TBMS Weekly Newsletter - Issue 24-25.25

SEVENTH GRADE

In Math, the 7th graders have recently completed their unit on Angle Relationships, which included both a quiz and a project. We’ve now begun our unit on 2D and 3D Geometry, focusing on Circles, specifically Circumference and Area. In the coming days, we will explore the areas and perimeters of composite shapes, as well as cross-sections of 3D figures. Students are also continuing to review earlier concepts through their Skill Drills alongside our current lessons.

In FLEX, students took part in a “You Matter” lesson where we talked about how everyone sometimes needs reminders of their worth and value. They created and decorated envelopes with symbols that represented things important to them. Each student was then assigned three peers to write messages for, expressing how much they are valued. In the second lesson of the week, they will write these messages and place them in the assigned envelopes. In a future lesson, we will distribute the envelopes so students can read the messages written for them.

EIGHTH GRADE

English language arts classes are studying and writing narratives.  We immersed ourselves in Ernst Schnabel’s landmark 1958 narrative nonfiction article on Anne Frank, titled “A Tragedy Revealed: A Heroine’s Last Days.”  We considered how words can change the world as we studied the testimonies of forty-two individuals who interacted with Anne Frank in late 1944 and early 1945.  We then turned to writing narratives which draw on observations of Anne Frank’s landmark narrative goals and techniques, as found in her extant diary.  An effective narrative starts fast, introduces a problem, develops the characters and setting, attempts to address the problem with a profound mental change, and concludes with falling action and reflection.  In writing narratives, we emphasize style: include colors, sensory details, dialogue, and characters’ memories.  Some of the specific prompts we’re addressing last week and this week are on a colorful suitcase lost in an airport, on the one hand, and on the experiences of Keo, Sonny’s cousin, from Graham Salisbury’s “Deep Water.”

In Flex, students are writing for two class periods with an assigned partner this week. Specifically, they are responding to a prompt on the Green Belt Movement, started by Wangari Maathai, an environmentalist from Kenya.  Should the Green Belt Movement be started in our area?  In a follow-up to the Law Day essay, students are writing a letter to local officials, writing an essay within the letter, comparing sources on Maathai’s work, and stating a position on the Green Belt Movement’s utility.  This writing work guides students in both English and Civics and is a simulation.  Students are also using academic support time this week to get extra help, study, and complete homework assignments. A huge thank you to the 8th grade students who attended the civics cup last Sunday, March 2nd. An 8th grade team of Blake Coyne, Parth Dwividi, Tony Xu and Michael Mao placed 5th! We hope to see more students from the class of 2029 participate in the civics cup next year!

UNIFIED ARTS

This month in health class, we're diving deep into our safety and substances unit, and it's already been packed with important learning! Sixth graders have been having deep discussions about staying safe in all areas of your lives! From school and home to sports and the wider world, they're identifying real-life safety precautions and building awareness. 

Seventh graders had a powerful session with our school counselors through the SOS program, learning vital information about recognizing the signs of suicide. Following that, they explored the internal and external influences that can affect a person's decision making, especially when it comes to safety and substance use. 

Last, but not least, eighth graders kicked things off by busting myths about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. It's so important to have the facts, and they're learning to separate truth from fiction. We're continuing to explore how to protect ourselves and make informed choices. Equipping students with the knowledge and tools needed to stay safe and make educated decisions is my top priority!