TBMS Weekly Newsletter - Issue 25-26.32

SEVENTH GRADE

We have started our final topic of the year in seventh grade life science class:  ecology!  Thank you to all students who have brought in money for 2-Liter bottles which we will use in our upcoming "Eco-Column" project.  Students who haven't brought in a quarter should bring one in.  I anticipate students will bring their bottles home to work on the project in the third week of this month. The first major assignment of the topic is to read about the "five principles of ecology" and take notes to prepare for an upcoming quiz.  This is an independent work assignment for which I am providing scaffolding and curated resources with small chunks of time in class.  At least half of the work will need to be done outside of class time.  Please ask to see your child's progress on the assignment over the next week and ask them to teach you what they have been learning!  Also, a heads-up that there will be a cumulative final test this year in science class - students have heard this from me already.  The reason is that the middle school MCAS test at the end of 8th grade covers topics from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, so it makes sense to culminate the year with a comprehensive review and test.  I will provide review strategies in advance of the test, and students should have plenty of materials to study in their science folder and in Google Classroom.  

Flex has been living up to its name recently with a variety of activities including band and chorus rehearsals for some students, health screenings with the school nurse, an SEL lesson with Mr. Hudder and/or Dr. Horton to follow up on the LIT (Love, Inclusion, & Trust) assembly we had a couple of months ago, and academic support time mixed throughout.  Of special interest, there will be at least one upcoming Flex session dedicated to preparing for next week's math MCAS, and we will also head outside to do some campus clean-up as a belated Earth Day activity -  because of course I tell the students that every day is Earth Day!

EIGHTH GRADE

Science classes are finishing up the electricity part of Unit #6 and moving into waves, but we will be pausing this unit to get ready for science MCAS.  

There were some pretty electrifying highlights from the electricity unit. Students did an experiment through which they discovered two kinds of electricity, which Franklin called positive and negative. Then, in another lab students discovered insulators and conductors. And the most fun would have to be using the Van de Graff generator to really put the model to the test that there is a flow of charge during zapping where electrons jump between conductors as they spread out from each other as much as possible. 

We three middle school science teachers will be conducting our annual switch days to provide Mr. Holt and Mr. Mackie a chance to remind students of all the important MCAS material related to their subjects. Then, we will conduct a crash course in important topics from physical science that we have not enough time to cover thoroughly. After MCAS, we will finish unit #6 with waves.  Students will learn to send/receive/decode binary coded messages through a slinky using longitudinal and transverse waves and frequency and amplitude modulation.  We will then finish the year with some special chemistry experiments. 

Flex has been primarily been used for math and ELA work with an eye toward MCAS preparation. 

UNIFIED ARTS

In health classes, it’s been wonderful to see how much students have grown - not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. There’s still meaningful learning ahead, and I’m excited to continue supporting students through these final weeks!

Our 6th graders have been focused onngratitude and reflection. Students are engaging in activities that encourage them to recognize personal growth, appreciate others, and build positive mindsets. We are also reviewing key health topics from the year through interactive games like Jeopardy and other collaborative activities.

Students in both 7th and 8th grade are currently learning about safety and substance use. Our focus includes:

• Practicing refusal skills and setting boundaries

• Understanding peer influence and how to navigate it

• Exploring the short- and long-term consequences of substance use

These are important, real-life skills that help students make informed and healthy decisions. Beginning May 8th, all students will transition into our Human Sexuality Unit. Each grade will participate in developmentally appropriate lessons tailored to their age group. More detailed information has already been shared with families regarding specific topics we will cover.

With warmer weather approaching, we’re hoping to take advantage of opportunities for outdoor learning when possible. It’s a great time of year to stay engaged, active, and connected as a school community. Thank you for your continued support in helping your child learn, grow, and make healthy choices!