by Rebecca Dwyer | Oct 25, 2025 | 2025-2026, grades 6-8, science, Uncategorized
During the fall of 2025, the older students at school have been studying the microworld. We started learning about Antonie van Leeuwenhoek who made the first single lens microscope in the 1670s. We then made our own magnifying glasses out of water bottles filled with...
by newschoolsyr | Jun 4, 2023 | grades 6-8
The oldest students, who have been studying the Civil War and the Abolitionist movement, were treated to an end of the year field trip led by the amazing Vanessa Johnson. Vanessa Johnson is a gift teacher and storyteller, who brings history to life! The first part of...
by newschoolsyr | Mar 20, 2023 | 2022-2023, grades 6-8, Social Studies
Our unit started with learning about the Triangle Trade route, and locating and identifying the countries and goods involved. We then studied how Africans brought to the New World were forced to participate in this trade through the Middle Passage. Students studied...
by newschoolsyr | Mar 20, 2023 | 2022-2023, grades 6-8, language arts, science
In January 2023 we started an Invention unit, inspired in part by the many inventions we learned about during our study of the Industrial Revolution. We started this unit by watching a few videos. Bill Nye always offers interesting and humorous videos on science...
by newschoolsyr | Mar 20, 2023 | 2022-2023, grades 6-8, language arts, Social Studies
As a culminating activity for our year long study of the Industrial Revolution, all the students were asked to develop an essay evaluating its positive and negative effects. Many historical documents, photos, journal entries, cartoons, were studied and discussed. The...
by newschoolsyr | Dec 2, 2022 | grades 6-8, Social Studies
To start this unit, students were asked to analyze a Lewis Hine photograph of children working in factories using the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS). This led to a discussion of child labor. Each student was assigned to read and present an historical fiction novel...