Welcome to (or back to) the middle. Middle school will always have those classic stereotypes weighing it down whenever we think deeply about this time – awkwardness, experimentation, identity, socializing, moodiness, physical growth (or lack thereof). The image in my head is of some Buster Keaton type with his legs painfully split between two moving cars in a wacky silent film – trying to jump the gap, a little stuck, kinda funny, difficult. We met as a whole middle school for the first time this Wednesday, and it felt like the best place to start was addressing the elephant in the (middle) of the room. We talked about being ourselves, even when we are not sure who that is yet. More importantly, we talked about allowing others to experiment, change, and grow without judgement.
We watched a short news report about a cute 3rd grade boy who wore brightly colored suits to school. His peers eventually joined him in wearing fancy clothes on what they called “Dapper Wednesdays.” Instead of judging, the children applauded and even took part in this show of individualism…. Then I brought it up: Could this same cute story be possible in middle school? Our highly empathetic hawks did a great job of discussing why this might be a hard story to live out in the middle, how this time can turn down our confidence, turn up our judgement. We spoke on ways we could make more space for folks to experiment, grow, or change without fear. I have to say, it is easy for most of our students to be both accepting and themselves. It’s one of our strengths here at TCS. However, no student body is perfect, and every year is a new opportunity to be reminded of the unique opportunity that “the middle” presents. May this be a year of trying, failing, growing, and finding our best selves, knowing we’ve got an outstanding community to cheer us on.
-MK
Upcoming Dates:
- 7th Grade Off Campus Morning – Wednesday, August 26
- Labor Day (No School) – Monday, September 7
- Cooper Cluster Lunch – Wednesday, September 9th
- Middle School Curriculum Night – Wednesday, September 9th 5:30-6:30
ELA: This week in 6th grade ELA, we explored the art of annotating for important parts, connections, and emotional impact as we read Roald Dahl’s Boy. We took part in the yearly review of figurative language concepts so we could highlight turns of phrase, as well, writing their various implied meanings within our margins. Readers enjoyed watching a vintage BBC interview with Roald Dahl himself, creating some context for the boy we’ve been getting to know. We pondered the essential question that will guide our reading for the next four weeks: How do adults shape and influence children? 6th graders also began their Unit 1 vocab study, with their first test scheduled for Friday, 8/28.
Next week, readers will explore annotating concepts like dialect, tone, and word choice as we read on. Be sure to utilize the flashcards we made in class, including roots/stems cards, to prepare for next week’s test!
Science: This week in science, 6th graders were introduced to C-E-R (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning), an important tool for supporting scientific claims with reliable evidence and clear reasoning. Students also began our weather unit by collecting daily weather data and creating charts to compare the weather in Charleston with that of a city of their choice. Students then investigated a severe weather event, researching its causes and impacts before sharing their findings with classmates.
Next week, students will explore the atmosphere and investigate how air and air pressure influence weather. Through hands-on investigations using syringes, bubble wrap, and pressure jars, students will make observations and build explanations for the forces that shape the weather around us.
Social Studies: Sixth grade has begun our time together learning about how humans went from hunter-gatherers to forming the world’s first civilizations. This is giving them knowledge that will help them see the struggles our ancestors went through to help us grow and thrive. Next week we will start learning about the first civilizations, starting with Mesopotamia and the fertile crescent! This will lead us into our first project in which students will be creating their own civilizations!
Math: This week in math, 6th graders reviewed and redefined area, used tiling the plane as a strategy to find area of rectangles, and practiced our formula for finding the area of a rectangle. Next week, we’ll use this formula to help us develop area formulas for parallelograms, trapezoids, and triangles. We’ll work on mastering this skill before we advance to surface area!
