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Learning Updates for February 5 to February 16

February 16, 2024

Eighth Graders Share Original Poems

After a week of learning about and experimenting with the Shakespearean sonnet, the modern English ghazal, and contemporary free verse poetry, eighth graders worked hard this week on crafting their poetry portfolios that touch on a theme or subject of their choosing. Students chose to write poems in many different forms and about many different aspects of the human experience. On Thursday, our poetry unit culminated with a class poetry reading, where students shared an original poem from their portfolios. Much courage was demonstrated, and many snaps were received. Bravo, eighth graders!

– Sana Aslam, eighth grade English teacher

Arts Update: Third Graders Craft Unique Boxes in Woodworking

Students in first grade learn how to create a basic woodworking project called a “Hole in a Box.” This involves making a rectangular wooden block with a hole drilled on top and a lid to slide across, which closes the hole. As they progress to third grade, their skills and workmanship improve, allowing them to design and create their unique version of the “Hole in a Box.”

– William Smith, woodworking teacher

Capstone Journey Set to Start Studio Week

Next week is Capstone Studio Week for our eighth graders. Students will have 2-3 hours each day to work on their projects throughout the week. Studio week is an opportunity to feel supported by the BDS community as projects take their final forms. Students have access to teachers and materials, and they enjoy supporting classmates. This is a chance to experience sustained, focused work and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. Some of the activities that will be happening around the school next week are designing and building models, creating paintings and sculptures, working on software, carrying out studies, teaching classes to lower school students, and creating books, brochures, and websites. Next Friday, we will have a prototype exhibit where the eighth graders will share their progress on their projects and make plans to put the finishing touches on them based on feedback. Soon, they will be preparing to share their projects and learning journeys at Capstone presentations the week of April 8. Hope to see everyone there!

– Jennifer Friborg, French teacher and Capstone coordinator

Fourth Graders Present Their Research on Egypt

Earlier this year, you read about the fourth graders starting their ancient Egyptian research in the library. Since then, they have practiced taking notes and have written a multi-paragraph research report about their topic. This week, they shared what they have learned with their classmates. To prepare, they created a visual project to aid them in their presentation. Visual projects included posters, models, and slide presentations. We even had a moveable cat made out of cardboard! Presentations lasted from 3-7 minutes, and students used note cards to remind them of what they wanted to say about their topic. Topics included animals of the Nile, charms and amulets, social structure, fashion, and more. Not only were the presentations informative, but they were also a celebration of the hard work and dedication of our fourth grade researchers and writers.

– Lana Holman, fourth grade teacher

BDS

November 8, 2024

Songwriters and Recording Technology Students Unite This week, students in the seventh and eighth grade Songwriting arts elective showcased their work in a Tiny Desk-inspired recording event in the Erskine Library. They collaborated to think about form, lyrical rhyming structures,…

By John O'Neill, Director of Athletics |

November 8, 2024

The boys’ varsity soccer team finished their season on a high note with a dominant 4-0 win over Lexington Christian Academy this week. The win improved the team’s record to 7-3 on the season, with all three losses coming by…

BDS

October 25, 2024

Seventh Grade Math Has No Problem With Problem Sets It is late October and the seventh grade students are engaged in the creativity, wonder, and fun of mathematics. In addition to the curriculum in the workbooks, students are given a…

By John O'Neill, Director of Athletics |

October 25, 2024

The junior varsity volleyball team has been receiving a crash course in instruction from first-year coach Madeleine Grimes and veteran coach Jen James. From overhand serves, bumps, and sets, to positional rotations, communication, and teamwork, these athletes have learned it…
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