The sixth-grade students focused their attention on all manner of fractions this week: from addition and subtraction to multiplication and division, the students became familiar with all of the steps in solving these exercises successfully. Multiplication, division, and fractions with mixed numbers were also introduced this week. The students also became familiar with how to change improper fractions into mixed numbers in their lowest terms.

The seventh graders learned how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide mixed numbers this week. They became aware of two helpful strategies: changing mixed numbers into improper fractions with common denominators before adding or subtracting them, and using cross-canceling when multiplying or dividing.

The eighth-grade students took their Chapter 1 test this past week. They also received an introduction to Chapter 2 on solving linear equations. The students will learn how to solve the equations as well as how to graph them on a coordinate plane.

This week, the 6th grade continued their exploration of Ancient Egypt, focusing on the geographical features of the region. They learned about the importance of the Nile River and how it supported agriculture, trade, and the political development of this powerful civilization.

The 7th-grade class began their study of medieval Europe with great energy. They discussed the lawlessness that spread after the fall of the Roman Empire and how the feudal system emerged as a way to maintain order and protection. Students had fun acting out the roles of monarchs, nobles, knights, and serfs to better understand how the system worked.

The 8th-graders wrapped up their unit on American colonialism by examining the resistance, resilience, and culture of enslaved Africans - contributions that helped shape the foundation of the future United States. They also studied the influence of religion in the New England colonies and explored the Salem witch trials for a chilling connection to Halloween.

When it comes to the weather, one thing is certain - it will keep you spinning! The Earth Science class has been caught up in big storms while studying hurricanes, and just when they thought the spinning had stopped, it started again. The next unit, tornadoes, has everyone excited to learn about these smaller, powerful whirlwinds.

Seventh-grade Life Science students have been exploring the molecules essential for life - proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Each has unique properties, and together they help the body function properly. To see how these molecules appear in everyday foods, students conducted a lab using some favorite snacks. The results brought a few surprises about nutritional balance!

Eighth-grade Physical Science students wrapped up their study of Newton’s laws of motion by combining them with the principles of force and momentum. In a hands-on experiment, they tested how a cup of water could be turned completely upside down without spilling - using their understanding of physics to make it happen. Even with science on their side, there were still some amazed faces when it worked!

And of course, the highlight of the week was the TCS Halloween celebration - nothing but smiling faces… and fangs!

This week, the 6th-grade class continued working on their essays, completing their introductory paragraphs. They also engaged in a close reading activity as they read additional chapters of The Giver, focusing on identifying themes and building vocabulary connections.

The 7th-grade class continued developing the structure of their narrative essays. This week’s focus was on crafting strong introductory paragraphs that clearly set up the body of the essay. In the upcoming week, students will reach the midpoint of their novel, The Skin I'm In, where they will begin analyzing plot development and emerging themes.

The 8th-grade class continued progressing with their persuasive essays. They completed a graphic organizer to help them write their introduction and outline the remainder of their essay. Students also continued reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, with a focus on identifying foreshadowing and theme.

Eighth graders have officially begun their unit in animation and game design, exploring how code can bring visuals to life. Using Code.org’s App Lab, students learned how to plot and manipulate shapes, a first step toward creating their own interactive animations and games. This foundational work helps them see how coding blends logic, creativity, and design thinking, setting the stage for exciting projects ahead.

Sixth and seventh graders didn’t meet with me, as Friday didn’t have any class sessions for Halloween. They’ll be picking up with Tech Class next week!

This week, 6th and 7th grade students learned more about the origins of the "Día de los Muertos" / "Day of the Dead" celebration and Spanish vocabulary related to this celebration, such as: papel picado – cut paper, las flores – flowers, el altar – altar, el pan de muerto – bread, las velas – candles, la tumba – tomb, la foto del muerto – photo, el agua – water, las calaveras de azúcar – sugar skulls, and el esqueleto – skeleton. The students also created a dictionary with the vocabulary they learned and watched Coco (Spanish version), a movie that shows details about how Mexican people celebrate "Día de los Muertos." While they watched the movie, they were able to recognize a group of words in Spanish (familia – family, abuela – grandmother, música – music, guitarra – guitar, foto – photo, flor – flower, amigo – friend).

This week, 8th grade students began reading and analyzing an interesting article about the migration of monarch butterflies from the United States and Canada to Mexico and its connection to the Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead. In the first lesson, students focused on learning key vocabulary (la mariposa – butterfly, el muerto – dead, el alma – soul, volador – flying, recordar – to remember, el vivo – living, el dulce – sweet, la muerte – death, en peligro de extinción – endangered, el cambio climático – climate change) and on reading and understanding the first two paragraphs of the text.

This week during Music, students experienced their first Genius Hour, where TCS parent Eric Dawkins came in to teach them about creating beats. As an extension of this lesson, in Music classes the next day, students had the opportunity to practice basic beat creation using beatboxing loops on Incredibox. Each student had the opportunity to mix and match loop tracks to create their own unique sounds. At the end of the class, several students shared their creations with their peers.

This week in Art, students explored the work of Georgia O’Keeffe and her distinctive approach to landscape painting. Inspired by her Pedernal series, they used acrylic paints to practice blending techniques and to observe how light and color shift throughout the day. Students also experimented with adding texture to their landscapes using tissue paper, giving their paintings a sense of depth and movement reminiscent of O’Keeffe’s desert vistas.

This week in PE, our focus was fitness through an exciting "Competition Day." Students worked in small groups to take on a variety of physical challenges designed to test their strength and endurance. Each group's winning team member had the privilege of choosing the game for our outside time. They all showed great enthusiasm and effort. It was clear that they enjoyed the friendly competition!