A 2021-2022 Day in the Life of Uppers 7/8 (Grades 7 & 8)

8:00: Arrival and Morning Work

Students arrive in the morning, happy to see friends and teachers. They drop their belongings off in their locker and head into our classroom. We chat, follow up on events from the day before, make sure computers are charged, look at the schedule for the day. We drop easily into friendly classroom chatter. Morning work might include finishing up a project, editing an assignment, grammar or math practice or other academic work. Sometimes we play a board game!

8:30: Morning Meeting

8th Grade Morning Meeting, or Homeroom, is a time to connect at the start of the day. The format varies, in response to current events, the day of the week, or the vibe of the group. Some days we might respond to a question, such as “Is there a character from a book that you think you’d be friends with?” Some days we share things that are going on in our lives, ideas that are nagging us, dreams we’ve woken up thinking about, plans for the weekend. Some days we might respond to an event in the news from the previous day, sharing knowledge and asking questions. Sometimes we play games such as “Kitty Wants a Corner” or “Wah” to get our energy going or our sillies out. During Homeroom we connect, listen, share and activate!

9:00: Math

Math with Dave (8th Grade)

The class starts the period with the math problem of the day. Once the math juices are flowing, the subject turns to the focus of the day with both individual and paired work going on. As the students work, Dave floats around and checks in with students about their thought process and their ideas around the theme of the work. We explore the reasons behind the work including the cognitive goals that are in play. If there is time at the end of class there is a good likelihood that students will end the day with a math game or two to release the pressure that math can sometimes cause.

Math with Andy (7th Grade)

It’s just the three of us, Andy, Jack, and Tess. We start with the day’s concept in math, like the ways different fractions work together with different operations, or what it means for a variable to be a term in an expression. Through dialogue about the work, and some examples to refer to, the three of us come up with common language to define what’s going on and take notes in our notebooks about definitions, uses, and applications of the day’s new work. Some days though, we’re out and about trying out our new math wizardry, seeing how fast we can clock a frisbee throw with the speed gun and making graphs about meters/second, acceleration etc.

9:50: Literature

Our first unit in Lit this fall is grounded in a shared text, Flying Lessons and Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh. This collection of short stories includes contemporary writing from some of today’s best Young Adult and Middle Grade authors including Meg Medina, Grace Lin and Tim Federle. Using these stories as a jumping off point, we investigate literary elements, the author’s craft and story structure. Students explore these stories through written work, group discussions, vocabulary explorations and small group projects. This unit culminates in a literary analysis essay.

In Lit we also practice the art and craft of writing through short prompts and exercises. Some prompts will engage students in editorial-style writing, backing up ideas with evidence. Other prompts will entice students to create vivid characters, descriptive settings and exciting conflicts.

10:40: Science

In science we tinker with springs and wheels and pulleys. We measure the caloric content of different foods by BURNING them. There’s always a question being asked as soon as the first one is answered. The questions are on the nature of things like gravity, energy, waves, and time. At the same time, we question our narrative about what we know, how we know it, and why thinking those things through in a scientific manner can provide guidance on choices we make as citizens.

11:30: P.E.

P.E. is a chance to warm up, work out and have fun. Activities include: all things frisbee like ultimate and disc golf, hiking, basketball, and then the typical tag and other yard games at the students’ preference.

12:15: Lunch

Lunch is a relaxed affair. Kids sit and chat while they eat. Sometimes we’ll have a large group lunch, but more often kids migrate to sunny spots on the grounds to talk with teachers and peers.

12:45: Read Aloud

We start the fall with the tradition of “First Chapter Fridays” during which Josie read the first chapter of a variety of books. The purpose of this activity (lifted from a librarian friend) is to pique interest in kids for books they might like to take on for an Independent Reading book. Our first book is Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. We read a few chapters every day after lunch, giving everyone time to settle down, relax and listen to this gripping mystery! The read aloud provides an incredible opportunity for modeling skills for lifelong readers. We are always stopping to ask questions, make connections, make predictions and appreciate and critique the author’s craft.

1:15: Projects

A few days a week we are sure to spend time in the woods. Some days we go on a hike. Other days we play games such as camouflage or hide and seek. In the woods there are ambitious building projects, pods of kids talking together quietly, spontaneous games and lots of laughter. In the woods we leave ourselves open to possibilities, knowing that the healing properties of being in community in the forest will benefit our minds and bodies.

2:00: Woods Time