5th Grade

The last two weeks have been a challenge in math, but it has also been a bit of fun! Students worked with place value and practiced moving decimals by 10s, 100s, and 1.000s. After a lot of hard work, they earned a day of fun (and practice)! They learned how to play Farkle and added in the thousands and hundreds places.

In science, the students discovered what it took to save an egg from a high fall. They worked through the scientific process to achieve their goals. It began with designing and then moved on to building. After a few dry runs, many discovered that they didn’t account for some forces and chose to rethink their ideas. In the end, all of the students were triumphant!

6th Grade

Ratios, Ratios, Ratios. They have learned all about ratios. From tables to measurements, 6th grade has gotten their fill. Happily, the students used their newfound skills in math (and science) to talk to Mrs. Tracy’s PreK Class about ratios, mixtures, and solvents while making edible cookie dough!

The science did not stop at mixtures and solutions. The students also learned about forces and energy transfer. By heating up a liquid inside of a hand boiler, the 6th graders learned first-hand that even a little bit of thermal energy can make a big difference. Some didn’t believe that our own bodies are conductors, so we broke out the energy wand. Any time the students broke the circuit, the lights and sound stopped! Adding gravity to the mix of energy and forces, the students designed and built a container to safely bring an egg to the ground without breaking! Some designs worked, and some didn’t. After reflecting on the outcomes, those teams made changes and never gave up!

We started the school year off strong with reviewing expectations and experiencing what it is like to be in Middle School! During our Friday elective class, all grades come together for a chance to spend time together and practice team-building exercises.

From reading our Bibles in class, going to chapel, and attending Christian Ed, we are consistently reminded of how God is always with us.

In science, 5th and 6th grade got a small dose of what it is like to go through the process of the scientific method. They made hypotheses and put it to the test with their penny lab. We also had a small talk about space science and gravitational forces during a creative bell ringer.

Fifth grade at St. James always looks forward to the overnight field trip to the Arkansas Outdoor School…or better known as 4-H. Anticipation builds weeks before the actual trip with picking activities, going over the packing list, travel plans,and permission slips.

Then…the day of departure finally arrives. Fifth grade was able to experience team building, archery, canoeing, orienteering (using a map and compass), fishing, and rock climbing.

Field trips provide authentic, hands-on, experiential learning opportunities where students connect what they are learning in the classroom in a real-world context.

The world is the true classroom. The most rewarding and important type of learning is through experience, seeing something with our own eyes.-Jack Hanna

According to Merriam-Webster, a cloud is a visible mass of particles of condensed vapor (such as water or ice) suspended in the atmosphere of a planet (such as the earth) or moon. Fifth grade is currently investigating the water cycle. As a lab demonstration, students set up a model of a cloud (shaving cream), and slowly filled the “cloud” with water to visualize how clouds fill up with water vapor and create precipitation. Students were able to see the connection between the model created in the lab and the real world.

“Clouds are the sky’s imagination.”

pro·gres·sive din·ner

/prəˈɡresiv,prōˈɡresiv ˈdinər/

noun

1. a social occasion at which the different courses of a meal are eaten at different people’s houses.

A progressive dinner is a unique dining experience where each course of the meal is enjoyed at a different location, creating a fun, interactive, and social atmosphere. Instead of sitting down to one meal at a single restaurant or home, guests travel from place to place—perhaps starting with appetizers at one venue, moving to another for the main course, and finishing with dessert at a third. This dining style adds an element of exploration and variety, allowing people to enjoy different environments, cuisines, or settings throughout the evening. It’s perfect for making an ordinary dinner into an exciting adventure!