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Exciting Events, by Emerson Forbes

On August 23rd, we will be having a virtual field trip through the Griffin Museum of Science and Technology. We are going to learn about how to solve a crime with fingerprint analysis, chromatography, white powder analysis, and more. We have been preparing for this field trip by fingerprinting our fingers to find out which fingerprint pattern we have. The different fingerprints are loop, arch, and whorl. The loop and whorl pattern are the most common, while the arch pattern is the most rare. Fact about fingerprints...No fingerprint can ever be the exact same, even if you are twins.

This week (Aug 26 to Aug 30) we will have goal setting conferences. During these student/parent/teacher meetings, we will discuss assessments, setting goals, homework, etc..

Some other things we will be doing this year is going to Campway. Campway is a camp near Prescott. We will be doing a lot of cool things like, playing gaga ball, canoeing, rope coarses, and team building. When we went to Campway two years ago, we had tons of fun playing gaga ball. We slept in a 2 story cabin. There were multiple beds in each room so we could each have our own bed, making it so we could sleep in comfort. We had 3 meals a day, 1 in the morning, one in midday, and one at night. We walked down from our cabin each morning to have breakfast. If we ever got bored while were there, we could go to the gaga ball pit and we could also play volleyball.

We are also going to be having a student council this year. The different roles and responsibilities are President, Vice President, Spirit Action Team, Technology Action Team, Environment Action Team, and Community Action Team. We will be sharing these roles and responsibilities with Upper El. To be in any of these roles, you have to apply. There are questions to answer and responsibilities you would have to be prepared for, as well as give of your time and effort.

What's changed and what we have to look forward to this year...     by Brody

     This year we have a variety of new and upcoming things we will be doing including Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN). MMUN involves a year-long research project that ends with a simulation of the United Nations. We will be selecting a country to represent and we will find solutions to many problems in our countries and present these solutions in New York at the United Nations in February. MMUN is an educational program that combines the principles of Montessori education with the framework of Model United Nations. Aimed primarily at adolescent students, MMUN introduces them to the dynamics of global diplomacy and international relations through a child-centered, hands-on approach. The program encourages students to engage in collaborative problem-solving and public speaking while simulating real-world UN conferences. By emphasizing critical thinking, empathy, and global awareness, MMUN helps students develop leadership skills and a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives, all within a supportive and structured environment that aligns with Montessori educational philosophies. 

     Some other things that have changed are that we now use a grading system in middle school. We also use Saxon math books along with Montessori Math. This school year, instead of just marking right and wrong answers, we will be graded on our work, similar to many other schools. In the past, we would do Albanesi task math cards. This year, in addition to these cards, we will also be doing Saxon math books. Saxon math will teach students a variety of different concepts and we will also be learning algebra from these books.

     Last, but not least. We also have 2 new class pets.  an austrialian shepard named Ryder and an  austrialian shepard named Sky. These puppies were rescued from an apartment in chandler, they were abandoned by there owners and left all alone, so we make sure to give them extra love.

Specials, by Cole Schnorr

Our specials are: Art (Monday), Mandarin (Tuesday), Childsplay-Theater (not official yet, more details about it will be announced when it is fully confirmed), Yoga (Thursday), and P.E. (Friday).

Website Updates by Jackson

We have publicly launched our Quality Interactive Middle School website!

In this section, we are going to be writing about current website events and updates.

Our website's address is going to be https://qualityinteractivemiddleschool.com

and that's also where our newsletter/blog posts are going to be. I hope you enjoy this new and convenient way to look at our newsletter and updates! If you have a RSS Feed reader, you can get our newsletter directly to your feed! Just enter in https://www.qualityinteractivemiddleschool.com/blog-feed.xml  directly into your RSS reader. I'm also going to release a "How I made this website" blog post pretty soon, so that should appear in the following week(s).

Lesson Corner, by Joseph Gossack

   At QI, we do lessons and work. Tomorrow we have a crime lab field trip. This is a virtual field trip taking place at a museum in Chicago. In support of this, we have been having lessons about fingerprinting and DNA. Yesterday, we did a code cracker puzzle. We also did two fingerprinting lessons and some DNA and gene lessons this month. The DNA lessons were online lessons. The fingerprinting lessons were on the whiteboard.

   We do typing.com. Typing.com is a website that teaches you to type. There are typing lessons, stories, games, themes, and more. It is very fun. My favorite games are Keyboard Ninja and Tommy Q. Listenwise is a reading comprehension website where you do assignments and listen to stories. You have to do 1-2 assignments every week, each with a 3-5 minute story, and 5-10 questions. listenwise.com is not too boring actually.

   For book study, we are reading The Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, written in 1987. The book is about a 13 year old named Brian Robeson. He is on a plane with a pilot, and no other passengers. The pilot suddenly dies, and the plane crashes. Brian is now alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered jacket. The hatchet his mother gave him as a present, and the dreadful secret that caused his parents to divorce. This book is about survival. It is a fun book. From the book, "God! My chest! My chest is coming apart!

   For math we did a long division lesson once, using the long division materials. It was an okay lesson. Plus, Ms. Georgene will give you a lesson if you need help or you are working on something new.

But, don't expect all of schoolwork to be lessons. That only happens ~37.9 percent of the time. The other ~62.1 percent is independent work. I hope you enjoyed my blog about some schoolwork. Bye!

Dates to Remember, by Ms. Georgene

• Goal Setting Conferences for Student/Parent/Teacher, sign up via Sign Up Genius link on Transparent Classroom - week of 8/26-8/30

• Pizza lunch - 8/28, 9/4, 9/11, 9/18, 9/25 (Please note we will be on our overnight trip in Prescott 9/25-9/27)

• Student Council Applications due by Friday, 8/30

• 9/2 - Labor Day, no school

• 9/9 - Interviews will be conducted for 2024-2025 Student Council applicants

• 9/24 - Childsplay Performance at The Herberger Theater, Diary of Anne Frank, 10am

• 9/25-9/27: Campway Trip

• 9/27: Early dismissal, upon return from our trip

• 9/27: Quarter 1 ends

• 9/30-10/2 Fall Break

  
  

Taco Lunch, by Bryden Dana

Surveys

     Middle school will be starting Taco Lunch this September. We will be sending surveys home on Friday, August 23. They will be due Monday, August 26. We will be collecting all the surveys and putting people's ideas into consideration for Taco Lunch

Cooking Process 

     The tacos will be made at school. We will be buying the meat and cooking it overnight in crockpots. There will also be rice and beans to go with the meal. The meats we are thinking of are pork and chicken. We will have an option for meats once the surveys have been turned in. 

Prices will be announced after we review the surveys. 

Launch Day

Order forms will be sent out for you to choose your meal. After we get the information from your surveys, then we will be having our first Taco Lunch!