Welcome back, Middle School families! It was a great first week of the spring trimester. The students were refreshed and energized as we entered these last couple of months of school.

Humanities

6th grade Humanities classes are studying Ancient Egypt. They researched some specific vocabulary that will be useful in their study of this time of history, as well as building knowledge as they read the novel The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner. This book surrounds the building of the Pyramid of Djoser and includes the infamous architect Imhotep. The students are learning to make their own annotations as they read in lieu of comprehension questions and will eventually be leading their own book discussions. Finally, we got back to Poetry Tuesdays this week and discussed the many usages of some words as well as etymology.

7th-grade Humanities classes dove right back into their class novel, A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park. This piece recounts the experience of Salva Dut, a Sudanese man who was part of the Lost Boys of Sudan, fleeing his country to safety from rebel military groups in the late 1980s. The class also watched a video in two parts about the geography of Sudan: political, physical, and human.  They will continue with this region next week, focusing on South Sudan and its independence in 2011. 7th-grade students will be making annotations moving forward with this novel, and we discussed how to do so when reading by recognizing something important, having a reaction, making a connection, and asking a question. Finally, students returned to regular Poetry Tuesday readings with a poem called “Guilt” by Jed Chambers.

8th grade began the week in Mr. Newman’s class. In American History they are continuing their examination of the Civil War and its outcomes. The class will be studying how the country was divided prior to and just after the war and what challenges lay ahead. In conjunction with this, they began a book with Mrs. Lamb called She Came to Slay, by Erica Armstrong Dunsbar. This biography, published in 2019, details the life of Minty (a.k.a Harriet Tubman) and her predecessors. 8th-grade students are annotating and leading class discussions. This book is bringing about many questions about slavery, so they are exploring more about its history in the U.S. as well. Students also checked in with Mrs. Lamb regarding their Expert Interviews and have a big check-in on Tuesday, April 2.

Science

In 6th-year Earth Science, students are delving into the fascinating topic of what causes seasons on our planet. This past week, they dedicated their time to creating artistic representations that capture the essence of the unit’s objectives. Through their creativity, students are gaining a deeper understanding of how the tilt of Earth’s axis and its orbit around the sun contributes to the changing seasons we experience throughout the year.

Have a wonderful weekend! To those celebrating, Happy Easter.

6th and 7th Grade Research Presentations were a great send-off into spring break! Students should feel accomplished with all of their hard work preparing for this project.

Here’s what went on in classes this week:

Humanities

Grades 6 & 7 finalized their presentations and finished revising their essays this week. Some students moved on to other Humanities work when they felt prepared for research night (Grade 6- Ancient Egypt & Grade 7- A Long Walk to Water).

8th-grade Humanities classes sent off their first round of inquiries to potential experts for their final Expert Project. They also completed their final grammar assessment on complex and compound sentences. This week in US History, 8th-grade students presented on their reform topics. As we head into March break, the class will be moving into the start of the Civil War.

Science

6th-year Earth Science students have recently delved into a fascinating new unit titled Rotations, Orbits, and Seasons. This unit explores fundamental concepts in science and astronomy that are crucial for understanding the world around us. Understanding rotations, orbits, and seasons is essential as it helps students comprehend the reasons behind day and night, the changing seasons, and even the varying lengths of days throughout the year. These concepts lay the groundwork for students to appreciate Earth’s place in the solar system and how it influences life on our planet.

7th-year Physical Science students have recently started the unit on Kinetic Energy. During this unit, students will have the opportunity to apply their understanding by designing and analyzing how kinetic and potential energy are utilized in building a marble roller coaster. Additionally, they have also begun the exciting task of designing their pinewood derby cars. These cars will be tested to see how mass influences the transfer of kinetic energy.

8th-year Life Science students have recently begun the unit, Genes, where they are exploring heredity and the impact of past generations on our present lives. Currently, they are engaged in a fascinating monster genetics lab that delves into alleles, phenotypes, and genotypes to understand how these factors influence the appearance of their unique monsters. To conclude this project, students will creatively depict their monsters artistically.

Math

Pre-Transition students recently completed Chapter 7, Division Properties, which included units on the division of decimals (7.8), division of negative numbers (7.9), and solving division and multiplication equations using fact triangles (7.10). They will be moving on to their next chapter (8) on Ratios and Proportions, which are crucial in real-world applications.

Transition students finished Chapter 8 on Multiplication in Algebra, which involved units on Graphing y = ax + b (8.7), Solving c = ax + b (8.8), and Solving c ax + b (8.9). Their upcoming chapter (9) will focus on Patterns Leading to Long Division.

Algebra students are currently immersed in Chapter 10 on Linear Systems, covering units on solving systems using substitution (10.2), more using substitution (10.3), solving systems using addition (10.4), solving systems using multiplication (10.5), systems and parallel lines (10.6), as well as matrices and matrix multiplication (10.7).

The geometry class has explored triangle congruence theorems and the commonality of specific properties that quadrilaterals share. Students have applied these theorems and properties in their proofs. After the break, the class will explore perimeters and areas of triangles, quadrilaterals, and irregular figures. The end of chapter 8 concludes with exploring the Pythagorean theorem, special right triangles, and the arc length,  circumference, and area of a circle.

Have a restful spring break, everyone!

Well, folks, it is almost time for spring break! While it may not feel like spring outside quite yet, there are signs of spring manifesting in sprouting foliage, buds, and increased energy among the middle schoolers.

On the agenda for the final week before spring break is 6th and 7th grade Research Night! Please arrive at 5:50 for the 6 pm start time. Students will be separated into two mixed-grade groups and will be presenting in either Mrs. Lamb’s room OR the Math room. The program should run for about 45 minutes.

**Student presenters should be dressed to impress in business casual clothes and neat hair. Please leave sweats, torn clothes, and everyday gym shoes at home.**

Humanities

In general, Humanities classes were productive and almost entirely student-run, working through a few different tasks with each student in a different place with their own independent work. 6th and 7th-grade Humanities classes worked on revisions, presentation run-throughs, and finishing up their Black History Month gallery project. This is the culmination of Black History Month and additional learning about impactful Black Americans and topics in Black American history.

8th-grade classes this week for Mrs. Lamb included a one-on-one expert project check-in. Each student showed where they were with their research and set a goal for the next check-in. Also, the class discussed finding experts, reaching out and drafting emails, and interview questions, as these are due at the end of March. 8th grade also moved forward with their grammar unit and learned how to write and punctuate compound sentences to enhance writing. With learning how to identify independent and dependent clauses as well as complex and compound sentence structures, 8th graders will have a grammar assessment next week. This week, on the history side of Humanities, students have focused on the early reform of the 1800s in the United States. Students have been working on presentations for the class.

Math

Geometry students have been working very diligently on proving triangles congruent using four different theorems. They are “dissecting ” overlapping triangles as a means to an end. We have also started on the properties of a parallelogram and finding measurements of missing angles and sides using these properties.

This week in Algebra, students continued their work on chapter 9 – Quadratic Equations and Functions. They explored essential topics like Graphing y = a in unit 9.3, understanding the connection between Quadratics and projectiles in unit 9.4, learning the powerful quadratic formula in unit 9.5, analyzing solutions to quadratic equations in unit 9.6, and gaining insights into the significance of quadratics in unit 9.7. By mastering these concepts, students are one step closer to becoming proficient problem solvers in the realm of Algebra.

Science

Throughout the week, 6th-year Earth Science students continued their work on tides, exploring how the gravitational forces of the sun, moon, and Earth interact to create the rhythmic rise and fall of oceans around the globe. By understanding the relationship between these celestial bodies, students gained insight into how high and low tides are formed, allowing them to appreciate the intricate dance of nature that influences our coastlines every day.

It was a great couple of weeks in Middle School. We had a small celebration of friendship with some special snacks on Valentine’s Day.

**Please have your MS student come to school ready for the outdoors (jacket, gloves, boots when snowy). We like to be outside daily when we can, and more importantly, when the students join their younger peers on Wednesdays for Social Impact, most of the classes are going outdoors. Thank you for your help with this.

Humanities
6th-grade Humanities students completed drafts of their research essays and also prepared the first run-throughs of their research presentations. They have been busy! This group has particularly been working to understand how to use citations and develop a works cited page. They will be revising their essay drafts as well. Additionally, students are continuing to learn about Ancient Mesopotamia and have focused on Sumer.

7th grade also completed drafts of their research essays and prepared the first run-throughs of their research presentations. Additionally, they have been continuing to learn about the continent of Africa, particularly the human geography and industry (mining, drilling, forestry, and fishing). The class began the novel A Long Walk to Water, and we have been working on it in class.

8th-grade Humanities classes with Mrs. Lamb began with a presentation of current events before moving to grammar. They are completing a unit of study focused on creating complex and compound sentences. Right now, they are identifying independent and dependent clauses along with subordinating conjunctions. This also helps them understand when to use commas in sentences that have both dependent and independent clauses (complex). With Mr. Newman, students are currently examining the reforming of American society from 1820 to 1850. This includes the study of slavery and expansion westward.

Science
6th-year Earth Science students are currently on the unit Tides. Objectives for this unit are for students to explain what tides are, what causes high tide and low tide, describe the difference between high tide and low tide, detail the relationship between the sun, moon, and Earth concerning tides, and describe how Earth’s rotation affects tides. Students will detail several main objectives of this unit through artistic representations.

It’s been another great week in middle school, and we have been outside to enjoy the sun every day!

Humanities

Throughout the month of February, each Humanities class begins with a mini-lesson acknowledging Black History Month. Topics range from highlighting a person to an event or time period related to Black America. 

6th-grade Humanities classes have been completing work with both research writing and Ancient Mesopotamia. Writing lessons in choosing an outline format to organize writing, using transitions between paragraphs, a refresher of using them within a paragraph, giving credit to sources using in-text citations, and using direct quotations to enhance writing were all completed while they continued to draft their essays which are due on Wednesday, 2/14. After completing and reviewing some vocabulary related to ancient civilizations, students began their study of Mesopotamia. They learned about the importance of the region and land, the fertile crescent, and why silt was a crucial factor in the success of the civilization.

7th grade Humanities classes also worked on their research essays. They started the week with a one-on-one review of their introductions and refreshers on using transitions between and within paragraphs, giving credit to sources using in-text citations, and using direct quotations to enhance writing. While they have independent study periods to work on their essays, students should also be working at home to complete them by the due date of Wednesday, 2/15. Additionally, students are continuing with the geography of Sub-Saharan Africa before moving on to the class novel, A Long Walk to Water. 

8th-grade Humanities had their first research check-in on Monday for their expert projects. Mrs. Lamb gave each student a goal and suggestions moving forward with the project. February should be spent conducting research regularly. Also, the 8th grade began a grammar unit on sentence structure and will begin to review independent and dependent clauses as they relate to complex and compound sentences. With Mr. Newman, the class continues to focus on the early presidencies and the formative years of the United States, examining the physical growth of the country as well as the political challenges faced in the years 1800-1850.

Math

Pre-Transition students spent the week covering units 6-6 through 6-10. From these units, students learned how to calculate percentages in their heads, calculate percent as a quantity, use percent of a quantity, order of operations, and multiply mixed numbers.

Happy February, Middle School families! It’s been a great week that included 8th-grade internship presentations to the upper elementary and middle school students and teachers.

A component of our 8th-grade program includes a unique Internship project. This allows students to engage with professionals and experts, gaining real-life experience and information. The internship project has students reach out to business professionals and ask to become an interns for three days. This looks different depending on the profession, but students might be working right alongside professionals, observing and engaging in interviews about the work environment and culture. They complete daily written journals, a presentation about their experience to be delivered to the community, and a written reflection.

You will see pictures of this year’s presentations in our photos this week. These presentations made the teachers see that these 8th graders are ready to become high schoolers! It is completely bittersweet.

Here’s what went on in the other classrooms:

Science

6th-year Earth Science students are exploring their unit, Natural Resources. From this unit, students will be able to classify a natural resource as renewable or non-renewable, provide examples of ways humans depend on natural resources, compare and explain how natural resources form, explain the importance of using natural resources wisely, and cite ways in which humans can do so. Students began the week presenting their research on the impact of using non-renewable resources if restrictions are not implemented.

Humanities

6th-grade Humanities students have been focused on the region of North Africa and the Middle East. They have particularly been looking at the current political maps of the region and had an assessment identifying countries. Next, they went back in time to look at the maps of 3 ancient civilizations: Indus Valley, Mesopotamia, and Egypt, focusing on bodies of water and major cities. Next week, students will begin to look at how societies organized and comparing to today. Students ended the week completing their research notes for this trimester’s research project, A Moment in History and began their research essays, which are due on the revised date of Wednesday, 2/14.

7th-grade Humanities classes had a great time presenting their Community Projects that they have been working on this month. This is a group project that had students look at the idea of Utopia stemming from their class novel, The Giver, and create their own ideas of what this might look like in a community. They brainstormed, wrote responses to each of the required components of the community, and created presentations to their classmates trying to convince them that their community is, in fact, Utopian. As each group presented, students wrote notes about what they were on board with, what they questioned, and whether or not they would consider living there. In the end, they anonymously voted on the community they felt most embodied Utopia. Of the four groups, there was a tie between 2! Finally, students ended the week completing their research notes for this trimester’s research project, A Moment in History and began their research essays, which are due on the revised date of Wednesday, 2/14.

The 8th grade had a busy week! With Mrs. Lamb, they started the week by giving the first run-through of their internship presentations, receiving feedback, and making revisions. Then, they were able to give their final presentations to the upper elementary and middle school classes. With Mr. Newman, students examine the first five presidents, looking at who they were, what similarities they shared as people, and the challenges they faced as the first leaders of a new country.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Friday! We hope everyone had a great week. The middle school has been immersed in projects since returning from winter break. Across disciplines, they are working both independently and together to accomplish long-term goals. Project-based learning is an important component of the Middle School curriculum!

Humanities

All three Humanities classes are in project mode!

Grade 6 Humanities class has been busy getting themselves set up for success with their research project surrounding the theme, A Moment in History. They brainstormed two ideas that they discussed with the class and then selected their final topic. From there, they learned about writing thesis statements and developed one to guide their research. Next, they began writing questions that would be answered during the research process. They reviewed taking research notes, keeping track of their sources, and using reliable sources. Separately from their research, students are learning about Oaxacan art culture, stemming from their recent class novel, Becoming Naomi Leon.

Grade 7 Humanities class has also developed and selected their topic for their research project surrounding the theme, A Moment in History, and wrote their thesis statement to guide their research. Now, they are developing questions that will be answered during the research process. Concurrently, students have completed the class novel, The Giver, by Lois Lowery and are working on two items surrounding the novel. The first is a collaborative assignment called the Community Project that has students working to create a Utopia and considering different factors of society. The second is an independent writing assignment, having the students continue the novel and forming a more satisfying ending.

Grade 8 is set up for two upcoming projects: an Internship Project and an Expert Project. Internship Projects occur the third week of January and involve the students visiting a business, observing, and sometimes participating in the day-to-day operations. The students will submit daily journals, a written reflection, and a presentation for the middle school community upon completion. Next, the 8th grade selected topics for their Expert Project as well as wrote and workshopped their thesis statements to guide their research for the next several months. The end product is a 5-10 page research paper and a 15-20 minute presentation to the FWM community about their topic. They will even interview experts in the field as primary sources. This is the beginning of an exciting time for the 8th-year students!

Math

Science

6th-year Earth Science students have begun writing their formal lab report on how density affects the movement of seismic waves. Earlier in the week, students represented a change in density and seismic waves using a shoebox, rocks, marker, and golf ball to simulate energy traveling through a medium while recording the waves on paper. Each student worked alongside a partner on this project while compiling their data and analysis individually.