ACADEMIC NEWS
Text Books Come to Life as Middle School Students Explore Atlanta Since 2015, seventh grade students have participated in an annual field trip to Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout the school year, literature assignments provide a historical base for the stops on the field trip focusing on the topics of civil rights and human rights and the Civil War. After learning about history, a little fun is mixed into the agenda, too. In October, 64 students and 24 adults were able to travel on the Atlanta Study Tour. Stops included the Atlanta History Center, Georgia Aquarium, MLK National Park, World of Coca-Cola, Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, Centennial Olympic Park, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and Stone Mountain. The students were excited to spot a former Bruin in the photo gallery at the Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. “This is a wonderful experience for the students as well as the adults,” said sixth grade mathematics teacher Shay Young. “This trip brings to life areas of instruction in the classroom. Students also learn the etiquette of traveling in large groups, staying in hotel rooms with classmates, etc. For some of our students, this is their first trip away from home without the supervision of their parents.” USJ is committed to preparing students for college and life after it. Activities like the Atlanta Study Tour encourage our students to think beyond the curriculum and apply their knowledge to real-life situations.
Middle School Students Develop Bio-Board Presentations Students in Kathy Davis’ seventh grade english class completed biography boards in the fall to complement their curriculum. Students were assigned to read a biography of their choice. They were instructed to look for answers to a list of basic questions given to them. After reading the book independently, they wrote a short report answering the list of questions. Students also created the body/dress of the person whose biography they read using creative materials for clothing and hair. These projects were similar to large paper dolls. They cut out a circle for the head and arms and presented their biography report to the class. The students had a blast with this presentation. 13
