Happy February!

Sixth grade is starting the new month fresh, after turning in their short essays on architecture yesterday. They learned some valuable skills of research, citation, and organization through this paper, and they will continue to put those skills to work throughout middle and high school. Our next unit will focus on styles of government and power. After learning about the English Civil War, we turned to the French under the rule of Louis XIV (and we’re having grand discussions about how to pronounce & spell his name, in addition to fabulous reminders of Roman numeral lessons from their past). We’re discussing why Louis called himself the “Sun King” and the implications of his rule upon other areas of Europe and around the world. 

Seventh and Eighth grade students have been working diligently to complete their research and final products covering events and people in the 17th and 18th centuries. They begin presentations on their topics today! This is their second big project this year that requires them to design a thesis statement, and their progress is evident. They should be proud of their work ethic and time management.

High School Political Science students completed an assessment on Friday over the roots of American democracy. From here, they’re starting a unit regarding the media, public opinion, and political socialization. Included in this unit are small projects about each of these topics, as well as a project that examines the roots and key points of various political parties. These students are showing their increased level of understanding in classroom discussions and especially in conversation about current events.