Resturant Reviews

Writing is obviously an important part of third grade learning. Because we know that the best learning comes from students who are engaged and invested in their work, teachers brainstormed how they could get the kids to be excited and motivated to write. The answer? Food! Food is something we all enjoy and it’s a very appealing topic for kids so teachers decided to connect it to the writing curriculum through a unit on persuasive writing.

The important academic component of differentiating between opinion and fact was the perfect starting point for the students.  What we think is not always what is true. Students discussed how opinions and words can shape and influence the way other people think. This is an important skill, especially in today’s world. Discussing further, students also talked about the ways COVID-19 affected businesses in their community. Students looked with their teachers at Yelp reviews of Great Wolf Lodge and local restaurants and noticed how the words impacted their thinking. Through these discussions it became obvious there was real work that students could get involved in to make a difference in the community around them. 

Teachers designed a way for students to learn persuasive writing skills while engaging in this work. Knowing the restaurant industry has suffered recently, the teachers brought in a local restaurant owner who explained to students what it is like to run a restaurant and what it has been like the last few years. After the visit, students compiled a list of restaurants and selected ones that they felt could use their help. They were tasked to write a restaurant review to support a local restaurant. 

Students were challenged to conduct interviews, collect quotes, use catchy beginnings, and use descriptive language. Students used their persuasive writing skills to construct a review that would be mailed or delivered to the local restaurant to be used to promote their establishment.  

This project developed curious thinking as it incorporated lots of brainstorming and planning, but also gracious communication as students learned about opinions and facts, and that their words matter! When students reflected on the project, they expressed their deeper understanding that their work can make a difference in the communities in which we live, work, and play!

The Most Important Game

The following is a reflection on some very important learning our 6th grade students experience as part of their basketball unit in Physical Education (PE): 

This April, my sixth grade PE students engaged in a learning experience by playing a game of basketball against a Forest Hills Special Olympics team. The academic targets for this unit included basic basketball skills, game scoring, and rules. However, the long-term learning target was that students would participate in a way that honors God and shows kindness to all athletes through a cooperative (not competitive) game. Students were invited into this experience by selecting what roles they would like to fill on game day. Players, referees, scoreboard operators, announcers, and fans were all necessary to make this game a success! What started as a unit about a sport turned into a fantastic afternoon of basketball for everyone!

After the real work with real people, I asked the students to do some reflecting. One student wrote, “Even though they have disabilities, they’re still athletes.” Another answered, “No matter what abilities people have they still leave a trace of God wherever they go.” Another student said, “Today I looked up to people that are normally looked down upon.”

These answers were great, but my personal highlight was the celebration of learning we participated in together. After the game, we shared a pizza lunch, and my students grabbed a couple of slices and eagerly joined the new friends to share a meal together. Physical fitness is important, but learning to cooperate and include all people is essential

We are so thankful that in every subject, including PE, students are learning how to find their role in God’s story!

Tubes, Tunnels, and Christ's Love

Our preschool learners explore many fascinating topics. Among them is a unit called “Tubes and Tunnels.” In order to deepen learning, preschool students used various tubes and balls to create art. They experimented with paper towel rolls, straws, and marbles. Our young learners thrive in these hands-on learning experiences. For them, the act of play is serious learning. 

However, instead of sending the work home, teachers invited the students to create bookmarks to be shared at a widow and widowers banquet. The artistic bookmarks were a gift to the attenders, and they served as a reminder to “Always remember that Jesus loves you.” The bookmarks were warmly received and deeply appreciated.

This creative project was real work that touched real people and allowed our students to share God’s real love. We hope our preschool children acquire foundational skills in preschool and also discover how to share the love of Jesus with others.

Learning By Listening

Check out the update below shared from one of our middle school staff members

In eighth grade middle school science, an essential unit of study is the nervous system and brain. As a teacher, my deep hope for my students is that they recognize the fallenness in creation and work to bring restoration in creation. During this unit, the students conduct a personal interview that explores creation, fall, and restoration and this intersection with the nervous system.  

After studying how the brain functions and the effects of trauma on the brain, my students need to find someone who has dealt with a significant nervous system issue who is willing to be interviewed. The person may have experienced trauma, an addiction, a disease, or a disorder.  Once they connect with a community member, my students conduct research on the issue their person is facing. They do this research not only to educate themselves, but also to (later) educate their peers. Next, we work on interviews. Important learning targets include students knowing how to conduct an interview and how to word questions effectively. My students then interview their person about the issue they have faced. The essential learning target for my students is that they can gain empathy by walking alongside someone who has dealt with a significant nervous system issue. In doing this, they learn what helps the person, what hurts the person, and how the person's walk with God has been affected by the issue. Our goal is to create disciples who learn to help in these fallen situations.  

The end product for each student is a presentation to their peers in which they share with the class about the issue their interviewee faced, and they tell us their story. What helped? What hurt? What can we do to make a difference? How can we work for restoration here?  

The students then wrap up with some reflection of their own. These reflections show the transformational learning that occurred because of this project. A student wrote, “I saw God in how the person's faith was tested and how they had to learn why it was happening, and that they needed to trust God. God used me by allowing me to let them be able to talk about what happened and just try to comfort them after they were able to talk about it.” Another student shared, “I think that I saw God in the connection between the person and me. We had both been through similar situations, so everything she said resonated with me. I found a new relationship with someone who I never would have guessed I would have a relationship with. I think God used me so that the person I interviewed could see another way God used their struggles in the life of someone else (myself).”

These interviews, presentations, and reflections were meaningful work with real people.  Our students grew in understanding and empathy, and sometimes showed a person how God was using an otherwise tough event in their lives for restoration.

Clay

Congratulations Class of 2022

Congratulations to our eighth grade class of 2022! On the evening of June 2, we celebrated this group of students and the work God is doing in their lives. Parents, grandparents, and friends enjoyed a graduation program which included musical performances, student speakers, and teachers sharing about each individual graduate. We are so grateful for the time each student has had at BCCS and for the ways each one has enriched our lives. We have also been blessed to partner with each of their families as together we help students succeed. 

Each year, eighth grade students prepare and present two final projects summarizing their time at BCCS. Each individual tells a different story, but it is clear that in their time at BCCS, God is working in their hearts. 

Along with academic preparation, our hope, together with parents, is that our students have a foundation that will last a lifetime. We pray that what was started at BCCS will continue in high school and prepare them for a life of serving Christ. May God bless each graduate as they head to high school this fall!

Rooted in Prayer

This spring, one of our full-day preschool classes spent time specifically learning about prayer. Katelyn Peterson, preschool teacher, shares the following:

As Lent was approaching, I wondered how we could incorporate fasting into our preschool routine. Since the concept of fasting is rather abstract for preschool minds, I decided to have the students sacrifice five minutes of playtime and replace it with five minutes of prayer time. We discussed a prayer topic and how to pray about that topic as a large group, then dispersed to pray privately to God for five minutes. We’ve talked about the throughline Image Reflecting and phrased it “being like Jesus.” Our main learning target for the Lent prayer unit was “I can be like Jesus by praying to God every day.” 

After students felt comfortable in this routine, I thought it would be great for the 4th graders to come in and teach us a little bit about the fasting that they did earlier this school year. We decided to partner up as “prayer buddies.” In the first session, the preschoolers showed the 4th graders how we pray. During the next session, the 4th graders taught us how they pray. This experience has enriched the students’ prayer lives in both grade levels, and gave them an opportunity to build new relationships.

We also have a paper prayer chain hanging in our room. Each day after we pray, we add another piece to our chain. I write the prayer topic on each piece of paper so we can see what we’ve prayed about. The preschoolers have enjoyed counting how many pieces are in our chain, which represent the amount of days we have prayed together for Lent. To conclude the unit, we transformed the paper chain into the shape of a cross, so students can visually see the redemption aspect of God’s story. We plan to continue our partnership with fourth grade. It has been significant for my students and has provided the older kids a great learning opportunity as well!

Here at BCCS, faith journeys begin in preschool. Discovering the power of prayer is an important part of that experience!

Justice Seeking

In 4th grade social studies, students learn about Human-Environment Interaction. Within this unit, they look at how people interact with each other and the world, specifically focusing on the United States.

In one activity, students explored stories of immigrants, push and pull factors, and challenges that they may face. One challenge teachers talked about is leaving home, packing belongings, and moving to a new place....so they provided students the opportunity to put themselves in someone else's shoes by packing their own suitcases for a day (and taking them everywhere they went).

In further lessons, students learn how America has all different types of people and study how our country has significant cultural diversity. Digging deeper, our students talk about the throughline of justice-seeking and determine that justice is more than just equality or just equity, but it is also offering access to both tools and opportunities.

In social studies, learning about Human-Environment Interaction is important, but it is essential to understand God's call for us to seek justice and seek restoration in all things. We want students to be able to put themselves in someone’s shoes, recognize diversity, and responded as a Christian to the beauty of God’s diversity!

Building Math Skills

5th grade math can be a lot of fun! In one learning activity this year, students were tasked with designing a playhouse for someone's grandchildren. They walked through various stages of researching, planning , drawing, designing, and building to develop a final model.

Once constructed, students established a scale and made a list of materials (including prices and quantities) necessary for construction. Students had to research lumber and other material prices and formulate a budget and total cost for the project to determine if it could be implemented!

In this type of work, students are engaging in very applicable learning and teachers are able to be both support and challenge (depending on the student) in the same environment!

God is Working

In previous posts, we have shared the story of the second grade prayer walk that deepens the learning of our social studies unit on Communities. Students learn about community in the classroom and then engage in the work of being community builders by walking through Byron Center, meeting business owners and employees, and praying for businesses. Teachers have found this learning experience to be very powerful for students as they not only expand their knowledge of the subject, but also actively engage with their community. 

However, this year we were reminded that God is constantly working through people and plans. A few weeks after their prayer walk, the class learned that one of the businesses they prayed for suffered some damage. Upon hearing this, students wanted to go back to pray again and to send cards showing support and offering to help. 

This is what transformational learning is all about. Students were able to see a need, or in this case a problem, and find a way to be the hands and feet of Jesus. While a seven year old may not be able to repair a building, we still want our students to let God work through them. Our second graders brought powerful words of peace, support, and care. In all that we do, we must glorify God by caring for others. Our deep hope is that God continues to transform the hearts of our students so He can be exalted through their learning and their work.