Can you think of the last time you lost track of time in your work? Your thoughts were clear, you were in the present moment, and then when you “snapped” out of it, you couldn’t believe what time it was and the amount of work you produced? FLOW! What we all hope for. Believe it or not, even our kids want it. How do they get it…PROJECTS!


I haven’t just been thinking about flow this week, but feeling it! I am knee-deep in projects right now! Between National Parks, Ted Talks, Rube Goldberg, and even tie-dye for community service, I look up at the clock and I am consistently perplexed how the time is up! It isn’t just me though! Your kiddos are in amazement when I tell them to leave! They refuse, quite honestly, asking why the time went so quickly. FLOW is why! During a project that instills inquiry and passion, our students set up for a flow state throughout the trimester. It can’t be all of the time, but when it happens, it feels like magic.


LD


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


What’s happening in Science?
Seventh graders learned how to make relevant scientific arguments this week. Even though it can be easy to make an opinion seem like a fact, the students learned how difficult and vital it is to provide evidence that correctly supports a claim. The seventh graders used evidence from NASA to support a claim about the surface of Mars. They were able to consider the importance of backing up the claim and why that is an essential step in scientific research. They also finished up their Ted Talks and began presenting their work to each other.

What’s up in Math?
This week, students finished up unit 2 before diving into unit 3 by exploring equations and their purpose. Next week, they will create diagrams to help them solve for unknown amounts in an equation, and create hanger diagrams to balance equations!

What’s happening in ELA?
Seventh graders started an argumentative writing unit this week, diving head first into some relevant middle school issues surrounding competitive sports. We closely examined and ranked evidence, practiced our initial claims in debate, and began flash drafting an argumentative rough draft. In grammar, we studied auxiliary verbs as we continue to break down sentence structure.

Next week, 7th graders will finish their argumentative essays. They’ll then transition to a more ‘zoomed in’ subtopic in the realm of student sports and competition, attempting to write more nuanced arguments. Grammar will tackle imperative sentences and adverb work.

What’s going on in Social Studies?

This week the students started off by participating in a debate! Students received information on all of the statistics from each side and their preparedness for the war, and the students used that information to create arguments on why one side was more prepared than the other. The students then created a timeline of the different battles of the American Revolution before finishing off the unit discussing the independence of the nation.

Students are working towards the completion of their parody songs on the American Revolution Students were able to choose a song to create a parody of and change the lyrics to base it off of the American Revolution. Upon completion, students will dive into the early stages of the United States, starting off with the Articles of Confederation.

Important Dates:
October 31 – Halloween Carnival (½ Day)
November 1 – Teacher Work Day (No School)