Can you see him? The racoon? I spotted this little buddy while walking this week. As I watched him climb super high into the tree, in amazement, honestly, I was in disbelief how much he blended in when he paused. It made me think about how animals’ instinctual adaptations and understanding of learned behaviors have evolved for survival. Us humans, also animals, are included in these beautiful adaptations. Every day, the middle school teachers come to school not only to teach, but also to guide how to be self-regulated, functioning middle school students, who understand what behaviors are appropriate for school in and out of the classroom.

Kids just want to fit in, and this little raccoon reminded me of the importance of all of us animals using camouflage for survival. I witness kids trying out new behaviors. I see boys coming in with new haircuts, girls with the latest make-up trends, the same shoes, the same ole shorts, and of course, similar slang. Are these trends authentic? Some of it, maybe? At least our Cooper kids are about as authentic as middle school kids go. But even if it isn’t…is that developmentally appropriate?

According to an article, found in Frontiers Psychology, “We Copy to Join in, to Not Be Lonely, “ imitation behavior occurs throughout our lifetime. However, the adolescent tendency to copy peers is not only for protective purposes, but also to form a community of their own to counterbalance rejection and create their own rules of belonging. They’re figuring out who they are and copying others can help them explore potential roles. Interestingly, they don’t just copy each other, but they copy adults they trust in their life. They look to adults to learn how to be one. No pressure, right guys?

So, when your son or daughter walks into the kitchen with a ridiculous looking hairdo, just know they are doing what they should be. And if they want to borrow your shoes, you know that you are too 🙂

LD




Here’s a look at what is happening in each of the classes:



What’s happening in Science?
Sixth graders continued their study about the human body systems. They learned about the circulatory system and how oxygen gets carried from the heart to other parts of our body. They took their pulse at resting heart rate and after exercise to compare the rates and breathing patterns between the two scenarios. They also learned about aerobic respiration and how oxygen and carbon dioxide get carried throughout the body. The sixth graders also continued to read Plagues and discussed how viruses and bacteria impact our society. Next week, they will continue to learn more about the human body system and choose a disease they want to learn more about.
What’s up in ELA?

6th graders began a new unit around social issues book clubs this week! We discussed short stories and film clips that illustrated conflicts and tension between characters. We mapped out the power dynamics of man vs. man conflicts in our readers notebooks and practiced active listening and collaborative discussions around character relationships.


After Spring Break, 6th graders will begin reading Julia Alverez’s Return to Sender as they measure both personal and group-related conflicts in the novel.

What’s going on in Math?
This week, 6th graders multiplied and divided both positive and negative numbers. Next week, we’ll learn to incorporate negative numbers in equations before we review for and take our test on Friday, April 5.

What’s happening in Social Studies?
Sixth graders have been studying early African civilizations this week! Students have created diary entries about what life is like in one of these civilizations before moving into reading analysis on the trading between the different civilizations.

Upon returning, the students will study African traditions and review their past content. This will prepare them for an assessment on Ancient Africa!


Important Dates:
March 23-April 1: Spring Break
April 10: Spread the Word- 11:30 dismissal