5th and 6th Grade
The year has gotten off to a great start for the 5th and 6th graders! It’s been wonderful getting to know this great group of kids and seeing how they are connected in Christ.
In Religion, we’ve been learning about the attributes of God and how He has preserved His Word throughout time. We’ve also explored the Means of Grace and studied the first three of the Ten Commandments.
In Language Arts, we’ve been reviewing parts of speech and working on our free-writing skills. The class is full of creative thinkers and writers, always eager to share fun and engaging stories!
In Literature, we’re getting ready to dive into novel studies. I’m excited to explore novel-length works with this group! Novel studies always spark great discussions, and I can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts.
We were lucky enough to enjoy a field trip to the Westrum family farm last month, where we learned about farm operations and saw parts of the farm up close. Everyone had a blast, and we’re very grateful to the Westrum family for the opportunity.
Most importantly, the 5th and 6th graders are growing in their understanding of what it means to be connected in Christ. They continue to be shining examples of Christ’s love each and every day, and I know this will be an amazing year!
7th and 8th Grade
"Wisdom is the daughter of experience." - Leonardo da Vinci
With so many learning experiences happening each day, it’s hard to summarize everything from our first months of school. Here are some highlights:
In Science, we’ve been learning and practicing the process of scientific investigations, including analyzing and graphing research data. We’ve been using our writing skills to design conclusions that present evidence to prove or disprove our research. Now, we’re moving on to chemistry, starting with the periodic table.
In 6th and 7th Grade Social Studies, we’re studying the Middle Ages and life in Feudal society. Students drew lots to see if they would be a peasant, knight, noble, or king. M&M's were used to represent payments for land use, protection, and taxes, teaching students that peasants bore the heaviest burden, did the most physical labor, and paid the most for land and taxes.
In 8th Grade Social Studies, we’ve been studying the four Charters of Freedom: the Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, and Articles of Confederation. We’re learning about their significance to the Founding Fathers when they wrote the Constitution. The 8th graders have also been researching the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the sacrifices they made—"their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor."
With Mrs. Gustafson’s guidance, we’re becoming kitchen gurus! We love this hands-on, real-life learning and, of course, taste-testing our creations—like delicious homemade pizza!
In Math, our experiences so far include mastering operations with integers and solving equations and inequalities. We’re stretching our minds with new concepts and building our mental math speed, which definitely keeps us busy!
In Language Arts, we’re solidifying our understanding of sentence structure. Subjects, predicates, and compound sentences come alive as we write about our own experiences. Weekly writing prompts give us a great opportunity to strengthen our skills, and partner writing lets us collaborate while captivating our audience with newly learned vocabulary and our unique voices. Learning experiences that build our communication skills are some of our favorite times of the week. We also love the time we spend studying the Spanish language!
In Religion, we’re studying Bible history and deepening our understanding of God’s faithfulness. We’re reminded not only of who is in control, but of the love God has for His creation and the ultimate sacrifice made for our salvation. As we memorize the Ten Commandments and their meanings, we’re connecting God’s Word to our own lives. What does “Thou shall have no other gods before me” mean for 7th and 8th graders in 2023? How does this apply in our culture today? The conversations are endless, and the learning is irreplaceable.
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