Inflight News: Issue 7, April 2024

WNS Middle School Newsletter

A NOTE FROM MRS. ROD

The Spring at WNS is filled with joyous special events to celebrate learning and make community connections. Meanwhile, as highlighted in this newsletter, there is deep learning happening in the classrooms where students are making cross-curricular connections, stretching themselves, and working collaboratively with their peers. Each grade level is hard at work on their capstone projects: DIVE (6th), SPLASH (7th), SWIM (8th) and we look forward to hosting our capstone exhibits at the end of the year. Make sure your calendars are marked for our upcoming K-8 Open House on Thursday, May 23 (6:30-8:00pm).

Rod

Spring Fling Dance

April

12

All 6th-8th grade students were expected to attend this "fundatory" event. The Dance Committee selected a Disco theme which was a huge hit! Students were encouraged (though not required) to dress up for a groovy evening! The Spring Fling was a special time for the middle school students to bond as a group, and for sixth graders, who attended a WNS dance for the first time, to be acknowledged as almost-seventh-graders.

Entrepreneurial Day April 17

Budding student entrepreneurs showcased their talents and business acumen during the second annual 5th-8th Grade Entrepreneurial Day, presented by the WNS Middle School Student Council on Wednesday, April 17th. The event, held during recess and 2nd period, saw students setting up booths to sell homemade items, crafts, and other creations priced at just a few dollars each. From tasty treats to handmade jewelry and artwork, the vendors offered an impressive array of products crafted with skill and creativity. The event was filled with excitement as students, faculty, and staff browsed the huge selection of creative products. This hands-on learning experience not only fostered an entrepreneurial spirit but provided a fun and engaging way for students to explore their interests and talents while developing valuable life skills. We're excited to expand on Entrepreneurial Day in the months and years ahead!

Buddies April 18

In honor of April being poetry month, 3rd and 7th graders learned about poems with two voices Together they listened to an example by two teachers called “Book Lice” Then, with their buddies, they had the opportunity to read poems with two voices together with expression and feeling

Kindergarten and 8th grade buddies spent time playing and drawing together inside the Kindergarten classrooms. They enjoy telling each other stories, building with legos and blocks, and just spending time together. The excitement about buddies is palpable as soon as the middle school students enter their buddy’s classrooms. Their relationships continue to grow!

Affinity Groups

April 25

This is our fourth affinity group of the year, with the previous focus being on identity and our name.

This time, we used clips from American Promise to frame our conversation around code-switching. The idea explored that everyone code switches in different conversations with family and friends to formal spaces. We will view another video on code-switching and discuss, then move into implicit bias and how those ideas tend to support code-switching.

1

Students discussed the following questions:

a

b.

Have you encountered a label for how you speak? For example, Idris explains that his basketball team says he is talking white. These labels: talking white or talking black?

How does this version of code-switching hurt students?

c.

What role does racism play in code-switching?

d.

e.

f

How is code-switching related to the issue of who holds power in a community or society?

Think about WNS: Have you ever had to code-switch in order to be accepted at WNS?

What’s the difference between students code-switching between, say, being with parents or being with peers (which everyone does) and students whose code-switching requires them to hide parts of their cultures or identities?

g.

What is the relationship between code-switching and school success?

Students also watched some powerful clips about code-switching experiences, including Jaylene

Clarkre Owen’s poem At Voice in Power.

Family Groups April 25

Family groups, which includes students ranging from Kindergarten to Eighth Grade, meet monthly to gather and greet one another, share their thoughts and feelings, engage in a thoughtful activity, and play games together This round of family groups was focused on Climate Change in honor of Earth Month Middle school leaders took turns reading The Story About Climate Change: A First Book About How We Can Change The Planet by Catherine Barr and Steve Williams Students shared what they learned about climate change and what action steps they can take individually and as a family group to make a difference

6th grade

We completed a deep dive into Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes. The students took a hard look at the impact of those in power as well as the importance of recognizing a purpose that is bigger than one individual. It also gave them a very important perspective on how if we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. We will finish up our exploration of the book with Socratic Seminar discussions. Then we look to end the year exploring playwriting in collaboration with our Performing Arts Department.

7th grade

Since returning from Spring Break, students began reading Romeo and Juliet. Despite some initial protests that the play “is not in English,” students are starting to see the humor and wit of Shakespeare’s language as well as realize that it is in fact English. They already have developed strong opinions about Romeo, Juliet, and their love, which makes this such a fun play to read with students who are essentially the same age as the two title characters! We will build off of our previous unit and continue to think about resistance as well as develop stronger close reading skills as students work to dissect and understand the language of the play.

8th grade

The month of April is poetry month and 8th graders have begun an intensive unit on the analysis of poetry. They have looked at sound and image devices, poetic structure, and have completed a music and poetry project that they have presented in class. Students looked at lyrics and noted what made their particular song have power beyond melody and timbre, it was quite the presentation, you had to be there.

6th grade

This month, we have been discussing ratios, proportions, percentages, and their connections to decimals and fractions. While students have been tackling this curriculum, they have also had the ability to apply their skills to their Scale Projects. This project will be showcased at our Open House in May. Students are using these skills to talk about real-world situations, such as grades, tips, and discounts. The constant question that comes up is “How can I apply this to real life?” We continue to showcase examples of how students can apply these skills and knowledge to the real world. A highlight is watching the kids work together to produce something magical that we cannot wait to showcase with all of the parents.

7th grade

This month, we are continuing our Pre-Algebra lessons that apply to Geometry of 2D and 3D figures. The application of these lessons can be seen with our open house project, Roller Coaster. Students have been split into small groups that design and build a personalized track which will be displayed at Open House in May. Students are developing teamwork skills and the skill of seeing the math be applied to building and designing. An overarching question students are addressing is: How does this lesson apply in future jobs that we can be a part of?

8th grade

This month we’ve been factoring trinomials by using GCF, the difference of two squares and perfect trinomials, and learned a “slip and slide” strategy when factoring polynomials. Students are developing their skill of identifying patterns and algebraic manipulation, skills that include both mathematical and analytical. Students are addressing the main question: How can the mastery of polynomial manipulation and factoring techniques empower individuals to solve complex mathematical problems, analyze real-world situations, and deepen their understanding of algebraic structures and patterns. The question underscores the role of polynomial manipulation and factoring in deepening one's understanding of algebraic structures and patterns. It suggests that mastering these skills fosters a richer comprehension of fundamental algebraic concepts.

6th grade

6th graders have kicked off their DIVE projects by exploring greenspaces in the LA area. After examining maps of LA and learning about some benefits of greenspaces (sequestering carbon, building community, and producing food), students have been charged with designing their own greenspace. Students researched native plant species in preparation for their field trip to the nursery, and found both successes and failures in locating their plant species on the field trip (take a peek at some photos below). 6th graders can look forward to planting their models, building their virtual CoSpaces world, and creating their DIVE website which will be a hub for all their hard work this spring.

7th grade

In April, the students started the Diversity of Life Unit. They completed a classification activity where they created dichotomous keys to identify their classmate’s shoes. Before learning about the six Kingdoms of living things the students studied viruses, which are not considered living. The students enjoyed doing the disease lab in which a simulated disease was spread from student to student by exchanging liquids in test tubes. The tubes were then tested to see which students became “infected.” The lab report required students to use data to show exactly how the disease spread and to identify the original carriers. This lab report provided a great opportunity for the students to solidify the skills involved in experiment design, data collection, data analysis, and technical writing. Next up are lab activities, such as growing bacteria, growing fungus, and observing protozoa in the microscopes.

8th grade

Students are currently wrapping up their Newton’s Laws unit. They have also had a taste of what it’s like to be a teacher since one of their unit requirements was to teach a physics concept to an adult. They were responsible for writing a lesson plan, creating the materials for their lesson, designing a hands-on activity, and recording themselves teaching the lesson. A few of them have made comments that being a teacher is a lot of work. Yes. Yes, it is.

Social Studies

6th grade

This month in sixth-grade social studies, we have been diving deeper into the question of “when and why do people accept a theory?” using the theory of continental drift as a case study for how a new idea can become accepted over time (Alfred & Wegener, Tharp). The students also researched the geologic and human history of the continents, labeled detailed maps, and created fun travel posters. Next up for our 5th unit, we will address: “How and why do theories evolve?”

7th grade

This month in seventh grade social studies, we have been exploring classical empires at their height and analyzing the forces that would lead to their destruction. Some factors, like epidemic diseases, changes in the climate, and vicious political divisions, seem all too relevant today! Students have also been hard at work building their geographical literacy, and did a fantastic job on recent quizzes asking them to identify every country in the continents of Asia and Africa on a map—Europe is next. They are currently developing their research skills as they learn about the geography, politics, economy, and culture of a modern African nation. As we enter the final part of the year, we will focus on the ways human societies recover, regenerate, and change after the collapse of long-established empires, building something new out of the ashes of what came before.

8th grade

Students are currently in the midst of a unit on the US Civil War and Reconstruction with an emphasis on discerning historical facts from misconceptions and falsehoods. Through a variety of primary and secondary sources, students have learned about the causes of the war and its effects on the country. By examining primary sources, including photographs, journals, and newspaper articles from the time, students are learning to corroborate facts and question the reliability and objectivity of each account, as historians do, in order to determine with as much accuracy as possible what really occurred and why. Next month, students will apply the historical thinking skills they developed in this unit to independently research and present on a major 20th-century event or movement.

Music

6th grade

6th grade has been hard at work preparing for the middle school spring concert! They will be singing two songs, “Brand New” by Ben Rector, and “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” by Shakira, as made famous during the 2010 World Cup. Students have been learning different rhythmic exercises, sight singing melodies, and are learning to identify the letter names on the keyboard to allow them to create their own music through programs such as Soundtrap and GarageBand.

7th grade

The 7th grade is finishing up final touches on their two songs for their spring concert. They will be performing “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles, and “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley and The Wailers. They have been honing their music literacy skills, and have been introduced to the keyboard, as they will continue learning fundamental keyboarding skills and chords, which will allow them to create their own music, and be introduced to songwriting.

8th grade

Eighth grade students are finessing their songs in preparation for the MS Spring Concert. Over the last few months, they have been learning the basics of guitar and ukulele, and select students have been honing their keyboard skills on piano and the glockenspiel. The 8th grade class has been working on three songs: “Riptide,” “In My Life,” and “See You Again” by Tyler the Creator. All 3 songs will be accompanied live by students.

Theatre Arts

6th grade

Sixth graders have enjoyed bringing their sock puppets to life by writing scenes in groups and then performing them for their class. They learned how to transform inanimate objects into characters with personalities, thoughts, and feelings. Students also learned about creating scenes set in one setting with a conflict and a clear beginning, middle, and ending.

7th grade

Students finished their modernized Shakespeare scenes, learned some stage combat, and have moved into their technical theatre projects to prepare them for their eighth grade year. Students are learning about set, costume, lighting, and sound design and have chosen a scene from a play to create a design board. Students are excited to learn about other aspects of the theatre.

8th grade

Eighth graders are working on their monologue unit. Each student selected a monologue to perform from either a movie, a tv show, or a play that is appropriate for school. They worked with partners to memorize their lines and work on breaking down the essence of their monologues. They discovered their objectives and examined tactics to get what they want from their ‘invisible scene partner’. Students will slate and perform these monologues for their peers in sections and we will videotape their performances. A highlights reel will be shared with families by Open House.

sual Art

Digital Art

In sixth grade digital art, students created their very own character with a personality. The goal of this project was to tell a story using imagery and to be familiar with the digital program called Procreate. We are moving into our second project, which is geometric art. Students will choose an animal that inspires them to create a digitized geometric drawing. They are only able to use geometric shapes and lines. When complete, they will write an artist statement about why they chose that specific animal.

6th grade 7th grade

Traditional Art

In traditional art, the 6th graders are currently completing the sculpting portion of their "Tasty Ceramic" project. They chose a food related theme and created three, life sized ceramic pieces. They explored the three main hand-building techniques to create their forms, with the goal and challenge to sculpt them as lifelike as possible. Once fired, glazes will be applied as well as additional embellishments to enrich the end product.

Seventh-grade students recently completed a scratchboard art project. They learned the subtractive drawing process and refined their skills in creating diverse values and textures. They applied techniques such as hatching, cross-hatching, and stippling to achieve artistic expressions on their scratchboard canvases. Moving forward, our focus now shifts to the final project which is digital art. In collaboration with their SPLASH (Solving Problems for Los Angeles Society and Health) course, students are designing a poster and a graphic logo for their group using digital software called Procreate. They can use their logo to build their website portfolio and/or print on t-shirts. Their goal is to work as a team to promote their project through digital art to bring awareness and provide a solution to their chosen problem in Los Angeles.

8th grade

The eighth grade students are nearing the completion of their Pop Artinspired four panel self portrait. This project involved a combination of digital art as well as traditional, hands-on art. They strengthened their digital art skills using a program called Procreate to create two versions of their self-portrait. They learned new tools to manipulate their school photo and composed a portrait line drawing using line, color, and texture. For the two traditional versions, they experimented with watercolor in a painterly style and lastly, transformed their final panel with painted papers to create a collage/mosaic feel.

Spanish

6th grade

This month, the sixth graders have learned about food and the vocabulary related to what food we eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have been learning about traditional dishes from different Spanish-speaking countries, allowing them to explore and compare these traditions with their own. They knew how to express their hunger and thirst and ask for food or beverages when needed. They are working on their unit project, which requires creating their restaurant and menu. In addition, they will write a script to act out in front of the class about a family going to a restaurant to eat.

7th grade

The seventh graders wrapped up their go-to shopping unit this month. They learned about the different types of shopping centers, stores, and markets you can find in a Spanish-speaking country and compared them with the ones they are familiar with. They learned about vocabulary related to buying clothes and food in a supermarket. They are currently working on their unit project and creating their own stores or stands. In addition, they will write a commercial to sell their products and their business to make customers shop in their store.

8th grade

The eighth graders learned about foods in Latin America and Spain. They learned to order and pay for a meal in Spanish. They also learned to identify foods, eating utensils, and dishes. Throughout this unit, they will explore how foods differ in certain parts of Latin America and Spain and how food is part of a cultural experience. At the moment, they are working on their final project, which consists of planning a 5-day trip to a Spanish-speaking country and creating a booklet that will detail their plans, including a plane ticket, the hotel they are going to stay in, the restaurants they are going to go to and what activities they will be doing. Every detail must be accurate, so they will use their computers to search for information and prices for their trip.

Middle School PE

This semester, middle school students have been participating in a variety of physical activities. With the goal and focus of P.E. at WNS being to support students in living physically active lives, giving them opportunities to try new motor skills is key. For example, one week we might play wiffle ball and the next we might play volleyball. Of course, we are also including cooperative activities and non-traditional games so our classes are not only sport focused. Physical fitness is always a key concept and connecting things like goal setting, as well as anatomy, helps students develop their overall physical literacy. As we reach the end of the year, we want our middle school students to remain motivated to give their maximum effort and continue to show great sportsmanship throughout all of their P.E. classes.

6th Grade DCM

In sixth grade Design, Code, and Make (DCM), students completed their woodworking project. They were paired on a team of two or three students. As a team, students learned the importance of collaboration and communication. Their goal was to design, build, and paint a step stool for their community at Westside Neighborhood School (WNS). They chose a place of interest, such as the Early Childhood Center (ECC), lower school, middle school, or the Multimedia Learning Center (MLC). They also created a wooden plaque dedicated to the specific classroom they chose. They will be delivering these stepping stools to the classrooms they designed them for in the following weeks.

Finally, DCM is wrapping up the year with its capstone projectmerging its skillset with science and transitioning into DIVE (Designing Innovations for Vulnerable Environments). Their goal is to craft a greenspace model tailored to the needs of an imagined community. To accomplish this, students were introduced to a new program called Co-Spaces. Through Co-Spaces, they'll master the art of building, designing, and coding their own 3D environments. This entails animating characters using code and exploring these virtual worlds in immersive and captivating ways.

Lastly, as a group, they will build a website for the 3D environmental greenspaces. Their websites will include their blueprints, plant species research, and a link to their virtual world.

Upcoming Dates

EVERY WEDNESDAY IS SPIRIT DAY!

Friday, May 10: Film Festival at Playa Vista Cinemark (6:00-7:30pm)

Thursday, May 23: K-8 Open House (6:30-8:00pm)

Friday, May 24: School will be closed for a faculty & staff professional development day

Wednesday, May 28: 8th Grade SWIM Exhibit at LMU (6:00-8:00pm)

Friday, May 31: Spring Musical - Newsies

Wednesday, June 5: 7th Grade SPLASH Exhibit at LMU (6:00-8:00pm)

Thursday, June 6: 6th Grade DIVE Exhibit at WNS. (4:00-5:00pm)

Announcements

If students are absent from school, they are responsible for following up with their teachers to figure out what they need to make up.

Please help us by removing your child’s devices at night and supporting our no chewing gum and no eating candy at school policies.

Coming up in our May/June issue

Buddies

Family Groups

Affinity Groups Performances