6th - Middle School 

Thanks for visiting the 6th Grade Homeroom and Middle School Social Studies page. 

January 2019
Happy New Year! After a merry Christmas vacation, the middle school social studies program is up and running. We will be diving into several new concepts and skills! 

Grade 6: Over the years I have been experimenting with integrating "gamification" as a motivational technique to make my students excited about learning. In the second trimester, the student will apply the research and writing skills they developed in fall to "level up" they farming villages they cultivated. In the "River Valley of Peace" civilization simulation, students will advance their vilages into full-blown river civilizations based on ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China. Through an interactive bulletin board model, student will experience the complications of living in cities and develop systems of government, social classes, and use division of labor to expand their economies.  

Grade 7: After developing a base understanding of the  many cultures and empires that developed after the fall of western Rome (Islam, Byzantium, Holy Roman Empire, Vikings...) the 7th grade class will begin learning how these empires interacted with one another. In the second trimester, the 7th grade class can look forward to researching and writing biographies on persons of historical significance, roll playing their subjects of research, and building an understanding of medieval economy through feudalism simulations. I believe students learn by doing, so I have plenty of opportunities for creativity, imagination, and hands-on learning planned. 

Grade 8:  The second trimester in 8th grade is the most challenging. It is this term that my class will learn how to conduct independent research, gather facts and, compose an argumentative essay. Asside from being an important high school skill, argumentative essays teach students how to look at FACTS from two different sides of an issue, then use logic to explain why one side of the issue is more reasonable. This activity forces students to stretch their abilities in writing, but also, encourages kids to square their beliefs and opinions with what facts tell them.

November 2018

It's been a whirlwind of a fall at Holy Family. Here are a few announcments and reminders to keep in mind for the upcoming weeks. 

• Friday, Novermber 16th is our 70th anniversary Gala. Even if you are unable to attend, please consider donating by contacting the school office! 
• Tuesday, November 27th at 1:30 in Celebration Hall - Our middle school students will showcase their learning and accomplishments from the first trimester during our Rotation Performances. All are welcome! 
• Thursday, December 6th at 8:15am - 6th grade hosts its second Mass of the year. 
• Gradebooks close on Friday, November 30th. Report cards will be sent home on Friday, December 7th. 
• Tuesday, December 18th at 7:00pm in the church - Join us to celebrate the Christmas season for our whole-school Christmas Program. Each class from Pre-school through 8th grade will perform. All are welcome! 

October, 2018

Thank you to all the families who attended parent-teacher conferences. It was great building community and touching base on how best to support the children of our school. 

6th grade: Right now in social studies, the 6th grade class is participating in a group project. Each group is forming a hypothetical hunter-gatherer society from a different world region. Each group is creating a collage and forming the rules, meals, clothing style, education, and religion that makes up their culture. The goal is to assess the way environment impacts culture and lifestyle.

7th grade: 7th grade social studies is busy examining the way religion gained power and spread throughout medieval times. While collecting historical information, the skill focus has been on taking notes, summarizing, and composing clear, well-written responses to show comprehension. Since the 7th graders have mostly mastered compound sentences that show contrast, they will now focus on writing sentences containing appositive phrases. 

8th grade: Just in time for election season, the 8th grade class is studying the Consititution and learning about the formation of government in America. Along with the concept f "for the people, by the people," 8th graders are learning about the Bill of Rights, and discussing the many ways America has separated its powers through its three-branch system of checks and balances. 

September 2018

Willamette Center Shelter
9/20/18
Kudos to our sixth and second grade classes, who teamed up earlier this week to make 120 sack lunches for distribution at the Wilammette Center Shelter. The 6th graders donated and made 240 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! As a part of our service learning focus, the class reflected on the Catholic Social Justice Principle that focuses on the dignity of work. Contrintuing to a cause greater than oneself gives a great sense of self worth. Holy Family makes it a point to develop this attitude in its students. 



9/14/18
Welcome back friends and family of HFCS. Looking forward to a positve start to the school year. Don't forget to attend Back to School night on September 13th at 6:15. I'll have all the information you need to get you started on the right track. 

On September 17th and 18th, in cooperation with the parish, the 6th grade is combining forces with the 2nd grade to make 120 sack lunches for the Wilammette Center Shelter. Please contact Mr. Gregor if you are available to deliver the boxes of food to the shelter on Septmerber 18th at 11:30. 

June 2018
As the school year winds down, each class is working on its final projects among many other exciting end-of-the-year activities. 

6th grade
6th grade is finishing up its unit on government and ancient Greece and is looking forward to studying the advancements of Rome. How did these civilizations shape our culture? What ideas and inventions were born in Rome and are still in use today? 

7th grade
After finishing its country reports and presenting to the class, the 7th grade class is reviewing what it has learned about the Middle Ages and taking a sneak peek at the Renaissance. What advancements in science, technology, art, and goverment did the Mediterranean region see after the "rebirth" of civilization? The 7th grade will soon find out. 

8th grade
The 8th graders are ending their year learning about the economic, political, military, and cultural conflicts of the Civil War. How did the country mend itself after war? What moves did the government make to reconcile and nation build? How did the outcome of the Civil War shape the country in which we live? 

Spring 2018

6th grade
Holy Family 6th graders are participating in a "civilization simulation" that requires them to settle territory, specialize in a skilled trade, participate in a local economy, and form governments. Students are working together to form alliances, negotiate trades, and balance personal success with the needs of the society. 

7th grade
The 7th grade class has completed its study of medieval times and is now focusing on geography and culture in modern times. Each student will choose a country with ties to the medieval empries we studied and complete a research report. Students will focus on the history, landforms, economy, government, and culture of their chosen country and complete a formal report. 

8th grade
8th grade students have been learning about America's westward expansion in the 1800s. After gathering historical information about the many stakeholders of the time (Native Americans, Miners, Ranchers, Exodusters, Farmers, Railroads, Immigrants etc...) the 8th grade students will create propaganda posters intended to persuade a target population. 

Outdoor School!!
The 6th grade has been scheduled to attend outdoor School at Camp Namanu during the week of April 15th-20th! Please visit the link below for information. 

https://www.mesdoutdoorschool.org/

The Site Supervisor will visit students on February 23rd to share a slide show and help students understand what their week will be like. He will answer questions and share the necessary paperwork for signing up. 

Winter 2017-2018
All three middle school classes spent the fall acquiring vocabulary, skills, and concepts in their respective areas of study. 8th grade studies US History and government. 7th studies the Middle Ages. 6th studies ancient civilization. As each class builds the necessary background information and prerequisite knowledge throughout the 1st trimester, they prepare themselves for major projects in the 2nd trimester...

6th grade
Starting in January, the 6th grade class will take what they learned about the Agricultural Revolution and show how farming knowledge helped mankind blossom into the full-blown river civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China. The class will be simulating the growth of these civiilzations through a, interactive bulletin board project. This highly engaging, hands-on unit requires students to cooperate, apply knowledge, and solve actual problems faced by ancient people. 

7th grade
All fall, the 7th grade studied the culture, economy, government, and daily life of people in Medieval Europe. Throughout the winter, students will be asked to complete biographic reports about influential leaders from medieval times. Upon completion of the biographies, students will role play and act as their medieval individuals, debating one another on cultural and religious issuees. 

8th grade
Now that the 8th graders are educated on the 3 branches of government, current political events, and our system of checks and balances, they will be moving into a study of the Bill of Right and civil liberties. I look forward to guiding the students through a major writing process to compose argumentative essays where they will be required to form an opinion and support it based on facts, logic, and reason. 

October 2017
Its been a great start to the year, and the middle school social studies program is in full swing! 

6th grade - Studying early modern humans, the 6th graders are learning all the creative ways that hunter-gatherers adapted to the many different environments of the world. We will connect these adaptations to the great variety of cultures and lifestyles around the globe in mocern times. 

7th grade - Looking at the spread of religion, ideas, and culture in medieval times, the 7th graders are focusing on the Golden Age of Islam and the Holy Roman Empire. 

8th grade - After the Declaration of Independence was signed, war broke out in colonial America. What geo-political, economic, and geographic factors led the colonists to victory over the British? This is the topic of study in 8th grade. 

September 2017
Welcome back to school! I'm pleased to have my returning students and families, and even more pleased to welcome all the incoming 6th graders to the middle school program here at Holy Family. We are jumping right in to things and getting the new middle schoolers acclimated to their new schedules and teachers. The middle school team of teachers coordinates their routines and instruction to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

Please come to Back to School Night on Thursday, September 14th, for information regarding the middle school program, as well as homeroom-specific news and updates. Social hour begins at 6:30, followed by the State of the School Address at 7:00. Afterward, the classrooms will be open for parents to meet their new teachers. 

As the history teacher, I'm excited to start new units in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Here are the year's opening topics at each level:

6th grade: As an introduction to middle school, I open the year with training on how to be an effective note-taker, and also, how to be a good writer at the middle school level. These are skill essential to middle school success. 

7th grade: I am introducing the Middle Ages to this group by looking at the changes in Western Europe that occured after the fall of Rome. We start by learning the geography and political boundaries that took shape as well as the development of fuedalism. 

8th grade: We begin by analyzing the Declaration of Independence. What did it say? What did it mean? Why is this document so historically significant? 


Spring 2017
Outdoor school has been scheduled for the week of May 21st-26th. Mark your calendars! We'll be leaving from Sellwood Middle School on Sunday, the 21st, at 2:00! More information coming soon. 

As promised, I finally have specifics about our week at Outdoor School. Please read carefully and add these details to your calendars and family plans. 

Outdoor School is the week of May 21st through the 26th. We are attending Camp Howard with Oregon Episcopal School, Scott Middle School, and St. Paul. 

We will be leaving via bus from Sellwood Middle School on Sunday, May 21st at 2:00. Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in, load the bus, and take pictures. 

If your child(ren) require medication, please have it in a plastic baggie, labeled with their name. Mrs. Dickinson or myself will turn all medication directly over to the ODS nurse. Please note that there is no need to pack "just in case" medicine, as the nurse has many forms of over the counter medication including Benedryl, Advil, Tylenol, etc...

There is a fee for attending outdoor school, and the price varies depending on which county tax pool you pay into. If the cost of ODS poses a hardship, please notify Ms. Wiltgen to request financial assistance. Prices are as follows. Please make checks to Holy Family, as MESD bills the school. 

Residents of Multnomah County = $85

Residents outside of Multnomah County = $322.20

We will be returning via bus to Sellwood Middle School on Friday, May 26th at 1:30. Please arrange for your child to be picked up. We will not return to Holy Family. Students are welcome to go home and begin their weekend! 

If you have questions or concerns regarding this email or ODS in general, please contact me for clarification. 

Social Studies News - 2017

• May
• 6th graders are researching self-chosen topics in relation to ancient Greece. Topics for independent study include architecture, warfare, fashion, philosophy, and more. The end goal is for each student to become an "expert" and teach other students about the wonders of Ancient Greece. 
• 7th graders are just finishing their unit on the MIddle Ages. After taking their test on Medieval Europe, they will be choosing prominent figures from the Middel Ages to research and rol play. 
• in 8th grade, students are participating in a simulation of the American Civil War strategy. This game asks students to critically think about the logistics and strategy of waging war in addition to gaining an understanding of the historical facts.  

 

• April
• 6th grade is creating comic strips that show the evolution of democracy in ancient Greece. This part of a broader unit of study on forms of government including monarchy, oligarchy, and tyranny as well. 
• 7th grade is currently studying the geography and culture of medieval Europe. They are currently working on an illuminated manuscript that shows and tells different aspects of medieval culture through writing and art. 
• 8th grade is learning about the Civil War. They have worked in groups to author, direct, and act out a twelve part mini-series called "The Road to the Civil War," which tells the story of the many controversial events and issues that caused the North and South to turn against eachother. 

 

• March 
• 6th grade is studying its River Civilization unit. The class is split into 4 groups and will be learning about Ancient China, India, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. 
• The 7th grade is in the midst of writing Country Reports. Students will be researching the geography, culture, governments, and economies of nations from all 7 continents. Besides writing a research paper, students will also be hand-drawing political and physical maps, designing charts and diagrams that explore their country's population, and finding the meaning behind their country's flag. 
• 8th graders at HFCS are studying the impacts of westward expansion on both European Americans and Native Americans. We are studying primary documents from the time and analyzing the first-hand accounts from the time period. 

-Matt Gregor