By Susie Rogers, 5th-8th ELA

This week in ELA, our 5th grade class put a fun twist on reviewing the parts of speech—starting with nouns. Students began with a timed challenge: filling out a list of nouns that fit specific categories. The race was on to think quickly while making sure each answer truly counted as a person, place, thing, or idea.

Once the lists were complete, we turned the review into a lively game of Scattergories. Just like the classic game, teams compared answers and had to cross off any duplicates. Only the most creative and unique nouns earned points! For example, instead of everyone writing "dog" as an animal, some students came up with clever choices like “axolotl” or “narwhal” to avoid elimination.

The activity had everyone brainstorming, laughing, and stretching their vocabulary. It was a fun way to prove that reviewing grammar doesn’t have to be boring—sometimes, a little competition and creativity is all it takes to make nouns unforgettable!

By Susie Rogers, 5th-8th ELA

The first two weeks of seventh grade have already been a whirlwind of energy, creativity, and connection! To help everyone ease into the year, we kicked things off with our “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” project. Each student designed a sneaker—think colors, text, symbols—that visually tells the story of who they are both inside and outside the classroom. Whether it was favorite hobbies, life mottos, important milestones, or happy memories, every sneaker became a beautiful window into each student’s journey.

Once the sneakers were completed, they took center stage on our “Sole Showcase” display. Walking by, you could see reflections of interests, personal strengths, and defining moments—one student’s shoe with a soccer ball and math equation spoke to both play and problem-solving, while another adorned with musical notes and a sunset hinted at creativity and calm. Paired with their written rationale, each student shared why they made specific choices for color, imagery, and words. Classmates loved comparing their designs—discovering unexpected similarities and celebrating diverse differences. It was a fun, creative icebreaker that set an empathetic tone for the year ahead!

By Susie Rogers, 5th-8th ELA

My students took a big step toward their futures with an engaging and informative College Fair that brought learning to life! Each student selected a college to research in depth, exploring key aspects such as acceptance requirements, rights and responsibilities, available majors and minors, tuition costs, housing options, and the history and motto of the school.

Students compiled their findings into creative and visually compelling trifold boards, showcasing everything from campus culture to admissions statistics. The fair culminated in a lively presentation day, where students shared their work with parents, classmates, and faculty—turning the classroom into a true showcase of academic exploration and ambition.

This project encouraged not just research skills, but also public speaking, critical thinking, and personal reflection on future goals. We’re so proud of the effort and enthusiasm our students showed, and we hope it sparked a lasting interest in planning their educational journeys!

By Susie Rogers, 5th-8th ELA

This spring, our 7th and 8th grade classes took an unforgettable field trip to Austin and Waco, Texas — and it was the perfect mix of learning and fun!

We started our journey in Austin, where we explored the heart of Texas history at the State Capitol. Standing in the grand rotunda and walking the halls where laws are made gave us a real sense of how our government works.

Next up was the Bullock Texas State History Museum, where we dove deeper into the story of Texas — from its earliest days to modern times. The exhibits made history come alive, and we even got to watch an IMAX movie that left us all amazed. We also toured the LBJ Presidential Library where we with through the timeline of his terms and even saw a scaled version of the Oval Office. We ended our UT experience with a personal tour of the Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium and Hall of Fame exhibit where students raced on the field and explored the Founders’ suites for the perfect bird’s eye view of all things orange!

In Waco, we visited the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, learning about the legendary lawmen who helped shape Texas. It was cool to see real artifacts and hear stories about the Rangers' bravery and dedication.

Of course, no field trip is complete without a little fun! We soared (safely) through the air at iFLY Indoor Skydiving, laughed and competed at Topgolf, and ended the trip with a private Hibachi dinner party, where we celebrated not only our journey but also the friendships and memories we've made this year.

This trip was more than just a break from school — it was a chance to grow, explore, and connect with each other. We’ll be talking about it for years to come!

…city, movie set, rodeo, basketball court, hospital, human body, car, library, nuclear power plant, fitness gym, concert, and even a prison! Who knew you could compare tiny cells to all of these things? The seventh graders were assigned either a plant or animal cell before brainstorming how the functions of the organelles were analogous to something of their choosing. Once the brainstorming phase was completed, they created poster boards to illustrate their analogies and presented them in front of their peers. What a fun way to learn the functions of a cell!