As we move through the holiday season — a time that can easily become rushed and overwhelming — I’ve been talking with our middle schoolers about slowing down and celebrating the little things. In the midst of projects, festivities, and the growing buzz of December, I’m encouraging them to notice the everyday moments that often slip by: a shared laugh with a friend, a problem solved through teamwork, the calm of a quiet morning, or a small success that deserves recognition.
This past weekend I got to see one of my favorite bands, TopHouse. They often sing about the beauty found in ordinary moments and the way joy can live in the smallest details if we’re willing to pause long enough to see them. That message has been at the heart of my conversations with students this week.
My hope is that during this busy season, our students (and all of us!) can take a breath, look around, and find meaning in the simple, fleeting moments that make up our days. It’s in those little things that the true magic of this time of year lies.
—Amanda
Upcoming Dates
- December 19th – Pajama Day/Holiday Extravaganza (11:30am Dismissal)
- December 22 – January 2nd – Winter Break (No School)
- January 5th – Teacher Work Day (No School)
- January 6th – School Resumes
ELA: 5th grade writers published their twisty, humorous, and meaningful personal stories this week in gorgeous cursive. Each and every one of them should be so proud of their penmanship skills. That connection between the hand and the brain is so strong and is being made all the more efficient and beautiful with cursive! We loved swapping stories and hearing everyone’s amazing prose. 5th grade also had a grammar test on Wednesday, so be sure to look for those grades.
Next week, 5th grade transitions to a non-fiction research unit! They will pour over nonfiction magazines and articles to select a topic and begin research using a variety of trusted sources and databases. This research will be compiled into a handmade “Pocketguide” zine on their topic. With one week left before break, students will be doing some grammar review.
Science: This week in science, 5th graders started learning about nutrient systems. They started by exploring how dormant organisms need specific conditions to come out of dormancy. Students used yeast and experimented with adding different things to try to make the yeast active. Next week students will investigate how plants get nutrients by attempting to grow seeds in different conditions.
Social Studies: We are now getting ready to finish our unit of study on Europe through the ages. This was a fun unit that allowed students to understand how many different changes the continent has gone through during its long history of civilization. Next week we will discuss present day Europe and how it was shaped by the many empires and kingdoms that came before it and how the struggles going on today on the continent.
Math: This week in math, 5th graders explored decimal place value to help them compare and order decimal numbers before applying this knowledge to decimal addition. We related decimals to money to help make sense of where we see decimals in the real world. Next week, we’ll work towards decimal addition mastery before moving on to subtraction!
