(Or you could call this post, “When you are tired and can’t think of a good title...”) ​Middle schoolers bounce back fast! We got a great start this morning and headed down to the Mall to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Although some exhibits are under...

  lThe PNA middle school made it to Washington, DC at 6 this morning (DC time) - safely and wide awake! A quick bus ride to the hotel had us settling in to our complimentary breakfast. We then had a bit of a wait, since our very early arrival meant that we did...

On Friday, April 19, PNA will host its first Science Party!  We will be celebrating all things science! There will be guest scientists, music, activities, and explorations.  In preparation for this fun, school-wide event, the Middle School Scientists have been...

  "I just love reading my social studies textbook!” If I told you this was a common refrain in our middle school US history class, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t believe me. And you’d be right; I can’t say I have ever heard that comment in my classroom. We’ve all...

Project-based learning (PBL) challenges students to identify and examine real problems, then work together to address and solve those problems by mobilizing resources. Importantly, every aspect of the project involves students in real work—work that is a reflection of...

One of the best things to do with kids on a Friday afternoon after a science test is to engage with them in a fun activity of their choice.  The offerings this “quarter” are: Snow, Relief Wood Carving, Set Design, and Mandala the Science Lab. ​At Pacific Northern...

  Parent Lunches are a unique and wonderful benefit of being a part of the PNA community. Our goal is to come together as a middle school family to share a meal and allow parents to experience a little taste of a school day. This week we had a fun lunch together...

When you teach more than one subject across a school day, as we are fortunate to do in our PNA middle school, it's always exciting to see how many of our standards for learning cut cut across all subject areas. Although the logistics of scheduling and organizing...

It’s not everyday that the stars align, but for the 8th grade class and me last week, they did. Teachers work hard to integrate all that they teach, and that challenge cannot always be met. However, a few weeks ago, I settled in to watch my favorite TV show - 60...

While the 8th  grade students have been approaching argument writing through the lens of a world social issue, the 6th/7th grade class has been learning the place of argument in their study of literature. The first part of this unit had students analyzing character...