It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving Break is already upon us! I am certainly grateful for all my students and the great things they are accomplishing in Language Arts.
6th Grade has nearly finished their first novel of the year “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. They have come to understand how the ideas of Utopia can quickly slide into Dystopia and the seemingly perfect can be covering up deep cracks in the veneer of society. Along the way, they’ve had the opportunity to questions their own beliefs about love, family, memory, happiness, and lots more! They have has some very thought provoking discussions about what makes up a successful society and what might be a citizens responsibility within it. The connections they are able to make between their own experiences and the literature we read are often amusing but always impressive.
7th and 8th grade has continued their unit on Greek Mythology. Upon completion of their presentations on an Olympian, they had some fun by creating their very own versions of Olympian dolls. This art project helped them to engage with the material in a new and fun way and helped them to contextualize their notes and the subject matter in an interesting way. You can check out some of the more impressive Olympian Dolls in the link below.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2fJrQNfociYVA3Ym6
They are currently working on a project covering the most popular topic in Greek Mythology: Heroes! They have been tasked with learning the myth of their hero of choice and present the tale in an exciting way to the rest of class. So far I’ve seen slideshows, Plays, Films, and Songs being worked on and I’m very excited to see the creativity of these kiddos shine! They have had time this week to work in their groups and the final will be due upon their return from break.
The gothic tale of Dracula draws to a close in High School. The students have enjoyed this classic novel and have worked overtime to draw thoughtful and meaningful conclusions about the text. It’s been wonderful to see them gain confidence in discussing the text and grow in their ability to infer and delineate their ideas about the text. They’ve been able to make connections between the work and the culture in which it was produced leading to wonderful discussions about Victorian propriety, rules, manners, culture, society, industry, and countless others. I always look forward to engaging with them in these discussions and they always have a very unique insight into the subject.
All in all, growth and learning abound this semester in Language Arts and as we embark upon a week of food, family, and fun, I hope that we can all keep the feeling of gratitude throughout the holiday and beyond!
