Middle School Classroom Chronicle

Sixth graders need your opinion!  Students study forms of government in Social Studies, the ecological health of Lake Merritt in Science, and argumentative essays in ELA. On Monday, April 27th, at 10 AM, students stood for Lake Merritt in front of Oakland’s City Council Members using skills from different classes. 

To help prepare for the meeting--and to participate in a representative democracy--students conducted a professional-grade poll of registered, likely voters with 300 responses to get to a 90% accuracy of Oakland’s opinions. 

We met with Oakland City Council members to present our report on the state of trash at Lake Merritt, advocating for the purchase and installation of over three dozen new trash cans which might better withstand conditions around the lake. The report was well-received as thorough, relevant and timely. Our students left council chambers with high hopes for change.