What's Up at St. Mark's?

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 1:14

In chapel, Pastor Janneke talked to us about Epiphany. He told us that we celebrate that day when the star led the Wise Men to Jesus. He brought some of his flashlights to show us how light reveals things. We need to be lights to the rest of the world so that everyone can see our Savior!

PreKindergarten is still building the big igloo out of empty gallon jugs. They have talked about cold weather animals such as penguins, polar bears, arctic foxes, snowy owls, seals, and hares. They also have learned about warm weather, warm weather clothing and foods that make them warm.

First and second grade sang "God Loves Me Dearly" at the special church service on January 12. There weren't many people there because of the snow, but we sang anyway.

First grade make snowflakes for the hall bulletin board. We also made snowflakes on the 'make-a-flake' website. We have been learning about plurals in English. In math we have started to 'buy' grocery items with dimes and pennies. We kept track of how the weather changed this week - Monday it was 60 and on Friday in was 28! We also made weather pictures to send in to the Southern Illinoisan newspaper in Carbondale.

Second grade has been learning about adding money in math. They have studied cursive handwriting and are writing in their journals. Each student created a special snowman. These are on display in the hallway. Come and see!

In honor of the first real snow of the year several classrooms did art projects. They are displayed in the hallways. Third grade made snow scenes using real looking "fake" snow. Each child imagined a snowy day. Some made themselves sledding, some imagined animals like wolves or penguins in their habitats. Come and enjoy their creativity with us.

Fourth grade is working on the Great Lakes States right now. Since Illinois is in this unit they are excited to finally be able to talk about crops they see every summer! They're also learning about things they didn't know before, such as the "hodag"!

Fifth grade has focused on severe weather and climate in science and "Heroes in Time" in reading.

Sixth grade has been following the journey of the Children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land and then through the forty years of wandering. They are seeing how often we behave in the same complaining rebellious ways that the Israelites did.

Seventh grade is studying the beginnings of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and some of the advantages of churches working together as a synod. They have looked at different full time church professions and saw the many Concordia Universities throughout the US and Canada.

Eighth grade finished the Revolutionary and is preparing to go on to the challenges faced by the new country.