Hello, Grammarland!

Well. Sixty-two OCC shoeboxes so far...and I can't wait to see more! 500 is our goal, and I think it's going to happen! Parents of middle school girls, I sent an email last week about our Prayer Group packing party. Mrs. Ross is having an FFA packing party as well. Please join with us to help spread the name of Jesus around the world.

6th grade....Behold, our kingdom!

My students did an amazing job on their castles! My classroom looks extremely royal now. I'm so proud of my 6th graders! Unfortunately, three of the castles were attacked and eaten by hungry marauders. Here's what they once looked like!

8th graders are living in another kingdom: the kingdom of commas. My students shall not scatter commas about like sprinkles on a cupcake. The best thing about commas are that they're attached to rules, and if you learn the rules, you'll be fine! We also spent time this week learning about the Holocaust and WWII ahead of our beginning our study of Corrie Ten Boom. Next week we will begin her incredible story in earnest.

Have an amazing long weekend! May God richly bless your family.

KD

 Well hello, Grammarland! That pic right there? That's pretty much my favorite object ever right now. I love it more than I love coffee, more than I love Oxford commas, and more than I love online shopping. It's right up there with my love of reading. Why? It turns our students into missionaries. It makes them know that they can share Jesus with our world. It makes them bless other children as they have been blessed. It helps them to know that their sphere of influence can extend to a child they will never meet. It allows them to make Heaven "crowded".  So...pack a shoebox with your child. Help us share His goodness with a lost, hurting, broken world.

6th grade...

Well. We have been on an emotional roller coaster this week. Reading The Jungle Book is an experience like no other. Parents, you should read it if you haven't. Every single Jungle Book movie is wrong, and they all pale in comparison to the book!! Next week,  we will begin our sentence structure lessons. On Thursday, students will present their castles and castle papers.

8th grade...

Hanging out with Edgar Allan Poe has been sufficiently creepy...or heartbreaking. Next week we will begin The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom. Please have this book by Monday. We started writing creepy short stories yesterday, and it has been awesome watching my students' creativity come to life! Their rough draft check in is Monday...by all means it does not have to be completely finished, but it should show direction and meaningful progress. 

Have a wonderful weekend! May God bless you. Remember - no school next Friday.

KD

 

Hey there, Grammarland!

We've been super busy this week!

The 6th graders rocked the house with their amazing Operation Christmas Child chapel! I'm extremely proud of them. They wrote, practiced, and performed their skits so well, and now they are experts at packing OCC shoeboxes. We started reading The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling on Thursday, and it's amazing. Please be sure your child has a copy of it by Monday. Barnes & Noble has a wonderful edition for $7.95. And 6th graders...don't forget - your castle and castle paper are due October 29.

8th graders are hanging out with Edgar Allan Poe for the next few days, and we will be writing our own spooky stories next week. Please be certain that your child has a copy of The Hiding Place by next Wednesday, as we will start it soon, and it's imperative that each student has a copy. The LCS office still has a copy or two, so you may start there. SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS to Juli and Carson, for winning their Cross Country meets, and to Levi and Kimora, who were special student speakers at our Operation Christmas Child kickoff on Wednesday.

It's time to pack a shoebox! Last year, we packed 400 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, and our goal this year is 500.....and something is making me feel we will surpass that goal. Covid has made the need for this beautiful ministry even greater.  To pack a shoebox, simply choose: Boy or Girl,  age 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14, and pack the box with age-appropriate necessities and toys.

 Here are some guidelines for packing shoeboxes:

 Pack: school supplies (some children cannot attend school if they don’t have supplies), small toys, stuffed animals, hair bows, brushes & combs, soap, wash cloths, socks, t-shirts, stickers, tissues, flashlights, fishing kits, sewing kits, hats, scarves, soccer balls, pumps, Slinkies, plastic cups, cars  - anything small, packable, and necessary.

Don’t pack:  food, vitamins, liquids, lotions, shampoo, chocolate, glass,  or  any toys that suggest war. No Pokemon and no Harry Potter. NEW in 2017: DO NOT pack any candy or toothpaste.

 Any standard size shoebox is fine. You may wrap or decorate the box in any way, but the top of the box must be removable. Don’t tape the box closed. We will secure each box with rubber bands.

Dollar Tree, WalMart, the Carpenter’s Shop, and the clearance/dollar sections of Target and Office Max are excellent places to shop.

Pinterest is full of craft and packing ideas for shoeboxes!

If you still have a rainbow loom and bands, please make some bracelets for shoeboxes!

One of the most important things you can place in your shoebox is a note from you. You can include a picture and your address; the child may write a letter to you! Your shoebox may introduce a child to Jesus Christ, so do your best to share His love!

You may pack as many shoeboxes as you wish.

MASKS: Children in impoverished countries need masks as much as we need them in America. If you sew, or if you know someone who does, please consider making or sending some masks for our shoeboxes.

Shoeboxes are due by November 20!  Please drop them off in my classroom (room 124), or leave them with your child’s teacher.. If you have any questions, please email me!

         I am praying for each of your families, and I am continually blessed by my days spent with your children. May God be with you as you enjoy this beautiful autumn weekend.               

Blessings,

Mrs. Desjarlais                          

 October is here! Bring on the pumpkins, the cool days, the changing leaves, the scarves, and the spicy coffee! God makes all things beautiful in His time, and autumn is one of His best examples. 

Oh, Narnia. This week we finished The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Last Battle. It's so hard to say goodbye. We have had so many beautiful conversations about heaven and about salvation in the past few weeks. Please know that I'm praying for your child; I want  my students to give their lives to Christ, because He is everything.

Both 6th and 8th grades tested on verbs this week (grades will be in by Monday evening). We will now venture out into the world of keeping plagiarism out of our writing!

6th graders will be writing and practicing our parts for our Operation Christmas Child chapel in a few weeks. We will also take our Narnia test on Tuesday. Work on your exciting castle! For those making edible castles: please know that we have a student who is allergic to red dye.

8th graders are learning MLA formatting, in all its annoying glory. It's good for them! We will also take our Narnia test Tuesday, and we will hang out with Edgar Allan Poe next week. Shudder.

Don't forget: next week is blessedly short, so kiddos only come to school Monday through Wednesday.

May God bless you abundantly. You're in my prayers.

LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1