Dear Friends,
I have been hosting high school admissions representatives. I always ask how our graduates are doing in their schools. Invariably, they comment on WFS’ students noticeable academic strengths - especially as writers and readers.
With this in mind, I checked in with some 7th and 8th-grade students. Sara M. ‘24 shared that she has become a true reader this year. She seeks out new books and feels like she knows how to read for pleasure and for school. She has grown in comfort with the formal vocabulary expected in academic writing and reflected on how it showed up in the eulogy she wrote for one of the characters in The Outsiders. Imogene U. ‘24 talked about how her growing skill as a writer helps her communicate her ideas. Maya B. ‘25 talked about the challenges and ways she worked to think about her carbon footprint as she compared her experience preparing a meal with that of Sam, the main character in My Side of the Mountain.
7th and 8th grade Language Arts Teacher, Carl Abramowitz, thinks of the three years of Middle School as a progression for exposing students to a diverse range of genres and authors; in strengthening and expanding their grasp of grammar, the accepted conventions of writing, and their working vocabulary; and in teaching students to effectively express themselves in their own voice. Students will practice and develop as long-form essay writers, short story creators, journalists, and poets. After finishing their study of My Side of the Mountain, 7th-grade students have been reading fantasy and science fiction short stories by writers like Ray Bradbury, Gloria Skurzynski, and James Thurber. Soon they will write their own speculative fiction short stories.
Currently, 8th-grade students are reading the graphic novel Maus by Art Spiegelman. After two years of working on their writing, 8th-grade students are ready for the challenges of more nuanced writing. Recently, they embarked on their ambitious project to understand how debate and diplomacy – approaches to communication – have shaped US history. Using Ken Burns's many documentaries, they engaged in individual “web quests” and explored four different events. They are now writing formal reflections on their reactions to a time when diplomacy or debate was more or less successful.
Next week we will feature some student's essays!
Fifth Grade wrote this month’s queries for Meeting for Worship. Below are those shared in Meeting on 11/8
- “Do you have gratitude . Do you take thing for granted like the colors of the leaves, someone holding the door for you, and your parent . How can you be grateful.” ~ Avi
- “Do I live in a thankful awareness of my friends & family and do I show my thankfulness and acknowledgement to them.” ~ Yasmin
- “Sometimes just take a break and think about how thankful you are, and think about your parents or your siblings and how kind they are to you and how kind you could be to them.” ~ Noah
- “How does giving thanks make the world a better place?” ~ Cerys
- “How can I be thankful for the people around me?” ~ Tara
Warmly,
Margaret Haviland
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Announcements:
- November 17th, Pizza Fundraiser to support our zero waste, Party in a Box project
- November 18th, Family Council Play Date
- November 21st Meeting for Worship with a focus on gratitude
- November 22-26 - Thanksgiving Vacation
- November 27 - In-person Family Council Meeting
- December 1 - Preschool and Family Music Classes
- December 2 - Family Council Craft Fest and Cookie Exchange
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In our library in celebration of Native American Heritage Month Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code: A Navajo Code Talker's Story by Joseph Bruchac |
In our library in celebration of Native American Heritage Month Finding My Dance by Ria Thundercloud
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In our library in celebration of Native American Heritage Month Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child
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Featured In Our Library Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
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Featured in Our Library The Thank You Book by Mo Willems
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What I am Reading The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
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