Sixth & Seventh: February 10 - 14, 2025

Feb 14

Hello, Middle School Families,

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Mid-Winter break and was able to rest and enjoy the days together!

Before the break, we wrapped up the Renaissance block learning about the life of Raphael. In his short 37 years of life, he produced a large amount of artwork, several of which we examined. The class enjoyed the whimsical nature of some of his pieces, such as Portrait of a Young Woman with a Unicorn, as well as the two cherubs in his Sistine Madonna. We also looked in detail at The School of Athens, which is widely viewed as his greatest work of art. We had fun guessing which model in the painting was Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael himself.

In class, students have been working on a 5-paragraph essay on the Renaissance man, focusing on the vast body of work from Leonardo. Students worked in small groups to collect the supporting details and added them to a graphic organizer. They will be peer-editing these essays before completing their final copy.

To bring another aspect of this time period to life, we tried our hands at building some of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions using wooden model kits. Students worked together to build a trebuchet, catapult, helicopter, ornithopter, and a pendulum clock. This activity was a great tie into our Physics block which will come later this year.

Last but not least, we celebrated Asher’s birthday! We had nice enough weather on Monday to be able to eat and celebrate out by the pond again! Happy birthday, Asher!

Announcements and Reminders for Sixth/Seventh Grade:

Please check extra clothing, footwear, etc., to ensure your child has the gear needed for the varying weather of spring.