A lot is happening in eighth grade at this time of year, both in written curriculum and unwritten curriculum. Science Fair and Second Quarter Awards have been passed out. Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance are elsewhere on the Web site. Here are some highlights of other activities and studies:

Science –Students participated in Science Fair and received their awards at Open House. This event included the seventh grade class. With science investigations, as well as the eighth grade class. The awards were as follows:

Third place honors were given to seventh grade students Domenic Loconti and Miguel Silva and eighth grade students Andrew Link and Traven Guerrero.

Second place award recipients from seventh grade were Nathan Negron, Daniel Taylor, Elijah Hernandez, Margie Pellegrino, and Cesar Pinto.

First place awards went to Matt Csongradi and Andrew Rivera of seventh grade. Other First place awards went to Michael Lesniak, Tony Mendoza, Mikolai Laszczewski, Emily Garcia, and Dominique DiMatteo of eighth grade.

Outstanding honors went to Annie Koepke and Gabriella DiMatteo of seventh grade. They have been asked to write essays for the City Science Fair. Other Outstanding honors went to Chloe Instone, Maeve O’Malley, Idalis Huerta, Vanessa Pedroza, and Pat Conneely of seventh grade and Martin Conneely of eighth grade. They have been asked to participate in the City Paper Science Fair Session. Finally, top Outstanding honors went to Taylor Garcia, Vicky Valentine, Sydney Mercado, and John Borghese of seventh grade and Amanda Carlos, Nick Passas, Shannon Janus, Valory Glod, and Breanna Kaufman of eighth grade. They have been asked to participate in the City Project Science Fair Session at the Museum of Science and Industry. Hopefully, many of these projects will do well at City so that we may again have representatives at the State Fair.

Participation Awards were also given to sixth grade students who researched design needs and created projects with inventions to respond to design needs of society. This is a precursor to participating in the actual Science Fair.

This year’s diverse and multi-curricular projects pushed students to work in many academic areas. Certainly their efforts have paid off. Of course, Science Fair is the result of many hands: students, parents, staff, administration, engineers, judges, the Home and School Association and other interested parties. All of their assistance is also honored at this time.

Also, as respects science, the eighth grade class has finished their book and studies of genetics. In conjunction with this and the study of families, they will be working on family trees. This activity also ties into their social studies work connected to immigration. We will do computer research to help fill in gaps of information our families may not have. Furthermore, the class will begin work on a study of physics and Newton’s Laws. Laws will be tested and questioned in the Science Lab. Finally, thanks to Mrs. Carlos, there are duck eggs in the Science Lab. These are in our incubator and should hatch in a few weeks. Between now and then all junior high classes will be busy learning about these animals. In a project-based learning manner, the students are building their knowledge of the ducks from the ground up. They are each bringing in information about breeding, duck care, uses of ducks, characteristics of ducks, etc… Together we will create informational flowcharts about the ducks, prepare a safe resting place for the ducks, design Venn diagrams comparing last year’s chicks with this year’s ducks, and see that the ducks go to an appropriate place from St. Pascal School. We will discuss duck issues and reflect on the importance of observing a life cycle. Hopefully, in observing this life cycle we will learn more about other life cycles and the value of all life. With birth and new life themes fitting in nicely with Easter themes, 8th grade students (and likely 6th and 7th graders too) will present a mini-lesson to lower grade students pertaining to the ducks. The lower grade students will be invited to the lab to see and learn about the ducks once they have hatched.

Reading – Our class is now reading a novel called Wish List. It is written by Coifer and follows the drama of a recently deceased Irish lassie teen that is caught between Heaven and hell. To gain entrance into Heaven she must return to earth and help the man she was hurting just before she tragically died. She needs to help him with a “do over” list. At the same time, she is, in a similar way, getting a “do over.” His “do over” list includes some “bucket items.” These are things he’d like done before he kicks the bucket (which is likely not too far off into his future). It is a quality piece on taking stock of life – where have we gone, and where are we going. Before reading, the students created their own “do over and bucket lists.” This activity and consequential conversation gave us an interesting place to start the story.

Math – From the looks of paperwork going back and forth, the students are working on equations dealing with graphing in math class. This is easier to say than to do. Some have shown a quick understanding, and others are diligently working to understand it better.

English – While students are doing an array of things in English class, they are very interested in the work they are doing to put their 8th Grade Anthologies together. Every few days they are expected to type more of their previous musings into formal publishable print. By the end of the year they will have memorable prose documents.

Vocabulary – The students have only a couple of units remaining in their vocabulary texts. Once these are completed, they will review proper cursive. Contrary to Apple, handwritten correspondence is not dead. Along with this the students will have dictation, and vocabulary will be tucked into the dictation. This is a tricky way to improve both spelling and note-taking skills.

Social Studies – In this class we will be debating immigration. Students have done a constructivist project- based unit where they have had to develop ideas for and against immigration using their texts, personal experience, and other valuable sources found in Web searches and elsewhere. They have had to devise a plan for their debate team, pass out duties for team members, plan for rebuttals, and carry out a debate. Included will be time for reflection and connection to faith. Some team members have struggled with representing a side they did not firmly believe in. Still, they were willing to continue the task, learning that both sides of an idea needed to be studied and researched before one could be accepted. In the end gaining this perspective is what teachers are really hoping happens. Family trees will also be tied into our current social studies efforts.

Religion – As far as religion is concerned, Mr. Stubstad is working with the students using their textbooks. He has also incorporated a passage of Flowers for Algernon in his lessons. In homeroom students will be creating mosaic style crosses, drawing portions of the Stations, creating computer Wordles of the Stations, and preparing to take their turn at presenting the Stations of the Cross in church on March 26th.

7th Science – The seventh grade class is working on maps and geology. This should take us through the third quarter. Topography and GPS experiments will be conducted and fossils will be examined and worked with. They will also be working to study the ducks we have incubating.

6th Science – For the sixth grade class there will be continued studies in the life sciences. Protists, fungus, plants, and animals shall all be explored. They will also be part of the duck birthing unit.

Student Council’s Web site is still to be constructed. The remnants of past moderators are on-line at this time. However, please now the current board is always up to something good. A few weeks ago we had an out of uniform day and celebrated Mardis Gras with donuts. Also, there was an all school assembly where the odd grades and even grades played Ms. Landers in a crazy game of Deal or No Deal and Go Fish. In the end a lot of treats and fun activities have been promised to various grades. These will arrive or be taken care of soon. However, the high point was when Ms. Landers got covered in Silly String. She was such a trooper to play along. Also, Student Council recently helped at Open House giving tours to potential new school families. The students will also be part of the festivities when the Cardinal comes to say mass at our March Alumni Gathering.

Also, connected to but not solely an activity of Student Council, there are many eco-friendly and Green things happening at school. St. Pascal School is drumming along with its environmental goals. There is definitely a sense that each day the beat is getting stronger, and more people are getting involved. The lunchroom staff continues to recycle plastic, aluminum, and some TerraCycle products. Mrs. Kopera’s class is back in business collecting plastic bottles too. Energy efficient light bulbs are, and have been, replacing less efficient bulbs, and some rooms are getting smart switches that shut off lights that have been left on but are not in use. Mr. Predovic is turning in lots of aluminum and collecting monies in a fund for GREEN materials. As the rate for aluminum is quite good now, we are hoping school and parish families will pitch in to help the cause (much like you have done with paper in the parking lot bins. As such, we are asking that on Mondays, you send in your rinsed and clean aluminum cans from the week and weekend. They can be dropped off in the school lobby in a bag, or they can be sent in a bag with your child. Currently, $50.00 worth of aluminum has been turned in for recycling by Mr. Predovic. It is hoped that we can triple that amount by Easter. With everyone’s help this can happen. However, if everybody gives up soda for Lent, we could be in trouble.

Safety Patrol – Parents, please know that while we work hard at patrolling the corners before and after school, this is not an exact science. Students are not to be there when weather is not safe. Also, students are only to patrol ten minutes before school starts until the bell rings and five minutes before school is let out until about five minutes after school is let out. During that time it is expected that students will act in the best interest of those crossing and safety. They are to be professional and considerate. Should you have any inquiries about Patrol, please let me know.

In closing it is important to remember that while we celebrate big and small victories for the past quarter, each of us needs to look at areas for improvement (teachers, students, parents, administrators, etc…) in the third quarter. Growth is very likely to happen when we look at both what we have done well and not done so well.