Tiger Days Empower Middle School Girls
In the Middle School, Tiger Days are fundamental to our mission to prepare, empower, and inspire every girl through our academic and co-curricular programming. Faculty at each grade level analyzed the content of their classes and developed curricular themes that would lead to experiential and project- based learning throughout our academic program. These themes have provided us with a curricular framework for our Tiger Days. What makes Tiger Days effective is the emphasis on creative, interdisciplinary projects as well as teamwork and collaboration. This combination inspires girls to take risks, step outside the subject areas where they naturally excel, and see how they, as individuals, can effect change.
On our most recent Tiger Day, I observed 6th and 7th graders collaboratively design robots with Dr. Roberta Brandao for a Carnegie Mellon University competition. Our 8th graders created iMovies about the solar system, which they then shared with 5th graders. Both of these activities required the students to work collaboratively and to understand and interpret complex content in robotics, science, technology and math. Middle School meetings held on this day provide time for us to come together as a community. I also saw joyful celebration and cross-grade level friendships fostered through House Games.
The 5th grade curricular theme is Foundations. Fifth grade is a pivotal year for developing study skills students will take through Middle School. They begin to study grammar in depth in French class. They write their first research paper in history. They read A Midsummer Night’s Dream, their first play by William Shakespeare. In science, they learn about the building blocks of matter and the scientific method. On Tiger Days, grade 5 has combined science and history in a project-based criminal investigation of King Tut’s death, learned MLA research skills, and used science and engineering to design Egyptian playgrounds. In the upcoming weeks, they will combine theater and English when they write and rehearse the 5th grade play, which typically involves intrigue in Egypt, Greece, or Rome, and they will re-enact a true Roman feast.
The 6th grade theme is Exploring Connections. The 6th grade has explored interconnections in math and science through Oh Deer!, a game in which 6s graphed animal populations and ecosystems. They also prepared entries for the Fairchild Challenge at Phipps, where the girls delve into human-environmental connections through visual and performing arts, writing, and science. They have composed lyrics and filmed a video about an eco-scientist superhero, given up electronics for a day, written poems about nature, and taken photographs of nutritious meals and snacks made from local fruits and vegetables. Later this year, the 6th grade will study the Middle Ages from a global perspective. On future Tiger Days, they will immerse themselves in this time period in preparation for the Medieval Faire at the end of April.
In 7th grade, students explore Growth and Change. They study the American Revolution in history, character development in English, cells and living organisms in science, and their own growth and development through our Advisory program. On Tiger Days, 7th grade has made art with computer code, developing their understanding of how art and technology intersect and change. They have also grown in social responsibility by forging volunteer partnerships with the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and the East End Cooperative Ministry.
As leaders of the MS, the 8th grade has focused on Developing and Understanding Leadership and its Impact on the school community and in the world. The 8th grade is using their interdisciplinary time to delve deeply into their Capstone Project, through which they address a specific issue facing girls and women in developing countries. They will present their recommendations to a mock Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the end of the year.
Next month Deborah Lam, the chief Innovation Officer of the city of Pittsburgh, will speak at a Tiger Day Assembly. Presenting inspiring leaders, creating opportunities for social interaction, and providing interdisciplinary activities that challenge our students' academic knowledge and creative thinking are at the heart of our Middle School program.Envision Her at Ellis
If you're interested in exploring Ellis for your daughter, let's connect! Request information about enrollment, attend one of our upcoming events, or hear about Ellis from those who know it best: our students.
