Middle School Intensive Learning Spotlight: Grade 6

Sixth grade students enjoyed a week of service, fun, and exploration during Intensive Learning in late March.

Intensive Learning kicked off for students in Grades 5-8 on Friday, March 24 with the Middle School Day of Service. Sixth graders visited K-2 classrooms at Urban Promise’s CamdenForward Elementary School. They joined younger students in their classrooms to share “gifts of kindness” that create connection and spread joy. Afterwards, they participated in a campus clean-up with faculty and students.

The week following focused heavily on teamwork as the sixth grade participated in team-building activities both on and off campus. An overnight trip to the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) offered students time outdoors enjoying ropes courses that required both communication and patience, as well as a number of environmentally focused classes which highlighted Forest Ecology, Predator/Prey Interactions, and Geology. Middle School Science teacher Matt Lubicky noted, “It was nice to visit the hills and hardwood forests of the Delaware Water Gap, a nice change of scenery from the flatter portions of South Jersey. Students also enjoyed some classic hangout time in the cabins at PEEC and s’mores around the campfire while teachers read Goodnight Moon in four different languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, and French)!” Following their trip, the week culminated at the Middle School Service Carnival during which students raised money for a charity of their choosing while playing home-made carnival games. 

This is one in a series of 2023 Intensive Learning Spotlights. For one week each March, regular classes are suspended for “Intensive Learning,” when Middle and Upper School students and teachers engage in an in-depth study of a specific subject, often involving off-campus research. This long-standing MFS tradition — which dates back to the mid 1970s — allows teachers and students to break out of the structure of formal class periods and traditional study for a time of experiential learning. Both students and teachers are encouraged to view themselves as life-long learners and students of the world around them.