North Bethesda Middle School 8th Grade Team Weekly Parent Update

8th Grade Parent Update #30- Thursday May 2nd, 2019

Thurs 5/9-Mon 5/13 Vision and Hearing Screening for ALL 8th graders

Fri 5/10 Music in the Parks trip

Tues 5/14-Thurs 5/23 MCAP State Testing

Mon 5/27 Memorial Day- No school for Students and Teachers

Thur 6/6 Spring Music Concert @ WJ 8 p.m

Fri 6/7 8th Grade Party 7-9pm @ NB

Thur 6/13 Hershey Park Trip

Fri 6/14 Last day of School- Early Release Day

SPECIAL UPDATES

Parents, on Thursday May 9th through Monday May 13th, North Bethesda will be holding vision and hearing screening on

all 8th graders. If your child wears glasses or hearing aids,

please remind them to wear them on those days. Thanks!

If your 8th grade student plans on attending an MCPS Magnet school or a private

school for 9th grade or you will be moving out of the Walter Johnson school

district, please let our registrar, Mary Beth Turska, know your plans at

240-740-2110 or Marybeth_Turska@mcpsmd.org.

ACADEMIC UPDATES

English Department Advanced English 8- Mr. Green, Ms. Armstrong, Ms. Cho

This week: This week, students continued their reading and study of 12 Angry Men. We

completed our guided table read and analysis of the play and transitioned to our activity packet

to demonstrate level of understanding. We finished off the week with a viewing of the 1957

original film with a discussion of the similarities and differences between the original script.

Next week: We will begin our final full unit of the year, a literature circle unit using Civil War

related texts in connection with the topics students are currently discussing and learning about

in History class. Students will receive their assigned novel next week along with a reading and

assignment schedule. Students also have a vocab quiz on Tuesday 5/7. A digital copy of the

words can be found on the myMCPS calendar.

ESOL- Ms. Francis

This week:Students in the ESOL 1 and 2 classes began a unit on Discovery and Inventors. They

learned about important moments in scientific history and breakthrough discoveries.

Students in the upper-level ESOL classes are preparing to write a newspaper article about the

1906 San Francisco earthquake. They have been writing interview questions and reading

eyewitness accounts and taking notes.

Next week: Students in the ESOL 1 and 2 classes will research two inventions and will compare

and contrast the two.

Students will draft their newspaper article on how the San Francisco earthquake and fires

impacted the lives of the people that lived there at that time.

Read 180- Ms. Carmichael Collins

Part 1

This week students read a poem about survival in the wilderness. They identified elements of a free verse poem, and noted the mood and symbolism within it.

Next week students will write a literature review giving their opinion about Jack London’s short story, To Build a Fire.

Period 7

This week: students read a poem about survival in the wilderness. They identified elements of a free verse poem, and noted the mood and symbolism within it.

Next week: students will write a literature review giving their opinion about Jack London’s short story, To Build a Fire.

Math Department Geometry- Mr. Manon

This week: This week we finished our practice with how to classify both triangles and

quadrilaterals using the characteristics of distances of sides as well as the slopes of opposite

and adjacent angles. Students took the end of Unit 4 Test on Wednesday, and started Unit 5 on

Thursday. Unit 5 is a focus on Circles and angles, beginning with terms, definitions, and

theorems related to circles.

Next week: We will continue our work with Unit 5. We will talk about central and inscribed

angles, the central angle theorem, and arc measurements. Towards the end of the week, we

will be proving inscribed polygons.

Geometry- Mr. Roberts

This week: This week we finished our practice with how to classify both triangles and

quadrilaterals using the characteristics of distances of sides as well as the slopes of opposite

and adjacent angles. Students took the end of Unit 4 Test on Wednesday, and started Unit 5 on

Thursday. Unit 5 is a focus on Circles and angles, beginning with terms, definitions, and

theorems related to circles.

Next week: We will continue our work with Unit 5. We will talk about central and inscribed

angles, the central angle theorem, and arc measurements. Towards the end of the week, we

will be proving inscribed polygons.

Algebra- Mr. Manon, Ms. Needham, Mr. Roberts, Ms. Watkins

This Week: Students finished Unit 4 and took a formative assessment on Thursday. On Friday,

they will start Unit 3, called “Analyzing Data Representations” by reviewing box and whisker

plots and the associated vocabulary.

Next Week: Students will continue with Unit 3 and learn how to make a histogram and to

analyze and compare box and whisker plots and histograms. Students will discuss variability.

After that they will move on to frequency tables, and will be finding relative frequency.

Math 8- Ms. Watkins, Mr. Chung

This week: We learned about the angles in parallel lines cut by a transversal and

interior/exterior angles in triangles. There will be a quiz on this two concepts on Friday to finish

up Unit 4 Topic 1.

Next week: We will learn about dilations of triangles and how they create similar figures. We

will learn how to dilate and how to find the scale factor. Students can expect an exit ticket on

Friday covering the concept learned for the week.

Math MCAP testing is on May 20-21st. While we have been reviewing through warm ups, we

will dedicate May 16th and 17th to full review days for the MCAP test.

PE/ARTS Department Physical Education- Mr. Tsironis, Ms. Reuter, Mr. Smiddy, Mr. Bucci, Ms. Litzner

This week: Students will be choosing and starting the second unit of the marking period. Units

include, kickball, lacrosse, basketball, badminton, and handball.

Next week:

8th Grade Orchestra- Mrs. Hepburn Lun

This Week: 8th Grade Band and Orchestra classes continue to rehearse for the Music in the

Parks and the Spring Concert. A Music in the Parks expectations letter will go home with

students early next week. I would encourage you to review it with your music student. Please

be sure that you have the Spring Concert marked for Thursday, June 6th. At home you should

be hearing your music student practice the following: Band – Colliding Visions, Song for Winds

& Northpointe Fantasy Orchestra - Fantasia for Strings, Lullaby to the Moon & Korean Folk

Tune. Orchestra students will have a playing test on Friday, May 3rd on Fantasia for Strings.

Friday, May 10th Music in the Parks – Departing at promptly 6 a.m. Return 11 p.m.

Thursday, June 6th Spring Concert – 8 p.m. Walter Johnson High School

Next Week: : Both classes will continue rehearsing for “Music in the Parks” and the Spring Concert. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.

Chorus- Mr. Mcfeaters

This week: the singers worked on singing in different formations, such as scrambling. Our focus

continues to be on musicality, dynamic contrasts and phrasing. The 7th and 8th graders are

ready to sing the judges socks off in Music in the Parks! The 6th graders began working on their

original compositions this week as well.

Next week:

Art- Ms. Hoffman

This week:

Next week: Art- Ms. Partlow

This week: Students will review glazing techniques and apply glaze to their nature inspired,

functional vessels.

Next week: Students will share their Romero Britto inspired pop art and engage in a peer

critique. Students will complete a self-directed sketchbook assignment (testing week)

Health- Ms. Heyn

This week: Students are in the Drug unit. They did a drug research project and created a

Powerpoint (or Google slides). They presented their drug project to the class. Next, students

were advocates of not using drugs. They created/wrote a song or poem to convince teens not

to use drugs.

Next week:

Science Department IESS 8- Ms. Aaron

This week: Students learned about plate boundaries (convergent, divergent, and transform) this

week. They made several models, including one with graham crackers and frosting, and

analyzed several tectonic plate maps as part of their learning activities.

Next week: The focus for next week will be earthquakes. There will be a quiz on plate boundaries and

earthquakes given on Monday, Mary 13th.

IESS 8- Ms. Gopal

This week: Students learned about Plate tectonics. Students did simulations to understand the

plate boundary movements. Students had fun eating the graham cracker and fruit roll up after

their activity 😊 . They also did a simulation on the computer to understand the same. Students

will do a common task on this topic.

Next week: Students are going to learn about Earthquakes from the next topic, Monitoring

natural hazards. Students will have a quiz on these two (Plate tectonics & monitoring natural

hazards) topics later in the week.

IESS 8- Ms. Wolfinger

This week: students learned how to find the epicenter of an earthquake using triangulation and

how the movement of plates during an earthquake can create a tsunami.

Next week: we will learn how geologic processes create an uneven distribution of natural

resources.

Social Studies Department Adv. U.S History- Mr. Kling

This week: Students learned about the Emancipation Proclamation and how it changed the

purpose of the war for the North to freeing slaves in the South. The Proclamation helped the

North win by taking away slave labor from the southern economy and turning some of the

slaves into soldiers as part of the United States Colored Troops. We watched the movie “Glory”

which tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Colored Troops to explore the themes of

transformation, sacrifice, and honor.

Next week: Students will continue learning about the key battles and turning points of the Civil

War through the end of the war and assassination of Lincoln.

Adv. U.S History- Mrs. Kelley

This week: Students learned about the Emancipation Proclamation and how it changed the

purpose of the war for the North to freeing slaves in the South. The Proclamation helped the

North win by taking away slave labor from the southern economy and turning some of the

slaves into soldiers as part of the United States Colored Troops. We watched the movie “Glory”

which tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Colored Troops to explore the themes of

transformation, sacrifice, and honor.

Next week: Students will continue learning about the key battles and turning points of the Civil

War through the end of the war and assassination of Lincoln.

*The review guide for the test on the Civil War is due on Thursday, May 9th, the test is on

Monday, May 13th.

Adv. U.S History- Ms. Grace

This week: Students learned about the Emancipation Proclamation and how it changed the

purpose of the war for the North to freeing slaves in the South. The Proclamation helped the

North win by taking away slave labor from the southern economy and turning some of the

slaves into soldiers as part of the United States Colored Troops. We watched the movie “Glory”

which tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Colored Troops to explore the themes of

transformation, sacrifice, and honor.

Next week: Students will continue learning about the key battles and turning points of the Civil

War through the end of the war and assassination of Lincoln.

Adv. U.S History- Mr. Israel

This week: Students learned about the Emancipation Proclamation and how it changed the

purpose of the war for the North to freeing slaves in the South. The Proclamation helped the

North win by taking away slave labor from the southern economy and turning some of the

slaves into soldiers as part of the United States Colored Troops. We watched the movie “Glory”

which tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Colored Troops to explore the themes of

transformation, sacrifice, and honor.

Next week: Students will continue learning about the key battles and turning points of the Civil

War through the end of the war and assassination of Lincoln.

Technology Education Department Tech Ed- Mr. Tin

This week:

Next week:

T.V Studio- Ms. Paul-Phillips

This week: Students worked on a short film: The Door Scene. They were given a series of scenarios that they could interpret and film. The scene must have suspense, be silent and include intertitles like a silent film. Students have turned in their work this week

Next week: Students will begin filming “Idioms Taken Literally.” This project will take at least 3-4 weeks to produce and then edit.

World Languages Department

Spanish

Ms. Dargahi

Spanish 1:

This week: we continued applying comparisons and superlatives and then also introduced and

practiced two stem-changing verbs. We have already learned two previous stem-changers (jugar and

tener) so we added dormir and poder into the mix. Sixth grade students who attended outdoor ed will

have the opportunity to make up any of the work they missed but we recommend that anyone feeling

overwhelmed or like they are missing key information comes to see us during SOARR either this week or

next.

Next week: Markos and Ranaweera’s classes are aiming to have the Spanish 1 combine on

Monday 5/6, assuming the weather holds out for us. To participate in this students need to

have sneakers! This is an activity that allows the students to apply comparisons while also

getting an opportunity to move around outside. If Monday’s weather is lousy, we will try for

Tuesday 5/7. After the combine we will begin the present progressive tense in Spanish. The unit

7 deadline for all Markos classes is Thursday 5/9 which means that all assignments from the

unit (starting on Thursday 4/4) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 5/9 in order to be

eligible for credit. Any assignment not submitted by then will not be worth any credit. The

music in the parks field trip is on Friday 5/10, it is the responsibility of the students going on

that trip to check in with their teachers to get any makeup work. As always, please continue to

check MyMCPS Classroom regularly for updates on assignments and other important

announcements.

Spanish 2

This week: students learned and applied the rules for using formal commands as well as the uses of por and para. There was be a graded entrance ticket on formal commands on 5/2/19.

Next week: students will use formal commands to complete a summative recipe project. Students will also have a study guide for a unit test on 5/9/19. Ms. Myers is organizing a 12-day trip to Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid that will take place in June 2020. This is a non-school sponsored trip organized by EF Tours. Check out the link to the tour page at: www.eftours.com/2207054ty If you have any questions, please email Ms. Myers at: Kristy_G_Myers@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Dalmases

Spanish 2

This week: students learned and applied the rules for using formal commands as well as the uses of por and para. There was be a graded entrance ticket on formal commands on 5/2/19.

Next week: students will use formal commands to complete a summative recipe project. Students will also have a study guide for a unit test on 5/9/19. Ms. Myers is organizing a 12-day trip to Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid that will take place in June 2020. This is a non-school sponsored trip organized by EF Tours. Check out the link to the tour page at: www.eftours.com/2207054ty If you have any questions, please email Ms. Myers at: Kristy_G_Myers@mcpsmd.org Ms. Markos

Spanish 1:

This week: we continued applying comparisons and superlatives and then also introduced and

practiced two stem-changing verbs. We have already learned two previous stem-changers (jugar and

tener) so we added dormir and poder into the mix. Sixth grade students who attended outdoor ed will

have the opportunity to make up any of the work they missed but we recommend that anyone feeling

overwhelmed or like they are missing key information comes to see us during SOARR either this week or

next.

Next Week: Markos and Ranaweera’s classes are aiming to have the Spanish 1 combine on

Monday 5/6, assuming the weather holds out for us. To participate in this students need to

have sneakers! This is an activity that allows the students to apply comparisons while also

getting an opportunity to move around outside. If Monday’s weather is lousy, we will try for

Tuesday 5/7. After the combine we will begin the present progressive tense in Spanish. The unit

7 deadline for all Markos classes is Thursday 5/9 which means that all assignments from the

unit (starting on Thursday 4/4) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 5/9 in order to be

eligible for credit. Any assignment not submitted by then will not be worth any credit. The

music in the parks field trip is on Friday 5/10, it is the responsibility of the students going on

that trip to check in with their teachers to get any makeup work. As always, please continue to

check MyMCPS Classroom regularly for updates on assignments and other important

announcements.

Spanish 3:

This week: we learned yet another application of the subjunctive, the subjunctive with

expressions of doubt. We used this tense to discuss tabloid headlines and whether or not we

believe them and then on Wednesday 5/1 students took a quiz on that tense. The preterite vs.

imperfect quiz from the week before spring break was also retakable this week and will still be

retakable on Monday 5/6. On Thursday we started the conditional tense which we practiced

and applied on Friday as well.

Next week: we will have a quiz on the conditional tense on Monday 5/6 and then will aim to

complete our common task on Wednesday 5/8. The unit deadline is Thursday 5/9 at 3pm which

means that all assignments from the unit (starting on Thursday 4/4) must be submitted by 3pm

on Thursday 5/9 in order to be eligible for credit. Any assignment not submitted by then will

not be worth any credit. The music in the parks field trip is on Friday 5/10, it is the responsibility

of the students going on that trip to check in with their teachers to get any makeup work. As

always, please continue to check MyMCPS Classroom regularly for updates on assignments and

other important announcements.

Ms. Ranaweera

Spanish 1:

This week: we continued applying comparisons and superlatives and then also introduced and

practiced two stem-changing verbs. We have already learned two previous stem-changers (jugar and

tener) so we added dormir and poder into the mix. Sixth grade students who attended outdoor ed will

have the opportunity to make up any of the work they missed but we recommend that anyone feeling

overwhelmed or like they are missing key information comes to see us during SOARR either this week or

next.

Next week: Markos and Ranaweera’s classes are aiming to have the Spanish 1 combine on

Monday 5/6, assuming the weather holds out for us. To participate in this students need to

have sneakers! This is an activity that allows the students to apply comparisons while also

getting an opportunity to move around outside. If Monday’s weather is lousy, we will try for

Tuesday 5/7. After the combine we will begin the present progressive tense in Spanish. The unit

7 deadline for all Markos classes is Thursday 5/9 which means that all assignments from the

unit (starting on Thursday 4/4) must be submitted by 3pm on Thursday 5/9 in order to be

eligible for credit. Any assignment not submitted by then will not be worth any credit. The

music in the parks field trip is on Friday 5/10, it is the responsibility of the students going on

that trip to check in with their teachers to get any makeup work. As always, please continue to

check MyMCPS Classroom regularly for updates on assignments and other important

announcements.

Spanish 2

This week: students learned and applied the rules for using formal commands as well as the uses of por and para. There was be a graded entrance ticket on formal commands on 5/2/19.

Next week: students will use formal commands to complete a summative recipe project. Students will also have a study guide for a unit test on 5/9/19. Ms. Myers is organizing a 12-day trip to Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid that will take place in June 2020. This is a non-school sponsored trip organized by EF Tours. Check out the link to the tour page at: www.eftours.com/2207054ty If you have any questions, please email Ms. Myers at: Kristy_G_Myers@mcpsmd.org

French

Ms. Myers

French 1AB

This week: , the students took a quiz on vocabulary (dialogue in a café), regular -ir verbs and

boire. They also learned how to form and use the affirmative and negative commands

(l’impératif). On Friday, we began the next unit called, “Les vêtements”. In this unit, students

will describe clothing and accessories, offer and ask for help in stores, communicate about

preferences regarding clothing and ask and give information about clothing items.

Next week: we will work mainly with vocabulary and will review adjective agreement with

colors, as well as review the possessive adjectives. Students will learn the irregular verb,

mettre.

Ms. Myers is organizing a 12-day trip to Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid that will take

place in June 2020. This is a non-school sponsored trip organized by EF Tours. If you are

interested in hearing more about this travel opportunity for your child, please email Ms. Myers

at Kristy_G_Myers@mcpsmd.org or check out the link to the tour page at:

www.eftours.com/2207054ty

Hon French 3AB

This week: the students began the next unit, “Partons en voyage”. We focused on learning the

vocabulary words, however the students were about to start talking about travel plans and

procedures.

Next week:we will continue to communicate about travel plans and will ask for information

about past, present and future travel. We will also incorporate the prepositions with

geographic locations and gender of countries.

Ms. Bonatesta

French 1AB

This week, , the students took a quiz on vocabulary (dialogue in a café), regular -ir verbs and

boire. They also learned how to form and use the affirmative and negative commands

(l’impératif). On Friday, we began the next unit called, “Les vêtements”. In this unit, students

will describe clothing and accessories, offer and ask for help in stores, communicate about

preferences regarding clothing and ask and give information about clothing items.

Next week, we will work mainly with vocabulary and will review adjective agreement with

colors, as well as review the possessive adjectives. Students will learn the irregular verb,

mettre.

Ms. Myers is organizing a 12-day trip to Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid that will take

place in June 2020. This is a non-school sponsored trip organized by EF Tours. If you are

interested in hearing more about this travel opportunity for your child, please email Ms. Myers

at Kristy_G_Myers@mcpsmd.org or check out the link to the tour page at:

www.eftours.com/2207054ty

French 2AB

This week: Students learned comparatives and incorporated when communicating and making

comparisons between life in the country and life in the city. Students took an assessment on

comparatives on Friday. Students also took an assessment on the second part of the unit’s

vocabulary related to life in the country and life in the city on Monday

Next week: Students will learn superlatives and continue to practice comparisons both orally

and in writing. There will be an assessment on the superlative next week. The date will be

announced on MyMCPS classroom.

*Ms. Myers is organizing a 12-day trip to Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid that will take

place in June 2020. This is a non-school sponsored trip organized by EF Tours. If you are

interested in hearing more about this travel opportunity for your child, please email Ms. Myers

at Kristy_G_Myers@mcpsmd.org or check out the link to the tour page at:

www.eftours.com/2207054ty

COUNSELING UPDATES

SSL UPDATES This Week:

All forms turned in before fourth quarter are in OASIS-SSL. Incomplete SSL Verification forms

were returned to students through her/his/their 1st period teacher. There are five forms

posted on the NBMS SSL Google Classroom that have no identifying information. Unfortunately,

Mrs. Jurewicz cannot complete forms on behalf of students. Students may check MyMCPS

portal for SSL hours. If your hours are wrong, email (Carla_A_Jurewicz@mcpsmd.org) or come

by room D120 and ask for Mrs. Jurewicz.

Next Week:

Documentation of service performed during the summer, 1st semester, and 2nd semester is

due to the school-based SSL coordinator by June 7, 2019.

Add to Your "To Do" List:

Mrs. Jurewicz sent out invitations to the majority of North Bethesda Middle School students to

join the NBMS SSL Google Classroom. For some reason 74 invitations to students did not go

through. If your student does not have the NBMS SSL Classroom in her/his/their G Suite please

ask your student to check her/his/their school "... .net" email account for the invitation.

○ For students-Add NBMS SSL Google Classroom to your G Suite using the code

"iwmjnms". Use the same process that you would to add a Google Classroom for

an academic class.

○ For parents/guardians-Have your student add NBMS SSL Google Classroom to

her/his/their G Suite using the code "iwmjnms". It is the same process as adding

a Google Classroom for an academic area.

■ Once your student is registered Mrs. Jurewicz will use the "Invite

Guardian" function to invite parents/guardians. Please email Mrs.

Jurewicz the email address you would like to use.

Ideally Mrs. Jurewicz would like students and guardians to join the NBMS SSL Classroom.

SSL Opportunities

See the NBMS SSL Google Classroom.

Looking Ahead

Start thinking about summer volunteer opportunities.

"Nonprofit organizations that are not identified with a graduation cap on the Montgomery

County Volunteer Center (MCVC) website require pre-approval.

The MCPS Form 560-50, Individual Student Service Learning Request, must be submitted and

approved by the school-based SSL Coordinator in advance of service. All pre-approval requests

must be submitted in a timely manner. There is a two-week allowance for school-based SSL

Coordinators to review the request for approval or denial based on compliance with MCPS SSL

Program."