In Memory

We will not forget.

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Week of Nov. 7 – Nov. 11

Good morning,

     This week continues our work on story analysis with a comparison of original texts to movie versions of the same narrative. Over Monday and Tuesday, students watch a movie adaptation of "The Tell-Tale Heart" as a class, and compare it to the written text on their own, explaining what was changed and kept and why they think the director made those decisions. After that, on Wednesday, students move on to their own personal texts for a day. On Thursday, all classes visit the book fair one last time this season before spending the remainder of the class time reading.

     The second round of parent-teacher conferences take place Tuesday evening from 3:30 – 6:30; we meet in Mrs. Davis' room, while my room is used as a waiting area for those who arrive early or stay after. Yearbook and Newspaper Clubs (like so many clubs this day) are cancelled due to the early start of conferences. Wednesday afternoon Chess Club is still on; Mr. Edwards will not be joining us this week, or for many weeks to come, though.

     Friday is Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, and is a day to honor and remember all who have served this country in her armed forces. It is also a day off school as a result of it being a federal holiday. Take some time on your day off to thank a veteran for his or her service; it is their efforts that provide our safety and our freedom.

     If you have any questions or concerns, as always feel free to contact us!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Our Upcoming Week

Good Evening,

     This is our first full week of school this year, five uninterrupted days at BEMS, and it looks like the weather will be a little cooler by the end of the week, too. Those of us upstairs are thankful for that; any break from the heat will be appreciated. Come December, we will appreciate our warmer spot, but right now it is just uncomfortable.

     On Monday, we in Clan Barclay will be watching the ESPN mini-documentary "The Man in the Red Bandana," a fourteen-minute segment honoring the memory of Welles Crowther, a man who sacrificed his life on September 11, 2001 rescuing others in the South Tower. We will discuss and write about the event as a part of history, a tragedy, and a moment that united the nation; this year's students are the first group where everyone was born after those events took place.

     Tuesday will be a reading day in class; all students should bring their reading books and read silently throughout the class period. Tuesday is also picture day here at Bonny Eagle Middle School! Dress your best, comb your hair, and smile for the camera; even if you do not plan to purchase photos from LifeTouch, you should still look good — these will be the student photos in the yearbook this year. Speaking of yearbook, our first club meeting will be Tuesday after school in my classroom; if you are interested, come join us!

     We begin discussing argument and persuasion on Wednesday; students will learn the basic terminology — claim, counterclaim, evidence, source, rebuttal. Students will memorize the terms and see which team can identify them all clearly first. The first Chess Club meeting is Wednesday after school in Room 98, down the hall. We also have a Cross-Country meet Wednesday afternoon at 4:00; come support your Scots!

     Throwback Thursday will be a discussion day; we will review argument definitions and read quotations on the purpose of democracy and government, and then students will have group discussions and small debates centered on those quotations. Remember, you are not allowed to use your laptop in Language Arts on Thursday, so come with a pencil or pen if you want to jot down notes. Thursday afternoon is the first Newspaper Club meeting; if you are interested in investigating your school, your community, and your world, or you like drawing cartoons, or you are just curious, stop in!

     On Friday, all students will write a "Week in Review" letter, reflecting on their first full week of school and connecting it, if they please, to their weekend or their plans for the future. This is an open opportunity to express themselves clearly and without any criticism of grammar and spelling, as it is only graded on completion. Once they have finished writing, they may free write or read quietly. We also have our first school-wide assembly Friday afternoon, so classes will be shorter than usual — roughly 40 minutes instead of the full hour.

     As usual, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, get in touch by email or phone, or even by commenting here. We are always interested in what you have to say.

Have a good week!

Mr. DeMaris

The Coming Week

Hi Guys,

You need to know three things about next week, May 30 – June 3.

1. Monday is Memorial Day, if you hadn't already heard, so it is a day off school. Take some time to consider who has given you the opportunities you have today and the freedom you so often take for granted. Show some respect and appreciation for those who have fought and fallen for your opportunities.

2. Wednesday, June 1, is the due date for the Final Project; make sure you proofread carefully and answer all the parts of each question. Some leeway can be given if you really need more time, but I have to grade all of these carefully before June 10, so I can't have everyone waiting until the last minute; I will literally not have enough time to grade your work, which will leave you on the list of potential candidates for Summer Academy. Don't do that to yourself, and don't do it to me.

3. Thursday, June 2, is laptop takeback day. MAKE SURE you save anything from the laptop you ever want to see again. These machines will be taken and shipped back to Apple once they have been processed, and you will never see them again. You will be issued a new laptop, essentially identical to your current one, once you get to the high school. Please remove all stickers, decals, cases, and any other additions to the laptop before you bring it in on Thursday.

Have a lovely weekend; Saturday looks to be a perfect day, Sunday a transitioning mix, and Memorial Day itself a rainy mess. Enjoy what you can and have some fun. And remember — rainy days are great for sitting with a good book… and finishing your project!

Regards,
Mr. DeMaris

Week in Preview

Hello Everyone,

     This coming week, September 8–11, promises to be another hot one; dress accordingly, within school code. As usual, the eighth grade floor will be toastier than the rest of the school. Remember that the quieter and less active you are, the cooler the rooms stay and the longer the doors can stay open to circulate air!

     This week, we will work on objective summarization, identification of themes in narratives, and how to properly defend a point.

1. On Tuesday, students will read a passage from their individual reading books, summarize it objectively, and provide a possible theme of the story so far, including how that theme relates to the events in the story.
2. On Wednesday, students will discuss in teams and with the teacher what a theme is, and how evidence can be used to support it.
3. On Thursday, students will review their answers and improve them as needed, and help team members with their answers and definitions until the entire team can provide working definitions and examples of both summary and theme.
4. On Friday, students will complete a Week in Review letter and present their week's reading to their team and the teacher.

     Also on Friday, students will participate in a short memorial for the anniversary of September 11, 2001; all students will join together in the first floor hallway to sing the national anthem and honor the flag.

     Finally, Learning Lab begins this week; it runs every Tuesday–Thursday from 2:15 until 4:00 in the library. Students must sign up in the main office beforehand, and they must have work to complete; it is not social time. The activity bus can take all students home after. Many clubs and events begin this week as well; check with teachers and coaches for official times.

     Welcome back to school, and enjoy the heat!

Sincerely,

Mr. DeMaris