The Foundation for a Meaningful Life
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA
News Detail
Grade 6: FireMouse
The FireMouse is here! Sixth graders are currently building their version of a Rube Goldberg machine. By using wood scraps, household items, and whatever else they can find, they are trying to create a multi-step machine using at least three simple machines.
The FireMouse is here! Sixth graders are currently building their version of a Rube Goldberg machine. By using wood scraps, household items, and whatever else they can find, they are trying to create a multi-step machine using at least three simple machines. The process will start with a mousetrap being set off and end with the extinguishing of a birthday candle. Students are both experiencing the engineering design process as well as learning how to use tools properly. The projects are being constructed and tested in the new Innovation Lab in Reinke. After this, students will start working on a LEGO NXT robotics unit in February.
In other news...
• In English 6, students began a short unit on nonfiction research and information writing to reinforce the skills they learned and applied during their "Hour in the Life" projects. Each student researched a particular aspect of Agatha Christie's And then there Were None, evaluating websites for quality and academic merit. The classes continued their work with vocabulary from Latin and Greek roots (example words: "anticipate," "recipient," "captivate" from "capt," "cip," and "cept," all meaning "to take"). We practiced the application of complex sentence types and grammatical forms through a persuasive writing project on a Mark Rothko painting. Each student read his or her piece aloud and the class commented on the stylistic techniques and grammatical forms applied.
• In Reading, students are in the middle of a mystery genre study which features Agatha Christie. We recently watched “The ABC Murders” featuring Inspector Hercule Poirot in order to get a feeling for the setting and speech patterns of 1930’s England. Students are now reading And Then There Were None, a classic Christie whodunit.
• In Spanish class, 6th graders have begun their winter term project, "Un Mural". Students will be creating a class mural by first painting themselves doing something they enjoy, and later displaying their painting alongside the paintings of their classmates outside our classroom. In this project students will also write a detailed paragraph and give an oral presentation in Spanish about themselves. Check out our class page next week to see some pictures!
Coming up:
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In other news...
• In math this week, students completed a focus on decimals. All students should be proud of their effort on the in-class assessment. In addition, they wrote story problems using photographs of gas pumps taken by the faculty and requiring the use of decimals for the solutions. Ask your sixth grader to help budget a weekend trip for your family! Students will now be using their knowledge of decimals and fractions to study their relationship with percents.
• In English 6, students began a short unit on nonfiction research and information writing to reinforce the skills they learned and applied during their "Hour in the Life" projects. Each student researched a particular aspect of Agatha Christie's And then there Were None, evaluating websites for quality and academic merit. The classes continued their work with vocabulary from Latin and Greek roots (example words: "anticipate," "recipient," "captivate" from "capt," "cip," and "cept," all meaning "to take"). We practiced the application of complex sentence types and grammatical forms through a persuasive writing project on a Mark Rothko painting. Each student read his or her piece aloud and the class commented on the stylistic techniques and grammatical forms applied.
• In Reading, students are in the middle of a mystery genre study which features Agatha Christie. We recently watched “The ABC Murders” featuring Inspector Hercule Poirot in order to get a feeling for the setting and speech patterns of 1930’s England. Students are now reading And Then There Were None, a classic Christie whodunit.
• In Spanish class, 6th graders have begun their winter term project, "Un Mural". Students will be creating a class mural by first painting themselves doing something they enjoy, and later displaying their painting alongside the paintings of their classmates outside our classroom. In this project students will also write a detailed paragraph and give an oral presentation in Spanish about themselves. Check out our class page next week to see some pictures!
Coming up:
February 14: Grade six students will share Valentines with each other and celebrate friendship.
48 MAIN STREET
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201
