When I first started our middle school club program a few years ago, I pictured students gathered in a room, discussing topics that interested them with little action. Not because I doubted their follow-through, but because that was the model I had seen at other schools. After the very first year, I realized that our students had something different in mind. They brought new energy, creativity, and urgency to clubs. They weren’t just talking, they were acting. They saw clubs as a way to create and shape our middle school culture, and they continue to rise to the challenge each year. It is always inspiring to see what happens when we give our students autonomy and trust. They are truly amazing citizens!
Here’s a glimpse of what our clubs are up to this fall:
- Media Arts Storytelling
Students are producing Halloween podcasts with roles as writers, engineers, and readers. Jason set up an impressive studio with Macs and podcasting equipment, and students are learning everything from storytelling to audio editing to produce polished, spooky episodes. - Spirit Club
Spirit Club is planning a middle school talent show! They’ve set the date, are gathering sign-ups, and will emcee and manage the entire event. This year, they’ve even expanded the audience to include the whole school. - Talking Club
Through Toastmasters-inspired activities, Talking Club members are writing speeches designed to engage an audience. They are preparing to present their work, with feedback and revisions from peers, building both confidence and skill. - Craft Club
Craft Club is exploring watercolor painting techniques. Right now, they’re focusing on pumpkins—bringing a festive, fall spirit into the middle school hallways.
These clubs remind us that when students are given voice and trust, they rise to the occasion and often go far beyond what we imagined. I am so proud of the way our students dream big and then follow through. Their energy and creativity continue to shape a vibrant middle school culture.
-RC
ELA- This week, 5th grade writers matched text evidence from Hello Universe to their reasons and claims in their theses using the boxes and bullets method. Writers then used essay outlines to fill in the essential parts of their first drafts. We tested vocabulary on 9/24 this week, so be sure to look out for those grades!
Next week, students will begin revising their essays, which are due on 10/8. We will also transition to a new grammar unit!
Science- This week in science 6th grade explored elevation and topographic maps. Students learned about Mount Shasta’s elevation by using models to create a topographic map. Students learned about contour lines and contour intervals as they used their topographic maps to create a profile of Mount Shasta. Next week students will continue mapping the surface of the Earth by doing a case study of Mount St. Helens and learning about events that can rapidly change the Earth’s surface.
Social Studies- Fifth continues to do great work on the United States geography and learning about the states, their capitals and are progressing into human geography. With this we study human impact on geography and how we shape the world around us. This is a really fun unit where students start to grasp their role in society and how they can make a difference. They will also continue to work on their individual state project, learning and researching the state they chose.
Math- This week, 5th grade mathematicians finished up our fraction division exploration before moving on to their end of unit assessment. They were assessed on their ability to apply fraction problems to real-world scenarios using the skills and strategies we’ve learned, as well as their mastery of seeing fractions on a diagram.
Next week, we’ll begin working on fraction and mixed number multiplication – related this type of math to “¼ of the cake” or “⅗ of 12 miles”, etc. We’ll relate this to area models to see the connections with “fraction of a fraction”.
