General Announcements
It’s Spirit Week Next Week for grades 5-8
Spirit Week: Feb 17-21
Multiples Monday (dress up like each other)
Team Spirit Tuesday (wear sports jerseys)
Wednesday - Hawaiian Day "Lu - Wow" (Hawaiian shirts)
Thursday - Throwback Thursday (decade of choice)
Friday - Faith Strong Friday (ACS shirts/jeans)
Exploratory Week - Feb 24 - 27
Help by signing up to chaperone!
We are looking for parents to help chaperone groups of students and to drive students to a variety of locations each day. Please consider helping if you can.
Dates for your calendar:
Feb 20 - Conferences in the Commons 4:30-7:30pm
Feb 21 - Last regular day of T2
Feb 24-27 - Exploratory Week
Feb 27 - Conferences in the Commons 4:30-7:30pm
Feb 28 - No School, in service
Mar 02 - No School, Winter Break
Mar 26 & 27 - Dessert Theatre Shows
Upcoming Chapels/Small Groups for 6-8 (Chapel meets 8:15-8:45 in the Commons):
Feb 21 - Chapel
Feb 28 - No School
Fifth Grade:
Reproductive Education: As you have some extra time with your child over the coming months, please find an opportunity to discuss Reproductive Health. At the end of May, after Spring Camp, the 5th grade team plans to begin a short unit on Reproductive Education. Mrs. Gerig and Mrs. Reidsma will meet with the girls while Mr. Stepanek will meet with the boys. In addition to going over the physical aspects of puberty, we plan to include discussions on God’s design for our bodies and reproduction, as well as treating our bodies with dignity and respect. Please have a conversation with your child before we have this conversation at school. If any parent would like more information, let one of us know and we would be happy to talk with you. More detailed information will be sent out in the coming months.
Art: 5th is learning about artist Amedo Modigliani and using his artwork as inspiration for some self portraits that we are creating.
Bible: This week we looked at the Feeding of the 5,000 and students wrote interviews from Peter’s perspective about this miraculous event! The Anchor Cross is due Wed, Mar 19 and Miracle Illustration is due Fri, Mar 21.
History: Students concluded their study of the middle colonies by making a commercial for Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, or New Jersey. Next week, students will research about the southern colonies.
Language Arts: This is the last weekend for B.O.B. Students will be able to take quizzes on Monday. I am so proud of their hard work and diligent reading. They will be rewarded for their efforts! Next week, we will work on specific writing strategies (hooking the reader, sensory details, word choice, etc.).
Math: We are continuing to learn about fractions and decimals. The kids have done a great job with Greatest Common Factor and Least Common Multiple. Next week we will be comparing fractions and learning how to write them as decimals. Look for a quiz in the middle of next week and a test at the end of next week.
Music - Band: We are learning to play Star Wars….so fun to see how quickly they can learn!
Music - Choir: The Symphony trip is coming up at the end of the month. We have listened to a LOT of music to get ready.
Music - Orchestra: We have several new pieces - a Fiddle tune and Shoe Symphony! Playing quiz will continue for a few 5th graders. Monday for cello players and Tuesday for the rest of the violinists!
Sixth Grade:
Ipads: Please help remind your student to plug in his/her iPad each night.
Art: 6th grade are transitioning to working on filling in their landscape drawing with torn watercolor paper pieces from their watercolor painting experiments. Please check the moodle and homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.
Bible: This week we wrapped up our study of Paul’s first missionary journey -the quiz is Tues, Feb. 18. The Galatians Bible memory verse is due Fri, Feb 21.
History: Students will learn about and research their World Fair country through books and websites next week! They will receive their country assignments in LA on Monday.
Language Arts: Students will receive country assignments on Monday. They will begin learning about/researching this country through books and websites during SS class, while in LA they will begin writing a poem about cultures around the world. The poem will include a definition of culture, examples of cultural differences around the world, important vocabulary/terms, as well as how Christians should respond to people of other countries/cultures.
Math: We are continuing to learn about equations and how they are like “little puzzles”. This week consisted of solving equations using addition and subtraction. Next week will consist of solving equations with multiplication and division. Look for two quizzes and a text next week.
Music - Band: So much progress in both of our books. Yay!
Music - Choir: We are still working on and singing our way through The Sound of Music, learning solfege and other songs as well.
Music - Orchestra: We are making great progress in our book and have a new piece of sheet music as well--- Korean Folk Tune.
Seventh Grade:
Art: 7th graders are continuing their work on their work Lego self-portraits with hair and clothing the next parts to be painted. Please check the moodle and homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.
Bible Huttenga: We’ve concluded our unit on sermons and now we will be discussing the practice, effects, and Biblical mandate of gratitude. We’ve viewed and discussed a Ted Talk about the connection between gratitude and happiness, and what it means to: Stop, Look, and Go. We will continue exploring thankfulness from a scriptural standpoint this week, and begin a project in expressing gratitude to others.
History: We are beginning a new unit where we are going to analyze the theme of Imperialism. During the 1500s - 1800s much of Europe expanded their borders to areas including Asia, Africa, and North and South America. We are going to look at why this happened and then try to understand the ramifications of this expansion.
Language Arts: The students will be prepping for a large quiz covering The Westing Game. The quiz will be on Friday, Feb 21. We will be having a smaller quiz on what we’ve covered with nouns so far, on Wednesday. After we return from exploratory week, we will begin preparations for a research-writing project, ProCon 2020.
Math - 7th Math: We have been using our knowledge of linear relationships to solve puzzles with mystery angles. Today we practiced with a mystery angle escape room activity. Next week we will work more with scale drawings.
Math - Algebra: We are working through exponential functions. Our Ch 6 test will be late next week.
Math - Pre-Algebra: This coming Wednesday we will take our chapter 7 test. Students are doing a great job learning a lot of new material quickly.
Music - Band: Practice records are overdue for some- check Power School to make sure your student has turned theirs in.
Music - Choir: The 1850s projects are fabulous, interesting, information filled and delicious!!
Music - Orchestra: We continue to polish the music for Dessert Theatre.
Science: Students took a test on atoms and the periodic table this past week. We will now be investigating chemical bonding and the reactions that happen because of this.
Eighth Grade:
High School Approaches: Please encourage your student to complete their work and hand it in on time. If they have missing work, encourage them to get it done. Learning this now will be so helpful for their future educational plans. If you are not sure how to figure out if your student has missing work, email Mrs. Van Noord or Mr. Witte and we will help you/them. The end of the trimester is approaching, let’s work together to help our 8th graders get things done and handed in.
Art: 8th graders are now working on plastering their family shape projects. The is to have the plastering completed by the end of next week. Please check the moodle and homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.
BibleHutt: This will be our final week for T2 Bible. In T3, we will be combining the whole 8th grade, and VanNoord and Huttenga will be co-teaching. In the remaining days, students will need to conduct and submit a summary form for an interview assignment - due Mon, Feb 17. Students have a final essay due on Fri, Feb 21.
BibleVN: How can you prove Christ was real? How can you prove anything? How do people make their best decision about the evidence around the life and death of Christ and ultimately decide if he really is Lord and Savior? All these questions and more are tackled as we watch and read The Case for Christ.
History: We will try to wrap up much of chapter 11 next week which focuses on the Industrial Revolution and how both the North and South took different paths to modernize in the early to mid 1800s.
Language Arts: 8th graders will be doing final revisions for the NHD project. Mr. Witte and Huttenga are hoping to have the kids finish up their work by Fri, Feb 21. In the meantime students will also be prepping for a quiz on verbs and nouns.
Math - Algebra: We are working through exponential functions. Our Ch 6 test will be late next week.
Math - Pre-Algebra: We will take our chapter 7 test on Wednesday. Students are working hard and doing a fine job-keep it up!
Math - Geometry: Next week we will begin chapter 8 - a study of triangle similarities.
Music - Band: Some great music is being played...WOW. They are doing very good work. It’s going to be so fun to show you.
Music - Choir: O Let All Who Thirst Come to the Water. Such a great song with deep meaning. Other songs too and Fiddler on the Roof….Mezuzah, Pogrom, Tevye and Golde….ask about it.
Music - Orchestra: We have such a large number of great pieces that we are working on! Keep up the super practice on 3rd position sections and fast sections.
Science: Students are looking into gravity on Earth and then into gravity on other planets as well.