Principal’s Corner from Dr. McCarty

Parents,

Something I always do is read. Whether it is for pleasure or learning, reading is

enjoyable and informative. One of my favorite topics, of course, is the young

adolescent. It is not a secret that middle school can be tough. Children go through

physical, social, and emotional transformations that are astounding. The more we read

and understand this period of growth, the more equipped we are to deal with issues

when they arise. In one of my most recent readings, I encountered the “12 Ways to

Help Your Child Do Well in Middle School (Channing Bete, 2011). I would like to share

five of their ideas with you.

1. Share a positive attitude. Encourage a love of learning in your child by talking about

new things he or she will learn in middle school. Encourage reading of any kind – if

they like it, let them read it. Always encourage them and remind them that everyone

believes in them.

2. Talk about bullying. Learn about the types of bullying – physical, verbal, emotional

and cyber bullying and share that with your children. Learn how to recognize signs that

your child is being bullied – or is bullying others. If you see any, talk to him or her

about it. Report the bullying to the school, as needed. Encourage your child to be an

“active bystander” and tell and adult about any bullying that he/she witnesses too.

3. Talk about peer pressure. Help your child practice way of saying no to negative peer

pressure. Tell your child that peer pressure can be positive too – such as encouraging

someone to be a contributing member of the school community.

4. Teach your child that there is no “normal” and that each and every child is

important and unique – it is what makes them exceptional and special. Oftentimes in

middle school, children try to fit in with what they perceive to be the “everyone.”

Foster their independence and personality – empowerment for young adolescents is

important.

5. Stay connected with your child. Let your child know that he/she is loved and can

always talk to you about anything. Schedule time to spend together. Stay alert for any

problems. If you notice any unusual behaviors, talk to your child about them right

away. Let the school know if you think it could affect them at school. Working

together will truly benefit your child.

This list, like any other regarding young adolescents, does not even get close to

covering the beauty that lies underneath the exterior of a middle school child. Their

growth and development is accelerated and getting to know them better through this

time helps us be better influences.

Dr. McCarty

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, 7130 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043

www.fccps.org/meh 703-720-5700

HUSKY HAPPENINGS

Attendance

School attendance is directly related to

maximum academic achievement and

the development of good habits that

are important in the world of work.

Optimum student attendance is a

cooperative effort, and

parents/guardians and students must

accept the responsibility for good

attendance.

Unexcused Tardiness -When your

child has an unexcused tardy they will

first be given a warning. The second

unexcused tardy will result in an

assigned lunch/recess detention. For a

third unexcused tardy your child will

be assigned after school detention

from 2:30-3:30.

Excused Absences - When your child

has accumulated ten or more days of

excused absences in a school year, we

will hold a conference with you and

request documentation from the doctor

who treated the illness or to discuss

the reasons for the absences.

Unexcused Absences - Five

unexcused absences will be turned

over to the attendance officer. For

further information please refer to

School Board Policy 9.22. Parents will

be notified by phone and mail on the

second day of an unexcused absence.

* Please remember when your

student is going to be absent call the

attendance line preferably as early as

possible . An email, note or phone call

to the teacher does not always find its

way to the office.

703-720-5701

Dear MEH Parents:

Spring brings budgets, basketball (March Mayhem), and business items…

FY12 Budget. As your PTA president, I urge you to become informed about the City budget this year and how

it will impact school funding. After hours of deliberation and many tough choices, the School Board has passed

a budget request from the City for slightly less money than last year. Despite facing approximately one million

dollars in state and federal mandated cost increases and two years of growing student populations, the School

Board was still able to compensate our wonderful staff (albeit minimally). With the City’s budget gap,

however, it is not certain that the ouncil will fully fund the schools’ request. If you are interested in becoming

more involved, please email me and I will connect you with other parents who are actively working to let our

elected representatives how much we appreciate and support our school system.

Mark Your Calendars. I hope you’ll plan on attending our March 9 PTA meeting and parent program on

technology. In order to allow the MEHMS-PTA to fill in some of the budget gap MEHMS staff has been facing

this year, it has been proposed and seconded that the dues will increase next year to $10/staff, $15/individual;

$25/family. We will take a formal vote at this meeting. We will also hear a proposed slate of PTA officers for

next year. If you are interested in serving on the executive committee (president-elect, vice president,

secretary, treasurer) or if you would like to hear more about those roles, please contact the Nominating

Committee chair Debbie Hiscott or any member of the executive committee.

Other dates I hope you will add to your calendar include March Mayhem (March 25), A Night of Reading:

MEHMS Book Fair and PTA Program on Reading (April 9), Barnes & Noble Spring Fling (April 29), Teacher

Appreciation Week (May 9-13), and Family Bingo Night |Final PTA Meeting (May 11).

See You Around MEHMS! I know I’ll see many of you at High School Musical Jr., a highlight of the school

year…and I urge you all to support the PTA in ordering Carolina Blue March Mayhem shirts so that the

students can “blue” the MEHMS staff away as they battle against the MD/TJ team on the courts March 25.

Order forms were emailed to you, but can also be found on the MEHMS and PTA websites.

Best,

Annette Hennessey

annettehennessey@yahoo.com

mehms-pta.webs.com

P T A

Now that we are half way through the school year we have noticed that a few of our young adolescents are getting a

bit restless. Please take a few moments to discuss with your child the importance of making good behavior choices

especially when interacting with their peers.

• Fighting and Horseplay is not permitted in the Falls Church City Schools according to the school board policy on STANDARDS

OF STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES, regulation 9.34. Students participating in this form of

behavior will face disciplinary action.

Electronic Devices

The use of electronic devices are not permitted during the school day. If it is necessary for your child to have a cell phone at school

it must be turned off at all times and placed in their locker before the school day begins. The cell phone may not be retrieved from

the locker until dismissal. The school is not responsible for lost valuables that are brought to school. If you need to contact your

child during school please call the main office at 703-720-5700.

HUSKY HAVEN

COUNSELING CORNER

Counseling groups have been on-going at all grade levels during FleX. Ms. Kenney just finished her study

and organization skills group with the 5th graders and is getting ready to start the Hassle Free Huskies group,

where the focus is on stressbusters. In 6th and 7th grade, Mr. Sowers and Ms. Rittenhouse have been running

Keeping Your Cool groups, where the topic is anger management and students learn tips to manage their

emotions and how to avoid anger or frustration. The next group that will be starting in 6th and 7th grade is

Banana Splits, a group on divorce and separation.

February’s character pillar is Trustworthiness. During FleX students are doing discussions or activities

that tie into honesty, integrity and loyalty. March’s Character Pillar will be Fairness and we will discuss how we

treat others.

We have had an influx of students this month from Cairo who were evacuated. Our students embraced

these new students and welcomed them to our MEH family. We challenge our students to learn from others

experiences.

We want to show our students there are many ways to use their talents and interests in the future.

Please consider volunteering for Career Day to share your job. The career areas that will be represented on

March 17th are: Marketing, Health Sciences; Human Services; Finance; Science, Technology, Engineering &

Mathematics; Transportation, Distribution & Logistics; Government & Public Administration; and Agriculture,

Food & Natural Resources. More information on what jobs are in these career clusters can be found at

www.careerclusters.org. Please contact Elise Kenney, school counselor, at kenneye@fccps.org or 703-720-5706

if you are interested in volunteering.

As I SEA it…From Assistant Principal Jeanne Seabridge

As we all know, pi = 3.14… Which

means March 14 (3/14 on the calendar) is PI

DAY. And the best way to celebrate Pi Day

is with some tasty pies! We are hoping to

have 3 pies per class donated so our stu-

dents can celebrate this fun Math Day. If

you are able to bake or buy a pie to donate,

please contact Ms. Olivia Dengler. She will

coordinate all donations for Pi Day. Thank

you in advance!

Ms. Dengler’s email address:

denglero@fccps.org

Pi DayPi DayPi DayPi Day————

From the Oceans 5 Team

February 2011

Fifth Grade

Sunlight ZoneSunlight ZoneSunlight ZoneSunlight Zone

Estelle Timar-Wilcox

Isaiah Gomez—Saballoz

William Schneider

Nolan Schwefler

Chloe Brown

Aubrey Broxson

Henry Casillas

Delaney Theisz

Kalena Wojtala

Isabella Ashton

Cindy Lay

Michael Curtin

James Caspersonn

Adrian Kamel

The Twilight ZoneThe Twilight ZoneThe Twilight ZoneThe Twilight Zone

Miles Dycaico

Merriweather Gordon

Claire Hiscott

Ben LeBlanc

Albara Hassan

Angela Dilao

Katie Mills

Nathan Sperry

Peyton Williams

The AbyssThe AbyssThe AbyssThe Abyss

Grace Armstrong

Lexi Brooks

Mary Klemic

Herbert Traub

Kaitlyn Bruno

Beverly Dempsey

Cole Cureau

Elizabeth Dodge

Diamond Powell-Alexander

Rebecca Stern

Great Work Star FishGreat Work Star FishGreat Work Star FishGreat Work Star Fish Congratulations to our January/February Star Fish:

A Giving Tree PleaA Giving Tree PleaA Giving Tree PleaA Giving Tree Plea

We Need Glue Sticks and Adult Scissors!We Need Glue Sticks and Adult Scissors!We Need Glue Sticks and Adult Scissors!We Need Glue Sticks and Adult Scissors! We cannot thank you enough for all the generosity you have

shown the 5th grade this year. We are hoping you can help us out

one more time—we have gone through our supply of glue sticks

quickly this year and could really use a second supply of any large

glue sticks you are able to send in. We also need some adult size

scissors. Any help on either front will be greatly appreciated!

=

From the Oceans 5 Team Page 2

In Social Studies...In Social Studies...In Social Studies...In Social Studies...

In Math...In Math...In Math...In Math...

Fractions Are Here!Fractions Are Here!Fractions Are Here!Fractions Are Here!

As we prepare for fractions, we discussed how difficult the fractions unit is be-

cause multiple skills are needed to complete the problems. Students will begin

by learning three things that a fraction can represent. Help your child find ex-

amples of everyday fractions—How much sugar is needed for a recipe? How

does a carpenter need fractions every day?

During the month of March, we will be focusing on the birth of our great nation's government and its

growth during Westward Expansion. Students will learn about how our government became what it is

today and the influential people behind it through interactive lessons. We will then move on to learning

about how the parts of the United States were acquired and what affects it had on the different groups

of people that lived on that land.

Part of a Whole Part of a Measurement Part of a Set

Life of a Private

Friday, February 25

Students will participate in a presentation by

the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation that re-

views information about the Revolutionary War.

The presenters come with a trunk of artifacts

from the Revolutionary war that help students

identify what it would be like to be a soldier in

the Revolutionary War.

From the Oceans 5 Team Page 3

In Language Arts...In Language Arts...In Language Arts...In Language Arts...

Students will begin reading biographies. Students will begin reading biographies. Students will begin reading biographies. Students will begin reading biographies. They will use before, during and after They will use before, during and after They will use before, during and after They will use before, during and after reading strategies learned throughout the reading strategies learned throughout the reading strategies learned throughout the reading strategies learned throughout the year to synthesize the information dis-year to synthesize the information dis-year to synthesize the information dis-year to synthesize the information dis-covered about a famous person. Students covered about a famous person. Students covered about a famous person. Students covered about a famous person. Students will share the information learned with will share the information learned with will share the information learned with will share the information learned with the class in many different formats the class in many different formats the class in many different formats the class in many different formats (notes, discussions, reports, projects, (notes, discussions, reports, projects, (notes, discussions, reports, projects, (notes, discussions, reports, projects, etc.). etc.). etc.). etc.).

Mary Riley Styles Public LibraryMary Riley Styles Public LibraryMary Riley Styles Public LibraryMary Riley Styles Public Library

PresentsPresentsPresentsPresents

The Young People’s Poetry ContestThe Young People’s Poetry ContestThe Young People’s Poetry ContestThe Young People’s Poetry Contest

Two Age Categories: 10101010----13 years 13 years 13 years 13 years and 14141414----18 years18 years18 years18 years

Prizes: Prizes: Prizes: Prizes: 1st Place—$50.00

2nd Place—$35.00

3rd Place—$25.00

4th Place—$10.00

ThemeThemeThemeTheme: “Your Story” - Poems should be based on

some aspect of the author’s life.

DueDueDueDue: Wednesday, March 23 Wednesday, March 23 Wednesday, March 23 Wednesday, March 23 to the youth services de-

partment of Mary Riley Styles Library

**See your classroom teacher for additional details**See your classroom teacher for additional details**See your classroom teacher for additional details**See your classroom teacher for additional details

Writing SOL

March 8 & 9 Tips for Success

• Discuss the importance of testing.

• Make sure your child gets a good night's sleep

before a test, and make sure your child eats

properly the day of a test.

• Maintain a pleasant home environment and avoid

unnecessary conflicts.

• Ensure that your child is present during testing

(children perform better when taking tests in

their groups rather than at a make-up time).

• Wish your child good luck before he or she leaves

for school.

• Tell your child to relax. Just do the best he or

she can.

• Remind your child that first choices are most

often correct and not to change an answer unless

there is a good reason.

• Be aware of key words such as "all," "now,"

"always," "never," "only," "exactly."

• In multiple choice questions the longest answer

should be considered, since test writers want to

be sure the correct answer is accurate.

• When two answers are opposites, one of them is

often correct.

• Watch for negative words like "not," "no,"

"never."

• Look for information in some of the questions.

This information may help you answer other ques-

tions..

2010-2011 Page 4

In Science...In Science...In Science...In Science...

We celebrated an abnormally warm Val-

entine’s Day with cards, treats, and

VALENTINGO! Students once again visited the

Island of Naked Babies and competed for the

treasures that can be found on its mysterious

shores. And, as always, one lucky 5th grader

won a beloved naked baby. Congratula-

tions, Jovanna Blum!

We Try It, You Try We Try It, You Try We Try It, You Try We Try It, You Try

It!It!It!It! We now know that prisms are excellent for

refracting light and showing us the colors of

visible light that make up white light. Can you

find other objects at home that also refract

light and create a

rainbow?

___________________

___________________

Check This Out!

Can you see the but-

terfly in the drop of

water? How is it we

can see the that im-

age so clearly? The

drop of water is re-

fracting the light and

acting as a magnify-

ing glass. Pretty cool

science!

Light and sound are on the minds of 5th graders these

days. We are exploring these two very different forms

of energy. One of them needs a medium to transfer

energy. Another one can travel where this is no matter.

One uses transverse waves. The other uses compression

waves. As we explore the characteristics of light and

sounds, students should also be able to tell you the dif-

ferent characteristics that make each unique.

LIGHT SOUND

Sra. Barry y Sra. Stigall

6to grado

In January, the students learned the conjugation and use of the verbs “Ir”,

“Jugar” and regular verbs ending in “–AR.” The students learned about the

influence of Spanish-speakers on places in the United States. The focus was

on Texas, a state with Spanish influence. We studied songs by Selena, a

singer of Hispanic heritage.

This month we were and we are busy preparing

our project describing ourselves using

adjectives, likes, dislikes, the verb Querer,

weather and the verbs “ir” and “jugar”. We

changed the format of the project this year,

before we used the format of a baseball card.

This year we are going to present as a video,

using pictures and reading in Spanish. We will

use the website Photo Story. Mr. Sparrgrove is

helping us with technology tricks. Next week

we will start recording the voice for the project to finish this documentary

“Todo sobre mí”.

Next month we will start reviewing school supplies, and school classes,

Chapter 4 of our book.

What’s Happening in 7th grade… Language Arts (Mrs. Hamilton) In this brand new quarter, students are focused on the theme of courage, throughout literature, in-cluding and especially nonfiction, which is more difficult for most students to comprehend than fic-tion. Through biographies, personal essays, the newspaper, and magazine articles, students are learning to separate fact from personal opinion, as well as how to use the way writing is organized to guide themselves logically through the author’s ideas. Students are finishing their first novel of the quarter and will be reading three additional novels. Their own writing has focused on how to determine the mood they want the reader to feel, and the tools they need to create it. By the way, If reading the newspaper is part of your day, I hope you will consider sharing articles with your chil-dren, a useful tool for civics as well as language arts. Have a lovely spring!

(Mrs. Ritchie) (Mr. Dippold and Mrs. Korte)

We finished up Q2 with our big 5 para-graph essay with supports from the texts. Students worked 2 full weeks on this as-signment. We discussed utopias and dystopias as seen through a variety of character's eyes. Q3 the theme is cour-age. Specifically, we are focused on read-ing novels about different cultures. Through the characters in the novels, we are working toward a deeper level on em-pathy for people who are different in some way. We will do some research on countries around the world and share our finding in group discussions and book talks. We will also read folktales from many lands. In writing, we will focus on the editing process and how to incorpo-rate strong, descriptive words into our paragraphs.

Students have been studying either The Giver or The Westing Game and completing assignments to understand the major themes. Students will be writ-ing a 5 paragraph essay by analyzing the major ideas of each of the books. Students will be studying poetry and the theme of courage in the upcoming weeks. We will also work on specific skills such as inferring and drawing conclusions from the text. (Ms. Wilkie)

We are focusing on the concept of Courage. Along with various short stories, students have a choice of 3 different books to read: "Night", "Three Cups of Tea", "The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky." They will choose a character from their readings and develop a Scrapbook from that character's point of view. Along with each entry, they will write a journal entry (using the format for paragraph writing). The journals will highlight coura-geous moments in the character's life from that point of view.

Foreign Language French (Ms. Schumann)

French students are learning how to express likes and dislikes. We are currently focusing on what students like to do outside of school, including leisure activities. Students are learning how to offer, accept, and turn down invitations. We are also beginning to study être (to be) and negation. In early March, we will be celebrating Mardi Gras.

Spanish 71A (Ms. Taylor and Ms. Stigall)

After the midterm exam, students learned how to give affirmative commands in Spanish. They used this skill to read a recipe written in Spanish and prepare it in class. The stu-dents really enjoyed the tostones or fried plantains they prepared. Students are now learning to describe healthy habits and personal routines. They will then combine this vocabulary with words and phrases needed when visiting a doctor.

Spanish 71B (Ms. Stigall, Ms. Taylor)

The students have been describing family members and celebrations. This will culminate at the end of the chapter with an in-depth ob-servation of a Quinceañera in México. We also had a guest speaker come to our classes this month. Señora Caray, a teacher from Uruguay, came to our classes to talk to us about her country in Spanish. After we finish the quinceañera study, the stu-dents will begin to describe their bedrooms and homes.

Mathematics (Ms. Smith and Ms. White)

Math 7 students have been hard at work learning about integers: positive and negative numbers. Now, we are learning the difference between expressions and equations, along with how to solve 1-step and 2-step equations. Then it is on to inequalities, such as “My allowance should be at least $10 per week.” Can you translate that statement into a sym-bolic inequality? Pre Algebra students are finishing their study of Real Numbers and the Pythagorean Theorem. Ask your student to describe the Pythagorean Theorem or to tell how to sim-plify a radical number! Next, students will begin studying lines and linear equations, along with transformations in the coordinate plane. Algebra I students are wrapping up their study of Systems of Linear Equations and Lin-ear Inequalities. Next, they learn to work with polynomials and their uses in solving

complex problems. But, first they will learn to simplify and expand the polynomials. After polynomials comes the quadratic equation! Please share your quadratic equation memo-ries with your algebra student!

Civics (Mrs. Hamilton, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Dippold)

The students did an outstanding job on their political party projects! The guest visitors and teachers were impressed with the problems identified, possible solu-tions and research that they conducted to implement the ideas. Some of the winning projects include a unique spirit week, a school mural, raising money for the outdoor classroom, a salad bar at lunch, Dominos, carpets to decrease the water that is tracked into the school and breakfast before school. For the past few weeks, students have been studying Early American History documents and the U.S. Constitution. In March, students will be studying the Judicial Branch unit. Stu-dents will attend a field trip to the U.S. Capitol or Ar-lington Courthouse / Jail, and parents who are lawyers will be speaking to the entire grade and helping the students with their mock trial presentations.

Science

(Ms. Johnson)

We’ve fully immersed ourselves into the study of living things. Students have witnessed first hand the life cycle of the darkling beetle and the Brassica rapa plant (also known as Wisconsin Fast Plants). We’ve established our own freshwater aquatic ecosystem and unfortunately have learned just how fragile the system can be. We’ve studied about the interactions between living things. Thanks to the Animal Planet, we learned all about various “odd couples”. Students are currently learning about food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids and will be dissecting an owl pellet (also known as owl barf) to see how energy flows through an ecosystem. We will be concluding this unit with a project. Students will be given a range of choices from making a diorama to designing their own zoo.

Our next unit is cells. We will review cell structures and functions. We’ll do a number of experiments as we study cell processes like diffusion, osmosis, photosynthesis, and

respiration.

(Mrs. Ritchie)

We finished up the biodiversity unit by presenting our research projects. Q3 we embark on a study of cells. We will cover: cell replication, the organelles and their role in the cell, cell processes and current cell research. We bring out the microscopes this quarter. In addition, we continue to manage the fish tank ecosystem. And we will be starting our veggie seedlings in a few weeks.

From the

Encore Team February 2011

Husky Happenings

Mary El len

Henderson Middle

School

Band classes for 6th and 5th graders are studying music concepts found in their method books and spring concert music. The 6th grade band attended an Army Band rehearsal on the morning of February 15. 7th grade band students have the following required Monday rehearsals: Feb. 28 from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. which includes PIZZA; March 7, 2:30 – 4 p.m. These are required attendance in preparation for the 7th grade band’s required participation in the VA District 10 Band Performance Assessment on the eve-ning of Friday, March 11. Details and permis-sion forms will be sent home soon. Any band students wishing to participate in Solo and En-semble Festival on Saturday, April 30, should be checking on possible solo or ensemble music now. The forms and fees

are due to Mrs. Jenkins by March 10.

Please remember that practice records are due each week. Contact

Mrs. Jenkins to set up before or after-school help for any instrument.

7th Gr. General Music has been and is continuing to work on music

pitch notation through the playing of hand chimes.

Band & 7th Grade General Music •

Mrs. Jenkins

5th – We have been concentrating on sharpening our senses by play-ing sensory theatre games. We have read the script for Jungle Book, and discussed characterization and completed character puzzles and a set for the Jungle Book. We will be learning choreography for three of

the songs.

6th - We are exploring pantomime by exaggerating our body gestures and facial expressions. We’ve

created “silly clown walks” and solo pantomimes. We have started to look at the “elements of humor.” We will be learning about clowning and designing make-up and costumes as well as creating

skits.

7th – We have learned about and demonstrated good staging princi-ples and blocking. We have listened to and moved to music from The Phantom of the Opera. We are discussing the elements of melo-drama and will perform a “spoof” on Phantom of the Opera as well

as an other melodrama, “Polly Pureheart”.

Theater • Mrs. Piscopo

5th and 6th Grade General Music classes have been working on reading rhythm patterns. 6th grade will explore how music has im-pacted social change throughout history, and 5th grade will begin study-

ing the musical traditions of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Choir classes for all grades are working toward the FCCPS Pyramid Concert on Wednesday, March 23rd at 7:30 p.m. in the GMHS Audi-torium. 7th grade chorus students are preparing for VA District 10 Per-formance Assessment on the evening of Friday, March 18. Details

and permission forms will be sent home soon.

Please check out my website for pictures, handouts, etc.

www.msglassmusic.com.

Chorus & General Music • Ms. Glass

Ms. Baird’s 7th grade students have studied the artists, Pablo Picasso, and Norman Rockwell so far this quarter. They finished a project in Picasso’s style of Cubism that also reviewed value study and color. Then the classes viewed and discussed “The Four Freedoms”, a series of paintings by Rockwell, imagined themselves as a character in one of the paint-ings and wrote a paragraph describing what had hap-pened either before, during or after the time of the painting. Next they selected a word from their para-graph that described something about the painting and used it in a design. In doing the second project they reviewed reading and measuring with a rule as well as color, pattern, and unity. They have started a new project using positive and negative

shape in a pencil drawing.

Her 6th grade students have studied the artist, Henri Matisse. They did a collage project in Matisse’s cut out style and that focused on their name and symbols of their interests for the design. They cut these from construction paper without drawing anything first, much like Matisse did for his collages. They will review measuring and using a

compass to create their next project which is a radial design.

The 5th grade classes will be studying and discussing Vincent van Gogh’s painting of his bedroom. Then they will create drawings of their own bedroom in van Gogh’s style and add thick color to mimic his paint brush strokes. The classes have also expressed their interests in symbols and created their “Logos” as their first project. We will begin an arts integration unit that studies five Native American nations and create paper weavings in colors that represent the regions where these tribes lived. They will also learn about symbols that are associ-

ated with each nation.

Ms. Baird’s second quarter classes’ art work is on display in the main hall-

way. Please take a few minutes to enjoy!

The PE department would like to remind you that you should be see-ing your child’s uniform at home periodically for a thorough cleaning. You may also buy a second uniform at any time throughout the year to help you with this issue. Also, if your child wears snow boots or dress shoes to school please remind them to have their sneakers for PE class. We are finishing our fitness station activity and are about to begin a team sports unit.

Art • Ms. Baird

P.E. & Health • Ms. Atkinson & Mr.

Coffren

Fifth grade students have been busy working on a variety of things. We have studied dates (days of the week and months), the weather, and activities they like and don’t like to do during each season. In the upcoming months we will focus on using adjectives and intro-ducing them to the verb Ser (which means ‘to be’). Ask your Husky if they can tell you

what the weather is like today en español.

Spanish • Sra. Barry & Sra. Taylor

From the

Encore Team February 2011

Husky Happenings

Mary El len

Henderson Middle

School

5th Grade Business and Information Technologies: During 3rd mark-ing period the students have been working on Type to Learn 4 to perfect their keyboarding skills. This program reinforces keyboarding skills through fun interactive games. Type to Learn 4 is web-based and can be accessed from home. The website is http://ttl4.sunburst.com/downloads/. The access code is 108561. Only students that have had the Keyboarding course will have access at this time. The login username and password is the same as the student’s com-puter login at school. During the first part of our class the students learned how computers affect our lives, we also learned about input devices, the parts of the computer and internet safety. The students have started to create a poster about them-selves using Microsoft WORD. For the rest of the quarter the students will explore all of the tools and features of WORD that are not traditionally used. Students will also work on creating

a Resume, how to write a letter and how to create return address labels.

6th grade: During the 3rd marking period the students have learned the nature of technology by creating different types of paper planes and the measured the distances and speed of their planes. They also learned about construction by building a tower and by creating a bridge. For the rest of the quarter the students will learn about communication technology by creating a video and we will also explore manufacturing, biotechnology, transportation and how to design and problem solve. Student will also

work on creating a solar car.

7th grade: In 7th grade the students have to learn about different careers. They have finished there orientation there first module. Some of the mod-ules consist of our students learning about different careers like Rocket Science, Forensic Science, Alternative Energy, Graphic Communication, Biotechnology, Engines, Digital Design, Flight and many more. They are being introduced to many careers working hands on in our great lab. They will continue to learn about the environmental impacts caused by technol-ogy. Some will experience the flight simulator while others learned how

robots work or how to work on an engine.

FACS 7: Students have ventured into the realm of cooking snacks. They have created delicious and healthy Frozen Fruit Smoothies as well as quick and easy Meatball Mini Bites. We will soon visit what breakfast means, why we shouldn’t skip this important meal, and how to make a balanced breakfast meal. In the coming weeks we will con-

tinue to cook dishes that represent the meals of a day as well as sprinkling in a few tastes tests here and there and some table

etiquette practice as well.

FACS 6: Students are all squared away with how to use the career modules on the computers. They are now exploring a career topic of their choice, where they are learning about the different skills and knowledge needed for that particular career. As they continue their exploration, they will dabble in activities that relate to the topic of study. Some of these activities may include: finding out the correct way to brush your teeth, budget-ing a vacation, creating muffins, taking care of life size babies, de-signing and decorating a dream bedroom, and creating a child’s

toy-- just to name a few.

FACS 5: Team building is one of the fundamental skills that the students will learn as they go through life. They are able to ex-plore what team building really means through a series of group activities. They will apply these skills in later units where in groups they will need to design their own planet and plan what to bring with them in order to survive in the planet’s harsh condi-tions. They will also be given the opportunity to explore what needs, wants, and values are as well as budgeting for their needs and wants. As the quarter progresses, students will begin to un-derstand what a career is and how to go about choosing what

they would like to become when they are older.

Family & Consumer Sciences • Ms.

Doolittle

More

Technology Education • Mr. Samuels

Arts Integration in Action

Please make sure to check out what the Encore team has been do-ing for our Arts Integration initiative. Ms. Baird recently taught her students about Georgia O’Keefe, and Mrs. Piscopo’s class learned the song “Herbert Hoover” from Annie. See the cool finished prod-

ucts here: https://sites.google.com/a/fccps.org/arts-integration/