Upper School Updates - April 17
Dear Upper School Families,
Spring has finally arrived, bringing with it longer days, blooming flowers, and a renewed sense of energy and optimism that we see reflected in our students every day. The sunshine and warmer weather seem to brighten not just the skies, but the spirits of everyone in our school community. It’s a season of growth, both in nature and in the classroom, and we’re excited to harness this vibrant energy as we head into the final months of the school year. Thank you for all the encouragement and support you continue to give your children—it truly helps them blossom, just like the season around us.
Academic Spotlight: Music, Changemaking and Grade 8 Mock Trial
Music
Grade 5 -- For the remainder of the year, 5th graders will dive into a wide variety of musical topics. They will explore questions like:
“Who are The Beatles?”
“What is Bohemian Rhapsody?”
“How does music shape movies and commercials?”
“And how can we record our own songs using GarageBand?”
Along the way, they will watch clips from live concerts, study iconic movie scores, and even try their hand at creating original soundtracks for commercials. It’s going to be a fun and creative musical journey to close out the year!
Grade 6 -- Students should be incredibly proud of all the hard work they put into their performance this week. Not only did they learn guitar chords and lead lines, but they also dove into the background of each song and researched the artists who made them famous. They will continue building on that momentum as they prepare for another school meeting performance on May 1st, where 6th graders will help lead the entire school in a Noah Kahan song. In the coming months, they will shift their focus to songwriting. Every student will learn how to craft a melody, build a chord progression, and write lyrics—an inspiring and creative way to wrap up the school year!
Grade 7 -- The 7th grade has been hard at work preparing their spring play, The Most Epic Birthday Party Ever, which will debut on Thursday, April 24 with performances at 10:15 AM (during School Meeting) and 6:00 PM (open to families and friends). This energetic, heartwarming play follows a group of kids navigating unexpected adventures during a backyard birthday party, and along the way, they discover the power of friendship, imagination, and growing up. Students have been involved in every part of the process, from character development to blocking and design ideas.
Grade 8 -- 8th grade students have been diving into the world of rock music through a genre exploration project. Each student selected a unique subgenre of rock and has been researching its history, key artists, cultural impact, and musical characteristics. They’ve also been developing their own informed opinions and will present their findings to the class next week.
Changemaking
Grade 5 -- 5A is working on a personal logo project wherein they demonstrate some understanding and mastery of design elements in creating a logo that communicates who they are in a compelling, unique, and clever fashion.
-- 5B is working on a Changemaking marketing campaign. Together, they distilled the Brookwood mission down into 10 actionable topics. Working in groups, they have identified intended audiences, slogans, and messaging. They are now working on their marketing asset, which could take any number of different forms and shapes.
Grade 6 -- 6th grade is working on a series of personal interest projects that demonstrate mastery of materials and tools in our Changemaking space. Some students are 3D printing, some are using the laser cutter, some are programming, and others are doing some fashion design work.
Grade 7 -- 7th grade is currently in the midst of their Ripple Effect project wherein they are working on projects aimed at making our community a little better in some way. Some students created a custom Brookwood strategy board game, some have been working on building a birdhouse, others have been building a LEGO organizing system in collaboration with 1st grade, and others still are designing locker organizers for Upper School students.
Grade 8 -- 8th grade is finishing up the Forest School entrance sign. In Sloyd, they have cut, sanded, and finished individual letters, and are now using the laser to etch a custom design into each one.
Mock Trial
Eighth Grade History class has begun their annual mock trial unit. This year's trial features a prosecution of Marcus Brutus for the alleged murder of Julius Caesar. The class will be divided into prosecution and defense teams, where the prosecution will represent the Republic of Rome in the case against Brutus. The other teams will defend Brutus against those accusations. The facts of the case will be taken from the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, which the class read in English earlier this year. The class has learned the basic vocabulary and the rules of evidence necessary to conduct the trial, and they are now in the process of formulating their theory of the case and developing their roles for the trial. The actual trial will be held in the DWC at the end of May. More details about the trial will be sent under separate cover.
Sincerely,
Jay Tebbens
Head of Upper School
