It’s the most wonderful time of the year! T’is (finally) the season to be jolly, thankful, grateful, appreciative, generous, welcoming, and encouraging. December is a lovely time to honor tradition and learn about how others celebrate during this season. Middle schoolers have been reflecting on their own thoughts, words, and actions this week, as well as brainstorming ways to be empathetic and more inclusive towards one another. It is a wonderful time to watch these children mature and grow into incredibly thoughtful citizens of our community. 

I think most of us have been looking forward to finally closing the 2020 chapter of this year. There has been an underlying feeling of hope since seeing a new month on our calendars. I think this is a great time to reflect and be thankful for good health and happiness as we start to set our sights forward and glance towards the future, however, it is a nice reminder to always be satisfied with the present! 

What’s happening in Science and Social Studies:

Historians went back into time this week, pretending to be a Sumarian tradesperson. We bartered shoes, sheep, cows, rope, and wheat to consider the effects the barter system had on the civilizations of Mesopotamia. We were able to relate to the possibility of “paying” more for high commodities, as we reflected on toilet paper being in high demand 9 months ago. Historians also continued to explore the skulls of primates, hypothesizing the evolutionary history of early humans.

What’s up in Math?

Middle Schoolers jumped right back into math this week without missing a beat! Sixth-graders took their mid-module quiz which included dividing fractions and multi-digit operations. Towards the end of the week, we shifted into dividing whole numbers and decimals! Fifth-graders have been showing a lot of success when it comes to dividing multi-digit numbers with two digit divisors.  Fifth-grade mathematicians got to enjoy some fun holiday themed math puzzles by practicing multiplying whole numbers and decimals to determine an answer, then they got to use a decoder tool to crack the code and find the secret message! They enjoyed an Hour of Code with the Grinch this week!

In Writing:

Writers have begun their fiction writing unit by looking back on their own narrative writing. Writers generated ideas by looking at moments of trouble they have personally experienced in their own lives. This helps writers write a story that engages their reader to connect based on common experiences!

Important Dates:

December 18th- Pajama day/ Half day (please bring a pair of Pj’s to donate!)

December 21st-January 4th- Winter Break

January 5th- Students return to school!