August 2016

Dear Student and Parents ~ Welcome to your 8th grade team ~ Team Discoverers!

On the first day of school we would like all of our students to bring:

·  Calculator (see options below…)

-- Required for Algebra I & Geometry:

Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus

-- Required for Pre-Algebra, Co-taught Math, & LS Math:

Texas Instruments TI-34 multiview calculator

or

Texas Instruments 84 Plus (Not required, but recommended since this

calculator becomes a requirement when student advances to Algebra I & II.)

·  Inexpensive ear buds or head phones (try Five Below or The Dollar Store)

·  (4) individual 1 ½-inch binders (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) a different color for each subject is recommended

·  (1) 1 additional ½-inch binder for students of Spanish only or Reading only

·  (1) 3-inch binder for students of German only or French only

·  (2) packages of EIGHT dividers in each package

or (3) packages of dividers that contain fewer than eight dividers in each package

**Please do not label any dividers. We will label them together in our classes.**

·  college-ruled notebook paper (lots and lots of it J)

·  many, many pencils with erasers

·  several blue or black pens (schoolwork completed in anything other than pencil or blue or black pen will not be accepted)

·  highlighter

·  pencil case(s) or some system for transporting pencils, etc from class to class

·  index cards for home use (3 x 5 cards; as well as either 4 x 6 or 5 x 8 cards)

·  $6.00 to purchase a school assignment book (This is a requirement.)

·  If you need to replace your gym clothes (gym suits are required), prices are as follows:

-- $14.00 gym shorts

-- $ 6.00 gym shirt

**Checks are preferred for assignment books and/or gym suits,

and should be made out to Palisades Middle School**

…Please turn page over…

If you are considering buying a new book bag, please understand that you will not be carrying your bag (including any kind of tote bag) from class to class. During the school day all such bags will remain in your locker. (Lockers are only 6 inches wide.) Please take this into account when making your purchase.

As summer winds down, be certain to have completed reading one of the following novels:

Counting by 7’s, Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, I Am Malala or Travel Team. Your selected book will be part of our Language Arts program the first couple weeks of school. If you read it early, please review it.

We are looking forward to seeing you on the first day of school and discovering your talents throughout the year in your academic classes.

Sincerely,

Your 8th Grade Teachers

Language Arts: Mrs. Bellew, Mrs. Kesilman, Mr. Hinkle, Ms. McBrearty, Mrs. Wickard

Learning Support / co-Teachers: Mrs. Decembrino, Mrs. Flesher

Math: Miss Foster, Mrs. Garner, Mrs. Semon, Mr. Venner,

Science: Miss Ashton, Mrs. Guthier, Mrs. Jacoby

Social Studies: Mr. Gluck, Mr. Vandegrift

World Language: Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Dawson, Mrs. Neiman, Mrs. Schopf

[Note – Miss Ashton & Ms. McBrearty are co-team leaders of Team Discoverers]

Important Notes regarding Math & English Classes during the school year:

Math:

In order to remain in the Honors & Accelerated Math track for the following year, a student must earn an 80% or higher average for the current year’s course.

English:

This fall, we will be working on our Families & Memories Unit in English class. During that time, you will create a fabulous Generational Memory Book that will become a keepsake of memories for you to hold onto. During that time, you will be interviewing family members about their past… memories that may or may not involve you personally. You will be asked to talk to three generations of family members… grandparents, parents, and siblings. Don’t worry, if you have what you might consider a unique family structure, this assignment still allows for full participation from all students, keeping in mind the varied circumstances families have. Questions will be answered when we reach this unit. You may also include aunts, uncles, cousins, and/or additional generations beyond the three generations required. AND, naturally, you will include your own memories as well. If you wish, keep this unit in mind as you finish out your summer… you and/or your family members may want to start looking through photos ahead of time. If not, don’t worry! You’ll have two months to do this when we introduce the assignment in November. Again, all family structures work for this Memory Book…and all details and questions will be addressed come November. This is simply a heads up in case you or your families would like to recall memories and look through photographs in advance.