Middle School
Outside The Classroom
Not all learning can happen inside a classroom.
By offering a wide range of student-driven clubs and activities, Waynflete encourages Middle School students to go further.
Early adolescents are in the process of discovering causes, pursuits, and hobbies they love—and they love to share these passions with others. We provide Middle School students with many opportunities to start or join activity groups and explore their interests with faculty and friends. From ancient board games to LEGO robotics to global music appreciation, Tuesday activity blocks are a wonderful reflection of the dynamism and diversity of our school community.
Hardy Girls Rock
Waynflete has hosted the Hardy Girls Healthy Women Girls Rock! conference for the past four years. Middle School girls get the chance to “skip school” and participate in a statewide gathering led by girls (with help from adult allies) focused on learning, sharing, and supporting girl-powered activitism.
Community Service
Middle School students are natural helpers with a growing awareness of the need and injustice close to home and across the globe. From the annual Thanksgiving food drive to the Ally Group to the Eco Action Team to Help Haiti bake sales, our students are encouraged to step up, share their talents, and spark change.
Friendly Competition
Waynflete Middle School fields teams for many area interschool competitions and students enjoy the opportunity to develop and test their skills and make connections with students from other schools. Shown above? Our Middle School Science Olympiad champions!
Middle School Activities
Backgammon and Other Ancient Board Games
Both beginners and advanced players are welcome! Backgammon is an ancient Middle Eastern board game played between two competitors using two dice, 15 checkers, and a simple board. The game is easy to learn for beginners, but offers experienced players the possibility of delving into complex strategy. In this activity, students will have the opportunity to master backgammon basics and improve their game while playing competitively or noncompetitively (perhaps while drinking hot cocoa!), and may also choose to explore other ancient games such as Mancala (from Africa) or Go (from China).
Be the Change
This group will engage in conversations about local, national, and global issues while focusing on Waynflete’s mission to encourage “caring participation in the world.” We will read articles, discuss current events, and explore ways that we can make change in our own lives. We will practice active listening, watch TED talks, write opinion pieces, and try out various discussion formats throughout the semester. We will also invite outside speakers to share their insights and experiences—from local political officials to writers and leaders focused on social justice.
Color Me Calm
Relax and take a break from the busy pace of the day. Spark your imagination and tap into your creativity—“play” with colors! In this activity, we will create a quiet space to color mandalas, animals, molas (from Panama), gardens, or anything you might imagine while we listen to quiet music, drink tea, and tell stories. How long has it been since you last colored in the lines? You might just find it to be a great way to take a deep breath and slow down. Everyone is welcome!
Help Haiti
Innovation. Action. Leadership. Join Help Haiti to brainstorm and carry out projects to raise support for and awareness about our neighbors in Haiti. One recent inspiring activity was the Haitian Festival. We hold bake sales, sell Haitian coffee, and make mugs, cards, and crafts to sell. Another critical part of our mission is making the Waynflete community better informed about Haitian life and culture. If you have ideas and energy, and want to make positive changes in the world, this is the activity for you!
Legos and Sphero Robots
Do you like to build with Legos? Want to learn how to use a Sphero 2.0 robot? Join us as we learn how to drive the robots, create mazes for them, and learn to code directions for how they should move. No previous experience necessary!
Mean Green Eco Team
In this activity students will help to create and sustain a more eco-friendly environment in the Middle School. Students will take part in green initiatives including recycling, gardening, and composting. We are hoping to plan a field trip to EcoMaine and/or Garbage to Garden to see large-scale recycling and composting efforts in action.
The Power of Song
We will look at how music raised the awareness of many social issues, including civil rights, war, social change, and global awareness. We will listen to songs, watch videos, and discuss music and musicians that have had an impact on our society. Additional work may include watching videos, reading lyrics, and researching historical events.
Science Fiction Club
In this activity, students will explore the many realms of science fiction—and not just the ordinary. We will look at stories, books, television shows, movies, and other media from a variety of different time periods, engaging in discovery and discussion about all things science fiction. From spaceships to monsters from the deep sea, students will have a chance to investigate both the common and strange side of science fiction. Whether you are an avid fan of sci-fi or are interested to know more, we welcome all who share a curiosity in science fiction.
Science Olympiad
Love to tinker? Ever wonder what the stars are made of? Ever dream of becoming a doctor? Do you love to drop eggs? Science Olympiad may be for you! Join the Waynflete Middle School Science Olympiad team and compete in a statewide competition in late March or early April 2017 (you must be available for the day-long Saturday event). Limit: 15 serious eighth-grade students with free time and an intrinsic motivation for science.
Spirit Club
Join this club if you are psyched about all things Waynflete. We will brainstorm ideas to get this place jumping!. Color days? Grade competitions? Ice cream socials? Spirit Week? ”Give me a W! Give me a A! Give me Y!” (You get the picture!)
Virtual Book Talk Club
In this activity you’ll use presentation tools like Explain Everything and Voicethread to create virtual book talks that your classmates can access when they’re looking for their next ORP book—or just for something great to read. If you enjoy creating presentations (or want to get more practice) and want to suggest books you love, join the Virtual Book Talk Club!
Winter/Spring Walking & Yoga Club
Do you love the outdoors? Join this group and enjoy a brisk walk as we explore various routes and landmarks around the West End. There are many proven benefits of walking, including improved health, energy, memory, and mood. You’ll have a chance to connect with others, reconnect with yourself, observe nature, learn about the neighborhood, let go of your morning, and recharge for the afternoon. We will even do some yoga as part of the activity. We will walk in all seasons and weather conditions, so be sure to bring an adventurous spirit and appropriate footwear/outerwear.
World Wildlife
Would you like to be an environmental activist? Members of this group will learn about the WWF organization and plan ways to support its programs to lesson the global threats to wild animals around the world. We will “adopt” animals, create an educational display in the Forum, plan assemblies, and learn about the threatened wild animals around the world. We will educate others about Earth Hour and try to convince the City of Portland to become an Earth Hour City. Students may sign up for this activity again, even if they were a part of it in the first semester.
THE WAYNFLETE WIRE
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“One of the joys of leading our Middle School is the opportunity to cultivate curiosity, create an atmosphere of mutual care and respect, and guide moments of courage as students discover their own voices and sense of individual agency. Identity is the work of Middle School, and I am grateful to be a part of its emergence.”
Divya Muralidhara
Waynflete Middle School Director
