With summer now in full swing and a formal ‘break’ from the routines of school and academics, our department chairs have provided end-of-year and summer updates from their respective departments...
Art
Happy Summer from the Art Department!
It is our hope that all of our students will slow it down this Summer and enjoy friends, family and the outdoors.
Have you checked out the Bellforge lately? This Arts and culture center is in a beautiful setting and has attracted musicians and performers to the area. Check out their schedule!
The Medfield Public Library has a teen page, which includes book recommendations, clubs, and other events of interest. The Zullo Gallery always has Summer workshops and classes in digital art, cartooning, and painting.
See you in the Fall!
English
The English Department would like you to follow Ralph Waldo Emerson’s advice for Summer and “Live in the Sunshine, swim in the sea. Drink the wild air's salubrity” (Merlin’s Song). First and foremost, we want you to relax, enjoy yourself, and read a book or two. Don’t forget about the Summer Reading assignment. You can check out Park Street Books or the Town library.
Have tons of fun and see you this fall!
Guidance
The Blake Counselors wish you all a wonderful summer! To our 8th graders, we wish you well in your high school endeavors. High School will fly by, so enjoy it, stretch yourself and try new things! To our 6th and 7th graders, we already can't wait to see you in the fall!
Mental Health Resources
In the event that your child needs additional support this summer, please refer to our website for a thorough list of mental health resources available to you.
https://sites.google.com/email.medfield.net/blake-guidance-department/mental-health-resources?authuser=0
For immediate mental health and crisis support, please call:
- Riverside Community Care for Crisis Support: 800-529-5077
- Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Dial 988
- Emergency Services Program/Mobile Crisis Intervention (ESP/MCI): 877-382-1609
- Interface Helpline 617-332-3666 x1411 or 888-244-6843 x1411
- Medfield Outreach: 508-359-7121
Library
Summer reading is here! The English teachers are excited to introduce the books to their students and there is lots of information on the Blake Library website’s Summer Reading Tab. In addition, Blake will be participating this year in the Massachusetts Center for the Book Student Reading Challenge! The challenge runs from June through May and is a way to encourage choice reading. The theme for June is to read a book about a place you would like to visit. Visit the Blake Library Website for information and choice book suggestions. Please feel free to email me, Mrs. Cole, [email protected], with any questions or suggestions for choice reading.
Mathematics
We hope you all have a wonderful summer and appreciate the small things. Enjoy a walk around the block, bike riding with friends, or learning a new hobby. Summer can be a great time to put your 'learning skills' to work. Summertime happenings are a great way to build these up so students will be ready to transfer them to the math classroom in the fall.
If you would like to brush up on your math skills, the Blake Middle School math department has found it beneficial for students to work on strengthening their basic skills. We recognize this may look different for each student and will take on many different forms from visiting math websites (www.ixl.com) to completing summer skills workbooks (www.summerskills.com). We also encourage you to find math in your everyday activities -- paying with cash, playing a board game with your family, completing a DIY project, etc.
The Blake Middle School math department wishes you all a fun and relaxing summer vacation!
Music
From the Blake Music Department…..
This summer, start small and simple with making and experiencing music. -Just take your instrument out of its case and play anything you like for a few minutes….you’ll be surprised how much longer you’ll keep going.
-Type your instrument into Youtube and watch a video or 2 of something you’ve never seen before…you may just discover something you never knew you’d love to listen to!
-Find a karaoke version of your favorite song on Youtube…any singing you do counts as practice!
Reading
From Mrs. Duffy, Mrs. Nohos and Mrs. Callahan - the reading department wishes you a wonderful summer break! We hope you disconnect, recharge, and find time to relax with a good book or two! Don’t forget to check out the Blake Middle School Summer Reading Website for some great recommendations!
Science
The Blake science department ( Grade 6 - Marjorie Heim, Kelly Ruminski and Meghan Thress; Grade 7 - Kristin Buley, Juli Dalzell and Judy Silva; Grade 8 - Mike Gibbs, Jason Heim and Jillian Shaw; Orla Berry - Dept Chair)) wishes our science students a wonderful summer full of questions about the world in which we live. Take pictures and tell your teachers all about your summer of science!
We also want to thank Mrs. Silva for everything she did for the department and our science students. We hope she has a wonderful retirement!
Here are some virtual field trips that you can take over the summer - they are amazing!
- Explorer Classroom
- Science and Nature Virtual Field Trips for Grades 3–8
- Virtual Field Trips | Interactive Field Trips
- 7 of the Best Virtual Science Field Trips
- Virtual Field Trips: Interactive Science Lesson Ideas
- Amazing & Informative Virtual Field Trips for Middle School
- 360° Virtual Field Trips
For those who would like to practice some science here are some links to a free program to keep those skills in good shape. Social Studies
Dear students and families, this summer, we invite you to explore historical sites and learn from the past. For 8th graders starting civics in the fall, paying attention to the news and current events will help you understand our country and the world. Enjoy your summer filled with discovery, relaxation, and learning. We look forward to your return in the fall, ready to make a positive impact with your newfound knowledge.
Wellness
Move! Don’t forget about the Blake Disc Golf Course behind the baseball field if you’re looking for something active to do this summer. Rocky Woods is also a great place to get some steps in and spy on nature!
Make! Looking for something to do on a rainy day? Whip up a batch of these fun and easy treats and share them with your friends and family! Chocolate Cupcakes - Iced Pumpkin Cookies - Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mindfulness! Summer can also be a great time to s-l-o-w down. Practice a free online yoga class or a breathing exercise! Practicing mindfulness strategies during the summer is a great way to start building new, healthy habits that can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Have a great summer and see you in September!
World Language
One of the very best ways to have fun with a second language on your own is to listen to shows, podcasts and watch movies. Another excellent way to improve your language skills is reading. You can choose anything that appeals to you: magazines, children's books, memes or subtitles of a show. It’s all good practice! We hope you will find something that excites you about language learning this summer. Here are some recommendations from your Blake teachers:
- Find a good, age appropriate, show/movie to watch in Spanish/French/Mandarin on your streaming services (Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, Disney)
- Find children’s book “ Read Alouds” in your language
- Use Duolingo, 3x a week, 10 minutes
- Watch Soy Luna or Violetta in Spanish on Disney Plus if you have it!
- Go to your Library and see if they have any age appropriate movies/DVDs available to watch!
- French students, you can find episodes of L’Âne Trotro (and Peppa Pig!) on You Tube, as well as many other cartoons and songs in French to listen to and watch.
- Practice with Duolingo to keep those “language muscles” in great shape over the summer!
- For Spanish students this website might have some useful materials
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!