5th Grade | 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade

5th Grade

Whew! We made it through all the MCAS testing in one piece, especially enjoying the lengthy breaks and snacks planned and provided by Mr. Silverman. The general consensus is that these mid-way breaks and snacks during testing really make a positive difference and relieves lots of our middle school test stress.

The fifth graders experienced the joy of ‘letting go’ when releasing their baby salmon Fry into the Souhegan River in Milford, NH. This field trip was followed by a trip to Manchester, to the Amoskeag Fishways, located on the Merrimac River. There they toured the hydroelectric dam and fish ladders in operation. This completes their study of the Atlantic salmon. What a great ‘end-of-year’ field trip!

Some of the science classes have also been studying ecosystems, design engineering and have been presenting individual science projects.

In math, the lessons have been focused on 2-D geometry, measurement, surface area and probability, as well as that ever-loving task of reviewing multiplication and division facts. Please keep up the good work on those reviews over the summer for a smooth transition into 6th grade math classes.

Language arts classes have continued to work on their writing skills with a focus on writing with clear communication and lots of detail, of course ‘always’ remembering to punctuate properly and include capitalization.

Some classes are focusing on persuasive writing pieces, while others entered the ‘Memorial Day’ essay contest, answering the question “What does Memorial Day mean to you?”

Soon to come is our favorite colonial activity called -  ‘Alive in 1775!’  All ten 5th grades will participate in this wonderful, real-life, all-day activity that transports us back in time to live as colonial people for one day. Everyone will dress in colonial costume as we engage in hands-on learning activities that bring colonial times to life. This is a day to remember for many, many years. Please watch for the flyers and handouts coming home with more detail.

Finally, watch for exciting news about Field Day and the DARE graduation which we will wrap up our school year with.

It has been a pleasure getting to know your children and becoming part of their learning lives for this school year. We wish you all a happy, healthy and successful school year next year as well as a restful and rejuvenating summer vacation.

 

6th Grade

6th grade math wraps up an extremely productive year with a study on Statistics and Probability.  The books “Data About Us” and “How Likely Is It” will take us through these fascinating subjects.  We will look at graphing, averages, and the probability of events happening, as the core investigations.  For ideas to keep your math skills sharp over the summer, visit the district website.

In Science, 6th grade will finish the year studying biology through the topics of vernal pools and ecosystems of Groton and Dunstable.  The cycles that keep our ecosystems healthy will be explored in depth as will the parts of a plant. And of course, as is tradition, we will end the year with a dissection of a sheep’s eyeball! 

With the end of the school year approaching quickly, the sixth grade have great activities planned.  On June 12th, we will be taking a field trip to Canobie Lake Park.  The students will be able to understand how the physics concepts they have learned this year apply to their everyday lives.  In addition, on June 19th, the sixth grade will have their own "Greek Olympics" which is linked to the sixth grade Social Studies frameworks.  Each homeroom will participate as a class in various outdoor events. 

Currently Language Arts classes are winding down the school year with a novel study of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.  This novel is a student favorite and enjoyed immensely by most students.  In Social Studies, we are finishing the study of ancient civilizations by moving from ancient Greece to Ancient Rome.  Students will learn about the geography, government, and lifestyle of this important ancient civilization. 

 

7th Grade

Mathematics classes are working on their last unit for this year - Data Distributions: Describing Variability and Comparing Groups.  Students will learn to choose among a variety of representations to display distributions and will analyze, describe, and compare sets of data.  We will predict, compare, and identify relationships by analyzing patterns.

Geography classes have written poems about countries in Asia, yes poems.  They are based on the Five Themes of geography; which are:

              Location                                         

              Place   

              HEI – Human Environment Interaction              

              Region

              Movement

Here are a few stanzas to help you understand the assignment.

              40N and 116E is the absolute location

              Surrounded by the East and South China Sea

              China is the place to be

              You’ll certainly make a revelation

              Enclosed by 14 countries, count them all

              Size wise China is not at all small

              High hills grow in the East, while vast deserts lie in the West

              Red Crowned Cranes crow in the wetlands

              The Han Chinese have faith in the Plum Blossom

              Through winter it stays strong and remains resilient

              Brrrr, sub arctic in the north, while tropical in the south

              China’s climate is very diverse

Classes will move on through the Middle East, India, Russia, and finally a quick look at Australia.  Various projects and assessments are still ahead of us. 

Some Language Arts classes are working with poetry, and are planning a new event – a Poetry Trail.  Together with Linda Jones, our drama teacher, 7th grade teachers are piloting this performance.  Students are working in groups on a poem of their choice, and they will be working to connect ‘action bits’ to go with their poem.  All this culminates in a ‘recitation with flair or style’ by students in various locations throughout the campus.  This event will be on June 3rd with a rain date of June 5th.    Classes are working on genres other than poetry during class times, but please discuss with your child their poem, and feel free to ask them to recite their part for you.  The more practice the better.  These poems are not going to be read, but memorized and performed.

We will be visiting Rockport State Park the 2nd week of June to study tide patterns, tidal pool habitats, and how plants and animals adapt to live in a harsh environment like the intertidal life zone.   This is always a favorite field trip for students and staff.  We will be concluding the year by studying how heat from the sun is absorbed and reflected by the earth and atmosphere, and learn about weather patterns and storms.  Watch the weather forecast with your child and ask him or her for a forecast of their own!  The world’s weather patterns have been providing much to talk about, unfortunately.

8th Grade

The 8th Grade is working on an interdisciplinary project called The Product Fair.  This is the first year for this project, and we are hoping that it will be a great success.  The goals of this interdisciplinary project are to have students understand what is involved in designing, marketing, and manufacturing a product, maintaining records for calculating profit and loss, and displaying and selling the product directly to the public.  All proceeds will be donated to the Bookmaker’s and Dreamer’s Peace Book Project.  The Product Fair Market Place will open on June 4, 2008 in the Middle School North Gym from 8:45 – 1:45pm for your business.  Mark your calendars and stop by to shop our Market Place.