Week 13 NLSW and "the plague"(1/31)

 Enjoy listening to the strings play in chapel as you scroll. 

What an awesome Lutheran Schools week!  We had a blast with special spirit days, teacher swap (Mrs. Bernhardt came!) snacks, special assemblies and our online Gospel Adventure to Kenya.  How sad that our 6th grade was hit with sickness this week (or fondly dubbed "the plague" by loving classmates who have disinfected the room multiple times and graciously volunteer to gather absent work and run it to the office.)  What a joy it is to go to a school where the light of Jesus shines in the hearts of all!  Don't miss our ART FAIR in the back of church this weekend.

Families of students with absences: It's no fun being sick!  We miss you and I know that its hard to to school from home.   Homework is tracked on the Daily Assignment Sheet in the link on the above right or in your child's Google Classroom - Homeroom.  That spreadsheet has tabs at the bottom for the current week and the past week.  Sometimes links are attached for lesson slides or videos, so be sure they check the spreadsheet and don't rely on assignments to "pop up" on their personal GC homepage.  Email me as you have questions!

Valentines Day - It is optional for students in middle school to bring in Valentines.  If your child wishes to, please bring a card for everyone in the class.  (See class info tab for names.).  NO GIFT EXCHANGES allowed on campus and kids may NOT pass out candy, per Zion's handbook policy.  We will hold a small class party to celebrate on Feb. 13.   Watch for a "Sign up Genius" invite for ways you can contribute.

NO SCHOOL Feb 14 (Teacher inservice) and Feb 17 (Presidents' Day)   Please join us at Zion's Sausage Supper on Feb. 16

 

Week 12 Lliving as Disciples (1/26)

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to the weekend!  Remember  this afternoon is Zion's Open House (noon-2p.m.) to kick off National Lutheran Schools Week.  We are so blessed to be at a school where we can share the love of Jesus and grow in our faith every day!

In Religion, 6th grade has been following the life of Jesus as he begins is teaching ministry.  As we discovered Jesus Sermon on the Mount, we learned how BECAUSE we are redeemed - bought by Jesus' blood and forgiven of our sins - we follow in his footsteps and serve our neighbor.   We can't do this alone, so as the Holy Spirit works in us, we can produce the fruits of .... (see photo from Pastor Fieberkorn's chapel)  We are discovering that's what it means to be sanctified!  The process of the Holy Spirit making us holy too and living the life of a disciple.

REMINDER - one way we can share our blessings is to bring chapel offerings.  Teaching stewardship to our kids helps them see that the world is a bigger place than just them and that we can give back to God by helping our neighbor.  This is the last Wednesday that offerings will go to the Global Kids Fund for Kenya.  (See article at bottom for details of how our offerings will be spent.)  In February, our offerings will continue for the Lutheran Bible Translators project in Tansania.

Now that we've studied Africa - we have a better idea of where these places are! 

 

We listened to the Casting Crowns song, "If We Are the Body"

Role playing how sometimes our sinful nature makes us selfish and uncaring

But with the power of the Holy Spirit we can show love....

kindness... patience...goodness... self control.

 

Lutheran Schools Week is here!!  Let's celebrate!

 

...plus lots of other fun things in store!

 

Global Kids Fund

Africa is the youngest continent on earth, with a median age of only 19 years and 70 percent of the people under age 30. Many people do not learn to read and write beyond an elementary school level, so distributing Bibles and booklets is often not the best way to reach individuals with the Gospel. In addition, more than 2,000 languages are spoken on the continent.

By supporting our Global Kids Fund, YOU can help share Christ’s message of hope with children throughout Africa through LHM’s programs, including:

Drama Performances use storytelling to catch the audience’s attention and relate the Gospel to their local lives.

Film Screenings where LHM staff use generators and projectors to show biblical films to large groups in rural areas.

Vocational Training Programs that teach young women in their teens basic skills like sewing and making clothes. Women can enroll in these classes to learn a practical skill that helps her find employment and care for her family.

Holistic Ministry to help children who leave school because their parents cannot afford it. LHM sometimes assists children by distributing school supplies and items to help them study or stay in school.

Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) allow LHM staff to meet someone in person and offer a BCC so that they can study at home in their own time. The courses are written to reach both children and adults.

Medical Support in partnership with Lutheran congregations and medical caregivers in the United States, gives LHM staff the opportunity to meet each person and pray with them, sharing the news that God loves each of them.

Response to Natural Disasters that assists people facing tragedies. LHM staff travels to affected areas and offers basic first aid care, food, or blankets.

 

 

Week 11 New Novel unit (1/18)

 

Jan. 2025

By: Noah And Waylon

This Month we had a lot of snow days, and probably more to come. We were

 going to do the Jr. high dance, but it got canceled at the last second. (STUCO

 is looking forward to a spring dance). This month, we are reading a book called,

 “Blended” About a girl with mixed ancestry. We also have a lot of lessons about 

civil rights. In science, we've been learning about cell division processes. And in

 math G has been learning about fractions and T is learning about exponents  and

 pre-algebra. That pretty much sums up this month.

 

 

Novel Study:

We are deep into our novel Blended and have been exploring the world of a sixth grade girl adjusting to life with divorced parents (mom is white and dad is African American).  In the midst of this turmoil,   a noose is found in a locker after a history class on the Civil Rights Movement.  We are discovering how literature can be a window into things we have never experienced, yet at the same time mirror our own lives.  

 

Friday we took time to explore a PBS interactive lesson with primary sources of photos, videos, and cartoons showing what discrimation was like in the 1950s and 1960s and how people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruby Bridges role in the fight for equality.  included young people who stood up for equality and fairness.   As we continue to follow Izzy, we will explore how love and caring are stronger than hate and how God's love gives us the power to overcome even the worst in ourselves through his forgiveness and strength.

Other highlights:

 

Sermon on the Mount in Religion and living as God's disciples

Exponents in the order of operations in T Math and reviewing fractions concepts in G Math so we can be ready to divide them this week!

Physical geography of Africa in S.S.

 

WINTER COLD!!

Thanks for reminding your child to dress for the weather.  We will continue to be outside unless wind chills dip into the teens.  GLOVES would be great to remember too! And while we are taking about clothing....

GROWING KIDS

 If you are like me and look for school uniforms on the clearance racks, now is the time!  Girls whose skirts fit in August may be getting pretty short now.  Appropriate length is fingertips or longer.  Full dress code is found on Sycamore - Documents - Family Handbook starting on p.16.  

 

Scholastic Book Order - Due date Jan. 25

There are many more title on the website! Any titles you buy earn us free books for the classroom.  This will be the only order I plan to place before the Scholastic book fair comes in March.   Plus place an order of $25 or more and you can pick a FREE $5 book (use code READS at checkout).  Class code: GV2FP

 

Family Order Due Date: 01/25/2025

 

Shop Our Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/GV2FP

 

Shop Flyers: https://clubs.scholastic.com/all-flyers

 

 Count down to National Lutheran Schools Week!   1 week to go!

Giving an Elevator Pitch for AR books

Playing Fraction War with reducing and converting fractions

 

Week 20 SNOW DAYS!!

 Isaiah 55:10-11

¹⁰ “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

 

This is one of my favorite verses.  Although the snow might be a hindrance to driving and trying to get back to a routine, it is a wonderful reminder of God's care for this earth.  And it is symbolic of God and how His Word spreads to all.  Yesterday, we started a look at Jesus' Sermon on the mount and how God uses us to be salt and light to the world.  Living as His disciples, God calls us to make a difference in the world and share the love of God to all so that they may know He is Lord.  Through our witness words, but even more through our actions. 

 Yes we really did have school for a couple days!  Welcome back to the new year and enjoy playing in the snow again this weekend!

National Lutheran Schools Week - coming Jan 27-31

 At the end of the month, we will celebrate the uniqueness of being a Lutheran School and have special dress days.   Watch for other fun events!