Students in sixth grade have been studying Greek myths this week. Each student chose a myth to summarize and share with the class, and we’ve been practicing our spelling and pronunciation of all of the tricky Greek names! As part of this, we’re also looking at what lessons are being shared with each story and considering how myths tell us about what matters to a society. A few students are voracious readers of the Percy Jackson series and have been excellent supports to our classroom study.

In seventh and eighth grade classes, students are studying the Revolutionary War. In both classes, we read the Declaration of Independence to gain a greater understanding of how and why the United States separated from Great Britain. This also allowed us an opportunity to discuss thesis statements and evidence to support an argument, as Jefferson does a thorough job of both. In eighth grade, students read a primary source (written 61 years later) about the Boston Tea Party and discussed its merits and downfalls, as well as the reasons for this form of protest. Both groups of students continue to demonstrate skills in discussion, critical thinking, and application of ideas!