We’re on the home stretch to the end of the year already, wow! These next few weeks are about to fly by!
7th and 8th grades finished Farewell to Manzanar this week and are beginning their final language arts project of the year. 7th grade is writing an argumentative letter from the point of view of Jeanne Wakatsuki, the main character of the memoir. 8th grade has the freedom to choose their topic and medium for their final argumentative project for Farewell to Manzanar. These projects will be due on May 31st (a week after portfolio presentations), and will be the last graded assignment.
5th and 6th grades will finish Number the Stars next week, and their final project will be assigned then as well. In the meantime, 5th grade has been working with expanding/reducing sentences and figurative language. Students also compared three versions of Little Red Riding Hood this past week, as we discussed folk tales, fairy tales, and mythology. While 6th grade has been gone, 5th graders had a chance to study the ancient Indian epic, “The Bhagavad-Gita” and the ancient Chinese tale of “Mulan, the Woman Warrior” in Ancient Civilizations.
In US History, students finished up their War of 1812 Peace Conference and moved into the Era of Good Feelings. We will be wrapping up the Antebellum period within the week. The last few weeks of Language Arts will be a study of Civil War literature and will tie into US History.
8th grade portfolio presentations are just a few short weeks away! Students have now received a detailed outline for their presentation, and should be working on their trifold board and finishing up their binder at home. The portfolio is due on Friday, May 18th, a week before the presentation. The days leading up to the Presentation (beginning the week of May 21st) students will practice their full presentation in preparation.
8th Grade Graduation Week Events:
Monday, 6/4 – 8th grade potluck and volleyball game vs. parents (12pm-end of day)
Tuesday, 6/5 – Last day of school for 8th graders, 8th grade graduation dinner (see invitation)
Wednesday, 6/6 – Graduation mass at 4pm, graduation ceremony at 5pm
Reminders:
Friday, 5/25: 8th grade portfolio presentations
Monday, 5/28: Memorial Day no school
Friday, 6/1: Early dismissal, sports awards, all middle school dance
Tuesday, 6/5: 8th grade graduation dinner (evening, see invitation)
Wednesday, 6/6: 8th grade graduation (4pm), early dismissal
Thursday, 6/7: Early dismissal
Friday, 6/8: Last day of school! Mass and 10am dismissal- no extension