Students in the seventh and eighth grade social studies course have been preparing for an assessment, which will take place on Thursday. Their preparation has involved practicing geography on Seterra and a rigorous game of “Popcorn”, which is set up like Taboo using terminology from class. Today, we spent time in small groups collaborating on essay responses. We set it up in a round robin format, and students were able to learn what their peers find important from class and then analyze the depth of each essay response. Essay responses ask students to compile a case of evidence to prove their argument, laying out each specific piece to build the story. This practice is applicable across fields, and it builds each student’s confidence along the way.
Sixth grade students continued their study of the Abbasid Dynasty today. We had some wonderful conversations about laws and society, which led us into some of the advancements the Abbasids adopted from local cultures and empires. We discussed the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants”, and each student wrote down what they interpreted this to mean. Before we finished for the afternoon, students were tasked with taking this phrase home and asking their families for a definition. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s results!
We also thoroughly enjoyed Zoom Day with lots of fun outfit combinations.
