BB 02-11-2022

 BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XIV, ISSUE 25

FEBRUARY 11, 2022

 

FROM THE OFFICE

We have just 4 weeks left of the 3rd quarter, and as we move into spring, our calendars fill up with wonderful opportunities and events.  Make sure you’re subscribed to Bradford’s calendar online and keep an eye on the lists I include each week. 

UPCOMING

NEXT WEEK:

  • Mon, 2/14 – Basketball camp (5th – 7th grade girls)
  • Tues, 2/15 – 
    • Important enrollment deadlines (see email)
    • Basketball camp (5th – 7th grade girls)
  • Wed, 2/16 –  Basketball camp (5th – 7th grade girls)
  • Thurs, 2/17 – 
    • Mentor / mentee Bonfire
  • Fri, 2/18 – Teacher workday – NO SCHOOL

 

IN THE NEAR FUTURE:

  • Mon, 2/21 – President’s Day – NO SCHOOL
  • Fri, 3/11-
    • Reading day (more details to come)
    • End of 3rd quarter
    • Report cards released on EDUCATE
  • Mon 3/14 – Fri 3/18 – SPRING BREAK

 

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

 

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

 

Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Grubb)

Bible
  •   This week TK learned of the miracle where Jesus fed the 5,000 followers with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. 
  • This month’s Bible verse is Proverbs 17:17
Theme Adventure
  •  TK enjoyed celebrating Valentine’s Day with their friends. We discussed what it means to love one another as friends, students, and children. 
Literacy
  •  This week TK learned to write oblique lines.  We have begun practicing writing the letters R and K.  
  • Vocabulary words:  Reflect, shine, dark, bright, sun, and star. 
Math
  •  Students learned to count dots on dice and match the number rolled to number cards.  
Arts and Sciences
  • TK students learned the sun is a star.  They used various common household items to demonstrate and explore this week’s vocabulary words.  

Lower School P.E. (Mr. Davis)

K – 5th
  • This week the students did a cardio workout, followed by playing several games that help build hand and eye coordination. 

Lower School Music (Mrs. Bennington)

K-5th 
  • Students continued to work on the vocal warm-up, “Many Mumbling Mice”.  This warm-up has become a favorite amongst the students. Kindergarten through second grade students  reviewed the meaning  of the musical term “Tempo” and then completed a small group assessment on their understanding of and the ability to show the meaning of different tempos as applied to “Rise and Shine” and “Head and Shoulders”. All grade levels worked on the first and second verse of the hymn for the quarter, “There is a Fountain Filled With Blood”. Fourth and fifth grade students continued to work on adding 2-part harmony to “Lo In The Grave He Lay” as well as “There is a Fountain Filled With Blood”. Third grade worked on pages 8-9 for recorder and reviewed fingerings for G, A, and B. Third grade students are really starting to grasp the beginning stages of reading music. Fourth and fifth grade students worked on page 28 and then had a test on one of the first four exercises on that page. 

Kindergarten (Mrs. Lopes and Mrs. Rivera)

This Week
  •  This week our students learned to add double digit numbers by trading pennies for dimes, how to divide a square into fourths, and how to tell half past time on the clock. We continued our study of the solar system and the rotation of the earth and moon. Be sure to show your student the moon this week as we move from the first quarter moon towards the full moon! We are adding the finishing touches to our Justinian mosaics, which will be proudly displayed in the hallways when completed. We are also working on putting the verses from Romans 11 all together this week, so be sure to challenge your student to say verses 33-36!
Memory Work:
  • Romans 11:33-36

 

1st Grade (Mrs. Morgan & Mr. Law)

This Week
  •  These bright 1st graders have been adding up numbers into the triple-digits in math! We are also taking a closer look at shapes and how they are made up of smaller shapes. In grammar, we are continuing to drill down on what makes a complete sentence and how to avoid mistakes (like forgetting a capital letter or an end mark). We have also been doing more work with creating our own original sentences using our “Words I Use When I Write” books. In history, we are learning more from the colonial period by reading about the life of early American artist, Benjamin West. Finally, in science, we have been studying the fascinating habits of our Bird of the Month, the yellow-bellied sapsucker. Those neat rows of holes we sometimes see on the side of trees? They are called sapwells and the sapsuckers drill with their beaks to get their food.
Memory Work:  
  • Reviewing ALL previous memory verses!

 

2nd Grade (Mrs. Jones & Mrs. Batten)

This Week
  • Students began a brand new novel this week, The Curse of King Tut’s Mummy! Students have really enjoyed this challenging book with longer, more complex sentences, and real stories about Howard Carter and his life’s work. In history, we have moved out of the life of Joseph forward a few generations to learn about Moses. Students loved getting to learn about how historians believe that Hatshepsut was the Egyptian princess who might have found Moses by the Nile River. In grammar, we have spent the week working on prepositions and how they enhance our sentences. Ask your child to sing you their preposition song! In math, we have spent lots of time discussing fractions and how to simplify them. This is such a difficult concept for students to understand, but we are working on planting seeds for the coming grades to reap. We have continued to spend time finishing up some science and art activities to get us ready for Mummification Day in just a few short weeks. 
Memory Work: 
  • Hebrews 11:8-10 (this week)
  • Hebrews 11:11-12 (next week)
Upcoming:
  • 2/15 – Fact Assessment 16-1
  • 2/16 – Fact Assessment 16-2
  • 2/16 – Written Assessment 16
  • 2/17 – Hebrews 11:11-12 Recitation
  • 2/17 – Spelling Test L-1
  • 2/17 – Plagues in Egypt Test (chronology and written)
  • 2/18 – NO SCHOOL 

 

3rd Grade (Mrs. McDorman and Mrs. Meredith)

This Week
  • Daniel prophesied that the Israelites would one day be ruled by foreign leaders due to their disobedience and idolatry. One such man fulfilled this prophecy when he conquered many nations and most importantly, the Persian Empire. This week, students learned about the military genius of Alexander the Great. Under the instruction of Aristotle, Alexander became one of the greatest military and political leaders ever known.  Alexander desired to rule the entire world and went from nation-to-nation conquering all whom he encountered. Thus, earning the name “the Great.” His life, however, was cut short when he suddenly died at the age of 33. In the absence of a plan for succession, fighting erupted. Alexander’s vast empire disintegrated.  Alexander the Great successfully unified much of the known world creating a common language, Greek, and a shared culture. This unification helped spread the gospel throughout the known world. In math, we continued learning long division as well as writing remainders for division story problems.  In science, students learned the next 9 elements on the periodic table and experimented with sugar molecules. Ask your student what the chemical compound is for sugar!  
Memory Work:
  • Psalm 19: 11-12
Upcoming:
  • Chemistry Test

 

4th Grade (Mrs. Burtram) 

This Week
  •  We have had a busy week this week.  The students have had many opportunities to practice verb tense in their writing.  We have practiced using dialog in story writing, history comic strips, and word bubbles.  We learned third declension nouns in Latin and a  new chant.  Math has been intense this week as we have jumped into fractions.  We have completed many multiple skills to add, subtract, and multiply with word problems.  We are learning to reduce by finding the GCF and creating mixed numbers when we have improper fractions.  We studied Marco Polo and his travels in history and ended our week enjoying Turkish Delight shared by a classmate as we read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
Memory Work:
  • Matthew : 13-16
Upcoming:
  • Growing Crystals in Science

 

5th Grade (Mrs. Erdt) 

This Week
  • The fifth grade class had a great week learning about the War for Independence. We practiced measurement in math and learned about how to find the area of a triangle. In science we studied the stars and galaxies. Students were very excited to perform their Witch of Blackbird Pond skits in class.  In Latin, students translated English sentences to Latin- a huge accomplishment. 
Memory Work:
  • Philippians 2:5-6  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of  God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.
Upcoming:
  • Battle of Bunker Hill 

 

LOGIC & RHETORIC SCHOOL

 

Mrs. Byrd

Physics
  • This week we concluded our study of momentum and are beginning to consider periodic motion.
Precalculus
  • We’re in the middle of graphing the six trig functions.  While the main goal is to master their basic forms, we are also learning how various transformations affect the function.
Calculus
  • Students are learning to solve basic differential equations and to use them to generate a slope field.  Slope fields are used to picture solutions for which a function cannot be easily generated.

 

Mr. Davis

6th -10th PE
  • This week, the students played basketball in the old Mebane Rec center. 

Mrs. Fairchild

9th Grade Advanced Art
  •  We completed a thorough study on the Death of Marat and other paintings by multiple artists on that same event.   The students observed how the change of an angle, color or light persuaded the viewer to different interpretations of the event.  Additionally they studied multiple paintings over the course of about 100 years and observed how artists had changed in their understanding of the event itself as time passed.  Truth had not changed, but understanding and evidence of an event may have helped to deepen or alter understanding of a historical event.

Mrs. Frueh

6th Grade Science:
  • This week, we wrapped up our study of cellular structure by creating our own “cell city” analogies in order to better understand the role of each organelle in the cell. 
  • We will take an exam on biological structure next Wednesday, February 16th. Cell Projects are due on February 25th.
6th Grade Math:
  • We began a thorough study of geometry this week, which led to a fruitful discussion on the importance of defining your terms. The students learned the value of understanding the defined difference between a quadrilateral,  parallelogram, rectangle, square, rhombus, trapezoid, and trapezium. Ask your student to explain to you why every square is a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square. 
7th Grade Science:
  • Our current focus is the inner terrestrial planets of our solar system. Ask your student to explain to you why the two innermost planets have such vastly different temperatures. Mercury is the closest planet to the sun; it has extremely cold “nights” ( − 300o F), but very hot “days” ( 800o F). Venus, on the other hand, has surface temperatures over 870o F consistently, day and night. Why?
7th Grade Pre-Algebra:
  • The students have been learning how to deal with difficult algebraic notations such as multiple sets of parentheses or many negative and positive signs in front of a single integer. But they have handled these difficult notations in stride through the powers of algebraic addition.
8th Grade Science: 
  • We have had a busy week this week learning about the properties of fluids, Pascal’s Principle, and how hydraulic systems multiply force. The students have used their knowledge of ratios and proportions to solve for unknown values within a hydraulic system.
8th Grade Algebra I: 
  • The students have been building on their skills learned earlier in the year by combining multiple strategies to simplify complex problems. All of their practice in combining like terms, solving for the unknown, and simplifying exponential expressions are coming to bear as they attack more complex algebraic equations.
9th Grade Biology:
  • We have wrapped up our study of cellular structure this week with a detailed look at cellular respiration. We made a thorough study of the chemistry behind glycolysis, the formation of acetyl coenzyme A, the Krebs cycle, and the Electron Transport Chain. We were reminded once again, that there is no such thing as a “simple cell” and that the complexity and detail of such a process only points to the perfection of an omniscient, omnipotent Creator.

 

Mr. Hamilton

9th Theology
  •  This week we took our test on Augustine‘s contributions to theology as well as the East-West schism. Next up are developments in theology in the Catholic Church in the high middle ages.
9th Literature
  •  Our next reading is Marx’s Communist Manifesto.
9th History
  •  In history we continue to study the French revolution and Napoleon‘s rise.
10th Literature
  •  Our current literature project is a favorite of the students; we are applying Aristotle’s Poetics to our own favorite works of literature or film and seeing if they measure up.
10th History
  •  Next up in history is the Hellenistic age in Greek history.
11th Philosophy/Apologetics
  •  In apologetics this week we discussed false versions of Christianity as well as the Christian approach to truth.

 

Mrs. Hamilton

6th Music
  • In performance, students had a great time practicing in their ensemble groups. The pieces are coming together at last and are sounding great!
  • In music history, we learned about the life, works, and lasting influence of Joseph Haydn.
7th Music 
  • In piano, students are doing a great job practicing. The pieces are beginning to come together!
  • In music history, we have begun our overview of the contrasting lives and music of Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. 
8th Music 
  • We commenced our choral practice this week with two challenging, but beautiful pieces: You Do Not Walk Alone by Elaine Hagenberg and Ubi Caritas by John Trotta, both for SATB choir.
  • In piano, students are doing a great job practicing. The pieces are beginning to come together!
  • Our small instrumental ensemble members have also begun their practice of Bach’s Minuet in B minor and Badinerie from his Orchestral Suite No. 2.
  • In music history, we have begun our overview of the contrasting lives and music of Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. 
Music History Elective (Baroque to Modern)
  • After completing our study of music of Wagner, we began our chapter on Russian music with an overview of Russian history, literature, and painting. The study of the music of “Moguchaya Kuchka” (“The Mighty Five”) and Tchaikovsky will occupy most of our time next week. 

Miss Howell

6th Language Arts
  • We are well into our journey alongside Mr. Phileas Fogg as he attempts to go Around the World in 80 Days. This week we’ve largely been in India traveling by rail and elephant. We’ve rescued a young woman from certain death, and accidentally broken Indian law by walking through a temple while wearing shoes– the police are after us!
6th History
  • Teddy Roosevelt led us on an adventurous tour of the Dakota Badlands, Cuba, Africa, and the White House this week. What a remarkable life to have lived in only 60 years!
7th Grade Omnibus
  • This week we studied the Greeks’ transition from isolated households and tribes under the rule of a single patriarch to the democratic model of Athens as described by Aeschylus’ Oresteia. This theatrical trilogy highlights the diminished role of individual family leaders in favor of objective councils when a citizen pursues justice or revenge. They pay particular attention to a character quality known as “hybris,” or “hubris,” in today’s spelling. Hubris is the pride that leads to destruction– pride that leads a person to take vengeance on behalf of a wronged family member, their wronged community, or a personal slight. It is the council’s job to enforce an objective set of laws and consequences so that the individual, the family, and the community are protected from the destruction that could be wrought by one citizen struggling with hubris.
7th Logic
  •  We covered Fallacies of False Analogy and False Cause this week. The first refers to determining similarity between two things. False Cause refers to identifying strong and weak cause-and-effect connections. 
8th Logic
  • A new unit introduces the concept of translating arguments from regular English into standard form syllogisms so that their validity can be tested. This challenging new section requires learning several new terms, so we will be working on the new vocabulary in addition to the rules of translation over the next few weeks. 

 

Dr. James

10th Chemistry
  • This week we continued our study of gases, focusing on gas laws.  
  • Next week we will conclude our discussion of gases, and the students will take their second test of Q3. 

 

 

Mr. Lopes

12th Systematic Theology
  •  This week we dove into the deep waters of the Doctrine of the Atonement. 

 

Miss Oldham

12th Grade Literature
  • We started Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and discussed Southern Gothic literature (my favorite!)
12th Grade History
  • We started WW2 and discussed totalitarian governments. 
11th Grade Literature
  • We started Machiavelli’s The Prince and are going to learn how not to be a leader. 
11th Grade History
  • We are looking at King Louis XIV’s France and the European idea of an absolute monarch. 
10th Rhetoric I
  • We began discussing the second type of rhetorical speech: the epideictic speech. Students are writing their third speech on what is a friend. 
12th Rhetoric II
  • Students are working with mentors to get final feedback on their theses. We are in the final push towards graduation and I know the temptation to slack is getting to our seniors, so please be in prayer for them that they finish strong and to the glory of God. 

 

Mrs. Palmer 

6th Art
  • This week students worked on Winslow Homer inspired pencil and pen and ink drawings. 
7th Art
  • This week students worked on their watercolor small studies. 
8th Art
  • This week students began their Lord of the Rings final oil pastel drawings. 
9th Spanish 
  • This week we worked the present progressive tense. We also reviewed new vocabulary. Students also reviewed when to use the verbs ser and estar. 
10th Spanish
  • This week continued to work on when to use both the preterite and imperfect tenses. Students worked on skits using both these tenses and new vocabulary. 

Mr. Palmer

9th Geometry
  • This week we began learning proofs for right triangles. 
9th Logic
  • This week we continued working with formal proofs and took a test on it.
10th Algebra II
  • This week we learned the quadratic equation and how to use it.
11th / 12th NT Greek
  • This week we continued learning the present middle/passive voice in Greek.
11th/12th Geography
  • This week we learned about South America.

 

Miss Windes

8th Grade Omnibus
  • History: We continue exploring the early Medieval period, learning this week about the feudal system, the end of the Carolingian empire, the new political configurations, and other changes and developments in Europe. The students are doing a fantastic job with their research as well! 
  • Literature: We continue reading Return of the King. Our discussions this week have centered around hope and despair, how we can use our old age, and what it means to be a steward. Students also presented their projects, showcasing incredible creativity and artistry in their maps, models, presentations, poetry recitations (even one poem in song!), and character charts.
  • Composition: After a short introduction to the research process for the history paper we will begin working on soon, we wrote imitation poems from the poetry of Billy Collins. 
6th Grade Latin
  • Sixth graders reviewed for and took their Latin test which covered using verbs in the perfect tense. We also began chapter 9 and practiced translations. 
7th Grade Latin
  • Seventh graders continued working on personal pronouns in Latin, memorizing the charts and learning how to use them. 
8th Grade Latin
  • Eighth graders continue to work with reflexive pronouns, memorizing the charts and learning to use them in translations alongside continuing to review old vocabulary and grammar. 
6th Grade Logic
  • This week sixth graders learned about what an analogy is.