Welcome to the...

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Welcome to the...
RED HOT CHILIS
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Kids Suggestions for Tonights Format
assign them our homework for the rest of the
year
play some game
have them copy the whole textbook
tell them lunch is HK100 per day
give them a hard quiz
dont say anything and see what happens
tell them how good weve been and that were
all getting As
tell them we are your best class ever
give them food - lots!
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8th Grade Philosophy
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Because 8th Graders...

• have a strong sense of justice
• need to be accepted and trusted
• seek to balance their willingness to take risks
  with their fear of embarrassment
• struggle with being dependent v. independent
• allow self identity and friendships to drive
  their lives

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We will...

• get to know each student as a person and will
  strive to connect with every student
• endeavor to connect all students with the
  curriculum
• provide guidelines but allow for flexibility and
  choice
• acknowledge and celebrate similarities and
  differences

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And, we will...

• set clear expectations with consequences
• be fair and consistent
• allow for open communication
• provide a safe environment to support risk taking

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Pastoral Care
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This year, we want to help your child

• feel successful and proud of his or her 8th
  grade year
• reflect on his or her strengths and areas to
  improve
• have a balanced lifestyle.
• be confident he or she will do well in high
  school.

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Team activities

• Team name, logo and t-shirt
• Hikes
• Community Service Projects
• Red Hot Chili gatherings
• Red Hot Chili web page

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Homeroom Program

• Peer Skills program
• Devotions
• Homeroom dinners
• PEAK groups

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PEAK 2004-2005
Based on challenging oneself and building peer
skills
October 25-29
Kong - Dragonfly Wible Chan - Outward
Bound Sparrow - Paradigm
PEAK Parent Night - September 16, 700, Black Box
Theater
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Common Expectations
Focus for the year is RESPECT...
for Self
for School
for Others
for the Environment
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Common Consequences
warnings in class
Teacher instigated discipline, parents contacted
Referral to Dr. Chan
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Academics
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To foster success, we

• recognize that each child is unique, with
  different strengths and areas to improve.

• are clear in our expectations,
  giving rubrics which clearly outline all of
  the requirements
  for an assignment

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To foster success, we

• explore each topic thoroughly, giving students
  information during a mini-lesson, then having
  them practice what they learned through small
  assignments or classroom activities that will
  lead to the completion of the final project
• model the process and use high quality examples

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To foster success, we

• use a variety of teaching methods

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To foster success, we

• use a variety of materials

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To foster success, we

• review the assignment throughout the process
• ask students to evaluate how they feel they
  performed

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Homework Policy

• Homework is always written on the white board
  at the front of the room
• Approximately 1 1/2 hours should be spent on
  Core subject homework
• Students who are missing an assignment will
  email home immediately

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Homework Policy

• Missing assignments need to be submitted the
  next day - if not, the student will need to stay
  in at lunch or after school to complete the
  assignment
• Points are not deducted for late work - instead,
  consistent late work will be reflected in the
  Effort Rubric on the report card

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If there is a problem with the computer / printer

• It is the students responsibility to contact us
  prior to class!

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If there is a problem with the computer / printer

• Remind your child to save after every paragraph
  or answer.
• Keep extra printer cartridges available.
• Have your child e-mail us the assignment.
• For shorter assignments, have your child write
  it by hand.

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Reporting Student Progress

• Grades will indicate a students level of
  performance in the class.
• Grades will be based on indicators instead of
  percentages.
• Descriptions of what each grade means have been
  shared with students, appear in the classrooms,
  will be used in student self-reflections and will
  be published on the front of the report card.

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Reporting Student Progress
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Reporting Student Progress

• Instead of a 1, 2, or 3, effort will be reported
  using an effort rubric.
• On the report card, an Effort Rubric will be
  completed for each class.
• The Effort Rubric has been shared with students,
  appears in the classrooms, and will be used in
  student self-reflections.

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Reporting Student Progress
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Reporting Student Progress

• The Middle School is moving to a more
  descriptive, comprehensive reporting system which
  can lead to improved student learning.
• The system has two kinds of reporting
• Formative reporting - allows students and
  parents to check progress and make adjustments as
  needed
• Summative reporting - judgment of how a student
  is performing

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Reporting Student Progress
Components of the enhanced reporting system
are 1. Updated web pages for each Core class,
which include rubrics for major assignments and
study guides for tests. 2. Formative progress
reports, which include student self-assessment,
at the end of each unit or major
assignment/test. 3. Emails home when student
progress is consistently at the beginning or
developing level.
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Reporting Student Progress
4. Student-led conferences in September (for
goal-setting) and March (to review progress).
5. Summative report cards at the end of each
semester which gives specific feedback about the
level of performance for the standards assessed
in each class. Each class will also indicate
level of effort on the Effort Rubric.
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Portfolio

• Shows growth for the year, especially in the Six
  Student Learning Results
• Have your child save EVERYTHING!!
• Time will be given in homeroom every other week
  to complete portfolio
• Will be used during student led conferences

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Language Arts
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Language Arts
Reading is a means of thinking with another
persons mind it forces you to stretch your
own. (Charles Scribner, Jr.) Writing, I
think, is not apart from living. Writing is a
kind of double living. The writer experiences
everything twice. (C.D. Bowen)
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Language Arts During this year, I want your
child to...

• refine his or her reading skills by utilizing a
  variety of strategies depending on the reading
  material.
• refine his or her creative, expository, and
  persuasive writing skills by manipulating
  strategies to create desired effects.
• analyze how the different story elements affect
  each other, gaining a deeper understanding of
  works of literature and the messages they convey.

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Language Arts

• appreciate that reading and writing are tools for
  life-long learning and personal development.
• express his or her opinion and be able to support
  that opinion with reasoning and evidence.

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Language Arts Standards

• Develop skills and acquire strategies for the
  reading process.
• Demonstrate skills and apply strategies for
  reading a variety of literary genres and
  informational texts.
• Acquire the habit of reading for understanding
  and enjoyment.
• Develop an understanding of the writing process
  and apply that understanding in all written work.

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Language arts standards

• Write in a variety of genres for different
  purposes and different audiences.
• Listen and speak for effective communication and
  learning.
• Understand and interpret visual media.
• Understand and apply the research process.

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Language arts Units

• Personal Narrative
• Short Story
• Novel (Animal Farm Nothing But the Truth)
• Advertising
• Conflict (integrated with Social Studies)
• Prejudice (integrated with Social Studies)

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Miss Wibless Contact Details

• jwible_at_hkis.edu.hk
• Room 110
• 3149-7287

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Maths
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Discovering AlgebraAn Investigative
ApproachSummary of A note to the Students from
the Authors
Goal Gather the skills, tools, confidence, and
mathematical power to participate fully as a
productive citizen in a changing world.
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To reach the goal students need

• skills that can evolve and adapt to new
  situations
• to interpret and make decisions based on
  numerical information
• to find ways to solve problems that arise in real
  life, not just in textbooks
• make connections between algebra and the world
  around them

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With the teacher as their guide, the students
will learn algebra by doing mathematics.
Requires a bigger commitment than waiting for
your teacher to show you or studying worked-out
examples.
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Success will come from

• Personal involvement working with others in small
  groups
• Talking with others about algebra
• Sharing ideas and learning from each other
• Communicating with others strengthens
  understanding of math concepts

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Tools Graphing Calculator

• Manipulate large amount of data very quickly so
  they can see the overall picture
• Explore new ideas and answer questions

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Reminders

• The book must be read with paper, pencil, and
  calculator close at hand
• Keep data and calculations neat and accurate
• Dont give upmake a solid attempt at each
  problem
• Show all your work, key sequences

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Course requirements

• All work and notes kept in a math folder and
  organized neatly,
• A work chart is kept by students to record their
  completed work,
• Work is evaluated for the effort applied by
  students showing all steps to the problems worked
  or by writing a question about a problem skipped

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Assessment

• Attitude and effort in Investigations, folder
  organization, and class participation
• Achievement in Tests, quizzes, semester exams,
  projects, and investigations

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(No Transcript)
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Mr. Kongs Contact Details

• kkong_at_hkis.edu.hk
• Room 113
• 3149-7289

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Mrs. Christiansons Contact Details

• jchristianson_at_hkis.edu.hk
• Room 114
• 3149-7021

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Science
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Science

• Premier Science for Middle Schools
• The National Science Education Standards

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Units

• Genetics and heredity
• Transfer of energy
• Structure and changes of matter
• Field research

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Genetics and Heredity

• Reproduction
• Probability and inheritance
• Heredity
• Genetic disorders

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Transfer of energy

• Transfer of heat
• Energy from the sun
• Transferring electrical energy

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Structure and Changes of Matter

• Atoms
• History of the atomic model
• Elements
• Classifying elements
• The periodic table
• Combining elements

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Field Research

• Students work in groups and choose a field
  research topic e.g. crabs, snails, ants, plants
• They research, write papers, reports and make a
  presentation.

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Miss Chans Contact Details

• ktmchan_at_hkis.edu.hk
• Room 106
• 3149-7826
• Emergencies only 9870-3446

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Social Studies
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United States History

A society that wants to build the future must
know its past, its real past, as it was. (A.
Rybakov)
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United States History

• During this year, I want your child to
• understand that history is made up of many
  perspectives
• become a historian, analyzing and evaluating the
  different perspectives, creating a complete
  picture of what happened
• link the past to the present, using knowledge
  from past events to understand and create
  solutions to situations today

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United States History

• Major Units
• Living in America
• Government/Politics
• Conflict (integrated with Language Arts)
• Prejudice (integrated with Language Arts)

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United States History
Social Studies Standards upon which we focus 1.
Historical Thinking Skills 2. Geographic Concepts
and Skills 3. Understanding of Government and
Political Systems 4. Making Personal
Connections

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United States History
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Mrs. Sparrows Contact Details

• jsparrow_at_hkis.edu.hk
• Room 112
• 3149-7288 or 3149-7231
• Emergencies only 9641-1491 or 2813-6006

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Mr. Mays Contact Details

• mmay_at_hkis.edu.hk
• Room 112
• 3149-7288

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How You Can Help
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How you can help

• Provide the materials and environment.
• Be a cheerleader.

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How you can help

• Encourage your child to be responsible for his
  or her learning.
• Become involved by volunteering to help with 8th
  grade activities.
• E-mail us any time you have questions or
  concerns.

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Thanks for coming tonight!