Now that we are about a month into school, the Middle School students have become comfortable with their new routines and procedures. This week, we have seen an emergence of organization. Students have been working together to organize their lockers and are even devising a plan to present to administration that will improve their current locker system. Their collaboration with one another has been very encouraging and motivating. They are truly leaders. We are proud of the ownership they have over their own learning and their personal learning environment.

One of our favorite times of the day is when we get to go outside, play, and release some energy. This week, students have discovered the wonderful game of four-square. The teachers have enjoyed jumping in to play. Healthy competition is flowing through Middle School and new friendships are forming! 

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

What’s happening in Science:

Astronomers began their final assessment projects this week. They picked topics they will become “experts” in and will teach the class about their topic. Their ideas are OUT OF THIS WORLD! They also took a brain break today, to accomplish the Marshmallow Challenge! This specific challenge is conducted by thousands of people, from kindergarten students to top managers from world-leading companies! The rules are easy; in 20 minutes, each group can use 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, and one yard of string, and one marshmallow to build the tallest structure with the marshmallow on the top. 

What’s up in Math?

This week in 7th grade, we are wrapping up our Geometry Unit. The students have moved from rigid transformations to angle relationships and triangle classifications. We experimented with rulers and protractors to see what kinds of triangles are possible. We were then able to analyze why some are not and the students were able to formalize their thinking and help one another understand. The concepts are becoming a bit more concrete and the students are having more breakthroughs in class. I enjoy working with them, the 7th grade class is often one of the bright spots of my day! 

What’s happening in ELA:

The 7th grade students had an amazing week! We have been discussing the aims of various authors along with the books they are reading. The students completed a mini lesson on the acronym THINK which encouraged them to think if what they are about to say to someone else is: True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind. This week they started their two weeks of grammar lessons. We covered correct punctuation marks, defining words using context clues, and identifying nouns and homophones. Finally, the awesome 7th graders found inspiring quotes to share with others. Check out the pictures below.

Important Dates:

September 21- Middle School Parent Coffee

September 22- Virtual Curriculum Night

October 18th & 19th: Fall Break NO SCHOOL