District Update - November 26

Over the past few weeks, sixth-grade STEM students have been working to design Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO) prototypes to assist children with spastic hemiplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, walk more easily. Students collaborated in engineering design teams to research, sketch, and create AFO prototypes that met specific criteria and constraints, including mobility, fit, foot alignment, support, and comfort. The top teams from each homeroom presented their prototypes to guest judges from our high school PLTW Biomedical Sciences class.

Our 3rd graders were busy creating amazing works of art inspired by the famous New York pop artist, James Rizzi! Known for his vibrant and whimsical cityscapes, Rizzi often painted buildings with fun, friendly faces. Our young artists channeled their inner Rizzi to design colorful city scenes. Using bright colors and their imagination, they brought their unique cityscape creations to life.

First and second graders participated in Thanksgiving STEM activities while working on the "Engineering Design Process" in Mrs. Bielawski's Technology Class. In one activity, students were challenged to build a table that was both long enough and strong enough to hold all the food for the Pilgrims and Native Americans to share. In another activity, classes worked on creating a turkey retreat to keep the turkey safe from being caught for Thanksgiving dinner.

Mrs. Fair's class explored expository and fictional texts during their voting unit, focusing on the essential question, "How do people make the government work?" They learned about the importance of voting, how elections work, and how people can make their voices heard.

To simulate the voting experience, the class read the fictional story Duck for President, where Duck runs for office to escape farm chores. The book explains the election and voting process as Duck moves up the political ladder. After reading, students compared and contrasted Duck and Farmer Brown's traits and views.

Students then experienced the voting process firsthand—presenting ID cards, voting in a booth, filling out/submitting a ballot, and receiving an "I Voted!" sticker. After tallying the results, Duck was elected president!

Earlier this month, Midview High School students had a valuable opportunity to explore future academic and professional paths during the 11th Annual College & Career Fair. The fair featured over 25 colleges and universities, several career-based vendors, and representatives from military branches. Juniors and seniors had the chance to engage with presenters and their materials, ask questions, and gather valuable information about potential educational institutions and career opportunities. Freshmen and sophomores were also welcomed to attend, and many began exploring their future options.

One last shoutout to the MHS Drama Department for delivering an outstanding performance during their fall play, "Doctor Death." Nearly 30 students were involved in bringing the murder mystery to life. Congratulations to the cast, crew, and directors, and thank you to those who attended a show!

As part of the Skills for Healthy Living course at Midview Middle School, eighth graders have been learning about the effects of drugs and alcohol through activities like Addiction Story and Roll the Dice with Alcohol. These interactive exercises showed students the real-life consequences of addiction and the dangers of alcohol, while also emphasizing how their choices can affect their future health and well-being. The Skills for Healthy Living course equips students with the skills and knowledge to lead healthy and fulfilling lives beyond their middle school years.

Congratulations to Nolan, Noah, Richard, Keira, Jasmine, and Imani on a wonderful performance with the Ohio Music Education Association D4/D7 Honor Band! We are so proud of you!

Mr. Matheson’s eighth-grade history students recently studied the events leading to the American Revolution. As a review for the test, student groups created hopscotch boards with key vocabulary words, concepts, and where to find information if they needed to study. Students "hopped" through all of their learning targets in a student-driven review.

Last week, Mrs. Stillwell's math class brought their decimal and fraction lessons to life by baking pumpkin pies for a Friendsgiving celebration with Miss Dhayer’s class! The students had a blast seeing just how sweet math skills can be when applied in real life!

Today, Mr. Dickson’s class and Mrs. Crawford’s Students for Change officers visited Alberts Fresh Market in Grafton for an educational field trip focused on meal planning. Students gained hands-on experience with budgeting, nutrition, and teamwork as they worked together to plan a Thanksgiving feast!

Albert’s staff provided a welcoming shopping environment, helping students locate Thanksgiving staples like turkey, vegetables, cranberry sauce, and desserts. Students focused on selecting items for a balanced meal, carefully comparing prices and calculating costs to stay within their budgets.