General Announcements:
The end of the first trimester is Tue Nov 22. Please encourage your students to finish strong and hand in missing work!
Concert Dress for grades 6-8: White on top (no t-shirts) and black all the way to the bottom including socks/legs and shoes as dark as possible. Our first big concert is Thu Dec 15. Note: 5th graders do not have to wear black and white for concerts.
The Christmas Concert for grades 6-8 is Thu Dec 15 at 7:00pm in the South Gym at ACS.
Fifth Grade:
Water Walk: The 5th grade took a meaningful “water walk” last Friday. It was a sight being a part of 54 5th graders walking down the path on Ada Drive, three jugs slung over a pole between kids, blankets draped over shoulders, upbeat attitudes everywhere. And at the end of the walk, when we walked back into our heated building and flipped on a switch to light up the room, turned a knob for fresh water, things were put into perspective.
Art: All class are working on cutting and some students have begun the process of printing.
Band: Full Band Mon/Tue/Thu through Dec 01. Our first concert is Dec 01 at 2:30 in the commons! Come one, come all!
Bible: We continue to look at the world as a whole, and the disparities in resources that exist from one nation to another.
Math: Multiplying and dividing with multi-digit decimals.
Orchestra: Full orchestra until Dec 01- which is our Christmas Concert for you! Dec 01 at 2:30pm in Music Room #502.
PE: We have wrapped up our volleyball unit. The students really improved their volleyball skills as well as their knowledge of the game!
Spanish: Students did a great job on their Memory Verse in Spanish! Thanks to all of you who let them practice on you at home. We are taking a couple days to become familiar with how to say different school subjects and tell AT what time things happen.
Sixth Grade:
6th Grade Laptops: Beginning Mon 11.28, your 6th grade child will be coming home with their school laptop each night. If you haven’t already, please talk with your child to clarify the expectations for laptop use when it is at home. Please look over some important information and details as you talk with your child.
Friday Devotions: Would you be willing and available to lead us once this year? Click here for a sign-up for upcoming dates.
Art: We have begun learning about how to properly draw a portrait. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.
Band: We have a Christmas Parade on Sat Dec 03 in downtown Ada! Info and a permission slip will be emailed. We also have our Christmas Concert Thu Dec 15 here at school, 7:00pm. You should be hearing Christmas Music at home! Fa La La.....
Bible (Westrate): We’re studying the book of Proverbs and are focusing on where wisdom comes from and how we use wisdom to live as God desires. Our memory work quiz is Fri Dec 09.
History: Continuing our study of Ancient Egypt. Global Studies Weekly # 10 next week, to be due the Monday after Thanksgiving Break.
Math: Students are beginning to explore ratios, rates and proportions.
PE: We have wrapped up our volleyball unit. The students really improved their volleyball skills as well as their knowledge of the game!
Orchestra: We are almost done with the playing quiz on pages 28 & 29. Continue to try to practice 90 minutes per week. Practice is so important!
Science: We’re wrapping up a study on air pressure. Encourage your student to notice and explain instances of pressure changes over the break (ex. watch a weather forecast, pop open a 2L of pop, discuss ears popping in airplanes, play with balloons, etc.)
Spanish: We are studying descriptions of hair and eyes in Spanish. Can your student describe family members over Thanksgiving?
Seventh Grade:
Algebra (7th): We will be working on Algebra Project that deals with writing stories that go with the slope of a graph.
Art: In art we are working on design and cutting a stencil out of a robot that would help the artist out with a problem that they deal with in everyday life. Next week we will pause this project for a while and work with the science, language arts, and outdoor education department on a project that weaves together all of these departments. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.
Band: We have a Christmas Parade on Sat Dec 03 in downtown Ada! Info and a permission slip will be emailed. We also have our Christmas Concert Thu Dec 15 here at school, 7:00pm. You should be hearing Christmas Music a lot!
Bible Huttenga: The 7th graders will continue working on their sermon evaluation essays.
Bible Wanner: 7th graders continue to learn about prayer. Remember to be studying for the Bible memory quiz Tuesday after Thanksgiving break.
Language Arts: The 7th graders be working on an interdisciplinary project by conducting research on an assigned organism. While working on the research, we will also be having several creative writing lessons geared toward developing voice and style and writing.
PE: We have wrapped up our volleyball unit. The students really improved their volleyball skills as well as their knowledge of the game!
Math: We are currently studying expressions.
Orchestra: Focus on perfecting intonation on Christmas sheet music. Also, add all dynamics and bowings.
Science: We will be working on some research for the art/science/LA project. Tuesday we will look more into trees with OE.
Spanish: 7th graders will not have Spanish next week due to Thanksgiving Break (Día de acción de gracias.) Upon returning, we will begin our next unit in the kitchen!
Eighth Grade:
Art: 8th grade is still working on their ceramic slab pots. Most student are moving from building walls to working on lids, handles, and texture. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.
Band: Today we gave a hymn concert at Thornapple Ev. Cov. Church. We have a Christmas Parade on Sat Dec 03 in downtown Ada! Info and a permission slip will be emailed. We also have our Christmas Concert Thu Dec 15 here at school, 7:00pm. We will change over to all Christmas music next week.
Bible: We will switch Bible classes after Thanksgiving break. Mr. Huttenga’s students will have Mrs. Westrate for the 2nd Trimester and Mrs. Westrate’s students will have Mr. Huttenga for the 2nd Trimester.
Geometry: We will be studying quadrilaterals and use their properties to find missing angles and sides. We will also continue to practice proofs.
Language Arts: The 8th graders will be working on a video project for The Pearl before taking a quiz on the same.
PE: We have wrapped up our volleyball unit. The students really improved their volleyball skills as well as their knowledge of the game!
Orchestra: Focus on perfecting all notes on Christmas pieces. Take note of all dynamics and bowings.
Science: We’re working on one last model of the solar system before taking a look at light and how it is used in space exploration and study. We will have a test over our Planetary Science unit between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Spanish: We will continue with our new unit of dinnerware and review of fruits, combined with some trickier verbs and learning how to use indirect object pronouns (IOP’s) At least once a week (on normal weeks) we will “visit” Spain during our interactive telenovela series, which offers the students a chance to put themselves in the first person, interacting in daily exchanges through an interesting unfolding of events with our Spanish acquaintance, Merche.