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Middle School Matters - Jan 06, 2017

General Announcements: Girls are invited to help decorate for the Daddy Daughter Dance, no hot lunch for grades 6-8 Jan 24-27.

Grade Level Announcements

General Announcements:

Middle School Girls: Come help with the Daddy Daughter Dance Decorations on Jan 16, 3:00-5:30pm. Meet in the commons after school, snack provided. **Sign up sheet is in the office**

Hot Lunch News: During Middle School Exploratory Week (Jan. 24-27), 6th-8th grade students will NOT be able to order/eat hot lunch.

Fifth Grade:

Art: 5th grade is and will be working with clay and learning about the hand building technique of coiling.

Band: Practice is essential - keep it up! We are gradually working through our books, and we also have new sheet music as well.

Bible: We begin our big unit of the year focusing on the life of Christ. We will be studying the Gospels (MMLJ), reading Pilgrim’s Progress and The Bronze Bow, participating in “Gospel Theatre” (you’ll be invited:) and much more. The kids are at an exciting age where they can take a close look at their faith as the FOUNDATION of their lives as they live in and spread God’s Kingdom plan…...for now and forever.

Language Arts: We are working on writing the first draft of our biography/informational paper. We also launched into BOB and spend time reading each day. Please keep up the reading at home as well and send in the green sheets when they are full!

Math: All things fractions - comparing, ordering, simplifying, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing fractions.

Orchestra: Practice your instruments more this New Year! Our music is getting more difficult and orchestra is so much fun when we are able to continue to learn new pieces! Make a New Year resolution to practice 5 or 6 times per week!

PE: We have been practicing throwing and catching the frisbee. We will learn the rules of and then begin playing Ultimate Frisbee next week.

Science: We are finishing up our big “Living Systems” unit and next week begin a smaller unit entitled “Earth and Sun”. Fun!

Social Studies: We are finishing up our study of “Early America”. We will have a little quiz tomorrow. The students have a study sheet. The quiz includes memorization of the first sentence (preamble) of our constitution. “We the people…..”  If they are not ready for that tomorrow they can write that part on Monday.

Spanish: We talked about the Hispanic celebration of el Día de Reyes on January 6th (when children receive their gifts, instead of Christmas morning) and played “Busca la estrella” with new vocabulary words for Look for, star, wise men (or kings, in Hispanic tradition,) hot, cold, and very. Next week we will dive back into our clothing unit.

Sixth Grade:

Art: The 6th graders will continue their work on the self portrait unit and be exploring creating a self-portrait in the style of Picasso next. Student will learn more in depth about Picasso and his 3 different period of art creation. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook assignments and project due dates.

Band: We are almost done with our book - yay us! January practice records are out - - be sure to practice - this is how we get good at anything in life - we work! There was a quiz this past week - likely to be another - keep eyes on the homework calendar for specifics.

Bible: (6K) Students have been challenged to use their gifts and abilities to further God’s Kingdom. Ask your child about this. Also, we are beginning our study of the book of Isaiah. In this book, we will see God’s messages of judgment and of hope/comfort.

Bible: (6W) We’re finishing up our study of Proverbs. Psalms is up next. Memory work will be coming soon.

History: We are continuing our study of Mesopotamia and looking at the connections to the Old Testament. Global Studies Weekly Newspaper #19 and quiz due on Monday.

Language Arts: We are dissecting sentences. Students will have a brief quiz next Tuesday Jan 10 in which they will have to dissect the sentences. In other words, students will have to identify the subject, verb (verb phrase), preposition, prepositional phrase, object of the preposition, and infinitives. We are also reading a variety short stories and determining the different short story elements.

Math: Integers are our focus. We will review on Monday and Tuesday, our Integer Test is on Wednesday. Students should be reviewing with their study guide and their integer rules reference page.

PE: We have begun preparing for the Super Snow Bowl! Students will be able to explain what this upcoming, exciting event is all about.

Orchestra: Practice your instruments more this New Year since we have many new pieces and we are also very close to finishing our book!

Science: We continue our unit on Weather and Water. We’ll be focusing on the heating of Earth during the next few classes and investigating the reasons for different weather in different locations on our planet.

Spanish: Only one class met this past week, so we are working on review next week.

Seventh Grade:

Algebra (7th): We will continue studying the quadratic equation and will plan on having a test on Friday 1/13.

Art: 7th grade has a lot of items due next week please check the calendar for specific due dates. In class we will again continue with the next steps of our robot project.

Band: We are working gradually through our method book, and have a lot of new music to work on as well. January practice records are out. Go team!

Bible: Huttenga - Students are creating a series of haikus to explain/explore the concept of sanctification.

History: We are continuing our study of Africa next week. We will look at the history of Africa and we will spend some extra time looking at stories of genocide and hope with the Lost Boys of Sudan. Later, we will look at the story of segregation and reconciliation in South Africa.

Language Arts: Students are working on a creative writing project that will tie in with science, art, and outdoor education.

PE: We will begin a short flag football unit this week.

Math: We will spend time reviewing chapters 1-5 and studying equations.

Pre-Algebra: We are now working with expressions. After exploratories we will solve more equations and functions.

Orchestra: Focus on the 2 new pieces for the ESME concert- (Feb.23rd at Grand Rapids Christian High) Work on the accidentals and the syncopation.

Science: We will have a quest on Investigations 1&2 on Tuesday (1/10) and begin studying deposition on Wednesday.

Spanish: We are reviewing our -AR ending verbs and how to conjugate them.

Eighth Grade:

NorthPointe Christian High School Information Night - Tuesday, January 17th at 6:45 p.m. You are invited to discover more about NorthPointe's high performing athletics, college prep academics, award-winning fine arts, vibrant spiritual community, and much more! Details and RSVP available at www.npchristian.org or contact Mrs. Noll at .

Algebra: We will take our chapter 6 test on Monday. Later, we will start learning about systems of equations.

Art: 8th graders are working on glazing their ceramic pots. The Frank Stella Giving Shape to Your Family sheet is due next week Wednesday. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook assignments and project due dates.

Band: We have a lot of new music to work on, and will continue to add to our arsenal of scales.

Bible (Westrate): We’ve been taking a look at the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. If you need a conversation starter at the table, ask your student about what they think about what it means to be “blessed.” We’ll continue to look at distinctive elements of Matthew’s Gospel this coming week.

Bible (Huttenga): 8th graders have finished reading The Last Battle. Now we will be exploring the formation and trials of the early Christian church, starting with a study of Pentecost.

Geometry: Students will begin studying area, perimeter and special right triangles.

History: Next week we will be focusing on how the North and the South were impacted differently by the Industrial Revolution of the early 1800s. We will also start working on an in-class project highlighting the key changes and inventions of the early 1800s.

Language Arts: Students are learning about utopian and dystopian societies in literature. They will be working in groups to design and advertise an ideal community. This will prepare the 8th graders for the upcoming unit on The Giver, by Lois Lowry. Parents, an email has been sent summarizing the novel and providing a guide for its role in the ACS curriculum.

PE: We will begin a short flag football unit this week.

Pre-Algebra Enhanced: Our Chapter 6 Test over Percent will be on Wednesday. An excellent study guide and practice test are on page 288 in the student textbook. Here also is an online review test.

Orchestra: Focus on learning the 2 new pieces for the ESME concert( Thursday,Feb 23rd) since we will soon be getting more music for this event.

Science: We’ve been thinking about how to solve challenges like engineers this week. Now that we’ve gathered some scientific understanding about sound waves, we’ve used our knowledge to engineer “shoebox studios” that are constructed in a way that limits outside sound interference. Some of our ideas and models were only helpful in learning what doesn’t work. Through this experience, we’ve discovered that engineers have to be very persistent and creative in their work!

Spanish: Students learned about the Christmas celebrations of Las Posadas en Mexico, and began the new unit on breakfast. Next week they will create and present skits as they talk to their friends about breakfast preferences.