Another literary celebration for the books! I won’t go into major detail, but the time, energy, and guts your kiddos put into “Spread the Word” brought them to another level of maturation! There are of course a handful of natural speakers who can stand up on the stage and present without an inkling of anxiety, however, for most of the students, they were overcoming their fears. Fears of messing up and embarrassing themselves in front of their family, teachers, and most importantly, their friends.

At this pivotal age of adolescents, when peers are so influential to self-identity, it makes sense why Riley, Ev, Ali (drama teacher), and I were providing words of affirmation, advice, and just a shoulder to cry on as we practiced for this monumental event. Practice usually makes perfect, except when your nerves make you forget everything you worked so hard for and all you want is for it to be over. Your kiddos truly persisted this week! They also provided words of encouragement to help friends feel they wouldn’t be judged and to feel like it’s completely normal to feel nervous. I was so proud of every single one of your sons and daughters yesterday! Witnessing them prepare, practice, and choose their path of performance yesterday reminded me why I love being with your kiddos here at TCS everyday.
-LD

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

What’s happening in Science and Social Studies:
Seventh Graders studied and contemplated Colonial America this week! They contemplated why European countries wanted to explore and colonize overseas. They learned about the daily lives of people in Colonial towns and farms. Seventh graders also considered how the geography along the east coast impacted the economies and trade available for New England, Middle Colonies, and the south. They began to learn about what led and caused the American Revolution and how the Continental Congress became America’s first ruling body. We will wrap up social studies before heading out for Disney!

What’s up in Math?
Students have been exploring volumes and surface areas of three dimensional figures. We have discussed the difference between pyramids and prisms. Students have been able to rearrange a figure and visualize its parts as separate in order to find the volume and surface area of irregular prisms. We will continue our study of three dimensional figures next week, and also cover circumference and area of a circle. That will conclude the Seventh Grade benchmarks, these students are ready for Algebra 1!

What’s happening in ELA:
Parents, I hope you were as proud of your kids as the middle school teachers were for “Spread the Word.” Your students did a fantastic job! We have completed our fantasy novels and we are starting on the “Writing About Reading” unit. We have also begun working on figurative language and students have been reviewing metaphors and similes. Students now have the opportunity to choose any fiction book that they would like to read. Please encourage your students to pick a book they have not read already. Your students should read for 20 minutes each day.

Important Dates:
May 30: Memorial Day- No School
June 3: Last Day of School/ Field Day