Winter Curriculum Highlights

The winter months are a busy time in the Middle School at Brimmer. I wanted to share with you some of the exciting units of study students have been exploring.
 

In Math 6 with Ms. Connaughton, students began a new unit focused on interpreting, modeling, analyzing, and computing quotients in a variety of scenarios. Students will consider how the relative sizes of the numerator and denominator affect the size of their quotient when divisors are whole numbers, fractions, or decimals. They will explore division in a variety of contexts, solving problems involving grouping and sharing, as well as area and volume. In Math 7 with Mr. Beal, students are beginning a unit on integers. They will begin with addition and work their way through all four operations. In Algebra 1 with Mr. Beal and Mr. Schwartz, students are exploring systems of equations. They have solved equations by graphing and will practice using substitution and elimination in the coming weeks.

 

Students in Science 6 with Dr. Gallon have been studying the physics and engineering of bridges. After learning about various types of bridges from around the world, students selected a famous bridge to research. In their research, students explored the design of their bridge, as well as its cultural significance as a landmark. The class also learned how to represent three dimensional objects in orthographic or blueprint style drawings in preparation for drafting a design of their own truss bridge next week. After their designs are finalized, students will build their bridges our of pasta and then test how much their bridge can hold before collapsing. This work will be displayed in an exhibition after the March break.

 

Students in English 6 with Ms. U-C, Mr. R-V, and Ms. Johnson explored literary devices through the lyrics of songs by Taylor Swift. Whether you are a “swiftie” or not, there is no denying that Swift is an incredible song writer, and she uses literary devices in her songs to enhance the depth, emotion, and storytelling within her music. Studying literary devices through accessible content like song lyrics combines the benefits of engaging content, accessible language, cultural relevance, and a diverse range of examples. This approach can make the learning process more enjoyable and meaningful for students, fostering a deeper understanding of literary devices and analysis.

 

Finally, in Grade 6 and Grade 7 Growth Education classes, Mrs. Lee and Dr. Gallon are piloting a new unit using mechanical computers called Turing Tumbles. This hands-on unit combines elements of STEAM with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students explore the logic behind coding as they design and build their own mechanical computers using the Turing Tumble kits. The kits feature a board that holds gears and switches that perform different functions as marbles drop down the board. Students work their way through a series of challenges that require them to configure, or “code”, the components to get the marbles to pass through the machine in a particular way. Through these challenges, students develop a deeper understanding of computational thinking, algorithms, and the fundamental concepts behind modern computing.