As I write my first newsletter, I am overcome by how grateful I am. From the very first day, I have been welcomed with open arms by the staff, parents, and students, whose kindness and enthusiasm make this such a special place. Each day brings me joy as I watch students’ curiosity grow, their questions spark meaningful discussions, and their excitement for discovery shine through.
On Thursday, the middle school had their middle school social and it was such a blast! We played cornhole, volleyball, spikeball, and more. It was such a joyful time to continue building that community that is so unique and amazing. It is a privilege to be part of a community that values learning, creativity, and connection, and I look forward to many wonderful days ahead at The Cooper School.
-AB
ELA- 6th graders finished their novel study of Boy this week, turning in thoughtful, detail oriented annotations with their comprehension packets! They were also tested for grammar on Thursday, so be sure to look out for their grades coming home.
Next week, 6th grade will begin their first writing unit of the year. Writers will dive into the art of personal narratives and memoir! We will also switch back to vocab and morphology work with a test planned for 9/25.
Science- This week 6th grade experimented with layering different colored saltwater solutions. After figuring out the correct order we talked about density and why the solutions were able to form layers. In order to further understand density we learned how to calculate the density of each solution and practiced putting density knowledge to the test in difference scenarios. Next week we will explore how heat affects density of fluids and how gases flow in the atmosphere.
Social Studies- Sixth grade has finished our first unit on the introduction to ancient civilizations and how we became civilized. They took their test this Friday and will now be moving into the aspects of society and how they have impacted humanity (laws, religion, reading etc.) This is a fun aspect to teach since they get to see how much these things have changed over time and how we still see remnants of the past even today!
Math- This week in math, sixth graders began diving into ratios, using our previous knowledge of equivalent fractions, multiples, and number lines to help us make sense of ratios and ratio equivalence. We related ratios to things like recipes, color mixing, and more!
Next week, we’ll transfer our knowledge of ratios and ratio equivalency to unit price and unit speed – find the “price per one” or “_____ per _______” – a skill we know to be very helpful in the real world! They’ll have a mid-unit assessment on Wednesday to check in on our understanding over this very new topic!
