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Text Box: Spring has officially sprung, but you would not know it by looking outside. It is hard to imagine with all the snow on the ground, but the 8th grade is planning our spring and end of the year activities. First off, parents should have been notified about the results of the Explorer test the students took during the fall. This test hopefully helps to focus the students’ interests. This becomes important as the 8th graders have just completed and turned in their high school schedules. Picking a path for the next four years of high school is easier if there is a plan in place. The Explorer test hopefully helped to focus that schedule as to what path the students want to follow in school. Following the line of Explorer testing and scheduling the students will also be traveling to the Capital Area Career Center in Mason, Michigan. The trip is on May 20th, and the students will have a chance to see the options that are available at the CACC. It is also a great chance for the students to ask questions they have about the classes offered and questions about careers that have gained their interest. Be looking for our field trip form for the annual Lugnuts game scheduled for May 13th, 2008. Every year we have a great time at the “School Days” held at Oldsmobile Park. Different schools from around the area attend and are recognized for the many things they do throughout the year. The Lugnuts even go so far as to reward a couple of students by having them report on the game. The “reporters” will be allowed into the press areas of the stadium, get to meet with the team, and watch the game from the press box. Also, the end of the year will include the 7th and 8th grade barbecue where Mr. Laird’s world famous band “Palexia Went to England” will rock the students. The band covers a number of songs from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. It is a great time every year and the students get to see Mr. Laird in a totally different context. Besides the wonderful band, we will be grilling hotdogs and eating picnic type food throughout the evening. Finally, this is also the time we start discussing our end of the year trip to Cedar Point. The cost is tentatively $65, but the final cost has not been figured yet. The cost will include transportation to Cedar Point on a tour bus, tickets into the park, and lunch. This is one of the fondest memories of 8th grade when the students talk about the things that happened in 8th grade.

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Text Box: The language arts classes are beginning a unit on myths and legends. The unit will culminate with each student writing their own myth or legend. We will continue to work on writing using the 6 traits. Several books will be read before the end of the year. Career choices will be explored and pamphlets will be created by students to reflect their choice. Letter writing will also be studied before the year ends. In 5th and 6th hour Geography, our study of Europe and Russia culminated with a student-led tour of the continent and we concluded the unit by preparing foods from European nations. We have since moved south down the globe to Africa and will complete the year with a study of Southern Asia. In Science class, students participated in the second annual 7th Grade Science Fair. It was a huge success! Every seventh grade student displayed a project in the gym. They did an excellent job! In the next month, we will focus on bacteria and viruses. Students will observe the different types of bacteria under microscopes to compare and contrast the characteristics. We will also study different viruses and how they affect human health. After that, we will finish the school year with the human biology unit. Students will explore the systems of the body and how they work together. In Math we recently wrapped up our study of ratios and proportions. We will begin our Geometry unit of similar figures and then we will return to Algebra by studying slope. We will conclude the year studying types of graphs and when is the best time to use each type. Mrs. VandeBunte's last day with us will be April 25th. We wish her the best as she applies for Middle School Social Studies jobs!

Text Box: SPRING BREAK IS APRIL 7TH THROUGH APRIL 11TH