On Friday, the science department took a trip to outer space during lunch. Chris Kennedy of NASA, an astronaut aboard the Expedition 65 to the International Space Station, answered questions from high school students about the growth of bacteria on the outside of the International Space Station and possibility for the intergalactic survival and spread of microorganisms by humans. Students considered whether bacteria originated elsewhere then float through space and land on Earth? Latin’s Science Department hosted the viewing in a classroom Zoom link to the event, organized by the Society for Science & the Public’s educators and students and live streamed on NASA TV.
The middle school gathered Wednesday for the first assembly of the year. The event was coordinated by middle school director Mr. Kelly and assistant director Ms. Bradley. Eighth grader Lucia Claire served as the MC, with special speeches from eighth graders MyKia Plummer and Oscar Murray touching on themes of connection and togetherness while apart. This was also a chance for teachers and students to honor each other. Students honored sixth grade English teacher Ms. Reed and seventh grade science teacher Ms. Goldstein with Faculty of the month awards. In a new award this year, students were able to nominate their classmates who show positive citizenship. Tiya Demessa won in fifth grade, Christopher Amaya-Camacho won in sixth, Musa Abbas won in seventh, and Hugh Bakel won in eighth due to their peers’ votes. Teachers also awarded merits to students who set positive examples in their classrooms for hard work, patience, persistence, and kindness. Fifth graders Francisco Blanco and Nora Paxson, sixth graders Kayode Elion and Avis Weeden, seventh graders Maisie Sommer and Lola Orlove-Rodriguez, and eighth grades Wyatt Mitchell and Eamon Price all earned merits. If you missed the assembly and would like to watch, here is a link to the recording.
The Washington Latin student-run newspaper Sumus Leones is excited to have so many new members in grades 5-12 this year! Student reporters shared their rough drafts and peer edited on the 30th of September. The first issue is due in October, and slated to include reporting on how Covid-19 has impacted the school community, Latin alums doing college at home, social justice protests, the explosion in Beirut this summer, new teachers, new clubs, and of course the many pets adopted during quarantine. The club meets weekly on Wednesdays and is advised by 8th grade English teacher Ms. Breitman, with senior Zoe Edelman serving as editor-in-chief.
In Ms. Sisk’s 8th grade Latin class, students are researching Roman history to complement their study of the language. Using a history textbook, students are researching and making a slideshow about the Roman monarchies, from Romulus to Tarquinius Superbus. Students then presented their knowledge of Roman leadership to the class in groups of 3-4 a day. By working to research the past leadership, students are learning key research and reading skills while infusing facts about the history that gives the language and culture context.
Sixth and seventh graders took part in the first of a year-long series of conversations with their peers called Dialogues Across Difference on Wednesday. The discussion served as the asynchronous work for both English and history classes on Wednesday. This series, which encourages students to share aspects of their identity with one another also features older students helping facilitate the conversations alongside teachers. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to work together to delve deeply into complex conversations.
This month in sixth grade science with Ms. Dobler, students are learning about connections in ecosystems. Students got to help their teacher (using their voices and zoom chat) add different forms of pollution to the model ecosystem the class had created. Then they watched what happened when it rained, and the pollution created run-off and further damage. This will spark a discussion of how to mitigate the pollution we see on land so it does not pollute the water! The study of watersheds is part of a year-long project in the sixth grade science classes.
