SSMS Teachers Rock!!
At South Side Middle School our goal as educators is to prepare our students to become independent learners and thinkers. We strive to provide a learning environment that provides students with opportunities to move toward this goal by providing experiences to help students understand and utilize their unique aptitudes and interests, enabling them to adjust to their rapidly changing environment while addressing their unique and individual needs. The curriculum conforms with all standards mandated by the New York State Board of Regents, and the framework of the IB Middle Years Program.
Tech 8 Trebuchets
Mr. Bockelman & Mr. LaManna's Tech 8 classes are finalizing their trebuchets. Students are working together in groups from computer design to hands on building.
Sun Prints
Mrs. Elbroody's 8th grade Studio in Art class took to the outdoors today to create Sun Prints. Students are in the middle of their BioArt Unit, which is art inspired by science. Using bits of plants and flowers, students created arrangements on special paper to create silhouetted sun prints.
8th Grade Community Project
8th Graders Community Project is finally here! For a lot of the year 8th graders choose their own way to help the community by raising money, taking donations or painting the school. Their impressive trifold boards highlight their efforts and service.
First annual SSMS Fishing Trip @ Captree State Park May 14th
7th Grade
Aquarium Trip
Art Club Fundraiser for Ukraine
SSMS Art Club with Ms. Cacioppo is creating artwork to help support the people of Ukraine and spread a message of unity. They are studying the artwork of iconic Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko whose paintings express the pride and hope of a nation. She became an artist the same decade Stalin waged war on Ukraine so she has once again become a symbol of survival and peace. The students of Art Club would like to share Prymachenko’s message of hope, independence, and resiliency. We invite our SSMS community to check out our Gallery Table outside room 116. Please make a donation and choose a piece of art for your keeping. 100% of the proceeds will go to UNICEF.
Science Lab!
8th Grade Students took advantage of the nice weather to measure the dew point and relative humidity. using sling psychrometers!
School Store
Welcome to South Side Middle School's School Store, open daily during Extra Help. Run by our fabulous students and Dr. Chase, the school store sells school supplies, candy, birthday decorations and much more!
Ice Cream Lab
This week 7th Grade students enjoyed the Ice Cream Lab! Students were told they were hired by the Ben & Jerry's factory and have been asked to develop the ice cream using the simplest ingredients possible. Using their knowledge of the transfer of heat through phase changes, students created a mixture of milk, sugar, and netsquick shaking up a delicious treat for all to enjoy!
Jazz Concert
Last Night South Side Middle School hosted the Jazz Concert. With the help of Mr. Lichter and Mr. Kroeger, Mrs. Daly's Morning News crew helped film the show for the live stream. Some student's dived in for the first time on auditorium and studio operated cameras. Shout out to Tiernan Ferrick, Lamont Brigg's Jr., Audrey Morrow, Liam Clodfelter, and Sophia Grunfeld.
Tiernan Ferrick on Auditorium Cameras
Liam Coldfelter with Mr. Lichter on switcher
Lamond Briggs Jr. on Sound
Audrey Morrow on the Robotic Camera
Sophia Grunfeld on the Robotic Camera
Kindness Month
February is National Kindness Month! To celebrate, the SADD club at SSMS is hosting a series of wonderful events to remind us that any kindness, no matter how small, changes the world for the better. So far, students wrote what kindness means to them on red hearts and are on display in the hallways! <3
February Extended Advisory
Super Hero Mascot! February's extended advisory is a contest to create a SSMS superhero that represents one of the MYP learner profile traits. Advisory 113 with Mrs. Daly used their Morning News Club as inspiration to create the COMMUNICATOR ANCHORMAN HERO who keeps us informed by using clear communication!
Spreading Holiday Cheer
The Newsletter Club teamed up with Beyond the Badge to create holiday cards for local law enforcement officers. Students wrote nice messages to lift the spirits of officers on Long Island and throughout New York City during the holiday season. In total 200 cards were sent from South Side Middle School! We attached a few pictures of students working and the cards created.
Famous Atomic Scientists
Seventh grade science classes are exploring how scientists collaborate to develop models. Groups of students researched different atomic scientist, John Dalton, JJ Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, Niels Bohr, and James Chadwick. Then they came together to create a "History of an Atom" timeline showing how the model of an atom has transformed over time.
Treats for Troops
The SSMS History Club completed their “Treats for Troops” community service project. The club collected over 60 pounds of excess Halloween candy from fellow students and staff and created over 300 goodie bags for local Veterans!
SSMS LOVES OUR VETERANS!
Artists at SSMS are Strong Like A Tree.
While learning about the principle of design, contrast, 8th graders worked together to identify the stress in their lives before illustrating what grounds them. Stress happens. It’s a fact of life. But stress can be good for us in small doses and can benefit us when we learn from it. These 8th graders are figuring out how to understand their stress rather than dismiss it as well as ways to practice self-care. When we do things to take care of our minds, bodies, and souls, we promote well-being and reduce stress which can enhance our ability to live fully, vibrantly and productively.
Teaching with Technology
The foreign language teachers help students learning new vocabulary in an interactive way. They used their chomebooks to challenge a classmate to a connect four game. Turning vocabulary review into a fun and exciting game.
South Side’s Got Talent
South Side’s Got Talent took the SSMS stage by storm last Friday and Saturday, 11/5/and 11/6. Playing to our first live audiences in almost two years, the cast of 45 was excited to showcase all the talent they had to offer. We had singing, dancing, spoken word poetry and even an animal act! Kids were given the chance to really shine! Great fun was had by all!
Filming the Fall Review
Filming the fall revue! 7th grader Nicolas Mitchell holding his own next to a 12th grader controlling a camera for the first time as a natural
Indian Festival of Lights
Diwali the Indian Festival of Lights has begun (Nov. 4-9, 2021)! We hope you enjoy the Rangoli designs going on exhibit today through Monday on the second floor. Info about the project and the holiday are posted in the exhibit. Enjoy the radial symmetry art work and the extra hour this weekend!
Celebrating Veterans
During our monthly extended advisory students create cards for local veterans. This is one of many events that SSMS students participate in during the month of November. Other activities including the History Club is collecting excess Halloween candy! All donated candy will be going to local Veterans in the RVC community and surrounding areas as part of our Treats for Troops community service project!
Spanish Class is Fun!
Students learning new vocabulary in an interactive way. They used their chome books to challenge a classmate to a connect four game.
Just Say NO to Drugs!
The SADD club was presented with a proclamation for celebrating Red Ribbon Week and the fact that the students at SSMS are of good character and make smart choices. Here is a picture of our student pledges for red ribbon week. We made chains that are now hanging outside the auditorium as a reminder to be the best people we can be, making good choices and staying drug free!
SSMS Halloween Shenanigans
The Halloween spirit is afoot. It’s always an enjoyable experience to celebrate Halloween at South Side Middle School where both students and teachers join in on the fun.
A New England Town Meeting
Students in Mrs. Garren’s 7th grade social studies class recently put on an in class play called “A New England Town Meeting.” Students are learning about Puritan society in the Massachusetts Colony as part of their inquiry into the original Thirteen Colonies!
Low Light Photography
Low light photography is so much fun and isn’t as intimidating as it may first look. Photography is all about light, and shooting in dark conditions can make life tricky. However, there are ways to make low light photography work for you – perhaps taking advantage of the moody, mysterious atmosphere and adding some drama to your images. This is 7th grade exploratory students trying low light photography for the first time.
Acts of Service by the 7th Graders
The 7th grade ELA classes, led by Ms Driscoll, Ms Ryan and Ms Monsour, participated in Acts of Service to honor and commemorate the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11th. Students collected donations and wrote cards for the Beacon House which cares for homeless veterans. Some students also took part in the Tunnel To Towers run which honors hero Firefighter Stephen Siller who grew up in RVC and gave his life saving others on Sept. 11. The Tunnel to Towers organization builds smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans, takes care of gold star families and the families of police and fireman who have died in the line of duty. The students felt good about thanking these heroes and we are so proud of them for the great job they did!
Congratulations to the new NJHS students
On Thursday evening, October 14th, the newest members of the National Junior Honor Society were inducted. A live-streamed ceremony was held with all students present and families able to watch from home. Congratulations to all our new members!
Discovering the English colony of Jamestown
Students in Mrs. Garren's 7th grade social studies class have been studying the early English colony of Jamestown. Students participated in an archeological inquiry, where they acted as Jamestown archaeologists. Students analyzed and evaluated real life artifacts found at the Jamestown settlement through a series of videos from the Jamestown Rediscovery Project. A job well done by our very own SSMS archeologists!
ELA 7: Writer’s Workshop
Ms. Monsour, Ms. Ryan and Ms. Daw helped our friends in ELA 7 to write an original prequel, sequel or parallel story inspired by O’Henry’s “Retrieved Reformation.” This engaging story about cops, robbers and romance left us with a HUGE Cliffhanger! The students brainstormed and “Pitched” their ideas to their peers. We can’t wait to see where these stories go and what adventures Jimmy Valentine and Ben Price will get into next!
Interdisciplinary Math, Science, and Food
Food science draws from many disciplines, including biology, chemical engineering, and biochemistry to better understand food processes and improve food. Cooking is a science and measuring your ingredients correctly is a key part to having a successful product! Mrs. Fitzgerald’s Food Science classes put their culinary skills to the test! In teams, students competed to show off their math and measuring skills to reinforce concepts learned about kitchen equivalents and measuring techniques.
Science You Can Eat
The skittles experiment is easy, low cost and provides lots of investigative opportunities for our 6th graders. During this investigation students used the scientific method to determine "Will the colored coating on skittles dissolve faster in water or oil?" In this picture you can see Mrs. Campbell helping a 6th grader collect and record their data. Take a look at this awesome lab by clicking here.
Who Stole the Doughnuts?
The 8th graders are working hard to determine "Who stole the doughnuts?". This project is an MYP summative assessment following our solving equations and inequalities units. Sherlock Reilly was on the scene! Students are working cooperatively to solve each clue to figure out which Disney villains had alibis.
Busy Algebra extra help on test day!
"Archaeological Dig" during Social Studies
Mrs. Conneally’s 7th Grade Social Studies was welcomed by our school Media Specialist Ms. Jacobs to the library of SSMS to perform our annual, “Archaeological Dig.” At our “dig” each student assumes the role of a modern day archaeologist who must make observations to infer about the ancient cultures of North America. Students are encouraged to use their 5 senses to come to educated conclusions to better understand the people of the past.
Can You Fit Through a Piece of Paper?
Welcome back to hands on science !!!! Seventh graders in Mrs. Lee-Pyatt's period 5 science class we able to work together to investigate a science inquiry activity. They had to devise a way to cut a sheet of paper so that they could walk through it. After creating a hypothesis, experimenting , and collaborating most lab groups were successful.
Daily Morning Announcements
Every morning students watch the morning announcements that are created and produced by fellow students. The "TV Studio" students work with sate of the art professional TV equipment and rotate crew positions: camera, sound, lighting, stage-managing and engineering throughout the year.
Exploratory 7
Seventh grade students use the RCam app on the iPad to create light trail photography. To do this they slow down the shutter speed to create long exposure images.