WELCOME TO TEAM CHARISMA!

September on Team Charisma: Building Community

September has been filled with community-building activities, such as classroom circles and a field trip to the Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield.  We’ve enjoyed getting to know each of our students as learners, individuals, thinkers, scientists, mathematicians, historians, readers, and writers.  When our students were asked what it means to truly belong in our classrooms and JJMS community, they generated an insightful list. 

“When I belong, I feel … 

  • welcome. 

  • included. 

  • accepted. 

  • respected. 

  • understood. 

  • supported. 

  • like I’m at home. 

  • comfortable and relaxed. 

  • seen and heard. 

  • important. 

  • like I can relate to people. 

  • happy/glad to be there. 

  • free to express myself 

  • safe to speak my mind. 

  • confident and strong.” 

Creating a Sense of Belonging

Our students’ chosen team name, charisma, speaks to the positive social power and responsibility 8th graders possess in their capstone year at JJMS. According to the Cambridge (American) Dictionary, charisma is “the ability to attract the attention and admiration of others, and to be seen as a leader.” We look forward to empowering all our students to tap into their unique brand of charisma, and use it to promote kindness, inclusivity, empathy, and joy in our school.  Furthermore, the attribute of charisma was consciously chosen, since it aligns with a few pillars in our district’s 2030 Vision.  As team teachers, we will provide opportunities and support to help our 8th grade students explore their passions, set goals, communicate, and collaborate. Our intention is to facilitate the growth of confident, compassionate, inspiring leaders, ready to embrace not only the rigors of high school, but also the complex, real-world challenges awaiting them beyond our John Jay campus.  

Updates

Team Charisma students in ELA with their IR books

ELA Update:  

The Independent Reading (IR) Program and reading padlet portfolio remain hallmarks of our middle school literacy program.  After visiting the JJMS library and previewing classroom library books, students selected independent reading books.  We are focusing on choosing “just right” books, reading consistently, building stamina, and noticing our thinking as we engage with fictional text.  Students should be reading their IR books for at least 20 minutes daily during the school week and are welcome to utilize a supplemental audiobook as well. Parents are encouraged to take an active role in supporting their teen’s reading choices and habits. We’re currently reviewing literary elements/devices and annotation methods as we read various stories and poems, analyzing how authors use characterization, conflict, and symbolism to convey themes.  Next, ELA teachers will be explicitly teaching writing skills in preparation for a thematic essay writing workshop later this autumn. 

Science Update: 

Earth science students have been focusing on studying Earth’s exciting atmosphere, as this time of year lends itself to a careful focus on real-time phenomena.  For example, recent coursework has included the study of the current North Atlantic Ocean hurricane season with powerful Hurricane Erin and Hurricane Humberto being a topic of great conversations and visual thinking.  Students are working on a lab activity on Hurricane Andrew (1992) — a case study for our tropical cyclone curriculum unit. 

Students on Team Charisma track Hurricane Andrew during a lab.

Team Charisma students in Social Studies class

Social Studies Update: 

Students have reviewed critical concepts from seventh grade, including an examination of both the practical and theoretical meaning of the Declaration of Independence.  Students recited, from memory, the mission statement/promise encompassed by Thomas Jefferson’s words stating that the purpose of The United States government is to ensure “...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” All students paraphrased and discussed this concept with the understanding that the declaration of Independence set our nation on a mission, but the United States Constitution was later created to provide a structure for our government while keeping our country from slipping into either anarchy or tyranny.  Students demonstrated a working knowledge of concepts including separation of powers, federalism, judicial review, and individual rights.  With review of seventh grade completed, students will march into a unit of study on the American Civil War beginning in October. 

Math Update: 

Students in all classes have started the year solving linear equations. Algebraic foundations from past years (combining like terms, distributive property, solving for x) are joined by new twists this year (No solution, infinite solutions, distributive division, and more). We have begun contextualizing all this equation solving as we work to create expressions and equations based in real-life situations. Accelerated Algebra students have begun using their calculators for a variety of graphing tasks as well as some problem solving, whereas Math 8 students will start working their way into graphing after their Solving Linear Equations Test on October 9th! Students can always be working in DeltaMath to help themselves, and Math 8 students can work on building a “final draft” of their notes that they’d like to take into next Thursday’s test! 

Team Charisma Math Students are working on solving equations!