Welcome
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What's going on in middle school ?
The Month Ahead
Monday, February 2: Homework for the week 5th and 6th, 7th and 8th
Monday, February 2: Science Homework Due Friday 2/6 (I strongly encourage students to use the internet to research science questions)
Superbowl Fundraiser Deadline February 2
Tuesday, February 10: Honor's Night
Monday, February 23 - March 3: No School/School Break
Lesson Plans
Each morning, students begin their day with a focused "Do Now" activity designed to ease them into the school day with purpose and calm. Currently, this week we are reviewing science test prep during this time. This will help get the students ready for 8th grade science state test in March.
Mistakes are for Learning
This week in SEL, our 7th and 8th graders are exploring the powerful theme "Learning from Our Mistakes" through engaging activities that turned slip-ups into superpowers. Students shared personal stories of times they failed—like a science experiment gone wrong or a teamwork fumble—then brainstormed "yet" statements ("I haven't mastered this... yet!") to reframe setbacks as growth opportunities. They role-played scenarios, such as recovering from a lab error in our recent snow safety experiment by analyzing what went awry and adjusting their approach, fostering resilience, empathy, and self-reflection skills. Parents, try chatting at home about a recent "oops" moment and what it taught—it's a simple way to reinforce this lesson!
In fifth grade, students work on modeling fractions and learning how to add and subtract fractions with both like and unlike denominators, which helps them understand how numbers relate to each other in real-life situations. This builds strong number sense and prepares them for more advanced math concepts. Adults can support learning at home by using everyday examples—such as cooking, measuring, or sharing food—to talk about fractions, asking children to explain their thinking, and encouraging them to draw models or use fraction pieces. Practicing patience and focusing on understanding rather than speed helps students build confidence and accuracy with fractions.
In sixth grade math this week, we are learning how to multiply decimals accurately and confidently. Students will practice estimating first to predict a reasonable answer, multiplying as if the numbers were whole numbers, and then placing the decimal in the product by thinking about how many total decimal places are in the factors.
Families can help at home by asking your child to explain the steps out loud, checking that their answer makes sense (for example, if you multiply by a number less than 1, the product should get smaller), and doing a few quick real-life practice problems together—like finding the cost of 2.5 pounds of fruit at $3.49 per pound, calculating a tip using a decimal, or multiplying measurements in a recipe.
The goal is for students to be able to show their work clearly, estimate to self-check, and build speed and accuracy with decimal multiplication.
This week in math, we are working on Operations with Rational Numbers, which means students are practicing how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide positive and negative fractions and decimals (including integers).
A big focus is choosing the correct operation, keeping track of signs (positive/negative), and showing clear steps so their work is accurate.
Families can help at home by having your child explain how they know an answer should be positive or negative, practicing a few quick problems each night (especially fraction and decimal computation), and connecting it to real life—like temperature changes, money owed vs. money earned, discounts, or splitting costs.
Encouraging your child to estimate first and then check their final answer for reasonableness is a great way to build confidence and reduce careless mistakes.
In eighth grade, students learn to solve linear equations and understand cases with one solution, no solution, or infinitely many solutions, along with how slope describes the rate of change between two variables. These concepts connect to real life through situations like comparing phone plans, budgeting, tracking speed over time, or understanding how costs increase at a constant rate. Parents can help by discussing everyday examples that involve change and comparison, asking students to explain their reasoning, and encouraging them to connect graphs and equations to real-world situations rather than just focusing on getting the answer.
In our recent middle school science lab, students investigated the question "Is snow safe to eat?" by designing experiments to compare melted snow melt with samples from filtered and unfiltered school fountains and faucets.
Using pH strips, microscopes at magnifications for detailed drawings of particles, and simple sensory observations like color, clarity, odor, texture, and settling time, they collected data on water quality indicators such as acidity, visible contaminants, and hardness-related "slippery" feels.
Their findings revealed snowmelt often matching or exceeding tap water in neutrality and cleanliness—though real-world pollutants like road salt or air debris could pose risks—sparking lively discussions on everyday water safety, NGSS standards for experimental design (MS-ETS1-1, MS-LS1-1), and the importance of evidence-based conclusions before consuming natural sources.
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