The TJHS Builders Club sponsored Christmas cards creation and delivery for our senior citizens throughout the assisted living facilities in Taylorville. We are so thankful for opportunities to show our appreciation!
The November Students of the Month at Taylorville Junior High School are selected by their teachers and have demonstrated "Grit--the ability to persist after a setback" throughout the month.
Cutline: Front (L-R) Darius Cockerill, Elliot Potter, Kylie Paine, AddyJones, Hollyn Becker, Amelia Kerr, Brody Houston, Isaac Parks, Brody Holler, Rylee Glasco,
Back (L-R) Ella Bates, Grace Mizeur, Sam Wagner, Morgan Likes, Coady Johnson, Braylen Campbell, Ximena Cabrera, Zariah Pearse, Savannah Brune
Pic 2: (L-R) Olivia Ashlock, Owen Bilyeu, Clint May
TJHS--Picture Retake Day is tomorrow, Monday, Dec 2 and for:
1--Anyone who had their photo taken and wants a retake (if they purchased images or not).
2--Anyone who was absent on Picture Day and needs their first image taken.
Hope your Thanksgiving Break was memorable and welcome back to all!
4-Square is still a big deal, even in junior high! Savage moves and game on in winter weather!!
Thursday, Nov 21--STUCO Dress Up Day!!!
TJHS Fannie May fundraiser update...
Dear Parents/Students/Customers:
Fannie May Candy is experiencing widespread product shortages and delays. Mint Meltaways are on back order. When the Mints become available, they will be delivered to the school, labeled. To help with this process, we have made copies of the original order forms, students can then get the Mints to their awaiting customers. We kindly ask for your patience.
Because of the shortages, Mint Meltaways & Buttercreams cannot be selected for the free item(s). Those items must be used for the paying customers. Your free Mints & Buttercreams have been substituted with another item; we are truly sorry.
We do appreciate your understanding, and we do sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
This is only the second time we have had any Fannie May candy back orders. This news is frustrating, but we are handling it the best way that we can. We will get through it.
We thank you for your continued support of our schools.
Sincerely,
Ruthie & Dana Fundraising
Cell: 217-369-4049
Patriots Pen Essay
The following eighth grade girls placed first, second, and third place respectively in the VFW Patriots Pen Essay writing contest: Carson Corzine, Saya Ohlwine, and Kailey Samson. They will continue on to the district competition later this year. Congratulations, girls! WRITE ON!
(L-R)--Morgan Likes, Sarah Wagner, Liambrady Duke, Josie Dees, Lauren Hartwig and Avril Gatton . These students auditioned and were accepted into the District 5 ILMEA Jazz Festival! They travelled to EIU and performed in a concert that evening with their peers from across the region.
Miss Sharrow’s class has been learning all about matter in Science. This week they focused on gases and learned how hot air balloons work! They got to work with a partner and design a model of a hot air balloon.
Tornado Joe's will be at The Autumn Vendor Festival tomorrow Saturday, November 2nd.
We will located inside North School and will be taking orders starting at 9 am.
PLEASE stop by and see us!
I have students, parents, and siblings who have volunteered to help as well as my wonderful paras who are always willing to help our students.
We would love to see as many familiar faces as possible so spread the word and PLEASE stop by!
Mrs. Fassero's classes used knowledge of science to make their getaway from a Halloween escape room. Pictured are the students who made it out in the nick of time.
Mrs. Fassero's classes used knowledge of science to make their getaway from a Halloween escape room. Pictured are the students who made it out in the nick of time.
This week, Ms. Anderson kicked off the exciting new class, Computer Science for Innovators and Makers (IM). This class is part of a program made possible by a grant received last year, and it's designed to help students explore the fascinating world of computer science.
In the first week, they looked at the different components they will be using throughout the course. These parts include sensors and actuators that allow us to create systems that can interact with the physical world around us. (micro-bits).
One of the key ideas discussed is that programming is not just about writing code on a computer. Instead, it extends into the real world! Learning how to design algorithms and use computational thinking to solve problems. Students will have the chance to code and upload programs to microcontrollers. These small devices can perform various tasks, making projects come to life. This class will help students understand important computer science concepts through hands-on applications. Students are excited to see what innovative projects everyone will create as they learn and grow in this class!
Pictured is a student holding a micro bit.
In Ms. Anderson's STEM class, students are diving into the exciting world of Computer-Aided Design (CAD). CAD is a powerful tool that helps designers create detailed drawings and models of objects. This week, students are using CAD to design their very own name plates!
A name plate is a small sign that displays a person's name or title. It can be used for desks, doors, or any place where you want to show who you are! The name plates must meet specific dimensions, which will help students understand how to work with measurements in design. This project is a stepping stone for future design projects where students will create parts for bigger projects. This name plate project is not just about making something cool; it helps students develop important skills for their future. Understanding how to use CAD and work with dimensions is crucial for anyone interested in engineering, architecture, or design. By the end of this project, students will have a better grasp of CAD and be more prepared for their future design projects. Plus, they’ll have a personalized name plate to showcase their hard work!
Last week, Mrs. Anderson's 8th grade science classes took on an exciting challenge: designing and building their own roller coasters! This project helped them learn about two important concepts in physics: **kinetic energy** and **potential energy**. Students began by brainstorming ideas for their roller coasters. They had to think about:
- The shape of the track
- The height of the hills (which affects potential energy)
- The speed of the cars (which relates to kinetic energy)
Next, each group created a budget for their roller coaster. They had to consider:
- Materials needed (like cardboard, tape, and marbles)
- Costs associated with each material
- Staying within a set budget to ensure their project was realistic
After building their roller coasters, it was time to test them! Students released marbles down their tracks to see how well their designs worked. They observed how height and speed affected the marble's movement.
This week, the fun continued in the STEM lab with several engaging activities:
Students used the Z-Space machine to experience virtual reality (VR). They learned about the engineering and design process in a hands-on way. Using Oculus machines, students took a thrilling VR ride on a roller coaster. Students also worked with Sphero robots. They coded the Sphero to travel along a roller coaster track they created. Each Sphero made different sounds depending on which part of the roller coaster it was on, adding an auditory element to their project. Finally, each student created an animated slide show of their roller coaster using their Chromebooks. They had to download their presentations as videos, showcasing their designs and what they learned about kinetic and potential energy. Through this roller coaster project, Mrs. Anderson's students not only learned about energy but also developed skills in design, budgeting, coding, and presentation. It was a fantastic way to combine science and creativity!
In our recent science classes, Mrs. Reindl introduced an exciting project where we got to work with spheros! These are small, robotic balls that we can control using code. Our challenge was to program the spheros to navigate through a food web. We learned how to use block coding, which is a way to write programs using blocks that represent different commands. This makes it easier to understand how coding works! We used the block coding to give commands to the spheros. This included moving forward, turning, and even changing colors! To make our spheros more exciting, we learned how to add lights and sounds to our programs. This made our spheros not only move through the food web but also light up and make noise! Our goal was to navigate the spheros through a model of a food web. We had to think carefully about the path we wanted them to take, representing how energy flows from one organism to another. This coding project with spheros was not only fun but also helped us learn important concepts in science and technology. We got to combine our knowledge of ecosystems with our new coding skills, making learning interactive and exciting!
Today, Mrs. Salmon's and Mrs. Fassero's 7th-grade science classrooms teamed up for an exciting event in the Hot Spot! We had a special guest from "Ag in the Classroom" who helped us with a fun hands-on project: designing and building Pumpkin Catapults! After each launch, we measured how far the pumpkins traveled. This project was not only fun but also a great way to learn about engineering and physics. We discovered how different designs affected the distance our pumpkins traveled. Working together in teams helped us develop our collaboration skills and think creatively.
Ms. McChristy's 5th grade completed a haunted pumpkin patch escape room! They had to complete a variety of activities to escape and enjoyed completing the escape room!!
Miss Sharrow’s fifth grade class has been exploring history hands-on! Our students have been hard at work creating models of Native American homes. This project consisted of a nature walk to gather materials, researching the home they chose to build, and working as a team to build their structure. Great work!
"TJHS 7th grade Art students working with plaster to create Day of the Dead masks."
