Week 1 Update

Team Updates

Agendas: Please check your student's agenda every night! Academics in all classes are in full swing, so students should be doing homework and studying every night.  Some classes even had quizzes this week! It's the responsibility of all students to do the homework practice and come to class prepared. 

Grade Book:  Our rosters are not yet set in X2, so we ask that you bear with us for a few more days. It's most important that the rosters are accurate before we enter grades, as there is risk of data loss if we adjust rosters after entering data.  We will let everyone know as soon as we are all set.  Thank you for your patience with this delay.

Our First Week

What a wonderful start to the new school year! Badger students were engaged in exciting team building activities and accomplished a great deal during just three days!  We teachers were excited to meet everyone and get this year started.  Here's a quick recap of our accomplishments... 

• Agendas: every student was issued an agenda to use DAILY for assignments
• Google Classroom: students have signed into their Math Science and Social Studies classes! Literacy and English are coming this week!
• Lockers: everyone should have one, so be sure to use them!
• Passports: every student was provided with a special composition book which is used to create and track students' personal goals.  The team will refer to these throughout the year to track grades, goals, and behavior.  Students should keep them in their bags at all times. 
• Teachers: students have meet all their teachers! 
• Team Building: throughout the week teachers handed out classroom expectations, we discussed team expectations and we did some fun team building!  See below!

Tarp Flip Challenge

Inspirational Messages

Jenga!

Tarp Flip Challenge

Human Tic Tac Toe

Get ready ... This next week we hit the ground running.  All classes will start teaching  curriculum, so sharpen those pencils,  we're hittin' the books!

Welcome Badgers

Welcome to The Badger Team! 

You have just a few weeks to prepare to be a seventh grade student! The Badger Team teachers are all very excited to meet you, and hope that you’re excited to be a seventh grader! 7th grade is very different from 6th grade - are you ready for the adventure? 

SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST: Don't forget to stock up on pencils, erasers, and pens

Math - Composition notebook, two pocket folder, pencils

Literacy - 1" three-ring binder, 5 dividers, 3" x 5" index cards, and compact storage case

Science - 1" three-ring binder, loose leaf paper, ear buds

English - 1" three-ring binder, 5 dividers, loose leaf paper

Social Studies - two spiral bound notebooks

Team - composition notebook

Optional: scientific calculator, markers (or Sharpies), colored pencils, crayons, colored pens,  Post-it Tabs, and highlighters

**Reminder - you need three 1" binders, one large binder will not work! 

FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH:

For the first time this year, your parents can apply for free and reduced lunch online! Once completed applications are submitted, you will receive confirmation in ten days to three weeks. 

Online Application 

Questions about the Federal Lunch Program can be directed to Doreen Burgess, Food Services Administrative Coordinator, at (603) - 589 - 8599.

MIND REBOOT: 

Get your brains back in action! Here are some ideas to get you thinking again.

• Read a book (or ten)
• Practice your math facts, print free worksheets and try them out
• Review your notes from last year
• Work on your handwriting or color
• Type a letter to a teacher you'll miss this year
• Start waking up earlier 
• Think of three habits to improve as a student this year 
• Complete 5 random acts of kindness for your family or the community

Weekly Update #37 (last one)!

A special message to the team:

Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart for your thoughtfulness, preparation, and planning of a surprise baby shower for our newest badger, Chase.  The thoughtful gifts were hugely appreciated and will certainly get put to great use (I can't wait to dress Ava and Chase in their Wisconsin Badger gear)!  The cakes were tasty, the decorations were vibrant, and the entire event was just perfect.  I especially loved the baby advice from all of my students.  They certainly brought a smile and a laugh to my face!  There are no words to express how grateful I am!  

Thank you, thank you, thank you ALL!

With gratitude,

Mrs. McGuire     

Class Updates

Social Studies: 

Science:   Have a wonderful summer everyone.  It was a great year learning about living things!  

Literacy:  You DID it!  You learned 158 Latin roots.  You figured out the answer to the omnivore's dilemma.  You found a really obscure place to visit, saved a species, and became expert presenters. What's really important is that you learned that thinking is really hard work!  Keep thinking, keep reading, keep learning.  I hope that you all had as much fun learning as I had teaching!  Congratulations, 8th Graders!  Make us proud!  ~ Mrs. Simeone

English:  Badgers! Summer is SO close!  This week marks our last couple days together.  It has been a pleasure teaching you this year.  Your reading, writing, speaking, listening, and communication skills have blossomed over the course of the year, and I am so proud of you ALL!  I will miss you next year, but I promise to stop by and visit with our newest baby badger, Chase.  Enjoy every second of your summer - you deserve it!!!  ~Mrs. McGuire

Math: Have a great summer!

Team Activity

Here is the link for the activity that the jellyfish class started today.  Have fun!

http://hattifant.com/empowering-endless-cards/

Weekly Update #36

Protect our Endangered Species!

Team Updates

The Badgers have spent lots of time this year working in our wonderful library.  Mrs. Sand, our incredible Librarian, has build a fantastic website for our PMS library, and works tirelessly to support our students by supporting the teachers in our building.  She's an incredible asset to our school, and we are most appreciative of all that she does to make our learning experiences more valuable. Click here to check out the Library's Stats! 

Garden Needs: Badger team is revamping the garden here at Pennichuck.  As you prepare to do your own spring clean up work at your homes, consider making a donation to our team!  We are looking for the following items in good working condition:

• bow rakes 
• metal shovels 
• a wheel barrow
• cultivators and/or hoes (hand or standing)
• trowels

Please no: pitchforks or sickles!

Many hands make light work, so the goal is to have lots of tools to be used by lots of young, energized students!

Class Updates

Social Studies: Summer is almost here! Next week we will wrap up our performance task on the Renaissance Man and take a look at World Religions. Take some time this weekend to review your notes on the Renaissance Man to ensure that you're ready to finish your essay Monday.

Science:   We are looking forward to the Endangered Species Campaign Presentations next week.  Please remember to do your homework this weekend for our "project" next week.  Clip, Clip, Clip!!

Endangered Species Campaign

Literacy:   Students have become great slogan writers, and have learned many fantastic technology skills!  They should practice their presentations this weekend for an audience!  They should be sure to speak in a clear voice, with great volume, and remember that they should avoid the words LIKE and UMMMMMMM!  Practice, and don't forget the Grand Finale Clipping Project for Literacy.  Ask your students about this!

English: We have officially finished reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer!  Many students have already returned their books back to Mrs. McGuire, but there are still some missing.  Please remember to bring them back to school so they may be collected!  This upcoming week is the last FULL week of school, and students will be busy!  In English, Badgers will be taking their end-of-year Cornerstone assessment, working on their e-portfolios in the computer lab, and finishing their district writing reflections. 

Math: We have finished with our instruction for the percent unit.  Reminder that a practice test and a task card review set is located on Google Class!  The final test for the year is on Wednesday June 14th come prepared.

Weekly Update #35

Team Updates

Seacoast Science Center Trip:  We could not have had a more glorious day to be at the rocky shore of the Granite State!  It was sunny, cloudless, warm and breezy.  We were all very proud of our students who behaved like great representatives of Pennichuck Middle School.  Be sure to ask your students to share the highlights of their experiences!  Many thanks to our wonderful chaperones, who were so willing to climb on the rocks, and help our students have an enjoyable day.  We are most appreciative of your time and attentiveness.  We hope that you enjoyed spending a lovely day with your children and their friends in this extended classroom!   

Garden Needs: Badger team is revamping the garden here at Pennichuck.  As you prepare to do your own spring clean up work at your homes, consider making a donation to our team!  We are looking for the following items in good working condition:

• bow rakes 
• metal shovels 
• a wheel barrow
• cultivators and/or hoes (hand or standing)
• trowels

Please no: pitchforks or sickles!

Many hands make light work, so the goal is to have lots of tools to be used by lots of young, energized students!

Silver Knights Field Trip: The Badger team will be attending the Silver Knights field trip at Holman Stadium on Tuesday, June 6th from 10-2:30 PM.  

Class Updates

Social Studies: Next week we will wrap up our unit on the Renaissance. Students should study and organize their notes over the weekend as they will have a Mastery Assessment on Monday and then will start their final Performance Task on Friday. Busy times are ahead but summer is near!

Science:   Next week in science, students will be researching their endangered species and preparing a presentation.  Use the link below for resources and project directions.  This is an interdisciplinary project with Literacy.  Ask your students at the end of the week to practice presenting it to you.  We can't wait to see the presentations!

Endangered Species Campaign

Literacy: As Mrs. Tino has said, next week is all about the Save a Species Campaign project.  Every Badger student will be afforded two full class periods per day to research, using technology as well as print materials from the library!  Certainly, those who are truly committed to the project will continue their work at home!  We are expecting the projects to be of exemplary quality!  

English: It's a very busy week in English! Students will be submitting their creative writing projects tomorrow, as well as taking their last vocabulary quiz!  We're also going to read the last five chapters of the book.  Perfect timing!  Over the weekend, Badgers were assigned reading homework; they should ALL be on chapter 31 by tomorrow!  We still have much to do before the year ends!  

Math: The Markup/Markdown quiz has been changed to Monday.  Please be sure to come prepared. There are extra practice pages and instruction videos posted on my Google Class. We will be covering our last topic, simple interest at the end of the week.  The year isn't over yet!  There will be a test on our Percent unit June 14th!