Mark Your Calendar

Sep 22-23: 5th Survival and 6th Serve and Sleepover (details at Parent Night)
Sep 29-30: 7/8 Service project (more details coming in Sept)

5th grade (Daily Homework Calendar)

Art: In art class students have started the year with reviewing how to create/make a pinch pot. To these pinch pot students have added sgraffito ( this comes from the Italian word meaning "scratched through" and is done by incising or cutting a design through a colored slip coating to reveal the clay body.) to their pots and have also glazed these pots. The pinch pot the students have created will be buried in the archeological dig for 6th grade students to uncover. 

Bible: Throughout the month of September we will be studying the Pentateuch. So far we have looked at the stories of creation and the fall. Students will be Bible Journaling through the stories of the Pentateuch (see example).

Language Arts: We have started our Survival Unit to get ready for Survival Camp! As a class, we have been reading Hatchet and learning about imagery, figurative language, and other literary elements. Next week, students will pick their own books about survival to read individually as well. After camp, students will practice descriptive writing by creating narratives about their experiences at camp. 

Math: We have been learning about Place Value in math since the start of the school year. Students have been able to “travel the world” on their iPad and organize distances from least to greatest. We will begin next week with MAP testing followed by review and a test on Friday. Students have a review sheet in the back of their packet and one can also be found on google classroom. A few pieces to 5th grade math: 1) Students may choose to retake quizzes on their own time to improve their grade - the retake is not the same as the original, but very similar.  2) If a student has been working hard on math for 30 minutes they may get an adult signature on the assignment and be done for the evening without being marked down. 

Music - Band: We can assemble and take apart all our instruments and we can play 4 or some even 5 or 6 different notes. See Google Band Classroom for specific things to practice for band! Students should be practicing about 3 times per week, for about 15 minutes each time as we begin.

Music - Choir: We are working on learning our notes for our instruments, also singing lots of songs from many genres, reading rhythms and doing some motions, and learning chapel songs as well!

Music - Orchestra: We are having lots of fun in orchestra learning how to hold our instruments, pizzicato (pluck) on the strings, and gain knowledge of the notes with our left hand.

OE: In OE we began our lessons on survival.  We started with a simulation that had teams competing for the most useful items for a survival situation.  During T-time today we went over the basics of survival.  You can ask about The rules of 3 or the STOP acronym.  Soon we will learn and practice fire starting so they are prepared to start a fire for cooking at survival camp.  

Aside from survival, 5th grade received their first overview of the barn and goats in preparation for their upcoming goat care.   

PE: 5th grade students have been learning about what middle school PE is all about. One of the changes for 5th grade students is PE uniforms. We will be kicking off our first official unit soon and will be working on soccer skills. 

Science: We have started the year learning about science safety, collaboration, and measurements and tools to prepare us for the rest of the year. The students received a surprise this week when a bearded dragon arrived in the tank in our classroom!

Social Studies: In social studies we have been having a blast learning about all things geography!  Students participated in the Playdough Geography Map Challenge and had to test their knowledge by recreating the key features from the whole world (ie:continents, oceans, rivers, mountains, equator, prime meridian etc.) using only play dough. Once they reacquainted themselves with the world, they participated in The Great Race Challenge. Students were introduced to the amazing wonders of Google Earth while they raced “around” the world visiting 25 landmarks spanning 6 continents.  After discovering these amazing places, students have created their “Bucket List” of places they would like to visit.  Be sure to ask your child what five places they chose and why.

Spanish: We began the year talking about how God has created our brains to learn language.  We learn a second language the same way we learned our first so we are creating subconscious acquisition through fun activities, stories, and interesting input of language. Our first story and activities are about a “bad baby” who runs all over Meijers. Next students will be creating i-movies using the same vocabulary to create their own funny story. 

6th grade (Daily Homework Calendar)

Art: 6th grade students have started the year with exploring and drawing self-portraits. This 1st project is a 2 part portrait project where students will create a traditional pencil portrait and then explore creating a portrait that combines adjective words that describe the artist and drawing.

Bible: This month we’ve talked about our identity. We discussed some common lies that we believe and truths from scripture that can set us free. Our identity should be rooted in who God says we are and what God has called us to do. So we need to know His voice(John 10)  and stay connected to Him (John 15). To wrap up our identity unit, students will be presenting their Outside Inside Bags Sept. 28. 

Language Arts: We have started reading the novel Tuck Everlasting to begin the year. We have been learning about figurative language, characterization, and other literary elements. During September, we will also begin our Got Yolk unit. Students will learn about how to apply and interview for jobs, and they will be “hired” for a specialized job taking care of the chickens. Later, students will learn more about the responsibilities of running our business, Got Yolk.

Math: We wrapped up last week with MAP testing and are finishing our chapter on Computing with Multi-digit Numbers. There will be a test next week Wednesday. Students have a review sheet in the back of their packet and one can also be found on google classroom. 

Music - Band: We have new folders and some new music and a practice assignment - Back on Track for Band. It’s due Sep 28 - students need to work on specific things at least 5 times prior to Sep 28. Ask your student for a concert!

Music - Choir: We are learning all sorts of songs from many genres and also studying Peer Gynt Suite No. 1

Music - Orchestra: 6th grade orchestra is getting back into the swing of things by reviewing scales, and recalling how to have a great posture and bow hold. We are also working on our sightreading skills.

OE: Students just received an introduction to the project coming up that will begin chicken duties.  They soon will be learning about the various jobs for the chicken care and egg collection process.  Afterwards, they will apply for the jobs they prefer.  In the coming weeks be sure to ask about the upcoming application process.  

PE: 6th Graders have been reviewing middle school PE rules and expectations. We have played a few collaborative games with emphasis on teamwork. Our first official unit is soccer where we will be focusing on skills and learning the fundamental rules of soccer and applying them to a game setting. 

Science: We have started the year learning about science safety, collaboration, and measurements and tools to prepare us for the rest of the year. The students received a surprise this week when a bearded dragon arrived in the tank in our classroom!

Social Studies: In social studies we have been having a blast learning about all things geography!  Students participated in the Playdough Geography Map Challenge and had to test their knowledge by recreating the key features from the whole world (ie:continents, oceans, rivers, mountains, equator, prime meridian etc.) using only play dough. Once they reacquainted themselves with the world, they participated in The Great Race Challenge. Students were introduced to the amazing wonders of Google Earth while they raced “around” the world visiting 25 landmarks spanning 6 continents. After discovering these amazing places, students have created their “Bucket List” of places they would like to visit.  Be sure to ask your child what five places they chose and why.

Spanish: We began the year talking about how God has created our brains to learn language. We learn a second language the same way we learned our first so we are creating subconscious acquisition through fun activities, stories and interesting input of language. Our first story is about a wildebeest and a crocodile…We start right away with reading paragraphs and short stories. Students are encouraged by the amount of language they can understand so quickly.  First TEST on Sept. 30. 

7th grade (Daily Homework Calendar)

Art: 7th grade students have started the school year with exploring texture through creating 2 4”x4” textural paintings using found texture items from home and paste of caulk and various glues along extra textural items from the art room. Through these paintings students are learning about texture, abstract art and working in the style of South African artist Partrict Rapi. 

Bible: We started this year in Bible class talking about THEME: what is a theme, what is our school theme (looking into Colossians 3:12-14) and then each student wrote a personal theme for the school year. Last week, we began our unit on Prayer. The 7th graders have each been given the name of a preschooler to be intentionally praying for as we continue to learn about prayer. Please remind your student to include his or her preschooler in prayers!

History: We jumped right into studying government by looking at how the first government of the US (the Articles of Confederation) failed and how and why the second government (the Constitution) was set up. We have focused on the strengths and flexibility of the Constitution and why it has served our country so well for 235 years. Understanding the country’s government is essential to good citizenship (and now the kids know a lot more than many adult citizens!), but it is a challenging unit to start with. We are spending several days reviewing and practicing our knowledge before taking the first test next week. Our next unit is on launching the new nation and how the first presidents (George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson) face the challenges of being the first to figure out how to lead the first democratic republic in the modern world. 

Language Arts: 7th graders began the year studying the poem “Where I’m From”, by George Ella Lyon. We developed strategies for brainstorming nonfiction writing ideas by drawing maps of where we’re from as well as recreating the poem utilizing snapshots, moments, experiences and relationships from our own lives. Students then turned to writing prose after learning about the memoir genre, and are currently working on a brief anthology of micro-memoirs based on their own lives, focusing on sensory details and evocative thoughts and feelings. In the meantime students have also begun studying parts of a sentence and will continue on into parts of speech. We will begin our first unit on literature and students will learn the requirements for independent reading and literary analysis for the year.

Math - 7th Math: We are coming to the end of our first topic: integers. This chapter has focused on practicing the skills of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing positive and negative numbers. These skills are foundational to everything else that we will be doing in math this year!

Math - Algebra: We have had our first test of reviewing important concepts before diving into our Big Ideas Algebra content. It is obvious that these 7th graders learned a lot after putting so much hard work and learning in Pre-Algbra this summer. We are laying a good foundation for a solid year of math! 

Math - Pre-Algebra: In Pre-Algebra we started the year off with a review chapter to ease our brains back into school. Come of the concepts included coordinate grids, word problems, algebraic expressions, and reading tables and graphs.  We recently took our first test and everyone did really well on it! Next week we will take a break for MAP testing before beginning a unit on Integers.

Music - Band: We have a bunch of songs we are working on - and we have a quiz coming up Mon Sep 12 on #103. Our first practice assignment is due Sep 28.

Music - Choir: We are learning all sorts of songs from many genres and also studying Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 

Music - Orchestra: 7th grade orchestra is getting back into the swing of things by reviewing scales, and recalling how to have a great posture and bow hold. We are also working on our shifting skills.

OE: Outdoor education in seventh grade began with some team building activities.  We had an emphasis on how being a class is a team effort with the goal for growth and learning of all students rather than just the individual.  For the rest of the month we will be moving into tree identification. 

PE: 7th Graders have been reviewing middle school PE rules and expectations. We have played a few collaborative games with emphasis on teamwork. Our first official unit is soccer where we will be focusing rules of soccer and applying them to a game setting. 7th grade students will have a quiz on soccer later this month. 

Spanish: We began the year talking about how God has created our brains to learn language.  We learn a second language the same way we learned our first so we are creating subconscious acquisition through fun activities, stories and interesting input of language. Our first story and activities are about a Star Wars character who sits in some odd places and is told to get up and go.  We will act out the stories and circle the language with questions and activities. First QUIZ Sept 16.

8th grade (Daily Homework Calendar)

Art: 8th grade students have started a printmaking project where students are working to create an image that shows and tells about the artist interest or future plans but also includes their initials as part of the images. Through this artwork students are working on push to show and further develop their creative identity. 

Bible: We started this year with a project that guided students through the process of choosing a Bible verse which will encourage them to grow in their attributes which reflect Jesus. We then moved on to our first unit on the gospels. The students learned about the purpose and message of the gospels as a whole and of each gospel writer individually. We then began to investigate the life of Christ, beginning with his birth.

History: We started the year with a short study of how the West was completely and quickly transformed in the last 30 years of the 19th century by the advance of mining, ranching, farming, and railroads. We acknowledged the benefits of this for the country and recognized the price–especially to minority groups like Mexican Americans and Native Americans. The students completed the unit with a written assessment identifying three adjectives to describe the West at this time and supporting those adjectives with evidence from what we learned during class (thinking like a historian!). Our next unit looks at the Industrial Age, Immigration, and Urban Growth at the end of the 19th century.

Language Arts: We put the pedal to the floor right away, kicking off the National History Day research-writing project. Students have studied the theme “Conflict and Compromise in History”, reviewed exemplar essays from past ACS students, and put in the work to establish connections to the theme in a list of five possible topics. Since receiving their research topic, students have compiled a list of guiding questions for research, gathered at least four sources, and have written at least one full page of notes. In the meantime, 8th graders have also begun a review of sentence types and clauses. As we progress, students will continue researching and learn to organize their notes to be prepared for an outline as we go. We will also have our first MAPs Language test and keep working on sentence structures that will aid us in the essay-writing process. 

Math - Algebra: We have had our first test of reviewing Pre-Algebra concepts before diving into our Big Ideas Algebra content. We are laying a good foundation for a solid year of math! 

Math - Geometry: We started this year with a review of the major Algebra concepts in order to have a strong foundation as we build new geometry material. After that, we learned about points, lines, rays, segments, and planes, before pausing to MAP test this week.

Math - Pre-Algebra: In Pre-Algebra we started the year off with a review chapter to ease our brains back into school. Come of the concepts included coordinate grids, word problems, algebraic expressions, and reading tables and graphs.  We recently took our first test and everyone did really well on it! Next week we will take a break for MAP testing before beginning a unit on Integers.

Music - Band: We are working on a lot of music - - many genres. Enjoy this picture of the low brass section! Our playing skills are improving - it’s SO amazing to hear them.

Music - Choir: We are learning all sorts of songs from many genres and also studying Peer Gynt Suite No. 1

Music - Orchestra: 8th grade orchestra is getting back into the swing of things by reviewing scales, and recalling how to have a great posture and bow hold. We are also working on developing our vibrato.

OE: Outdoor education in seventh grade began with some team building activities.  We had an emphasis on how being a class is a team effort with the goal for growth and learning of all students rather than just the individual.  For the rest of the month we will transition into a review of Invasive species and preparing for some work to remove invasives species at school.  

PE: 8th Graders have been reviewed middle school PE rules and expectations. We have played a few collaborative games with emphasis on teamwork. Our first official unit is soccer where we will be reviewing rules and skills of soccer and applying them to a game setting. 

Science: To lay the foundations for our studies of the Sun, Moon, and Earth systems we dive into what evidence there is for the shape of our Earth. We started by discussing how a flat Earth could be a viable statement, but quickly found evidence that disputes that claim and points to an earth that is more curved. One of those pieces of evidence was looking at the way shadows would appear on a globe versus a map and comparing it to what we see on our Earth.

Spanish: We begin the year with our school theme verse and song.  Students are reminded that this is their last trimester of Spanish 1. They have probably noticed that I speak much more Spanish with them from the start. They are encouraged to piece together meaning and speak in Spanish as able. As always, there is an emphasis on listening skills and natural language acquisition methods. Our first class story is about a hungry good wolf and a bad girl who steals his food. Students will be acting this story after they finish creating the story details. The first QUIZ is Sept 20 and the first TEST is Sept 28.