General Announcements

Stuff-a-Bus

Nov 17-23 we will be stuffing a bus again, this time in partnership with Degage Ministries. Please watch this video and encourage your students to participate.

Dates to know:

Nov 17-23 - Stuff-a-Bus
Nov 24-28 - Thanksgiving Break
Dec 09 - Christmas Concerts for all 5th-8th grade

6:00pm 5th Grade
6:30pm 6th Grade
7:00pm 7th Grade
7:30pm 8th Grade

56: Theme T-Shirt and khakis, or dark slacks/skirts
78: White on the Top, Black on the bottom (no jeans)

Dec 16 - Advent Walk (5:30-7:30pm)
Dec 18-Jan 02 - Christmas Break

5th Grade

Water Walk (Nov 23): The Water Walk is taking place this Tues, Nov 23. Your child needs a sack lunch and an empty milk jug for the walk. After the walk, students will be encouraged to use their milk jugs as piggy banks to raise money for clean water around the world. We will be donating this money to Salva Dut’s organization “Water for South Sudan.” We are encouraging students to gift their own money or to work for the money that they donate. 

SEED Market: We’ve had a great week of learning this week! Today, your students learned of an exciting project called “SEED - a day of Service, Entrepreneurship, Education and Design.” Please read the information sheet. Your student will be coming home with a paper copy as well. Applications are due Mon, Nov. 29. Thank you for your support in this project. Please direct questions to Ms. Gerig.

Art: Cutting and more cutting has been what is going on in class this past week. Next class students will learn how to apply ink to their cut designs to see how things have printed and to make adjustments before final printing. 

Bible: This week we read from A Long Walk to Water in preparation for our Water Walk next week. We also looked through images from Hungry Planet, which displays a week’s worth of groceries from different countries. Lastly, we talked about SEED Market and the power of microfinancing. Please read the SEED Market information listed above. The next justice verse is due Dec 03 (an optional verse is due Nov 23). 

Language Arts: This week we continued to read A Long Walk to Water and practiced vocabulary words to go along with the story. Students also continued to read the individual global awareness reading books they picked out last week. Next week we will finish A Long Walk to Water!

Music - Band: All band assignments are on Google Classroom - the next one is due Nov 23.

Concert - Dec 09 6:00pm- wear theme T on top and khakis or black on the bottom. We cannot wait to play for you - we have learned so much!

Music - Choir: Wonderful It is Well projects! Now we are singing more worship songs and also learning about the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald which happened in MI in Nov of 1975.

Music - Orchestra: Your practice record is due at the end of the month so keep filling out your practice records! The Christmas Concert is December 9. For attire, please wear your theme T-shirt on top and black or khakis on the bottom. The 5th graders will play at 6:00pm.

PE: 5th graders have been playing eclipse ball to close out the trimester, working on their racquet skills. 

Science: This week, 5th graders dug into learning about water, and the science of water to accompany their study of poverty and water related sickness around the world in Bible. 

Social Studies: Students finished learning about how the Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands affected peoples’ sources of food, shelter, clothing and traditions. Next week, students will spend time learning about Thanksgiving!

6th Grade

SEED Market: We’ve had a great week of learning this week! Today, your students learned of an exciting project called “SEED - a day of Service, Entrepreneurship, Education and Design.” Please read the information sheet. Your student will be coming home with a paper copy as well. Applications are due Mon., Nov 29. Please note that 6th graders will not be able to work with a partner due to the marketing component that will be asked of them in math class. Students may sell food-related items this year. Thank you for your support in this project. Please direct questions to Ms. Gerig.

Art: 6th graders will hopefully be starting a project working with emotions that they struggle with and making a visual representation of one of these emotions from recycled wallpaper samples. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.

Bible: This week in Bible we wrapped up our unit on the characteristics of Christ. We talked about being committed and forgiving others. We also talked about how Jesus was powerful. We can use our voice, actions, time, and resources to impact the people around us - this is powerful. Lastly, we talked about SEED Market. Please see the information listed above. Exodus 34:6b-7a is due Fri, Dec 03. 

Language Arts: This week students continued to work on their Tuck Everlasting Character Projects. They drafted diary entries in the perspectives of their chosen characters, and they learned some writing revising skills. Next week we will wrap up these projects!

Music - Band: All band assignments are on Google Classroom - the next one is due Nov 23.

Concert - Dec 09 6:30pm- wear theme T on top and khakis or black on the bottom. We cannot wait to play for you - we have learned so much!

Music - Choir: We have been singing all sorts of music (worship, gospel, military, ballads)….doing a bit of theory again and also doing some fun Thanksgiving things.

Music - Orchestra: Keep working on your Christmas music! The Christmas Concert is Dec 09. For attire, please wear your theme T-shirt on top and black or khakis on the bottom. The 6th Graders will play at 6:30pm. 

PE: 6th graders have been playing eclipse ball to close out the trimester, working on their racquet skills. 

Science: This week, students spent time studying layers of the atmosphere, and air pressure through an exciting demonstration!

Social Studies: We wrapped up our unit on ancient Mesopotamia. Next week, we will spend time learning about Thanksgiving! 

7th Grade

Art: 7th graders need to have their sculptures formed and a coat of gesso applied by Wed, Dec 01. Students can complete this before school, before or after school. Next up students will apply a chosen paint scheme to these sculptures. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.

History: We finished up our brief unit on the Age of Jackson with an essay evaluating the time through a Reformed Christian perspective. Now we begin a longer unit on Westward Expansion from 1800-1860.

Language Arts: We are about ¾ through The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Upon returning from Thanksgiving Break, we will be assessing our reading group work so far and learn how we will take our skills and discussions to the next level of depth. In the meantime we will also be working exploring the use of dialogue in our writing and how to properly format quotations.

Math - 7th Math: We are well on our way to completing a chapter on rational numbers. Students have been doing really well with this topic and should anticipate a test in the week after Thanksgiving break.

Math - Algebra: We will continue to learn on how to write linear equations during our short week next week! 

Math - Pre-Algebra: Pre-Algebra students are finishing up Chapter 5 on Ratios and Proportions. We are expecting to have a test the Tuesday we get back from Thanksgiving break.

Music - Band: Excellent work by the 7th graders. The judges were pleased and really enjoyed meeting our students! They worked hard, and it was a great day. Next up: Christmas Concert - Dec 09 at 7:00pm - we have pent-up Christmas spirit for a great band Christmas concert!

Music - Choir: We have been singing a LOT of songs, the Erie Canal projects are done, and we are trying additional musical genres as we go. 

Music - Orchestra: Great job in Solo and Ensemble this week! You did very well and the judge was impressed with you all. Thank you for your hard work.

The Christmas Concert is coming up on Thursday, December 9 @ 7:00pm. Please wear white on top (no writing, preferred white button-down for boys) and black on bottoms.

PE: 7th graders have been playing eclipse ball to close out the trimester, working on their racquet skills. Additionally, they are setting fitness goals that they will be working on for the remainder of the school year.

Science: Our babies arrived this week! Salmon that is. We will be raising them up so that in the spring they are able to be released into the Grand River. We will be studying these fish much more in depth as the year progresses. We are in the process of finishing up our Chemical Interactions unit- finishing bonds and moving into open and closed systems. 

8th Grade

Yearbook Pictures and Baby Pictures: Reminder Yearbook and Baby Pictures are due Dec 01, 2021. Picture dimensions and details. 

"It feels like yesterday…”

This phrase may be used regularly throughout your 8th grader’s school year, as you look back on special memories made in elementary or middle school.  While you enjoy looking back, we encourage you to look forward to next year as well. Whether you started to explore options for high school a year ago, a month ago or are just starting now, we would like to personally invite you to Explore South Christian High School. 

Save the Date! Explore South Christian Night – Dec 06 or 08 @ 7:00 pm

Art: Ceramic terms quiz is happening Wed Dec 01 the terms to study can be found on the 8th grade art moodle page if your student has lost their paper copy. 8th graders are working on completing their ceramic pots and the results of their work are quite amazing. These pots need to be built and drying by Friday 12/3. Students may work on these projects at lunch, before or after school if more time is needed to complete these pots on time. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.

Bible: We completed reading A Case for Christ and also watched at least part of the movie as well. It’s been a great first trimester! 

History: We finished up a study of the South from 1800-1860, focusing on their dependency on cotton and the slavery that came with it. After Thanksgiving we will look at the compromises that were made on slavery during the first half of the 19th century in an effort to keep the country together. (Hint: they fail)

Language Arts: The 8th graders will be finishing their NHD outline and bibliography - this first huge milestone is due by Tuesday. In the brief interim, we will be working on sentence variety, formatting direct quotations, and parenthetical citations. 

Math - Algebra: We are currently wrapping up a chapter on graphing linear functions and will take the test on Monday. After Thanksgiving break, students can be looking forward to beginning our chapter on writing linear functions. 

Math - Geometry: We will continue to learn about congruent triangles and completing triangles proofs. 

Math - Pre-Algebra: Pre-Algebra students are finishing up Chapter 5 on Ratios and Proportions. We are expecting to have a test the Wednesday we get back from Thanksgiving break.

Music - Band: Wow…it was a great Festival Day for the band. They really brought a great work ethic to the day. Next up is Christmas - we play Dec 09 at 7:30pm - wear black and white like you did on the Festival Day. :) Solid white shirts - solid black pants. Bow ties allowed. :)

Music - Choir: We will be working on the musical when we meet - choir meets 1x per week this year. 

Music - Orchestra: Great job in Solo and Ensemble this week! You did very well and the judge was impressed with you all. Thank you for your hard work.

The Christmas Concert is coming up on Thursday, December 9 @ 7:30pm. Please wear white on top (no writing, preferred white button-down for boys) and black on bottoms.

PE: 8th graders have been playing eclipse ball to close out the trimester, working on their racquet skills. Additionally, they are setting fitness goals that they will be working on for the remainder of the school year.

Science: We have been working on posters about each planet. We are finishing up learning about planetary science by studying the life cycle of a star and discussing which planet is most like Earth. 

Athletics

Winter II Sport Registration is now open, below are following opportunities for ACS students:

5-8 ACS Girls Basketball: Click here to sign-up and more information.

GRCMS Middle School Wrestling: Click here for sign-ups and more information.

GRCMS Middle School Downhill Ski Team: Click here for sign-ups and more information.

Boys basketball season is officially underway. Please check your TeamSnap to see your team’s full schedule.

We are still in need of some more workers for upcoming boys basketball games. If you or your son/daughter (⅞ grade or older) is interested in please fill out this form.