Over the past two weeks, our class has been diving into some important math concepts! We've been exploring inequalities and how to graph and interpret them, solving one-step and two-step equations, and identifying independent and dependent variables in different contexts. These skills help build a strong foundation for algebraic thinking and problem-solving.

In addition to our regular learning, we've also been getting ready for the upcoming CAASPP assessments. Students have been engaging in focused practice, including interim assessments on statistics, a performance task, and practice problems aligned with the test format. This helps students become more familiar with the types of questions they'll see and builds their confidence as test day approaches.

We're proud of the effort and persistence students are showing—keep up the great work!

Social Issues Research Project Has Launched!

We’re excited to share that our Social Issues research project is officially underway! We kicked things off by watching an inspiring interview with Malala Yousafzai, a powerful example of how teens can use their voices to create change.

Now, your students are sharpening their pencils (and their thinking!) as they dive into topics that matter. Some students are teaming up in research groups, while others are choosing to fly solo. Either way, they're all exploring meaningful social issues such as:

• Equity in Education

• Environmental Issues

• Child Labor

• Discrimination

• LGBTQ Rights
  
  

Next week, we'll begin drafting with focused subtopics to guide our writing. We can’t wait to see how students develop their ideas and begin to take action.

• Enjoy the weekend!

• P.S. Amazing job to all our Hall Athletes that competed at our Area Track and Field meet. Hugely proud of the camaraderie and sportsmanship. 

This month, our 6th graders got their hands dirty in the garden as part of a fun and meaningful project. We cleaned up the garden and used sheet mulching to tackle an unexpected garden invader—madder! Originally planted for our 7th grade chemistry unit (since madder was used to dye the redcoats' jackets during the American Revolution and we were doing an investigation on natural dyes), we soon learned it was a bit too enthusiastic in spreading. With the students' help, we’ve cleared it out, and the garden is now ready for new growth. It’s a great way for them to learn about gardening, environmental stewardship, and the importance of managing plants in a sustainable way! This is getting us ready for our new unit, Diversity of Life. 

This week, we began our unit on ancient Greece.  We will be covering geography this week and continuing into Greek Mythology next week.  Students will be participating in the Great City-State Debate, where table groups will represent a different city-state.  We will end the unit with a Greek Symposium, where students will represent Greek Leaders.  See the proficiency scale for Greece to the right.

We are continuing our soccer unit for two more weeks, and students will have multiple opportunities to practice their skills in live game play. We will organize into small sized teams with Good Times and Fast Play divisions, so that students can play with other students with the same level of intensity.

As we progress through Spring we will be completing our final round of physical fitness testing to determine students' growth over the course of the year.