Middle School Matters – Nov 20, 2015
General Announcements:
The All School Thanksgiving Chapel is Tuesday, Nov 24 at 8:15am, led by the 5th and 6th graders.
The End of the First Trimester is Tuesday, Nov 24. Please be sure all your child’s work is up to date.
Fifth Grade:
Water Walk: The 5th grade took a meaningful “water walk” this past Wednesday. 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: In class students are continuing their work on printmaking 5b and 5dw are nearing completion for this project.
Band: Great concert! No band Monday, Nov 23 due to chapel practice. We are doing parts of our concert again for some elementary students on Tuesday Nov 24, last hour. Please send all instruments for next Tuesday.
Bible: We continue to look at the world as a whole, and the disparities in resources that exist from one nation to another.
Language Arts: We are reading non-fiction books and practicing taking notes to prepare us for the 5th grade “Wax Museum” in January.
Math: Multiplying and dividing with multi-digit decimals.
Orchestra: We are so happy to have a concert time with you- Thanks for attending.
PE: We have been putting our volleyball knowledge and skills to the test in game play this week. Next week we will wrap up our volleyball unit.
Science: The water cycle.
Social Studies: Ask your 5th grader about the flag hunts that have been going on during recess. There will be a Test next Tuesday on the Revolutionary War.
Spanish: We continue our unit on “Ropa” (clothing)
Sixth Grade:
Thanksgiving Chapel - All 6th graders need to wear white t-shirts on Tuesday.
Art: In the 6th grade class we again worked on drawing our self-portraits. Please check the homework calendar for sketchbook and project due dates.
Band: Another great quiz this week. WOW. Info coming soon about Christmas events.
Bible: Bible Memory - Philippians 2: 1-4 due on Tuesday.
History: Continue working on Ancient Egypt Projects. Use the checklist as a guide to what to complete. Your research and paragraph should be complete by Monday. Over Thanksgiving break you can work on your IMovie, and the final project will be due Thursday December 3 by the end of the day.
Language Arts: Students completed a big project this week. Next week Tuesday, they will have a vocabulary quiz. We have been practicing these words and definitions on our computers and through games in class.
Math: Students will have a test this coming Monday about ratios and rates. Student have completed a practice test to review with.
PE: Students have used their volleyball knowledge and skills to compete in volleyball games this week. We ended our volleyball unit with a test. Our next unit is basketball.
Orchestra: Review pages 17 and 18 and focus on perfecting numbers 82,83 and 84. We will begin work on syncopation(page 19).
Science: We’ve begun a study of atoms, elements and the Periodic Table.
Spanish: Students in 6K have assignments due Monday; and as a reminder, they can do these online assignments as many times as they wish, while using their Moodle resources, to get the best score possible! (It is for them to do them multiple times.) 6D met with a glitch and may not be able to work on these assignments until Tuesday when we have class again. I sent students the new enrollment code, so if they can re-enroll, they can do the assignments. Otherwise, we will do them in class on Tuesday.
Seventh Grade:
Algebra (7th): The Wednesday (12/2) after Thanksgiving break, we will have a test over chapter 5.
Art: In class the 7th graders are working on cutting out their robots designed to help with a personal struggle or issue. Please check the homework calendar for project due dates and sketchbook homework.
Band: Outstanding work on solos this past week. Great job! We will celebrate on Tuesday! Special thanks to Mrs. Snell who played beautifully for so many of our students.
History: We will continue to look at some key historical events in East Asia from the past 100 years next week. Following Thanksgiving Break, we will start reviewing our unit on East Asia and prepare for a test towards the end of that week (Thursday or Friday).
Language Arts: The 7th graders will come to the exciting conclusion of The Westing Game simulation this coming week. Then we will actually read the book to find out the solution to the mystery of Samuel W. Westing!
PE: Students have used their volleyball knowledge and skills to compete in volleyball games this week. We will end our volleyball unit with a test on Monday. There is a review sheet posted on Moodle. Our next unit is basketball.
Pre-Algebra (Kiser): We continue working with ratios, rates, and proportions. Students are being stretched a bit as we work with these concepts.
Pre-Algebra (Holtrop): Students have a test this coming Tuesday, before the break. I’ve talked to a couple of students who will be absent and talked about other arrangements for the test. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Orchestra: Thanks for the fantastic work on all of your pieces for Solo and Ensemble. Outstanding- superior performances. Our judge was impressed. A special thanks to all of the parents who accompanied on the piano. You are so talented! May you have a Blessed Thanksgiving.
Science: On Tuesday (11/24) we will have a quiz over the honey bee.
Spanish: We are doing the “Peppy Preposition Dance” to help us learn locational prepositions. During Thanksgiving Break, students may begin their Preposition Project, which will be due December 8th. A translation worksheet is due the Tuesday after break (a copy is on Moodle, also, in case they lose the sheet.)
Eighth Grade:
Yearbook Pictures: Thanks to many of you who have sent in yearbook pictures over the last two weeks. Sometimes it takes a while to get the right version of the image, but thankfully we have enough time to figure that out right now. If you are still planning on submitting a different image than the normal school picture, please try to get that into Mr. Witte before Thanksgiving Break.
DESSERT THEATRE: Wow!!! We have been bowled over with talent we didn’t even know existed in this class! No matter what part your child ends up getting, this has the makings of being an outstanding show, and fun for everyone. Casting is under way, and the full cast list will be posted on the Dessert Theatre Website by 8 p.m. Tuesday evening. (We have some callbacks this afternoon, and some on Monday.) Your link: http://acsdesserttheatre.weebly.com/
Algebra (Witte): Next week we will continue to work through Chapter 5 on writing linear equations.
Algebra (8th): We continue to graph linear equations. The challenge is remembering all of the different concepts. After Thanksgiving we will create a summary page with examples from each lesson in this chapter.
Art: The 8th grade students are near the completion of the calligraphy project. 8a has roughly one more class period of time to work on the project and 8b has about two more class periods to work on the project. Please check the homework calendar for project due dates and sketchbook homework.
Band: Wonderful work on band festival - all four judges were so pleased with our band. It was such a pleasure to watch them enjoy our ACS students. Thank you parents for coming in to support us too!
Bible: Early Ministry of Jesus test on Monday. Bible memory verses for Nov due this week or at the latest Monday - Nov. 30.
Geometry: This week we will be spending some time focusing on quadrilaterals and angle measurements. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
History: Next week we will start wrapping up our study of Chapter 8. A test for Chapter 8 will be on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving Break.
Language Arts: 8th graders will have a test on The Pearl on Tuesday. Students will receive information about having the 3rd drafts of NHD returned.
PE: Students have used their volleyball knowledge and skills to compete in volleyball games this week. We will end our volleyball unit with a test. There is a review sheet posted on Moodle. Our next unit is basketball.
Orchestra: Congrats to all of our super 8th grade string players who all received superior grades on their solos as well as ensembles! Our judge was very impressed with each and every one of you! A special thanks to the parents who accompanied on the piano - you were amazing!
Science: We gave weather forecast reports today!
Spanish: 8th graders have a Chores vocabulary quiz: 8A on Monday, 8B on Tuesday. A set of vocabulary flashcards is on Moodle.
Athletics:
Fall Uniforms: Please turn in your son/daughters fall athletic uniform. Uniforms may be turned in to the front office, or to Carly Prins during PE class.
Basketball: The 5th and 6th grade basketball season is off to a great start. The 7th and 8th grade season will begin the week of Nov 30.
Sports Physicals: If your child is playing winter basketball sports physicals must be turned in before the 1st day of practice.