UPDATE LITERACY IS A BIG WORD. and a big deal to us at New City. May 2018 New City Christian School

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1 May 2018 New City Christian School UPDATE See you in August, and until then, our prayer is... May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, Romans 15:5. LITERACY IS A BIG WORD and a big deal to us at New City. Kindergarten scholar Selah is off to a good start. The rich CKLA curriculum aids in vocabulary enrichment, and intense phonics instruction prepares her to read increasingly complex texts. See her confidence? The Lord is blessing our efforts. 88% of our 3rd -5th graders perform at or above grade level in READING.* 93% of this group perform at or above grade level in MATH.* Compared with their peers, New City s kids measure well. *as measured by the May 2018 ITBS (nationally standardized test)!1 "The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May. - Edwin Way Teale

2 THIRD ANNUAL NCCS SPELLING BEE HOW DO YOU SPELL I-N-T-E-N-S-E? q-u-i-t h-e-l-p c-r-u-s-t w-h-i-c-h p-o-i-n-t-e-d T-u-e-s-d-a-y s-q-u-e-a-k d-o-l-p-h-i-n h-a-u-n-t-e-d w-h-i-c-h t-e-n-t-a-c-l-e n-u-r-s-e-r-y h-i-e-r-a-r-c-h-y i-n-d-i-g-e-n-o-u-s g-r-i-e-v-a-n-c-e r-i-v-a-l-r-y a-p-p-r-e-n-t-i-c-e l-i-t-e-r-a-r-y Students practiced even more than spelling! Necessary social skills we rehearsed were holding our applause, maintaining statue faces, being happy for other people who win. And the winners were: (Kindergarten) Laurynn, Bryson, Kelis; (1st) Isaiah, Marrasia, Kylee; (2nd) Tyrell, Isaiah, Hayden; (3rd) Jayda, Kiran, D Tarrius; (4th) Talon, Cincere, Maliya; (5th) Alexis, Tristan, Zamarian. Tell me, I forget. Show me, I remember. WHAT IS AN ARCH? Roman history isn t complete without Roman architecture! Third graders hosted architect Chad Harding who explained and showed examples of classic structures. Students thought they had a grasp on post and beam construction, arches and vaults. And they did! But as they constructed an arched bridge across two desks, like the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct, their questions went to a new level. How long did it take them to build that bridge? Why does the keystone need to be placed last? How do you figure out the geometry of the arch so it isn t trial and error? History is interesting and applicable. Involve me, I understand. [! 2 ] "An optimist is the human personification of spring. - Susan J. Bissonette

3 What obstacle? NCCS Annual Field Day and Picnic At the end of a mentally intense week of standardized testing, we kick back on Friday with games that test teamwork and perseverance. WRITE SOMETHING! Looks impossible, but Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Over time, grit is Jesus, the pioneer what separates fruitful lives and perfecter of from aimless ones. faith. Hebrews 12:1,2 At New City, students write thank you notes to people who bless us in special ways. Above is a note to Hannah Gibson, a speaker at last month s Career Day, from first grader Kylee. Expressing gratitude multiplies our joy and helps other people realize their worth. But these notes also teach the parts of a letter: heading, greeting, body, closing, signature. WE COULD GET USED TO THIS! In the first graders study of the American War for Independence, they discussed how important tea was to the colonists. When taxes got too high, colonists protested. They stopped buying tea and switched to another hot drink. Here first graders experience hot drinks in china tea cups. [! 3] "Spring is God's way of saying, 'One more time!' - Robert Orben

4 CUPCAKE WARS: BIRD EDITION Bird Week Students recover from a morning of standardized tests with learning activities in the afternoon! Multicultural Art David created a bark painting in homage to birds and the Mayan art form. Migration and Geography Above: Callen, successfully tosses a ring (representing migration) for the Northern Shoveler duck onto the Seekskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming. Right: Z.J. gains the Master Migrator title and grand prize in the game of Just Ducky. (He shared the chocolate fish with his flock.) Ecology and Systems Right: Selah is a big fan of the endangered Kagu bird. She plays a roll-the-ball game that demonstrates its difficulty in getting food, water, space and shelter. Below: Conrad, Alexis, Z.J. and Tristan are clearly aware of what s at stake for their endangered bird. The last chance is for the bird to receive protected status under the Endangered Species Act. Will they make it? Students enjoyed hands-on learning about bird beaks and bird digestion. (We solved the mystery: how do birds grind up their food without teeth?) To feed birds, students made suet cupcakes decorated with nuts, seeds and dried fruit. These went home so students could attract birds where they live. [! 4 ] Honey-sweet May, when the birds come back, and the flowers come out... Samuel Scoville Jr., Wild Folk

5 STUDENTS LEARN BY DOING In conjunction with CKLA history, fifth graders cracked codes to get out of an escape room! Students learned about Andrew Jackson and the Indian Removal Act as well as the Trail of Tears. Puzzles were spread around the room for students to work in pairs. Pickles are a great way to experience the five senses. That s why kindergarten decided to taste-test a new variety of pickle. Consensus: they approve of it. Inspired by the compelling CKLA unit on Treasure Island, fourth grader Cincere created a pirate costume for himself and to amuse his classmates. He did this without an assignment or expectation of extra credit just for love of a great book! As third graders tackle a CKLA unit on ecology, they develop appreciation for God s gift of trees by sampling products derived from trees: maple syrup, pistachios, cinnamon cookies and cellophane tape. The Lorax launches a discussion about the God-given responsibility of creation care. [! 5 ] "Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment. - Ellis Peters

6 TEAM 1 LEADS CHAPEL Let's consult the Lord. I Chronicles 18 The Scriptures teach us that Our King rules and defends us, on the basis of the power of His indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16). Crowns: a fun reminder that we live under Jesus authority. Measurable Maturity Tyrell and other 2nd graders read, wrote and reported for an end of the year projet. Fifth graders design their own DaVinci contraptions to cushion the impact of an egg falling to the ground. Quentin performs the classic experiment in front of the student body. Having completed the kindergarten course of study, Michael graduates into first grade. Don t you just love YOUR SCHOOL? Please spread the word! Forward this newsletter Like us on Facebook Invite friends to our events NEW CITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 216 Shelburne Road Asheville, NC newcitychristian.org [! 6] For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. - Ecclesiastes 3:1