Middle School Matters 10/2/2015

October 2, 2015

General Announcements Picture Day: is this coming Friday. Protecting Our Children from Online Dangers: Parents are encouraged to come hear and learn from Chris McKenna on Oct 8 from 7:00-8:30pm.  RSVP to the school office. Chris will be speaking with students in 5th - 8th Grade during the day on Thursday.  Parent Teacher Conferences: Our 6th, 7th and 8th grade does a "Round Robin" style of conference. You will find each teacher at a table in the Commons. You will have a chance to talk with individual teachers. There are no scheduled conference times unless you request them with a specific teacher in advance. We hope to see you Thursday, Oct. 15 from 5:30 - 8:30 or Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 4:30 - 7:30. 5th Grade News Band: We are playing pages 7-9 now - great progress!  Hopefully you are hearing regular, consistent practice, and even a mini-concert from your 5th grader! Orchestra: We are playing pages 10 & 11 now - great progress. I Hope you are hearing about 20 min of practice each day (or your string player will start to get lost)  Be sure to ask for a mini concert!  If your child needs to have a few lessons please call me. I teach after school on Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays - right in the orchestra room! Spanish: 5B and 5W have their Numbers Quiz on Monday!  (This was rescheduled from last week.) 6th Grade News Band: We will continue to build skills and tone and work the fundamentals each day. Bible: We are continuing to work on the setting of the Bible. History: Finishing the Latitude Line Project, and continuing our study of geography. Language Arts: Next week we will continue to read Tuck Everlasting.  We are learning a lot of new vocabulary. Students will have a vocabulary QUIZ on Friday, October 6 on 10 words. Ask them to show you how they have been studying these words in class. Students  will also need to complete their weekly work #5 by Friday, October 6. Math: We will review what we have learned so far about converting decimals to fractions and fractions to decimals. We will also begin to convert fractions and decimals to percents. Orchestra: We are making good progress in our books as well as in our sheet music. Keep up the great work, and write down all practice times for Sept - in the front of your books! Science: Students finished up our measurement unit with a test this week.  We will begin a study of matter & scientific models next week. Spanish: There were several incomplete iMovie projects turned in; Students will be informed of who they are and what is missing. They will be given the opportunity to add missing requirements during noon room before re-submitting (10% late grade will be applied.)  (Unfortunately, I will not be able to grade late online projects until I return after my surgery.  Your patience would be appreciated.)  6th Grade Homework Log in as "Guest"   7th Grade News Algebra (7th): Next week Tuesday we will have a test over chapter 2. Band: This next week we will introduce the Solo Project. Stay tuned! (Pun intended…) Bible: Memory work (Psalm 89:1-4) is due on Oct 12. We're studying stories from 1 and 2 Kings and looking for God's faithfulness among these stories. Language Arts: Because of scheduling of Art Prize, some sections of 7LA will be taking/finishing their short stories test on Monday, Oct 5. Next week Friday, Oct 9, students have an independent reading project ("one-pager") due. Student can find the assignment description on Moodle. The beginning of the week will mark the beginning of our new unit and first class novel study of Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond. During this unit, we will continue our discussion of conflict as the characters we study are faced with problems with greater complexity. Pre-Algebra (Kiser): We will continue working with rational numbers; evaluating problems with integers and fractions. Pre-Algebra (Holtrop): Next week we will review how to solve inequalities containing integers and explore exponents and scientific notation. On Tuesday students will be taking a chapter quiz and there will be a chapter test early the following week. Orchestra: We will talk more about Solo and Ensemble and select some music to learn for this November event! Learn the 8th note passages in your sheet music Science: Continuing our study of plants on our school campus. Spanish: Our current focus is in combining the verb ESTAR (in all its forms) and locations vocabulary in and around the house.  7th Grade Homework Log in as "Guest"   8th Grade News Dessert Theatre: The librettos (scripts with songs included) are HERE!  There is a sign-up sheet for the musical in Mrs. Weaver's room, and each student will have his/her own libretto especially assigned to them.  CD's of the music are also available.  (We ask for a $5 donation per CD to help offset the cost of those.)  Audition and rehearsal information can be found the Dessert Theatre Website. Algebra (8th): We will wrap up our chapter on Integers: Monday - combining like terms, Tuesday - Division with integers, Wednesday - Review, and Thursday - Chapter Test. Students will receive review materials on Monday Band: Band Festival is in Nov. We are working on tunes for this, and also a show tune or two. Bible: This week we will be working on our early ministries of Jesus project. Students are working in groups on one story, and will be giving a multimedia presentation to their class the following week.   Geometry: Students will be taking a test this coming Monday. The test will be in two parts and will be finished on Tuesday. Please remind them to study! We will begin to study angles for the remainder of the week. Language Arts: Some adjustments have been made to the NHD calendar. Students will be receiving their outline drafts on Monday, and will have the entire week in LA to make revisions for the new due date of the final outline, Oct 9. More detailed information on the outline and the beginnings of the first draft will be sent to parents in an email shortly. Orchestra:  We will continue to polish Concerto in D, Rondeau, For unto Us and Hallelujah Chorus!  We will also focus on pages 4 & 5 in your books for a playing quiz on the shifting (3rd position). Science: We continue to study weather, including the physics and chemistry involved in changing weather.  Our focus next week includes convection. Spanish: Review and practice test next week!  There are some materials that can be looked over on Moodle to start preparing. 8th Grade Homework Log in as "Guest"   Wildcats Athletics Winter Basketball start dates are listed below.  Within the next 2 weeks you will receive an email introducing your son/daughter's basketball coach and listing practice days and times. 5th & 6th Grade – Week of Monday, November 9 7th & 8th Grade – Week of Monday, November 30   8th Grade Girls Basketball Open Gyms will be on Monday October 5 from 3:15-5:00pm. Sports Physicals are due on Monday, October 5.  Please note, after this date if your student is competing in fall sports they will no longer be eligible for the season.  If your student is playing winter basketball this must be turned in before the 1st day of practice. www.adachristian.org/wildcats If you would prefer not to receive further messages from this sender, please unsubscribe.

Middle School Matters

September 25, 2015

General Announcements Next week for 6th, 7th & 8th grades:   Mon: No school Wed: ArtPrize trip Thurs & Fri: Service Projects Family Activities and Support ACS Fine Arts: Monday, Sept 28 the PTO has a party planned for the afternoon at the Mudroom and we also have an ArtPrize Family Activity you can enjoy. Use these coupons from Bagger Dave's and the ArtPrize scavenger hunt for you to enjoy with your children. The coupons will raise funds that Mr. Wanner will use to enhance the arts at Ada Christian School! Clean Plastic Milk Jugs Needed for making shoes for African Children via the Sole Hope Project. Please send clean plastic milk jugs to Mrs. Van Noord by Oct 1.  Thank you! 7th and 8th Grade service project: your 7th and/or 8th grade students will be coming home next week with specific tool requests for this project. Please ask your student(s) what they need to bring. 5th Grade News Art: In class we are working on completing our abstract landscapes and next will be moving on to printmaking. Band:  Pages 4-7!  Go team!  Practice frequently on all songs...make sure they know the fingerings, how to read the notes - and tongue (drummers should use R or L sticks….not tongues!) Everything is clearly written in their books. Orchestra:  Fifth graders are working on their bowing on pages 4, 5 and 6 and then using fingers  through number 25 (and some students are even playing beyond). PE: We will wrap up our soccer unit next week with indoor soccer games! Students will put their skills to the test. Spanish:  With Survival Camp this week, we have moved our numbers quiz back:  5H on Wednesday, Sept 30.  5B and 5DW on Monday, Oct 5 6th Grade News 6th Grade Service Project: Our service project on is scheduled for Oct 1 & 2.  We will be contacting parents volunteers very soon with details. ArtPrize: Wednesday we will eat lunch early and head downtown by 11:30am.  We will be home by the end of the school day. We still need some of you to complete a permission form. Art: in class students are nearing completion of working with pattern and then they will transition to working on how to visually display how the artist see God's hand at work in their life.  Please continue to check the homework calendar for due dates. Band:  We have been recording one of our hymn tunes.  Here is a link to our first video! Bible: Bible Memory due on Wednesday - II Timothy 3: 16-17. History: Next week we will be working on a Latitude and Longitude Research Project. Language Arts: Weekly Work #4 is due on Tuesday, Sept. 29!  Students need have a "Clues" sheet and grammar toolbox to assist them on this work. During the day and a half of "normal" school, the 6th graders will work on an interdisciplinary project involving research, geography, and math.  We will resume normal LA classes on October 5. Math: We are digging deeper into our understanding of converting decimals to fractions and fractions to decimals. Students have been working hard learning their facts and working through problems. Next students will be working on an interdisciplinary project relating to latitude and longitude. This means we'll be taking a short break from decimals and fractions. PE: We wrapped up our soccer unit this week with a test on the rules and basic concepts of soccer. We will begin fitness testing next! Students will be able to evaluate their own personal fitness level. Orchestra:  We will learn and practice pages 32 and 33 and Advent Carol. Focus on intonation on Advent Carol. Science: Test on metric measurement, equipment, and science safety on Wednesday. Review was sent home.  We will review in class together on Tuesday. Spanish:   Their iMovies are in!  We have already begun our unit on the alphabet and phonetics.  Proper pronunciation is near and dear to my heart, and these kids are diving in and sound amazing already.  Ask students to spell their names in Spanish...and anything else to keep them practicing! 6th Grade Homework Log in as "Guest"   7th Grade News Algebra (7th):  Presently working on chapter 2 which focuses on properties of real numbers. Art: in class students continue to work on displaying their chosen art elements or principles inside small human figures.  Please check the homework calendar for project due dates. Band:  We are working on a number of songs.  It is really fun to hear how they are progressing. Bible: We are focusing on God's faithfulness, Psalm 89, and also the divided kingdom following King Solomon. History:  Next week we will only have one class!  We will continue to look at South Asia and practicing learning names of Asian countries. Language Arts:  There will be a test on short stories this Wednesday. 7H will have the test rescheduled to accommodate the Art Prize trip. We will start our first novel study next week. PE: We wrapped up our soccer unit this week with a test on the rules and basic concepts of soccer. We will begin fitness testing next! Students will be able to evaluate their own personal fitness level. Pre-Algebra (Kiser): The next topic we will focus on is rational numbers; evaluating problems with integers and fractions. Pre-Algebra (Holtrop): We will continue working with integers during our short week together! We will especially be reviewing how to multiply and divide integers. Orchestra:  We are planning to get all of the 8th note passages - in tune and faster by Tuesday!  So focus on 8th notes on both of your pieces. Science: Continuing our study of plants around our school grounds. Spanish:  In addition to our activities that reinforce the vocabulary, we will be reviewing pronouns and learning when and how to use the verb "estar." 7th Grade Homework Log in as "Guest"   8th Grade News Eighth graders and their families are invited to an evening of Yesterdogs & Eagle Football next Friday, Oct 2. Festivities begin at 6:00PM with Yesterdogs at the GRCHS Football Stadium Event Deck & tours of the high school. Come and learn more about the recently renovated GRCHS and head over to the event deck to enjoy the food and game. Questions?  Contact Jana Hoglund (616.574.5605, jhoglund@grcs.org) DESSERT THEATRE:  The show is selected, and we're gearing up! Scripts should be arriving in the next week or two; there will also be music CD's available to help in preparing for auditions next month.  A great link to have quick access to for scheduling and announcements will be our Dessert Theatre website: http://acsdesserttheatre.weebly.com/ Algebra (Witte): Next week we will start reviewing chapter 2.  There will be a ch 2 test on Tuesday after the Service Project. Algebra (8th): We will continue working with Integers; distributing and combining like terms. Art:  In class students are nearing completion of their first project, which was printmaking with the student's initials.  There will be a quiz coming soon on the history and tool of chop/printmaking.  Please check the homework calendar for project due dates and sketchbook assignments. Band: Excellent progress is being made on our March for Band Festival. We will continue to add to our repertoire when we return from Service Project. Bible: Bible Memory - Philippians 4:6-8 due on Tuesday.  Beginning a new unit looking at the characteristics of Christ. Geometry: Next week we will be finishing the last portion of Unit 2 and reviewing for the test that will be the test that will be early the following week. Students were given a review assignment today. Please encourage them to keep studying. History:  We will continue to study the American Revolution next week and soon focusing on how the colonists were able to defeat the British at Yorktown. Language Arts: Students are continuing to learn about writing techniques that will directly influence the effectiveness of their NHD essays. We are hoping to have the NHD outlines returned by next Tuesday or Wednesday. PE: We wrapped up our soccer unit this week with a test on the rules and basic concepts of soccer. We will begin fitness testing next! Students will be able to evaluate their own personal fitness level. Orchestra: Focus on the 16th note parts of For Unto Us.  Learn slowly and then gradually increase tempo but keep all notes very even! Science: We're studying density and are creating particle models of air that help us understand how weather occurs. Spanish: We are finishing our unit on clothing, quedar, IOP's, near future, and possessive "de."  Upcoming tests:  8A on Oct 12th; 8B on Oct 13th. 8th Grade Homework Log in as "Guest"   Wildcats Athletics Winter basketball sign-ups for grades 5-8 are closed.  Within the next 2 weeks you will receive an email about your child's coach, practice days and times. 8th Grade Girls Basketball Open Gym: Monday Oct 5 from 3:15-5:00pm. Sports physicals are due on Monday, Oct 5. If your child is playing winter basketball this form must be turned in before the first day of practice. www.adachristian.org/wildcats If you would prefer not to receive further messages from this sender, please unsubscribe.