Middle School Matters 2.13.15

Middle School Matters   February 13, 2015 General Announcements Dinner Theatre is in need of several cylinder vases that are 12" tall and 5" in diameter (or a bit smaller if you have them) as well as several apothecary jars in various sizes, especially larger ones.  If anyone has some that we can borrow, now through the end of March, please drop them off in the office with your name marked clearly on the bottom.  They will be returned to the office after they are used at the Dessert Theater on March 26 and March 27.  Thank you in advance!!  Lise Williams   Parent-Teacher Conferences:  Please join us this Thursday, February 19 between 4:30 - 7:30pm for Parent-Teacher Conferences.     The MS teachers will be in the Commons ready to meet with you.  You will have the opportunity to touch base with as many teachers as you need.  Please keep in mind that these conferences are designed to be 3-5 minutes in length.  If you feel like you need a longer time than that, please coordinate that with your child's teacher directly.  Thanks. 5th Grade News Band: We have been working hard in our band books, and are now on page 25.  We also have had our first scale quiz on the B-flat scale from memory. Most students have finished this, hooray!    Bible: We are working hard on our Jesus Projects through reflection-based writing. Students have also been practicing plays based on different aspects of Jesus' life and Pilgrim's Progress. Stay tuned for performance dates!   Language arts: We have finished up our Poetry unit and our novel study of The Julian Chapter. Next week we will be having a vocabulary quiz based on The Julian Chapter (students have a vocab sheet to study. The quiz will be on Wednesday). For writing, we are knee-deep in research and note-taking on our chosen influential people in U.S. History! Next week we will be outlining and drafting. Final drafts will be finished by the last week of February. Ask your 5th grader about the interesting facts they have found about their person!   Math: We are continuing our study of fractions through adding and subtracting mixed numbers.   Science: We will begin the study of energy next week.   Social Studies: There will be a quiz on Latin America Wednesday, February 18. Students will need to know the 25 countries of Latin America.   Mystery Skype: What is mystery skype? Ask your 5th grader for the fun facts about what they have learned about classrooms around the world.   Back to Top 6th Grade News Art: In all class out next unit of study, watercolors, has been introduced. Please check the homework calendar for due dates.      Band:  We have a quiz Monday on the solo on page 38 in our books. We are almost done with our books and will have a party to celebrate once we finish, yay!   Bible: Bible Memory - The 10 Commandments (Old and New Testament) # 1-3 due on Wednesday.  We are continuing our study of Abraham and the Old Testament connections with Jesus.   History: Culture Webs are due on Monday.  They can print out color copies at school on Monday.  We will be working on research for World Fair this week, and after Winter Break we will start a unit on Ancient Greece.   Language arts: (World Fair Weekly) There is lots of excitement about World Fair.  We have had wonderful speakers (parents) come in share with us about China, Korea, and Mexico!  Yesterday,  I sent home an informative letter with your child.   Attached to the letter is a country choice sheet for your child to fill out and you to give a signature of approval. Next week Wednesday, we will designate a large portion of the day to working on Culture Poems and researching!  Culture Poem rough drafts are due Thursday, Feb. 19.   Math (Kiser): We have focused our attention on Algebra skills with variables and expressions.  Most students are doing fantastic; however, please check in with your student about how they are doing - it's a big adjustment as we work with variables.  Also this weekend's assignment is a mixed review of Chapters 1-6, feel free to help them if they forget how to complete a problem.  On Monday we will complete the Discovery Education Assessment and Thursday we will have our test on Chapter 6 Expressions.   PE: We wrapped up our Pickleball unit this week. We had a blast playing Pickleball doubles! Next week we will review the rules and practice the skills needed to play the game of Badminton.   Orchestra: This week we ALMOST finished the playing quiz.  - just 2 more!  We heard lots of great  playing on Do-Si-So and Country Wedding.  We will review the F major scale and add more scales with flats.  We set a goal to get to song 275( Our song 100  in  the book ! ) We have a new  piece - so we will work to master all 4 pieces.     Science: We're continuing to enjoy a study of chemical reactions in class. Spanish:   We finished with a test on hair and eye descriptions, and will begin our unit on making comparisons.  This will be a short unit and will end with a quiz that includes memorizing our Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish.     Back to Top 7th Grade News Algebra (7th):  On Monday, students will be taking their Chapter 8 test. There are a lot of rules involved with this test, so please encourage them to review everything that they have been taught. I will have some help posted on Moodle as well. On Tuesday, they will be taking their DEA test in math. Please be sure they are well rested and ready to go! For the remainder of the week we will be starting to learn about Quadratic Equations.   Art: 7d has their Lego portrait due next week Tuesday.  In class both class have begun working on creating jealousy in monster form. Ask you 7th grader to explain their design to you.  Please check the homework calendar for due dates.     Band:  We are beginning to work on Dinner Theatre music which we will perform during the dessert portion of the evening. We also have some new music - very fun.  Quiz on Muppet Show on Monday.  :)  That will be fun to listen to!   Bible: Bible study journals (Segment 2) is due on Monday.  1 Corinthians 1:4-9 is due on Tuesday.   History:  Our Africa test will be on Tuesday this week.  After the test, we will begin a study of Central and South America.  We will begin reviewing the map of Central and South America to prepare for a map quiz the following week.     Language arts: We have officially finished reading the novel Trouble, by Gary Schmidt. Next Wednesday, students will have a quest on the story. They can find review materials on the 7th LA Moodle page. -Next week will be a big one for the Paideia research project. Thursday, Feb 19 will be the due date for the first draft of the essay outline. For many students, this means some extra research may be necessary over the weekend and during the weeknights. However, 7th graders will have a total of 3 class periods to work on the project on Wednesday, Feb 17. -Parents, be on the lookout for a more elaborate email soon. It will catch you up on where we are in the project and where we are going. Lot's of details.   PE: We will finish our Pickleball unit next week with a test on Wednesday. We have been having a blast playing Pickleball doubles! Our next unit is Badminton.   Pre-Algebra (Kiser): We will complete the Discovery Education Assessment on Monday and will have our Chapter 7 Test on Tuesday.   Pre-Algebra (Sanderson): Students continue to work hard with percents.  Our chapter test over percents has been rescheduled to Wednesday, February 25.   Orchestra:  The countdown to our concert with the Moxie Strings - is 13 days.  Date for the concert is Thursday,  February 26th.  This concert is free - at Grand Rapids Christian High  at 7PM.   Hope to see you there!   Science: We have started our bird unit.  The students need to set up a bird feeder and observe birds that come to the feeder.  If you don't have a bird feeder, please don't feel obligated to purchase one, you can look online how to make one from a milk or juice cartoon. Your child is to observe the birds over the next several weeks. Spanish:  Students will have the opportunity to put all their new verbs to use in some translation work coming home this week.  They will have some time in class to do these, but many will need to finish at home.  (Students are allowed to use their laptops ONLY to look up single words, as they would use a dictionary.   Back to Top 8th Grade News Dessert Theatre:  It's just around the corner, actually!  Except on rare occasion, all students will be called for all remaining rehearsals:  Wednesdays and Fridays, 3:15 - 5:15.  To double check the schedule, you may go to the website:  http://acsdesserttheatre.weebly.com/rehearsal-schedule.html   Baby Pictures:  There are still seven or eight students who have not submitted a baby picture for the yearbook.  Please send in a picture this coming week.  Thanks, Mr. Witte.   Algebra (8th):  We have our chapter 8 test on Monday.   Algebra (Holtrop): Students will be taking their DEA test this coming Monday. We will be spending the rest of the week studying Chapter 8. They will be taking their test after winter break.   Art: In class we have begun working on clay.  Please ask your 8th grader about their clay pot they will be making.  8e has till February 18th to complete their Frank Stella projects and artist statements.  Please check the homework calendar for due dates and sketchbook assignments.     Band:  We have a lot of new music of many genres. They are playing well!   Bible: We have discussed the Christian worldview (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Commitment, Renewal) and analyzed how it affects our own personal Christian worldview. Students are now working on a Plan of Salvation project that studies each part of the Christian worldview. Next week, 8th graders will be sharing their projects with 5th graders as a tool of witnessing to others (Project dates- 8D: Wednesday, February 18; 8F & 8E: Thursday, February 19) Long Term: Also, students will have a sermon evaluation sheet to fill out at their own personal church service for a chosen Sunday in the next couple of weeks. If students are unable to attend church for whatever reason, they may find a link on our Moodle page for an online sermon they may watch and evaluate. Sermon evaluations will be due: 8D: Wednesday, February 25. 8F & 8E: Thursday, February 26. (The packet says it is due on Monday, Feb. 16- just ignore that date!)   Geometry: We have finished our unit on area and are starting a short unit on drawing three-dimensional figures and learning the vocabulary associated with them.  We will have a quiz on this material from chapter 9 on Thursday, Feb. 19th.   History:  Next week we will finish covering the last two sections of Westward Expansion.  We will start preparing for a test happening the week after winter break.     Language arts: 8th grade will resume study of Lois Lowry's The Giver. -Students need to remember that their 3rd installment of the Book of Memories project will be due to Mrs. VanNoord on Thursday, Feb 13. -Parents, I will be sending out an email giving more specific details about the BOM project shortly.   PE: We wrapped up our Pickleball unit this week. We have been having a blast playing Pickleball doubles! Next week we will begin our Badminton unit. There will be a test at the end of the unit. It will fall during the last week of the trimester.   Orchestra:  We are putting the finishing touches on the music for the Moxie Strings Concert - on Thursday, February 26th at Grand Rapids Christian High at 7PM.  See you there!   Science: We have our earthquake test on Monday.  We just started our study of constellations.   Spanish:  We are starting a new unit which includes breakfast foods, new grammar concepts, and some new verb forms.  We talk a lot about food at the end of 8th grade as we gear up for our "restaurant immersion" luncheon in May.  We will be needing a few volunteers to accompany us, so please let Sra. Weaver know if you are interested. *Also, some students will want to take advanced placement testing to enter Spanish II at their intended high school.  I will be offering some "cram sessions" outside of normal school time later this spring for those interested.  We have many students who do very well, and there are long term benefits! Back to Top Athletics End of Season tournaments for 7th and 8th grade basketball teams will start the week of February 23 and run thru March 7.  This tournament is single elimination and will be seeded based on regular season play.  As soon as ACS receives a schedule I will email the games out to the teams immediately.   Below is the "rainout link" that you can click on to sign-up for text messages or emails that will go directly to you when there is a game cancellation thru the GRACEAC league due to weather.  Otherwise you can always call the cancellation hotline, which will run thru the end of basketball season.  Both links are also posted on the 5-8 Athletic Website. https://www.rainedout.net/team_page.php?a=2168760b8c4cda9d4efa.   For all up to date athletic announcements, game schedules, addresses to games, cancellations due to weather, sports sign-ups, etc., please go to the ACS 5th - 8th grade Athletic website.   http://bit.ly/ACS-Athletics       Back to Top Ada Christian School Faith.Strong In This Issue General News 5th Grade News 6th Grade News 7th Grade News 8th Grade News Athletic News Quick Links Homework Calendars 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade   *To see homework, click on the link above and then select "login as guest."     Student Grades PowerSchool   View Previous MSM MSM Archive   School Newsletter Ada Connection

 

 

 

 

 

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