ACS Middle School Matters: Middle School Matters: 3/7/14

Middle School Matters

March 7,
2014

General Announcements

Student Appreciation Day is fast approaching. Click here to read more about your part in this fabulous day.

Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp: A representative from Blue Lake will be at ACS on Thursday, March 20 to allow students to audition for scholarships to Blue Lake. Any student who auditions will qualify to receive a scholarship. Some students will be awarded large scholarships which make summer camp super affordable. Many ACS students have benefitted from Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Auditions will be held during band and orchestra classes.

6th Grade News

Field Trip on March 28 - a digital permission slip came home via email on 3/6.

Forest Hills Expo performance for 6th graders on Saturday, March 15 at ACS, 11-11:30. Not required - but very fun! Sign up here or just show up in the band room on Saturday at 10:45. :) We will sing a ton of Irish songs....and will play hymns and other songs too.

Art: 6th grade is working on watercolor and exploring many of the different watercolor techniques. Students will need to bring in a photograph (these will be returned) of landscape. Another way to think of this is a picture of a place that you have visited that the students enjoyed or has fond memories of. This is photograph is due for 6k on Thursday of next week and the following Tuesday for 6d.

Band: We played for K-Wittenbach on Thursday. That was super fun. Those little ones really liked hearing our music. They were a darling audience. They are studying "I" is for "Instrument". What a good time! The Forest Hills Expo is March 15 - an email went home about this this past week. This is not a required event, but it is very fun.

Bible: Exodus 20: 1-14 due on Friday. We will continue our study of Abraham this week.

History: Take a look at the Ancient Egypt Glogsters on Moodle! Students did great work and there is a lot of good information on Ancient Egypt. Beginning Ancient Greece this coming week. The 6th grade Greek Olympic Games will begin during the week of March 17. Student will compete with a team to receive the honor of winning and an "olive branch wreath". Events are both mental and physical, and more details will follow next week.

Math: We will continue to review our Equations Solving Skills Monday and Tuesday and will have a test on Wednesday. An online chapter review is currently available on our Math Moodle page and students will receive other practice materials on Monday and Tuesday.

Science: This coming week will include investigation of friction, gravity & some things about Mr. Isaac Newton's 3 Laws of motion. A test will be coming up within the next couple of weeks.

Spanish: Both 6A and 6B have a TEST on Friday, March 14th. This will cover descriptions (eye & hair) and the verbs TENER & SER. There are several resources in the current (highlighted) Moodle course to help them study. Online assignment Quia #4 is also helpful practice prior to the test, and will be started in class earlier in the week.

7th Grade News

7th Grade Parents & Students - please check your email for a note from Miss Sanderson regarding dessert theater sign ups. Please complete the form by Thursday, March 13. 7th graders to serve & play music on Friday, March 28 are especially needed.

Art: 7d and 7f have a quiz on color next week in class. All class are working on finish the painting of their still lives.

Band: We have retired song 100. We are planning to have a party soon - - hooray!

Bible: Another excellent trimester is already finished! 7th graders will rotate teachers on Monday. Miss Sanderson's current class will go to Mrs. VanNoord, Mrs. VanNoord's class to Mr. Wanner, and Mr. Wanner's class to Miss Sanderson.

History: This week in history we will be focusing on the history of Latin America. We will explore the causes and effects of European exploration and invasion into Latin America.

Language arts: We have begun the toughest part of the Paideia project: the outline! We are working hard, though, and beginning to make some important progress. Next week, we will continue to work on our outlines in class next week. Next Friday is the due date for the first draft of the outline. Stay tuned for more emails regarding specific information on this portion of the project.

We will also continue our study of Trouble by Gary Schmidt. I have ordered more books for our class, so students will now be able to take copies home to continue reading.

Some 7th graders working on their outlines in the Student Lounge

Pre-Algebra (Sanderson): We are working through solving some pretty complex multi-step equations. I'm so proud of these students for the hard work and how their understanding is deepening as we continue to stretch ourselves to solve more difficult equations. A test on Ch. 10.1-10.3 will be taken in class on Thursday. Next up will be graphing linear equations.

Pre-Algebra (Kiser): Students have been stretched greatly over the last weeks with new Algebra concepts. I am impressed with their work ethic and attitude to continue learning and stretching their outside their comfort zone. We spent today as another day of review and will test over our Graphing Equation skills on Tuesday. Next week we will also take a break from Functions and Equations to focus on Probability and Statistics topics.

Spanish: It is TEST time: 7D is Wednesday, 7E is Thursday, 7F is Friday! This test will cover all the -AR, -ER, and -IR ending verbs listed on the flashcards posted on their Moodle course. They will need to know the meanings, plus how to conjugate them correctly in sentences. Quia Assignment #5 (already done) is an excellent practice for them.

8th Grade News

Dessert Theatre: Wow! Only three more weeks! We are seeing it come together and it is getting really exciting! Please encourage the students to practice their songs - This operetta is heavy on the singing, and we know they can do it if they have learned the music. All lines should be memorized by the end of this week, and for the next two weeks we will have Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday rehearsals. Please follow the link for more details on the schedule: http://acsdesserttheatre.weebly.com/

Algebra: (Witte): Next Wednesday we will be taking a Chapter 8 Quiz/Test on lessons 2,4,5,6,&7. We will spend time in class on Monday and Tuesday reviewing and getting ready for the quiz.

Art: 8th graders are working on completing their ceramic pot. 8b must have their ceramic pot built but not paint by the end of class next Monday. 8a must have their ceramic pots built by the end of next Wednesday's class. Next up is a family portrait based on the artwork of Frank Stella.

Band: Great music, great times in band. :) Your kids are wonderful.

Bible: (Witte): Next week we will continue our look at the early ministry of Jesus. We will be focusing on the temptation of Jesus and the calling of the disciples.

(Huttenga): We will be having a quiz on the first unit of this class this coming Wednesday

History: We will continue to look at the beginning of the Civil War, and watch parts of the movie Gone with the Wind. Civil War Activities Project Packet will be sent home this week, and students should start the process of working on these projects. They will be able to choose 4 project from a list to complete. Stay tuned for further details and due dates.

Language arts: We are going to continue learning about the parts of speech through Diagramming this coming week. We will have a quiz on diagramming later in the week: I'll be sure to have the exact date on the Moodle calendar soon.

We are also working on the second chapter of the Book of Memories project. I sent a document with the instructions for the assignment to parents earlier -- students have access to that document as well. The due date for the essay is April 2; however, before then, students will have been given the prompt for the next chapter if the project. Students will have to start planning ahead to stay on top of the project, so please encourage them to use time wisely. This weekend, students should begin making the contacts necessary for conducting their family interviews. I will be sending a detailed email to 8th graders today encouraging them to do this.

Spanish: 8th graders have a TEST on Monday, March 10th. The test will cover breakfast foods and the verbs TOMAR, QUERER, and PREFERIR. Study resources are posted on Moodle, along with a set of flashcards.

Athletics

Attention 8th grade girls heading to Grand Rapids Christian High School next fall: Due to MHSAA regulation changes and GRCHS exams being scheduled at the end of May, tryouts for the Junior Varsity and Varsity Sideline cheer teams will be earlier this year than they have been in the past. These tryouts will take place on Thursday, March 20 and Monday, March 24, 2014 in the Quest Center at Grand Rapids Christian High School, from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. There are no cuts for the JV Sideline Team. If you are new to cheer, come and experience what it is all about! Sideline cheer is a great way to meet girls, make friends, and become a member of a high school team before classes even begin in August and the best way to learn about Competitive Cheer, the fastest growing MHSAA sport in the state! Questions? Please call Varsity Coach Jacquie DeJonge @ 949-7516.