Those bright, light shades of green bursting forward in the springtime get me every time. It got me thinking about the power of environments. I remember living in Los Angeles years ago and feeling an ache in my chest when the rolling California hills were bare and brown. I was spoiled by a lush and green childhood in the upstate of South Carolina, and those neutral shades of dirt and dust had the same impact on me that many associate with winter grays or cities who live under constant rain and cloud cover. The presence of one color, the right flora and fauna, and I’m a new girl.
Though I can’t always find the perfect environment, being aware of what my environment needs leads to productive problem solving. I’ve learned to walk my dogs to escape writer’s block, put a record on to get house cleaning done in a flash, and only visit Southern California during super blooms 🙂
So what is that magic environment adjustment for our kids? I’ve seen the wonders of playing a low hum of jazz on class speakers, adjusting the lighting in my room, offering a bean bag chair for reading time, or learning outdoors. The Cooper School is a school that has always taken ‘environment’ seriously, and I think the thoughtful choices we make in every classroom are often the foundations of productivity and fun. I encourage everyone to think outside the box about what sparks safety, comfort, joy, or focus for your kiddo! Is it a shade of green, a genre of music, or just tidying up so they can feel clear? Do they need a change of scenery or do they need to see the same sights and sounds each day? It might be a fun creative exercise for your family to experiment with your environment and see what it does for you.
-MK
Math:
This week in Algebra 1, we took a quiz over the quadratic equation and solving quadratic functions. Afterwards, we explored perfect squares to expand our understanding on completing the square. Next week, we’ll work towards mastering the use of the quadratic formula, as well as exploring what happens when we get irrational solutions to quadratic equations.
ELA:
8th grade Shakespeareans finished their unit this week – we wrote sonnets carefully in cursive on hand pressed paper and completed our reading of Hamlet. We began practicing our performances of these sonnets, looking forward to our Spread the Word event on April 9th at Highfalutin Coffee! Students also tested their vocabulary on Thursday, so be sure to ask for those grades.
Next week, 8th grade will begin an information writing unit – studying the art of reporting and authoring articles for a class paper! We will also transition back to grammar study with a test planned for April 10th.
Social Studies:
The eighth graders are continuing their work on imperialism before WW1 and how it led to the war itself. They also began working on their research papers. This is a great introduction to historical writing and how it differs from other styles. They will learn proper formatting, using proper citations and how to express themselves critically from a historical context.
Science:
Eighth graders learned about the mechanisms of heredity this week! We look at recessive and dominant genes and how they can impact a population. They studied a group of “larkys” and contemplated how their environment would impact the genes being passed to offspring based on beneficial phenotypes. They also learned about chromosomes and where the genetic code is stored in our cells. Next week, they will continue to learn more about heredity and how to do punnett squares!
Important Dates:
March 31st – April 4th – Spring Break
April 9th- Spread the Word (11:30 dismissal)
Upcoming Assessments and Deadlines:
Sonnet due date 3/21
