General Announcements
Washington D.C. 2019: This coming June 11-15, 2019, 7th and 8th grade students and parents from Ada Christian will be heading back to Washington D.C. This will be the 3rd trip our school has participated in seeing our nation’s capital. We have reserved a tour bus and hotel rooms, so now it is time to start filling them up and making reservations. This afternoon all 7th and 8th grade students will be coming home with a packet that describes the trip and gives information about signing up. Please take a look at this document and consider if this may be the right opportunity for you to go to D.C.!
Fifth Grade:
Just a reminder - Weekly Reports should be coming home each Thursday. Please continue to view and sign these. Also, your student receives a Missing Work slip each Monday. If these are not coming home and you are interested in viewing, you are able to access this information on Powerschool.
Art: 5th graders are working to transfer their fish drawings designs to our blocks so that we can transition to the print cutting stage.
Band: We are hard at work! We know a lot of notes now, and can play lots of songs! Practice is essential as we build skills and fundamentals. Ask for a concert!
Bible: We have been working on our Pentateuch books this week. We have talked through the stories of creation, the fall, Cain and Abel, Noah, and the Tower of Babel. Ask your child to show you their Pentateuch Book!
Language Arts: Students continue to learn, read, and discuss Hatchet in class...focusing on figurative language/sound devices. Students will also begin writing survival poems and descriptive articles for a newspaper and incorporating figurative language. The 5th graders need to have their own survival books finished by Mon Oct 29. Next “My Words” spelling test will be on Tue Oct 23.
Library: The Mock Newbery Club is off to a great start. We have 12 books to read and discuss by Jan 15. All book club participants must turn in a signed form in order to vote on a winner and attend the Reveal Party in Jan. Our first author Skype with Diane Magras is Tuesday, Oct 16. Occasional updates will be posted on Twitter @loisboerman.
Math: We are wrapping up Chapter 3 with a test. Practice tests are due Mon Oct 15 and the test is Tues Oct 16. Here is the answer key to the practice test. Please check over your child’s answers.
Orchestra: We reviewed all the way through number 51 and also practiced a new song,”Ode to Joy” by Beethoven! Hand in practice records every Thursday.
Science: We’ll be studying Earth’s moon this week as we continue exploring the Solar System. It is so cool to see how excited these 5th graders are to learn about what is in our galactic neighborhood!
Social Studies: We will be celebrating our learning with a Geography Test on Tuesday, October 16! Students have been working through their study guides in preparation. After our test, we will begin our Native American study.
Sixth Grade:
Devotion Sign-up: Sign up to lead devotions for our 6th Graders on a Thur (8:00-8:10am) this school year. We love to have parents and guests come to share a story, song, verse, prayer or devotional with us.
Chicken Checkup & Got Yolk?: Is your child’s team “on duty” for Chicken Checkup this week? It is important to share the responsibility of taking care of our chickens on the weekend. After determining which Team your child is on, please sign up to take care of chores on Saturday and/or Sunday at some point this trimester (be sure to ask your child which team they are on to get to the correct sign up). If your child has questions, he or she should contact the “Eggsecutive Council” member on his or her team.
Art: 6th graders will wrap up their first art project next week. Next we will be learning how to draw self-portraits. Please check the homework calendar for homework and project due dates.
Band: Excellent work on so many songs. Lots of musical sounds are coming right along! Encourage practice at home and ask for a concert!
Bible: We are beginning a unit on the book of Joshua and the Israelites’ entrance to the Promised Land.
History: Students presented their Landform Presentation Projects this week. They were very impressive! Next week, we will explore our last theme of geography: movement. To do so, students are being asked to collect and bring in labels from food items, clothing, toys, and other products they use, for class on Mon, Oct 15.
Language Arts: The 6th graders are making Google Slide Presentations to show their knowledge of the eight parts of speech. They have reviewed these parts of speech through books, activities, poems, videos and songs. Students have access to many helpful songs and resources via Moodle. Next week they will work on the presentation and a review sheet to prepare for the test on Tue Oct 23. Please encourage your child to read 20 minutes each night.
Library: The Mock Newbery Club is off to a great start. We have 12 books to read and discuss by Jan 15. All book club participants must turn in a signed form in order to vote on a winner and attend the Reveal Party in Jan. Our first author Skype with Diane Magras is Tuesday, Oct 16. Occasional updates will be posted on Twitter @loisboerman.
Math: Next week we move from working with fraction/decimal/percent calculations to focusing on fraction concepts. Our fraction/decimal/percent test is on Monday. Over the past week, students have been working on a Study Guide and Practice Test.
Orchestra: We are adding many musical elements to our pieces and our focus has been on excellent intonation and using longer bows to create a great tone! Keep up the wonderful work.
Science: A test over cells is coming on Wed Oct 17. A review sheet has been given to students and is posted on moodle (due Mon Oct 15). Answers will be posted on moodle on Monday evening for students to check their work. We will do a variety of review activities in class to prepare. This unit is heavy on vocabulary. Encourage your student to use his or her notebook to fill in the review and perhaps to practice terms with flashcards and diagrams.
Seventh Grade:
Algebra (7th): We will finish Ch. 4 on Wednesday and move into a deeper understand of linear equations.
Art: 7th grade is wrapping up the painting of their sculptures and will transition to adding painted lines to their sculptures. Please check the homework calendar for homework and project due dates.
Band: Solo and Ensemble is Nov 08 during school. We have our solo packets and lots of practice needs to be happening right now so that we are ready. Recordings of solos and of accompaniments are all on Moodle. Do you play the piano? Want to accompany your student and maybe others too? Let me know - I will send home the music!
History: We are finishing our study of World Religions and will be reviewing next week. Students should be ready for a test on Friday.
Math (Holtrop): We have started a new unit about percents!
Orchestra: We are working on our solos and duets for November 8 which is Solo and Ensemble Festival at school. All string players will practice with a piano accompanist this coming week so be sure to have your solos and duets well learned.
Pre-Algebra (Kiser): We started chapter 4 today - Powers and Exponents.
Science: We will continue our investigation of ecosystems and look more in depth at how energy flows through different levels of consumers.
Eighth Grade:
NorthPointe Christian High School Preview Day - Wed, Nov 07
Shadow a student 7:35am - 2:35 pm (RSVP required)
Experience firsthand what it's like to be a NorthPointe Christian high school student! Students, partner with a current student for the day. Parents, you are welcome to join for a morning tour, a breakfast Q&A with administrators, and chapel. Learn about opportunities for dual college enrollment, the new internship-based program, and NorthPointe's passion of shaping students who love and serve Christ.
For details and Preview Day RSVP, visit http://www.npchristian.org/admissions/ or contact Brittany Noll at gro.naitsirhcpn@bllon, 616.942.0363.
Algebra: We are beginning our our first unit with linear equations. We will be learning how to graph linear equations using a variety of strategies including slope-intercept form.
Art: 8th graders complete their printing project this past week and will write an artist statement for their project on Monday and also being learning and planning for their next project which is a ceramics project. Please check the homework calendar for homework and project due dates.
Band: Band festival is Nov 08 during school. We are hard at work at our music. Encourage practice at home - ask to hear 5 scales….and Highlander March! And Chester Variations!
Bible (Van Noord): We are finishing up the book of Matthew. Ask your student what they think Jesus was like as a person and why.
Geometry: On Monday students will take a test on Unit 3. Next we will begin studying transformations.
History: We are reviewing for our unit test on the American Revolution. Our test will be next Thursday. Students have access to review materials on the course Moodle page.
Pre-Algebra: We started chapter 4 today - Powers and Exponents.
Orchestra: 8th graders are working on 5 different string pieces to play for Festival on Nov.8! This is an amazing group of musicians. Ask for a concert!
Science: We are investigating how the Moon’s features formed by making hypotheses and testing them.