6th Grade End-Of-Year Wrap Up 6/9/23

Humanities: 

It’s been a full, fun, and productive year in humanities! As we close out our final units, I feel so proud of how the students have stepped up as learners and leaders. We wrapped up our Social Studies curriculum with a final test on Rome and a discussion about Rome’s fall and legacy (and then, of course, a class celebration!). When students study American history in seventh grade, they will be prepared to find countless connections between our own country’s past and the classical civilizations we examined this year. From America’s founding principles to its government, art, and architecture, there are traces of Greece and Rome all around us. Recognizing these familiar patterns will help students think critically about our traditions, their origins, and the positive and negative ways that history continues to influence our lives.

It also felt fitting to end the year with our social action fair, where students had the opportunity to share the ways that they took action to improve our communities. Each group made a lasting impact by spreading awareness about causes they care about, fundraising for worthy organizations, or volunteering their time. In brief, their projects involved…

• Lea, Belle, Gracie: Wrote a storybook about racial justice for younger children. Read it to second graders and led a discussion about racial justice.
• Adam and Tani: Brought back composting to our school and educated the students in the lower school about composting. 
• Leo, Josef, Ronnie, and Ben: Hosted a lemonade and popsicle stand to raise money for an organization that supports redwood tree conservation. 
• Sienna and Orli: Created and handed out flyers that educated people about eco-friendly clothing brands and “fast fashion.”
• Rephael, Yael, Cy, and Josh: Created an online cookbook with recipes from immigrant families from all over the world – to build community among immigrants and share culture/food.
• Raya, Ariella, and Sascha: Held a basketball free throw challenge to raise money for an organization dedicated to girls’ sports education
• Ariel and Jake Z. + Eleanor and Jake W.: Held a soccer competition to raise money for an organization that protects animals (Ariel and Jake Z.) and an organization that keeps our parks clean (Eleanor and Jake W.).
• Stella, Sam, Gracie: Held a limbo competition to raise money for an organizaiton promoting racial justice.

See photos of their inspiring work in this album. I am hopeful that as the students transition to seventh grade and beyond, they will continue to get involved in meaningful projects and effect positive change.

I wish everyone a restorative and joyful summer!

Best,

Naomi

Science: 

In 6th grade science, students are producing games that connect with diseases of the body systems. This project requires students to research, plan and gamify. Some have produced games that involve coding, game boards, video games and traditional card games. Diseases explored include: dyslexia, Zika, blood-borne pathogens and more. I wish you a great summer! 

Shina

Math: 

As the school year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to express my immense pride in each and every student. Throughout the year, they have worked diligently and demonstrated a remarkable commitment to learning. Together, we delved into the fascinating world of math, exploring more recent topics such as translating expressions, evaluating expressions, and navigating the coordinate plane. I am particularly impressed with how they tackled multi-step word problems that were grounded in real-world scenarios. Their ability to apply their mathematical knowledge to practical situations is a skill that will serve them well beyond the classroom. Whether it was determining the cost of supplies, calculating distances, or analyzing data, they consistently rose to the challenge and demonstrated a deep understanding of the concepts.

Each student has grown and developed their problem-solving skills throughout the year, and it has been a pleasure to witness their progress. Their perseverance, resilience, and eagerness to learn have been truly inspiring. I have no doubt that their dedication and enthusiasm will continue to propel them forward in their academic journey. Congratulations on a fantastic year, and I wish all the students all the best in their future endeavors.

Katie

Judaic Studies: