6th Grade Language Arts – Kathy Baughman, Lisa Rockhold, Rachel Szmed
Sixth grade language arts classes are starting the year writing personal narratives. Students choose an event that was important in their lives to write about. They participated in a variety of pre-writing activities before typing and revising their narratives. We will continue narrative writing by creating mystery stories based on the picture book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick later in October. (W.6.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.)
Throughout the semester, all language arts classes work on Greek and Latin roots, do journaling exercises, and a daily editing practice. Lessons include opportunities to work together when practicing new concepts. (SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher- led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.)
6th Grade Literature – Kathy Baughman, Cheryl Borgeson, Alisha Holyfield, Josie Nelson, Lisa Rockhold, Connor Scott, Rachel Szmed, Amanda Thomas, Lilly Webster
Literature classes in 6th grade are off and running. All classes have been through library orientation and have been introduced to Study Sync – our online textbook. We have learned and practiced the “RACE” strategy in order to work on answering questions using the text to support opinions and ideas. This will be used consistently throughout the year. Reading strategies will be reviewed and strengthened through fiction and nonfiction passages and stories focusing on “main idea and details.” (RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.)
6th Grade Math – Josie Nelson, Connor Scott
Both sixth grade math classes have started the year learning about integers, writing inequalities, and understanding the meaning of absolute value. Students are using number lines to visualize the value of each integer and grasping the meaning of its distance from the central base of 0. We will continue to build on this knowledge of integers all throughout the year and extend our knowledge to rational numbers and discover how to apply previous knowledge to different types of numbers.
6th Grade Science – Alisha Holyfield, Amanda Thomas
Our first unit of the year is Variables and Designs. Students will begin the year comparing the work of scientists and engineers. Students are designing a controlled experiment with paper airplanes and drawing conclusions about the relationships between variables. At the end of our unit, students will learn how to gather information that will help them define a real-life engineering problem.
6th Grade Social Studies – Cheryl Borgeson, Lilly Webster
In Social Studies we began the year by working on latitude, longitude, map features and reviewing the continents and oceans. As we prepare to dig into our content, students will learn how to think like a historian. We will build on those critical thinking skills throughout the year. In September we will begin studying the first chapter in our textbook. We will be working on reading strategies of a non-fiction text, comparing and contrasting, reading a timeline, and many other skills. Students will recognize archaeological evidence that shows how human life and societies developed new skills in order to survive. They will also draw conclusions about migration and adaptation of early societies. We will work on identifying and explaining how agriculture and the development of tools contributed to the creation of civilizations. (Standard 4: Societies experience continuity and change over time)
7th Grade Language Arts – Mindy Brinker, Brandy Hamilton
We hit the ground running in 7th grade language arts classes. During August, students demonstrated some self-reflection and excellent word choice both when writing Biopoems as well as when deciding on personal “Walk Up Songs” and explaining why the song represented them. We also touched briefly on informational writing when composing a paragraph describing or explaining some aspect of Lansing Middle School. It’s been a great start to the year!
7th Grade Literature – Charity Briggs, Tracey Carney-Linn, Tom Cretors, Katie Larson, Brandy Hamilton, Angie Trowbridge
Seventh-grade students started the year off by reviewing story elements and plot diagrams. They are reading the short story, “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto and an excerpt from Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. In September, students will continue to read short stories and focus on story elements, especially plot and character development. The Literature Plus classes will begin reading The Call of the Wild.
7th Grade Math – Denise Dixon, Theresa Fields, Theresa Jones
Seventh grade math is off to a great start. Students completed their Fall Fastbridge test the first week of school. This was helpful to get new students placed appropriately into their correct math courses and tier supports. Fortunately, we only had to make a few adjustments and were able to place them before we delved too deeply into their curriculum.
Math 1 will be complete with the first two modules in Unit 1 the first week of September, which covers operations with integers. Students will take their CFA on Integer Operations after Module 2 is complete. Reteaching and retesting should be completed by the end of September. Students will begin working on Module 3 in Unit 1 the 2nd week of September and this should take most of the first quarter to complete. We are hopeful we can begin Unit 2 before the quarter ends, but it will continue into the 2nd quarter.
Math 2 is only one lesson ahead of Math 1, but we should be able to pick up the pace and have rational numbers finished so they can begin unit 2 and hopefully have it complete by the end of the 1st quarter.
7th Grade Science – Stacey Jenkins, Angie Trowbridge
In 7th grade Life Science, students began by taking a pre-test to help guide the instruction through the year. They are currently learning about the characteristics of living things, differentiating between living and non-living things to clear up some misconceptions that are common at this age. They will soon be doing and reading about some basic science experiments, identifying variables, and graphing data. This will be followed by studying classification of living things to include scientific names, how they are written and why they are important.
7th Grade Social Studies – Tom Cretors, Edward Fenton
In 7th grade Social Studies, we have just started our 1st Unit on Kansas History. We begin the unit with understanding the location of Kansas while identifying and describing the physical regions of our state. We end the unit discussing the climate of Kansas and explaining how Kansas was a crossroads for the movement of people, products, and ideas.
8th Grade Language Arts – Julie Price, Lauren Shields, Stacey Ward
As part of their coursework, students were tasked with composing a final essay that examines how two of their stories they’ve read share and employ suspense in their storytelling. This assignment encourages students to delve into the mechanics of suspense in literate, exploring ways authors engage their audience emotionally and sustain their interests as they turn pages to uncover the stories’ outcomes. The students are currently working on grammar concepts and reading short stories that go along with the Suspense Unit.
8th Grade Literature – Dana Blew, Hollie Becker, Shari Jacobs, Julie Price, Stacey Ward
In the study of literature, suspense is a powerful tool used by authors to grip readers’ attention, fostering anticipation and excitement. It introduces a feeling of tension and unpredictability, compelling readers to eagerly uncover what unfolds next. Authors employ various techniques to cultivate suspense, such as manipulating point of view, leveraging conflicts between characters, utilizing dramatic irony, and strategically employing the setting to heighten the narrative’s impact. The students are currently reading short stories and novellas, Ten Days in a Madhouse or Lord of the Flies that go along with the Suspense Unit.
8th Grade Math – Miranda Cote, Theresa Jones, Penny Wagner
All 8th grade math classes are taking the FastBridge FastTrack Math and CMBmathCAP tests on Thursday, August 29th and Friday, August 30th.
Math 1 & 2: We are reviewing 7th grade concepts that lay the foundation for 8th grade material - integer operations, order of operations and simplifying basic algebraic expressions. We are calling this Unit 0 and the quiz will be next Friday, September 6th. We will then move to Unit 1 and work with rational numbers, including Scientific Notation.
Algebra: We have wrapped up Module 7 with integer operations and solving simple algebraic equations and the quiz will be next week. We are then moving to Unit 1 of Algebra with a focus on more complex equations.
8th Grade Physical Science – Josh Yoakam
Students began the year reviewing safety rules in the physical science classroom. Students worked in groups to develop multimedia presentations for two safety rules. This offered an opportunity to do some community building and establish classroom culture. We began discussing the nature of science, recalling scientific investigation terms from life science. Students will be practicing applying these terms designing their own experiments. We will begin to review scientific measurements and use of SI units in communicating scientific data.
8th Grade Science – Hollie Becker, Jennifer Fraser
Eighth grade science classes are off to a great start! We have focused on procedures and expectations to start, along with building classroom communities. We are now reviewing the scientific method, measurement, and key science vocabulary. We will begin our study of the Earth, Moon and Sun, and Planetary Science. Students will develop a thorough understanding of the local cosmos, including the organization of the solar system and day/night/seasons and the hunt for exoplanets. In addition, students will use satellite images to analyze changes to Earth’s systems and draw conclusions about human impact upon Earth’s systems. Finally, we hope to have our classes participate in the NASA Virtual Career Presentation, which gives everyone a chance to see how their interests could relate to a possible career at NASA.
8th Grade Social Studies – Dana Blew, Sadie Roubinek
8th Grade Social Studies began the school year by reviewing the Declaration of Independence. Our lessons discussed the reasons/grievances for the American Colonists desire to be free and independent. After the review, we read/discussed the first form of government approved by the colonists, the Articles of Confederation. We learned about the weaknesses of the Articles and one of the events that showed some specific failures of the new government, Shay’s Rebellion. We are finishing up Chapter 7: Creating the Constitution. We are studying the “compromises” that we accepted for our states to become a nation. After our Chapter 7 test we will begin a unit that looks a little deeper into our Constitution, and the specifics on how it is supposed to work.
Advanced Studies – Josh Yoakam
Incoming sixth grade students and those new to the district started their year with a writing assignment: What Gifted Means to Me. The assignment is meant to be a reflective piece and allows me the opportunity to gain insight into what their experiences have been to this point. I am also able to learn about their writing capability and organization. Existing advanced studies students began their year with an Odyssey of the Mind challenge. Students in 6th will be learning about project planning and organization used for individual and small group projects. Students in 7th, and 8th grade advanced studies classes will be resuming or beginning new projects. Students in all grades will be exploring and examining issues related to the upcoming election. This will involve learning more about the electoral college and developing arguments for both maintaining the college and for shifting to use of the popular vote. Students will also need to develop an argument for whether any changes should be made to who should be allowed to vote (age changes and what role capability/capacity should play).
Art – Emily Bucher
Here's what's happening in the art room!
All grades welcomed back to school and art class!
6th grade – Students welcomed into art class! Supplies and procedures were covered the first week of school and all students created either a front and back bookmark design or a skateboard design in which they could use throughout the school year to encourage more reading time. Recently, students finished watching "Cave of Forgotten Dreams", a documentary on the famous Chauvet cave in France, while taking notes and drawing animals appearing in the movie. Then, each student created their own cave inspired oil pastel drawing using glue and a limited colors inspired by earth tones and ancient cave drawings. Cave art hands were also created for student enrichment and extra credit. Currently, students are learning about John James Audubon and creating bird drawings and cut construction paper collages on a species that is interesting to them. Sixth grade also worked on a "Ketch-up" drawing challenge, featuring various prompts, in between these two major projects.
7th grade – Students welcomed into art class! Supplies and procedures were covered the first week of school and all students created either a front and back bookmark design or a skateboard design in which they could use throughout the school year to encourage more reading time. Students created personalized first names that featured an illustration of a central theme or personal interests. Then, "Stretched Out" characters were created on long, tall paper in which students were asked to fill paper fully with their creation, in hopes to encourage and jump start creativity and problem solving. Currently, students are working on a Peace Poster Contest sponsored by the Lansing chapter of the International Lions Club. There will be a small awards ceremony tentatively on Friday, November 8th to distribute prizes and recognize those student winners.
8th grade – Students welcomed into art class! Supplies and procedures were covered the first week of school and all students created either a front and back bookmark design or a skateboard design in which they could use throughout the school year to encourage more reading time. Students began the semester lettering their name inspired by graffiti style font and artwork. Students could also include an illustration or image in addition to their first name. "Street smart" drawing challenge was also distributed for enrichment and extra credit. Currently, students are creating a motif drawing inspired by the life and work of Giuseppe Archimboldo, an artist working in the Renaissance and student of Leonardo da Vinci. The motif given is a No. 2 wooden pencil and students are creating an animal illustration from this theme and concept of repetition. Students are also incorporating use of value or darks and lights throughout their drawing.
9th hour art enrichment – We will be starting in early September!
Band – Aaron Edwards
The LMS bands has had a great return to school. The 8th grade band is preparing for their performance with the HS Marching Lions on September 6th. The 7th grade band has begun playing and have not lost much from the summer. This year we have 76 beginning band members. The beginning band will start playing instruments on September 3rd.
Choir – Josiah Ketterman
All Choirs are off to a great start at LMS. Students in all classes are reviewing some basic music theory as well as starting on their music for their fall concert, October 7th.
Students also have been learning several warmup songs, some of which are audition pieces. “My Country Tis of Thee” is being used for the Sound FX audition and “Dona Nobis Pacem” is being used for the Middle Level All-State Choir audition. Students have also learned the vocal round “I Love the Mountains” and analyzed it with solfege.
This year, LMS Choirs has a new webpage, check out https://sites.google.com/lansinglions.org/lmschoir/home to get up-to-date information on all things choir at LMS. This can be accessed through the district website as well by going to: schools - lansing middle school 6-8 - activities and “choir”.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) – Stephanie Ogden
6th Grade has taken part in a Career Exploration interest survey and then learned about Hospitality and Tourism. They created tour guide brochures about Kansas City attractions and presented them to the class. This week they are learning about the Agricultural and Environmental Sciences path. Each week they will learn nine different career pathways to gain more information about each one.
7th Grade has been busy in the FACS Lab researching nutritional facts about their favorite drinks, learned knife skills, as well as kitchen and food safety. Last week 7th grade picked fresh tomatoes from the Science Garden and learned to make fresh salsa. This week they have learned more content about the importance of measuring, reading recipes and will be making mug cakes.
8th Grade has been very busy with Business and Marketing tasks. They have created a grade level business plan, written formal letters, addressed envelopes, filled out job applications, practiced job interviews, learned about professionalism in the workplace and employability skills. This week we have been diving into advertising and marketing.
PE – Jennifer Bishop, Jon Bishop
The year has started off positively with new Physical Education competencies from KSDE. Jennifer Bishop, one of the PE teachers, attended the zoom meeting over the summer to learn about these new competencies and incorporate them into the current curriculum. All new competencies were already being taught and practiced at Lansing Middle School and that will continue. The year is starting off with the boys completing their baseline mile with the girls likely performing that next week when the heat index is lower. Both boys and girls PE will perform their sit up and pushup baseline testing this week and routine has already begun with fitness days and skill work this year. We are looking forward to a great year of health and wellness!
Spanish – Regan Gatson
6th grade is starting their comic strip project, where they make a comic using the greetings and goodbyes we’ve learned in class. After that, they will learn the days and months.
7th and 8th Grade have been studying greetings and goodbyes as well, and will soon learn about the days, months, and numbers. After that, they will learn about the weather. Every day, we practice talking about the date and weather that I write on the board; soon they will be able to describe and discuss their own environments better in Spanish.
Technology – Ron Averill
Technology classes have gotten off to a great start for this semester. We have worked our way through orientation and are beginning to work in the modules where the students will experience different areas of technologies as they are applied in various Expeditions of study. Hopefully, this will give them a direction that they want to follow as they pursue their educational experiences in high school.
