This week we will be taking the NWEA test. On Tuesday, we will take the Math test, on Wednesday, we will take the Reading test, and on Thursday, we will take the Language test. Friday is a half day, but students will be pulled to do makeup testing if they have missed a day or did not finish a test.

Testing Reminders:

• Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night
• Eat a balanced breakfast — do not eat too much sugar, and do not forget to have something with protein (milk, yogurt, peanut butter, etc.)
• Bring a water bottle so you can stay hydrated during testing.
• You will have classes after testing. You need to be ready to learn, even if you are tired from testing.

We’ve got this! Don’t stress! This is to find out where you are at coming into Middle School so that your teachers can help you grow throughout the year. It is important to do your best on every test you take to show what you know and what you can do!

I hope that everyone is feeling as great about this school year as I am! You have all been rock stars in Social Studies this week and I want to thank you for making the beginning of the school year so fun!

We have finally started to get into our actual Social Studies content and skills this week with a pre-test about writing in Social Studies. Remember that this test is not graded–it is just to help me better understand what skills you have right now so that I can plan a productive school year for us.

I have also sent home a letter about the professional development series the social studies teachers at Smith are participating in. We are working with researchers from the University of Michigan to learn how our teaching practice–what we do–impacts how students think and write. The permission slip ONLY needs to be returned if you do NOT want your student’s work included in the published research by the University of Michigan. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me or any of the researchers listed on the permission letter.

Please check Google Classroom for daily agendas, materials, and resources.

Let’s keep up the good work, friends!