As many of you know, we are a small school with a small playground and a small number of students. And that smallness is a gift: our teachers notice. They notice when games are getting too competitive, when classroom dynamics have been affected by the last kickball match, when someone seems a little “off.”
Last week, our teachers noticed that recess was getting too intense. Balls were being thrown and kicked too hard, too carelessly, and some friendships were carrying new tension into the classrooms. So, we called a meeting.
Together with students, we talked about awareness. What does it mean to be conscious of your surroundings in the middle of a game? To look before you kick a ball into open space? To slow down and remember that no college scout is watching this kickball game. From that conversation, we made a decision: we would take the balls away for a week.
The intention behind this wasn’t just about physical awareness. We also hoped it would spark creativity (“what else can you do at recess when kickball, basketball, and ball tag are no longer options?”) and rebuild friendships that competition had quietly frayed.
What we witnessed exceeded our expectations. A school-wide capture the flag craze took over, still competitive, but in the best way. 8th graders passing the flag to 5th graders. 6th graders tagging 7th graders. All ages, one game. When the balls disappeared, there was no evident moping or groaning. They simply adjusted. The balls were reintroduced yesterday, and we’re hopeful that spirit carries forward.
Our students are resilient. When pushed, they don’t just cope, they find joy.
-Ms. Riley
Upcoming Dates:
- April 3 – 10: Spring Break (no school)
- April 16: 11:30 dismissal
- April 16: Spread the Word (MS poetry night) 4 – 6:30 pm
- April 22: Art Night Celebration 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Creating zines with A$iahMae:
ELA: 7th graders made some final touches and adjustments to poems this week, while also transitioning into our study of Watership Down by Richard Adams. We considered how keeping a nature journal works and planned to use one throughout the novel, as if he story itself were a nature walk. Students also started a dictation unit where we practiced formatting, punctuation, handwriting, and spelling. We will work on these skills until break, and plan to test the Thursday after spring break 4/9.
Next week, 7th grade will begin socratic seminar style discussions of the book’s themes while filling out the first entries of their novel nature journal. We will also be going to Hampton Park on 4/2 to read in nature and explore the flora and fauna of Charleston!
Science: This week in science, 7th graders launched their chemistry unit by investigating a mystery mixture. Students compared the unknown substance to a variety of known materials, making careful observations and testing how each interacted with water. They also explored how different mixtures behaved when dissolved and what remained after evaporation, using evidence to identify the components of their mystery mixture.
Students also continued their science fair work by reviewing relevant literature, refining their methods, and collecting data as they began conducting their experiments.
Next week, students will begin learning about the elements of the periodic table and continue making progress on their science fair projects.
Social Studies: Seventh grade has been getting ready for their test on Wednesday on Antebellum America. We have finished our discussion and work on the separation of the country and its impact on society. Next week we will also be finishing women’s history month and introduce the Civil War.
Math: This week in math, the 7th grade wrapped up their long unit on volume and functions with their Unit 6 test on Thursday. Next week, we’ll dive into my personal favorite unit which explores the laws of exponents and how we can use exponents and their patterns to make math problems simpler. We’ll identify patterns within powers of ten when both multiplying and dividing, and use exponents to represent really big and really small numbers.
