Last night, our middle school’s Spirit Club hosted the annual Cooper Middle Dance – which is my absolute favorite event of the year. I’m sure when you hear the words “middle school dance”, your body instinctively cringes – your mind flooded with memories of awkward dances, hugging the wall, fear of being judged, etc. Mine does, too! But, I can confidently speak for our middle schoolers when I say that was not what they experienced last night. Worries were left at the door, dance moves were electric, and smiles and laughter filled the beautifully transformed library. These kids are so fearlessly themselves, and are also so great at meeting their peers where they are. It’s the magical combination of people in one room that made last night so special. If they can make something as cringey and terrifying as a middle school dance the exact opposite – what can’t they do?!
-Allison Gold
Upcoming Dates:
- February 27 – Trimester 2 Report Cards
- March 2 & 3 – Self Assessment Conferences (½ Days)
- March 14 – Little Big Things Gala
ELA: This week in ELA, 8th grade started their Shakespeare & Sonnets unit! This year we focus on Hamlet. We started our unit by studying how performance adds understanding and meaning by watching Laurence Olivier’s adaptation of Hamlet. The next few weeks of poetry study and writing all look forward to Middle School’s “Spread the Word” event where poets will share their sonnets from this time. Be on the lookout for more info around this beloved event! Students also took a vocabulary test this Thursday, so be sure to ask for those grades.
Next week, 8th graders will begin closely reading the pages of Hamlet, annotating challenging language and comparing the written work to the performance. We will also begin a long stretch of grammar studies to hit grammatical checkpoints and reviews in the final trimester of the year!
Science: This week in Science, 8th graders gathered background research for their Science Fair topics and began synthesizing that research into the opening sections of their reports. Students worked to connect credible sources to their research questions, strengthening both their scientific understanding and their academic writing skills. Students also finalized their methods and created detailed plans for how they will conduct their investigations, demonstrating growing independence and intentionality in their work.
Next week, students will design data logs and begin conducting their experiments, taking the exciting step from planning to action in their scientific inquiry.
Social Studies: Eighth grade used this week to learn about the United States entering WW1 and our role towards helping it end. They also worked on their self assessment project in which they created their own versions of WW1 propaganda posters to motivate Americans about joining the war. Next week we will end WW1 and discuss the creation of the League of Nations
Math: This week in math, 8th graders wrapped up their unit on the geometry of circles by exploring radians and how to use them to solve other parts of a circle. Next week, we’ll spend time reviewing for our assessment that we’ll take on Thursday. The test will assess their mastery of central and inscribed angles, inscribed quadrilaterals and triangles in a circle, and radians. They received a study guide this week!
