The middle schoolers took part in an online grade-level spelling bee this week. The winners will proceed to a school-wide spelling bee next week on Tuesday in the afternoon in the MPR. The fifth grade winners were Peter Clausen, Elena Kwon, and Olivia Darling. The sixth grade winners were Mila Appelbaum, Boaz Movit, and Iris Vergow. The seventh grade winners were Caleb Chaffee, Imanuel Bradon, and Gideon Chaffee. The eighth grade winners were Reva Kelly, Noa Smudde, and Maisie Sommer.
Students in ninth grade history with Ms. Barroso wrote persuasive essays considering whether the knights of the middle ages shared the same values as the samurai. Students also reflected on what makes a civilization cultured or savage, and made persuasive claims about samurai traditions and values. Students in ninth grade global history evaluate cultures from multiple perspectives and experiences.
Students in 8th grade English ended their unit on Justice with screenings of several news and movie clips and a socratic discussion about the most effective means of protest. Students read books about racial profile police brutality, the Salem Witch Trials, the Holocaust, food justice, and a police sting operation. They watched videos that featured civil rights marches, journalism, civil disobedience, and court cases and analyzed which was the most effective means of creating change.
Sixth graders in Ms. Reed and Ms. Motenś English classes had their own in-class Academy Awards to celebrate and screen their movie adaptation of Ghost by Jason Reynolds. The students honored not just acting but also direction and cinematography, and other prizes.
Students in Ms. Allison’s Honors Biology class are studying Genetic Disorders. Students will work with teacher volunteers to assume the role of a genetic counselor by researching a specific genetic disorder and then sharing the results in a counseling meeting with the adult. The “real life” experience allows students to gain an understanding both of the risks of various genetic abnormalities and the importance of a kind and considerate bedside manner.
Eighth graders used ArcGIS mapping software to explore one geologically interesting place on Earth to conclude their Geology Unit in Ms. Barlev’s class. They are applying what we’ve learned about tectonic plate boundaries, rock types, and weathering and erosion to create their own map that explores how the place was formed, what it’s made of, and how it has changed over time. Instead of doing a standard research project, they’re using evidence from their maps to construct their arguments. Locations range from the volcanoes of El Salvador, to the Great Rift Valley in Eastern Africa, to the Mariana Trench and more! Students presented their findings to their classmates as an oral presentation.
