In 8th Grade ELA with Miss Allen, students recently concluded their unit on Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird by writing analytical essays in response to the prompt: In Chapter 10, Atticus says, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Discuss what he means and why this is significant in terms of the wider themes of the novel. After mind mapping their ideas and reviewing the literature essay checklist, students structured their essays using the PEEL method (Point, Evidence, Explanation, and Link) to develop well-organized arguments. We have since launched our new dystopian science fiction unit on Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, beginning with an "Introduction to Key Topics" lesson, where students analyzed essential questions, examined the novel’s epigraph—"If they give you ruled paper, write the other way"—and debated thought-provoking statements like whether social media makes people feel less lonely. In "Thinking About Genre / Science Fiction" lesson, students explored the characteristics of science fiction through a "Questioning the Future" activity, in which they considered how topics like family, food, or technology might evolve, then created essential questions based on assigned themes. As we began reading, students engaged in discussions and close analysis of the novel’s literary elements. In "The Hearth and the Salamander" lessons, they shared first impressions, examined imagery, irony, and similes while completing comprehension questions, and engaged in discussions centered on censorship, symbolism, and making inferences. For "Dystopian Literature / Formative Writing Practice," students reflected on the question What would your perfect world look like? before applying the PEEL structure to prompts such as how the setting conveys deeper themes, and why Bradbury might have chosen this particular setting. Additionally, students completed Lessons 9 and 10 in Wordly Wise vocabulary, and in grammar, they are strengthening their understanding of adjectives, articles, and proper adjectives, as well as comparative, superlative, and demonstrative adjectives.
In 8th grade Math with Mr. Pritchett, students worked together to put their algebraic thinking to practical effect. Working together in groups, students brainstormed and created plans for different types of parties that the St. Mary’s community could put on. During their design process, students had to come up with various expenses that would be incurred, deciding whether or not these expenses were fixed or variable. After determining a set of reasonable expenses and prices, students had to use systems of equations and inequalities to find out how much the party would cost given different amounts of people. This allowed them to graph systems of inequalities to see their range of possible ticket prices that they could charge to cover their expenses given their projected range of attendees. After calculating this information, groups had to display this information on poster boards in a way that they could display to their teacher and fellow classmates.
In 8th grade Social Studies with Miss Falcone, students have been diving deep into the history of the American Revolution, exploring the key events that led to the colonies’ fight for independence. Through engaging lessons and discussions, they have been analyzing the pivotal moments, from the Stamp Act to the Boston Tea Party, and making meaningful connections to the historic sites that surround them in our capital city. In addition to studying the major battles of the Revolution, students have been reflecting on how these events shaped the country and the state of Massachusetts. By connecting their learning to places they have visited or heard about—such as the Freedom Trail, Bunker Hill, and Lexington and Concord—they are gaining a richer understanding of Boston’s role in history and how our government was formed. The students can see history come to life beyond textbooks, fostering a deeper appreciation for the past and its lasting impact on the present as we approach the 250th birthday of our country.
In 8th grade Science with Mr. Pritchett, students are progressing in their genetics unit. They are now able to answer why living organisms exhibit certain traits, how they are passed down, and how breeders are able to selectively pair animals with each other to pass down certain traits. After creating pedigree charts for different generations of animal families, students were able to see how certain traits were inherited from their ancestors. It was not immediately clear, however, why certain children received some traits from their parents while others received seemingly opposite traits. By referring back to our previous instruction on chromosomal inheritance from both parents, students were then able to intuitively create punnett squares to express the variety of received traits. Although this provided a simple answer at first, it became increasingly clear to students that not all traits were either expressed or not in an organism. By looking at a large set of different strawberries, flamingos, and other creatures, students recognized that plenty of traits are expressed more on a scale than as a binary.
In 7th and 8th Grade Religion with Miss Allen, students have wrapped up their unit on Jesus and the Gospel Message and are now studying for their exam covering the last 12 lessons. Throughout this unit, we have explored the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, reading through key passages and engaging in activities to deepen our understanding. We learned that the Gospel of Luke was written by St. Luke, a companion of St. Paul, and was primarily addressed to Gentile Christians. Luke’s Gospel, known as the Gospel of Mercy, emphasizes Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness, and it is believed that Mother Mary was a key source for many of the unique details in this Gospel. Meanwhile, the Gospel of John, written by John the Beloved Disciple, stands apart from the other three Gospels, focusing on seven signs—wondrous deeds of Jesus that reveal the greater reality and goal of His mission. In addition, students have reviewed topics such as Divine Revelation, the inspiration and authorship of Scripture, understanding both the Old and New Testaments, the world of the New Testament, and the context in which Jesus lived. We’ve also explored key concepts like the Incarnation, Jesus’ life, passion, death, and resurrection. As we conclude this unit, students should review their notes, readings, and vocabulary definitions to prepare for the upcoming exam!
