Where the Wild Things Are
I read something somewhere in the great unknown of social media this week that said something to the tune of: “Be an elementary school teacher if you like structure, a high school teacher if you like your subject matter deeply, and middle school… middle school is where the wild things are. Go there if you, too, are a wild thing.” I don’t know how ‘wild’ I can claim to be (my bed time is a case against that) but I certainly resonate with the wild wonder that is middle school. It often feels like we are learning everything, everywhere, all at once. Their minds are moving through one of the most unique turns, they are discovering new things all the time (this week at TCS specifically: new clubs/interest groups, new social emotional concepts), and I watch them find new sides of themselves every day.
Many adults are fearful of the wild middle schooler and their unique ways of being, but I suggest viewing them through the lens of their learning. Their writing, readings, interactions with peers, projects, discussions… they all point to the purpose and beauty of this wild rumpus.
-MK
ELA-7th grade researchers took a lot of time to gather a variety of evidence for their school improvement arguments this week. We discussed the value of labeling our quotations based on what side of the argument they support, as well as how to properly paraphrase these quotes should we want to do so in our first draft. We began developing clear and concise thesis statements to capture our desires for our school, then outlined our first draft. Students prepared for their vocabulary tests and should have grades to show at home!
Next week, writers will finish fleshing out their first drafts and revising to account for counterarguments. Reminder, this paper is due 9/10! We will also transition into our first grammar unit of the year.
Science- This week in science 7th grade used a flat Earth model and a globe model to discover evidence for the spherical shape of the Earth. We then used our globes to explore how the Earth moves in relation to the sun. Next week we will begin our exploration into seasons, how we have them, and how they differ in the southern and northern hemisphere.
Social Studies- Seventh grade has been working hard on their Native American projects in which each student has chosen a tribe to learn about and create a project of their choosing. I am glad to see how engaged and interested in this project they are and I believe that since I am allowing them to choose from a variety of ways to create their own project, I believe this allows them to shine and create in a way they are most comfortable with. I am looking forward to having them on display on curriculum night!
Math- This week in math, 7th graders explored more transformations, and how transformations make shapes/lines either similar or congruent. They also explored using transformations to create patterns to identify degree measurements!
Next week, 7th graders will begin studying and exploring angle relationships (undeniably my favorite thing to teach in math), by using complementary, supplementary, and alternate interior angles to write conjectures about triangles and other polygons. They’ll have a quiz on Tuesday!
