Grade Level
Middle
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Ready, Set, Print!
Can a 3D printer replicate a real-life playground? Flint Hill Middle School Math teacher Erin McKavitt sought to answer this question with her Pre-Algebra classes this year. Last fall, in partnership with KOMPAN, the School opened three new, state-of-the-art playgrounds for its Lower and Middle School students. And inside the classroom, students had the opportunity […]
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Open Window School Student Experiment on the International Space Station
Three eighth grade scientists have experienced a once in a lifetime opportunity, witnessing the experiment they developed, Arabidopsis Germination in Martian Soil Simulant, fly to the International Space Station. The experiment investigates how Arabidopsis seeds germinate in simulated Martian soil (Hawaiian volcanic soil) under microgravity conditions. They are hoping the results will be useful for […]
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Nurturing Leadership & Research Skills in Middle School
At Capitol Hill Day School, developing self-reflection and critical thinking skills is part of the curriculum for all students, from prekindergarten through 8th grade. In every classroom and on 300+ field trips each year, students are encouraged to ask questions, collect and analyze data, and present their findings. Beginning in 6th grade, Capitol Hill Day […]
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Presentations of Learning Demonstrate Creative “Ways of Thinking”
At Blue School, the pursuit of creativity revolves around the thinking process. Course content for students in grades 6-8 focuses on six “Ways of Thinking”: Establishing Voice, Asking Questions, Perspective Taking, Using Evidence, and Promoting Reflection. Classes in Mathematics, Integrated Studies (team-taught Science & World History), and Novels and Nonfiction, along with a variety of […]
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Middle School Student Vestry Leads Chapel
As an Episcopal school, we hold daily chapel services for all students, K5 to 8th grade. Middle school students are given an opportunity to serve on the Student Vestry. Half of our middle school students choose to belong to Student Vestry, volunteering their time and talents to share their faith with others. They are instrumental […]
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Year-End Collaborative Program Relieves Stress, Re-Energizes School Community
The last few weeks of school can be stressful, what with upcoming finals or just year-end fatigue. Allendale Columbia School’s May Term combats this issue by transforming the final 12 days of the school year, re-energizing students and teachers, providing opportunities for collaboration, and fostering a love of learning. Students in grades 6-12 are given […]
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It All Started With A Conversation
Starting in the 2014-2015 school year, scholars at E.A.Young Academy in North Texas were frustrated as they began to learn about educational inequality in third world countries. They scholars knew they were few in number and felt helpless to make a difference for such a large, complex problem. Over time, they researched ways to help […]
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Old Trail School Students Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week
Old Trail School students will be celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Week in February. Random Acts of Kindness week (#RAKWeek2017), February 12-18, is an annual opportunity to unite through kindness. This seven-day celebration was created in 1995 and demonstrates that kindness is contagious. It all starts with one act – one smile, one coffee for […]
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Breakout Boxes
Our 6th grade geography class used a creative way to study for their exam! Clues, aka review questions, were hidden around the library/media center to open up the “breakout boxes” – an educational spin on the “breakout rooms!” Students used a cypher key and a black light to see invisible ink to crack the clues. […]
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How 8th Graders Used Design Thinking to Imagine an Award-Winning App
Every year, people forward me an email announcing the Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge. As chair of the Computer Science Department at GPS, people know that encouraging girls to code is a driving force in my teaching. This year, I decided to build the App Challenge contest into my 8th grade classes’ coursework. We followed […]
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Gaining Perspective
Mayfield’s eighth grade participated in an interactive experience in January designed to provide insight and perspective on the reality of life as a refugee. Advisors and several teachers collaborated on the all-day program as a cross-curriculum component of the eighth grade service-learning project. They began with the question: How do we engage students so they […]
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From Ideas to Prototypes: Hands-on Projects Cultivate Design Mindsets
As sixth graders, science students at Castilleja School begin developing skills as designers and engineers while creating interactive devices. They learn about sensors and actuators, programming, troubleshooting, and how to face frustrations that arise from failed iterations while celebrating improvements and successes, however incremental. Fast forward to the senior year elective, “Biology and Economics of […]