Pickle Ball Champs

Congratulations to Ryan and Johnny, the 2013 Pickle Ball Champs!

Attention Algebra Connections Students

Upon the remaining days of school before our Christmas Vacation, students are reminded that we will have a series of four quizzes (December 9, 11,13,17) pertaining to our Algebra unit. With two full weeks remaining, prepare to finish strong!

Science Guest Expert

The Spartan team would like to thank former Spartan, Jared, for taking time out of his busy high school schedule to talk with the current Spartans about the whitetail deer.  Jared is a member of the Wildlife Leadership Academy.   He shared many interesting hands-on materials and provided a wealth of knowledge on the life cycle, behavior, and genetics of Pennsylvania's state mammal.

Language Arts Update

Spartans have been reading nonfiction articles in class.  We are concluding "Spartan Shark Week" and will be reading some nonfiction articles about the Black Death.

We are also starting a new class novel, Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie.  We will be reading the novel over the next month.

In December, we will prepare for the holidays by reading a drama, an adaptation of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol.

Yearbook Sale

The 2013-14 yearbook sale is going on now.  Spartans received yearbook order forms in homebase this morning.  Students can purchase a yearbook for the 2013-14 school year for $26.00 (cash only).  Interested students should bring the completed order form and money to homebase on Tuesday, October 15th.  Yearbooks can also be purchased online using the following link.

http://www.jostens.com/apps/shop/yrbk_catalog.asp?cid=183306&pfid=2013090904152862358&affiliateId=1045510

Student Council "Team Canon-Mac" Tee Shirt Sale

Attention Spartans: the CMS Student Council will be selling "Team Canon-Mac" tee shirts.  The cost is $15.00, and the proceeds benefit the Young Women's Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.  Forms will be distributed on Monday, October 7th and should be returned to homebase teachers no later than Friday, October 11th.

Spartan Tee-shirt Collection

Spartan Tee-shirts over the years

Fit Day

Spartan students participated in CMS's annual 7th Grade Fit Day.  

Here are some photos from the activities at the stadium.

7th and 8th Grade Activity Night

Spartans are invited to attend a 7th and 8th grade Activity Night on September 27th at the High School.  Students who signed up to attend the event in homebase this week will receive their tickets next week.  We look forward to a great night!

Seventh Grade Fit Day

Seventh Grade Fit Day is a scheduled for Friday, September 27th.  On this day, Spartans will participate in group fitness activities instead of having class.  Weather permitting, each homebase will walk down to the stadium for a morning of activities prepared by the Fit Day Committee.  After a healthy lunch back at CMS, the Spartan team will rotate through informational sessions about healthy living.  We are looking forward to a great day with our Spartans!

Language Arts: September

 Students will focus on literary elements during September in language arts.

We began the month by completing a project entitled Story of Me.  This project was a booklet of biographical information that connected personal details with literary elements such as character, conflict, and foreshadowing.

After spending some time reviewing the literary elements in class, students took a test on the material and are ready to start applying the information while reading short stories in their textbooks.  Textbooks will be distributed this week in class and can be accessed online at my.hrw.com.

Additionally, students have been reading the novel Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.  Each week or so, a set of chapters is assigned with a review activity.  Time is given at the beginning of each period to read silently, work on the review activity, and see Mrs. Wright with any questions.  We spend time in class discussing the novel on the due dates.  By the end of the month, students should be almost finished reading the novel.

Picture Day

Picture Day is scheduled for Thursday, September 19, 2013.  Spartans should bring in completed order forms that day and give their orders directly to the photographer.  All students should plan to get pictures taken on Thursday even if they are not ordering photos.

English book is now accessible online

Your Spartan English text (the yellow book) is now accessible online!  You were provided your username and password in Language Arts class, and that information is the same for English.

You can go to:  www.myhrw.com to access either of these books.

Spartan Tee-shirt Sale

The Spartan team is holding a tee-shirt sale to support our team and show school pride.  Forms will be sent home on September 3, 2013.  Completed order forms and money should be returned to homebase teachers by Friday, September 13, 2013.

Welcome!

The Spartan team would like to welcome our 2013-14 Spartans!  We look forward to a great year together!  Please check our blog for team information, classroom highlights, and student achievements throughout the year.

Twin Day

Spartans got a double dose of fun on Twin Day!

Aviary Visit

Spartans enjoyed a visit from the Aviary on Friday, May 3rd as part of our Endangered Species Unit.  Here, Mrs. Drakeley and Aidan pose with an African penguin named Elvis.  Meeting the birds was a great experience (but, sadly, Elvis has left the building)!

Spartans of the Month: April

Congratulations to Dedra and Aidan, selected as Spartans of the Month for April.

Cross-curricular Unit: Endangered Species

Spartans students are investigating endangered species as part of a cross-curricular unit. 

In English class, students are writing a research paper that focuses on one endangered animal. 

All Spartans wrote a performance task about the burrowing owl in language arts and currently are reading the novel Hoot to discover how the characters in the book take action to save this endangered animal.

In Science, students are studying the reasons that species become endangered and threatened.  In the upcoming weeks, they will give an informal presentation about their discoveries.

7th Grade In-House Field Trip

Spartans will attend a special presentation by the Pittsburgh Aviary on Friday, May 3, 2013.  This will be a culminating experience for our cross-curricular unit on Endangered Species.  

Spartan Team T-Shirt Day 3/8/13

Hey Spartans!  Don't forget to wear your team T-shirts (or a blue and gold shirt) tomorrow 3/8/13! 

Digging Deeper: Genetics

Spartans, while our class time with genetics has ended, those of you who enjoyed the topic are encouraged to explore the website we used in class:

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/

Let me know if you find anything you'd like to discuss further!

During this morning's Olweus Classroom Meeting, students talked about how cyber bullying can be hurtful because we often say things online that we wouldn't say in person.

Our 8th grade student leaders challenged the students to say something nice about the person next to them while passing around a ribbon.  Everyone held on to the ribbon as it passed.  Then, they were challenged to say something nice about anyone in the room, therefore making a criss-cross of the ribbon throughout the room.

When everyone had received two compliments, the ribbon was cut.  Each student got to keep a piece to remind themselves about the nice compliments that they received.  They are encouraged to look at this piece of ribbon whenever they are feeling down and need a boost.

Great job, Spartan students!