This past week in Middle School History

8th Grade has recently begun learning about the reasons for colonization in the New World, the current United States of America. We have been mapping out the United States and pointing out the original 13 colonies. This week, we will be taking a more in depth look at each of the colonies individually to explain their establishment, local resources and reasons for becoming a colony.


7th Grade has been taking a look at the physical regions of texas, as well as the cultural regions of Texas. Students have learned about the Coastal Plains, Great Plains, North Central Plains, and the Mountains and Basins region of Texas. We just started learning about the Cultural Eras of Texas, and will soon be taking a look at the timeline of the Cultural Eras, and the Native Americans and cultures that existed in the Eras.

7th Grade Science Recap

7th Grade has been learning about Photosynthesis, the process in which plants take in the radiant energy from the sun that turns into chemical energy, also known as glucose, and eventually omits oxygen into the atmosphere. Students have focused on key vocabulary words such as Photosynthesis, radiant energy, carbon dioxide, stomata, guard cell, chlorophyll, chloroplast and glucose to really get into details about the photosynthesis process. Students have learned, and are able to explain how each of the vocabulary words take part in the photosynthesis process, and how photosynthesis has an effect on humans.

8th Grade Science recap

8th Grade Science began understanding the parts of an atom. The subatomic particles of an atom include the proton (positive charge) neutron (neutral charge) and electron (negative charge). Protons and Neutrons combine to make Nucleons, and make up the Nucleus. Electrons stay out of the Nucleus and keep an atom balanced. The number of protons an atom has, helps to define the atom as an element. This is also known as their atomic number. In a balanced/ neutral atom, the number of protons, neutrons and electrons will all be the same. If an atom loses electrons it becomes a cation and becomes positively charges, if an atom gains electrons it is a negatively charged anion. The atomic mass is the total of protons and neutrons. It is the average of isotopes of the element. Valence electrons are located in the outmost energy level and determine how reactive an element is with other elements. 8th grade is also know learning how to structure atoms, and realizes that each energy level can accept a certain amount of atoms. The 1st energy level accepts 2, the 2nd accepts 8, and the 3rd accepts 16.

First Day of School!
Welcome everyone, its going to be a great year!
SASIC faculty, good luck this year!

Some words to live by

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as your are true to the best that is in you!
                                                                                                              -Christian D. Larson



*For those of you who are wondering who Christian D. Larson is, he was an influential early New Thought leader. He taught and studied Mental Science. Basically, he focused on how with the right attitude and belief in oneself, anything can be achieved. The only thing that hold someone back, is thyself and their own thoughts. If you think positive, you will have a positive outcome...but you must truly believe in what your thinking, because the subconscious mind can still take over. If you believe, you can achieve.

-I will have more quotes from Larson throughout the year!

Interactive Notebook

Science and Social Studies will each have an interactive notebook. This notebook will be kept in the classroom to be used everyday in class. Notebooks will have a "left and right side" to help record, organize, and process new information. You will be responsible for keeping your notebook update and complete.

The history around us

Every individual has a story. For every action, there is a reaction. Our choices impact our future, and from the future we are able to look back on our history. History is what makes an individual who they are. This year, for both 7th and 8th grade, we will take a greater understanding as to why we are here.

7th grade will take a greater focus on the history of our great state of Texas. There's more to the history of Texas than we really know. It is not just a state, it was once its own Republic.

8th Grade- We will take a look at the early civilization of the United States of America. We will take a greater understanding of how colonization first began. Throughout the rest of the year we will have an opportunity to look at some major turning points, revolutions, throughout our history.                        

The Atoms Family

8th grade Science, we will begin the school year off by learning about atoms. Everything we are made of or that exists around us is composed of matter. Matter, is made by atoms. If we think about it, every inch and aspect of life is composed of atom; From the food you eat, to the chair you are sitting in to read this lovely blog off your computer, are all composed of atoms. 

We will learn about protons, neutrons, electrons and how they make an atom, and which one. By combining all the atoms that exist in our world, universe, etc., we all make one family.

Photosynthesis, lets get into this!

7th grade, let's get ready to begin our Science with some photosynthesis. The video may be corny to some, but I found it pretty entertaining, informative, not to mention catchy! You will be singing it all day. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, and some bacteria use the energy from sunlight to produce sugar. Later on it is converted into ATP, or a "fuel" that is used by all living things. All living things including us human beings! Think Oxygen.

Anxious for the start of the school year!

As we all know, this past weekend was the open house for SASIC. It was a priviledge to meet with the students for the first time, and to speak with their parents. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming school year, and even more excited to see all the students and staff looking forward to begin as well!