The Specialists Update

Students have art, music, technology education, health and physical education throughout each of their three years at WMS. We are fortunate enough to really get to know your students and see them grow throughout the three years here with us!

The specials classes are listed below.

Art: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Technology Education: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Health: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Music: 6th, 7th grade and 8th grade

Physical Education: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Orchestra, Band and Chorus: 6th, 7th and 8th grade by student choice

Specials classes meet for 1 trimester every other day with the exception of physical education; physical education meets every other day for 2 out of the 3 trimesters. This means that by the end of the school year your student will have had all four specials for one term and physical education for two terms.

6th grade just finished up their art vocabulary words. To begin the term, students start by building up their vocabulary of art related works so we can learn to talk about what we see more confidently. Students did a wonderful job creating illustrations to describe their words!

7th grade were the guinea pigs this term by trying out a new lesson that Mr. Davidson just developed. In this lesson, students were instructed to create a series of stickers on a sticker sheet using repeating patterns or shapes. Once all students have completed a sticker sheet (or two!), the students will share and trade stickers before creating a new drawing from the collection of stickers the class has created. This lesson is intended to foster a community effort to create artwork together, by responding to what each other has created. We are very excited to see the results!

8th graders began the term by experimenting with digital drawing. Students explored a wide variety of digital drawing tools and experimented with the range and capabilities of each one. We went over how to set up a canvas in the program and how to export your image once it is finished. Many students went wild with this one and some very interesting abstract art was created!

6th grade: Greetings from WMS Technology Education (Tech Ed)! Students have been engaged in some spirited discussions around structures and their types and properties, as well as the forces and loads that they encounter. We’ve been identifying many examples of structures near and far. They are about to start their drawings of Mass, Frame, and Shell structures, and showing examples on them of Live Loads, Dead Loads, Compression and Tension. Next we will begin exploring bridges specifically, and get to understand their types and styles. We will also be discussing additional forces and loads as they pertain to bridges, in preparation for their team projects designing and building physical structures. Soon students will also be introduced to Bridge Designer software, created by West Point Army Corps of Engineers, where the students design and test various truss bridge iterations to create a bridge that will hold a crossing truck, for the least amount of money. The software is a lot of fun, and is a free download for Windows and Mac and can be found here! https://bridgedesigner.org

7th grade: Greetings from WMS Technology Education (Tech Ed)! Students have begun exploring systems generally, and then applied them to transportation system types in particular. We’ve been looking at modes of transportation that fit into each category, and exploring a few unique ones that transcend multiple mediums of travel. We then moved into ‘transportation subsystems’ and their functions, in preparation for their culminating transportation device design/build projects at the end of the term. After winter break, they will be making drawings of transportation devices and vehicles and identifying how the six subsystems apply to their vehicles. We will next move into flight and the related forces of Drag, Thrust, Gravity, and Lift.

8th grade: Greetings from WMS Technology Education (Tech Ed)! Students have been exploring ‘engineering’ and what it is all about. We’ve discussed and analyzed the Engineering Design Process, and examined case studies that illustrate the steps in action through excerpts of the WGBH show, Design Squad, and, after break, continuing with a case study featuring the premiere design firm, IDEO, where they redesign the shopping cart for Nightline. We will debrief and analyze what we see in relation to the Engineering Design Process. Soon, the students will form groups and begin to design, build and program a number of autonomous robots using Lego Mindstorms kits, to experience hands-on design challenges for themselves.

Happy New Year! Trimester 2 music classes are off to a good start as students begin practicing new instruments

6th Graders are learning basic chords on the ukulele and beginning to play simple tunes on the piano. We've been practicing playing a backbeat on the drums and reading notes and rhythms.

7th Graders have been focusing mainly on the guitar. We've learned basic chords and played songs like "Knockin' at Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan and "Sunflower" by Post Malone. We've just begun to read tablature in order to play basic guitar riffs.

8th Graders have been learning to play piano, beginning with playing basic triads that can be used to play chord progressions for popular songs. We've also learned to play simple tunes in treble clef on the piano. We've also reviewed basic skills like reading rhythms and notes on the staff.

Happy Holidays!

6th grade: We are over one third of the way through the 2024-2054 school year. Here is the link to our parent/guardian letter home. This explains what Health class is all about at WMS. The first thing 6th grade students will work on in health class is writing a letter to their 9th grade selves which they will read when getting to WHS.

7th grade: We are over one third of the way through the 2024-2025 school year. Here is the link to our parent/guardian letter home. This explains what Health class is all about at WMS. We have reviewed what students learned in 6th grade Health class.

Students have begun the term by reviewing what they learned in 6th grade Health class. The first unit we have started is nicotine. Students will identify similarities and differences between vaping and smoking cigarettes. We will discuss reasons why teens are vaping, and the effects on the body from vaping.

8th grade: We are over one third of the way through the 2024-2025 school year. Here is the link to our parent/guardian letter home. This explains what Health class is all about at WMS. Students have started the term by looking into the seven dimensions of wellness and completing a wellness wheel.

Next we will take a look at the myths vs. the realities of puberty. Students will be asked to identify the mental and social changes that come with puberty and recognize that they are just as difficult to deal with as the physical changes of puberty.

*** As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns about when topics are being discussed in Health class! My email is nicole.lewis@watertown.k12.ma.us.

Ms. Kelly: lauren.kelly@watertown.k12.ma.us

Mr. Pereira: haiden.pereira@watertown.k12.ma.us

This month in PE: This month in PE class we began our first unit of Trimester 2: Basketball. We began with three days of skill work focusing on a specific skill each day. When we return from break we will ask the students to put all of the skills they have learned together to play a variety of different mini games!

Day 1: Dribbling

Control dribble

Speed dribble

Day 2: Passing

Chest pass

Bounce pass

Overhead pass

Day 3: Shooting

Lay up

Jump shot

We will continue our basketball unit when we return from winter break!

Required for PE class:

· Sneakers

· Water bottle

Recommended for PE Class:

· Change of clothes

Participation Expectations:

All students are expected to try their best, follow directions and be properly involved in class activities for the entire class period.

All students are expected to display a positive attitude and good sportsmanship. This includes proper use of language, respecting the feelings and safety of themselves, their classmates and the instructors.

All students will be evaluated on their ability to perform related activity skills and follow rules.

Student-Athletes who do not participate in PE class will not be allowed to participate in school sponsored athletics that day.

Game play opportunity policy:

In PE class, we have multiple opportunities for students to participate in game play scenarios. This year, we are introducing a two-chance policy within our game play to keep the games fun, inclusive, and safe for ALL students.

Some examples of why a student would receive a warning:

Inappropriate use of body contact, inappropriate language, inappropriate play, poor sportsmanship.

Chance one: Verbal warning

Chance two: Not allowed to participate in game play for the remainder of class, will work on independent skill work.

Grading Policy:

The following guidelines will be used:

20% = Participation in the warm-up before class

40 % = Participation (minimal 0-19%, acceptable 20-35%, exceptional 36-40%)

30% = Social Competency / Cooperation (Does the student follow expectations?

Do they demonstrate personal and peer safety? Do they use equipment properly?)

10% = Homework/Assignments (Google Classroom, etc…) /

Preparation (properly attired with athletic wear

Calling WMS coders!

This term, there are two computer science classes during WIN. The first class is for sixth graders and is using the popular curriculum, Code.org to learn how to use JavaScript to create animations and games! The second class is for motivated seventh and eighth graders who want to master the fundamentals of Python. This class is using CodeHS to code basic programs and solve challenging puzzles. The sixth-grade class will meet on B days during WIN, while the Python class for seventh and eighth graders will meet on A days. I’m excited for an awesome year of coding!