by Nicole Ayers, Math & Science

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon, we started the year with a study of human space exploration. The seventh-grade students researched characteristics of the solar system capable of sustaining life, along with adaptations necessary for humans to travel, work, and live in space. As part of the investigation, they made a simulation of NASA’s upcoming Lunar Gateway, in anticipation of humankind’s next steps on the moon. Fellow students got to imagine and experience how microgravity affects basic necessities such as eating, drinking, and sleeping. They learned about the value of growing plants in space, as well as the importance of keeping a sound mind in tight quarters. Students even got to suit up for a moonwalk and communicate with one another via headset and webcam. The Life in Space Experience was…out of this world!

7th Grade History

By Jennifer Jordan 

Seventh grade’s first history unit is the Renaissance, that lovely period of European history in which art, beauty, and classical thinking flourished. What an exciting time to study, as students can engage their senses artistically and aesthetically. We began with learning about why the Renaissance started in Italy, which brought us back to the classical works of Ancient Rome and Greece, topics studied last year. It’s great for the students to make these connections. Students have studied the three most prominent city-states--Florence, Rome, and Venice--and learned their contributions to the Renaissance. As a bonus, we had the opportunity to play with 3-D models of Florentine buildings as they were in the 14th century, through Florence As It Was, a digital art project led by George Bent, Art History professor at my husband’s and my alma mater, Washington and Lee University. We also learned about the construction of il Duomo, Bruneschelli’s amazing accomplishment, the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, as well as the Pantheon in Rome. The magnitude of these works is astounding. 

Last week, students  took a gallery walk of landscapes and portraits by the most famous Venetian artist, Titian. They viewed the printouts and analyzed the use of color and emotion. We also took a 360 degree online tour of several Venetian buildings constructed during the Renaissance. This week, we delve into the Renaissance’s most famous individuals-- artists, scientists, and inventors-- and learn how they were inspired. Soon, we will begin work on an evaluative project-- the Renaissance Academy Awards. Stay tuned! 

Visit Florence As it Was at http://florenceasitwas.wlu.edu/. There are maps, 3-D models, and art collections in Sketch Fab. It is worth your time!

By Susie Rogers 5th-8th English Language Arts

What a great time we are having in English Language Arts! I have loved getting to know each one of my students, and I sincerely appreciate all the genuine smiles, warm hugs, and fantastic manners. The family Christian atmosphere is quite evident, and everyone has graciously welcomed me with open arms.  

We spent time getting to know one another with a One-Pager activity called, “What’s in a Name?” To introduce this topic, students read lines from the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet Act ii Scene Ii where Juliet says this phrase in reference to her family and Romeo’s name. She says, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/ By Any Other name would smell as sweet.” Students made connections with the meaning of their own name. They then used their names as the anchor to questions such as “What are your biggest fears?,” What are two goals?,” and “What Bible verses or quotations reveal an aspect of your personality?” Students were so creative with their artistic interpretation of whom they are.

Seventh grade is reading the young adult dystopian novel, The Giver. Characteristics of both utopia and dystopia were discussed along with moral questions of following authority. The students have a novel study packet, which incorporates literary devices and elements, that will be completed in class, and a final project of designing and creating their interpretation of a utopian society. Benefits of daily reading include mental stimulation, vocabulary expansion, stronger analytical thinking skills, improved focus and concentration, and better writing skills. 

Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy of first two weeks! These seventh grade students have already impressed me with their maturity, knowledge, and kindness. What a fabulous year we are going to have!

MATH AND SCIENCE:

It’s hard to believe we have come to the end our first year of having a seventh grade class at St. James Day School. Three young men and their families took a leap of faith committing to this new program, and together we have enjoyed countless learning adventures. We established new traditions and experiences for future seventh grade students, and we look forward to forging a trail for the eighth grade program next year! Here are some of the students’ favorite memories as the inaugural seventh grade class…

I loved 7th grade because we got to go to Houston and Little Rock, Fort Worth and Louisiana. I liked Science Olympiad and Quiz Bowl and hope to do all the same stuff next year. Overall I have enjoyed 7th grade here.

This year has been great. Some of the things I have enjoyed are the Little Rock trip and the Huston trip. Also Science Olympiad has been fun going to Dallas, College Station, and Ruston. Getting to go tour Texas A&M was really cool. Next year I hope we get to go to University of Texas for an invitational, and I hope we can go to Washington, D.C.

This year we did a lot. We went to Houston for a drone presentation, and while we were there we went to NASA and the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. We also went to Fort Worth and College Station for Science Olympiad. This year we used Open Up Resources for math, and I think I learned a lot. Open Up is a good new curriculum. Also there were only 3 students in my class!



LANGUAGE ARTS AND HISTORY:

A small, but mighty trio of students comprised the 7th grade this year, and I truly enjoyed teaching them. We continued the St. James tradition of whole-child learning and development, but on a middle-school appropriate level. The boys read seven diverse literary works this year, including both classic and contemporary novels, a drama, and an autobiography. We engaged in rich discussions about theme and literary elements, and the students produced thoughtful reading responses. They learned about world civilizations, studying both Eastern and Western cultures and religions, with an emphasis on the Renaissance and its most influential figures. Seventh graders also completed their second Latin book, and began their third, developing their story translation skills further. We rounded out our Latin studies with the annual Roman Feast and Carnival, which involved multi-faceted project-based learning. Students selected a deity or monster, researched him or her (or shall I say “it”), and then chose a mini-project to apply their research. Students produced colorful comic book style drawings, fancy dinner party invitations, and versatile diary entries and group newsletters showcasing their deities’ personalities. Next, split into correlating teams with fifth and sixth graders, students designed a carnival activity that complemented their deities’ skills and behaviors. With the assistance of the 4th graders, the deities hosted the Carnival for all of the younger students. Overall, teaching these three students has been a pleasure, and I look forward to another year of interesting discussions in 8th grade!

LANGUAGE ARTS AND HISTORY:

Seventh grade completed its poetry unit with a study of Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem, “The Raven.” After reading it aloud, students practiced identifying the figurative language techniques used in the poem and then chose a task to complete. One student chose to rewrite the opening stanza as the first paragraph of a spooky story, and two students chose to deconstruct the poem and storyboard each stanza with illustrations. This task required the students to sum up each stanza in one sentence, which is a great way to show understanding of the plot of this 18 stanza-long poem. Then, they divided paper into 18 boxes and drew illustrations to coordinate with the sentences. This assignment challenged the students to pay attention to detail; now they will know “The Raven” “evermore”.

MATH AND SCIENCE:

Snap!

When games like Fortnite and movies such as Endgame have captured kids’ attention, why not use their interests for academic purposes? Our students have been creating and sharing games to review key vocabulary terms in science, and we’ve stumbled upon a relatively new online game platform called Gimkit. This game was itself designed by a high school student to make classroom review more engaging, and he did just that by making “Thanos Mode” available for a limited time. Students answer questions and earn [imaginary] money for correct responses. They can then use the money to purchase upgrades to increase their earning power. In Thanos Mode, students purchase a series of six Infinity Stones of increasing value--the first stone is $5 and the last is $150,000. The first student to acquire all six stones is the winner and gets to “snap” half of the class (apparently this is a trademark move for the legendary Thanos)...we were all on the edge of our seats waiting to see who survived the snap!