Monday, April 8, 2013

Blog Update - April 8

I hope that you had a great Easter and Spring Break--He has risen!

TRIP News
Keep up on TRIP news in the school home bulletin!!!

P.E. News
It’s time for spring fitness testing in P.E.  Over the next few weeks, the kids will be doing the mile run, sit & reach, sit-ups, pull-ups and shuttle run tests.  It is my hope that the kids will show improvement compared to their fall scores.

6th Grade Environmental News
(No GGA/EFA this week because of iXplore Week)
Next week Friday, April 19th: Adopt-A-Highway

A week at a glance:
Family Time
Thanks to Mr. Vandlen for leading the K - 5th Family Time this morning.
Be sure to ask your student to tell you about this great Family Time.

IXplore Sessions for Middle School
Ms. Kurncz            “Food Fight”
Curious about where your food comes from? In this course, you will learn about the people and policies that run the U.S. food system, as well as the potential health and environmental problems left in its wake.  Time will be spent learning the basics of nutrition, about the problem of obesity yet an abundance of food, and the path to a sustainable food system. We will be experiencing these matters hands-on as we travel to a grocery store, dairy farm, and a farmers’ market. Count your well-traveled Twinkies and get a plate full of new information that you just may want to fight back with.

Mrs. VanDyke       “It’s Elementary, My Dear Watson”
Students in this course will use readings, puzzles, and experiments to strengthen their skills of deduction, inference, and logical thinking.  Students will also practice their improvisational skills for the culminating activity: solving a mystery while playing a character.  For the final activity, students will take the roles of suspects and will try to solve a mystery.  While in character, they will examine the evidence in an attempt to identify the guilty party.  In order to be ready, students will be learning about both real and fictional crime-solving.

Mrs. Oren              “Feed Your 5,000”
Students will learn that God works through us, His hands and feet, to perform His work.  Through TRIBE games, education, discussion, videos, experiences, and service, students will learn that modern day miracles do take place.  This will be a week for students learning about issues of children and hunger and conquering death in Jesus’s name.  It promises to be an unforgettable, life-altering experience.

Mr. Burgess          “What is $$ Really Worth?  A Question of Value”
Students will come to understand that “where our treasure is, there our heart will be,” also.  Discussion and activities will help students to understand that “value” has less to do with money and more to do with priorities.  Students will learn about the basics of economics, how banks and the stock market work, and how a family budget must be carefully planned to ensure that expenses do not exceed revenues.  The course will include a number of simulations, special guests, and video lessons about spending and giving.
                                                                               
Mr. VerMerris        “Think Like a Scientist”
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a scientist?  What skills are needed to be a scientist?  Throughout this week, students will be learning and experiencing what it means to be a scientist.  Among other activities, students will be developing their own simple experiments based on the 5-step scientific method model.  The course will include a visit to the VanAndel Institute to see and hear from scientists at work!  This course will include a number of experiences with inquiry, problem-solving, and simulations.

Ms. Barrett             “Justice Seekers”
What does God require of us?—to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. What does it look like to be informed about issues locally and around the world where injustice is happening? How can you, as a middle school student, make a difference in the world? We’ll be learning about social justice issues like homelessness, modern-day slavery, the orphan-crisis, and poverty—through reading, movie clips, guest speakers, games, and discussions. God has called each of us to use the gifts that He’s given us to help address injustices around the world.

Mrs. Wierenga      “Learning Alongside the Inner-City”
Students will be working with Southwest Community Campus (SWCC) students.  SWCC is a K - 8th grade campus of the Grand Rapids Public Schools located on southwest side of Grand Rapids. The majority of the students are Hispanic. We will start off the week at Rockford Christian learning about Southwest Community Campus, talking about perceptions and misperceptions about inner-city schools, and doing hands-on activities.  Then, as a class, we will create a lesson to bring to Southwest Community Campus to teach them.  Everyone will be teaching the lesson to a small group of 6th graders. Your time at the school will allow you to be creative in teaching the lesson that you created but will also help you learn what it is like to learn and work with other students in different environments.

There is NO elementary music (grades K - 5) this week because Mrs. VanDyke is teaching an iXplore Class and is involved in afternoon sessions.  There is also NO band or orchestra this week for grades 5 – 8.

There will be Spanish, P.E., Library, and Art for grades K - 5, but a few of the periods will be different.  Because Ms. Kurncz is teaching an iXplore class, Mrs. Tuit will be teaching the art classes this week and working on Auction projects.


Monday April 9
Kindergarten (Camp Roger) AM
1st Grade (Camp Roger) PM

Wednesday April 10
4th Grade (Camp Roger) AM
5th Grade (Camp Roger) PM

Thursday April 11
2nd Grade (Camp Roger) AM
3rd Grade (Camp Roger) PM

Thanks for all that you do for God’s kingdom!
Mr. Dave

Go blue!!!! 

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