Middle School

A b o v e : E i g h t h g r a d e s t u d e n t s c r e a t e d m i x e d m e d i a r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r E L A .

READING

With the expansion of our Lucy Calkins reading curriculum, students have increased their reading volume significantly. In addition to our vast digital collection, we house a current collection of fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels for student use.

RESEARCH

We aim to prepare students for high school level research endeavors, including our AP Capstone program that students can enter sophomore year. Our library media specialist collaborates with a range of teachers across the curriculum to build these skills in middle school.

CRITICAL THINKING

In the Innovation Center, we offer a number of maker activities and leadership opportunities. We provide a space for students to have down-time, but we want to push them to be lifelong learners.

IPADS INCREASE ENGAGEMENT FOR 7-12 STUDENTS

We are so grateful to the Educational Foundation for approving our grant to add five iPad Pros, Apple Pencils, and Procreate licenses to the Innovation Center offerings. Since the start of the year, the iPads have been checked out over 400 times for both academic and leisure use. We ' ve had one successful design contest, and many students have enjoyed the freedom and creativity the software brings. Even novice artists have bloomed using this equipment. We ' ve had a seventh grade ELA class, tenth grade ELA class, and marketing class use the iPads specifically for curriculum needs, and we look forward to expanding our curricular reach next semester.

Over the past four years, we have built research into the middle school curriculum in as many classrooms as possible. So far this year, we ' ve taught students critical thinking, source evaluation, citation management, and research writing skills in seventh grade science, seventh and eighth grade Spanish, and seventh and eighth grade social studies. We look forward to working with the ELA and music departments next semester as we continue to refine our students ' research skills to prepare them for high school and beyond.

CRITICAL THINKING IN THE IC

S t u d e n t s p r a c t i c e c o m m u n i c a t i o n , c o l l a b o r a t i o n , c r e a t i v i t y , a n d c r i t i c a l t h i n k i n g t h r o u g h E D U c h a l l e n g e s

Our middle school students have the opportunity to visit the Innovation Center during study halls, recess, and class visits. During the unstructured time when content area teachers aren't leading classes, the staff in the Innovation Center plan a range of programming for student engagement.

The Breakout EDU boxes, generously funded by our PTO, draw tons of students into the IC. We plan weekly challenges for students to complete, drawing on district, seasonal, and curricular themes. Students work independently or in small groups to solve challenging puzzles and break into the boxes. Communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity are driving skills for this educational activity.

Many teachers enjoy using the Breakout EDU boxes, as we can plan challenges tied to curriculum for them, and our 7-12 teachers typically run class in the Innovation Center for the activity.

INTERNSHIPS

The IC hosts middle school students to intern in the space to create displays to promote reading, plan programs, and help out with any projects that come up.