Welcome to the Middle School Blog! Every other week the Middle School Team will post a classroom update
in this space to help parents stay connected to the ongoing learning happening in the middle school hallway.
in this space to help parents stay connected to the ongoing learning happening in the middle school hallway.
God Bless,
The Middle School Team
General Updates
1. The Middle School Team would like to extend our special Holy Week prayers to you and your family!
May we all come to Radiate the Love of Christ on the Cross!
May we all come to Radiate the Love of Christ on the Cross!
Please join us on Friday, April 19th @ 1pm for our School’s Veneration of the Cross Service.
All are welcome!
And don’t forget to join us for our other Holy Week Masses.
Here is the Holy Week schedule here at SPX:
Wednesday, April 17th Mass @ 8:10am (no school Mass this day)
Holy Thursday Mass@ 7pm
Good Friday Veneration of the Cross @ 1pm (w/ the school) & 7pm
Easter Vigil Mass @ 8pm
East Sunday Mass @ 7am, 9am (Church & Parish Center), 11am (No 5pm Mass)
2. Remember to check the Middle School Homework Site @
https://sites.google.com/stpiusxschool.org/middleschool
https://sites.google.com/stpiusxschool.org/middleschool
Daily assignments will be update by teachers each afternoon by 4pm!
3. Pius Academy Reminder...Thank you to those who have been taking advantage of this great program!
Pius Academy allows students the opportunity to work on their various class studies with the middle school
teachers and Dowling High School peer tutors!
Pius Academy allows students the opportunity to work on their various class studies with the middle school
teachers and Dowling High School peer tutors!
For those interested in attending Pius Academy in the future, it’s offered on Tuesday afternoons from
3:00-3:45pm.
3:00-3:45pm.
Pick up takes place outside the main doors of the school (west doors).
Teacher Updates
6thgrade & 7B Language Arts with Mrs. Bartscher
6th Grade - The sixth graders are finishing up a short unit over figurative language and are beginning a unit
on nonfiction. In this unit, the students will be introduced to text structure and text features.
They will also work on comprehension skills and vocabulary development through this study. In addition to
the nonfiction work, students will continue working on their compare and contrast essays over the next
week and will also be starting a study of verbs.
on nonfiction. In this unit, the students will be introduced to text structure and text features.
They will also work on comprehension skills and vocabulary development through this study. In addition to
the nonfiction work, students will continue working on their compare and contrast essays over the next
week and will also be starting a study of verbs.
7th Grade - The seventh grade students are finishing up their study of nonfiction. They will conclude this
study with a short research essay. Next week, we will begin reading adapted version of Romeo and Juliet.
Through this unit, the students will continue working on vocabulary development and comprehension
skills, and the unit will have a strong focus on the analysis of literary elements found in the text.
study with a short research essay. Next week, we will begin reading adapted version of Romeo and Juliet.
Through this unit, the students will continue working on vocabulary development and comprehension
skills, and the unit will have a strong focus on the analysis of literary elements found in the text.
Mrs. Bartscher
6-8 Math with Mrs. Gipple
6th Grade Math
After finishing up our work with rates, ratios, proportions and percents, this week we began working with
the two systems of measurement and then we will use these measurements as we find perimeter, area and
volume of multiple different shapes and objects. The first quiz over the metric system, customary system,
perimeter and area will be next Friday, April 19th.
the two systems of measurement and then we will use these measurements as we find perimeter, area and
volume of multiple different shapes and objects. The first quiz over the metric system, customary system,
perimeter and area will be next Friday, April 19th.
7th Grade Math
This class has finished up the Geometry unit and will take the final test next Tuesday, April 16th.
Later next week we will start exploring probability and statistics.
7th Grade Pre-Algebra
This week we began our final unit, the Geometry unit. We started off learning about different angle pairs
and angle relationships. We will also explore triangles and quadrilaterals and take the first quiz over these
concepts next Friday, April 19th.
and angle relationships. We will also explore triangles and quadrilaterals and take the first quiz over these
concepts next Friday, April 19th.
8th Grade Pre-Algebra
Today we began our final chapter where we will be working with linear equations. We will learn to graph
them using multiple strategies and explore different parts of the graphs such as slope and intercepts.
There will not be any accelerated math assigned for this chapter.
them using multiple strategies and explore different parts of the graphs such as slope and intercepts.
There will not be any accelerated math assigned for this chapter.
8th Grade Algebra
We are halfway through our work with solving quadratic equations. Students have learned how to solve
these equations by graphing them, using square roots, and now by factoring. The quiz over these methods
is Tuesday, April 16th. Then students will learn how to solve quadratics by completing the square and finally
by using the quadratic equation.
these equations by graphing them, using square roots, and now by factoring. The quiz over these methods
is Tuesday, April 16th. Then students will learn how to solve quadratics by completing the square and finally
by using the quadratic equation.
The year is really going quickly now, summer break will be here before we know it! Please help us finish
strong by encouraging your child to finish on a good note and by always putting forth their best effort!
strong by encouraging your child to finish on a good note and by always putting forth their best effort!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mrs. Gipple
6-8 Religion with Mr. Tallman
Did you know that the entire SPX Student body participated in Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction on
Thursday afternoon? Or did you know there’s an upcoming Religion Test for all 7th graders next Thursday,
April 18th? Or have you heard other parents talking about those challenging Religion Questions of the Day
(RQDs)?
Thursday afternoon? Or did you know there’s an upcoming Religion Test for all 7th graders next Thursday,
April 18th? Or have you heard other parents talking about those challenging Religion Questions of the Day
(RQDs)?
If not, make sure to check out all the tweets @MrTallmansClass on Twitter.
By following our SPX Religion Class Twitter account you’ll get daily updates about all of our middle school
religion class activities and middle school events! It’s a great way to stay up-to-date on the life of the school
and your child’s day!
religion class activities and middle school events! It’s a great way to stay up-to-date on the life of the school
and your child’s day!
Believe me, you don’t want to miss this! Follow us at @MrTallmansClass
6thgrade: This week the sixth grade classes wrapped up their investigation of the covenant with Abraham
this week. Illustrations of this covenant are due on Monday (April 15th).
this week. Illustrations of this covenant are due on Monday (April 15th).
7thgrade: This week the 7thgrade classes finished up their initial study of Jesus, His Passion, and our
Salvation. There will be a test over Chapters 6 and 8 on Thursday, April 18th. Study guides for this test were
distributed in class today.
Salvation. There will be a test over Chapters 6 and 8 on Thursday, April 18th. Study guides for this test were
distributed in class today.
8thgrade: Has your 8th grade student told you about the Holy Week Crucifixion scene that the class has been
working on? There were pictures on Twitter ;)
working on? There were pictures on Twitter ;)
The finished project will be on display in the Church Narthex during Holy Week! Stop in and check it out!
Have a blessed Holy Week!
Peace,
Mr. Tallman
6-8 Science with Mrs. Erickson
6th Grade: We just finished up our cell and cell parts unit. Students compared a cell to something: the mall,
school, animal of choice, a kingdom, restaurant, grocery store, and even a soccer team! Our next unit will be
about specialized cell and some processes that happen in the cell. This unit has multiple concepts that we
will take our time to understand like osmosis and cell division. We will wrap the unit up around April 26th.
school, animal of choice, a kingdom, restaurant, grocery store, and even a soccer team! Our next unit will be
about specialized cell and some processes that happen in the cell. This unit has multiple concepts that we
will take our time to understand like osmosis and cell division. We will wrap the unit up around April 26th.
7th Grade: We have just begun talking about communication and control within the body. The nervous
system is the first system of this unit that we will discuss, parts, functions, etc. We will briefly talk about
senses and skin before tackling the endocrine system. Both the nervous system and endocrine system are “
in charge” of homeostasis in the body and work together. This unit will wrap up towards the end of next
week with our test being on April 17th at the earliest. This will be our last unit about the body before we
begin dissecting our frogs!
system is the first system of this unit that we will discuss, parts, functions, etc. We will briefly talk about
senses and skin before tackling the endocrine system. Both the nervous system and endocrine system are “
in charge” of homeostasis in the body and work together. This unit will wrap up towards the end of next
week with our test being on April 17th at the earliest. This will be our last unit about the body before we
begin dissecting our frogs!
8th Grade: We have begun the last group of units for middle school science! We are starting with the
atmosphere: the layers, gases, conditions, pollution, and how humans interact with the atmosphere.
This unit applies many of the concepts from previous units like density and pressure. Our test for this unit
will be around April 17th at the soonest. From there we will talk about the water cycle and weather before
diving into climates.
atmosphere: the layers, gases, conditions, pollution, and how humans interact with the atmosphere.
This unit applies many of the concepts from previous units like density and pressure. Our test for this unit
will be around April 17th at the soonest. From there we will talk about the water cycle and weather before
diving into climates.
Mrs. Jaci Erickson
6-8 Social Studies with Mr. Klein
8th Grade:
We will start looking at how different the Northern and Southern states economies and way of life were like
leading up to the Civil War the next few weeks before we begin to spend all of May learning about the Civil
War.
leading up to the Civil War the next few weeks before we begin to spend all of May learning about the Civil
War.
7th Grade:
We will continue to look at the history of African countries, while also learning about what these countries
are like today.
are like today.
6th Grade:
When we are done learning about World War II, we will begin looking at different economic systems used
throughout the world before we continue learning about other European countries.
throughout the world before we continue learning about other European countries.
Mr. Klein
7T & 8th grade Language Arts with Mrs. Pedersen
7 Tallman - The seventh grade students are finishing up their study of nonfiction. They will conclude this
study with a short research essay. Next week, we will begin reading adapted version of Romeo and Juliet.
Through this unit, the students will continue working on vocabulary development and comprehension
skills, and the unit will have a strong focus on the analysis of literary elements found in the text.
study with a short research essay. Next week, we will begin reading adapted version of Romeo and Juliet.
Through this unit, the students will continue working on vocabulary development and comprehension
skills, and the unit will have a strong focus on the analysis of literary elements found in the text.
8th Grade - Students just finished reading the trial part of To Kill A Mockingbird. We watched that part of
the movie and then compared and contrasted the book and the movie. There will be a quiz on Tuesday
(4-16) over chapters 19-22.
the movie and then compared and contrasted the book and the movie. There will be a quiz on Tuesday
(4-16) over chapters 19-22.
Students have finished with the research part of the paper. Now we are working on all the different parts
of the paper. Students have handed in their outlines and are learning about documentation. Students will
begin typing the rough draft of their paper next week.
of the paper. Students have handed in their outlines and are learning about documentation. Students will
begin typing the rough draft of their paper next week.
Students are reading an individual book from the dystopian genre. They need to be finished reading their
specific book by Friday, April 19.
specific book by Friday, April 19.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Pedersen
A note from our Spanish teacher, Mrs. Schoessler:
In Spanish, 8th grade is studying reflexive verbs, so they can tell you about their morning and nightly
routine. We are also preparing for the Placement Exam coming up on Wednesday, April 24.
This is a comprehensive exam and the students have had a study guide since before spring break.
One way to help them prepare is to quiz them on their vocabulary.
They should have lists and lists of vocabulary to study.
routine. We are also preparing for the Placement Exam coming up on Wednesday, April 24.
This is a comprehensive exam and the students have had a study guide since before spring break.
One way to help them prepare is to quiz them on their vocabulary.
They should have lists and lists of vocabulary to study.
The seventh graders finished giving presentations about a person in their family.
They told us who this person is in their family, their relation to another family member, their likes and
dislikes, what they look like, what their personality is like, their birthdate and where they originate.
They did really well on this presentation and pronunciation is continuing to improve! Currently, we
have started the food unit. This unit also focuses on new verbs that end in -er and -ir and verb stem-
changes. This is the time of year connections with the language start happening. I love seeing this!
Studying food is a great thing to know....but it really makes us hungry!
They told us who this person is in their family, their relation to another family member, their likes and
dislikes, what they look like, what their personality is like, their birthdate and where they originate.
They did really well on this presentation and pronunciation is continuing to improve! Currently, we
have started the food unit. This unit also focuses on new verbs that end in -er and -ir and verb stem-
changes. This is the time of year connections with the language start happening. I love seeing this!
Studying food is a great thing to know....but it really makes us hungry!
Sixth graders just finished their animal story. They wrote all about an animal of their choice. T
hey included what the animal looks like, what the animal does, what the animal eats,
where the animal lives, and what the animal likes to do. The students did such a great job with
this whole unit. Several students also read these animal books to the preschoolers, and they loved it!
Currently, we are starting a new unit on food and we are planning to do a dialogue/skit with this
vocabulary.
hey included what the animal looks like, what the animal does, what the animal eats,
where the animal lives, and what the animal likes to do. The students did such a great job with
this whole unit. Several students also read these animal books to the preschoolers, and they loved it!
Currently, we are starting a new unit on food and we are planning to do a dialogue/skit with this
vocabulary.
A note from our Librarian, Mrs. Reister:
The Middle School competed in the Winterset Battle of the Books competition on Sat. April 6th.
The kids did fantastic and had a great time! I am very proud of all their hard work and reading!
The kids did fantastic and had a great time! I am very proud of all their hard work and reading!
Thank You for reading the SPX Middle School Blog!
Our next blog post is scheduled for Friday, April 26th, 2019
