Roadmap of the Week Ahead:
Monday, September 23- Chapel “Mr. Bremner” 8:10 a.m. (Parents welcome!)
Friday, September 27- Half Day dismissal (No Aftercare)
Organization Information:
Huge thanks to those who supported our Dress Down Day to benefit those in the Bahamas who were affected by Hurricane Dorian. FBCS & WEE Care raised a combined total of $1022.55 which will be sent to Samaritan’s Purse. Thank you to all who donated for this worthy cause!
PTF- We are recruiting members for the PTF Executive Committee and Mr. Holtzhouse would like to meet with any parents wishing to learn more about this on Tuesday, October 1 @6:30 p.m. Please RSVP to Mr. Holtzhouse via Ricky at fbcs@fbcs.edu.ky if you are interested in attending this meeting.
Charleston Wrap Fundraiser continues until September 27th! Orders should arrive in time for US Thanksgiving at the end of November. Information went out separately and orders can be taken online, or on forms sent home with students.
For online orders:
- Register your student online by clicking here enter our School ID [z- 11554]
- Invite friends and family to shop and support our students. Send emails, share on social media, and text the fundraising link to your friends & family to quickly spread the word!
TOP THREE SELLERS to date:
- Governor Smith
- Julianna Sanchez
- Phoenix Singh
September Chapel Schedule:
Chapel takes place every Monday at 8:10 a.m. in the gym. Parents are welcome to join us!
October Chapel Schedule
Accountability:
Tuition- Monthly tuition payments are due on or before the 5th of each month.
Reminders:
September 27- ½ Day NO AFTERSCHOOL CARE Dismiss at 12:20-12:30 p.m.
Message from Mr. Holtzhouse (Head of School)
Chapel is a great way to start your Monday mornings from 8:10 – 8:40am. We are studying Biblical Superheroes throughout the school year. We’ve already learned from the lives of Elijah and Abraham. Our focus is on teaching the children to listen to the voice of God, to obey him, to do what he says with all their being, and then to trust the Lord to do what they think may be impossible.
These lessons can be applied at home too. We are teaching the children to listen to mom and dad and to be obedient. Last week, we taught them that obedience is doing what you’re told, when you’re told to do it, and doing it with a happy spirit. Would you re-enforce these concepts at home? Children often learn much about God by way of their parents. Help them learn to listen and obey you so that they will learn to listen and obey God.
Special Subject Updates
MUSIC
Kindergarten
Students began the year by discussing and learning classroom procedures and expectations. They are now focusing on learning about beat and steady beat. They have been able to identify a steady beat and portray it through clapping or marching. They will continue to expand on these topics by being able to identify real-life examples of steady beat and also hearing the difference between beat and no beat. Throughout this half-term, they will also explore their voices and and study their various uses, including whispering, talking, shouting and singing.
Grade 1
Students began the year by discussing and learning classroom expectations and procedures. They have thus far been working on identifying and echoing various rhythmic patterns. This half-term, students will learn more about beats, steady beat, strong vs. weak beats, and meter. Through an amalgamation of activities and songs, students will be able to identify steady beat, as well strong and weak beats, and also identify and move to meters of 2, 3 and 4.
Grade 2
Students began the year by discussing and learning the classroom procedures and expectations. Students have been learning about identifying the beat and echoing them in turn. Students will learn more about steady beat, strong and weak beats, and meters of 2, 3, and 4. Through the use of song and other activities, students will learn to describe steady beat, strong/weak beats and various meters, as well as exhibit them through movement.
Grade 3
Students began the academic year learning classroom procedures and expectations and we will be focusing on the following topics during the first half term: rhythm, singing, and melody. Through a variety of songs and activities students will be able to warm-up their voices appropriately before singing, sing in two-parts as a group, aurally identify the four different singing voices (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), aurally identify singing in unison and harmony, and recognize and perform a canon and round. We will also look at rhythmic activities that involve different repeated patterns (ostinato) and they will be given opportunities to be creative and improvise different rhythms for their classmates. Lastly, students will be introduced to the musical alphabet and will be able to identify notes on the lines and spaces of the treble clef.
Grade 4
Students began the academic year learning classroom procedures and expectations and will be focusing on the following topics during this half term: part singing, ascending and descending scales, and major and minor melodies. Through a variety of songs and activities students will be able to warm-up their voices appropriately before singing, sing in two-parts confidently and attempt 3-parts, aurally identify the four different singing voices (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), and aurally identify singing in unison and harmony. Students will revisit the use of solfege (do, re mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do) and use appropriate hand signs to sing ascending and descending scales (both major and minor). Students will have many opportunities to identify a minor melody as sad, serious, or reflective and a major melody as happy, upbeat, or triumphant and perform a song containing both major and minor melodies.
Grade 5
Students began the academic year learning classroom procedures and expectations and will be focusing on the following topics during this half term: meter, rhythm, and reggae music. We will revisit different meters so that students will be able to recall the meaning of meters of 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 and aurally identify these meters in different music. With focus on rhythm, students with recognize rhythm combinations using quarter, eighth, sixteenth notes, and rests, and be introduced to syncopation to define and aurally identify in songs. Students will also learn about the history, key elements, and characteristics of reggae style music and work as a group to compose a verse and chorus to a reggae song.
Grade 6
Students began the academic year learning classroom procedures and expectations and will be focusing on their Scoring For Animation Project this half term. Students will learn about the art of Foley, create sound effects with their voices, and compose music to bring an animation of their choice to life. The goals for this project are as follows:
– Break down chosen animation into smaller segments.
– Compose underscore music time to accompany each animation segment.
– Create Foley SFX and/or vocal SFX timed to accompany each segment.
– Notate (traditional or graphic) the underscore music and SFX for the entire animation.
– Balance the volumes of underscore music and SFX.
– Practice and present the finished animation piece with their underscore music and SFX.
Education Sunday
All students are learning an arrangement of the song “I Can Only Imagine” to sing as a choir during the First Baptist Church and School Education Sunday Service to take place on October 6th. We hope that most of you will be able to join us! Please encourage students to practice this one at home over the next few weeks to keep it fresh!
P.E. (Physical Education)
First Baptist Christian School uses the SPARK Physical Education curriculum. It is an awarded, research based program that promotes lifelong wellness. The curriculum is designed to include all students, emphasize health-related fitness and skill development, while also incorporating social skills.
1st Quarter:
K-2:The students have started this term by working through the “Building a Foundation” unit in SPARK. This unit focuses on motor development concepts such as body and spatial awareness, directionality, tempos, locomotor skills (run, jump, skip, hop, etc.) and non-locomotor skills (bend, twist, push, pull, etc.). It also enhances their social development through activities where the students learn to share and cooperate. Later we will end the quarter with a “Parachute” unit; which will provide opportunities for all students, regardless of physical skills, to participate successfully. It combines stretching and strength movements, locomotor and non-locomotor skills, and rhythmic activities in a variety of physical and social settings. (2nd grade also completed the fitness testing as seen in 3-6.)
3-6: For the start of this quarter the students will be completing various fitness tests to assess their muscular and cardio endurance. The students will be using these results to set goals for themselves and to create a plan to achieve their goals before the end of the school year. We will start our SPARK curriculum with the Cooperative (Teamwork) Unit. This unit not only develops their communication and problem solving skills, but it also helps the students build relationships at the start of the school year. Next the students will be moving into a unit on the world’s most popular sport, Football. We will be focusing on the fundamental skills such as ball-handling, dribbling, passing, shooting, and defending. Finally, we will be ending this quarter with our Netball unit. The lessons will be focused on learning the positions, passing, footwork, and shooting skills of this fast paced game.
Technology Updates
Kindergarten – We will be working on computer basics such as how to use a keyboard and mouse (how to hold and click and click and drag. Most students have not been exposed to computers before, so this is an exciting time of exploration and discovery. We will also be focusing on how to log in to a computer with a username and password. We are going to develop these skills by working on educational games, being creative in Tux Paint and typing. We will also work on internet basics such as navigating and searching.
Grade 1 – We will be working on typing with a focus on the correct hand position, introduction to the basics of coding, using the tools in Paint, internet skills such as how to search, basics of Microsoft Word including changing the colour and type of font.
Grade 2 – The students will be working on reviewing the correct finger placement in typing, basics of coding and robotics, Microsoft Word and learning skills such as how to copy and paste, change the font, size and colour of text and textboxes.
Grade 3 – The students will be working in Microsoft Word and learning skills such as print screen, formatting a document, page borders and headings. They will also be doing robotics and working through task cards and activities. Through robotics, they develop skills on how to code. These coding skills will also be used on the computers through a website called Code.org. We will continue developing our skills in typing and working towards the end goal of blind typing.
Grade 4 – The students will be working on typing skills such as speed, accuracy and correct finger placement, photo editing in Microsoft Word which involves cropping, resizing, text wrapping, moving and inserting images from the internet. We will also work on coding by using robots and Code.org.
Grade 5 – The students will be working on folders and drives and how to organize files, typing skills such as speed, accuracy and correct finger placement, photo editing in Microsoft Word which involves cropping, resizing, text wrapping, moving and inserting images from the internet. We will also work on coding by using robots and Code.org.
Grade 6 – The students will be working through the following units this term:
Microsoft Word: mastering the skills of formatting a document by changing the font type, colour and size, inserting WordArt, page borders, manipulating images by cropping, resizing, text wrapping and placement.
Folders and Documents: saving documents in the correct place, creating, moving and deleting folders and navigating through folders
Robotics: using the Dash and Dot robots and following the task cards as well as activities on the Wonder application. Students should be confident in creating loops, events, conditionals and sequences.
Coding: starting new work on coding by using Code.org and Scratch. Both these platforms provide a door into the world of computer science.
Typing: mastering typing skills by focusing on speed, accuracy, correct finger placement and blind typing.
