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Middle School Matters – 12.10.21

MSM

General Announcements

Christmas Cheer Week for the Middle School!

Mon Dec 13 - Polar Bear in a Blizzard (wear white)
Tue Dec 14 - Wear Red
Wed Dec 15 - PJ Day
Thur Dec 16 - Wear Green
Friday Dec 17 - Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

Secret Santas - If your child signed up for this - Secret Santa week is Dec 13-17

Wildcats of the Month - Congratulations to our November Wildcat winners: Izzy S., Josiah B., Eli W. & Annalise C.

Advent Walk

Join us on Thursday, Dec 16 for our ACS Advent Walk from 5:30-7:30pm. We will be sending out a detailed email on Monday with a map and suggested visiting times. 

5th Grade

SEED Market: (Jan 28) Your child’s SEED application was sent back home last week. Please look over the application and talk to your child about any changes that the teachers suggested they make. Your child may begin making his/her products. SEED money and an approval letter went home today if you requested the $10 loan.

Auction Donations (optional) - If you have any items at home (toys, games, balls, coloring books, fun pillows, blankets, etc) that you don’t want anymore, but think a 5th grader would enjoy, we love donations! Please bring items to your child’s homeroom teacher. Thanks!

White Elephant Gift Exchange - We ask that each student kindly bring a wrapped gift. No need to buy one, regifting is strongly encouraged! The more outrageous the gift, the better! It should be about 10 dollars in value. Students may bring in their gifts anytime before Dec 17. 

Lunch Taco Party - Each homeroom class will have a taco lunch party on Dec 17. In order to make this possible, we need volunteers to bring in food items. If willing, please sign up to bring in an item using the Google Doc emailed to you last week Friday. Dry items can be dropped off before Dec 17. If you have refrigerated items, please drop them off the morning of Dec 17. Questions? Let us know!

Homeroom Stockings (optional) - If students want to bring in a goodie or a card for our classroom stockings, we kindly ask that they bring in enough for each student in their homeroom class (5R-18, 5S-19, 5G-19).

Art: Next week we are test printing and final printing our cut designs. 

Bible: This week in Bible students presented their country projects to their classmates. We also began our Christmas unit. Students looked at prophecies from the Old Testament and saw how Jesus fulfilled them in the New Testament. All justice verse points are due Dec 14. 50 points=A.

Language Arts: This week we continued to read Home of the Brave and worked on our independent reading assignments. The Global Awareness Reading Assignment is due on Dec 16. 

Math: We wrapped up our unit on adding and subtracting decimals. Next week we will begin learning how to multiply and divide decimals. 

Music - Band: Wonderful Concert! Way to go! You have learned SO much! Keep practicing and checking for assignments on Google Classroom!

Music - Choir: Silent Night projects are due on Wed Dec 15. Info is on Google Classroom. The 5th graders have GREAT ideas!

Music - Orchestra: What a great concert! I am so proud of you and all of the hard work you put into the songs. Keep working in your book for practice and filling out your practice record.

PE: We have been playing handball in PE working on our throwing, catching, and teamwork skills through a game setting. 

Science: This week, students have finished up their unit on Earth and water! We began reviewing for their TEST, next Wednesday, December 15th. All information is on Google Classroom.

Social Studies: This week students completed their World Explorer Projects! Next week, students are sure to get caught up in the drama of “sailing on the high seas” as they embark on a simulated voyage across the Atlantic Ocean during the time of Christopher Columbus. They will learn about problem-solving, seafaring, navigation, and more! 

Spanish: Students took their Spanish test this week.  We spent time in class reviewing our vocabulary and story.  Next week our lessons will have a Christmas theme.

6th Grade

SEED Market: (Jan 28) Your child’s SEED application was sent back home last week. Please look over the application and talk to your child about any changes that the teachers suggested they make. Your child may begin making his/her products. SEED money and an approval letter went home today if you requested the $10 loan.

Art: Students are putting the emotion they struggle with the most into a visual form using recycled wallpaper samples. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates. 

Bible: This week we continued to learn about advent by looking at a number of prophecies and reflecting on how Jesus fulfilled them. The Collage Project is due Wed., Dec 15  and Psalm 89:1-4 is due Thurs, Dec. 6.

Language Arts: This week we continued our unit on short stories and took a closer look at story plot by reading “Dragon, Dragon” and “The King of Mazy May.” Next week we will continue to learn about plot and other story elements by reading more short stories. 

Math: We have been working on integers, graphing, and turning fractions into decimals. We will have a very small test next week Thursday that also focuses on graphing on the coordinate plane. 

Music - Band: Thank you for such a great concert! You are amazing and awesome and fun! We will play more Christmas music this next week, and will also get back into our method books as well.

Music - Choir: We are planning to go outdoor caroling Fri Dec 17, so we are practicing our playlist for this.

Music - Orchestra: What a great concert! I am so proud of you and all of the hard work you put into the songs. Keep working in your book for practice.

PE: We have been playing handball in PE working on our throwing, catching, and teamwork skills through a game setting. 

Science: This week, students have finished up their unit on weather! We began reviewing for their TEST, next Wednesday, December 15th. All information is on Google Classroom.

Social Studies: We will continue learning about ancient Egypt!

Spanish: Students took their Spanish test this week.  We spent time in class reviewing our vocabulary and story.  Next week our lessons will have a Christmas theme.

Spanish: Students took their Spanish test this week.  We spent time in class reviewing our vocabulary and story.  Next week our lessons will have a Christmas theme.

7th Grade

Art: 7th graders continue to work on painting their carved sculptures with their selected color scheme. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates. 

Bible: We are working through an advent devotional. Students are taking different themes of advent and reflecting on how they see those themes in their own lives.

History: We completed a fun project of life on the Oregon Trail. On Wednesday we have a test on Westward Expansion.

Language Arts: We are doing a mini unit on A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. We will be alternating between doing small-group studies of the text Scrooge and Marley, a play by Israel Horovitz, and the 1984 film. As we work, we’ll be carrying over themes and concepts from the “Danger of a Single Story” Ted-Talk as we look into the deeper intent of Dickens’ writing of the famous story. 

Math - 7th Math: This week in 7th math we have been learning about several topics related to expressions. Students took a quiz this week which covered properties of addition and multiplication, the distributive property, arithmetic sequences, and evaluating expressions.

Math - Algebra: In Algebra we will be starting a new chapter! Students will begin learning about Systems of Equations. This week will cover the main concepts of Systems of Equations and we will build on them more after Christmas Break. 

Math - Pre-Algebra: Pre-Algebra students just finished learning all the new material for chapter 6 on percents. In place of a test, we will be completing a project in the last week before Christmas break.

Music - Band: Thank you so much for your great musical work at the concert! Way to GO! I am thankful for you! You did a wonderful job! Next up - Carol of the Bells and a few other carols as well. Also - a musical service opportunity on Thursday night for the Advent Walk - more details via email.

Music - Orchestra: What a great concert! I am so proud of you and all of the hard work you put into the songs.

PE: We have been playing handball in PE working on our throwing, catching, and teamwork skills through a game setting. 

Science: We have been working on learning about what affects the water in both our fish tank and out by Ada Lake. We will be headed out to Ada Lake next week to observe and take note what this ecosystem is all about. Next week Thursday we will have a large quiz about water quality, water testing, and what this looks like in “Ada Lake” and our fish tank. The review guide for this will be posted today. 

Spanish: Spanish TEST on Monday for all 7th grade classes: Unit 7.  Please use the review guide and Google Classroom for study help.

8th Grade

Art: 8th graders have begun working on selecting shapes, colors, patterns for the character of their various family members. Ask your students what shape, color, and pattern they have chosen for you. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates. 

Bible: This week, we are continuing through our study of the reformation and a reformed worldview. We have begun reading The Last Battle and are looking to find what is good, what is broken, and what is being transformed in the story. Our memory verse for this week is Isaiah 9:2.

History: We’ve been working hard on podcasts discussing the political developments that led to the Civil War. Outline due Monday, script due Wednesday, podcasts due Thursday. 

Language Arts: We are approaching the end of the NHD essay, and will be fine-tuning our writing up until Christmas Break.

Math - Algebra: We have been working through a chapter on writing linear functions. Students took a quiz this week on slope intercept form, point slope form, and writing the equations of parallel and perpendicular lines. Students should anticipate a test Thursday of next week.

Math - Geometry: We will begin a new chapter this coming week! We will be learning about all the different relationships within triangles. 

Math - Pre-Algebra: Pre-Algebra students just finished learning all the new material for chapter 6 on percents. In place of a test, we will be completing a project in the last week before Christmas break.

Music - Band: Thank you so much for your great musical work at the concert! Way to GO! I am thankful for you! You did a wonderful job!!!!! Next up - Carol of the Bells and a few other carols as well. Also - a musical service opportunity on Thursday night for the Advent Walk - more details via email.

Music - Choir: We are working on Schoolhouse Rock, LIVE Jr.

Music - Orchestra: What a great concert! I am so proud of you and all of the hard work you put into the songs. 

PE: We have been playing handball in PE working on our throwing, catching, and teamwork skills through a game setting. 

Science: We started learning about waves and the anatomy of a wave this week. Next week we will start learning specifically about longitudinal and transverse waves. 

Spanish: Spanish Grammar QUIZ next week for 8H and 8S.  Please use your notes and Google Classroom resources to help you study.  This is a large quiz that covers grammar and not vocabulary. It will require “time put in” to do well.

Athletics

Boys basketball teams will be wrapping up their season with a postseason tournament that will be finished prior to Christmas break! Good luck to all our teams.

Girls basketball and other Winter II sign-ups have been closed. All Winter II sport opportunities will be starting up after Christmas break. Please be on the lookout for more information coming to you soon.