BB 12-18-20

BRADFORD BULLETIN

VOLUME XIII, ISSUE 16

DECEMBER 18, 2020

FROM THE OFFICE

Christmas break is here! We are all so very thankful to the Lord for keeping us and caring for us throughout this first half of the 20/21 school year. His new-every-morning-mercies are astounding.

UPCOMING

ENJOY Christmas break!

January 4th – 8th: Remember this is our “cooling off” week. We encourage you all to refrain from gatherings, playdates, sleepovers, etc. so that we can return in-person.

Upper School students: remote learning

Lower School students: an extra week off

January 11th: All students – in-person

FROM THE TEACHER’S DESK

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Transitional Kindergarten (Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Grubb)

This week we completed the study of the birth of Jesus with the study of the journey of the Wise Men. TK students enjoyed dressing up in costumes and acting out a play of the stories we learned about the birth of Jesus the last 3 weeks. TK had a wonderful week together celebrating the birth of Christ. We look forward to a wonderful rest of the year beginning in January.

Lower School P.E. (Mr. Davis)

K – 5th

Due to the rain, the two hour delay, and the cold, many classes had P.E. inside. The classes did a short workout that included Push Ups, Sit Ups and Military Squats. After the workout, the students played 4 corners.

Kindergarten (Mrs. Rivera & Mrs. McDorman)

This Week

What a wonderful end to another full and fun quarter! We identified pairs and took a trip to the Bradford Kindermart! Students had to figure out how much money they needed to buy one or two items in our well stocked store! Adding two digit numbers in this concrete manor will allow them to transition to two digit addition much smoother. In phonics we introduced the next spelling list and discovered that there are patterns in words. We will cover these same words when we return in January. Throughout the week, we listened to the story of the most important birth in all the world. The birth of our Lord and Savior! John 3:16 says that, “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” We discussed the word perish, and what it means to have everlasting life! A big thank you to Mrs. McAlister and Jackson for their beautiful performance in the Nutcracker! Since we were not able to see it live this year, they filmed and sent us excerpts to view at school on Thursday. What a wonderful treat! Your kind gifts and thoughtful words were overwhelming, and we have enjoyed your students tremendously! We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you all, Lord willing, next year!

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

This Week

The boys and girls of Mrs. Morgan’s and Mrs. Law’s class have been hard at work this week and are likely ready for a break! We have had to squeeze in some final assessments and some make-up quizzes before the end of the quarter. Other than that, this has been a week of review and making sure we will all be ready for what is coming up next year! There’s more Early American history to cover. We will be doing more work with subtraction and double-digit addition. We will get into some longer phonograms with more complicated rules. All Lord willing! We are so thankful for another great quarter and pray that everyone stays safe over the break.

Memory Work:

Psalm 1

Upcoming:

See everyone on January 11, 2021!

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

This Week

We’ve had a fantastic first half of the year in second grade. The students have worked so hard to learn a whole new phonics program and because of that, we have some really great readers! They know how to sound out and decode words better than ever. Challenge them over the break to read words that you know are unfamiliar to them. I know you will be impressed. In math, they began learning how to multiply and can answer multiplication facts of 0, 1, 7 and 10 at incredible speeds. They have learned nearly every story from the book of Genesis and can recall even the tiniest of details. More importantly, though, they learned why we need to study Genesis and how it relates to our lives. Encourage your child to retell their favorite story to you! I hope you have a restful and joy filled holiday celebrating the reason for our hope.

Memory Work:

Proverbs 25:6-18

Upcoming:

Christmas Break! School will resume on January 11th.

3rd Grade (Mrs. Garner)

This Week

Third Grade has continued to pack in learning this week and finish strong. Our class reached a HUGE milestone on Thursday, when everyone finished their fact practice within the allotted time! I think the entire school heard our class erupt with joy. We started using the subtraction algorithm and applied this skill in balancing a checkbook. The students were amazed at how many bills there were to pay and astonished at how fast money disappeared! Needless to say, this activity led to great conversations about responsibility, like choosing to pay the power bill over having a new game. In grammar, we expanded our knowledge verbs by learning about helping verbs and their locations in an interrogative sentence versus in a declarative sentence. We also discussed action and linking verbs as they relate to the two types of sentence patterns in our Latin chapter. As I reflected back over this semester, I was very impressed at how much our class has learned in one semester. I pray that you all have a blessed and restful holiday, because you definitely deserve it!

Memory Work:

Review this quarter’s verses

Upcoming:

None

4th Grade (Mrs. Burtram)

This Week

We have had a lovely week. The students brought in many wonderful donations and made beautiful cards for the Meet Me at the Bridge Ministry. We also made homemade cards for family and friends, finished our story, Jotham’s Journey, and shared our special treats with one another. We had a special visit in Forum on Friday with a concert hosted by some of our highschool musicians. We continued to have a busy learning week. In Latin, we learned our numbers from one to ten In English, we learned about the persuasive essay and created many persuasive topics with our literature, Christmas theme, and History. We studied St. Francis of Assisi this week in History and the Franciscan Order. St Francis created the first Nativity. It was a lovely ending for the week.

Science

We have finished exploring Chemistry and will begin Earth Science next quarter

Memory Work:

Spelling Bee Words have been passed out and should be in the student’s black folder

Upcoming:

Any student who has not finished their Burlington Story please have those ready the first week we are back at school
Spelling Bee- Information will be sent out when we are back from break

5th Grade (Ms. Vogus)

This Week

We had a wonderful week in 5th grade! We studied our spelling bee words, reviewed Latin vocabulary, and learned about trade between the American colonies and England. I hope you all enjoy Christmas Break!

Memory Work:

Review of Romans 12

Upcoming:

Christmas Break

LOGIC & RHETORIC SCHOOL

Mr. Batten

Language Arts

We wrapped up A Christmas Carol by writing a modern adaptation of the story, taking a quiz, and watching a movie to discuss the differences in the movie and book.

History

We moved on from the Civil War into the Transcontinental Railroad to discover how America’s growth continued.

Science

We wrapped up our semester by reviewing topics discussed thus far.

6th Logic

We did one final review of fallacies learned thus far, and watched the vice presidential debate to look for fallacies and discuss debate techniques we learned this semester.

7th Logic

We did one final review of fallacies learned thus far, and finished our one on one debates in which we learned how to be a more effective communicator.

8th Logic

We continued learning how to evaluate syllogisms, and did more one on one debates.

Upcoming:

We will continue memorizing 1 John, move through American history towards WW1, and delve deeper into argumentation skills.

Mrs. Byrd

Physics

Teams completed their egg drop devices. We will plan to announce the winner of our drop competition in the next Bradford Bulletin.

Precalculus

We’ve begun our study of trig functions and are adjusting to thinking in radians rather than degrees. Next we will learn to evaluate trig functions of any size angle rather than restricting ourselves to only acute angles as we did in geometry class.

Geometry

This week the class learned about special angle pairs and how to name congruent triangles. We had fun solving the Incident at Blue Mountain Lodge case as a concluding logic activity.

Dr. Byrd

10th Bible Survey

We have finished our study of Jesus and the Psalms. We were also able to find some great spiritual gems in the books of I and II Chronicles.
Our memory verse is Amos 4:13
Students are now working on the book report project.

Mr. Davis

6th – 10th Grade PE

This week the students did various workouts that included Push Ups, Sit Ups, Military Squats and Crunches. After the workout, many of the classes played dodgeball and ultimate frisbee.

Mrs. Frueh

7th Grade Science:

As we finish the semester, we are at the crossroads of moving from Earth Science into Space Science. To conclude our geology unit, we examined evidence of flood geology in different landscapes around the world. This served as a great review of the discussion we’ve been having all semester about the difference between uniformitarianism and catastrophism. We used the Channeled Scablands of Washington state as a case study of what can happen when the dangers of dogmatism creep into scientific research. Ask your child how this unique landscape serves as evidence of catastrophic flood geology and how long it took J. Harlen Bretz to convince the USGS that catastrophic floods can drastically change geologic features.

8th Grade Science:

We spent our class time this week watching the documentary series “The Mystery of Matter: Search for the Elements”. This documentary series will serve as a jumping off point for our study of chemistry beginning in January. We were introduced to the work of Joseph Priestley, Antoine Lavoisier, Humphry Davy, Dmitri Mendeleev, Harry Moseley, and Glenn Seaborg, among others. The students have received their own copy of the periodic table, which they will color-code during our week of remote learning at the beginning of January.

Mr. Hamilton

9th Logic

We finished this week with a nice review. I’m really proud of how 9th grade has worked hard in logic this year. Keep it up!

9th Historic Theology

Students did a great job this week talking through the difficult issue of icons in the church. What a great way to finish the quarter!

10th History

After a fun quarter of Greek history, we finished our year with a challenging exam covering the basics.

10th Literature

Our Poetics projects were excellent! I’m very proud of how enthusiastic the presentations were.

11th Philosophy/Apologetics

Students did a good job with their difficult comprehensive exams. Next up: apologetics!

12th History

We wrapped up our discussions of 19th-century nationalism this week.

12th Literature

We wrote our final essays on Jane Eyre this week. After the break: Huckleberry Finn!

Mrs. Hamilton

Logic School Music

Students did an amazing job this week and persevered through grueling practices while recording for our virtual performances, which will be available on Friday, December 18 at https://bradfordacademymusic.wordpress.com/resources/. While there, you will also enjoy two original compositions by our high school senior, Landon Fairchild, as well as Bradford’s bluegrass band performing a few instrumental Christmas carols and other pieces.

Music History Elective (Baroque to Modern)

After turning in their well-researched essays on Romantic composers, students greatly enjoyed learning more about the world of opera from the Met’s The Audition film. Filled with great arias from the early Romantic time we have just studied, The Audition is an intense account of the competitive world of opera.

Ms. Hutchison

7th Grade Omnibus

History: Students wrapped up their study of 1 and 2 Samuel this week with a unit test. We have had an exciting journey this year in history thus far…from creation all the way up to the time of Kind David and the end of the Bronze Age. Things are looking grim for the world, even God’s people, as we look forward to the second semester. As the Iron Age begins, we will start our journey through the next 500 years of history in the third quarter, as we focus in on the early Greeks, the Persians, good (but mostly bad) kings of Israel and Judah and examine empires which, in man’s view of history, were monumental, but in God’s story, were simply characters leading up to His “grand finale”…the redemption of the world He created.

Literature: The Odyssey continues to amuse and fascinate! Our hero has made it home to Ithaka, but many dangers and adventures await. We’ll see how the story ends after our break.

Bible: It is such a privilege to open God’s Word each day with these wonderful students. Their questions are big ones; their hearts are open; and their minds are learning so much about God and His sovereign purposes for this world we find ourselves in.

9th Grade Biology

Biology students finished up the quarter with a test on the “chemistry of life”. They have worked diligently to learn new things this semester. We are looking forward to learning about the cell, cellular reproduction, DNA and genetics, the theory of evolution and, Lord willing, get a few dissections in as well in the second semester.

Dr. James

10th Chemistry

The students took their final exam for the second quarter this week.
Enjoy a well-earned Christmas break! See you in 2021.

Miss Oldham

9th Grade Literature

We wrapped up all of our discussions of texts last week, so we focused on history projects and presentations this week.

9th Grade History

Students presented their semester projects and they were wonderful! I would encourage you to ask your student to show you theirs and discuss their topics.

11th Grade Literature

We wrapped up all of our discussions of texts last week, so we focused on history projects and presentations this week. We are also watching Romeo and Juliet directed by Baz Luhrman this week.

11th Grade History

Students presented their semester projects and they were wonderful! I would encourage you to ask your student to show you theirs and discuss their topics.

10th Rhetoric I

Students presented their final speeches this week, they were wonderful!

12th Rhetoric II

Students recited Luke 2 in class and will present it in front of the Lower Campus on Friday.

Mrs. Palmer

6th Art

This week we finished our watercolor leaves and hung them on display in the hall for all to enjoy!

7th Art

This week we worked towards finishing our historical architecture buildings in charcoal. They’re nearly completed.

8th Art

This week we took a festive approach and worked on some graphite and colored pencil detailed Christmas themed drawings.

9th Spanish

This week students recited a verse in Spanish and did lots of review from our past chapters.

10th Spanish

This week students took a chapter test and presented skits in Spanish. The students worked very hard on these. We also did some review of past concepts.

Mr. Palmer

6th Math

This week we reviewed for our final test of the semester and then took the test. We then spent some time reviewing the semester before having some Christmas fun.

7th Pre-Algebra

This week we worked with decimals, fractions, and percents. We then spent some time reviewing the semester before having some Christmas fun.

8th Algebra I

This week we worked with complex fractions before spending some time having Christmas fun.

10th Algebra II

This week we took a final. Have a Merry Christmas.

11th / 12th NT Greek

This week we took a final. Have a Merry Christmas.

Miss Windes

8th Grade Omnibus

History: In history we finished learning about the feudal system, medieval manors, and the changes in the political system in the late middle ages.
Literature: Students completed The Fellowship of the Ring this week and we watched the movie on Friday.
Composition: The students polished their stories, turned them in! We also discussed and practiced revising sentences to make them as clear and concise as possible.

6th Grade LATIN

In sixth grade we reviewed and corrected our tests and then enjoyed translating some Christmas carols from Latin.

7th Grade LATIN

We continue to work on third declension adjectives and also had some fun with translating Christmas carols from Latin.

8th Grade LATIN

After taking our last test of the year, we enjoyed translating Christmas carols and parts of The Grinch who Stole Christmas from Latin!