Middle School: August 31-September 4, 2026
Dear Middle School Families,
Astronomy is “the scientific study of all celestial objects, space, and phenomena that originate outside the Earth’s atmosphere.” From our standpoint on Earth, the Sun, Moon, and planets all seem to revolve around us so that we are literally “the center of the universe.” This was the perspective of the ancient world, including the Greeks and Romans who gave us names and stories for each of the constellations. When the Copernican revolution took place in the 1500s or so, that viewpoint changed and Earth came to be seen as just another planet orbiting the sun. The actual truth may be a blend of both perspectives - the Geocentric universe is our subjective experience and the Heliocentric universe is our objective experience.
The students are researching their planet reports, and we are planning a trip to the planetarium at the Telos Science Museum. Meanwhile, we are singing and playing space-themed music on our recorders and guitars and learning a Walter De La Mare poem about the stars:
“If to the heavens you raise your eyes, when winter reigns over the northern skies
And snowcloud none the zenith mars, at Yuletide midnight these your stars
Low in the south see bleak blazing Sirius, above him hang Betelguese, Procyon wan
Wide-eyed to the west of us, Rigel and Bellatrix and rudd-red Aldeberan journeying on
High in night rooftree beams twinkling Capella, Vega and Deneb prowl low in the north
Far to the east, the lion heart Regulus while the twin sons of Zeus towards the zenith
gleam forth”
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow at Curriculum Night.
Class Reminders and Announcements:
Parent Conferences are October 8 and 9! Please sign up here to schedule a time to meet.
Conferences are for adults only and are an opportunity to come together to talk about your child’s experiences at school, celebrate their growth, and share any questions, observations, or concerns.
September 9: Grade Curriculum Meeting, 6:00 pm. (adults only)
September 12: Community Workday
September 18: Day of Courage (half-day)
September 21 - 25: Fall Break
September 28: Teacher In-Service (No School)
Blessings,
Ki Bruce
