MS Blazer Buzz 20 May

This week's highlight: A Jury Deliberation

The eighth grade recently completed Reginald Rose's famous play Twelve Angry Men, a piece perhaps most well-known for the 1957 movie starring Henry Fonda, which takes place entirely in one room as a jury deliberates following a murder trial. The play centers around Juror 8, who is at first the sole holdout in an 11-1 guilty jury vote. He spends the rest of the play focusing on viewing the facts of the case from multiple perspectives, and encourages the others to look at the facts objectively and abandon their personal prejudices. To experience the setting of the play as accurately as possible, each eighth grader tackled one juror's part, effectively changing the name of the play to Twelve Angry Jurors, of course. During each language arts class for one week, students sat around one long "conference table" and, taking on the personalities of their respective characters, hashed out the details of a murder case.

To enrich their understanding of the jury deliberation process and to prepare them for the famous trial scene in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, students will have the chance later this week to hear from a parent who practices law and has experience in criminal trials. The students are looking forward to having all their burning questions answered, including "how does voir dire work?" and "has there ever been a time when you didn't believe the person you were defending?" They'll be all prepared for what to expect when they are, some day, called to jury duty!

Contributed by Kyle Tilley

MS Blazer Buzz 13 May

This week's highlight: Mentoring

Our eighth grade students put their creative talents to the test when they created clubs based on their personal interests for the younger middle school students. The eighth graders spend time each week planning their upcoming lessons in order to make the most of their time with each group and share their expertise on their topic. Sixth and seventh graders had the opportunity to sign up for an activity earlier in the spring. The current offerings include Sports 101, Dance, Minecraft, DIY Crafts, Magic, Fashion, Desserts and Film. The clubs meet each week during advisory and meetings are eagerly anticipated by our younger students.

Contributed by Jen Conrad

MS Blazer Buzz 6 May

This week's highlight: Tremont

Did you know that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the salamander capital of the world? Woodlawn's sixth grade class spend three days exploring the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and learned all about North Carolina's very own national park and the diversity of wildlife that makes its home there. The camp afforded sixth graders the opportunity to experience nature up close and personal. During one salamander hike, students found four difference salamander species and were able to identify them. To learn about the geology of the region, the class hiked to a beautiful waterfall where the students ducked their heads under the chilly falls before wading in the stream. The students learned how to use a compass accurately during wilderness navigation class, went on a night hike, square danced and learned how important forests are to the health of wildlife and our planet. At the conclusion of the trip, student said they had become keenly aware of how many different types of plants and animals there are in the world. The diversity of plants, animals, geology and ecology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park made for an amazing experience.

Contributed by Cathy Denham

MS Blazer Buzz 27 April

This week's highlight: The Symphony

The eighth graders saw American history in a whole new light on Friday, April 19 as the group trekked uptown to see the Charlotte Symphony's rehearsal for "American Music Masters and Pioneers." The music performed was composed entirely by American composers. The students had the opportunity to be the first to hear new pieces by Paul Dooley and Michael Daugherty. Both composers were present and offered notes to the musicians. The group also met a few of the musicians and spoke with them about the performance. Following the symphony, the students visited the Wells Fargo Museum of Charlotte. They took a trip back in time, exploring stage coaches and trading their cell phones for vintage candlestick telephones. The students also got their pictures taken as if they were the presidents stamped on money!

Contributed by Sandi Rosen

MS Blazer Buzz 22 April

This week's highlight:Gaelic Football

Middle school students participated in the Third Annual Gaelic Football Tournament on Tuesday, April 16. This popular Irish sport is a big hit with our students. During their fitness class, students learned the fundamentals of the sport including advancing the ball with a combination of carrying, bouncing, kicking and hand-passing. This year, the yellow team received top honors and was named the tournament champion!