Middle School Matters - Oct 07, 2016

General Announcements:

Picture day is Oct 14 for students in grades 5-8. All students will have their picture taken whether or not a purchase is made. Order forms were sent home.

Spanish Immersion Weekend at Circle Pines Center, October 21-23, takes place less than an hour away from ACS! Family-friendly immersion fun for all ages. (Middle School students can earn extra credit with Sra. Weaver, too!) Contact Gina Weaver to receive a brochure.

Parent Teacher Conferences are Oct 13 (5:30-8:30) and 18 (4:30-7:30) For grades 6-8 come to the commons and meet with any MS teacher. For 5th grade, conference times are scheduled with your homeroom teacher. The schedule is available to download (91 KB PDF).

Fifth Grade:

Art: We are completing our abstract project this week and will be moving on to printmaking.

Band: Mon:Woodwinds and Perc, Tue: Brasses, Thursday: All!

Bible: We are nearing the end of our study of the Pentateuch. By now the 5th graders have a pretty good feel for the roles of each of the major people in these five books, and how they all fit together in God’s unfolding plan. Bible memory is due Tuesday.

Language Arts: We are working on writings for our survival newspaper. We finished reading Sign of the Beaver.

Math: Our current math unit involves looking at different strategies that can be used to multiply numbers. We are trying to figure out patterns in the number of zeros of the product when multiplying by powers of 10, and applying these strategies to real-word scenarios. The chapter 2 test on multiplication strategies will be next week Tuesday. The 5th graders will review in class today and Monday, and there will be an online review assignment on Monday.

Orchestra: We are making terrific progress using the bow and we continue to memorize the notes and fingerings on the D and A strings. Be sure to have your child practice about 15 to 20 minutes each day! This will help so much with all of the new notes etc. I have 2 spots left for lessons after school.

PE: We will continue our flag football unit next week.

Spanish: Next week we finish learning our numbers to 100. There will be a QUIZ the following Tuesday, October 18th.

Sixth Grade:

Art: In class we will work on our pattern hands today anything not finished in class today will come home as homework for next week. Please make that if your student borrowed any art room tools that you make sure your student returns them. Please check the homework calendar for project due dates and homework.

Band: We had a great week. Some 6th graders will be playing solos on Nov 08 for Solo and Ensemble. This is an extra credit opportunity for them, not required.

Choir: What marvelous projects for It is Well With My Soul!!!!! Excellent, meaningful, careful, interesting work!

History: This week we are looking at the different types of map projections. We also started reading the Global Studies Weekly Newspapers this week. Each week your child will receive a new newspaper that focuses on a different part of the world. We will talk about different articles in class during the week. They are responsible for reading though the newspaper and completing the activities on the back by Friday. They will have an open newspaper quiz on the contents of the newspaper every Friday and then they will turn in the newspaper for a grade. They also have access to the on-line version of the newspaper that will read the articles to them and give them practice quiz questions. This is a great way to work on reading comprehension and learn about this amazing diverse world that God has created.

Language Arts: Next week we will take a look at similes and metaphors in this novel, our everyday conversations, and in the music. Students will also have a quiz over the characters in Tuck Everlasting on Thursday October 13.

Math: We continue to convert fractions/decimals/percents. Students should continue learning some from memory (practice those flash cards). Next week we will use these skills to find percent of a number… think tip at the restaurant.

PE: We will continue our ultimate frisbee unit next week. Students should be prepared to go outside.

Orchestra: Great playing on pages 22 and 23 playing quiz this Thursday. Only 3 more students need to play the quiz music for me on Monday! Awesome work!

Science: We’ve begun a study of weather and water. Starting with a study of severe weather, we’ve been keeping tabs on Hurricane Matthew and have been praying for the many lives impacted by this terrible storm.

Spanish: We continue using and learning the descriptive adjectives while learning the subject pronouns and verb SER. 6th graders will have a QUIZ on just the adjectives (a set of flashcards is posted in the current unit on Moodle) Friday, October 14th.

Seventh Grade:

Washington D.C. Trip: This week your student should have brought home a packet with information about a school trip to Washington D.C. this summer. If you have not seen the information, click here. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Witte.

Algebra (7th): Chapter 4 Test on Monday. Chapter 5 begins today and ends Tuesday the 18th with a chapter 5 test.

Art: Next week we will be moving on to a project that focuses on texture. The first project is due next week Thursday (7a) and Friday (7B). Please check the homework calendar for project due dates and homework.

Band: Are you hearing solos at your house? Ask to hear them! We are working hard. SE is Nov 08 at ACS.

History: We are studying the beginnings of a couple different world religions. We will finish studying and reviewing Hinduism and Buddhism early next week and then prepare for a quiz on the material on Thursday.

Language Arts: The one-pager independent reading assignment is due to be uploaded to Moodle on Monday, October 10. We will begin a new unit on descriptive writing and a novel study of The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

PE: We will continue our ultimate frisbee unit next week. Students should be prepared to go outside.

Math: We are beginning a new unit about percents!

Pre-Algebra: We have brushed up our skills with Rational Numbers and will have a test on Chapter 3 this coming Tuesday, Oct 11. Students should organize their notes and assignments from this chapter over the weekend. The study Guide and practice test are on page 132 in the textbook.

Orchestra: Solo and Ensemble practice continues for our Nov 08 event. We will practice Tues. and Thurs.with the piano players so remember all of your music.

Science: Investigation 4 continues. Investigation 4 Quest 10/18

Spanish: Students are describing their bedrooms and living rooms, as well as learning to ask others some questions about theirs. It is so fun to hear them putting the language pieces together to communicate whole ideas with their peers!

Eighth Grade:

Yearbook Pictures and Baby Pictures: Each year, several families choose to submit a “professional” picture for the yearbook instead of the traditional school picture. This is a choice and not something that has to be done. However, if you would like to submit a picture, we would like to collect those over the next two months. Please send the images to Mr. Witte. Each student also needs to bring in a baby picture for the yearbook. This can be a digital image or an actual photograph (all photos will be returned lovingly). Thanks.

Requirements for yearbook picture:

Head and shoulder shot
High quality resolution--300 dpi
File size--at least 1 MB or more

Attention 8th graders! Just a reminder that you and your family are invited to an evening of Yesterdogs and Eagle football on Friday, October 21! Come and learn more about Grand Rapids Christian High School and enjoy free Yesterdogs in Town Square at 6:00 pm before heading to the Event Deck for hot chocolate, dessert, and to enjoy the game vs. Thornapple-Kellogg at 7:00! So that we can have enough Yesterdogs on hand, please rsvp by Monday, October 17, at www.grcs.org/guestnight. GO EAGLES!

Which show are we doing for Dessert Theatre? By 3:00 Oct 07 your 8th grader will know. Ask them! This will be SO FUN!!! More details to come.

Algebra: Next week we will review and take a test on Chapter 3 which covers solving linear equations. The test will be planned for Thursday.

Art: In class we are wrapping up the first project in this coming week. There will be a printmaking quest on Wednesday (8c) and Friday (8D) next week students have materials to study in their binders and it is also available on moodle. Please check the homework calendar for project due dates and homework.

Band: This was a great week of hard work on Festival music. We see progress! Go Team!

Bible (Westrate): We’ve been working through the book of Matthew and are spending some time focusing on Jesus’ teachings during the Sermon on the Mount.

Bible (Huttenga): We are taking investigating the first 11 chapters of the book of Acts by creating newspapers reporting on all of the interesting events of the early church. A draft of that newspaper is due on Monday, October 10.

Geometry: We will continue to study the properties of angles and learn our justifications.

History: We are reviewing for a test on the American Revolution on Wednesday. After that, we will look at how our country started a new form of government and the writing of the Constitution.

Language Arts: We will be revising the NHD outlines to prepare for the final draft of it. Students are encouraged to be reading a novel independently throughout the coming weeks.

PE: We will continue our ultimate frisbee unit next week. Students should be prepared to go outside.

Pre-Algebra Enhanced: We continue to work with rational numbers. Students will have a mid-chapter concept check on Monday.

Orchestra: The 8th graders are working well on their ensemble music and many students are also preparing solos for the Nov.8 Solo and Ensemble event. We will practice with the piano players on Tuesday and Thursday this week so bring in all music and piano parts.

Science: We’ve enjoyed watching footage of various Apollo missions. We’re beginning a study of the moon, focusing on its surface structures, phases, and its role in our lives here on Earth.

Spanish: We are learning how to talk about chores we do around the house! We will be able to tell what we are going to do, what we have to do, and what we have done. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Tuesday, October 18th.

Athletics:

It is hard to believe but is time to start thinking about registering for the upcoming winter basketball season!

You can register your son or daughter for basketball using this link. You can also register on the Wildcats Athletics website. Registration will close on Sunday, October 22 at 11:45pm. No late registrations will be accepted.