Dear Upper School Families,
It was wonderful to see so many of you on campus for conferences. I hope that your time spent with teachers was both informative and enjoyable. I participated in my first faculty basketball shootout last week and while I didn’t make my shot, (“that’s okay!”) I enjoyed the opportunity to be in this community and share in some good fun. It was easily one of the most fun events I’ve experienced in a school!
*Reminder that next Thursday, November 14, is a Special Event Dress Day, as we celebrate the hard work and dedication of the Lower School to their play, The Muppets!
Academic Spotlight -- Science and Visual Art
SCIENCE:
Grade 8: 8th grade science is beginning their study of chemistry by investigating physical properties of familiar materials. Recently they observed behavior of temperature as water passes through phase changes and found that the graph showed some surprising patterns. Ask your eighth-grader why the temperature graph goes flat during boiling...and what that has to do with cooking pasta! This week they are studying the effect of salt on the melting point of ice...you could ask your eighth-grader what that has to do with making ice cream! 
Grade 7: Students are learning how scientists classify living things. This begins their exploration into microbiology, investigating the most basic unit of science, cells! Additionally, they are beginning programming in November in partnership with Kestrel Educational Adventures where they will spend one class at the Forest School looking at prey and predation of animals within our local ecosystems. They will be using predator cams to gather data over the course of several weeks until January.
Grade 6: Students have begun to investigate weather and climate. They are learning the differences between weather and climate and what drives weather. This introduces concepts such as pressure and density, gas laws, and atmospheric chemistry. Students will also be investigating the heating differences between soil and water and using the data from this lab to write their first lab report using the claim, evidence, and reasoning (CER) scaffolding.
Grade 5: Fifth graders are exploring the water cycle and investigating water chemistry by learning how to test water samples. Additionally, they are spending one Wednesday a month on the trails at Long Hill. They are working on developing a research question which will guide their visits where they will pose a scientific inquiry, make a claim, gather data, examine their evidence, and then analyze whether or not their claim is supported by the data. This past Wednesday they learned how to use compasses in order to guide data gathering around how moss grows.
VISUAL ART:
Exploring Color: 8th grade artists practiced their color mixing and painting skills to make a series of six small paintings. In the collection of pieces they represented secondary, complementary, analogous, monochromatic, triadic and earth tones combinations.
Autumn in New England: 7th grade artists made depictions of nature landscapes using oil pastels. They layered and blended colors to make vibrant drawings that captured our incredible surroundings.
So, What's Behind the Door?: 6th grade artists drew realistic representations of their front doors and then they added a surprise behind their doors. They used colored pencils and their wonderful imaginative skills.
Calaveras with Character: 5th grade artists created colorful construction paper skeletal skulls to honor the Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos. In making their collaged skulls they added things to make each calavera unique.
In each grade we are beginning exciting, new projects. Stay tuned for what’s happening next!
PARENT CORNER
A reminder that next Tuesday, November 12th Endicott College is hosting a panel entitled: How Social Media Has Created An “Anxious Generation” And What We Can Do About It. The event begins at 6pm and admission is free. To learn more about the event and to RSVP, please use this link.
**8th Grade Parents:
A reminder that on Thursday, November 14, from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m., Evan Diamond will host a Secondary School Info Session: Next Steps- Nuts & Bolts in the Dodge Writing Center in the Library.
DANCE REMINDER
The Student Life Leadership Group is sponsoring the first Brookwood dance of the school year for Grades 7 & 8!
- Friday, November 15, 2024 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
- Neon Theme
- Drop-off begins at 5.55 p.m.in the courtyard; enter the circle and drive counter-clockwise in the usual manner.
- Pick-up is at 8:00 p.m.
- Tickets for the dance are $15.
- Student Life members will collect money for tickets during homeroom next week.
Additional dance logistics- i.e. - carpool, dress code, guest and phone policies etc. will be sent separately later today.
Sincerely,
Jay Tebbens
Head of Upper School
