Middle
May 27, 2021
Seventh-graders Make Confetti Bombs
Confetti was flying in the Innovation Lab last week! Seventh-graders in Karen Glum’s exploring engineering and design class created confetti bombs. Students engineered a package to eject confetti when it was opened. Students determined the strength of their confetti bombs by measuring how far the confetti flew, and the furthest launch measured 10 feet! “Seventh-graders applied their knowledge of circuitry—gained during a project earlier this semester where students were asked to design a flashlight—to connect a hobby motor, battery pack, and momentary switch,” Glum said. The project was inspired by viral videos created by NASA engineer Mark Rober, who created glitter bomb packages to deter thieves from stealing packages off of his porch.
Sixth-graders Compete in Torso Triathlon
Sixth-graders in Jennifer Licata and Karen Glum’s science classes recently completed a study of the human body, learning the ins and outs of the anatomy of the digestive, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. Students participated in a variety of interactive learning recall activities, including a heart relay and the torso triathlon. “Sixth-graders competed in a torso triathlon to review the body systems they’ve learned,” Licata said. “In small groups students raced to answer questions about the organs and labeled the organs on the anatomy torsos.”
Author Maulik Pancholy Speaks to Students
Author and actor Maulik Pancholy recently spoke to members of the fourth- and fifth-grade book club and the Middle School’s GSA Just Be You! Club via Zoom. Pancholy discussed his background as an actor and his debut middle-grade novel, “The Best At It,” which tells the story of Rahul Kapoor, a gay, Indian American boy coming into his own in small-town Indiana. Pancholy, who, like his character Rahul, is gay and Indian American, said when he was younger, he loved to read. As he read, he didn’t see characters that looked like him in books. Pancholy said he began to think about what it would have been like as a 12-year-old to see himself in stories. “This story didn’t exist,” he said of “The Best At It.” “ If you have a story to tell, don’t wait for someone else to write it.” Students enjoyed Pancholy’s visit and had an opportunity to ask him questions. “This visit was made possible by a pilot program of Lambda Literary: LGBTQ Writers in Schools to extend the reach of their authors,” said Lotspeich librarian Lori Suffield.
Innovation Lab Students Create Automata
Sixth-graders in Karen Glum’s Innovation Lab basics class recently created cardboard automata. Automata are mechanical sculptures made of simple materials. They can also tell a story through their movements. Sixth-graders created a variety of moving scenes. “Students experimented with different materials and shapes for their parts involved in movement, and learned that friction is both friend and foe when making automata,” Glum said.
Seventh-grader Competes in Youth Olympic Events
Seventh-grader Lily Plum Gartenlaub recently participated in an archery competition to qualify for various titles in her division. Lily Plum shoots on a junior Olympic archery development team and shoots Olympic recurve, which is a specific type of bow. As she continues to compete at this level, Lily Plum’s next competition for a state title will be held June 12 and she will compete again in mid-July for state and national outdoor titles. Lily Plum currently holds three indoor Ohio archery titles and one national title. We are #StingerProud of Lily Plum!
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Five Stingers Sign to Play in College
Five Stingers from the Class of 2024 signed their letters of intent to continue their athletic careers in college.
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