be submitted prior to the scheduled absence. Students are expected to take care of their business. Make up Exams are administered after school from approx 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm. The student is dismissed once the exam is completed. A teacher-parent-student date will be confirmed, via email.

Exams are not administered to individual students prior to being administered to the entire class. Forgotten work (or no ink in printer!) Essays, cheat sheets and projects forgotten that morning, will be accepted via email on that very same day. There is no reason to jump into the car…. 1. Work must be sent before 3:15 pm. Students can scan, take a picture etc and send to meet this deadline. 2. Students must then submit a hard copy the very next school day.

If these 2 criteria are met; there will be no loss of credit. Essays are to be completed in Black, 12, Times New Roman Font, Double-spaced, MLA style heading. Students are required to think for themselves. Information/material not of the student’s own creation must be cited. Email : I will accept and open email from a student’s school-provided address but I will reply to BOTH the student and parent. Proper email formatting is required. Directions found on Class page. Our Academic Agreement calls for my student to have: ➢ the “verb’ in them to ask as many questions, as humanly, possible. ➢ prepared for class (by having read the designated note section as per the chapter outline). ➢ his/her Chromebook, fully charged. ➢ at least two functioning pens: Do Not Ask Me For A pen! ➢ an “accordion” style folder with a minimum 5 sleeves. ➢ work ready to be submitted (when applicable): this means already stapled! ➢ completed written assignments and be fully prepared to discuss his/her responses. ➢ the fortitude and respect to tell the truth and nothing but the truth should the situation present itself. ➢ the confidence to speak directly to me concerning missing homework, late essays, inaccurate exam

grades etc. Parent notes are not necessary for these types of issues. ➢ $.50 at the ready should the student respond: “Yeah, What, Whaa, Like, Nah, I dunno” (as examples) ➢ a sense of humor and the willingness to enjoy SCIENCE!

Class Participation/Decorum: It is my goal to involve each student in every class. I build in 5 additional points for participation and decorum. Students begin with a “3” and then the majority will work their way up with appropriate class activism. However, sometimes a student will attempt to be that negative class presence (in essence trying to waste everyone else’s time and your tuition money). To be honest, I have absolutely no patience or degree of flexibility with that choice of behavior. Therefore, in addition to the school-mandated process of dealing with inappropriate behavior I utilize these 5 “wiggle” points.

We have read the Academic Agreement. In addition, permission is given for my son/daughter to attend class on the beach.

Student’s Name & Homeroom __________________________________________________

___________________________________ __________________________________

Student’s Signature Date Agreed To

____________________________________ __________________________________ Parent’s Signature Date Agreed To

8th Regents Science: The Physical Setting: Earth Science and Lab

Mrs. Maureen Gigliello mgigliello@stfrancisschoolbh.net GENERAL OVERVIEW: Regents Earth Science looks at the whole picture of the place of Earth in the Universe. In addition to astronomy, the course examines the interactions between the four spheres that make Earth. MAJOR UNITS TAUGHT:

I. Earth Dimensions IV. Rocks and Minerals VII. Geologic History II. Astronomy V. Weathering and Erosion III. Weather and Climate VI. Earth Structure / Plate Tectonics

GRADING POLICY:

65% exam average 15% assignments 10% lab grade 5% written submissions/projects 5% class participation/decorum

Learning Materials: Chapter notes, Barron’s Book (BB) assignments, cheat sheets, labs, rubrics etc. will be available for download and/or printing via Classroom. Chapter Notes: Students are required to stay one half page ahead of our classroom discussion. This is accomplished by critically reading (not skimming and/or scanning) his/her chapter notes. If your child is not reading 3 or 4 nights per week, our academic agreement is not being fulfilled. Suggestion: ½ page of notes per night, read 2x. Barron’s Book Assignments (replace last year’s review sheets) Students must indicate why the other choices are wrong (not just circle their answer). If this requirement is not met, the student’s assignment and/or class participation grade will be negatively impacted. Cheat sheets are also teacher-chosen/generated. 100% credit is awarded for completion, alone. I record all the 100’s and then we review the sheet. Cheat sheet work is not accepted late as the due date is announced well in advance. Labs: a. Labs are subject to scheduling on any day of the week. b. A student must have completed 1200 minutes of lab time by the NYS Regents Exam is given. c. On the report card, a “2” is achieved for a numeric grade average of 70-79, “3” for 80-93 and “4” for 94-100. d. To be eligible to take the Regents Exam in Earth Science, a student must have at least a “2” for all three marking periods and meet the academic/disciplinary requirements as set forth by St. Francis de Sales. e. There is a NYS Regents Lab Performance Exam in late May or Early June. The score for this exam is 0 - 16 and the score is used to compute the final Regents Exam Grade in June. f. Students will also sit for the NYS 8th Grade Science Exam and Lab Performance Exam. Grades will be recorded on OptionC in a timely fashion. Should I make a mistake (not in your favor!), kindly email me and I will correct my error ASAP. My apologies, in advance, for any mistakes.

Exams: Students are advised to focus on chapter notes and their own written notes. BB/cheat sheets come next. Finally, any and all diagrams covered in class. Assignments due on days you are participating in Google Meets and discussions at home must be: 1. Submitted a minimum of 5 minutes prior to the start of that day’s class 2. Submitted via shared google doc or emailed picture(s). Life happens: the printer runs out of ink, kids get sick, etc…. When Absent (unforeseen) , cheat sheets (and other assignments) should be emailed by 2:30 pm on the due date or as soon as the student is well enough to do so. When Absent (scheduled) , cheat sheets (and other assignments) due while the student will not be present, must be submitted prior to the scheduled absence. Students are expected to take care of their business. Make up Exams are administered after school from approx 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm. The student is dismissed once the exam is completed. A teacher-parent-student date will be confirmed, via email.

Exams are not administered to individual students prior to being administered to the entire class. Forgotten work (or no ink in printer!) Essays, cheat sheets and projects forgotten that morning, will be accepted via email on that very same day. There is no reason to jump into the car…. 1. Work must be sent before 3:15 pm. Students can scan, take a picture etc and send to meet this deadline. 2. Students must then submit a hard copy the very next school day.

If these 2 criteria are met; there will be no loss of credit. Email : I will accept and open email from a student’s school-provided address but I will reply to BOTH the student and parent. Proper email formatting is required. Directions found on Class page. Our Academic Agreement calls for my student to have: ➢ the “verb’ in them to ask as many questions, as humanly, possible. ➢ prepared for class (by having read the designated note section as per the chapter outline). ➢ his/her Chromebook, fully charged. ➢ at least two functioning pens: Do Not Ask Me For A pen! ➢ an “accordion” style folder with a minimum 5 sleeves. ➢ work ready to be submitted (when applicable): this means already stapled! ➢ completed written assignments and be fully prepared to discuss his/her responses. ➢ the fortitude and respect to tell the truth and nothing but the truth should the situation present itself. ➢ the confidence to speak directly to me concerning missing homework, late essays, inaccurate exam

grades etc. Parent notes are not necessary for these types of issues. ➢ $.50 at the ready should the student respond: “Yeah, What, Whaa, Like, Nah, I dunno” (as examples) ➢ a sense of humor and the willingness to enjoy SCIENCE!

Class Participation/Decorum: It is my goal to involve each student in every class. I build in 5 additional points for participation and decorum. Students begin with a “3” and then the majority will work their way up with appropriate class activism. However, sometimes a student will attempt to be that negative class presence (in essence trying to waste everyone else’s time and your tuition money). To be honest, I have absolutely no patience or degree of flexibility with that choice of behavior. Therefore, in addition to the school-mandated process of dealing with inappropriate behavior I utilize these 5 “wiggle” points.

We have read the Academic Agreement. In addition, permission is given for my son/daughter to attend class on the beach.

Student’s Name & Homeroom __________________________________________________

___________________________________ __________________________________

Student’s Signature Date Agreed To

____________________________________ __________________________________ Parent’s Signature Date Agreed To