The gratitude that comes with Thanksgiving is so perfectly placed before the gifting-heavy holidays that follow it. My brain and heart are so satisfied by the practice of acknowledging abundance and appreciating what one has before we ask for anything. Should we choose to resist the cultural frenzy and rush towards Chrstmas, there is a golden opportunity to sit and be mindful of the food in front of us, the people around us, the muted yet warm oranges, browns, and reds of this holiday.
This order of thanks then giving and receiving has been a concept we’ve dug into in middle school. We’ve talked about how gratitude can change the chemistry in our brain. Gratitude sets us up to tackle work with optimism, to approach a friend with empathy, to complete an assignment on time, and to understand how powerful our giving can be.
It goes without saying but there is so much power in saying it: I am so grateful for this community. I’m so grateful for the time we get in our curriculum to not only break down proofs but also to unpack the merits of a good friend, to not just construct essays but also practice gratitude. We wish everyone the most restful break!
-Maggie
Upcoming Dates:
- November 22 – November 30 – Thanksgiving Break
- December 10 – Cluster Lunch
- December 19 – Holiday Extravaganza & PJ Day (Half Day)
- December 20 – January 5 – Winter break
ELA- 8th grade dug further into To Kill A Mockingbird this week by exploring instances of irony and how ironic language and situations create humor or social commentary. Readers also reflected on the meaning behind the title and the increasing tensions as the central trial of the story begins. Students also tested for vocabulary on Thursday, so be sure to look for those grades after break.
After Thanksgiving, 8th grade will work on completing the novel and their packets (due 12/11) while also beginning an archetype mini-project connected to the story, due 12/12. Our class will also start a new grammar unit.
Science – This week in science, 8th graders explored the energy in waves. Students learned about the Mavericks, large waves off the coast of California. Students explored what creates large waves and how the energy moves through the water. Using springs, students modeled high and amplitude and high and low frequency waves. After break, students will start to explore bridge engineers and sound engineers.
Social Studies- I hope you all enjoy your break! One fun thing historically to do with your child would be to look up the original foods of the first Thanksgiving and see which ones they would have liked to have eaten! When we return to school we will be finishing up industrialization and our projects on the inventions created during that time. We will also have a quiz on the Friday we return to school.
Math- This week in math, 8th graders practiced solving problems involving trigonometric ratios and applying them to scenarios in which we see triangles in the real world. After break, we’ll wrap up this unit with our assessment on Wednesday the 3rd before moving into our next unit – solid geometry. We’ll explore naming and identifying solid figures, cross-sections, and slicing figures.
