When reflecting on this year, looking forward to summer, and trying not to become too sappy, I’d like to bring our focus to play.
Anne Wil often hears from visiting and touring parents how much our middle schoolers play. And play they do. They come in from recess giggly and sweaty. We watch students play games with balls – sometimes showing incredible athleticism, sometimes simply enjoying being part of it. We watch students play imaginative games, using toys and parts of the playground as pieces of a new world they’ve created. They develop elaborate point systems and rules for games that exist only between their friends. We watch students play confusing card games, inviting others in to learn while groups gather nearby to watch and referee.
All of this play, happening every day, takes place free from screens and alongside their peers. They move their bodies, they fall and help each other up, they get hot in the sunshine, and they are truly kids.
When I think about my own summers as a kid, I remember exploring the woods, climbing trees, falling off my bike, and drinking from the hose. While these kids may have Owalas and Stanleys, the spirit of their play feels the same — rooted in innocence and joy.
It is my hope that they don’t lose that going into the summer, a time when technology can really suck you in and make a few hours disappear. I hope they get their shoes dirty in the marsh and their clothes soaked from running through sprinklers. I hope they run around their neighborhoods, get sweaty, teach someone a new game, or, even better, invent a new game together. I hope they explore new spaces, help someone up (literally and figuratively) and make memories that don’t need to be documented to matter.
Play is so important for healthy development, and it can easily be lost at this age. We see it every day – these kids still have plenty of play left in them, and I’d say we’d be fools not to savor every last minute of stinky, giggly, sweaty childhood. Whatever your summer holds, I wish you and your kids buckets of play.
-Ms. Riley
REMINDER: Next week is Spirit Week! Wrap up the school year by showing your TCS Spirit!
Tuesday, 5/26 – Pajama Day
Wear your favorite comfy pajamas to school!
Wednesday, 5/27 – Wacky Wednesday
Get creative and wacky! Mismatch your socks, dress like your teacher or twin with a friend!
Thursday, 5/28 – Fan Day
Share your fandom for your favorite books, sports teams, bands, or anything else you love!
Friday, 5/29 – Field Day! (Cluster Colors)
Gear up for TCS Field Day by dressing in your Cooper Cluster colors!
Important Dates
May 25th – Memorial Day (No School)
May 28th – 8th Grade Graduation (11:30am Dismissal)
May 29th – Field Day/Last Day of School (11:30am Dismissal)
ELA: 8th graders reflected on their DC trip this week and collaborated in ELA to edit their social studies research papers together!
Next week, we will read our published class newspaper together, guest read in some lower school classroom, and prepare for graduation (!) and field day before their middle school experience is over!
Science: This week in Science, our 8th graders explored how traits are passed from parents to offspring. Using our fictional organism, the larkey, students completed Punnett squares across multiple generations to predict inheritance patterns and observe how traits can be passed through a population over time. Through these investigations, students strengthened their understanding of genotypes, phenotypes, and the role probability plays in heredity.
Next week, we will wrap up our heredity unit by exploring how the selection of traits can lead to adaptations over time, helping students connect genetics to the broader story of how populations change and respond to their environments.
Social Studies: I am extremely impressed with the eighth grade class and the amount of effort they put into their research papers! The growth in their writing and the topics they chose show that they were involved, interested and committed to this work! Their ability to use critical thinking to answer questions about their topic and use their own writing skills to put it into a historical perspective was fantastic! For the last week of school we will be getting ready for graduation and working on the end of year items before graduation!
Math: This week and next, 8th grade is spending time preparing for field day, signing year books, and celebrating our hard work this year!!
DC Trip Pics:
