Dear Parents,

Last week we took Charlottesville by storm. Our room was transformed into an artists' studio as we covered seven giant canvases with acrylic paint. The paintings were a culmination of collaborative efforts of three communities; Charlottesville Day School, The Curry School and the city of Charlottesville. The purpose was to weave a path through these communities and for middle schoolers to understand and appreciate how the communities are interdependent and intertwined. We wanted the students to feel how collaborative efforts broaden perspective and schema, and yield a tremendous feeling of pride and accomplishment.

Our class certainly felt the thrill of combining their efforts as we put the final touches on our paintings. The overarching theme was "Downtown is Our Playground." Each painting was a reflection of a downtown experience we had as a class. Anywhere from two to four student artists generated an idea and followed through with a plan that closely mimicked our writing process. From brainstorming to sloppy copy, editing to publishing, our final paintings included the following titles: "The Art Scene," "The Sounds of C-Ville," "Nature's Beauty," "Local Cuisine," "UVA, Our Backyard," "Faces Around Town," and "Let Me Entertain You."

Our middle-schoolers made their artists' debut to a crowd of appreciative educators, parents, administrators and grandparents. Several guests commented on the poise and maturity they demonstrated while introducing their work. The paintings will remain on display at the Curry School. If you haven't already, drop by and see them. I have to say, they are pretty extraordinary.

In addition to our gallery opening, the Spirit Bears ventured over to Old Cabell Hall to hear the Charlottesville Symphony Orchestra. Afterwards, we ate lunch at Marco and Luca's on the Corner. Before heading back to school we had an intense game of soccer on the Grounds. We laughed together at my poor coordination and sang songs on the benches beneath the Magnolia trees.

Friday was a joyful Grandparent's/Special Friend's celebration. Your budding authors presented their writing in our first annual "Publishing Party." They shared a work of their choosing that had traveled through the entire writing process. Much like the art opening, the children felt the thrill of presenting work that was meaningful to them. Their sense of accomplishment was palpable.

Afterwards we walked over to the Jefferson to share our musical accomplishments. I
thought a highlight of the whole school performance was the middle-schoolers. I loved how sweetly they sang, their legs dangling from the edge of the stage. Their song truly honored who they are as a group; passionate and wide-eyed, open minded and full of wonder. Unique and lovely are two more words that come to mind.

Of course, in between all of these magnificent events, we continued to learn about classification with Ms. Lockwood. We also had several math classes with Ms. Annelise. Our Chinese enrichment program on Wednesdays has us wondering about past and present life in the Eastern hemisphere and our downtown adventures continue to serve as a springboard for discussion.

I am so happy that it is only October! We have many more middle-school days to come; many more debates to engage in, places to go and people to meet. We will continue to collaborate and channel our learning into authentic and meaningful projects. We were thrilled to present our paintings, writing and songs, share our process and collaborate with our distinct, yet connected, communities.

Warmly,

Karin

21st Century Middle School Students

Dear Parents,

Summer seems to be hanging on by the skin of its teeth and we are taking full advantage of these few final glorious days. Downtown has truly become our playground, or more aptly, the source of deep discussions, keen observations and a springboard for artistic inspiration. Our perspective of downtown has been broadened, as we see Charlottesville through artists' eyes, historians' eyes and economists' eyes (so far). Our children embrace learning "in the field" and have become true ambassadors for our school. We have received many positive comments about their deep questions and their engaged listening. I am proud to lead them around our city and look forward to many more adventures.

Speaking of adventures, our river excursion was a whopping success! The Cooley's were such gracious hosts. Their love of Machodoc Creek and the surrounding area was palpable and contagious. From the moment we arrived, the children repeatedly asked when they could come again. They were mesmerized by the beauty, sounds and science of the water. When we were not traveling over gravel roads on the back of Greg's orange pick-up truck, we held our faces to the sun as we cruised down the Potomoc. Michelle Lockwood wove scientific investigation into each experience. Some highlights included setting up a black light against a white sheet to attract insects, seining in the Potomac River and the creek, and searching for fossils and sharks teeth on Nomini Cliffs. We enjoyed a historical tour of the St. Clement's lighthouse and marveled that we stood on the same ground where colonists landed. Of course, we snuck in time to celebrate the local cuisine. We began our evening with a crab feast and ended the night with a giant game of Ghosts in the Graveyard. We were literally awoken in the morning by firecrackers outside of our tent! I hope your children regaled you with stories when they returned home. Many of them said it was the best field trip ever. If they didn't say it, they sang it, while swinging in the hammock under the stars.

Back in the classroom we are writing up a storm. We are preparing for our first ever Publishing Party. Your budding authors already have an anthology of work ranging from poetry to historical fiction. They will choose a piece that they have taken through the entire writing process, from brainstorming to publishing, and read it out loud on Grandparents'/Special Friends' Day. We are hoping to transform our classroom to a coffee shop (much like Shenandoah Joe's where some of these pieces were written) to create a literary ambiance. We are also planning on making these Publishing Parties a regular tradition. This one will feature stories that effectively demonstrate mood, tone and indirect characterization.

In Social Studies, we are exploring the past by walking in someone else's shoes. We are examining colonial times from the perspective of adventurers, west African slaves, explorers, aristocrats, Native Americans, etc. Before we began, each student chose a"ticket" to board one of the many ships that sailed across the Atlantic to the New World. On each ticket was written the role they will research and play as we study this period in time. They have begun narratives, using the voice of the ticket holder. The writing will evolve as the history unfolds. We plan to visit Jamestown and Williamsburg to make our learning that much more authentic.

If you walk by our room during math, you may think it's recess. Never before has math generated such whoops of joy and enthusiasm. Ms. Lucas is leading our class through interactive, higher-level thinking games. Dice are being rolled, cards are being pulled and complex equations are being developed and solved. The math is really hands-on, and in their hands. They have reviewed prime numbers, decimals, and expanded form. Next week we will begin creating our Math Trail. We will again use our downtown as a springboard for ideas. Middle-schoolers will collaborate with the Sun Bears to design a book of mathematical challenges. Charlottesville landmarks, such as the Pavilion, the Paramount and the local sculptures will be used to generate the math challenges.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Whomever said Middle School isn't fun was surely mislead. In your children I have found invested learners, enthusiastic scientists, focused mathematicians and dedicated historians. They are gracious guests, gifted orators and fine storytellers. Thank you for sharing them with me. They inspire me daily and help me to find wonder in the world.

Warmly,
Karin