Our Legal System
Thank God we live in a nation of law and not one simply of majority rule! The 12th grade has been learning about our legal system, from evidentiary rules to the traditional customs observed by our Supreme Court. As we have been exploring this fascinating topic, I think all of us, teacher and student alike, have grown more and more thankful for our system of law. It may not be perfect—God knows it is far from the ideal!—but it is better than many other countries’ legal regimes. I told the students of a friend of mine from Ecuador who is studying the Founders at Columbia University in order to take their great wisdom back to his country. Ecuador is on their umpteenth (the 20th to be exact) constitution, while we’re still on our first (not counting the Articles of Confederation)! My friend finds this impressive and worthy of intense study and contemplation; I hope our Evangel students do to.
Mr. Poe
Contradictory Ideas
U.S History is full of heroes and villains… as well as figures who might qualify as both! We’re nearing the start of the American Civil War in 11th grade, and the students are often thunderstruck by the contradictory ideas and people which populate the early and middle 1800s. For instance, I could tell the students were surprised to learn that abolitionists were not necessarily for equal rights—that one could still be prejudiced, bigoted, or condescendingly paternal, while advocating the abolishment of slavery. I told them that people 100 years from now might look at our views as surprisingly contradictory or hypocritical, so we shouldn’t be quick to judge. As Christians, we must first LEARN from the men and women of history, and not initially jump to critique them. We should honor them by allowing them to critique us first—they are, after all, are forefathers and foremothers, and thus deserving of respect. We are their children, and we are bound to partake of their glory and of their shame. Thank God for Jesus, our Savior, who is not a respecter of persons!
Mr. Poe
The Hiding Place
As our students read The Hiding Place and other articles about the Holocaust, we attempt to grasp some type of understanding of how this happened; how Hitler gained so much support for such a horrid goal. Yet we are inspired by the Ten Boom family leading in the underground mission in Holland to protect and rescue Jews. As Corrie did, can we learn to love and not hate, despite whatever injustice may be done? Can we stand strong in our faith when it’s tested? Would we sacrifice our own comforts to care for the ostracized and oppressed?
Oppression
Oppression: do we really know what this is, what it feels like? The Dalits of India do; the trafficked young women and children do; persecuted Christians do. What is God’s heart toward this issue and what does He call us to do? Our students discussed this issue and researched oppressed people groups. We are in prayer about what God may want each of us to do to get involved in helping those who are oppressed.
Suspenseful Reading
During the reading of Scott O’Dell’s Thunder Rolling in the Mountains, seventh graders wonder, Will the Nez Perce tribe ever reach safety? We have been “on the edge of our seats!” Will they have a land of their own again? Will they live in peace with others? Will the fighting and death end? We have had a great time reading this book together and writing some awesome essays. We can’t wait to see how it ends!!!!
Adjectives
How do we describe a beautiful landscape or an exciting game or a fun trip? How do we express the way we’re feeling? With adjectives! This month, seventh graders have been exploring the purposes and uses of this crucial part of speech, the one that makes everything come to life!
Mrs. Foster
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Imagine being stranded on an island alone and having to provide for and protect yourself…for years! Karana, the main character in the classic Island of the Blue Dolphins, faces this difficult and often lonely task. Students are reading of her struggle; will she survive? Will her tribe come back for her? We have had some wonderful group discussions and are really excited to see what happens!
Character Traits
This month, each sixth grader chose a famous person (in any field) to research and gather biographical information with the goal of finding a consistent character trait displayed in the actions of this person. Many traits included hard work, courage, and determination, which are hopefully traits we will possess too.
Mrs. Foster
Ted Dekker
Throughout December, tenth graders were busy reading Saint, by Ted Dekker. The book practically read itself! Students came in so excited to talk about what happened to Carl and the X-Group. We learned about suspense authors, like Edgar Allen Poe, and what the similarities are between his writing and Dekker’s. We read the famous poem The Raven. One student rapped its words for the class, while another student gave him a beat, giving a new life to old words. The students saw how pursuing excellence in a craft is respectable, even if it is in a different form than they are used to.
Miss Miller
A Christmas Carol
But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas-time […] the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.
~Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Above is a quote from our most recent 9th Grade novel, A Christmas Carol. The class explored the themes of greed and charity, and compared Dickens’ writing to the Biblical truths. The students chose projects to learn about characterization and interpretation. Some students made movie posters, choosing well-known characters to play the different roles. One student chose A Nickelodeon Christmas, and selected different cartoon characters to play Tiny Tim and Scrooge. Another student wrote four letters to Scrooge; he coffee stained and burnt the edges to make them look older and more realistic. One of the most fun times we had was reading a children’s version of the novel. We dimmed the lights, put on soft Christmas music, and even had a fireplace projecting onto the overhead screen. The students enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere while getting to experience how different authors interpret Dickens’ famous story. We laughed and learned–Dickens would be proud.
Miss Miller