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BURKE’S

SNAPSHOTS

A glimpse into our K-8 program through the 2017-2018 report cards.

2017-2018 Program Snapshots, Version 2.1 Published September 2018

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.

ABOUT OUR

PROGRAM A GLIMPSE INTO TEACHING AND LEARNING AT BURKE’S Burke’s academic program is grounded in educational best practices while also meeting the evolving needs of our students.

As a school that values dynamic and nimble curriculum, Burke’s empowers its teachers to constantly reflect upon, revisit, and re-envision what they are teaching and how it is being delivered and applied. This document offers a historical glimpse of the “Materials Covered” paragraphs that were part of last year’s report cards and presents a peek into how Burke’s teachers engaged students in rigorous, joyful, and inclusive learning during the 201718 school year.

With new teachers joining the Burke’s faculty this year, fresh units designed by teachers based on professional development

workshops, and specific time devoted to cross-grade/crossdiscipline collaboration, students will experience many new and innovative units alongside Burke’s traditionally celebrated learning themes. Two examples of innovative new curricula that our teachers will launch during the 2018-19 school year are a new unit that asks Upper School students to examine gender stereotypes in the media and a series of new Lower School workshop-style math units.

Mike Matthews

Director of Curriculum and Program Innovation

HOW WE THINK ABOUT CURRICULUM Burke’s curriculum development is based on the Understanding

by Design (UbD) framework. This model for designing and implementing curriculum begins not with activities, skills, and content, but instead with thinking about teaching for “enduring understanding.” We we want our students to use and apply these “enduring understandings” in real-world situations, both now and throughout their lives. With this well-established and dynamic approach, teachers are empowered to design engaging, relevant, and purposeful units that will best prepare our students for the future.

BEYOND THE

SNAPSHOTS

The grade level snapshots only capture a portion of the exciting and emergent curriculum that Burke’s teachers are developing and refining.

To learn more about this important work, we invite you to visit our “Newsroom” and “Our Plan in Action” web pages, which reveal more about how Burke’s teachers are challenging our students to learn in innovative, engaging, and culturally-inclusive ways.

“¡Fiesta Mexicana!” Brings Cultural Traditions To Life

Lower School P.E. Tries Out New Mindfulness Exercises

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Using the Workshop Model to Teach Reading and Writing

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The Joy of Learning at Burke’s

Eighth Grade Examines Transgender Rights These six examples are just a few of the many exciting projects initiatives featured on the “News” and “Our Plan in Action” pages on the Burke’s website. Click on any image to learn more or click here to visit the “Our Plan in Action” page.

“Burke’s Quest” - Problem Solving and Team Building

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GRADE LEVEL

SNAPSHOTS Within each grade level, snapshots are organized alphabetically by discipline.

Click on an image to jump to that grade’s snapshot.

KINDE R GAR T E N

F I RS T G RA D E

S E C O ND G RA D E

THIR D GR ADE

FO U RT H G RA D E

F I F T H G RA D E

SIXTH GR ADE

SEVE NT H G RA D E

E I G H T H G RA D E

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1 0 0 D AY M I LESTONE

On the one-hu ndredth day of school, Kindergarteners create projects that celebrate math, creativit y, and joyful lea rning.

SNAPSHOT OF

KINDERGARTEN

A glimpse into Kindergarten at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

Kindergarten Art Snapshot of September through January The Lower School visual art program at Burke’s fosters a resilient mindset through engagement with the creative process. In art class, we focus on strengthening our ability to tell our own stories in visual language while using age appropriate materials exploration to build technique.

Kindergartners began the year focusing on lines by looking at artists who use lines in different ways (e.g. Joan Miro and Piet Mondrian). We then brainstormed all of the kinds of lines that we knew and used many types of materials to draw and paint our lines. This practice allowed students to process and experiment with line as a visual medium.

After exploration in two dimensions, we challenged ourselves to create lines that connect to one another in three-dimensional space. This was our introduction to sculpture and construction as we explored creating designs that displayed stability. We used these skills to build with cardboard, which challenged our abilities to create strong stable forms even further.

Next we moved into an exploration of color, familiarizing ourselves with the color wheel so that we could use it as a tool in our color mixing. Kindergartners created a chart of self-mixed colors that we gave names to.

This foundation in these basic concepts, or Elements of Art, will help us throughout the year in the development of our fluency with visual language.

Snapshot of February through June This winter and spring, kindergarteners extended their initial study of some of the basic elements of art — line, shape, and color. We used these concepts as we explored drawing and painting from observation in art class. Looking in particular at flowers and leaves, we noticed the overall shapes, the structure, the texture and detail of these natural objects, and practiced using drawing pencils, oil pastels and paint to depict what we were seeing. We translated our observations onto a printing plate and practiced some basic block-printing techniques.

Kindergarten students also used hand-building to create a clay sculpture. We learned about the basic techniques of working with clay to create a ceramic sculpture; from wedging the clay to help remove any air bubbles inside to scoring (making lines) and using slip (watery clay) to help attach the pieces of our sculptures together.

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Kindergarten Language Arts & Social Studies Snapshot of September through January The goal of the kindergarten language arts curriculum is to help students develop an appreciation of reading and writing as they acquire skills in this area. Through varied and direct instruction, kindergartners learn to read, write, listen and speak, including building phonemic awareness (the manipulation of sounds) and letter recognition. Instruction is differentiated to meet the needs of and challenge each individual student and includes comprehension and early decoding strategies.

Students are developing an appreciation of reading through shared, independent, and small guided reading group experiences. Writing instruction includes fine motor strengthening and letter formation.

In addition, students are taught the writing process in a sequential manner. They are taught to draw in detail, label, and write through mini-lessons, shared writing, and independent application. Listening and speaking skills are reinforced during Morning Meeting, presentation of work, and sharing times.

In social studies, we focus on similarities and differences so that our students can be positive members of our community, which values diversity and inclusion. We explore a variety of topics such as family configuration, gender, and physical differences. Our social emotional learning curriculum includes friendship, courage, ways to make a difference, and how to be an ally. The girls learn to discuss their feelings and how to handle various social situations through role play, conversation, and strategies from the Toolbox curriculum.

Snapshot of February through June Kindergartners have learned letter sounds and sight words and continue to work on applying these skills into their individual work. In small groups, games, and activities, girls practiced a variety of concepts such as phonemic awareness, short and long vowels, decoding words, word families, and letter blends. Reading instruction was differentiated to meet the needs of each student and included strategies to solve unfamiliar words and work on summarizing, fluency, and comprehension. The students are becoming avid readers! Writing instruction focused on letter formation and applying concepts of print, such as spacing, using uppercase and lowercase letters, and recording the sounds you can hear in words. In Writer’s Workshop, students worked on “how-to” books, persuasive writing, and poetry. The class continued to practice whole body listening and speaking skills, such as making eye contact and responding to others when sharing with the group.

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Kindergarten Library Snapshot of September through January What is a library? How does the library help me grow and learn? Those are the starting point questions for kindergarteners to consider. Kindergarteners practiced many beginning research skills (how to access prior knowledge; define words; discuss library organization; brainstorm; use multiple sources; tab information; collect data; and draw conclusions). Literary experiences allowed kindergartners to develop knowledge and nurture understanding. Moving through many parts of the collection, students considered the roles of authors, illustrators, and publishers; the parts of a book; the importance of title; and different genres (picture stories, wordless books, concept books, folktales, fables, etc.). In follow-up activities, kindergartners utilized information and ideas to make meaningful text-to-self connections. Students were encouraged to make satisfying book selections. Finally, to empower themselves as learners, kindergartners used a questionnaire to reflect on what they had learned and liked in library. To maximize learning, students were encouraged to practice self-direction; show respect for people, space, and materials; and contribute to the class community.

Units and Activities: • What is a Library?: Tour of the Lower School Library, creating personal library cards and developing borrowing routines • Parts of a Book and Identifying Characters • Names — identity and data collection • Numbers — class Halloween counting book • Alphabet Study — research and creating a class alphabet book of letters studied • Reading nominated books and voting for The California Young Reader Medal Read Alouds: • Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes • Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name by Suzanne Williams/illustrated by Andrew Shachat • Rumpelstiltskin retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky • Goldilocks and the Three Bears retold and illustrated by George Marshall • A Creepy Countdown by Charlotte Huck/illustrated by Jos. A. Smith • Ten Orange Pumpkins by Stephen Savage • Z is for Moose! by Kelly Bingham/illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky • The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC’s (the Hard Way) by Patrick McDonnell • The Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds/illustrated by Peter Brown

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Kindergarten Library Continued Snapshot of February through June Students began to develop competence, curiosity, connection, and confidence in the library. They practiced many beginning research skills — how to access prior knowledge, brainstorm, use multiple sources, generate notes orally, choose subjects of interest, and share information. Kindergarteners experienced the power of literature to nurture understanding and develop knowledge. Moving through many parts of the library collection, students considered the role of authors and illustrators, different genres (picture stories; folktales; nonfiction, especially biographies; and beginning chapter books).

Students also learned to make satisfying book selections. In follow-up activities, kindergartners utilized information and ideas to make meaningful connections. Finally, students reflected on their favorite library activities and their favorite book of the year. They were encouraged to practice self-direction; show respect for people, space and materials; and contribute to the class community.

Units and Activities: • Nobel Peace Prize Winners (Wangari Matthai, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela) • Women in Natural Science (Jane Goodall) • Stories Similar and Different • Differences between Fiction and Nonfiction • Lost Teeth/Data Collection • Kindergarten Recap/Memories and Favorite Book Reflection

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Kindergarten Makery Snapshot of September through January The curricular themes for kindergarteners emerge from their work in both core and special classes.

In the Makery, they use various tools and materials to create products, practice skills, or represent concepts learned in all their classes. As they make, the students practice the skills of attention, perseverance, and flexibility, which help them develop creative confidence.

For the year’s initial Makery theme of ”new tools from old,” students crushed, sorted, and melted old crayons to remold them into new crayons. They dissected a pencil and a pen and used graphite and twigs to make their own colored pencil. Throughout the semester, they used a wide range of tools and materials from the physical (cardboard, paper, fabric, glue dots, hot glue) to the digital (websites, computer applications, iPad apps) to the dual digital/physical (iPads, robots, cameras). For Hour of Code week they worked with a programmable robot, Cubetto, learning how sequencing commands affect a program.

Snapshot of February through June Kindergarten Makery projects this semester were varied: Students made foil art with tacky paper and wooden sticks, they created doghouses and dog playgrounds to mark the Chinese Year of the Dog, they used tools to take apart machines and made collages of the parts (their “breakery” work), and they used the design process –– observe, prototype, test, redesign –– to make a pizza box playground for a robotic hex bug. To mark the approach of spring and build on some flower study in their classes, we introduced the kindergarteners to a California database of flower images, which they consulted in a project to draw flowers on the iPads using the Brushes app.

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Kindergarten Mathematics Snapshot of September through January Through hands-on exploration, games, and direct instruction, the girls are asked to show and communicate their thinking, reasoning, and make connections between concepts in order to be mathematical thinkers. Students work independently and collaboratively to discuss and describe their findings. Real-world applications help connect their learning beyond the classroom. The Counting Jar activity explores counting, creating, representing, and recording quantities; connecting number words, numerals, and quantities; and developing, analyzing and recording visual images for quantities up to 10. We explored materials such as pattern blocks in games like Fill the Hexagon, Geoboards, and clay, and used them to make a variety of 2-D shapes. Throughout the exploration, the focus was on describing and comparing 2-D shapes, as well as combining 2-D shapes to fill a given space or to make another shape. During our Measurement unit, students identified the longest dimension of an object, compared lengths of different objects, and developed strategies for measuring the length of an object using nonstandard units.

Snapshot of February through June Students explored different ways to compose and decompose numbers as they viewed, created, and recreated arrangements of numbers to 20. Students practiced addition and subtraction within five through games like Race to the Sun and Fill My Treasure Chest. They acted out and solved story problems and played games that involved counting, comparing, and finding the total when a small amount is added or taken away. We explored 3-D shapes by identifying them and looking for them in our environment. We described, compared, and made them out of connecting cubes, clay, and Geoblocks. There was also a focus on looking carefully at the 2-D faces of 3-D shapes and on combining 3-D shapes to make other 3-D shapes. Students practiced creating surveys and collecting data. They worked on ways to present and sort their data and used it to solve problems. Students used a scale to measure and compare the weight of two objects.

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Kindergarten Music Snapshot of September through January The year started by introducing group conventions necessary for music-making; creating a group circle, finding personal space, moving in space safely, listening, and taking turns. In December, this extended to beginning choral conventions (sitting and standing as a group, watching the conductor, and getting comfortable singing in front of an audience) as the classes prepared for their first Holiday Sing Along.

Through a variety of songs and games, students built their musical understanding of concepts including beat/rhythm, lower/higher pitches, louder/quieter dynamics, and faster/slower tempos.

Instrument exploration began with classification of percussion instruments as wood, metal, or skin; and exploring xylophones while learning how to care for them. Our budding singers are being guided to match pitch using a light, well-supported tone with many opportunities for group and solo singing.

Snapshot of February through June Since January, kindergarteners have explored music near and far. A video concert of the a cappella group “Sweet Honey in the Rock” introduced songs from the Civil Rights era and “Step It Down” games from the Georgia Sea Islands. At Chinese New Year, all tried on traditional lion costumes and played simplified cymbal rhythms. When students welcomed our “Teach With Africa” intern with a South African song and gumboot dance, her emotional response taught us all a moving lesson about the value and importance of music as a cultural ambassador. Kindergarteners played Irish bodhranstyle drums while working for steady beat and improvised rhythms on musical spoons as well as in creative versions of Irish dance steps!

During a unit based around snow, students used the idea of mittens to learn proper xylophone mallet technique. We sorted names into mitten rhythm groups by number of syllables, listening carefully to each name’s exact rhythm. They paired to create a xylophone snowflake dance. This helped promote careful listening and cooperation. As spring arrived, musical concepts of melodic line, high/low, and fast/slow were explored through dances with ribbon streamers to classical Chinese music. This followed melodic singing of the ever-changing red line on each page of the book The Squiggle.

After Spring Break, kindergarteners danced to the music of Vivaldi, learned about the composer’s life, and were introduced to the rondo musical form (same/different) that he used to compose the piece “Spring.” Students continued to explore the concepts of high/low and beat/rhythm during games, vocal play, and at the xylophones. They worked on songs related to classroom projects and prepared for their first “Stepping Up” day by creating secret song lyrics for their teachers.

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Kindergarten Physical Education Snapshot of September through January Kindergarteners are having an exciting year exploring how they move in the world around them through exploration and guided discovery, key elements of our approach to kindergarten P.E. Students are learning concepts of spatial awareness and keeping an “own space.” Through games such as “Keep the Trash Out,” “Switch,” and “Ghost Tag”, kindergarteners learn that space increases and decreases depending on how they move. Every class has a consistent warm-up routine that involves components of physical fitness such as flexibility, aerobic strength, and muscular strength. We are learning and practicing locomotor skills, moving creatively, and playing games that involve running, jumping, and throwing.

Demonstrates beginning competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities: • Track an object when throwing for distance or height.

• Can perform skipping, jumping, hopping, galloping, and other locomotor skills.

• Balance on different body parts at different levels.

Snapshot of February through June Kindergarteners are beginning to apply some of the spatial awareness concepts through games like “Magic Ring Tag” and running with a football, then doing a spin move. During our agility relays, students explore a variety of ways to move around while staying focused on the direction they are moving. They have had an opportunity to practice “Miler’s Choice” without recording the number of laps done. Every class has a consistent warm-up routine that involves components of physical fitness such as flexibility, aerobic strength, and muscular strength.

Demonstrates beginning competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities: • Track an object when throwing for distance or height.

• Perform skipping, jumping, hopping, galloping and other locomotor skills.

• Balance on different body parts at different levels.

• Throw a ball up and catch with two hands, catch a bounced ball with two hands.

• Kick a stationary ball to a partner.

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Kindergarten Science Snapshot of September through January Kindergarteners began the year focusing on what science is and how scientists learn and work. As a scientist’s most important tools are her own senses, we explored these in depth. Through hands-on activities, we investigated sight, hearing, smell, and touch, always emphasizing the role of the brain as “the boss” of the body.

The students then studied animal homes. The essential questions of the unit were “How do homes help animals?” and “Why do animals make different kinds of homes?” Students observed artifacts such as bird nests, did research with picture books, and built their own structures.

We then began a unit on the human body, particularly focusing on skin, bones and teeth.

Throughout these topics, kindergartners are practicing observing, making predictions, gathering information, graphing, categorizing, and communicating their scientific ideas out loud and in pictures.

Snapshot of February through June This spring, kindergartners have focused on several life science topics, beginning with human body and health topics. Using games, models, and experiments, they investigated questions including “How do skin and bones help us? Why do people have different skin colors? Why are teeth different shapes? How can we keep our bodies healthy?”

We then began investigating “bugs” and other garden creatures such as isopods and worms. Major focuses of the unit included observation of live animals, scientific drawings, designing and carrying out simple experiments, categorizing and sorting, comparing, and describing life cycles. Throughout all our studies, students have practiced communicating their ideas aloud, in pictures and in writing.

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ODE W E E K O F C Code, Burke’s first

of rnational Hour y te In e th f o rt a r science skills b As p te u p m co d n a ding aze. graders learn co ay through a m w ir e th g in m program

SNAPSHOT OF

FIRST GRADE

A glimpse into First Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

1st Grade Art Snapshot of September through January The Lower School visual art program at Burke’s fosters a resilient mindset through engagement with the creative process. In art class, we focus on strengthening our ability to tell our own stories in visual language while using age-appropriate materials exploration to build technique.

Continuing with our study of broad and foundational concepts, or Elements of Art, first graders explored the concept of texture in a variety of mediums including drawing, painting, and collage. We used a variety of textures to create a mixed mediums landscape describing a place at twilight or night time that included a variety of drawing materials as well as collage. This study continued through other projects, including our weather paintings where brushwork techniques were used to create a visual texture describing a particular type of weather.

We then moved on to a design project in which we created a sculpture representing a playground of our own invention. This construction also demanded that we problem-solve all of the ways to help our various play structures stand and even function. Taking designs from our sketchbooks to 3-D constructions challenged our brains to envision and then be flexible in the actualization of our designs, editing as we discovered what our materials could or could not do.

Snapshot of February through June This winter and spring, first graders continued to explore line, texture, pattern, shape, and color as we drew from observation. We began by looking at pictures of birds (an extension of the bird study occurring in classrooms) and drawing the shapes that we saw and details of the birds’ eyes, wings, and feet. Our drawings were used as the inspiration for a printing plate that we used to make several copies of our bird prints.

We used this same technique to create a template for our coral reef creature clay sculpture.

In our work with clay, we explored rolling a slab and adding texture to it with clay tools and textured materials before cutting it into the shapes of our creatures. We then studied the shapes and patterns of the coral and plants growing on the reef and made an acrylic painting that would be the habitat for our creature.

First graders also practiced sewing, extending our bird study in the art room into making a bird pillow.

We practiced running stitches to sew the edges of our birds, and added details like wings and eyes (and sometimes feet!) using scraps of felt and stitches.

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1st Grade Language Arts & Social Studies Snapshot of September through January The goal of the language arts curriculum in first grade is to help students solidify their reading and writing skills as they work toward greater independence in these areas. During independent work, guided reading groups, centers, and whole group lessons, students practice the skills needed for reading: phonemic awareness skills, short vowels, consonants, consonant digraphs, and glued sounds (-am, -an, -all), as well as the study of sight words. Reading comprehension strategies are interwoven throughout the curriculum. This semester, there is an increased focus on summarizing and comprehension skills through discussions, written reflections, and ‘just right’ reading books. Students use a variety of literature to practice these skills.

Writer’s Workshop focuses on generating ideas, sequencing stories, and following conventions (mechanics, usage, and sentence formation). Students practice their writing in many different formats throughout the day, i.e, informational writing, peer review, editing, and personal narratives.

First-grade social studies focuses on community. Each class created group norms and talked about the elements necessary for a strong community. Zones of Regulation, The Toolbox, and Kimochis curricula, which focus on social emotional skills, were used to teach tools and strategies for effective problem-solving and communication. Students also learned about role models and allies, starting with adults such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Dr. Jane Goodall. We moved on to how children can make a difference and become “change makers.” The girls came up with their own ideas for making change in their community.

Snapshot of February through June First graders are learning to read! Through independent work, word study, guided reading groups, centers, and whole group lessons, students continued to practice sight words, single-silent-e long vowel spelling patterns, and were introduced to commonly used suffixes (e.g., -ing, -ed, s) and r-controlled vowels (e.g., ar, ir, or). Reading comprehension strategies were practiced throughout the year. Writer’s Workshop continued to focus on generating ideas, sequencing stories, and following conventions (mechanics, usage, and sentence formation). First graders practiced their writing in many different formats throughout the day, i.e.,“how to” instructional writing, peer review, editing, personal narratives, and opinion writing, as well as fictional stories.

Students focused on Social Emotional Learning this year. Through Zones of Regulation, Kimochis, and Toolbox, students learned how to identify feelings, work through challenging social situations, and regulate their emotions. All of this learning culminated in the creation of their own SEL/regulation “Zones Toolbox” to bring with them to second grade.

Inspired by Earth Day, the class studied birds in social studies. They learned about birds in the local community, what birds eat, and how to keep them safe. Students made bird feeders and window decals, and drew pictures of local birds.

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1st Grade Library Snapshot of September through January How can I grow as a researcher, reader, and learner? That is the presenting question for first graders in library this year. To further independent reading, students were encouraged to use the Five Finger Rule to select “just right” books. For a class read aloud, first graders enjoyed the hilarious high jinks and imagination of Dory Fantasmagory over a few weeks, practicing holding on to a story from chapter to chapter, week to week. To begin empowering themselves as learners, students reflected on what they have learned and liked in library. To facilitate learning, students were encouraged to practice selfdirection; show respect for people, space and materials; and contribute to the class community.

Units/Projects: • Beginning Readers/choosing “just right” books for independent reading • Locating library materials based on preferences • Reading nominated books and voting for the California Young Reader Medal Class read alouds: • Dory Fantasmagory - Abby Hanlon • The Snatchabook - Helen Docherty & Thomas Docherty • The Book with No Pictures - BJ Novak • Gaston - Kelly DiPucchio • If You Plant a Seed - Kadir Nelson • Night Animals - Gianna Marino • The Creepy Pair of Underwear - Aaron Reynolds/illustrated by Peter Brown • We Are in a Book! - Mo Willems

Snapshot of February through June Throughout the year in library, first graders have been answering the question: How can I grow as a researcher, reader, and learner? In so doing, students developed competence, curiosity, and confidence. To gain experience with the research process, they practiced many skills — how to ask starting point questions; gain, recall, and share information from multiple nonfiction sources; generate notes orally; and make research-to-self connections. Students heard different kinds of books read aloud — picture books, biography, and nonfiction science books. For independent reading, they were encouraged to choose “just right” books, using some helpful “rules.” Finally, to empower themselves as learners, students reflected on their literary preferences and interests. They were encouraged to practice self-direction; show respect for people, space and materials; and contribute to the class community.

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1st Grade Library Continued Units/Projects: • Apollo 11 and Moon/Research-to-Self Connection and Makery E-Book Project • Explore digital databases - Pebble Go • Read Aloud: Catwings by Ursula LeGuin

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1st Grade Makery Snapshot of September through January The Makery curriculum for first graders emphasizes two related goals: 1) learning to use a variety of media, materials, and tools; and 2) learning the skills needed to make, share, find, solve, protect, and learn. Content and learning goals for different projects often come from core and special classes. As they make, the students practice the skills of attention, perseverance, and flexibility, which help them develop creative confidence.

As part of their study of the Burke’s community, students interviewed each other, took notes (text or pictures), and created e-books to record the results. As part of learning about programming and design, students worked with Turtle Art, a block-based application to make designs and patterns.

They made designs and created effects — by either following an example or creating their own. As they experimented with popsicle sticks and tongue depressors to make linkages, they learned about punching holes, attaching parts, and making some parts move while others are secure. Later in the year they will create a bird-like animal that uses linkages for their beak. During Hour of Code week, first graders used a coding app on the iPads called Scratch Jr. It is also a block-based programming environment.

Snapshot of February through June Students worked on a variety of digital and nondigital projects. After deconstructing what makes a good, humane mouse trap, students made traps to attract and catch a leprechaun. They broke apart a battery-operated tealight to isolate the parts and remake them into a new object. They used media tools and techniques to produce e-books reporting on an imaginary trip to the moon. They experimented with a layering technique to create an e-book cover with images of their faces looking out through astronaut suits and incorporated voice recordings in their e-books. They explored the mechanisms of movement using wooden sticks, hole punchers, and fasteners to make movable linkages. In their Music/Makery sharing project, students worked on creating musical instruments in the woodwind, string, and percussion families.

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1st Grade Mathematics Snapshot of September through January The first-grade math curriculum focuses building number sense through writing and recognition of numbers up to 65, as well as ordering and comparing whole numbers up to 20. The first half of the year focuses on strategies for solving addition and subtraction problems and number combinations up to 15. Students learn to identify which operation to use in story problems and practice using varied tools and strategies for solving them. They strengthen their skills through various games such as Tens Go Fish, Counters in a Cup, and Five-in-a-Row. Measurement is practiced through standard and nonstandard units. Students are able to choose different objects, lengths, and distances around the classroom to practice measuring. They use these different sized units to compare results. Most recently the class practiced collecting, organizing and analyzing data.They had the opportunity to create their own survey and interview their peers, depicting the results visually.

Snapshot of February through June Throughout first grade, students work on developing strategies for accurately counting. They have repeated practice with the counting sequence, both forward and backward, and with counting and keeping track of sets of objects. Students use contexts such as fingers on students, dots on Ten Cards, and cubes in towers of ten to represent numbers as tens and ones, to determine a quantity presented as tens and ones, and to compare and add numbers within 120, including situations with more than ten ones. Students learned to identify which operation to use in story problems. They strengthened their skills with addition and subtraction through various games such as 10s Plus and Rolls 10s to 100.

Students determined the quantity represented by groups of tens and ones. They compared two-digit numbers to determine which is greater than or less than the other and used knowledge of place value to add and subtract two-digit numbers. Students focused on collecting, recording, and representing data as they developed their own survey questions and collected data.

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1st Grade Music Snapshot of September through January The year started with a review of music-making conventions including forming a group circle, moving safely with a sense of personal space, listening, taking turns, and working with a variety of partners. In December, this extended to reviewing choral conventions (sitting and standing as a group, focusing their voices into the ‘vocal blender’ by watching the conductor) as classes prepared for the Holiday Sing Along. During group and solo singing opportunities, students focused on matching pitch and using a light, well-supported tone.

Melodic music reading started by distinguishing staff lines and spaces. After being introduced to solfege and hand signs for sol, mi, la and do, students started learning the placement of these pitches in the staff, and began reading simple songs written in the music staff. In January rhythmic vocabulary for ta (quarter note), ta-te (eighth notes), and ta rest were introduced and used to derive the rhythm of a poem. Using xylophones and other percussion instruments, the girls began to play simple accompaniments and melodies to songs using their growing skills.

Snapshot of February through June This semester started with our budding musicians decoding rhythm syllables from Chinese New Year red banner sayings and then writing in the traditional notation of quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests. They prepared for a trip to the San Francisco Symphony by looking at pictures of orchestral instrument families. We discussed different ways we listen to music depending on where we are (Davies Symphony Hall versus in the car or hanging out at home).

After the concert, all dove more deeply into how instruments produce sound. An instrument search game featuring Britten’s “A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” introduced additional instrument facts. Listening to “Peter and the Wolf” continued students’ learning about orchestral families and instruments, and its composer, Prokofiev. At stations, students explored strings and winds, experimenting with producing sounds. In Makery they built a variety of instruments to play at their music sharing.

Through “The Wolf Game,” everyone practiced steady beat in movement and accompaniments, read ‘so, mi, la’ melodic notation and prepared for ‘do, re, mi’ melodies at the xylophones. They ended the year preparing for “Stepping Up” assembly, creating secret song lyrics for their teachers.

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1st Grade Physical Education Snapshot of September through January Our first graders are off to an exciting year of having physical education class every day! Concepts such as spatial awareness and keeping a “safe space” were practiced through activities like tag and locomotor activities. Every class has a consistent warm-up routine that involves the components of physical fitness such as flexibility, aerobic strength, and muscular strength. Through a variety of games including volleyball, Pin Ball, and “Not in My Backyard,” students explored various ways to throw and catch, and discovered ways in which they can make their hearts beat faster.

Demonstrates knowledge of movement concepts and strategies as they apply to learning and performance of physical activities: • Explain the difference between a jog and a run, a hop and a jump, a gallop and a slide.

• Identify people/objects that are within personal space and within boundaries.

Demonstrates beginning competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities: • Throw underhand and overhand.

• Catch a self-bounced ball or one thrown to them.

• Perform instep, inside foot, and punt-style kicking.

Demonstrates effort to maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance: • Is resilient when faced with challenge.

• Participate in a variety of games that increase breathing and heart rate.

Snapshot of February through June Our first graders continued to work on concepts such as spatial awareness and keeping a “safe space,” playing games like “Toilet Tag,” “Switch,” “Popsicle Sticks,” “Cone Castle-Ball,” and “Capture the Football”. Every class has a consistent warm-up routine that involves the components of physical fitness such as flexibility, aerobic strength, and muscular strength. Students are exploring manipulative skills while throwing footballs, kicking footballs, bouncing balls at a target, and catching balls that are bounced. Some other skills practiced are running with a football and doing a spin move. Students continue to do exercises that increase their core strength.

Demonstrates knowledge of movement concepts and strategies as they apply to learning and performance of physical activities: • Explain the difference between a jog and a run, a hop and a jump, a gallop and a slide.

• Identify people/objects that are within personal space and within boundaries.

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1st Grade Physical Education Continued Demonstrates beginning competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities: • Looking in the direction you are running.

• Applying safe tags — no pushing, grabbing or hitting.

• Bouncing balls at a target and catching the bounced ball.

• Passing and catching a basketball and football with correct technique.

• Shooting a basketball from different spots on the floor.

Demonstrates effort to maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance: • Is resilient when faced with challenge.

• Participate in a variety of games that increase breathing and heart rate.

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1st Grade Science Snapshot of September through January First graders began the year by studying food. We discussed nutrition and practiced making healthy choices for a balanced diet. Students then explored food webs and predator-prey relationships through several simulations, focusing on how organisms are connected in complex, interdependent systems.

First graders also practiced the skills of sorting and categorizing, organizing information with tools such as Venn diagrams, communicating their scientific ideas out loud and with pictures, and working in a group.

We then explored balls and ramps. Through their hands-on investigations, students learned about simple physics concepts: force, gravity, friction, and momentum. They also learned about experimental design by devising and carrying out experiments. Skills practiced in this unit included making predictions, observing, recording data in a variety of ways, making diagrams, evaluating if a scientific test is a fair one, and drawing conclusions from evidence.

Snapshot of February through June First graders have studied a variety of topics this spring. They started by exploring the ocean as a habitat, especially focusing on mollusks. We will revisit this habitat at the end of the year with a miniunit about oil spills. Skills and concepts addressed during these studies included sorting/classifying, living vs. non-living things, environmental actions, drawing conclusions, questioning, and scientific drawings.

The focus next turned toward the sky as the students investigated outer space. Through models, books, and at-home observation, first graders learned about the planets in our solar system and how and why the moon appears to change shape over time. Closer to home, they learned about the water cycle and weather via hands-on simulations. This led us next to a study of air pressure, examining and analyzing the behavior of the invisible gas that surrounds us. By developing their own “fair test� experiments with parachutes, students continued to deepen their understandings of experimental design. They also practiced collecting data and explaining their results to others.

Throughout all our science classes, first graders practiced collaborating with classmates and communicating their ideas.

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SNAIL EXPE RIMENTS

Second graders ask questions, m ake predictions, analyze data a and s part of studen t-designed expe that seek to un riments derstand the die t of snails.

SNAPSHOT OF

SECOND GRADE

A glimpse into Second Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

2nd Grade Art Snapshot of September through January The Lower School visual art program at Burke’s fosters a resilient mindset through engagement with the creative process. In art class, we focus on strengthening our ability to tell our own stories in visual language while using age appropriate materials exploration to build technique.

Second graders began their year-long exploration of women artists with Faith Ringgold, who inspired us to tell stories of our own lives in mixed mediums as she does with her story quilts. Using a patterned fabric as a border for our autobiographical collages required that we think about how to accentuate our collages with the patterns that we were creating.

We also looked at the work of Louise Nevelson, who created abstract relief sculptures from found objects. Students were challenged to use wood and recyclables to create their own relief for which we mixed one single color to paint it. The process of building our sculptures required that we envision what they would look like standing upright while working on them laying flat on a table surface.

Snapshot of February through June During winter and spring, second graders continued our study of women artists by focusing on the coil pots of Maria Martinez, a Native American potter. We used the technique of coil pot making to explore the ways that we could manipulate clay by rolling it into coils or snakes, slipping and scoring to attach pieces together, and even adding filigree elements by creating spirals and open spaces in our pot designs.

Students also spent several weeks drawing and painting flowers from observation. We challenged ourselves to notice all the shapes and details and to capture them as closely as we could. This study culminated in our large flower paintings where we zoomed in close enough that our images become almost abstract.

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2nd Grade Language Arts & Social Studies Snapshot of September through January The goal of the second-grade reading program is to inspire a love of reading. The year started with learning strategies to choose a good book. Developing reading fluency is an important part of second grade. Students work on reading with more accuracy at a natural pace while incorporating punctuation clues to foster a smooth flow. The girls continue to solve words using a variety of strategies including reading words part-by-part, looking for words inside of words, and making a guess based on what’s happening in the story or what would make sense. As they become more proficient readers, they are adding to their collection of comprehension strategies. Students continue to summarize in order to encourage careful reading. They are practicing making connections from the text to their background knowledge and own experiences in order to deepen understanding. Second graders are learning to infer character traits and motivations with supporting evidence from the story. They are also paying attention to the lessons that the author wants to teach them.

Our students participate in many writing experiences in second grade. They are beginning to write independently: developing ideas, using graphic organizers to pre-write, and editing for descriptive words and clarifying details in their writing. Students keep journals and have regular Writer’s Workshop times. They conduct beginning levels of research writing both in social studies and in independent projects. Second graders are working to incorporate craft skills into their stories, such as interesting beginnings and endings, dialogue, and sensory details. We encourage students to use writing as a tool for thinking and communicating in all areas of study. In word study, students are working on recognizing and applying learned spelling patterns to their writing. They are investigating the structure of words and beginning to understand the reasons why words are spelled the way they are in English.

At the beginning of second grade, students focused on getting to know the other girls in their class.

They engaged in a variety of activities to help them establish connections with each other by noticing similarities and differences. The second graders created class agreements and discussed how they can be kind and respectful members of their community. Students also continued to make connections between being a good community member and their own roles as citizens of various communities— the classroom, the school, San Francisco, and beyond. We continued to look at places we could give in our community with a trip to the Richmond District Community Center to deepen our understanding of service. We learned about empathy by thinking about what others need and how others want to be treated. Through conversations, read alouds, and role playing, students explored what it means to be an ally and an inclusive classmate and how we can support one another.

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2nd Grade Language Arts & Social Studies Continued Snapshot of February through June Language Arts The girls’ interest in and enthusiasm for our literature studies this year improved their oral reading skills. They love adding expressive voices and emphasizing the characters’ emotions and actions in the text. As they became more familiar with different types of books, second graders learned to recognize features of nonfiction books, using them to deepen their understanding about a topic. The students asked factual and critical thinking questions before starting research for their “Women Who Made a Difference” project. These questions guided group discussions and students found evidence from the texts to use in writing their e-books. In Writer’s Workshop, they explored different types of writing including fiction, nonfiction, personal narratives, poetry, and realistic fiction. We emphasized making a plan for a story to help sequence and expand on ideas. Bringing the writing process full circle, both classes have worked on revising in conferences with a teacher and proudly publishing a completed book.

Structured Word Inquiry enabled students to investigate the structure of words to understand the reasons why words are spelled the way they are. These questions guided our investigations: What does this word mean? How is it built (base word + affixes)? What other related words can we think of? What are the sounds that matter? Through guided discussions in small groups, students made hypotheses about words using evidence based on words they know and etymological information.

Social Studies In social studies, second graders continued to focus on communities. They listened to stories and read books about strong girls who persevered in difficult situations, identifying traits that helped these girls. In small groups, we studied a woman who made a difference, then presented information about her historical significance. In the Makery, partners worked to create an e-book based on their research to reflect the traits these women exhibited and how they could strive for these traits in their own lives.

At points in the process, second graders stopped to reflect on how the partner work was progressing — what was going well and what they needed to work on.

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2nd Grade Library Snapshot of September through January How can I grow as a researcher, reader, and learner? That is the presenting question for second graders in library this year. Literary experiences allowed students to develop knowledge, practice reading strategies, and deepen understandings; sample different genres; appreciate characterization; identify literary preferences; and nurture empathy. Students learned about the online catalog and searching skills to identify and locate materials they were interested in. To empower themselves as learners, students used a questionnaire to reflect on their literary preferences.

Units/Projects: • Illustrated reading interest surveys • Searching skills: using keywords, author, and title to search the online catalog • Understanding library organization to locate materials • Reading nominated books and voting for The California Young Reader Medal Read Alouds: • We Are in a Book! - Mo Willems • The Snatchabook - Helen Docherty & Thomas Docherty • The Book with No Pictures - BJ Novak • Gaston - Kelly DiPucchio • If You Plant a Seed - Kadir Nelson • Night Animals - Gianna Marino • The Creepy Pair of Underwear - Aaron Reynolds • The Hallo-Wiener - Dav Pilkey • A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea - Michael Ian Black

Snapshot of February through June Throughout the year in library, second graders have been answering the question: How can I grow as a researcher, reader, and learner? In so doing, students developed competence, curiosity, connection, and confidence. To gain experience with the research process, students practiced many skills — how to assess prior knowledge; ask different kinds of starting point questions (factual and critical thinking); use multiple sources, generate notes orally; prioritize information and ideas; make connections to research; and use information to demonstrate understanding. Students heard many books read aloud with special emphasis on historical fiction and biography. To effectively use what has been learned, second graders researched in small groups and created e-books about important American women with a partner. Finally, to empower themselves, students also use questionnaires to reflect on what has been learned and to grow as learners.

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2nd Grade Library Continued UNITS/PROJECTS: • Girls Who Made a Difference • Women Who Made a Difference/Collaborative Research Project • Online Database Exploration: Pebble Go

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2nd Grade Makery Snapshot of September through January The Makery curriculum for second graders emphasizes two related goals: 1) learning to use a variety of media, materials, and tools; and 2) learning the skills needed to make, share, find, solve, protect, and learn. Content and learning goals for different projects often come from core and special classes.

As they make, the students practice the skills of attention, perseverance, flexibility, and — for the first time — project management.

We began the year looking at objects and what they are made from. The students pretended to be in ancient times to make things from natural materials. They could bring in something found in nature and use some materials provided to create something that either filled a need, a want, or both.

Experimenting with media production, the students used Stykz, a flipbook-style animation program, to create short, stick-figure cartoons that illustrate the yearlong theme of kindness. They added music with a license to reuse, or their own composition to finish the multimedia movie. Second graders are working with a block-based programming application, Scratch, to create and code an interactive story of a snail telling a snail joke. This is a whimsical, imaginative project connected to their study of snails in science.

Snapshot of February through June During the second semester, students used digital tools: Scratch, Book Creator, and SketchUp, and non-digital materials: cardboard, paper, and wooden sticks. Each student programmed a snail joke using Scratch, and these were displayed online. This was a whimsical offshoot of their snail study in science. They created an e-book on the theme of “Women Who Make a Difference” with a partner, using content and research done in library and social studies. Students worked on making flowers for the spring concerts so that each performer had a flower, and many of the chairs were abloom, as well.

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2nd Grade Mathematics Snapshot of September through January The second-grade math program relates math to everyday life experiences whenever possible. We continue to build upon the conceptual and practical skills mastered in first grade, with the intention of assuring greater depth and complexity of understanding with number sense. (For instance, the relationships between addition and subtraction are discussed as students expand their knowledge of numerical operations.) During math discussions, second graders are developing and teaching each other strategies to show their thinking when problem solving. During our fractions unit, equal parts of a whole were considered when looking for two identical three-dimensional shapes (two triangular prisms or two rectangular prisms put together to create a cube) that made a different geoblock. To make the base ten system and place value more tangible, the girls solved problems about stickers sold in strips of tens and ones at the “Sticker Station.� This work is the foundation for more efficient strategies to solve two-digit addition and subtraction story problems, such as decomposing numbers and adding in tens and ones. Students are using tools like sticker notation and open number line to solve. Through investigation and exploration, the girls practice coin values and equivalencies. Using mini-clocks, students are learning to tell time to the nearest half hour. Explorations take place in whole class and in small, differentiated group situations, and on an individual basis.

Snapshot of February through June Second graders continued to develop their communication and problem-solving skills through explaining and showing their thinking in class discussions and on paper. When studying linear measurement, they measured different objects in the classroom using both inches and centimeters.

In our investigation of data collection and analysis, students enjoyed collecting lost teeth data from both second-grade classes. They made representations, interpreted, and compared this information, and were excited to notice the similarities and differences. In our continued work with number and operations, students practiced reading and interpreting story problems while developing skills to write equations that reflect the action of the problem. Students also developed more advanced strategies to add and subtract two-digit numbers and were introduced to applying these to problems with three digits and to their work with story problems. They are continuing to share approaches and try a variety of tools and efficient strategies. Some examples are subtracting in parts, adding tens and ones, keeping one number whole when adding, and using an equation you know to find a solution more quickly.

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2nd Grade Music Snapshot of September through January The girls started the year with folk dances and name games, working on personal responsibility and reviewing the group conventions necessary for music. They were introduced to an “active listening protocol” (notice, question, speculate) designed to broaden their listening experiences, develop musical vocabulary, and align with the 21st-century skills of critical thinking and cultural understanding. After reviewing the melodic reading of sol, mi, and la with hand signs and staff notation, they located do in relation to sol and mi and then re. They listened for the pattern mi re do in familiar songs. They reviewed rhythmic notation ta (quarter note) and ta-te (eighth note) rhythm patterns.

In December, the girls reviewed choral conventions (sitting and standing as a group, focusing their voices into the ‘vocal blender’ by watching the conductor) as they prepared for the Holiday Sing Along. They strove vocally for correct use of heavy and lighter tones, clear articulation, and air support for intonation. In January, the girls explored a Japanese hand clapping game, “O-Mochi-O.” They transferred the beat onto tall “Mochi” sticks and played rhythms from the game’s lyrics on large Taiko-style drums. In preparation for their play, the girls learned several songs, listening carefully for entrances and rhythm of words.

Snapshot of February through June This semester began with preparations for the 2/3/4 Spring Concert, “Fiesta Mexicana: Honoring the Music and Dance of Mexico.” Everyone’s singing grew stronger and more in tune as they worked on concert songs. Second graders showed independence as they played the stick tapping game for “Chocolate.” All practiced proper playing technique using a variety of Latin instruments and rhythms.

Guest teaching artist, Dolores (Lolis) Garcia, taught the students a traditional folk dance from Guerrero state. The dance required careful listening for musical cues, teamwork, and cooperation with a partner.

After the concert, students reflected on their performance, learned about Dolores Huerta and other famous Mexican and Mexican-American women, and watched video of more challenging Son Jarocho and Folklorico-style dancing. In May, the class learned folk songs and games related to the Oregon Trail. These reinforced rhythm and melodic notation skills introduced earlier in the year. As budding lyricists, they ended the year writing a “secret” song celebrating their classroom teachers and their learning which was shared at the final Lower School assembly.

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2nd Grade Physical Education Snapshot of September through January Second graders are revisiting concepts of spatial awareness by playing a variety of tag games such as “Ghost Tag” and “Infinity Tag” and by using different kinds of equipment such as hula hoops, scarves, and jump ropes. Every class has a consistent warm-up routine that involves the components of physical fitness such as flexibility, aerobic strength and muscular strength. Through a variety of games including volleyball and “Not in My Backyard,” students explore manipulative skills such as dribbling, throwing, kicking, and catching. Other skills such as “ready position,” “bump,” and hand grip were also introduced in volleyball. Comparing how hard our heart is pounding before and after high energy activities helps us learn what makes our hearts beat faster. Students are also learning about ways in which they can increase their core strength.

Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns: • Throw for distance and height using opposition.

• Dribble a ball with hands demonstrating proper form.

• Catch an object thrown by a stationary partner.

• Kick for distance and accuracy.

Demonstrates effort to maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance: • Practice a skill and sustain continuous movement for increasing periods of time.

• Is resilient when faced with challenge.

Snapshot of February through June Second graders are revisiting concepts of spatial awareness by playing a variety of games like “Toilet Tag,” “Switch,” “Popsicle Sticks,” “Cone Castle-Ball,” and “Capture the Football.” Every class has a consistent warm-up routine that involves the components of physical fitness such as flexibility, aerobic strength and muscular strength. Students explore manipulative skills while throwing footballs, kicking footballs, bouncing balls at a target, and catching balls that are bounced. Other skills include running with a football and doing a spin move. Students continue to do exercises that increase their core strength.

Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns: • Looking in the direction you are running.

• Applying safe tags — no pushing, grabbing or hitting.

• Bouncing balls at a target and catching the bounced ball.

• Passing and catching a basketball and football with correct technique.

• Shooting a basketball from different spots on the floor.

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2nd Grade Physical Education Continued • Practice a skill and sustain continuous movement for increasing periods of time.

• Is resilient when faced with challenge.

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2nd Grade Science Snapshot of September through January Second graders have been immersed in the study of snails this fall. They have learned firsthand how surprisingly interesting and exciting snails are! They gathered garden snails to live in a tank in their classroom. The students made many scientific drawings of these snails, giving and receiving peer feedback to make second and third drafts that were increasingly realistic. Another focus of this unit was experimental design. In pairs, students designed and carried out first an experiment about what snails like to eat, then a second experiment based on their own interests. Through these experiments, they practiced asking investigable questions; planning, predicting, collecting and organizing data; and drawing conclusions from evidence. Other topics involved in the snail study were life cycles, snail anatomy, the components of a habitat, and how to take care of small creatures with kindness.

Snapshot of February through June Second graders began the spring with physics, revisiting and expanding on their first-grade forces study. They explored magnetism, identified different forces in the world around them, and used these ideas to invent and build their own playground equipment that uses forces. During this unit, they practiced sorting and categorizing, brainstorming, prototyping, and engineering with a variety of materials.

The students also investigated acid-base chemistry this spring. Through hands-on experiments using common household materials, they compared physical changes with chemical reactions; learned about acids, bases, and neutrals; and explored indicators. During this study, they also practiced lab safety, making predictions, planning experiments, observing carefully, organizing information, noticing patterns, and drawing conclusions.

This spring also included mini-units on measuring and mapping. Throughout all these studies, second graders collaborated with classmates and communicated their ideas aloud, in writing, and using pictures.

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INTERD

ING N R A E L Y R ISCIPLINA

ocial Studies, S ss ro c a g in n rs nit span e’s third grade rk As part of a u u B , n o it a c hysical Edu ne Games.”

Science, and P lo h O “ e th in compete

SNAPSHOT OF

THIRD GRADE

A glimpse into Third Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

3rd Grade Art Snapshot of September through January The Lower School visual art program at Burke’s fosters a resilient mindset through engagement with the creative process. In art class, we focus on strengthening our ability to tell our own stories in visual language while using age appropriate materials exploration to build technique.

To think about symbolism and how it appears in art work, we began the school year with a collage that used colors and shapes that symbolized ourselves in our own work. Students experimented with mixing their own colors to create painted paper for collage in the manner of Henri Matisse and then decided how to cut, tear, and assemble their pieces. They were asked as they designed their collages to have a sense of negative and positive space in their compositions. This study of shape and color in collage was revisited in a translucent collage using primarily colored cellophane, where students layered colors on top of one another to create the effect desired once their pictures were put in front of a light source.

These explorations of shapes that might symbolize students in some way crystallized in creating a personal symbol printing block that was used to form several prints for a future project, as well as to decorate scarves to be used in music class for a future performance.

Students were asked to follow a contemplative process for designing their symbols that involved brainstorming, sketching, researching imagery, and reflecting. This artistic process gave third graders an experience with the type of thoughtful planning that often goes into certain types of art and design.

Snapshot of February through June During winter and spring, third graders worked with ceramic sculpture, creating a mythical creature of their own design. They were tasked with creating a creature that had powers that were symbolic or important to students in some way. This project allowed third graders to practice their clay handbuilding skills such as wedging, slipping and scoring, and carving the surface of their clay to create detail and pattern.

We also did several experiments with wire sculpture and continued that study in an alebrije sculpture.

In this piece, inspired by traditional Mexican mythical animal sculptures, we started with a wire armature and then added foil and plaster to thicken our shapes. These were then painted and students were challenged to create tiny detailed patterns on their alebrijes.

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3rd Grade Language Arts & Social Studies Snapshot of September through January Language Arts Reader’s Workshop - Building a Reading Life During the first semester, third graders were busily reading and responding to literature. The students practiced habits of strong readers, including: • Selecting “just right” books • Building stamina • Responding to reading through discussion and writing • Reading to Learn Whether listening to read alouds, sharing books with partners, silently reading on their own, or writing responses to literature, the students grew in their abilities to deepen their understanding of texts.

Some of the reading comprehension strategies they practiced include: • Visualizing • Predicting • Making inferences • Asking questions • Making connections • Considering author’s purpose • Writer’s Workshop • Units of Study • Personal Narrative • Persuasive Essays and/or Reviews • Craft Strategies Students lifted the level of their writing by practicing the following strategies during mini-lessons, peer conference, and individual conferences with a teacher: • Working through the writing process (brainstorming, planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) • Telling a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end • Stretching out details • “Showing” instead of “telling” BURKE’S PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

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3rd Grade Language Arts & Social Studies Continued • Using dialogue • Using metaphors and sensory language • Word Study We incorporated a new Structured Word Inquiry into our program. This inquiry-based approach: • Explores meaning and structure of words, rather than sound and spelling patterns exclusively • Nurtures curiosity as students explore relationships between structure and meaning • Emphasizes understanding rather than memorization Social Studies Our goal in Social Studies is to encourage students to consider multiple perspectives and “the danger of a single story” so that students can identify whether or not groups and events are being represented authentically. This year, students learned about the Ohlone Native Americans past and present, and the experience of Chinese immigrants to San Francisco. To deepen their understanding of these cultural groups, we investigated historical fiction and nonfiction sources, went on field trips to Mission Dolores and Chinatown, and learned from a leader of the Ohlone community. We considered the following questions during our explorations: • Whose story is this? Whose story aren’t we hearing?

• Why are multiple perspectives important? What are the dangers of a single story?

• How do we become advocates for others?

• How do we fight unfairness?

• Why do people move?

• What happens when different cultures encounter each other?

• What happens to one’s culture when one moves to a different country?

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3rd Grade Language Arts & Social Studies Continued Snapshot of February through June The goal of the third-grade language arts program is to nurture a love of reading and writing while solidifying the skills needed to become independent in both. Reader’s Workshop consisted of minilessons followed by reading with a focus (e.g., making inferences, asking questions, or observing characters). Notes were later used to write journal entries, engage in conversation with a partner or small group, or participate in class discussions and book clubs. We studied historical fiction and nonfiction through read alouds about San Francisco. Our read alouds also included themes of inclusion and exclusion and were often related to our social emotional learning curriculum.

In Writer’s Workshop, students produced persuasive and informative articles about a subject of their choice. Collaborating with partners and in small groups, students gave and received revising and editing suggestions. We also explored various styles of poetry.

In word study, we continued to use Structured Word Inquiry in conjunction with learning common spelling patterns. Through this approach, students learned that English spelling is a highly ordered system for representing meaning that can be investigated and understood through scientific inquiry.

This program also nurtures curiosity as students explore relationships between structure and meaning, emphasizing understanding rather than memorization.

Following our study of immigration to San Francisco, we continued to learn about the changes our city has experienced over time. We focused on geography, population growth, landmarks, and neighborhoods. We also discussed stereotypes and discrimination experienced by minority groups throughout our city’s history, including the impact of harmful propaganda and the importance of considering issues from multiple perspectives.

Our final study of the year, San Francisco Movers and Shakers integrated social studies and language arts. Students initially spent time reading various books about San Francisco. Based on the questions that arose from our reading, we selected several people who had an impact on the city and focused on the positive and negative aspects of these characters’ impact on the life of people in San Francisco.

The end of this unit focused on Vision San Francisco, the San Francisco Chronicle’s annual recognition of six local change makers, one of whom is honored as 2018 San Francisco Visionary. Students studied the six Vision San Francisco candidates and used a collaboratively generated list of criteria to determine which one of these figures is most deserving of the award. Their final assignment was to write letters to the San Francisco Chronicle to explain their choice.

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3rd Grade Library Snapshot of September through January How can I grow as a reader, researcher, and learner? That is the presenting question for third graders in library this year. To develop competence, curiosity, and confidence, students practiced many research skills — how to negotiate the library’s collection and find materials to experience the power of literature to feed imagination and nurture empathy. Students used the online catalog to find materials they were interested in and also to manage their borrowing. They explored the nonfiction collection through the online catalog and the Dewey decimal numbers to advance their understanding of how a library is organized and how to access nonfiction materials. For read aloud, we read (and laughed our way through) the realistic fiction book Clementine. At the end of each chapter, students worked individually and in small groups to summarize by coming up with potential chapter titles. Lastly, students reflected on their learning and their own literary preferences and interests.

Units/Projects: • Illustrated reading interest surveys • Searching skills: using keywords, subjects, authors and titles to search the online catalog and independently locate materials • Talk Like a Pirate Day: A Dewey Decimal Scavenger Hunt • Summarize stories by generating potential chapter titles for class read aloud • Reading nominated books and voting for The California Young Reader Medal Read Alouds: • Clementine by Sara Pennypacker • The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce

Snapshot of February through June Third graders have been answering the question: Who am I as a reader, researcher, and learner? In so doing, students developed competence, curiosity, connection, and confidence. To gain experience with the research process, they practiced many skills — how to identify a topic of interest; evaluate nonfiction books; take different kinds of keyword notes; organize information; combine information and imagination; and cite sources. To experience the power of literature to feed imagination and to nurture ethical behavior and empathy, third graders read books both as a class and independently.

Their country blogs, done in conjunction with the Makery, allowed them to apply information and ideas. To empower themselves, students used a rubric and a reflection tool to consider what has been learned and grow as learners.

UNITS/PROJECTS: • Independent Reading and Research—How I Learned Geography--Nonfiction Country Books/ Blogs • Summer Reading Program design and presentation Page 48

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3rd Grade Makery Snapshot of September through January The Makery curriculum for third graders emphasizes two related goals: 1) learning to use a variety of media, materials, and tools; and 2) learning the skills needed to make, share, find, solve, protect, and learn. Content and learning goals for different projects often come from core and special classes. As they make, the students practice the skills of attention, perseverance, problem solving, coding, and project management.

The third graders have been using their new Google Classroom accounts and their Google Drive accounts to learn about file management and participating in an online community. These sites are open only to users with kdbs.org accounts and thus are safe places to learn how to create positive digital footprints as community members and as scholars. In a more hands-on project the students have been working with a partner to dissect and remake an old electronic toy into something different.

They will write an origin story online about their “beastie” and display it at the Arts Festival. For Hour of Code, the students will learn to program a small microcontroller, a Microbit, using a block-based online website.

Snapshot of February through June As they make, the students practice skills of attention, perseverance, and flexibility, which help develop creative confidence.

This semester, third-grade students worked jointly in science and Makery to create objects that use an electric circuit — ranging from a light-up headband with a fan to a spin art maker. They showed off their plans and designs at the Circuit Circus.

The students used Google Classroom as a platform for posting and reflecting on projects that they work on jointly in library and Makery, with the first project being their travel blogs. Using a teacherdesigned template, each student createed her own website to which she posted artifacts showing her process, products created, and reflections on what she has learned.

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3rd Grade Mathematics Snapshot of September through January Multiplication & Division In our “Equal Groups” unit, students: • Investigated properties of multiplication and division and the inverse relationship between these two operations • Listed items that come in groups of 2 to 12 • Played skip-counting games • Highlighted multiples on 100 charts • Discussed patterns and relationships • Created pictures and array cards to represent multiplication and division problems • Developed strategies for solving multiplication and division problems • Used multiplication and division notation • Explored terms such as factors, dimensions, area, multiples, and product • Studied addition and subtraction up to 1,000 In our unit exploring addition and subtraction and the base-ten number system to 1,000, students: • Constructed 1,000 charts and used this visual model to locate numbers in the context of puzzles and stories • Practiced estimating and rounding two- and three-digit numbers • Explored various strategies for adding and subtracting two- and three-digit numbers • Generated and solved story problems and riddles • Compared lengths and heights • Calculated traveling distances with a focus on finding differences.

• Used Motion Math and other apps as well as various games to develop fluency with facts

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3rd Grade Mathematics Continued Snapshot of February through June In our Multiplication and Division unit, students: • Worked with connecting cubes and arrays to deepen their understanding of multiplication • Solved multi-step multiplication story problems • Worked toward developing fluency with multiplication combinations through 10x10 (fluency with facts means that facts are quickly accessible mentally either because they are immediately known or because the calculation used is effortless) In our Fractions and Decimals unit, students: • Divided rectangles into equal pieces and labeled equal shares as fractions of a whole • Ordered fractions by size • Combined fractions to make a whole • Discussed equivalent fractions and decimal notation • Examined the relationship between fractions and decimals while solving problems with and without a calculator Students continued to practice addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts using a variety of games including Motion Math and other apps. They used estimation and other strategies to make problems easier to solve (e.g., solving 96 + 145 as 100 + 141), considered strategies to add more than two numbers, and practiced solving addition and subtraction problems with more than one step.

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3rd Grade Music Snapshot of September through January Respectful learning community was the focus of beginning-of-year folk dances and the Chinese Lion Dance Salutation. In an introductory unit with recorders, the students strove to play with a light tone and tonguing, and to use their left hand on the top for correct fingering. The purpose of this short unit was to build positive interest and appreciation while previewing skills they will use in their fourth-grade recorder experience.

Using school recorders, students reviewed the melodic reading of sol and mi on the music staff, and ta (quarter note) and ta-te (eighth note) rhythm patterns as a group from written notation. As they began using the note names of the treble clef lines and spaces, they also learned more about the history of written notation. In December all moved on to prepare for the Holiday Sing Along, working towards best singing posture, blend, and appropriate use of heavy and light vocal tone.

Starting the Chinese Lion Dance unit in January, classes learned new sixteenth note rhythm patterns (taka-tiki and ta-tiki); played drum, cymbal, and gong rhythms; and listened to traditional music. After learning basic steps, each student worked with a partner to bring emotion and life to the dance, as both the head and tail of the lion. Working with Ms. Gold, our theater specialist, everyone explored the clown and helper roles of the Lion Dance Buddha and developed action ideas with classmates.

This unit culminated in the Lion Dance Parade at school and performance at the Richmond District Neighborhood Center. Afterwards, the students reflected on their own personal learning as well as the cultural significance of the Lion Dance to Chinese American and San Francisco culture.

Snapshot of February through June This semester began just as third grade shared their culminating Chinese Lion Dance Parade with all at school and then danced for seniors at the Richmond District Neighborhood Center. What amazing team work they exhibited; from hilarious Buddha bits designed to distract and delight the audience, to the individual chants and specific choreography details that differentiated each of the four dance team performances. “Who let the dogs out?” Third grade did, bringing playful dog spirit and luck to everyone!

After February break, preparations for “Fiesta Mexicana: Honoring the Music and Dance of Mexico” began. Guest teaching artist Dolores (Lolis) Garcia taught each class their own traditional folk dance from Guerrero state. Both dances required careful listening for musical cues and working with a partner. A chase game previously learned at “Dia de los Muertos,” (a Mexican holiday that celebrates family and ancestry) developed into an evocative music and movement piece with a humorous ending.

Singing grew stronger for all, as could be heard in their hearty rendition of “Don Gato” and the melodic sweetness of “Remember Me”.

In May, the class reviewed treble clef lines and spaces through games and songs and briefly revisited the recorder in preparation for fourth grade. They also worked together to write the traditional grade level ‘secret’ song lyrics sung at the final assembly.

Third graders have grown musically. They are taking more responsibility and trying new things, building their rhythmic and melodic notation skills, solidifying their sense of beat and rhythm, and

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3rd Grade Music Continued building stronger, more in-tune singing. These skills lay the foundation for further musical success in fourth grade!

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3rd Grade Physical Education Snapshot of September through January This semester, third graders learned and practiced different exercises that help increase muscular, aerobic, and core strength, such as: calisthenics, laps, stretches, and planks. We learned and practiced the volleyball skills of “bumping,” “serving,” and “ready position.” Through games like “Not in My Backyard,” “Cone Ball,” and “Infinity Tag,” students explored throwing, catching, kicking, and dribbling.

Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns: • Dribble a ball with hands demonstrating proper form.

• Perform an underhand serve using proper form and whole body movement.

• Throw and catch demonstrating proper form.

• Perform an instep kick, inside foot kick, and punt using proper technique.

Demonstrates effort to maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance: • Perform exercises for core strength and endurance.

• Practice a skill and sustain continuous movement for increasing periods of time.

• Is resilient when faced with challenge.

Snapshot of February through June This semester, third graders continued to practice different exercises that help increase muscular, aerobic, and core strength, such as: calisthenics, laps, stretches, and planks. We learned and practiced flag football, basketball, and badminton skills. Through games like “Capture the Football,” “Popsicle Sticks,” “Basketball Shootout,” and “Pinball,” students explored throwing, catching, shooting, and strategizing.

Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns: • In football, start a play, pivot, hand off to running back, receive handoff with three points of contact, run with football and change directions.

• In badminton, how to hold a raquet, rotate a raquet into “Open and Close” positions using proper technique.

• In basketball, how to shoot from different spots on the floor; make a chest, bounce, and overhead pass; and perform left hand, right hand, and crossover dribbling.

• In hockey, how to control the puck, shoot on goal, and pass to a partner.

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3rd Grade Physical Education Continued Demonstrates effort to maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance: • Perform exercises for core strength and endurance.

• Practice a skill and sustain continuous movement for increasing periods of time.

• Is resilient when faced with challenge.

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3rd Grade Science Snapshot of September through January This fall, third graders have been focusing on gardens and plants. They dissected a flower to learn about plant parts, investigated decomposition and soil, learned to use dichotomous keys for identification, and adopted a native plant in our garden. This native plant study connects with the classroom study of the San Francisco area and Ohlone people. We also investigated how our city and neighborhood is a habitat for people, animals, and plants by using maps and Google Earth to explore the area. The students then brainstormed how this place could be a better habitat and made posters for the Burke’s community to call others to action.

In third and fourth grade, students have half-class science biweekly in addition to weekly full-class science. During this time, we focus on design thinking and engineering. We started to delve into simple machines by experimenting with wheels and axles.

Through these topics, third graders practiced doing research, writing for a chosen audience, using evidence to support ideas, observing, sorting and categorizing, making predictions, and drawing scientific diagrams.

Snapshot of February through June Third graders explored electricity this spring, beginning with hands-on tinkering and experiments to investigate different kinds of circuits and culminating in the Circuit Circus. Each student had to design and build her own electrical creation, showcasing her knowledge of electrical circuits. In addition, students developed skills in the areas of brainstorming, prototyping, iteration, flexible problem-solving, perseverance, and giving and receiving constructive feedback. They also practiced communicating aloud, in writing, and with diagrams.

The school counselor and I co-taught a short unit about female puberty, focusing on the questions, “What changes happen during puberty?” and “How can we be kind to ourselves and each other as we grow?”

The third graders went on their first Burke’s outdoor education trip to the Marin Headlands in April. A major theme of the trip was how animals, plants and people are connected in a watershed. This trip is also a social-emotional rite of passage for the students.

In half-class time, third graders continued exploring wheel and axle machines and concluded our native plant garden study. Skills and concepts include scientific drawings, observing changes over time, and appreciating and reflecting on nature.

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WHY MAKIN G M AT T E R S After five

years of making in the Lower Sch Burke’s fourth ool Makery, graders create in te ra ct explore the que ive projects tha stion “Why doe t s making matt er?”

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FOURTH GRADE

A glimpse into Fourth Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

4th Grade Art Snapshot of September through January The Lower School visual art program at Burke’s fosters a resilient mindset through engagement with the creative process. In art class, we focus on strengthening our ability to tell our own stories in visual language while using age appropriate materials exploration to build technique.

Fourth graders delved into their identity exploration in art with a personal story painting in miniature that challenged their visual storytelling skills while requiring that they work slowly and sometimes with the most precise tools (i.e. narrow paintbrushes, very sharp pencils). Students were expected to add people and animals to their paintings, as well as to represent a particular type of texture or pattern, such as leaves on the trees or wallpaper/fabric patterns.

In a printmaking project, we created designs that used shapes and patterns representing our personalities, likes, and dislikes. These designs were printed around a central axis in radial symmetry and were expected to connect in the center to create a new shape as they were rotated.

Snapshot of February through June During winter and spring, fourth graders worked with painting, slab sculpture, and found object sculpture. We explored a mixed medium painting in which we used various materials, including paint, to distinguish between two spaces in our compositions, interior and exterior. We were challenged to decide which materials would help us create a sense of the change of light in these two spaces. From this picture, we moved to clay slab sculpture in which we envisioned a scene from our futures in a relief inspired by Peruvian retablo scenes of daily life. Students rolled out even slabs of clay, and used techniques of slipping and scoring to add 3-D elements to their sculptures.

Fourth graders also created a found-object sculpture inspired by the work of Kenyan artist Cyrus Kabiru. We used metal, plastic, wire, and cardboard among other materials to create our own eyeglass sculptures representing a quality we wanted to develop in ourselves. Students used hot glue guns to attach most of the pieces to their sculptures but often needed to wrap and twist wire around their pieces to attach them as well. We used spray paint to add a base color, then detail by hand with metallic acrylic paints. Fourth graders were excited to share their unique sculptures at the Arts Festival this year during the Showcase!

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4th Grade Language Arts Snapshot of September through January Fourth graders have been strengthening their comprehension skills of visualization, prediction, inference, and questioning author’s purpose using a variety of formats, including Post-Its, journaling, graphic organizers, and creative writing. We introduced Notice & Note “signposts” that alert readers to noteworthy moments in their books and introduce students to concepts such as theme, purpose, and character development. Learning first to spot these signposts and then to question them enables the students to find evidence to support their interpretations in any text. With this new way of actively reading, the class is learning to engage their thinking and move beyond simply summarizing. We used independent reading books and class read alouds to consider different perspectives and critically examine point of view issues such as socialization, interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships, and how people express their emotions.

The fourth graders began personal and expository essay writing. We explored ways to create a thesis statement and delved into more “paragraphing” practice, creating a thesis statement, and supporting it with relevant details and anecdotes. The class used a “sandwich” model to learn the structure of a paragraph, which includes a topic sentence, supporting detail sentences, and a concluding sentence.

A “boxes and bullets” structure was used to outline an essay, with a boxed thesis statement and bullets to plan out supporting details. We looked at language usage in writing through revision and editing. The fourth-grade writers are becoming more mindful of their word choice, using more precise language (e.g., thoughtful, compassionate, or considerate instead of nice) and varying their sentence fluency (creating more complex sentence structures), through mini lessons and examining various authors’ writing styles.

In word study we are continuing to use the principles of scientific inquiry or “structured word inquiry” to approach our word work, which looks at how English spelling represents meaning. In small groups, the fourth graders investigated words, vocabulary, and Greek and Latin roots to assist their spelling development. They were guided by four questions: What does the word mean?, How is it built (identifying bases and affixes)?, What are other related words?, and What are the sounds that matter?

The students are also building upon their dictionary and thesaurus skills as an added resource in their writing.

Snapshot of February through June We ended the year by synthesizing much of what was learned in the first semester: being active readers and intentional writers, always being mindful of thinking about the text, and considering purpose and audience when composing written work. The class received explicit instruction to advance their reading strategies and critical thinking skills. They used Notice & Note signposts and anchor questions to record thoughts as they read or listened to text and actively discussed the books they were reading with teachers and classmates. The class looked at the unique features of expository writing, activating their own schema to help promote understanding. They gleaned main ideas and supporting details, visualized to promote understanding, utilized strategies discussed when reading challenging text, and used context to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. Students also effectively organized and presented information gathered using a variety of nonfiction resource materials, practiced note-taking and outlining with nonfiction text, and engaged in collaborative

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4th Grade Language Arts Continued discussions (e.g., one-on-one, in small groups, and teacher-led) focused around nonfiction topics (such as looking at primary sources from the California Gold Rush).

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4th Grade Library Snapshot of September through January How can I consolidate what I have learned about being a reader, researcher, and learner? That is the presenting question for fourth graders in library this year. To further develop competence, curiosity, and confidence, students used the online catalog to identify, find, and evaluate books for their reading and manage their own borrowing. They identified and illustrated their literary preferences. They explored the nonfiction collection and Dewey decimal numbers to advance their understanding of how a library is organized and how to access nonfiction materials. They reflected back to their days as kindergartners to help prepare their scripts for the Makery collaboration Big Sister/Little Sister introductory video project and share their favorite book from kindergarten with their new “little sister.”

For read aloud, we began the fantasy and Newbery Award Winner The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Lastly, students reflected on their learning and their own literary preferences and interests.

Units/Projects: • Illustrated reading interest surveys to show and share reading preferences • Talk Like a Pirate Day: A Dewey Decimal Scavenger Hunt • Searching skills: using keywords, subjects, authors and titles to search the online catalog, independently locating materials and evaluate for use, and manage their borrowing • Big Sister/Little Sister/Video and Book Sharing Library/Makery Collaboration • Reading nominated books and voting for The California Young Reader Medal Read Alouds: • The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo • The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce

Snapshot of February through June To gain experience with the research process, fourth graders practiced many skills — how to select an area of interest; take different kinds of keyword notes; organize information and ideas; and cite sources. To deepen appreciation for the power, potential, and purpose of literature, fourth graders read books both as a class and independently. Areas of focus included different genres (e.g., biography and historical fiction); literary elements (e.g., setting); text-to-self connections; and wise personal book selection. Projects, some done in conjunction with the Makery, allowed students to apply information and ideas. To empower themselves, they used rubrics and reflection tools to consider what has been learned, set goals, and grow as learners.

Units/Projects: • Independent Reading and Research: California Hall of Fame • Independent Reading—Fiction/Newbery Awards

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4th Grade Makery Snapshot of September through January The Makery curriculum for fourth graders emphasizes two related goals: 1) learning to use a variety of media, materials, and tools; and 2) learning the skills needed to make, share, find, solve, protect, and learn. Content and learning goals for different projects often come from core and special classes.

As they make, the students practice the skills of attention, perseverance, problem-solving, and project management.

A part of their technology education this year has been using one-to-one Chromebooks, which they use primarily in their homerooms. They are managing files in Google Drive as there is no local storage on the Chromebooks. The students practice even more file management as they use Google Classroom and Google Drive to receive, complete, and hand in assignments on all of the devices they access: the Chromebook, iPads and MacBooks.

For the project Hello, Little Sister, a collaboration between Library and Makery, each fourth-grade student introduced herself to her Burke’s Little Sister and shared a picture book she enjoyed in kindergarten. The students wrote scripts from library notes, created storyboards, shot movies with a partner, and edited them individually in iMovie. They learned framing techniques that filmmakers use, such as establishing shots, close-ups, and cutaway shots.

As a breakery/remakery project, students took apart old watches and made sculptures from the parts.

They redesigned, rebuilt, and decorated the Chromebook shipping boxes to make them useful to themselves at home.

For Hour of Code, the students piloted a new device, the Kano Pixel, a small programmable computer with a lightboard, a microphone, buttons, a tilt switch, and a speaker. The programming language is block-based but can be viewed in Javascript as well.

Snapshot of February through June For the tidepool exhibit, each student programmed a learning activity in Scratch to teach exhibit visitors about the animal she studied in science. As a part of their library and language arts work, each student created a puppet show interview of the person she is nominating for the California Hall of Fame. They created a puppet of their nominee as well as of themselves as the interviewer.

Fourth graders continued to learn and practice file management skills as they curated their own folders on their iPads, Chromebooks, and MacBooks, focusing on the the suite of Google applications: Drive, Classroom, and Sites. They also are learning to manage media from online accounts: TinkerCad and Scratch. This is their second year maintaining individual digital portfolios for posting and reflecting on their work. Each student created her own website on which she posted various artifacts showing her process, products created, and reflections on what she has learned.

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4th Grade Mathematics Snapshot of September through January Investigating and creating effective survey questions prepared the students to gather and organize two sets of data, which they, in turn, analyzed and represented in a graph, line plot, pie chart, or double bar graph. This allowed students to use critical-thinking skills as they determined whether their question allowed them to collect numerical data. Rubrics provided the girls an opportunity to self-assess their participation, accuracy, and efforts with the data projects. Students practiced how to interpret the range and median of a data set, as well as were introduced to finding the average (mean) and mode.

Our multiplication journey began with an introduction to the “break apart” strategy. We introduced a variety of multiplication and division strategies to allow each student to find the “tool” that works best for her. Alternative strategies included Japanese multiplication, the lattice method, Russian Peasant method, and box multiplication. Students also used place-value disks to help them solve division problems, sometimes with a remainder. The disks helped students see multiplication as an inverse operation to division. Once this connection was made, we introduced additional division strategies, such as using the inverse operation with multiplication fluency facts to break apart problems. These experiences allowed the girls to investigate which method they found to be most efficient and effective when multiplying and dividing two-digit numbers by a one-digit number.

In January, we revisited discussions regarding growth mindset and how mistakes grow the brain to support risk-taking when problem-solving throughout the multiplication and division units. We continue to encourage students to think deeper by persevering when challenged.

We transitioned to our unit on measurement and geometry. The students gained experiences measuring with the metric system, as well as the U.S. standard measurement units. They practiced converting units using a conversion chart and found landmark measurements to approximate the measurement of items. We started the geometry unit with a review of vocabulary by constructing and measuring lines, line segments, and rays, and examining the difference between parallel and perpendicular lines. We introduced the use of the protractor to measure then classify angles and polygons with varying angles. Finally, we revisited multiplication with practice computing perimeter and area of various shapes.

Snapshot of February through June After solving addition and subtraction problems with double- and triple-digit numbers, students used place-value discs and discussed the concept of regrouping in order to learn the U.S. standard algorithm. We created a class resource of the various strategies for adding and subtracting, then students practiced solving problems while deciding which strategy is the most efficient and effective for them personally.

With a focus on larger numbers, we learned the standard, word, and expanded form through one million and returned to our multiplication strategies. Working with double-digit numbers, we reviewed the “break apart” method that relies on solving multiplication problems by place value in order to prepare for the introduction of the algorithm. After much practice with the algorithm with double and triple-digit numbers, we were curious about the division algorithm. In preparation for our practice with long and short division, we reviewed our division facts by thinking of them as the inverse of basic multiplication facts through 12. We ended the year introducing and practicing both forms of BURKE’S PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

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4th Grade Mathematics Continued the division algorithm with an emphasis on choice to support what works best for the individual mathematician. Experiences with the algorithms for all four mathematical operations will be useful tools as more complex, multi-step problems are presented in the Upper School.

We finished the year working with fractions. Again, using concrete models, we practiced equivalent fractions, as well as reducing them to their simplest form. This introduction to parts smaller than a whole will prepare students for computation with fractions in Upper School.

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4th Grade Music Snapshot of September through January The year started with class-wide musical leadership opportunities: LS Assembly song leading and adding special harmony parts to familiar songs. Preparing for their jazz-themed play, students put every musical skill to use: listening to the unique phrasing, articulation, and style of Ella Fitzgerald’s vocals; singing complex jazz melodies; swing dancing to the beat and rhythm of big band music and creating their own choreographies; bringing their private study instruments into the mix; and improvising call and response style with their beginning recorder skills.

As the students prepared for the Holiday Sing, they again demonstrated leadership in a variety of ways: narrating or playing special instrument accompaniments, using their candles with care, and through good attention and singing.

On recorders, the girls started with a review of technique (breath, hand position, fingering and tonguing) and notation (treble clef pitch names and ta and ta-te rhythm patterns). Through a steady stream of songs, they learned notes from low D to high E. Songs were learned by ear to strengthen aural skills and through written notation to facilitate music reading.

Students are focusing on refining their recorder and music-reading skills as they earn Recorder Rainbow bands.

Snapshot of February through June This semester began with preparations for “Fiesta Mexicana: Honoring the Music and Dance of Mexico.” Guest teaching artist Dolores (Lolis) Garcia taught everyone a basic version of the traditional Son Jarocho dance and tune “La Bamba.” Some dancers improvised foot rhythms on a tarima (the wooden platform used in Son Jarocho music). Others learned to tie a red ribbon with their feet as done in the folklorico adaption of this dance from Veracruz! Everyone’s singing grew stronger and more in tune as they worked on the concert songs.

“Fiesta Mexicana” was truly a culmination of the year’s learning. Many musicians took the initiative to go beyond basics: pursuing individual interests, adding outside instrument studies, and volunteering their vocal expertise. Students learned about music business jobs as they helped with concert management, program and audio visual design, choreography, and musicologist interviews.

As the school year ended, these budding recorder players brought their skills to songs from the Gold Rush with two final notes, low F and low C. They prepared special songs for their final Lower School “Stepping Up” assembly, learned the Upper School Song to ready them for their introduction to Upper School at Pansy Day, and wrote ‘secret songs’ celebrating their teachers and time in fourth grade.

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4th Grade Physical Education Snapshot of September through January This semester, fourth graders learned and practiced different exercises that help increase muscular, aerobic, and core strength, such as: calisthenics, laps, stretches and planks. We learned and practiced the volleyball skills of “bumping,” “serving,” and “ready position.” Through games like “Not in My Backyard,” “Cone Ball,” and “Infinity Tag,” students explored throwing, catching, kicking, and dribbling. Many of these skills will transfer to their experience in Upper School P.E. and team sports.

Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns: • Dribble a ball with hands demonstrating proper form.

• Perform an underhand serve using proper form and whole body movement.

• Throw and catch demonstrating proper form.

• Perform an instep kick, inside foot kick, and punt using proper technique.

Demonstrates effort to maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance: • Perform exercises for core strength and endurance.

• Practice a skill and sustain continuous movement for increasing periods of time.

• Is resilient when faced with challenge.

Snapshot of February through June This semester, fourth graders continued to practice different exercises that help increase muscular, aerobic, and core strength such as: calisthenics, laps, stretches and planks. We learned and practiced flag football, basketball, and badminton skills. Through games like “Capture the Football,” “Popsicle Sticks,” “Basketball Shootout,” and “Pinball,” students explored throwing, catching, shooting, and strategizing. Many of these skills will transfer to their experience in Upper School P.E. and team sports.

Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns: • In football, how to start a play, pivot, hand off to running back, receive handoff with three points of contact, run with football, and change directions.

• In badminton, how to hold a raquet and rotate a raquet into “Open and Close” positions using proper technique.

• In basketball, how to shoot from different spots on the floor; make a chest, bounce, and overhead pass; and perform left-hand, right-hand, and crossover dribbling.

• In hockey, how to control the puck, shoot on goal, and pass to a partner.

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4th Grade Physical Education Continued Demonstrates effort to maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance: • Perform exercises for core strength and endurance.

• Practice a skill and sustain continuous movement for increasing periods of time.

• Is resilient when faced with challenge.

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4th Grade Science Snapshot of September through January Fourth-grade science focuses on water all year long. We started the year with a focus on the physics of water. Through explorations, data collection, and analysis, students developed a working understanding of the laws of buoyancy. They then drew on these experiences to design and build a mechanically powered boat. In half-class, fourth graders have been studying simple machines, investigating where we use simple machines in everyday life.

During these studies, fourth graders practiced the skills of measuring, making predictions, collecting data, observing patterns to draw conclusions, engineering through trial and error, and communicating their scientific ideas to one another.

There was also a short unit about female puberty, asking, “Why do our bodies change?” and “How can we take care of ourselves physically and emotionally as we grow up?”

Snapshot of February through June Fourth graders began the new year with a study of the intertidal zone. Each student researched an animal that lives in this unique habitat, using books and the Internet to learn about the adaptations that help it survive. We also discussed predator-prey relationships, major groups of invertebrates, and scientific nomenclature. Each fourth grader then created an interactive museum exhibit to teach others about her animal and presented it at the first-ever Burke’s Aquarium. This also involved a collaboration with Makery to code an educational game as part of the exhibit. During this project, fourth graders practiced finding reliable sources for research, taking notes, synthesizing information, making connections, planning, problem-solving, and communicating ideas to a variety of audiences.

Following the aquarium project, fourth graders explored the physics of tides and beaches, including how the moon causes the tides, how to use a tide chart, and how waves affect beaches.

We also spent science time preparing for our trip to the Coloma Outdoor Discovery School. At Coloma, fourth graders hiked and learned about the natural history and ecosystem of the foothills region. They also discussed environmental issues and actions they can take to make a difference.

We rounded out the year with a mini-unit on water conservation, including investigating where our water comes from and what happens to wastewater.

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4th Grade Social Studies Snapshot of September through January Social studies provided a stage for critical thinking, strategic planning, and understanding diverse experiences and perspectives in California history. We started our study of California by introducing its four regions. Groups were assigned to research and present each region. Individual students shared a home extension project of a map of California showcasing the regions, as well.

The Balclutha field trip allowed the girls to have an inside perspective on daily life on a ship as we read about the early European explorers’ travels to North America, which was the precursor to the creation of the California Missions. Our “Voyage to America” simulation provided the opportunity for students to employ the thinking that was used by the missionaries to pack appropriate supplies for their arrival and survival in California.

We are studying Native Americans’ connection to the earth through stories of mythology and tales.

Students are aware of both the Native American and missionary perspective before, during, and after the Mission Period. We practiced finding bias in articles and books and finished the unit with individual written reflections on a simulation experience of Native Americans experiencing daily life on the missions.

Snapshot of February through June In cooperative learning groups and class discussions, the students continued to grapple with how different human experiences, both individual and collective, shape the past, present, and future. We finished our unit on the Missions by integrating the formal essay format that was learned in language arts. Our work with identifying bias and multiple perspectives on California history equipped the girls with background knowledge to defend a stance regarding the hypothetical closure of a local landmark, Mission Dolores. The girls were required to write a thesis explaining their stance and use evidence from our unit of study. The expository essays were filled with relevant facts, perspectives, and the common takeaway that studying history is a way to inform on mistakes so we make better decisions for humankind in the present and future.

We transitioned to the Rancho era and, after reading about the time period, experienced a simulation that allowed the girls to participate in every state of rancho life. They began with petitioning the governors for land and then competing to have the most successful rancho.

We ended our study of California with the Gold Rush. The hands-on, interactive experiences at Coloma equipped the students with detailed accounts of the various historical perspectives of the people of the Gold Rush. After making a Venn diagram comparing the Mission, Rancho, and Gold Rush periods of California history, students discussed the patterns of who owned the land and power in our state history. The culminating project was our visit to Sacramento so that they had an opportunity to see how our current people in power influence the daily lives of California citizens.

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SNAPSHOT OF

FIFTH GRADE

A glimpse into Fifth Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

5th Grade Art Fall Snapshot The Visual Arts program connects art with the world around us. It opens a world beyond textbooks for students to explore and builds a foundation for creative thinking. Exploring and practicing the inward significance art can portray through story, intention, and thoughtfulness are three areas of focus in the girls’ journey as 21st-century learners this year. Students are encouraged to explore new techniques, seek deeper meaning in their art practice, and establish a personal approach to their work. We also explore how the arts can cross disciplines to create an exciting statement.

The fifth-grade Visual Arts class will be carrying over its fourth-grade sketchbooks, which they will use to brainstorm, plan, express ideas, and draw, and in which they will be able to see their work progress.

In the fifth grade, students look at and interpret several historical and multicultural art practices in different media. The girls start out the year by learning about the traditions of the annual celebration of Dia de Los Muertos by participating in the building of an Upper School altar in collaboration with the fifth-grade Spanish class. In addition, we revisit color theory and then learn about new and exciting media such as paper quilling, wire sculpture, metal repoussé, clay hand-building, encaustic wax painting, and textiles.

In addition, the girls learn appropriate art studio etiquette and practice “critique” while learning about polite and respectful ways to ask questions and comment on others’ work.

This year, the girls will build digital art portfolios, creating pages where they can post images and reflections on their artwork that will follow them throughout their years in Upper School Art.

Winter Snapshot Early in the second trimester of fifth-grade art, we ventured out to view the Legion of Honor Museum’s Gods in Color exhibition. After some sketching and note-taking, we took what we had learned back to the classroom, and each girl created an Egyptian mask. The unique masks represented various Egyptian gods and goddesses and were elaborately decorated with gold, bronze, and silver following the color scheme of Egyptian tombs.

Spring Snapshot In the final trimester of fifth-grade Visual Art, we collaborated with Dr. Rawlings on a science cell project. Students learned the art form of paper quilling and created paper-quilled cells of various organisms from microscope iPad images they took in science. They then created a watercolor painting of the organism in which they had found the cell. We mounted both the paper-quilled cells and watercolor paintings and put them on display at the 2018 Arts Festival.

In the latter half of the trimester, we began our exploration of soft sculpture with stitch and embroidery sewing. Students learned several basic embroidery stitches and we took on the Tuna Can Pin Cushion Project. The project had basic instructions, but the students were free to get as creative as they wanted to with their pincushion design and decorative elements. Students were encouraged to create their own patterns if they were not able to find patterns that already existed.

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5th Grade Drama Spring Snapshot Upper School Drama classes provide opportunities to develop self-esteem and self-confidence through skill-building exercises involving the body, voice, and imagination. In addition to being an outlet for self-expression, Drama class provides a safe environment to explore emotions as well as the opportunity to increase self-awareness, self-discipline, and skills of observation and listening, in both partner and group contexts. All classes begin with warm-up exercises to bring awareness to the body and voice and to increase focus and concentration. Students then move on to various improvisations and scene work.

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5th Grade French Fall Snapshot The students started fifth-grade French by learning how to say, spell, and write their French names; say hello to each other; and talk about how they are feeling. Students learned and sang the French alphabet. They discovered the French sound system and learned how to articulate each sound properly.

To practice, the students learned the vocabulary needed at a typical French birthday party, colors, and the names of objects we can find inside the French classroom. They also learned the numbers from 0 to 39.

We started to touch on essential grammar concepts such as the agreement (in gender and number) of articles and adjectives (such as colors) with nouns. All along, we have sung, played games, laughed and already learned quite a lot!

Winter Snapshot The students started this trimester by acting out in front of the class short skits to review the vocabulary learned at the beginning of the year (greetings, colors, class material. . .).

We then reviewed the French sounds by learning how to say and write the names of a slew of animals.

The students had to focus on the gender of those nouns and their spelling. We learned how to describe the bodies of animals (with vocabulary such as hooves, feathers, tails, ears. . .) and students composed animal riddles in French combining all the vocabulary they had learned so far (animals, body parts, colors, numbers). We had a great time trying to guess at each other’s riddles in our final activity. Then, the students watched a short animated French movie, “Princes et Princesses” by Michel Ocelot, and were asked to reuse the vocabulary they had learned to describe the metamorphosis into different animals of the two characters in the short movie.

We developed the habit of paying much attention to agreement (gender and number) between words by starting the class with short dictations. We took our time to learn how to count to 100, and then students moved on fast until they were able to count to 999!

The last part of the trimester was dedicated to learning more about describing the weather and the seasons and telling the date. Not only did the students learn a lot of specific new vocabulary they can now reuse every day in class to initiate small conversations about the weather, but they also discovered more about the specificity of France’s geography and climate by ending this unit with an exciting project. The students worked in pairs to present in French the weather forecast (la météo) of a French city for several continuous days. Everyone was very enthusiastic and excited about learning more about what cities in France look like.

Spring Snapshot Students started this trimester by reviewing how to describe the weather. They are now capable of telling the date and describing the weather accurately when they are asked to do so at the beginning of class. We went on to develop the habit of paying attention to agreement (of gender and number) between words by systematically starting the class with short dictations. Although students could only write a few words at the beginning of the year, they are now able to write complete sentences and organize short paragraphs! In order to improve their pronunciation throughout the trimester, students Page 74

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5th Grade French Continued have been regularly repeating small sentences, acting dialogues and singing songs such as “J’ai un chien gentil mais sale” from Henri Dès or the famous (and catchy!) folk song “Jean Petit qui danse”.

Students learned the vocabulary of the face and the body, how to use pronoun subjects, and how to conjugate the verb avoir (to have). Knowing all that, they were then able to create unique imaginary creatures (les monstres) by combining all these elements together. Students first wrote a short paragraph describing their creature using the first person, and then they drew it. Eventually, we combined all the drawings and the descriptions to create a game of mix and match. Students had fun and learned a lot while trying to pair each description with the relevant creature!

Following this activity, students learned how to use possessive adjectives (my: mon/ma/mes) and how to express physical pain (j’ai mal à/au/aux).

From being able to conjugate the verb avoir, the students quickly moved on to learning how to conjugate être (to be). Students also learned the vocabulary of the family and some useful adjectives.

By the end of the trimester they were able to write a not so short paragraph to describe themselves and their family (name, age, size, hair color, personality). Students were happily impressed by their new ability to talk quite easily and extensively about their family and pets!

We ended the trimester by learning how to describe what we wear and how to tell the time.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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5th Grade Humanities Fall Snapshot Reading Discussing and writing about literature is our current focus. Students are learning to assert claims based on the content in any book and to bolster their claims with appropriate text-based evidence.

To begin this process, we worked on choosing reading material suitable for each student’s reading level. Next, in every class we analyze book structure and form using critical-reading tools to address plot, themes, setting, characters, or symbolism. We also applied the methods learned to our history studies so students can learn how the humanities subjects are integrated rather than separate.

Applying their developing ability to reflect on their chosen reading, students compose “reader responses” in which they present a claim about characters, plot, or theme together with supporting evidence from the text. As the year progresses, students’ ideas and claims will become more complex through feedback, modeling, and class interactions including book groups.

Writing and Grammar The effective communication of ideas requires structure, grammar, and organization. Using the Writer’s Workshop model, students brainstorm, draft, revise, and collaboratively edit before “publishing” their final drafts. Our work on writing began with assignments in which students reflected on who they are and how they see themselves. Assignments focused on descriptive writing and paragraph structure, including topic sentences, supporting content, and concluding sentences.

Students wrote a personal narrative and used descriptive language to write a cohesive story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

In grammar, we are working to identify and eliminate run-on sentences or fragments. We have also focused on appropriate use of punctuation, including commas, and capitalization.

History This trimester, we began a journey through ancient Egypt, assessing the historian’s claims in nonfiction texts and exploring the the importance of culture and its elements (geography, important events, anthropology, sociology, government, and economy). Students are engaged in an appreciation of the many facets of ancient Egyptian culture and in learning to analyze the structure of nonfiction text.

Winter Snapshot Reading This trimester, we continued to explore the deep connections between reading and writing. Students were pushed to articulate their understanding of both fiction and nonfiction reading content and demonstrate that understanding through their writing. Much of the trimester’s reading focused on our textbook, A Message of Ancient Days, and on independent research sources. In their writing, students analyzed and synthesized what they had read to demonstrate their understanding of concepts and topics. Students also applied their skills of analysis and synthesis by taking copious notes in preparation for writing a five-paragraph research paper on a facet of Ancient Egyptian culture. In addition, students were required to read independent books of their choice nightly and keep a written Page 76

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5th Grade Humanities Continued log. Learning about symbolism and theme through our class read of Tuck Everlasting has led to “book group” discussions designed to encourage students to reflect on their reading, apply these concepts, enhance their working vocabulary, and articulate their opinions both skillfully and rationally.

Writing and Grammar This trimester was focused on expository writing and note-taking. In grammar we worked on writing simple and complex sentences, using common and proper nouns. In addition to grammar, we stressed the elements of a five-paragraph research paper which included an introduction with a clear thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. This project required students to research, synthesize, write, edit, and publish their work.

History This trimester brought an end to our sojourn with the people of Ancient Egypt. During this journey, we focused on “six elements of culture,” a framework designed to encourage critical analysis of historical and contemporary events through geography, government, anthropology, important events, sociology/ lifestyle, and the economy. Students collaborated to create a curated “museum exhibit,” applying and demonstrating their understanding of all six cultural elements. With insightful ideas and guidance from Makery teacher Susan Deemer, students designed an Egyptian Museum as they created artifacts and worked in groups to answer driving questions and present an aspect of Egyptian culture.

Spring Snapshot Reading In book group discussions this spring, students have been encouraged to reflect on their fiction and nonfiction reading, apply the concepts they have learned, enhance their working vocabulary, and articulate their opinions skillfully and rationally. Reading Greek myths, students practiced discerning and developing a thorough understanding of themes and symbolism, gathering evidence to support claims, and identifying relevant vocabulary. We ended the year focusing on skills, including making character claims with supporting text evidence, analyzing plots, and recognizing themes and motifs.

We examined plot elements and theme in Number the Stars (historical fiction set in WWII occupied Copenhagen).

Writing and Group Work The focus in writing this trimester was on re-drafting, refining, and polishing, especially within the Greek Plays project. Although students were responsible for their own lines, the collaborative nature of the project required them to interact with respect, have productive and focused discussions, take turns, and support and encourage each other.

The process included the following steps: 1. Negotiating and drafting a group-based charter that defined success and guidelines for addressing conflict

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5th Grade Humanities Continued 2. Reading multiple depictions of a particular myth 3. Synthesizing and deducing the elements of the myth, preparing a truncated class “slideshow” presentation of the myth 4. Multiple individual re-tellings of the myth within the group to provide different perspectives and approaches 5. Writing individual diary entries, in character, to demonstrate understanding of the themes of the myth 6. Drafting the play as a group with each student taking responsibility for writing her individual scenes and lines 7. Designing props and costumes 8. Practicing and performing Our final writing assignment this trimester — a historical fiction story — focused on continuing to build a foundation for concise narrative writing. We stressed concepts such as the elements of a story (developing conflict, how to show action, building to a climax, and presenting a resolution), differentiating between scenes (with dialogue and detail), and summarizing the narrative and actions.

The historical fiction piece obliged the students to research their topic thoroughly and then synthesize their understanding of a time and place in history into their character’s landscape, perspectives, and responses to events.

History Having learned about the importance of culture and its elements (geography, important events, anthropology, sociology, government, and economy) in our study of Ancient Egypt, we investigated these cultural elements within Ancient Greece. Students learned that the Ancient Greeks considered their gods to be active participants in society. We investigated the Titans, the Olympians, city-states, and how gods were honored through the Olympics, literature, theater, art, and architecture. We discussed how Greek myths portrayed women in society and in the pantheon of the gods and analyzed what those portrayals say about Greek attitudes toward women and the roles those attitudes play in today’s society.

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5th Grade Mandarin Fall Snapshot During the first trimester, the fifth-grade Mandarin course focused on building foundational Chinese language skills. Students learned the Pinyin phonetic system, which includes 21 initial consonants, 37 compound vowels, four tones, and a neutral tone. Students also learned to greet; to count from 1 to 100; to ask and answer questions about days of the week, dates, and people’s birthdays; and to use common classroom expressions like “Teacher, I have a question” or “Teacher, may I go to the restroom?” To practice and use the things they’ve learned, students also created, memorized, and acted out skits.

Culturally, the girls learned about the significance and celebrations of one of the most important Chinese traditional holidays, the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Winter Snapshot During the second trimester, the fifth-grade Mandarin course continued to focus on building basic language skills. Students learned how to ask and answer questions about someone’s nationality, where they were born, and where they currently live. Students also learned how to describe their feelings, some of their favorite things, and the colors of different objects. Students continued to practice using measure words correctly according to the associated nouns. Culturally, the Spring Festival celebration was introduced, and students learned about the Chinese zodiac animals.

Students completed four projects during this trimester. Each student interviewed students from different grades in Mandarin and created one or two monthly calendars using Chinese characters.

After learning some adjectives, verbs, and colors, each student wrote a poem describing her perfect, strange, or interesting world. Each student wrote a passage describing herself and gave an oral presentation in class. The girls also learned a pop song with many new vocabulary words, created a music video, and presented it at the Upper School Assembly!

Spring Snapshot During the third trimester, the fifth-grade Mandarin class covered the following topics: talking about one’s favorite things; asking and answering questions about time and activities; and expressing what someone is doing or sees.

Students completed three main projects. For the first project, each student wrote about the activities she does at different times of the day and gave an oral presentation in class. After learning colors and present continuous verb tense in Mandarin, and reading the Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See book, each student wrote a poem and gave an oral presentation in class. Students then worked in groups of three to create a puppet show, make an iMovie, and present it in class.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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5th Grade Mathematics Fall Snapshot We started the year by learning to play a game called KenKen that combines basic arithmetic skills and logic.

During our unit on Roman numerals, we learned how to convert from Hindu-Arabic numerals to Roman numerals and vice versa.

During our Whole Number and Calculations unit, we learned how to read and write numbers up to the billions in standard, word, short word, and expanded forms by working on an activity that looked at the 15 countries of the world with the largest populations. We learned how to identify both the place value and value of a digit given its position within a number, and we solved equations such as “47,649,123 is 30,000 more than what number?” We learned how to round numbers to a given place value and then used our knowledge of rounding to estimate sums, differences, products, and quotients. We found all the factors of a given number and learned how to double one factor and halve the other to find other factor pairs. We found multiples of numbers and determined whether a number is prime or composite.

By listing factors and multiples, we found the greatest common factor (GCF) and the lowest common multiple (LCM) of two numbers. By listing all the proper factors of a number, we determined whether it is perfect, abundant, or deficient. We used sets of clues to solve number puzzles. We learned divisibility rules for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10 and wrote numbers to satisfy a set of conditions involving divisibility rules.

Once per rotation, students worked on activities from Jo Boaler’s Week of Inspirational Math. Through short videos and low-floor, high-ceiling tasks, students learned important growth mindset messages encouraging them to persist with open-ended problems, to embrace mistakes and challenges, and to think visually.

Winter Snapshot We continued with our Calculations and Whole Numbers unit and looked at different methods to multiply whole numbers with up to two-digit multipliers. These included the array (box) model, the lattice method, and the traditional algorithm. We learned mental math strategies to add expressions like 599 + 28, to subtract expressions like 677 – 98, to multiply expressions like 26 x 41, and to divide expressions like 36,000 ÷ 600. We learned how to draw and label a bar model to solve word problems.

We used the Big 7 method and the traditional algorithm to divide whole numbers. We wrote story problems to represent multiplication and division problems.

During our unit on Fractions, we found equivalent fractions by multiplying or dividing the numerator and denominator by the same number. We learned how to write fractions in simplest form and used them to create a Simple Message project where letters corresponding to fractions in simplest form revealed the answer to a riddle. We shaded a 10 by 10 grid to show fractions out of 100 and write them as percents. We practiced and built fluency in finding percents and equivalent fractions with halves, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, eighths, and tenths. We learned how to compare fractions by finding a common denominator or converting them to their percent form. We learned how to convert an improper fraction to a mixed number and vice versa. We learned how to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with like and unlike denominators, including subtracting mixed numbers when renaming is required. We solved word problems involving fractions and mixed numbers.

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5th Grade Mathematics Continued Spring Snapshot We started the third trimester by continuing with the unit on Fractions. We learned how to find the fraction of a number by drawing models and using multiplication. We practiced solving word problems that involved converting units within the metric system and standard systems, for example converting 9/20 kg to 450 g and expressing 40 cm as a fraction of 3 m. We learned how to multiply fractions. We also solved word problems involving fractions by using the bar model strategy.

During our unit on Perimeter, Area, and Surface Area, we found the area and perimeter of squares and rectangles. We learned to label perimeter in linear units and area in square units. We found the area of triangles and parallelograms by relating them to the area of a rectangle. We also identified the base and perpendicular height of a triangle and parallelogram and used a formula to find the area. We found the area of composite figures by splitting them into smaller parts and then either adding or subtracting parts depending on what was required. We identified rectangular prisms and cubes and used nets to make them. We then found the surface area and volume of these solids. We learned to label volume in cubic units.

In the Decimals unit, we learned how to write decimals in standard form, word form, and expanded form. We identified the place value versus the value of a digit within a given number. We compared, ordered, and rounded decimals. We learned the importance of lining up decimals by place value when performing addition and subtraction and to estimate the sum or difference. We learned how to multiply decimals and to determine where to place the decimal point using estimation and by counting the number of digits to the right of the decimal point. We learned how to mentally multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by powers of ten. We used the traditional algorithm for division to solve problems involving decimal dividends and divisors and to find the quotient correct to one or two decimal places. We learned how to find the unit price of an item, for example, the price per pound of apples when given the cost of 3.5 pounds. We also calculated the mean average of a data set.

We ended the year with Percents. We looked at the relationship between fractions, percents, and decimals. We learned how to convert between the different forms and how to write fractions as decimals and percents using equivalent fractions and using division. We learned how to find 1%, 10%, 20%, and 5% of a number, and to use combinations of these to find the percent of a given number and to calculate a tip.

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5th Grade Music Fall Snapshot The primary goal of fifth-grade Music is to broaden each student’s understanding of the fundamental concepts of the expressive arts — rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, and form — while building confidence and proficiency of musical expression in the application of these concepts both individually and in ensemble. Activities this fall have included rhythmic skill games, improvised group movement, choral singing, and instrumental work with Boomwhackers and the Orff chromatic barred instruments.

Specific areas of choral skill development include studying solfège, practicing two-part harmony, and conducting the down beat and the up beat. Students are developing an increased understanding of harmonic structure with the study of the Circle of Fifths and the I - IV - V 12-bar blues progression of Duke Ellington’s “C Jam Blues.”

Winter Snapshot The focus during this trimester was on the development of choral performance skills such as poise, stage presence, singing posture, vocal projection, range, proper breath support, tone production, facial expression, body language, and focused eye contact, and on the preparation of repertoire for the Upper School Winter Sing. The girls also worked with a choreographer in preparation for our finale, “How Far I’ll Go.” Watching the video of the Winter Sing concert, the girls completed a performance skills rubric to identify personal areas of strength and areas for continued growth.

Spring Snapshot During the Spring trimester, we focused on the further development of two- and three-part harmony singing skills. We also explored music composition with the iPad GarageBand application, practicing the process of selecting sounds, editing, recording, and layering tracks.

We continued the semester with the preparation of the Tsakonikos dance with Orff instrumental accompaniment to present as part of the Greek Plays performance. The school year culminated with practicing the Burke’s Pledge, the Upper School Song, and Fifth Grade Reflection for the Pansy Day ceremony.

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5th Grade Physical Education Fall Snapshot With Mr. Hetzel, students took their first fitness tests in Upper School and recorded their efforts on their own Schoology pages for reference. Students ran a 50-yard sprint on the grass, jumped as high as they could reach on a vertical jump tester, chose a personalized flexibility exercise to work on, and chose to do either sit-ups or crunches for one minute. These fitness results served as a baseline to improve on over the year. Softball and disc (Frisbee) were introduced as a means of learning transferable skills related to throwing and catching with a focus on power, accuracy, and control.

Students also began understanding the basic rules of the games for modified game situations.

Students learned how to “get in a pickle,” how to run the bases for softball, and how to relay the disc between players and switch their grip on the disc so as to throw on both the right and left sides of the body. Other activities included throwing and catching individually, in pairs, and in groups, as well as challenges for accuracy, distance, and coordinating within groups. The girls developed the best grip for both backhand and forehand disc throws and began to learn how to pivot back and forth between them. In softball, they learned the mechanics of the overhand throw for power and accuracy. They also learned safe and proper catching form and techniques depending on the level of the catch. In “EPIC” (Engaged Play Inspiring Creativity), students created games of their own, working together in small groups to vote on a system of governance to make decisions; creating activities with rules; using non-violent communication techniques to express their needs, listen to the needs of others, and resolve conflicts; supporting each other’s brainstorming ideas by using “Yes and…” statements; giving feedback to other groups; and improving on a prototype idea with the feedback provided.

Ms. Bryant introduced a wide variety of basic skills and fundamentals in the volleyball unit. The focus at the fifth-grade level is on basic skill acquisition, fundamental movement patterns, and general concepts of the game. This sets the foundation for the girls to develop their skills and learn team play concepts over the next three years, and as such, scrimmage situations are not part of the fifth-grade volleyball course work.

Routine fitness exercises included running and pacing, active and passive stretching; agility, balance, and coordination exercises; and abdominal and upper/lower body strength exercises.

Winter Snapshot With Mr. Hetzel, students continued to apply skills over a wide range of movement forms in soccer, fitness, disc, sprinting, jogging, softball, lacrosse, and stretching. Students played games and participated in activities to become competent at specific skills and increase agility, balance, and coordination. Alignment was reinforced as students practiced stretching postures to develop strength, stamina, and flexibility. Fitness activities were used on a regular basis as part of our warmup before and after stretching. Students worked together in groups through “EPIC” (Engaged Play Inspiring Creativity) to develop specific motor skills, as well as social-emotional skills and non-violent communication strategies for resolving conflicts.

With Ms. Bryant, we completed the badminton unit and began progressing through the basketball unit. A wide variety of basic skills and fundamentals were covered in the badminton unit. We focused on learning the racket grip, on shuttle contact both independently and with a partner, on overhand striking mechanics (using hand-fed shuttles and on live hits), and on contacting the shuttle when dropped from the hand for a serve. By the end of the unit, the girls had chances to work together for BURKE’S PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

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5th Grade Physical Education Continued consistent contact, helping each other to keep a rally going. We ended with the challenge of trying to break a previous consecutive record for hits with a partner.

Spring Snapshot We addressed a wide variety of basic skills and fundamentals in the basketball and flag football units.

In basketball, we focused on becoming comfortable with the ball on both sides of the body, passing, and catching passes, and we began to develop shooting form from close range. In flag football, we learned how to use flag belts and focused on lots of “flag-tag” activities to develop agility when running with the football and on tackling the flag off of the runner. We learned correct throwing grip and worked on the mechanics of throwing and on hand position to catch the ball. We even had physical fun working on the concept of blocking and trying to keep an opponent away from our passer.

At the end of the trimester, in conjunction with the Greek Plays, the girls had a chance to represent a Greek City State and competed in the Greek Games. This event featured a team marathon, relay races, jumping and throwing competitions, chariot races, wrestling, and a closing cermony, where they showcased their team cheers and were surprised by Zeus (the fifth-grade humanities teacher) descending from Mount Olympus (the science room) to bestow awards and words of wisdom.

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5th Grade Science Fall Snapshot Fifth-grade work this fall began with defining systems and exploring how they work. We started by looking at the bicycle as an example of a system. We listed its subsystems (parts), explored how the subsystems worked together, and defined the functions, inputs, and outputs. This gave us a framework to further understand how energy flows through a system and how systems are regulated by feedback loops.

Students applied their understanding of systems to build a 3-D functional model of the cell. They explored the structures and functions of a cell’s organelles by choosing an analogous system to help them visualize their understanding. The cell unit included activities that showed similarities and differences between plant and animal cells, and students also visualized their cells under a microscope.

As we explored the content we also focused on the processes and skills that scientists use to understand the world: lab safety, questioning, predicting, making observations, collecting data, and communicating results.

Winter Snapshot During the second trimester of fifth-grade science, we continued our application of the processes and skills that scientists use to understand the world: lab safety, questioning, predicting, making qualitative and quantitative observations, collecting data, and communicating results. Students applied those skills to our Chemistry & Experiment unit.

During the Chemistry unit, students learned about the structure of an atom, described patterns in and organization of the Periodic Table, learned different clues to identify chemical versus physical changes while exploring mini-experiments, explored and used the Law of Conservation of Matter to explain how the earth has limited resources, described how elements interact with one another, and built 3-D balland-spring models of molecules to demonstrate chemical bonds and how molecules can physically look different from one another. For the Atom Project, students researched an element, built a 3-D model of it, and presented their findings to the class.

Students used paper airplanes with and without paperclips to learn how to design a controlled experiment. They had to think about their hypothesis, variables, and how they would take data to accept or reject their hypothesis.

During Breakery, a collaboration with the Makery, we made learning visual by engaging students in the Parts, Purposes, and Interactions activity. Students dissected an electronic toy or object to explore and think about how subsystems work together to perform a larger function before taking a deep dive into body systems.

Spring Snapshot During this final trimester, students explored the structure and function of human body systems -- nervous, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, and reproductive — and how these systems interact and support each other. They took a deep dive into their respective assigned systems, gathering information — informed by our definition of systems — about the overall function, parts, and BURKE’S PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

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5th Grade Science Continued interactions to create a learning game. Along with the aspects of their systems, students learned about the elements of a game and what factors make a fun and challenging learning game. As a way to scaffold this group work, students engaged in team-building exercises and created team guidelines on the decision-making process.

An excellent series of presentations by UCSF physicians provided a valuable hands-on experience for many of the systems we studied.

We ended the trimester with an exploration of reproductive strategies in nature, the structure and function of the reproductive system, changes during adolescence, and health.

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5th Grade Spanish Fall Snapshot Students have begun learning vocabulary essential for conversation — greetings, numbers, the letters of the alphabet, days of the week, and months of the year. We have studied the gender of nouns and the use of definite and indefinite articles as building blocks to later sentence construction. Students continue to practice pronunciation through oral drills, basic conversation, and songs with emphasis on the five vowel sounds. We also studied the Mexican tradition of the Día de los Muertos through class discussion and film, ultimately contributing to the community altar by making candles, flowers, and skull masks. Lastly, the students designed and presented a slide show on their likes and dislikes using the phrases me gusta, no me gusta and me encanta.

Winter Snapshot This second trimester in Spanish, students have continued learning vocabulary essential for conversation and description. New vocabulary units included classroom objects, colors, clothing, and bartering terms. The grammar emphasis continues to be on the gender of nouns, and nounadjective placement and agreement. Focus is also placed on practicing the sounds of the alphabet and building confidence in spelling the newly acquired vocabulary. The girls demonstrated understanding by constructing and presenting color books (el libro de colores) and fashion magazines (la revista de moda). The girls also researched and presented on traditional clothing from Latin America and Spain.

Finally, the girls wrote skits demonstrating their ability to communicate and barter in a marketplace in Spanish. Students continued practicing their spoken Spanish through role-playing, singing, and playing games for vocabulary acquisition.

Spring Snapshot This final trimester, the students have practiced putting together all of the grammar elements we have learned to construct complete sentences and to present to the class in detail about their family members. Students have also learned the subject pronouns in combination with the conjugation of the irregular verb ser. In-class activities have included learning songs and raps to help with the memorization of pronouns and the conjugation of the verb ser.

As part of our cultural study, each girl chose a Spanish-speaking country to research and created a presentation for the class. Throughout the trimester, we have continued daily oral drills to improve pronunciation and practice conversation.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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5th Grade Study Skills Fall Snapshot We began the first semester with a focus on organization and time-management activities. Students organized materials, planned for assignments in her daily planner, and engaged in discussions about time management strategies and prioritizing assignment plans. In addition, they worked to complete humanities writing assignments and other homework assignments. They learned and implemented assistive technology resources, including using the speech-to-text feature included in Google Chrome, and also worked to improve reading and keyboarding skills.

Winter Snapshot This trimester, students worked to improve reading comprehension, writing, and math skills. Through think-alouds and oral reading of self-selected texts, they reflected on context and on author’s word choice to deepen her understanding. Students also regularly worked to improve phonological awareness skills by completing the exercises on Lexia. To improve writing skills, they carefully read and responded to the directions and teacher prompts and then revised her work based on teacher feedback.

Spring Snapshot Like the previous trimester, students continued to work to improve decoding, reading comprehension, writing, and math skills. Through paired reading exercises and think alouds, they demonstrated understanding through oral summaries, making predictions, and then looking for textual evidence to either confirm or revise those predictions. To improve decoding and oral reading fluency skills, they regularly used class time to progress through the Lexia program. To further develop math calculation and reasoning skills, students previewed future math units, completed homework as well as supplemental math problems.

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CABARE

T Students sing a nd dance their way through th decades, perform e ing hit musical theater songs a of the sixth-gra s part de Cabaret perf ormance.

SNAPSHOT OF

SIXTH GRADE

A glimpse into Sixth Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

6th Grade Art Fall Snapshot The Visual Arts program connects art with the world around us. It opens a world beyond textbooks for students to explore and builds a foundation for creative thinking. Students are encouraged to explore new techniques, seek deeper meaning in their art practice, and establish a personal approach to their work. We also explore how the arts can cross disciplines to create an exciting statement.

Sixth grade started the year off in art working in collaboration with the Spanish language program by taking part in the Upper School Dia de los Muertos altar. Students learned about Dia de los Muertos and displayed their metal repoussé art. Art practice in sixth grade for the remainder of this year will include studying a variety of artists, media, and practices, such as painting, grid drawing, papier maché, observational drawing, soft sculpture, wire sculpture, and assemblage as well as encaustic painting.

The sixth graders will continue to use the sketchbooks they received in fifth grade to sketch and draw as well as see how their work has progressed. They sketch, brainstorm, communicate, and express ideas. For reflection on their work, they will use digital portfolios that allow them to post photographs of their work and write reflections online.

Students will also learn about appropriate art studio maintenance and art critique etiquette, which includes polite and respectful ways to comment on others’ work.

Winter Snapshot During the second trimester of sixth-grade art, we continued our work with grid drawing. Each student chose a famous piece of art and recreated it using the grid drawing method. Students finished the paintings using various watercolor media: pencils, tubes, cakes, and liquid.

The second part of the trimester was spent creating textile monsters. Students researched textile monsters, made sketches of their monsters, and were then given the challenge of creating patterns and sewing their monsters together. The girls were than asked to write a fictional paragraph about their monsters.

Spring Snapshot This quarter’s project was the Influential Women Project, a collaboration of Visual Arts, Foreign Language, Study Skills, and Makery. Students selected an influential woman from history or present day, researched her life, wrote her biography in the language they study, and created a stop-motion animation of her achievements with a voice-over in the language they study or to music. In Visual Art class, students created the 3-D miniatures and figurines to depict this woman’s life, focusing on her influential struggles and achievements. The stop-motion shorts were featured at this year’s Art Festival.

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6th Grade Drama Spring Snapshot Upper School Drama classes provide opportunities to develop self-esteem and self-confidence through skill-building exercises involving the body, voice, and imagination. In addition to being an outlet for self-expression, drama class provides a safe environment to explore emotions as well as an opportunity to increase self-awareness, self-discipline, and skills of observation and listening, both in partner and group contexts.

Drama and Music classes collaborated at the beginning of the year on a multi-media melodrama project. Students were placed in groups to compose music and create scenes in the theatrical style of melodrama. These performances were performed live before an audience of the assembled sixth grade. Collaboration began again in December to prepare for a cabaret event which took place in April. The goal of these collaborations is to bring together the skills taught in each of the two classes in preparation for performance. Since then, drama classes have focused on improvisational skills and scene work.

The time spent in drama class focuses on exercises to bring awareness to the body and voice, as well as to increase focus and concentration. Students work on improvisations and scene work as a way to awaken the imagination, learn creative risk-taking, and develop skills of communication and collaboration, as well as be introduced to technical skills related to the craft of acting.

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6th Grade French Fall Snapshot Sixth grade started with a review of some material from fifth grade. We then covered the nationalities (a lot of them) and the names of countries.

We learned how to greet strangers and ask them where they are from. We discovered the vocabulary of people and family. We reviewed how to count from 1 to 100. We learned a catchy song from the 60’s that is still very popular in France while reviewing the demonstrative c’est and answering the question qu’est-ce que c’est?

We worked on spelling and pronunciation and practiced the French sound system on a regular basis.

The students practiced their skills playing various games and communicative activities.

Winter Snapshot We began the trimester by learning how to ask each other about our ages. Then the students learned more vocabulary about family and brought to class pictures of their families to introduce them to us.

We learned more about each other while deepening our understanding of when to use the correct subject pronouns. The students worked on a short excerpt from the 17th-century French version of the fairy tale Cendrillon in order to strengthen their reading comprehension and discovered they can infer meaning from an unknown text by reusing the previously learned vocabulary and identifying cognate words (words having the same linguistic derivation).

Then, we dedicated most of our effort to learning more vocabulary about food and drinks. The students can now order in a café and pay with French currency. They acted out skits they wrote themselves and now know many contextual expressions they can use to make their interactions with each other look more natural. The students always show curiosity about the language and its culture and have become more and more aware of little but meaningful cultural differences between their mother tongue and their second language.

Spring Snapshot This trimester, we developed the habit of paying attention to interrogative and negative sentences by starting the class with short dictations. Not only did the students have to pay attention to the sound system in order to spell correctly the new words they heard, but often they also had to answer the questions asked during dictations in order to improve their pronunciation, attention to spelling, and comprehension through one simple activity.

We began the trimester by learning more vocabulary about clothing and physical characteristics.

Students did many activities where they had to guess who was who from what the characters were wearing, and while doing so, they had to pay extra attention to the rule of agreement (gender and number) between certain parts of speech.

We then dedicated most of our effort to studying the verbs être and avoir and learning how to use them both in different phrases. The students became more and more familiar with the concept of conjugation and moved quickly on to learning how to conjugate -er verbs. They can now speak about what they watch (regarder), what they like (aimer), what they listen to (écouter) and so on, with a short

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6th Grade French Continued list of useful verbs for them to know. They are still getting used to paying extra attention to the subject pronoun in order to be able to use the correct ending.

The students then learned more about French culture and the specific roles played by women artists and scientists in the society through the Influential Women Project, a collaboration of Visual Arts, World Language, Study Skills and Makery. Students researched the life (struggles and accomplishments) of a ‘femme célèbre’ from history or present day, wrote her biography in French in the first person, and created a stop-motion animation of her achievements with a voice-over in French. Not only did the students discover exceptional female figures greatly appreciated in France and create original narratives to depict their lives, but they also learned how to pay extra attention to pronunciation in order to be well understood.

From there, the students acted out skits they wrote themselves, impersonating their ‘femmes célèbres’ as if they were meeting each other at a French café and talking about their lives. The students were able to reuse many previously learned contextual expressions and to make their interactions with each other look more natural. It was a real pleasure to see them enthusiastically reusing a lot of what we have learned this year to create very realistic skits.

The students have extended their vocabulary, and as they are now more familiar with the bases of conjugation, expressing themselves more extensively has become easier.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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6th Grade Humanities Fall Snapshot We began the year with geography — drawing and interpreting different kinds of maps; learning the continents, oceans, and locations of a number of countries; reviewing land and water forms; and locating with latitude and longitude. The students did internet research on different countries using Google Docs for taking notes and citing sources, used EasyBib to generate their citations, and then prepared slideshows to share their learning with the class. They made a cover, wrote a letter convincing a friend to visit the country, and attached their citations. We concluded by considering cultural universals and diversity, situating ourselves by drawing individual “culture flowers,” and with a final test. We are currently studying world religions, considering the purpose of religion altogether, and examining the basic history, beliefs, and practices of the five major religions. The girls are working in committees conducting book research on various aspects of each religion in order to present their findings at a simulated professional conference.

In English, students have read Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street. After discussing various aspects of Cisneros’s style, especially figurative language — simile, metaphor, personification, and alliteration — they wrote vignettes in imitation of her poetic style. The class recently began reading Karen Cushman’s Catherine Called Birdy, a work of historical fiction that takes place in the Middle Ages, with a focus on reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and historical learning. They have also received instructions on how to write complete and thorough answers to questions that reference the text. The girls have reading logs in which they record various responses to literature and answer comprehension questions. In addition to their vignettes, the girls wrote character sketches of one another (with an emphasis on organizing information) and an assigned piece about a place that is home (with an emphasis on using sensory detail). Much writing now occurs in the class “writer’s workshop,” in which students generate their own topics and in conference on works in progress; and students revise, edit, and publish their stories for the classroom library. Writing lessons thus far have focused on choosing topics; conferring; making revisions; varying word choices; using complete sentences; openings or “leads”; adding description, feeling, and visual details; clear transitions and transitional words; and procedures for proofreading. We also have regular lessons in spelling, English grammar, and mechanics, thus far focusing on sentences (subjects and predicates; run-ons and fragments); end punctuation; a review of cursive handwriting; capitalization; and maintaining consistent tense throughout a narrative.

Winter Snapshot The second trimester found the sixth grade learning about the history, beliefs, and practices of the five major religions of the world. In committees, they did research using books on various aspects of each religion and presented their findings at a simulated professional conference. This unit concluded with a test.

We began our study of medieval history by looking at how years and centuries are numbered and at the meanings of A.D., B.C., C.E., and B.C.E. We discussed the decline of the Roman Empire and learned about the Norman Conquest of England. In pairs, the students drew a replica of the Bayeux Tapestry depicting the events of 1066. After an introduction to feudalism, the girls built 3-D models of the feudal system. From there, we began our study of the first estate of medieval society, the nobility, learning about chivalry, heraldry, castles, and how knights were trained. Students designed Page 94

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6th Grade Humanities Continued personal heraldic shields and heard stories about Sir Gawain. After a test on the nobility, we turned our attention to the medieval village, learning about the conditions of peasant life, homes, farming methods, jobs, and marriage.

Literature this term has been historical fiction set in the Middle Ages. We read Karen Cushman’s Catherine Called Birdy, focusing on reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and historical learning, with instruction on how to compose complete answers to reading comprehension questions that reference the text. Next we read E.L. Konigsburg’s A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, a novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, focusing particularly on vocabulary development, as well as reading comprehension and history.

After publishing personal narratives before the winter break, the girls began writing fiction in January, with instruction focused mostly on plot and character development. They also gained familiarity with the “six traits” of the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing program (ideas, organization,voice, ideas, conventions, word choice, and sentence fluency). In spelling and English, we have covered homophones, comma usage, quotation marks, singular and plural possessives, and verbs.

Spring Snapshot The third trimester found the sixth graders doing research on several aspects of the European Middle Ages and working in the Makery to construct a variety of models and displays for a museum exhibit on medieval life. They proudly presented and explained their displays to school visitors. They wrote reports based on their research that became plaques for their museum displays and to which they later added reflections on the impact of what they had studied on history. Next, we completed our study of the Middle Ages by learning about the clergy; the influence of the Roman Catholic Church; Romanesque and Gothic architecture; and life in the monasteries, concluding with a “Monastery Day” to experience being monastics silently writing and illuminating manuscripts. The class read A Boy of Old Prague, a work of fiction concerned with peasant and Jewish life in the ghettos. After finishing the book, the girls wrote essays on the book’s lessons on prejudice. Concluding our study of the Middle Ages, the girls investigated cultures that thrived during the same time period outside of Europe and wrote research papers on a number of societies around the world. A study of the Renaissance followed, focusing on the rise of the Italian city-states and the Medicis; humanism; art (especially of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo); scientists; the printing press and other inventions; and the Protestant Reformation. The students researched, wrote a biography, and created a poster on a famous Renaissance person. The Renaissance unit concluded with a test.

After finishing A Boy of Old Prague, the girls split into book groups to read one of four novels all set during the Great Depression. They learned about the Great Depression and, as they read, wrote a variety of reflections in their reading logs, mastered new vocabulary, and discussed the books in their groups.

The trimester’s writing began with the completion of last term’s fiction stories. In addition to the essay on prejudice, the girls wrote a tour of a medieval monastery and a diary of a monk in connection to studying life in the monasteries; expository paragraphs; a book for a Burke’s kindergartener; the

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6th Grade Humanities Continued paper on medieval societies outside of Europe; and the biography of a Renaissance person. Through paragraph and essay writing, they were introduced to the essay form, with an emphasis on precise word choice and using specific examples to support assertions. In a unit on poetry, students read and wrote a number of different kinds of poems.

In English, we covered adverbs, pronouns, and prepositions, and studied Latin and Greek roots. We reviewed commas and apostrophe usage with singular and plural possessives.

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6th Grade Mandarin Fall Snapshot The sixth-grade Mandarin class started the year reviewing and studying common classroom and daily expressions that enable students to speak mainly Mandarin in class. We then began a review of previously studied material. Each student wrote and memorized a speech about her family, using all the information she had learned to describe each family member, and then gave an oral presentation in class accompanied by a visual component. During this trimester, students also learned time expressions, describing activities one does at different times, inviting friends and making plans. The girls also created skits which they will memorize, act out, videotape, and edit in iMovie.

Winter Snapshot During this trimester, the sixth-grade Mandarin course covered the following topics: time expressions, daily activities, and school subjects. Students learned to describe the activities that they do in a day and to express what school subject they have during each class period. Culturally, we reviewed the Chinese zodiac animals and learned more Spring Festival-related vocabulary and expressions.

For projects, students worked in groups and created skits about inviting people to parties or restaurants. Each student wrote a long essay about one typical school day, took pictures of her activities, and made an iMovie. The girls also learned a pop song with many new vocabulary words, created a music video, and presented it at the Upper School Assembly!

Spring Snapshot During the third trimester, the sixth-grade Mandarin class focused on learning about hobbies, clothing, and accessories. Students learned how to speak about the many hobbies that they have and to correctly ask and answer questions about when, where, with whom, how frequently, for how long, and how well one does a certain activity. Students then learned how to describe the clothes and accessories that people wear, using different measure words and colors.

In grammar, we focused on learning and practicing the usage of different verb tenses, specifically the simple present tense, present continuous tense, simple future tense, simple past tense, and present perfect tense.

The main project for this trimester was an essay about hobbies followed by an oral presentation in class.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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6th Grade Mathematics Fall Snapshot Students began the year with Jo Boaler’s Week of Inspirational Math. Through short videos and lowfloor, high-ceiling tasks, students learned important growth mindset messages encouraging them to persist with open-ended problems, embrace mistakes and challenges, and think visually.

During the Algebra unit, students learned to represent unknown numbers with variables. They learned to write algebraic expressions to express the relationship between two quantities and create a pictorial representation thereof using a bar model. They also evaluated algebraic expressions by substituting numerical values for the variable. Students went on to extend their understanding of algebraic expressions to algebraic equations with up to three variables and solved equations using the bar model and applying the four basic operations. Students also learned to use graphs to show relationships described by algebraic expressions and used a graphical method to solve linear equations, such as when they found the epicenter of an earthquake. After learning how to plot points in a coordinate grid, students created Cartesian Cartoons which their peers re-created by following their generated list of coordinates.

As an introduction to our Fractions and Decimals unit, we solved problems involving prime numbers, prime factorization, greatest common factor, and least common multiple. Students reviewed the relationships between fractions, decimals, and percents. They drew upon their knowledge of landmark percents to rewrite a fraction as a decimal and vice versa. Students went on to learn about negative and positive rational numbers, both in fraction and decimal forms, and compared rational numbers using concrete and pictorial representations such as the vertical and horizontal number lines.

Students created personal timelines using negative integers to represent events that occurred before they were born and positive integers to represent events that occurred after they were born. They concluded the unit by surveying their classmates and making circle graphs of their responses.

During the Operations of Fractions unit, students extended their understanding of fractions to solve word problems involving operations with fractions or mixed numbers with unlike denominators. Each student created her own Magic Square so that each row, column, and diagonal added up to the same mixed number.

Winter Snapshot We began this trimester by exploring and learning how to use landmark percents such as 1%, 10%, 25%, and 50% to mentally calculate the percent of a number. We built upon our experience with bar models to find the percent of a number and solve percent word problems using bar models. We calculated P.E. fitness goals using the percent change formula. We pretended the classroom was on sale and calculated the discounted prices and sales tax of many items around the classroom. We also learned how to use a bar model to calculate the base price when the discount rate, or the tax rate, and the total amount were given.

For our Hour of Code project, we used coding to produce visual art pieces with a winter theme. During our Ratio and Proportion unit, we learned to compare up to three quantities and to write ratios in simplest form. We practiced drawing bar models to solve word problems with up to three quantities.

We also learned how to set up a proportion and solve it by using either the cross-product method or the equivalent fraction method. We compared the per-ounce and per-serving sugar content of Page 98

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6th Grade Mathematics Continued beverages in order to make healthy choices. We examined the per-serving information on food labels to estimate the recommended daily allowances. We applied what we had learned about ratios and proportions to convert customary units of measure. We also used proportional reasoning to compare the quantities of the same ingredients in two chocolate chip cookie recipes.

During the Rate and Speed unit, we explored different strategies for solving rate problems such as using the unit rate to solve for any amount or solving a proportion. We solved problems that involved constant and variable rates, and we applied our knowledge of rate to solve speed, time, and distance problems. We learned how to set up a proportion when solving for a given time or distance and knowing the speed. We also learned how to interpret and apply the average speed to solve real-life applications. We applied our knowledge about distance, speed, and time in planning around-the-world trips.

Spring Snapshot During the Geometry unit, we explored the relationship between the circumference of a circle and its diameter and learned that this ratio is called π;, approximately 3.14. We also learned that the equivalent fraction to 3.14 is 22/7. We learned to recognize when it made more sense to use 22/7 instead of 3.14 for π. We practiced visually breaking up a circle into quarter-circles or repositioning quarter-circles when finding the area and perimeter of complex figures. We recreated our own versions of Michael Osborne’s Love Stamp design by using a protractor, ruler, and compass. We then found the perimeters and areas of various regions of the stamp.

In the Volume of Prisms and Cylinders unit, we learned how to differentiate between a rectangular prism, a cube, and a triangular prism. We learned that the volume, which is the capacity of a 3-D solid, is calculated by finding the area of the base and multiplying it by the height of the prism, which is the distance between the two parallel faces in a given prism. We also learned that the volume of a triangular prism is half the volume of a rectangular prism because the area of a triangle is half the area of a rectangle, and that the volume of the cylinder is found by multiplying the area of the circular base by the height of the figure. We applied this knowledge to find the volume of composite figures comprised of prisms and cylinders.

In the Angles unit, we learned to identify adjacent angles, vertically opposite angles, and angles at a point. We also learned the properties of supplementary and complementary angles. We learned to classify triangles by their sides and angles. We solved problems to find missing angles and created angle puzzles for our classmates to solve.

In the Construction of Triangles and Quadrilaterals unit, we looked at the properties of triangles and quadrilaterals. We learned how to use a ruler, a protractor, and a set square to construct triangles and quadrilaterals given information regarding their angles and sides.

In the Data Handling and Analysis unit, we learned the difference between measuring a population and taking a sample, and we identified the difference between convenient and random sampling methods. We learned how to construct line plots to organize data in a visual way. We collected data

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6th Grade Mathematics Continued from our class and represented them with “mystery line plots.” Based on the characteristics of each plot, we matched each line plot with its proper description. We learned to compute and solve problems involving the mean, median, mode, and range of a data set. We also learned about the effect of outliers on the mean and median in a set of data.

In our Probability unit, we played games to record the experimental probability of events. We created “mystery spinners” that could be solved by using probability clues. We learned how to compute the theoretical probability of simple events and independent events. We also created probability games of our own and proved their fairness or unfairness using a sample space of outcomes.

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6th Grade Music Fall Snapshot The curricular emphasis in sixth-grade music is on the development and refinement of skills of creative expression through movement, voice, and composition. A collaborative project in music and drama classes in the fall is based on the exploration of the characters and themes of Melodrama. Working in small groups, students create an original melodrama scene and compose a soundtrack using the GarageBand application on the iPad. As part of the ongoing focus on applied performance skills, the girls have begun a series of dance instruction sessions taught by a guest instructor. The instruction includes an overview of the origins and basic fundamentals of ballet, modern, and jazz as well as working on specific choreographed Winter Sing and Cabaret performance pieces.

Winter Snapshot The focus during the Winter trimester was on the preparation of the repertoire for the Upper School Winter Sing and the development of choral performance skills such as poise, stage presence, singing posture, vocal projection, range, proper breath support, tone production, facial expression, body language, and focused eye contact. Students took part in the selection of their repertoire by nominating songs with messages that they felt represented the school’s mission “to educate, encourage, and empower girls.” The girls also worked with a choreographer in preparation for their performance of “Most Girls” and our finale, “How Far I’ll Go.” Watching the video of the Winter Sing, the girls completed a performance skills rubric to identify personal areas of strength and areas for continued growth.

Spring Snapshot The primary focus during the Spring trimester was on final preparations for the Cabaret. The music and drama teachers direct this arts performance project in collaboration with a guest choreographer.

Working in small ensemble groups, students are guided through the process of selecting a song and integrating the elements of vocal performance, choreography, character development, and staging in the creation of their final presentation. Students watched the video of their performance and completed a performance skills rubric to identify personal areas of strength and areas for continued growth. The school year culminated with practicing the Burke’s Pledge, Upper School Song, and SixthGrade Reflection for the Pansy Day ceremony.

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6th Grade Physical Education Fall Snapshot With Mr. Hetzel, students took their first fitness tests for the year and recorded their efforts on their own Schoology pages for reference. Students ran a 50-yard sprint on the grass, jumped as high as they could reach on a vertical jump tester, chose a personalized flexibility exercise to work on, and chose to do either sit-ups or crunches for one minute. These fitness results serve as a baseline to improve on over the year. Students learned transferrable skills such as throwing and catching both a softball and a disc (Frisbee) with a focus on reinforcing learning across units and gaining more autonomous control over skill development, as well as on identifying movements and alignment of the body that require adjustments in order to throw in a more fluid and effective manner. Activities in both units included throwing individually, in pairs, and in groups. Students also participated in challenges for accuracy, distance, and coordinating throwing for timing the catch and aiming at a moving target in large and small groups as well as individually. Students developed the best grip for throwing a disc backhand and forehand and practiced switching grips quickly and pivoting back and forth between them.

Students also practiced the three catching techniques depending on level of the catch: “hamburger,” “alligator,” and “texting.” In softball, they continued to identify and refine the proper mechanics of throwing, catching, and batting. Good form was emphasized and transferable skills were recognized, reinforced, and consciously practiced. Through “EPIC” (Engaged Play Inspiring Creativity) activities, students created unique games that they then taught to another small group for fun, for feedback toward improving their game concept, and to practice communication and organization skills. The EPIC learning model also helps to develop the social-emotional skills necessary to express ideas and needs in an assertive manner that respects the process of collaboration with its inevitable conflicts and resolutions.

In the volleyball unit with Ms. Bryant, we reviewed, practiced, and further developed a variety of the basic skills and strategies of volleyball. The volleyball skills focused on and assessed at the sixth-grade level include overhand serving motion from 20 feet with a Volley-Lite, tracking the ball and positioning yourself correctly in relation to its flight, and playing a forearm pass to a target. A written quiz allowed the girls to demonstrate where they are with understanding the techniques and tactics covered.

Following their assessment, the girls filled out a self-assessment checklist ranking their progress on each skill and had the opportunity to reflect on where they had made the most progress and what remained a challenge for them. The proficiency levels (Emerging, Developing, Proficient, and Mastery) were explained in student-friendly language on their self-assessment.

Fitness exercises in each P.E. class for sixth grade include active and passive stretching; agility, balance, and coordination exercises; abdominal and upper/lower body strength exercises; and daily running.

Winter Snapshot With Mr. Hetzel, students increased the application of transferable skills to movement forms as applied to fitness activities, lacrosse, locomotion, stretching, softball, soccer, and disc. Students were assessed as they demonstrated the use of transferable skills across diverse movement forms by filming each other and identifying those skills in the act of using them. By freezing their motion using video, photos, specialized apps, and other technology, students were able to then draw on those images with arrows and labels to show lines of force, movement, and resulting effects and to explain Page 102

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6th Grade Physical Education Continued how each of the skills was being demonstrated at that moment in time. Fitness exercises were woven into the fabric of each class around warm-up and stretching activities. EPIC games were created by students to develop and demonstrate specific skills related to the units that they were studying.

With Ms. Bryant, we completed the badminton unit and are progressing through the basketball unit. A variety of the basic skills and strategies have been reviewed, practiced, and further developed in each unit. The badminton skills focused on and assessed for sixth grade are long service mechanics, correct overhand clear motion, and underhand lift motion. The girls also worked with a variety of partners to maintain a rally for as long as possible and counted their hits to try to beat their personal records. We ended the unit with the challenge to reach the target of 50 in a row with as many different partners as possible. The levels progressing through Emerging, Developing, Proficient, and Mastery were explained in student-friendly language as in the previous unit.

Spring Snapshot We completed the basketball unit this trimester, reviewing, practicing, and further developing a variety of the basic skills first introduced last year. The basketball skills focused on and assessed were ball handling skills, passing technique unopposed, and basic shot mechanics from close range. In the flag football unit, a variety of the basic skills and strategies were also reviewed, practiced, and further developed. The flag football skills assessed were the center-quarterback exchange (snap), running with the football and trying to avoid the tackle, and passing and catching (while stationary). We also had fun breaking out touchdown dances and celebrating our scores in style. Following their assessment in both units, the girls filled out a self-assessment checklist ranking their progress on each skill and had the opportunity to reflect on where they had made the most progress and what remained a challenge for them. The levels progressing through Emerging, Developing, Proficient, and Mastery were explained in student-friendly language for their self-assessment. Cognitive tests at the end of each of these units allowed the students to demonstrate their knowledge of basic rules and important points of technique.

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6th Grade Science Fall Snapshot Sixth-grade work this trimester focused on exploring the processes and skills that scientists use to understand the world: lab safety, developing testable questions, making well-reasoned predictions, making qualitative and quantitative observations, collecting data, and communicating results with detail and clarity.

As a bridge to our outdoor education experience, students explored solar energy, heat transfer, and the differences between weather and climate. Included in this lesson were the following topics: radiation, conduction, convection, factors that create wind, the water cycle, worldwide rainfall and precipitation trends, air pollution, and the greenhouse gas effect.

The trimester culminated in a design engineering challenge. Students examined how heat gets transferred by conduction, convection, and radiation through a series of hands-on investigations and demonstrations and applied that knowledge to the Solar Oven Design and Build Project. Students applied their understanding of these topics in an engineering-design challenge: building a solar oven.

Their objective was to design and build a solar oven that would successfully melt the chocolate and marshmallow of a s’more.

Winter Snapshot A major focus of the second trimester was the Toshiba ExploraVision competition, a project that integrated science content, technology skills, and principles of engineering. Working in groups, students engaged in the “design thinking” process, envisioning their chosen technology 20 years into the future, articulating the breakthroughs that would need to happen to make their technology a reality, and exploring both the positive and negative consequences of their invention. From prototyping to presentation skills, the ExploraVision project challenged students to think critically while engaging them in cutting-edge science. Students’ final papers communicated the technology that they had created, along with past and present technologies that informed their ideas, breakthroughs required to make their technology a reality, and potential consequences of their inventions. As a collaboration with HEART class, students designed prototypes of their innovations using TinkerCad and 3-D printing and embarked on creating story arcs for their upcoming TreeTalks (TedTalks).

As a part of our exploration of earth science and a bridge to our outdoor education experience, students explored the atmosphere. Included in this unit were the following topics: layers and gas content of the atmosphere, factors that create wind, the water cycle, worldwide rainfall and precipitation trends, the greenhouse effect, characteristics of biomes, and indoor and outdoor air pollution. Students explored these topics through demos, played interactive computer games, drew maps, and created air pollution sensors using simple circuits to collect data for analysis.

Spring Snapshot Sixth-grade science finished the year exploring how the physical factors from the beginning of the year influence climate change and how climate change and human activities affect different biomes. First, students reviewed the following topics: Heat Transfer, Earth’s Energy Budget, Climate vs. Weather, What is Wind?, and the Greenhouse Effect. Then, they took a deep dive into what constitutes a biome,

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6th Grade Science Continued the Carbon Cycle, Climate Change, and how the different biomes around the world are affected by direct and indirect human impacts.

As a way to continue scaffolding students in finding their science voice and bringing detail to their argument, sixth grade learned some design and storytelling techniques for communicating science to a lay audience. As an ExploraVision extension and in collaboration with HEART class, students shifted from sharing an engineering paper with engineering peers to sharing work with a lay crowd.

We created TreeTalks in a TedTalk format. Students learned five different storytelling structures and adapted their ExploraVision project “story” to one of these. The sharing process culminated in a videotaped TreeTalk, where students gave oral presentations in their ExploraVision groups. Students also made infographics to communicate the indirect and direct human effects on biomes. They explored color theory, infographic layout, and font style to enhance the scientific information that they presented in their graphical stories.

In the final weeks of school, sixth graders used what they learned about climate change to engage in a role-playing Climate Summit Agreement Game. Eight roles — the U.S., the European Union, China, India, Other Developed Nations, Other Developing Nations, the Fossil Fuel Industry, and Climate Activists — had to engage in an agreement to keep global temperature increase at or below 2 degrees Celsius based on criteria and constraints of their constituents.

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6th Grade Spanish Fall Snapshot This term in sixth-grade Spanish, students have reviewed the sounds of the Spanish alphabet, numbers (0 - 100), and vocabulary that includes daily greetings, days of the week, months and seasons of the year, weather terms, adjectives, and colors. In addition, students have studied the geography of Central and South America. The students have also reviewed the two irregular verbs ser and estar (to be). Cultural topics included a study of La Llorona and the creation of a decorative skull for the Día de los Muertos altar. This term’s projects were the writing of a script of a weather forecast and its dramatic delivery. The four skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading comprehension) have been emphasized throughout the trimester, and quizzes and projects are designed to assess students in these four areas.

Winter Snapshot Students in the sixth grade have completed the first two chapters from their textbook Asi Se Dice.

The main topics covered were telling time, reading school schedules, identifying nationalities, and describing rooms in a house. We have also reviewed the conjugation of the irregular verb tener (to have) along with eight common expressions that combine with the verb. To demonstrate communication skills, students recorded themselves discussing their school schedules and classes and worked in partners to give a virtual tour of their dream house using the verb “hay”( there is/are) to describe the layout and placement of rooms and furniture (casa de los sueños). In another project, the girls created instructional videos in Spanish explaining the use of the possessive adjective. At the end of trimester, the girls are conjugating regular -ar verbs and forming sentences orally and in writing.

Spring Snapshot In the third trimester of sixth-grade Spanish, students have continued their review of several irregular verbs (tener, ser, and ir) and the conjugation of regular -ar verbs. The students have also learned the regular verbs from the second and third groups (-er and -ir). Vocabulary for the term included adverbs of frequency and vocabulary pertaining to school life. The girls learned how to express obligation (tener+ que + infinitive) and practiced by reading, writing and presenting letters in which the girls offered solutions to the “mock problems” of their friends. This trimester’s larger project was the Latina famosa proyecto, for which the students selected a famous Latina from history, researched her life, wrote her biography in Spanish, and created a stop-motion animation of her achievements with a voiceover in Spanish. We ended the year with a brief look at the musical contributions of Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla Perez (1971-1995), reading about her life and viewing the film “Selena.”

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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E FA I R G A T I R E H L C U LT U R A dy of world

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SNAPSHOT OF

SEVENTH GRADE

A glimpse into Seventh Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

7th Grade English Fall Snapshot Students arrived at school on the first day having read the novel Ties that Bind, Ties that Break by Lensey Namioka and tracked three different themes found throughout the book. After rich discussions and brainstorming, students applied the many steps of the writing process to create a formal paragraph response to Ties that Bind based on one of the themes in the novel. They crafted outlines on which they received oral and written feedback, wrote first drafts that also received oral and written feedback, and then handed in a final draft. After reflecting on these first pieces writing, students created an action plan for their next essay.

We then dove into our next unit. Towers Falling focuses on Deja Barnes, a student whose family lives in transitional housing in Brooklyn. Starting at a new school in the fall of 2016 with a sweeping view of where the Twin Towers used to be, Deja learns that she will be embarking on a unit focused on the events of 9/11/01. Through their work in and out of class, she and her classmates learn about being an American, understanding aspects of community, and learning about personal identity and the identity of others. We use this novel as a touchstone in this unit, as the students are also reading nonfiction and watching documentaries and news clips about Islam, homelessness, and the idea of community.

The unit revolves around the following essential questions: “What does it mean to be an American?” and “What is community?” Our guest speaker, Fariha, came to talk with the girls about being a young Muslim woman attending college while working and living in San Francisco. Students wrote prolifically, engaged in discussions, asked questions, read, and began a service-learning project focused on helping homeless families in San Francisco. We will finish out this unit next trimester with another formal writing assignment.

Winter Snapshot As the trimester began, students wrapped up our Towers Falling unit, begun at the end of the first trimester, with a literary essay based on “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus. The poem deeply explores our essential questions: “What does it mean to be an American?” and “What is community?” as well as ties to many aspects of the novel. As the poem is related to the themes, essential questions, and ideas in the book Towers Falling but is also a different piece of literature, this assignment allowed students to continue to work on specific writing skills (such as crafting a topic sentence, context, and literary analysis) and to practice transferring those skills to a more novel setting.

We then moved into an in-depth grammar unit called The P[Arts] of Speech. Through the use of paintings and collage, students explored the parts of speech and their specific uses. We engaged in many activities and practices, students took quizzes, and the unit ended with The P[Arts] of Speech Song or Story, a project in which students were put into small groups, each focusing on one of the parts of speech. Through research and discussion, each group crafted an original song or story that showcased the definition, uses, and examples of their part of speech. They were incredibly fun and original. Finally, all students wrote an in-depth reflection on the unit.

We then continued our work on reading comprehension and analysis begun in the first trimester with the historical fiction novel Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth. We began the unit by defining the terms “culture” and “cultural responsivity” to help us approach a novel based in a setting different from our own. Through our reading, students are exploring the events of 1918-1919 India, including World War I and Gandhi’s independence movement, to look at the cultural and historical aspects of the novel. The Page 108

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7th Grade English Continued final lens through which students analyze the book is characterization; students dove into different personality/character traits of the main characters and used textual evidence to support their findings.

Throughout the unit, students kept journals that housed their work and dabbled in creative writing in the voices of the characters. Students continued to develop their ability to craft thesis statements and topic sentences, develop context for textual evidence, and analyze the text to support their theses; this work will continue in the final trimester as well.

To end our trimester, we circled back to Towers Falling, launching the drive phase of the servicelearning aspect of the unit. Through student-led assembly presentations, creative posters, and verbal reminders, the seventh grade organized a drive for toiletries and personal hygiene items to benefit both Hamilton Families and Compass Family Services, two San Francisco-based organizations combating family homelessness in the city. The drive was a resounding success, and the girls should be proud of supporting our local community.

Spring Snapshot We completed the second trimester continuing our work with the historical fiction novel Keeping Corner

by Kashmira Sheth. The final lens through which students analyzed the book was characterization; students explored different personality/character traits of the main characters and used textual evidence to support their findings. Throughout the unit, students kept journals that housed their work, showcased their understanding of figurative language through small group simile analysis and illustrations, and wrote thoughtful literary essays on personality traits of one character in Keeping Corner. In these essays, students continued to develop their ability to craft topic sentences, develop context for textual evidence, and analyze the text. They also wrote their first thesis statements for this essay, which were supported by both of their body paragraphs.

In the last few weeks of the trimester, the class broke into five different book groups, each exploring a different culture or historical period. The book choices were The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, Red Scarf Girl by Ji Li Jiang, A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass, and The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. These novels focus on a variety of themes including cultural clashes, civil rights/social justice, coming of age, and identity. As students progressed through their novels, they met regularly with their book group to share their thoughts through written letters, discussion questions, and illustrations. Through teacher-directed instruction and individual in-class writes, students furthered their critical-thinking skills and ability to go beneath the surface in literature, and put the results of this work into writing. Our year-long focus on literary writing has led up to two one-draft in-class writes. These assignments allow students to independently demonstrate their ability to incorporate all aspects of a body paragraph. In eighth grade next year, students will continue to hone their literary writing skills. With this in mind, we emphasize that students should be patient with their learning process, as it takes much time and practice to become proficient in writing skills.

This trimester, each student selected a book of her choice to read and focus on for her Independent Reading Project (IRP). Over a seven-week time period during which students managed their own time with four required, written teacher check-ins, they read their books and crafted projects ranging from

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7th Grade English Continued book reviews to comic books, book trailers, original songs, postcards, and scrapbooks and shared them with their classmates during an in-class gallery walk.

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7th Grade French Fall Snapshot We started the year reviewing useful classroom expressions that enable students to speak only French in class. We then began a major review of the French sound system, the alphabet, and the numbers from 1-100. Students learned how to write down French phone numbers, greet, and hold a quick conversation on the phone. They reviewed how to introduce each other and how to express a large range of nationalities by acting out short skits and writing their own. On a regular basis, we practiced various exercises designed to improve pronunciation and used short dictations to improve spelling.

The students worked on the lyrics (grammar and vocabulary) of a popular French song and had a lot of fun singing it all together. They reviewed the use of pronoms personnels and pronoms toniques and reused what they learned in short skits they created. We also had a wonderful French goûter when students followed simple everyday French recipes and brought home-made tasty desserts to share with the class. We started to create a French recipe booklet to keep a record of our creations.

Winter Snapshot This trimester, we continued our work on pronunciation and the students recorded themselves reading two different texts presenting challenging combinations of sounds. They sharpened their listening skills by taking notes on train numbers and information related to public transportation as a daily ritual at the beginning of class.

The main goal of the trimester was to equip the students with the right tools (vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure) to engage in more meaningful conversations where they can both agree or disagree with another speaker while expressing and contrasting their respective taste.

First, the students learned and applied in diverse activities (exercises, role play, skits) all the rules about negation, how to answer a negative question, and how to reverse negative statements to the positive form and vice versa. They deepened their reading comprehension by listening to the French song “Ces petits riens” by the famous singer Serge Gainsbourg, and then by learning how to infer meaning from the text by answering specific questions. While the students had to reuse what they learned about negative form, it was also an opportunity for them to recognize the importance of the play on words in la chanson française in general and to learn more about French culture.

The students reviewed how to tell the time and learned about the three groups of verbs in French.

Then they learned how to use the correct subject pronouns in conjugating verbs from the first group (-er) related to sports, activities and music. They watched two short videos in which French middleschoolers interviewed each other at school about their tastes in sport and music. It was an opportunity for us to learn more about what music students are listening to these days in France and what sports they enjoy playing. The students learned how to express their own taste by using various degrees of liking and disliking and wrote extensively on their taste and their classmates’ taste.

Their last exciting project was the making of a short video inspired by the filming technique used in “Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain” de J.-P. Jeunet where students had to work with a partner to present each other through their personal list of likes and dislikes.

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7th Grade French Continued Spring Snapshot This trimester, we continued our work on pronunciation and the students recorded themselves reading a longer text presenting new and challenging combinations of sounds. They sharpened their listening skills and their spelling accuracy with longer dictations given at the beginning of the class.

One of the goals of the trimester was to make the students capable of describing a place they could live in, interacting with a guest at home by answering their needs, and talking about the activities one can do at home in an effortless manner.

First, the students learned the vocabulary of the house, watched a few videos about French students touring their homes, and sharpened their comprehension by trying to draw a specific house from a description given. They deepened their reading comprehension by reading various texts presenting ideal houses. Then, the students had to draw their “ideal home,” and from their drawing, they had to write a precise and well-organized description of their house. The students also learned the prepositions of place and the correct sentence structures to write description. The girls worked hard to combine all of the above in their writing and the quality of their expression in the final project was really impressive.

From there, the students wrote skits taking place in their “ideal home” with one student playing the guest and the other one the host. They were able to create very realistic situations and their interactions were less formal and sounded more natural. The students also reused what they had learned previously about how to express their own tastes by using various degrees of liking and disliking.

The students then learned how to use the passé composé to talk about the past. They listened to the famous song “Aux Champs Élysées” and developed the habit of talking about what they did the night before at the beginning of the class. They learned how to conjugate the -er verbs in the passé composé and also discovered why it is a “compound” tense and when to use the auxiliary être instead of avoir.

Their last exciting project was creating French music videos while lip-synching versions of popular French songs.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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7th Grade History Fall Snapshot We spent the trimester working through three major units of study. The first two units were setting the stage for how we view history, and the third was our first look at a specific culture.

The Four Worlds of History: In this unit, we break the world down into political, economic, cultural, and social spheres of influence. This is an exercise in how each of these worlds are interconnected and have an influence over each other.

Nacirema: In this unit, we learn to approach new cultures with an open mind.

Imperial China: In this unit, we study of the cultural, political, social, and economic growth of China’s imperial state throughout the Tang, Song, Yuan (Mongol), and Ming Dynasties.

The goal of these units is that our students will understand the benefits and challenges of coming into contact with foreign cultures, how the world is an interconnected system, and that bias and perspective can influence how we view a culture.

Winter Snapshot During this trimester, we finished our ancient China unit by studying Chinese contributions to world civilization and how these were disseminated via the Silk Road and Indian Ocean trade routes. Next, we learned about the religion and culture of Islam. We studied Islam’s origins, its spread, its Golden Age, and its contributions to world civilization. After studying the origins of Islam, students worked on a document-based question (DBQ) essay based on analysis of a number of primary sources to determine what led to Islam’s rapid rise. In writing this persuasive essay, students had to state a claim, back up that claim with textual evidence, and then explain how the evidence backed up the claim.

Next, students worked on identifying Islamic contributions to world civilization and created models and representations that were incorporated into a mini-museum outside the classroom. Each model/ representation was accompanied by an informational plaque using the DBQ structure to explain the contribution’s purpose and importance. We then studied the events leading up to the Age of Exploration, with the Ottoman Empire’s capture of Constantinople cutting off Europe’s trade with Asia.

Spring Snapshot We began the third trimester by studying the Age of Exploration. After an introduction to the time period, students were divided into groups and assigned a particular culture impacted during this time period. The groups explored and researched their assigned cultures and used their research to write narratives about their assigned cultures and create Google Earth tours, including voice narration and imported text and pictures. Students then explored the various tours completed by their classmates in order to gain a better understanding of the cultural interactions and legacies of the Age. Finally, the girls worked on their Cultural History Projects, each exploring her family’s unique past.

Over the course of six weeks of research and fabrication, students illuminated their relatives’ histories and brought their stories to life for the extended Burke’s community. This project entailed research, interviews, story-telling, and good old-fashioned maker construction.

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7th Grade Mandarin Fall Snapshot The seventh-grade Mandarin class started the year reviewing and studying common classroom and daily expressions that enable students to speak mainly Mandarin in class. We then focused on studying the following topics: describing different feelings, vocabulary and questions for pen pal letters, and daily and weekend activities. Students learned how to describe hobbies and correctly ask and answer questions about when, with whom, how frequently, and for how long one does certain activities.

Culturally, we dove deeper, reading and learning more about the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese. We also started a pen pal program with the seventh-grade Mandarin students at Cathedral School for Boys.

Winter Snapshot During this trimester, the seventh-grade Mandarin students received their pen-pal letters and wrote their own responses. Students learned a wide range of vocabulary words and expressions from the pen-pal letters. They practiced communicating with peers, orally and in writing, about many different topics and what’s happening in their lives. Students began reading and writing more in characters and continued to work on speaking only Mandarin in class and on improving the length and flow of their sentences.

One main creative project the girls completed was to work in three groups writing and performing skits using as many words and expressions from pen-pal letters as possible. The groups filmed all of their scenes with Green Screen and edited them in iMovie. The girls then presented their productions at the Upper School Assembly.

Spring Snapshot During this trimester, the seventh-grade Mandarin students continued to learn high-frequency vocabulary to communicate with peers, orally, and in writing. Students read and wrote more in characters, applying more complex sentences. In grammar, we continued to practice the usage of verb tenses.

Before and after the seventh-grade outdoor ed trip, students watched one episode of “Peppa Pig” in Mandarin and learned many expressions that describe a school camping trip. Students then chose different roles and made their own version of the episode.

To retain previously learned materials and foster a habit of thinking and using Mandarin regularly, the seventh-grade students started an album project. Students chose pictures that are special to them such as a family photo, a pet, a good friend, a sports team, a favorite childhood toy, a clothing item, a restaurant, a place in the city; described the pictures; and gave an oral presentation in class.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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7th Grade Mathematics Fall Snapshot Students began the year with lessons from Jo Boaler’s Week of Inspirational Math. Through short videos and low-floor, high-ceiling tasks, students learned important growth-mindset messages encouraging them to persist with open-ended problems, embrace mistakes and challenges, and think visually.

During our Probability unit, we explored how to find the number of permutations (ways items could be ordered) and the number of combinations (ways items can be grouped) in various situations. We learned factorial notation and how to simplify and evaluate expressions with factorials. We learned the difference between experimental and theoretical probability. We played games, drew sample spaces and tree diagrams, and calculated probabilities for compound events in order to determine whether the games were fair. We learned the difference between independent and dependent events and how to solve the probabilities for both scenarios. We applied our knowledge of dependent probability to try to understand why we could increase our chances of winning a prize if we “switched doors” in the Monty Hall problem.

During our Factors and Multiples unit, we explored the relationship between factors and multiples of a number and, after reviewing the concept of prime and composite numbers, we found the prime factorization to numbers and used it to find the greatest common factor (GCF) and the least common multiple (LCM) of two or three numbers. We saw how the product of the GCF and LCM of two numbers is equal to the product of the numbers. We created Spirograph designs and found that the number of petals in the design can be found by finding the quotient of the number of inside teeth on the ring, and the GCF of the number of teeth on the ring and the wheel.

Winter Snapshot This trimester, we used prime factorization to write numbers using exponential notation and find their square roots or cubic roots by dividing the exponents by two or three, respectively. Students practiced finding the square or cube of numbers given in exponential notation by doubling or tripling their exponents, respectively. Students also applied their understanding of square roots and cube roots to solving real-life applications such as finding the height of a cube when the volume is given or the side of a square when the area is given.

During our Real Numbers unit, we graphed numbers on the number line and then ordered and compared them. We used a number line and properties of real numbers to perform operations of real numbers. In the -1, 2, -3, 4 Problem of the Week (POW), we wrote and evaluated expressions by following the order of operations.

In our Algebraic Expressions unit,we learned to convert statements given in words into algebraic expressions using variables. We learned to evaluate algebraic expressions and formulas by substituting a constant for the variable. We also practiced writing algebraic expressions to represent real-world situations. We simplified expressions by combining like terms. We created Magic Squares so that the sum of each row, column, and diagonal was equal to the magic sum.

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7th Grade Mathematics Continued Spring Snapshot We started the trimester with our second unit on Algebraic Expressions where we learned how to apply the Distributive Property to expand expressions. We then simplified expressions where applying the Distributive Property and combining like terms were required.

During our Equations unit, we started by solving simple pan balances problems before transitioning to solving one-step algebraic equations using inverse operations. We then solved multistep equations using inverse operations, as well as rational equations where we multiplied both sides by the least common multiple of the denominators to rewrite equations without fractions. We wrote and solved equations to solve word problems, as well as to find the missing angle in a triangle or quadrilateral. We used the properties of complementary, supplementary, and vertical angles to write and solve equations to find missing angles. We wrote an equation to find the percent of a number and solved problems involving discounts and sales tax.

We spent time reviewing all the material covered this year in preparation for a final exam.

We began our Ratios, Rate and Speed unit by simplifying ratios involving two or three quantities.

We simplified ratios involving different units of measure; for example, we changed the ratio 1.5 feet : 20 inches to 18 inches : 20 inches before simplifying to 9 : 10. We solved word problems involving ratios using bar models to help us write algebraic expressions and equations. We calculated average rates and used them to make comparisons, for example, comparing the cost per square foot of an apartment in San Francisco to an apartment in a less expensive area. We solved problems involving distance rate and time and then applied what we had learned to find the average speed of two legs of a journey. We used conversions to change miles per gallon to kilometers per gallon of vice versa, and kilometers per hour to meters per second.

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7th Grade Physical Education Fall Snapshot In the volleyball unit with Ms. Bryant, the basic skills of volleyball were reviewed and new skills were practiced. We started to develop our skills against opposition as well as independent skills.

While a wide variety of game skills were covered, the volleyball skills focused on and assessed in the seventh grade included serving from 30 feet with a regular volleyball and setting and spiking the ball.

Scramble games were introduced briefly as we began to talk about game play. The girls were given the opportunity to watch themselves performing their skills on video and identified areas to improve either independently or with a partner to observe and give them feedback. Just like last year, skills were assessed at one of the following levels — Emerging, Developing, Proficient, or Mastery. A written quiz following the unit gave the girls a chance to demonstrate where they are in understanding the techniques and tactics covered.

With Mr. Hetzel, students took their first fitness tests of the year and recorded their efforts on their own Schoology pages for reference. Students ran a 50-yard sprint on the grass, jumped as high as they could reach on a vertical jump tester, chose a personalized flexibility exercise to work on, and chose to do either sit-ups or crunches for one minute. These fitness results served as a baseline to improve on over the year. Students learned to personally identify transferrable skills in addition to the ones identified in sixth grade for both softball and disc (Frisbee). For instance, the softball throwing motion uses “opposition,” where the throwing arm and the opposite leg move forward in unison, and students transferred this skill to a forehand throw of a disc. Increasing the balance and stability gained with opposition then allows students to manipulate objects with greater ease; for example, to create spin on the object being manipulated for subtle changes in the flight of the object in the air. Assessment for transferable skills will span multiple units and be recorded in the winter report.

Students continued to refine their throwing and catching skills so as to gain more power and accuracy.

Activities included throwing individually, in pairs, and in groups, as well as challenges for accuracy, distance, and coordinating with groups. Students reviewed and practiced the best grips for both backhand and forehand throws as well as switching the grip while pivoting around a stationary object and then around a moving defender. Additional throwing techniques such as the “hammer” throw and the “lawnmower” throw were introduced and encouraged through modified game play. Students also reviewed the three catching techniques to be used according to the level of the catch and began to learn the one-handed catch. Students learned how to curve the disc around a stationary object and how to run patterns for coordinated group movement. Finally, they began mini-games of Ultimate Disc in preparation for next year when they will be engaging in a variety of spirited group challenges.

Through “EPIC” (Engaged Play Inspiring Creativity) activities, students created their own games, which they then played with another group both for fun and to test expected outcomes and practice good communication skills; they then had the opportunity to refine the games based on feedback.

Winter Snapshot This trimester with Ms. Bryant, we completed the badminton unit and are currently progressing through the basketball unit. The sixth-grade skills and strategies were reviewed, practiced, and further developed in both units before additional skills were introduced. As in volleyball, we started to develop skills against opposition as well as independent skills. While a wide variety of badminton skills were covered, those focused on and assessed for seventh grade are the smash, net play, and backhand strokes. We also worked on movement on court and moving an opponent around the court. The girls BURKE’S PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

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7th Grade Physical Education Continued ended the unit with an opportunity to challenge each other and accept challenges and began to learn how game play works in preparation for game play in Challenge PE next year.

With Mr. Hetzel, students refined transferable skills across a variety of applications such as lacrosse, fitness activities, sprinting, softball, soccer, and disc, as well as challenges and modified game situations in which defensive and offensive positions were also introduced and practiced. Using technology, students videotaped themselves to be able to see their own movement, alignment, and skill form while increasing proprioception. Students labeled isolated images with specific transferable skills as part of a self-assessment process. A detailed explanation of each transferable skill was elaborated upon in an effort to articulate the complexities of the skills carried out in the moments caught by the camera. Fitness exercises were incorporated into lessons around warm-up and stretching activities.

Spring Snapshot We finished the basketball unit begun in the second trimester and completed the flag football unit. In each of these units, we reviewed the sixth-grade skills and introduced and practiced new skills, both against opposition as well as independently. While a wide variety of skills were covered, the basketball skills focused on and assessed in seventh grade included finishing on a lay-up from the right and left sides and with a mid-range jump-shot and further developing one’s range of dribbling moves against live defenders. We also looked at defensive positioning and movement concepts. In flag football, the skills assessed were punting, kick-offs, understanding basic pass routes, and passing and receiving while running a pass route. The concepts of pass rush and blocking as well as how to defend a receiver were introduced to lead into game play next year. Cognitive tests at the end of each of these units allowed the students to display their knowledge of strategies and technical aspects of the seventh grade skills.

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7th Grade Public Speaking Fall Snapshot Public Speaking/Writer’s Workshop meets once in each six-day rotation. The goal of this class is to introduce the seventh graders to the challenges and opportunities of public speaking and provide them with time to work on various writing projects. During the course of this school year, each student will select a topic; research, write, and edit her speech; and then deliver her speech at an Upper School assembly.

At the start of the term, we engaged in a number of activities to familiarize the girls with public presentation as well as the importance of listening. We shared memories of the speeches from last year, watched a few TED Talks, and discussed what made them interesting. The students received handouts such as “Elements of an Effective Speech” to provide them with guidance on the process.

The seventh graders also received tips from the current eighth graders, who emphasized how important it was to relax and enjoy the process from start to finish. I also shared a speech I gave last winter with the girls, and then talked about the process I went through and how I figured out what to say and how to say it. The girls were also assigned to watch a TED Talk of their choosing as homework so that they could familiarize themselves with this rich resource.

In our class, the teacher meets with each student regularly in the weeks leading up to her speech. In the first conversation, they discuss topics; in the second conversation, they review her outline. In our third meeting, the teacher reviews the first draft, and in our fourth meeting, they review the second draft and the student reads the speech aloud. In the fifth meeting, two days before the speech, the girls practice in front of their peers and receive constructive feedback based on the performance rubric.

The rest of the class period is devoted to Writer’s Workshop, during which girls work independently on writing assignments for their classes as well as on researching and writing their speeches.

Winter Snapshot Public Speaking/Writer’s Workshop continues to meet once in each six-day rotation. By the end of February, over half the class will have written, practiced, and presented their speeches to the Upper School.

Spring Snapshot Public Speaking/Writer’s Workshop continued to meet once in each six-day rotation. By the beginning of June, all 47 seventh graders had written, practiced, and presented their speeches to the Upper School.

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7th Grade Science Fall Snapshot The Introductory Physical Science (IPS) curriculum that students will be completing over the course of seventh and eighth grades emphasizes three forms of active learning: solving problems, experimenting, and effectively communicating the results of a scientific investigation through writing.

The girls began their study of physical science with a comprehensive lab safety unit and worked with their new learning teams to generate a class contract that set norms for how to ensure constructive participation from everyone. The students then analyzed the precision of most of the measurement tools we will use this year. Students also honed their lab-report writing skills by incorporating peer and teacher feedback into the second draft of their second lab report. The Upper School Counselor joined the class for a month-long unit entitled “Full of Ourselves,” a wellness curriculum with the goal of building positive self-image, self-advocacy, and self-care skills. For the culminating project in this unit, each student wrote a letter to an organization advocating for better empowerment of women.

Winter Snapshot After finishing the “Full of Ourselves” unit at the end of the first trimester, we returned to our study of chemistry. This trimester, we emphasized reading measurement tools to the correct level of precision. Students practiced finding the volume of square and rectangular solids using rulers and of irregular solids using the water-displacement method in graduated cylinders. Practicing using singlepan triple-beam balances to measure mass gave students an appreciation for electronic balances.

Students learned to pool grade-wide data to design histograms of the appropriate scale in order to be more confident in their results. Analyzing these histograms to make meaning out of the results of our experiments was perhaps the most challenging skill we built this trimester. We performed a series of six experiments that taught us that, while volume can change dramatically, mass can neither be created nor destroyed within a closed system. We then merged our study of volume and mass by introducing the concept of density. Finally, we practiced following the rules of significant figures when multiplying and dividing measured quantities.

Spring Snapshot Having practiced the measurement of mass and volume exhaustively during the second trimester, students began their study of “characteristic properties,” physical or chemical attributes that remain the same regardless of the mass, volume, or shape of any pure substance. These characteristics include density, melting temperature, boiling temperature, flammability, and solubility in water.

Students analyzed histograms of grade-wide data in order to support their ideas and now have five useful tools with which to distinguish between similar pure substances. When three or more of these tools are combined, students should be able to identify which specific substance they have encountered.

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7th Grade Spanish Fall Snapshot The students began this first trimester reviewing basic concepts from sixth grade such as regular verb conjugation. They learned to tell time and discuss personal schedules. They have also have completed chapter four in our new program, Asi Se Dice, focused on describing meals. To demonstrate their communication skills, the girls researched and presented in Spanish about typical meals in Spanishspeaking countries and compared Latin American diets with their own eating habits. The girls have learned the construction acabar + de + infinitive to express the immediate past and ir + a + infinitive to express the immediate future. To show their cultural understanding of Dia de los Muertos ( Day of the Dead), the girls the girls have created colorful scenes using clay skeletons (calacas) using traditional methods and inspiration from Mexican art.

There have been several quizzes and one major chapter test in Spanish. The girls have demonstrated their proficiency by presenting to the class, answering questions, and performing short skits using specific vocabulary and grammar. The girls work on listening comprehension skills using their access to the online activities of Asi Se Dice as well as by completing assignments from their accounts with Señor Wooly, an Internet site providing music videos as a means to teach grammar and vocabulary.

The girls continue to work on the goal of speaking only Spanish in class.

Winter Snapshot This second trimester in Spanish, students have studied the constructs acabar + de + infinitive to express the immediate past and ir + a + infinitive to express the immediate future. The girls have also learned and practiced using the progressive tense. Other grammar has focused on the uses of the verbs to want, querer, and to be able to, poder, allowing students to express wants and needs and to make and decline invitations. We have also studied vocabulary related to emotions, places in a city, and prepositions of place. Class activities included skits demonstrating the ability to make plans, give advice, and ask directions. Other projects and activities included a movie on New Year’s resolutions, a student-created scavenger hunt, and a presentation of an imaginary city. We continue to work on the goal of expressing ourselves completely in Spanish during class.

Spring Snapshot This trimester, students continued their study of irregular stem-changing verbs as well as constructions that use the infinitive form of the verb. Students also studied the difference between the uses of two verbs for “to know” (saber and conocer), and they learned the uses and placement of the direct object pronoun. They also wrote and performed a mock interview with a famous person as a way to demonstrate their ability to ask and answer complex questions. Towards the end of the trimester, the students completed the restaurant project, working in teams to design and put together proposals for a new restaurant with a Latin theme. The restaurants were judged on seven categories: menu, ambience, chefs, specialties of the house, uniforms, place settings, and sustainability, and the students presented all of the details in Spanish. The proposals were “judged” by a group of Spanishspeaking faculty and students. There were also three formal assessments on grammatical concepts and vocabulary, including a final test on all of the irregular verbs we have learned this year.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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7th Grade Study Skills Fall Snapshot This trimester, class time in Study Skills was dedicated to giving students the opportunity to complete assignments, revise drafts, and study for tests. Students also continued studying Greek and Latin roots.

Winter Snapshot This trimester, class time in Study Skills was dedicated to giving students the opportunity to complete assignments, revise drafts, and study for tests. Students also continued studying Greek and Latin roots.

Spring Snapshot This trimester, class time in Study Skills was dedicated to giving students the opportunity to complete assignments, revise drafts, and study for tests. We also discussed time management strategies and how to effectively manage long-term projects. Last, we orally practiced summarizing fiction and nonfiction texts to better understand key points and new vocabulary.

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7th Grade Visual and Performing Arts Advanced Vocal Ensemble The focus of the seventh-grade Advanced Vocal Ensemble is on the development and refinement of a repertoire of unison and two- and three-part arrangements, with special emphasis on balanced ensemble singing. Vocal technique exercises are practiced to further develop each student’s vocal range, proper breath support, and tone production. Students took an active part in the process of choosing their repertoire. Performances included singing for the Lower School Assembly and our Spring Vocal Spotlight concert .

Art The Visual Arts program connects art with the world around us. It opens a world beyond textbooks for students to explore and builds a foundation for creative thinking. Students are encouraged to explore new techniques, seek deeper meaning out of their art practice, and establish a personal approach to their work. We also explore how the arts can cross disciplines to create an exciting statement and portfolio of work.

Students in the seventh grade have the opportunity to choose the medium in which they will work during their Art rotation. Choices include paper-quilling, ceramics, clay hand-building, painting, plein air watercolor and pastels, papier mâché mask-making, sculpture, hand-sewing textile work, basket weaving, encaustic painting, and drawing.

This year, each student will create an online digital portfolio featuring the work during her time in Visual Arts as well as a reflection on each piece of art submitted. As a class we also discuss appropriate art studio etiquette and maintenance, as well as polite and respectful ways to comment on others’ work during critique time.

Seventh-grade artwork will be displayed during the Arts Festival in May.

Creative Writing This spring elective term was short but full of laughter and love of story and language. Students began classes with short creative prompts/brain warmers and then proceeded to participate in a Writer’s Workshop followed by individual writing time. The writing workshop was part of an ongoing feedback process where students were asked to be open to hearing constructive criticism and having conversations about how to become better writers. They began their ambitious projects with the hope they continue their work beyond class.

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7th Grade Visual and Performing Arts Continued Glee The focus of seventh-grade Glee is on developing a repertoire of two- and three-part vocal arrangements with a special interest in choreographed show choir selections. Our rehearsal process focuses on the development and practice of choral performance skills such as poise and stage presence, singing posture, vocal projection, range, proper breath support, tone production, facial expression, and body language. Performances included the traditional singing of the “Carol of the Bells” with members of the faculty for the Upper School Winter Holiday Assembly and the Upper School Winter Sing. Students were actively involved in the process of choosing their performance repertoire. The girls also worked with a choreographer in preparation of their performance of “Never Say Never” and our Winter Sing finale, “How Far I’ll Go.”

Music Studio A primary goal of the Upper School music curriculum is to broaden each student’s musical understanding and appreciation for the creative process. In Music Studio, each student is given the opportunity to explore her process of artistic expression as a musician, arranger, and composer.

The focus of the class is on exploring the relationship between music and film. Utilizing iMovie and GarageBand, students explore the process of developing a story with picture and sound by creating an original film trailer.

Photography In Photography class, students learned how to operate a digital single-lens reflex camera and adjust its settings manually. Students explore composition by experimenting with focus, motion, angles, cropping, lighting, subject matter, and so on. Students also learned how to enhance their photographs on the computer and to optimize them for printing. We look at and respond to famous photographs as an exposure to historical photography and to familiarize ourselves with a visual vocabulary and language. This practice helps us to discuss and analyze our own work as well as the work of other photographers. Our class culminated with the construction of an accordion-folded portfolio to exhibit a collection of edited photographs.

Play Production Upper School Drama classes provide opportunities to develop self-esteem and self-confidence through skill-building exercises involving the body, voice, and imagination. In addition to being an outlet for self-expression, drama class provides a safe environment to explore emotions, as well as the opportunity to increase self-awareness, self-discipline, and skills of observation and listening, both in partner and group contexts. All classes begin with warm-up exercises to bring awareness to the body and voice and to increase focus and concentration. Students then move on to various improvisations and/or scene work.

Seventh-grade students choose either Theater Exercises and Improvisation, Play Production, or Scene Study. This fall, the Play Production class gave students the opportunity to read, rehearse, and

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7th Grade Visual and Performing Arts Continued perform three full-length plays: Middle Class by Brad Slaight, Bodies by Linda Dougherty, and Hoodie by Lindsey Price. Scenes from these plays were performed on the last day of class for an audience of other seventh-grade Arts students.

Sewing Students have learned the basics of hand and machine stitching and the use of a variety of sewing tools. They have designed and sewn a reversible bag, with emphasis placed on measurement.

Students have learned how to sew a pocket, “box” the corners of their bag, top stitch, and sew straps.

Theater Exercises The seventh-grade Improvisation elective class provides opportunities to develop self-esteem and self-confidence through skill-building exercises involving the body, voice, and imagination. In addition to being an outlet for self-expression, Improvisation class provides a safe environment to explore emotions as well as the opportunity to increase self-awareness, self-discipline, and skills of observation and listening, both in partner and group contexts.

All classes begin with warm-up exercises to bring awareness to the body and voice and increase focus and concentration, as well as to wake up the imagination. Students then move on to various improvisations and scene work. This work is oriented both toward introducing and developing acting skills with an emphasis on spontaneity, focus and concentration, and toward the development of individual as well as group trust.

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TA K I N G C E N T E R S TA G E Eighth gra

ders perform on stage, create costumes and se ts, and work be hind the scenes to produce the annual eighth-g rade musical.

SNAPSHOT OF

EIGHTH GRADE

A glimpse into Eighth Grade at Burke’s through the 2017-2018 report cards.

8th Grade English Fall Snapshot Students arrived to English class on the first day of school having completed a summer reading assignment — a selection of novels that took place during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and one of their choosing. We began the school year with small group discussions about these novels and spent much time talking about and finding examples of themes, including injustice and resilience.

Using textual evidence and the skills they had begun to hone in the seventh grade, students crafted what was essentially an analytical body paragraph.

Students then embarked on reading The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. The essential question for the year is “What does it mean to be human during times of injustice and hardship?” To begin the unit, we familiarized ourselves with life in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, including information about the Nazi rise to power and a role-playing exercise using primary source documents from post-WWI Germany. We studied the circumstances that gave rise to Nazi propaganda and its hold on people’s fear and insecurity about their futures. We then contextualized where Anne Frank and her family were during these turbulent and horrific times.

The students learned critical-reading signposts to help them develop their annotation skills while reading more complex texts. For many, this is a new step in engaging with a text, and the signposts are tools to help them stop and think about what they are reading. Using signposts, students developed a more in-depth level of thinking and processing about the events in Anne’s life. The contrasts and the contradictions that pervaded her life in the Secret Annex, the tough questions she wrestled with while realizing the horrors of the Holocaust, and the many moments she had to reflect and think back on her place in the confusing world of adults were all lenses through which the students examined the book in class. They had their first Fishbowl Socratic Seminar to discuss as a group what they noticed and what they saw beyond the text. This student-led discussion brought out their strengths as discussion participants and helped them talk out their ideas for the essay they will be crafting in the second trimester.

To cap off the unit, we had the honor of hosting a guest speaker who survived the Holocaust as a young person.

Winter Snapshot This year we are reading, questioning, thinking about, and analyzing various kinds of literature revolving around the essential questions, “What does it mean to be human during times of injustice and hardship?” “What are ways that we as human beings can be upstanders and allies?” Through the lens of these questions during the winter trimester, students embarked on studying, reading, and writing their own Shakespearean sonnets as well as digging into the tragic play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

Students continued their growth as analytic writers and deepened their understanding of themes, symbols, and looking at literature as critical commentary of the world around them. They again used Reading Signposts to focus their reading and critical-thinking skills to better articulate what they thought the play was reflecting about human nature and how the poetic sonnet form helped Shakespearean language find relevance in the world today. Students discussed the play through the

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8th Grade English Continued lenses of social class, gender, and power, and they began to craft their arguments for their final Romeo and Juliet essay.

Spring Snapshot This year, we have been reading, questioning, thinking about, and analyzing various kinds of literature revolving around the essential questions, “What does it mean to be human during times of injustice and hardship?” and “What are ways that we as human beings can be upstanders and allies?” Through the lens of these questions during the spring trimester, students embarked on studying and reading Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky. They then wrote a persuasive letter based on the research they conducted and aimed at informing and effecting change in the world.

Students continued their growth as analytic writers and deepened their understanding of themes, symbols, and looking at literature as critical commentary of the world around them. They again used Reading Signposts to focus their reading and critical thinking skills to better articulate more meaningful connections of the themes of the book to the world around them. They led and spoke in many fishbowl Socratic seminars and learned to ask probing questions.

Finally, students embarked on research on transgender rights sparked by the reading of Gracefully Grayson, and they also read various articles, watched documentaries, and listened to Rae Sweet, LGBTQ+ activist and transgender speaker. Armed with this research about transgender rights and issues both at Burke’s and in the U.S., students selected an audience for their persuasive techniques.

They learned to create a comprehensive works cited page and how to juggle multiple non-fiction sources both in print and online.

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8th Grade French Fall Snapshot We began the year with a major review of the French sound system, the numbers from 1-100, and the vocabulary needed to speak only in French during class. The students reviewed how to hold a short conversation on the phone. They discovered typical French expressions associated with body language.

They dug deeper into French culture by watching a short commercial that encompassed boys’ and girls’ relationships, fresh produce, and the importance of cooking in France. Not only did the students review the vocabulary associated with cooking, but also they learned how to summarize a story and improved their writing skills by trying to write longer sentences to be more specific. They worked on reusing specific vocabulary and conjugating the -er verbs correctly. The students made their own mousses au chocolat following the steps of a French recipe and brought their tasty desserts to share with the class.

The students worked in pairs on an audio book project where they had to record themselves reading a children’s book. The videos will be available in the library as a legacy from the eighth graders to their younger fellow French learners. This project involved mastering the pronunciation and the prosody, researching vocabulary to understand the content, and acting out characters in a way that showed a clear understanding of the story. The students also discovered two past tenses specific to literature and realized how written and oral production are two very different systems in French. We then moved on to review the specific content covered in seventh grade related to time, weather, preferences, and activities.

Students have gradually improved their confidence and ability in French and are to be commended for their excellent work on the audio book project!

Winter Snapshot At the beginning of the second trimester, we focused on special uses of irregular verbs and vocabulary related to daily activities at home. The students learned how to use reflexive verbs in the present tense to describe daily routines, and then we moved on to a review of the near future to express upcoming projects.

From there, the students focused extensively on city life in France. First, they learned vocabulary needed to take public transportation. We talked about the history and layout of Paris, interesting places to visit, and Paris transportation. The students then learned how to use the Paris metro system and were able to explain, in French, how they would get from one location to another from looking at a map. We then immersed in an exciting project in which students had to design with a partner a weekend in either Toulouse, Marseille, or Lyon (three of the biggest cities in France). Not only did they have to find where to sleep, where to eat, what to eat and how to go from one place to another by doing research on French websites, but also they had to stick to a budget. They designed beautiful presentations that they shared in class and made all of us very eager to visit any of these places for real.

In addition to learning irregular verbs, the students reviewed the past tense, the passé composé, of regular verbs and irregular verbs. At the end of the trimester, the passé composé of verbs using être as the auxiliary verb was introduced. The students had to write letters to each other about their weekend

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8th Grade French Continued in a French city in order to use the passé composé. Next trimester, they will learn more about new tenses and will have more opportunities to share about themselves in various projects.

Students engaged in casual French conversation daily, along with more structured communicative activities.

Spring Snapshot This trimester, the students continued their study of the past tense of both regular and irregular verbs.

They learned which verbs use avoir (to have) and which use être (to be) in the passé composé and the related impact on sentence structure. In addition to expressing themselves using the compound past tense (le passé composé), the students were introduced to a second past tense, the imperfect (l’imparfait). They then learned when and how to use each past tense, which can be quite challenging!

The students worked primarily toward improving their writing this trimester. They wrote letters to each other telling more about what they did in the city where they “stayed” in France (in the project they did last trimester on visiting a French city). They also listened to dialogues between friends talking about things they recently did and describing places they have discovered. The students recorded themselves reading a text using passé composé and imparfait in order to keep working on their pronunciation and paying attention to the use of the two tenses. We learned more about each other through the trimester as the students acquired the habit of sharing at the beginning of the class what they did over the weekend.

They wrote about dreams or nightmares they had, and these activities led into our final project, “Ma Vie” (“My Life”). Each student needed to identify and write about memorable events from her past and present and then describe what she hopes will happen in the future. It was an opportunity for the students to put everything together in French, with correct spelling and grammar, both orally and in writing, and reflect on their younger lives before moving on to high school. Each student created a stop-motion video illustrating what she was expressing in their voiceover. Even though the students had to work under a tight schedule to finish their project, the results were meaningful and thoughtfully done.

The students also learned extensively about direct and indirect pronouns, which are so necessary in conversation. They have realized how challenging French grammar can be sometimes, but they didn’t give up and always made the effort to understand the rules to be able to use them thoroughly.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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8th Grade History Fall Snapshot In this trimester, students will gain an understanding of the events that led to the Revolutionary War and the struggles faced in the aftermath when creating the new government for the former colonies.

Research Project: Students, in groups, were assigned topics to research within the scope of early United States history (1760-1800) and presented their findings to the class. Students were also asked to find a connection between their topic and a current event.

The Ideals of the Declaration of Independence: Students read portions of the Declaration of Independence in order to a gain an understanding of the key ideals it articulated.

The goal of this trimester is to further understand the interconnectedness of the world and the fact that certain themes in history repeat themselves.

Winter Snapshot This trimester, we looked at the formation of the U.S. Constitution and some of the main issues involved in its creation. We then began to explore the Constitution itself in order to gain a better understanding of how our government works. We examined the goals of the Constitution as stated in the Preamble and discussed the principles of our government. We then looked at the Articles of the United States Constitution and what is contained in each one. The students then took a more in-depth look into the first three Articles to study the qualifications, duties, processes, and powers of each of the three branches of the U.S. government. Finally the students learned about the judicial system and how the Supreme Court fits into it.

We then took a deep dive into the Bill of Rights (the first 10 amendments to the Constitution) in order to gain a better understanding of the concerns that our founding fathers had, the reasons that they chose to incorporate certain rights into the Constitution, how these rights have been interpreted through the years, and how they affect us today. Students participated in a series of Socratic Seminars in order to help unpack these amendments and related court cases.

Spring Snapshot At the start of this trimester, we took a deep dive into the Fourth Amendment’s protection of privacy by examining a Supreme Court case in order to gain a better understanding of how this fundamental right has been interpreted through the years, including in our more technological age. Students wrote an essay taking a position on whether or not the government violated the petitioners’ Fourth Amendment rights when using technology to investigate suspected criminal activity.

Next, we studied the growth of this country and how the fragile union gave way to sectionalism and ultimately to the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War. In doing this, we took an in-depth look at the longterm and short-term causes of the U.S. Civil War, as well as examining the Reconstruction era, the Reconstruction amendments initiated after the war, and the challenges encountered in enacting those reforms.

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8th Grade Mandarin Fall Snapshot The eighth-grade Mandarin class continue to speak Mandarin only in class. We began the year by reviewing previously learned material and grammar concepts: verbs and verb tenses, measure words, question words, adjectives, adverbs and adjective phrases, etc. The main topic we focused on was describing vacation and holiday events and activities in depth, with more advanced vocabulary and sentence structures.

Students worked on two projects this trimester. Each student wrote and memorized an essay about her summer and gave an oral presentation in class accompanied by a visual component. After learning about the significance and customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival, students worked in two groups to create and film skits about the celebrations and traditions of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Students also continued their correspondence with pen pals at Cathedral School for Boys.

Winter Snapshot During this trimester, the eighth-grade Mandarin class focused on learning about holiday traditions and celebrations; talking about one’s New Year resolutions; making appointments with friends or teachers on the phone; making travel plans with friends; making reservations for restaurants or hotels; getting a visa at the consulate; ordering food at a restaurant and paying the bill, etc. Students continued to review and apply previously learned material and concepts. Students began reading and writing mainly in characters and continued to practice speaking only Mandarin in class.

For projects, each student created an iMovie about her family’s Thanksgiving tradition and what she is grateful for. Each student wrote about her New Year resolutions. Students also worked together as a class to create an iMovie about an imagined trip to China and presented part of their movie at the Upper School Assembly. In addition, students continued their correspondence with pen pals at Cathedral School for Boys.

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8th Grade Mandarin Continued Spring Snapshot During the last trimester, the eighth-grade class reviewed the main topics and grammatical concepts learned throughout the Mandarin course and continued to learn high frequency vocabulary for daily communication. To retain previously learned material and foster a habit of thinking and using Mandarin regularly, students started their album project again. Students described pictures that are special to them and gave oral presentations in class.

The eighth-grade students were invited to give the third graders a mini Mandarin lesson. After the spring Outdoor Ed trip, students watched two episode of “Peppa Pig” in Mandarin and learned many expressions to describe school and family camping trips. Students continued their correspondence with pen pals at Cathedral School for Boys and went on a field trip so that they could meet, play games, and communicate with each other in person.

The main project students worked on was “My Autobiography.” Each student reflected on her life, identifying and writing about memorable and significant moments since birth and her hopes for the future. Each student then created an iMovie. This project required students to put together everything they had previously learned. It was a challenging and rewarding way to end the Mandarin course.

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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8th Grade Mathematics Fall Snapshot Students began the year with lessons from Jo Boaler’s Week of Inspirational Math. Through short videos and low-floor, high-ceiling tasks, students learned important growth-mindset messages that encouraged them to persist with open-ended problems, embrace mistakes and challenges, and think visually.

We studied fractals, which are self-similar figures that represent the geometry of nature. We created Sierpinski’s Triangles and examined the patterns of the number of upward- and downward-facing triangles at each iterative stage. We looked at geometric series in general to extend a sequence and find a recursive rule.

During the exponents unit, students applied their understanding of exponent properties to simplify expressions with positive, negative, and zero exponents. We converted numbers from standard form to scientific notation and vice versa, and simplified expressions written in scientific notation. We learned to simplify products and quotients of radical expressions, including rationalizing the denominator when needed.

During our Linear Equations unit, we wrote linear equations in slope-intercept form and played Diamond Collector to practice identifying the slope and the y-intercept. After learning to write equations in slope-intercept, point-slope and standard forms, we converted between the three forms of linear equations. On our Line Projects, we drew a design on the coordinate plane and wrote equations to describe each line segment. We also learned to write equations of parallel lines and to write equations using function notation.

Winter Snapshot This trimester, we continued our Linear Equations unit as we converted between slope-intercept form, point-slope form, and standard form of linear equations. We also learned to write equations of parallel and perpendicular lines, as well as vertical and horizontal lines. We made scatter plots and determined whether the data has a positive correlation, negative correlation, or no correlation. We also learned to draw a line of best fit and used two points on the line to write an equation to model the data. Using Desmos, we performed a linear regression, and compared the equation found by hand to the equation found by computer. We used our models to make predictions by interpolation and extrapolation.

During the Barbie Bungee project, we collected data and created linear models to predict the maximum distance a doll could fall with a given length of rubber bands.

During our Solving and Graphing Linear Inequalities unit, we solved one-step and multi-step inequalities. We solved compound inequalities as well as absolute value equations and inequalities.

Considering “or” as a union of inequalities and “and” as the intersection of inequalities, we explored how these words affect the solution set. We calculated the absolute deviation and graphed linear inequalities in two variables. We completed the unit by graphing and writing systems of linear inequalities.

Spring Snapshot During our Linear Systems unit, we solved systems of linear equations by graphing, substitution, and elimination, including situations where students had to multiply one or both equations before BURKE’S PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

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8th Grade Mathematics Continued eliminating a variable. We solved special types of linear systems that had either one solution, no solution, or infinitely many solutions. We completed the unit by graphing, writing, and solving systems of linear inequalities.

We returned to the unit on Exponents and Exponential Functions. During the M&M activity, we graphed both exponential growth and decay functions and identified their domain and range. We compared exponential functions by describing them as vertical shrinks, vertical stretches, or reflections in the x-axis. Given a function table or graph, we identified whether the table or graph represented an exponential function, and if it did, we wrote the rule. We solved problems involving compound interest and depreciation of car values over time.

As an entry point into our Polynomials unit, we graphed quadratic functions and compared them to the parent function. We added, subtracted, and multiplied polynomials. We investigated special products of binomials by using AlgeBlocks manipulatives, visual models and the FOIL (first, outer, inner, and last) method of multiplication. We concluded the unit by solving quadratic equations in factored form.

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8th Grade Physical Education Fall Snapshot “Challenge PE” allows students to have a team experience with a set team for the year, competing in fun activities, challenges, and scrimmages against other teams. Each student is encouraged to identify her own role on the team and to gain comfort in figuring out how she can best utilize her individual strengths to contribute to the success of their team while also upholding the team pledge that each team made together at the beginning of the year.

The skills of softball, ultimate disc (Frisbee), and volleyball were reviewed briefly, but the focus of eighth grade is applying the skills and knowledge gained over the years to game play. In all activities, students had many opportunities to compete in game-like situations and skill challenges in which we could assess how well they worked together strategically and applied their skills tactically.

In volleyball with Ms. Bryant, we progressed through small-team scramble games on to full-team short court games, adding serve and serve-receive tactics as well as introducing the basic concept of rotation and switching. We ended with each team qualifying for either the gold or silver bracket based on their results and completing a mini-tournament in their bracket on the full court.

With Mr. Hetzel, students took fitness tests and recorded their efforts on their own Schoology pages for reference. Students ran a 50-yard sprint on the grass, jumped as high as they could reach on a vertical jump tester, chose a personalized flexibility exercise to work on, and chose to do either sit-ups or crunches for one minute. These fitness results served as a baseline to improve on over the year.

Students played in modified game situations in disc and softball, applying the skills developed over the previous years and creating new tactics to best fit the strengths and challenges of their unique teams. Emphasis was placed on students’ sense of fair play and good sporting behavior, with students refereeing and settling conflicts themselves whenever possible. The softball and Ultimate disc units included small-sided games, skill challenges, tournaments, and a round of team disc-golf.

Winter Snapshot With Ms. Bryant, the fundamental skills of badminton were reviewed briefly. The students had opportunities to refine their skills and court sense in two-against-one situations and progressed to queen-of-the-court style play against players from other teams. We progressed to pool play by entering each student into one of six pools and learning how round robin pools work. Based on points accumulated, the teams played a series of head-to-head matches in either Division 1 or Division 2 to determine a Finals champion.

With Mr. Hetzel, students reviewed soccer skills and completed the soccer unit with games both indoors and outside, small and large, helping to learn player positioning, tactics, and skills. In the lacrosse unit, students enjoyed team challenges in a modified team game in which attackers and defenders were separated while attempting to score or defend multiple goals at once. Emphasis was placed on fair play and good sporting behavior while maintaining a high level of positive engagement.

As in any group endeavor, individuals naturally take on roles. For their part in the Challenge PE teams, they have identified where they considered themselves to be along the five continuums listed here: Encourager - Dominator; Problem Solver - Problem Finder; Listener - Withdrawn; Self-Advocate Victim; Realist - Drama Queen.

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8th Grade Physical Education Continued Spring Snapshot In the basketball and flag football units, after a brief review of fundamental skills, the students had many opportunities to compete in game-like situations and controlled scrimmages where we could assess how well they worked strategically together and applied their skills tactically. In basketball we progressed from finishing challenges to half-court small-sided games (1-on-1, 2-on-1, 3-on-2). Then we moved on to full-court challenges and full-court games and ended the unit with each team playing in Championship, Final Four, Sweet Six, or Elite Eight Games. In flag football, we worked on kick-off coverage and returns and then on developing plays and learning to pass-rush and pass protect; these plays were then further developed by playing modified scrimmages and “four-down football.” The unit culminated with each team playing in a bowl game.

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8th Grade Science Fall Snapshot The goals of the first trimester were to finish the solubility unit we started last spring and to learn five techniques for separating mixtures. This involved learning that each solvent has a characteristic relationship with each potential solute. For example, sugar is highly soluble in water, but not soluble at all in isopropyl alcohol. Learning teams put together all they knew about characteristic properties (smell, flammability, density, freezing temperature) to learn what they could about an unknown liquid. They then learned how to use the characteristic property of boiling temperature to separate the unknown liquid into its pure components using fractional distillation. To follow up, they performed the same smell, flammability, density, freezing temperature, and solubility tests on each component liquid.

Students went on to practice techniques for separating solids, such as floating, sinking, filtering, dissolving-then-evaporating, and chromatography. Now that students understand the macroscopic physical properties they can use to identify and separate substances, we will move on to the molecular and atomic level.

Winter Snapshot After finishing first trimester by separating liquids by their boiling temperatures, we started second trimester by learning to separate solids using differences in density and solubility. We then learned that some substances that appear to be pure, like water, can be broken down further by more extreme techniques like electrolysis. By separating water into distinct tubes of gas, students were able to recognize that water is made up of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. We reconfirmed this relationship with a “bang� by applying a flame to a hydrogen balloon to observe how violently hydrogen reacts with oxygen to re-form water. Finally, students observed the persistence of elements by oxidizing, dissolving, and precipitating copper. By understanding that elements combine in predictable proportions to form compounds, students laid the groundwork for understanding how to balance equations. Students have learned 21 vocabulary words that allow them to discuss atoms, molecules, and chemical equations effectively. They have practiced using least common multiples to manipulate coefficients of molecules in order to balance chemical equations so they conform to the law of conservation of matter.

Spring Snapshot We started third trimester by learning the vocabulary and procedures to balance chemical equations.

Through preparation for Element Day, each student became an expert on one element on the periodic table and showed off her knowledge in a Prezi. Then we shifted our focus from chemistry to physics by studying some basic forces, including gravity, friction, and magnetism. Students learned to use proportionality constants to calculate forces and convert between units. Students gained hand-on skills using spring scales and Vernier electronic force sensors to measure forces. We then engaged in The Rube Goldberg project to demonstrate our understanding of chemical reactions and physical forces. Students created machines that transferred between chemical, mechanical, solar, magnetic, electrical, and thermal energy for the competition at the Arts Festival. Students concluded their final trimester working with Ms. Behnke to study male and female reproductive anatomy and physiology, birth-control methods, sexually transmitted infections, and an exploration of the factors that affect relationships and sexual decision-making.

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8th Grade Spanish Fall Snapshot Students started the year in eighth grade Spanish with a review of the present tense of the regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs and of irregular and stem-changing verbs. In addition, we have studied the differences between the uses of ser and estar, and the verbs that follow the gustar construction, such as faltar and encantar. The creative project of the term was a film remembering a loved one for our observation of Día de los Muertos. Students used the Stop Motion animation app to create their films, which they accompanied with a voiceover of their reflections. Throughout the term, brief one-on-one conversations with the teacher provided valuable practice and assessment of the students’ speaking abilities. The students also engaged in short weekly writing assignments and also have produced larger pieces of work as seen in the in-class write and the script for the project (el guion del proyecto).

In the area of cultural studies, we have looked at the legend of la Llorona and her impact on Latin American culture and the figure of Santa Cecilia and her importance to music of the Spanish-speaking world.

Winter Snapshot Students began the second trimester of eighth-grade Spanish with a review of regular verbs in the preterit tense. They also learned the preterit form of 15 irregular verbs. We then studied the regular and irregular forms of the imperfect past. Weekly vocabulary quizzes focused on newly acquired words from the novel and important vocabulary learned in fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. We also started our murder-mystery novel, La chica de los zapatos verdes, analyzing and discussing characters and plot developments in Spanish. The two creative projects of the quarter were el cuento de hada (fairy tale) and an analysis and discussion of the film “El Norte.” In el cuento de hada, each student wrote her own fairy tale employing the two forms of the past tense and using the interactive app Toontastic to give her fairytale life and her own voice. In the second project, the students viewed the film and analyzed the characters and the hardships of the two central characters as newly arrived immigrants to the United States.

Spring Snapshot In the third trimester of eighth-grade Spanish, students continued their practice of the major verb tenses — the present and the preterit and imperfect past tenses. We also reviewed the constructions of the reflexive verbs, the recent past, and the immediate future. We practiced the differences between uses of the imperfect and preterit past tenses and the two verbs for “to be” (ser y estar). New grammar points of the term were the direct and object pronouns and the placement of these pronouns with multiple verb structures. Throughout the term, we continued our review of vocabulary with weekly quizzes. We read the mystery novel begun in the winter quarter and continued our analysis of the plot, the various characters, and their motives. The projects of the term were a casting call for the movie version of our novel and el video de música (music video).

Beginning in fifth grade, students chose to study either French, Mandarin, or Spanish, and continue studying their chosen language through eighth grade.

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8th Grade Study Skills Fall Snapshot Class time in Study Skills was dedicated to giving students the opportunity to complete assignments, revise drafts, study for tests, and meet with teachers. With the time demand of the high school application process, students also worked to prioritize and manage their time effectively.

Winter Snapshot As in the previous trimester, class time in Study Skills was dedicated to giving students the opportunity to complete assignments, revise drafts, study for tests, and meet with teachers. With the time demand of the high school application process, students also worked to prioritize and manage their time effectively.

Spring Snapshot This trimester, class time in Study Skills was dedicated to giving students the opportunity to complete assignments, revise drafts, and study for tests.

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8th Grade Arts & Electives Art The Visual Arts program connects art with the world around us. It opens a world beyond textbooks for students to explore and builds a foundation for creative thinking. Exploring and practicing the inward significance art can portray through story, intention, and thoughtfulness are three areas of focus in the girls’ journey as 21st-century learners this year. Students are encouraged to explore new techniques, seek deeper meaning out of their art practice, and establish a personal approach to their work. We also explore how the arts can cross disciplines to create an exciting statement.

Students in the eighth grade have the opportunity to choose the medium in which they will work during their Arts rotation. Choices include paper-quilling, ceramics, clay hand-building, painting, plein aire (watercolor and pastels), papier maché mask-making, sculpture, hand-sewing textile work, basket weaving, and encaustic painting. After choices were made and the work was completed, it was displayed during the Arts Festival.

As a class, we also discuss appropriate art studio etiquette and maintenance, including polite and respectful ways to comment on others’ work. Students continue to maintain their Reflection entries in their Google Site/digital portfolio. At this stage of their time at Burke’s, students can now look back at their Upper School digital art portfolio and see the growth in their work and our work together.

Drama The eighth-grade Drama elective explores various aspects of theatrical production work, including the roles of director; stage manager; and set, costume and sound designers; as well as the role of actor.

The class was split into two groups and each chose scenes and songs from popular musicals to work on. A director, choreographer, various designers, and actors were chosen within each group. The work included scenes and songs from Hamilton and The Wizard of Oz. These scenes and songs were performed on the last day of class for an audience that included other eighth-grade elective students.

Makery First, students in the Makery Elective used a Makey Makey to create an original game modeled after the classic ‘Operation’ game by Milton Bradley. They used Scratch to program the Makey Makey for their game and created loops within the program to allow the game to be played repeatedly without having to be reset. The games were on display for the Upper School community during the Week of Code. The girls then identified a Sisyphus Table (an example can be found here: www.sisyphusindustries.com) as their main project for the elective and began to ideate, design, and build prototypes in order to understand how the table works. The girls then wrote programs to create visual art using Processing and learned how to use the Carvey machine with the Easel application in the Makery.

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8th Grade Arts & Electives Continued Varsity Vocal Ensemble The focus of the eighth-grade Varsity Vocal Ensemble is on the development and refinement of a repertoire of two- and three-part vocal arrangements, with special emphasis on balanced ensemble singing. Our rehearsal process focuses on the development and practice of choral performance skills including poise, stage presence, singing posture, vocal projection, range, proper breath support, tone production, facial expression, body language, and eye contact. Students are actively involved in the process of selecting, arranging, and rehearsing their repertoire. Performances included singing for the Upper School Martin Luther King Assembly, a Lower School Assembly, and our Spring Vocal Spotlight concert.

Yearbook Our work during the first trimester of Yearbook has focused on developing the theme and organizing the layout of the 90-page book and designing the yearbook pages. Students determined what to include in the yearbook, where to place each section within the book, and how the pages would relate to the theme. After decisions were made, students were introduced to some design basics. They also learned how to use the many various features of yearbookavenue.com, the online yearbook-building program of Jostens, our yearbook publisher. Once the layout was decided, students started building their pages and creating artwork for uploading.

Based on their desired area of interest, the girls work on two different teams within yearbook: the editorial/photojournalism team or the artistic creation team, creating the artwork for the yearbook. Students must be able to work independently when needed and also be able to work as a team. Listening skills and willingness to incorporate feedback are key. In addition, collaboration, compromise, and cooperation are needed as the girls work together to meet the deadlines involved in creating a successful yearbook.

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