6th grade is winding down their study of “The Giver.” They participated in a lively class discussion about the major themes of the novel and showed remarkable insight in relating these themes to the world or to personal experiences they have had. We had a great discussion about the definition of wisdom, for example. They were assigned their final assessment today. They are tasked with creating a soundtrack that illustrates the significant events and feelings present in the text. They will present their soundtracks to the class within a week.

7th grade is taking another pass at The Olympians to ensure that they have successfully laid the groundwork for the rest of out unit on Greek and Roman Mythology. A second assessment will be given this week and then they will be able to move on to more specific myths and projects.

8th grade moved past The Olympians this week and read the myths of Prometheus and Pandora which illustrates the creation and survival of man and woman respectively. They are making connections between what they are reading and modern day references. A “Pandora’s Box” is currently used as a metaphor for engaging in a decision that could lead to misery down the road. We might also call it “opening a can of worms.” Mythology is a part of our every day lives, and one of the best parts about this unit is seeing the students make connections between what they are learning and the larger world around them.