The sixth grade students were given the opportunity to sharpen four previously learned skills this week. The first two were in the area of multiplying and dividing fractions. The final two focused on multiplying and dividing ten-thousands-place numbers by one digit. The class also completed their third TILE test of the school year.

The seventh graders continued a Pre-Algebra chapter this week. They learned how to simplify, or shorten, algebraic expressions. The class also had the chance to reinforce two previously learned skills: multiplying fractions by whole numbers and adding fractions with unlike denominators. The seventh grade students also completed their third TILE test of the school year.

The eighth grade students were challenged this week to subtract positive and negative decimal numbers with more than one subtrahend. They also added positive and negative decimal numbers with more than one addend. The students ended the week by completing their third TILE test of the school year.

This week, the sixth-grade class completed their study of Egyptian mythology, with a particular focus on the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Students explored major gods such as Seth, Osiris, Isis, and the sun god Ra as they journeyed through the Egyptian concept of the afterlife. In addition, the sixth graders contributed to the classroom wall by reflecting on what they studied throughout the trimester. They recalled their learning about early humans, hunter-gatherers, agriculturalists, and the Egyptians, and created painted images that visually represent their understanding of these civilizations.

The seventh-grade class had an exciting week as they journeyed back in time to Medieval Europe. History came alive as students watched the conclusion of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, a film set in medieval Western Europe that reinforced topics they studied, including the Moors, the feudal system, and the Roman Catholic Church. The learning continued beyond the classroom as students traveled to the Medieval Times dinner and show, where they watched knights in shining armor battle for the favor of the monarchy. The experience was both engaging and memorable, bringing medieval history to life.

The eighth graders have been studying the United States Constitution, including the roles and responsibilities of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, as well as the Bill of Rights. This learning will soon come alive as students prepare to visit the Reagan Presidential Library this Tuesday, where they will see firsthand how these constitutional components come together and have shaped life in the United States.

Sixth grade Earth Science has finished another great week! As the class finishes out the first trimester with the section on clouds, the interest level is high. With daily review and pictures to assist in their studies, the class’s hands are shooting into the air faster and faster every day. They will never look at the sky the same way again.

The excitement in seventh grade is growing every day. The study of biomes has captured their curiosity, and they are diving into their learning headfirst. Like bookends on a shelf, their studies swung from the rainforest biome all the way over to the desert biome. With four more biomes still to study, every day in Life Science is a new adventure.

The Physical Science class is taking their first steps toward becoming engineers. Using the information they are learning about simple machines and their uses, the class has started designing a Rube Goldberg machine with the future goal of building it to complete a basic and mundane task. The designing process started slowly, but once the class got going, the ideas flowed like a well-oiled machine.

The sixth-grade class is revisiting and bringing to life their experiences from last month’s camping trip as well as their fall break. Students are writing their second narrative essay of the trimester, focusing on meaningful moments from either their time at camp or celebrations with their families. They are applying the full range of writing techniques learned in their previous narrative assignments, including strong hooks, detailed descriptions, and clear organization. At this stage, students are working more independently as they complete their final narrative project of the trimester, demonstrating both growth and confidence as writers.

The seventh grade is reaching the dramatic conclusion of Sharon Flake’s novel The Skin I’m In. Students are developing a deeper understanding of plot, theme, and resolution as they analyze the main character Maleeka’s response to bullying and her struggle with identity and belonging. Alongside the novel study, seventh graders are completing their final five-paragraph essay of the trimester and wrapping up their Capstone research paper, applying research, organization, and MLA citation skills they have built throughout the term.

The eighth-grade class has been fully immersed in research as they work to answer their Capstone project’s essential question, which is tied to a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal. Many students are nearing completion of their research papers and are beginning to brainstorm creative, multimedia ways to present their findings. At the same time, the class is arriving at the emotional and powerful conclusion of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, engaging in thoughtful discussions about identity, resilience, and transition as they reflect on both the novel and their own journey toward high school.

6th Grade
Sixth graders applied their growing understanding of sprites in Code.org’s Game Lab by designing virtual pets that respond to different conditionals and behaviors within their digital environment. By programming how their pets react to specific inputs and situations, students strengthened their grasp of logic and cause-and-effect while creating projects that felt playful, personal, and interactive.

7th Grade
Seventh graders reinforced their HTML skills by reviewing and debugging pre-made code scripts, learning how to identify and fix common errors. They then applied that knowledge by using basic HTML to build a simple, text-based web page. This process helped students better understand code structure and increased their confidence in reading, editing, and writing their own scripts.

8th Grade
Eighth graders combined their knowledge of rendering shapes, colors, parameters, and randomization to design unique robot faces. By using code to control both structure and variation, students explored how algorithms can produce creative outcomes. The project highlighted the balance between precision and experimentation that is central to more advanced programming and design.

6th & 7th Grade Spanish

This week, sixth and seventh graders continued studying the topic of “The Family.” We focused on reading short texts and understanding them through questions and answers. The students were able to use the grammar they had learned (the use of the preposition de – “of” – to indicate possession, as well as the use of the articles el/la – “the” – according to gender) and wrote a short paragraph in which they described their family members. As new content, the teacher introduced the students to the use and meaning of the possessive pronouns su / sus – “his/her / theirs.” The teacher contrasted these with the possessives learned in previous classes (mi – “my” and tu – “your”).

8th Grade Spanish

Eighth graders learned some useful phrases commonly used by teachers and students. They then practiced using what they had learned by working with classroom phrases alongside others. Phrases included:

• ¿Cómo se dice…? – How do you say…?

• ¿Comprendes? – Do you understand?

• Más despacio, por favor. – More slowly, please.

• No sé. – I don’t know.

• ¿Qué quiere decir? – What does … mean?

• Quiere decir… – It means…

• Repitan, por favor. – Please repeat.

• ¿Tienen preguntas? – Do you have questions?

The students also reviewed key content learned in previous classes.

This week in music class, middle school students continued to work on preparing for the Winter Sing. They practiced both of the songs they are singing - Be a Light and Blinding Lights - as well as the song they are working on with the ukulele, Counting Stars. On Friday, they had their first performance run as they sang their two songs at the NOHO Senior Arts Colony.

Students in Rock Band were also hard at work this week. They performed their song Island in the Sun at the Friday 15 and have also been preparing for the Winter Sing.

Middle school students have been actively supporting preparations for the upcoming Winter Sing by assembling decorations created by the elementary students and adding their own creative touches. In keeping with this year’s Holiday Lights theme, they helped organize and display suns, stars, lightning bugs, and crystals, and also created their own snowflake hanging decorations. Their teamwork has played an important role in bringing the space together and helping the full school community’s work shine.

This week in PE, our middle school students spent time developing and sharpening their basketball shooting skills. Students broke into small groups to work on proper shooting form, foot placement, and follow-through. After practicing the fundamentals, students had the chance to put their skills to the test with a fun and competitive round of “Horse.”