Ms. Hess's Sixth and Seventh Grade Science, Seventh Grade Bible, and Sixth Grade Keyboarding
Sixth Grade Science
Students study both science and health in this class.
In science students begin the year studying invertebrates. Part of the study includes students making their own insect collection. Students complete labs where they study the external and internal parts of the grasshopper and earthworm. Here they can observe organs of the earthworm's body systems. The structure and types of plants are studied and reviewed in labs as an introduction to botany. Each student chooses a specific tree and tells the class about that particular species. Students get to experience the amazing detail and variety in God's creation.
An introduction to chemistry helps prepare the student to understand atoms, molecules, and elements.
First aid procedures, the communication system, and common diseases are part of the study of health. There are many opportunities for students to be amazed at the very special way God created our bodies to work and to heal themselves.
Seventh Grade Science
Our seventh grade science is a study of many areas of biology. Cell biology, genetics, environmental studies, and creation are a few of these.
The study of true science, the scientific method, and classification of living organisms in the first weeks of the year prepare the students for the study of biology. Students complete an individual science project during the year. In this they get an opportunity to use the scientific method. Cell structure and cell processes help students to become familiar with the depth in which we can study these very minute structures. We use microscopes to study cells and organisms such as bacteria and different protists. Study of genetics with the details and problems in these areas are also included in our class. Comparision of creation and evolution are also studied and discussed. The study of the human skeletal system is supplemented by a detailed study of the bones in an owl pellet. The study of the interactions between organisms and conservation of our resources gives the students a larger picture of biology in our world as we end our study.
In sixth grade we do a general study of different areas of biology , while in seventh grade our study is much more detailed and advanced.
Seventh Grade Bible
Our study of the bible in this class is divided into four main topics.
We begin by studying the lives of several individuals in the Old Testament. The lives of Abraham, Jacob, Jacob and Esau, Moses, and Gideon are some of these. We review some of the difficult and rewarding times in the lives of these people. How did they respond to these? How did they relate to God during these experiences? We look at how people today relate to difficult and rewarding times in our lives. This section is called "Will somebody please turn the lights on? Can't you see it's dark in here? Difficult times are the dark times, while the rewarding times represent the times of light.
All of us have many choices or "crossroads" in our life. We look at the importance of making good choices in our lives. God has made each of us special, but we have a responsibility in what we do with all that God has given us. As students make choices related to friends, choosing a future spouse, stewardship, dress, and vocations, we want to find the choice God would want for us. This section is called "At the Crossroads".
"Have I Got Good News for You?" is a study of the prophets. We learn that the prophets were ordinary people with a message from God to the people. How do we hear God's message to us today? In Dangerous Journey, which is an animated version of Pilgrim's Progress, we see and discuss the life of a christian as it is symbolically shown in this story. This helps us relate our life to the experiences of Christian.
The last part of the year is a study of the book at Acts. We study the life of Paul and the experiences of the early christians. At the same time we study the true story of a young man who choose to go to primitive people in the South American jungles. There are many similar happenings in both the life of Paul and the life of Bruce Olson. Students are challenged to think of the story of their life, which is yet to be written. So this study is called "Acts 29".
Sixth Grade Keyboarding
In sixth grade keyboarding students have opportunity to increase their skills in keying material using proper touch techniques. Our goal is to key material at a speed of 26 words a minute with no more than two errors. Students review the work from fifth grade and move on to more advanced material.