It is hard to believe that we have less than two months of school left. The end of another great year at The Cooper School Middle School is in sight. At this time of the year, some middle schoolers and high schoolers start to slow down. They start feeling less motivated about school and more motivated about summer fun. Here are some tips from North Grand High School in Illinois that may help your middle schooler finish strong:

1. Set Goals

Setting goals for yourself both personally and academically will help you stay on track. Whether your goal is to get straight A’s or pass your AP tests, make your own goals and try your absolute best to achieve them.

2. Stay Organized

Staying organized will prevent you from losing or forgetting about assignments. Keep track of your assignments and test dates in a planner or calendar to stay organized and prepared for upcoming final projects and tests.

3. Don’t put off responsibilities

Slacking and procrastinating are just ways of putting off responsibilities. Putting off school-related responsibilities will leave you scrambling and stressed at the last minute. Do what you need to do when you need to do it, and you will be well on your way to finishing strong!

4. Remember what you’ve worked for

It may help to remind yourself of all the hard work you’ve put in this year. One bad performance on a final test or project could undo all of your efforts for a certain letter grade.

5. Get motivated

It is time to get motivated! Whether you have to bribe yourself with rewards or create penalties for not trying your best, do whatever it takes to stay motivated and beat “summer fever!”

6. Take advantage of the nice weather

As the weather begins to get nicer, you don’t have to stay cooped up inside studying. Get creative by studying and doing homework outside instead!

7. Take a time out

Don’t forget about taking time out of your day to regroup and simply have fun! This will help you stay focused. Giving yourself breaks for fun is good for your sanity and attention span.

8. Adjust your attitude

What is your attitude right now? Are you feeling down? Can you not wait for school to end? Simply adjusting your attitude to be more positive can make an incredible difference!

9. Take care of yourself

Taking care of yourself by eating well, exercising and getting the proper amount of sleep will help you remain focused.   

10. Focus on the finish line

Visualize your finish line- and your goals- and focus on that. The school year is almost over- you can do it! Start a countdown, and don’t worry- the end is near.

If you feel like you need extra help completing the school year, contact a tutor. Tutors will work with you to ensure you are prepared to rock the rest of the school year! Whether you would like to improve upon a specific topic, general test taking skills or college test prep- our tutors will do their best to help you succeed! 

Now get back to your schoolwork so you can finish the rest of this school year strong!

(https://northgrandhs.org/apps/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=514423&id=0)

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

What’s happening in Science?

Fifth graders investigated a mystery mixture this week! They had to study and experiment with nine different substances to figure out which two substances made up the “mystery mixture.” All lab groups solved the mystery…baking soda and citric acid…who would have thought?!? They learned the difference between physical and chemical changes to consider what type of reaction occurred when they added water to the mystery mixture. Fifth graders continued to work on their periodic table of elements project which will be concluded next week.

What’s up in ELA?

Fifth graders have started working on their Argument/Advocacy final reading project. Some of the topics they are looking at are: Should zoos still exist? Should plastic bottles and bags still be made? Should orcas be kept in captivity? Should people continue to climb Mt. Everest? They are looking at both sides of the argument. Your students have also completed Week 15 of grammar and will have their quiz on week 15 and on the prefixes (a- and  be-)/suffixes (-ent and -ant) on April 24th. 

What’s going on in Math?

Fifth grade mathematicians have had some introduction and practice with the coordinate plane. Students are able to graph using all four quadrants with mastery. We will continue to work through the coordinate plane in order to methodically create shapes given constraints. Students will move through a review unit before the end of the year! 

What’s happening in Social Studies?

Fifth graders started the week with two challenges! Students were assessed over the content we have covered about Africa, and then, completed a competition on mapping the different current-day countries of Africa! Students then moved into their new unit; southwest Asia. Students began by examining the early empires that formed and then moved into the different religions in the area. 

Next week, the students will dive into modern-day southwest Asia before moving into south Asia. Students will then be asked to compare their beliefs such as Hinduism and Buddhism. 

Important Dates:

• April 22- TCS Spring Auction
• April 27- Holocaust Survivor Speaker
• April 27 – Athletic Banquet @ 6:00pm
• May 4- 11:30 dismissal
• May 5- Middle School Dance