What's Up at St. Mark's?
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[So in Christ we who are many form one body. Romans 12:5a
The Seventh Grade led our chapel service last week by asking the students to help complete a crossword puzzle. The clues led to many types of people that have helped connect us to Jesus and people that we can help connect to Jesus. Finally, it was JESUS CHRIST who connected everyone together. After the service, each class was given a crossword puzzle about its own students, connecting them to Jesus Christ.
Preschool and Kindergarten prepared for and experienced the first SPAN (Student Parent Activity Night) of the school year. Everyone who was able to come had fun with winter-themed activities. Unfortunately, the illnesses that have cut into school attendance forced some families to miss the evening. Parents and children worked together on many different learning activities. Among other things, students counted to 100 with numbered snowballs and used snowmen and snowflakes to work with the ABD, AABB, and AB patterns. As usual there was time to read together. Refreshments included a delicious vegetable soup that the students had prepared earlier, while learning how heat changes vegetables. There was also a polar bear dessert treat-a soup made of cocoa mix, snowballs (marshmallows) and coal chips (chocolate chips). Thank you to everyone who participated! If you were unable to attend, watch for the next SPAN.
First grade has been enjoying learning 'cup stacking, speed stacking' in PE. It is fun to build towers and see how fast you can make them - and how tall you can build them during recess! We also made 'sand-art' that says 'Follow Me'. That goes along with our Bible stories about Jesus calling his disciples. First grade is excited about the 100 Day of School, January 31. We hope everyone is healthy that day.
The Second Graders read A Chair for My Mother and said The Lord's Prayer for memory. The class had a test on 100 math facts on Friday and earned 5 minutes of free time for good behavior.
Third Grade continued with their study of agriculture. They made lip balm from soy oil and flavored it with chocolate or cinnamon.
Fourth Grade finished their South Central scrapbooks and postcards and took their social studies test on the region on Friday. They will move on to the North Central region as soon as they get through the achievement tests. What music can they listen to in this region?
Fifth Grade began a new chapter in science on the universe. They are studying how the earth, moon, and sun all work together in this great solar system created by our wonderful God. They finished their chapter on decimals in math and will start on geometry next.
Sixth Grade is learning what life in ancient Greece would have been like for them. They are studying Athens and Sparta as examples of two of the city-states long ago and have found that they would not be sitting in school learning, but would instead be either learning to fight as warriors (boys) or preparing to run households (girls).
Seventh and Eighth Graders have been making posters about the first ten amendments or Bill of Rights as they collect the last information necessary before preparing for their test on the U.S. Constitution.
Last fall, the Eighth Graders had a very successful car wash to earn money for their class trip to Washington, D.C. This past weekend they had the "lock-in" that they chose as their reward. Friday night they stayed at school, eating, playing games, having scooter races, playing wii games, and generally enjoying each other's company. Five of the class, Sami, Lauren, Aubrie, Rachel, and Drake, made it all night without sleep. Early on Saturday morning, Mrs. Linda Foote came to the cafeteria and made cinnamon rolls for them to enjoy before heading home. "I had an awesome time," commented one eighth grader as she left.