Sharing with the pre-schoolers

Lutheran Schools Week was filled with many fun activities.  The theme world wide was Standing In Christ: Serving Others.  So.....

Monday we served those at home:  We wrote our parents a letter on a card thanking them for all they do for us, including sending us to a Lutheran school.

Tuesday we served those at school:  We shared true stories from the Bible with the pre-school class using flannel graph images and scenery.  You can see the photos below.

Tuesday we also served our world by bringing our items and offerings for Aaron's Gifts From Home. These will be packed in boxes for servicemen all over the world.

Wednesday we served our church by cleaning up the hymnal racks and pews after chapel.

A suggestion for you is to continue the fun of serving within your family.  How can you help someone?

Do I HAVE to read tonight?

Busy month isn't it?  I gave each student a " I am 100 days smarter" bookmark on Friday.  It has been 100 days!  Time flies!  That's why I was glad to find the information below on Pinterest.  Please reserve a time for reading each and every night.  Use the public library to help your child find books that he or she is interested in.  Create snuggle time, or cozy bedtime, or partner read time, to do just that.  Read. There are a million benefits.  And you just might create a reader who doesn't ever want to stop reading!  

New Students

New students are welcome at Bethlehem at any time during their grade school years.  This year we had a student join our third grade team in August, another in October, and a third in January!  We are so blessed by all of them.  We pray that they and their families will be blessed by being a part of the Bethlehem family.

Welcome Jackson, Dominik, and Leila!

Aaron's Gifts From Home

Blessed New Year of 2015!

This first month of at the year we focus on servicemen who do not have at the comfy homes we do here in the Saginaw area.  Aaron's Gifts From Home ministry collects items to pack up for gift boxes to be sent  to servicemen away from home.  Christian greetings are included.  Below you'll see the class working on their greeting cards, and some of the items collected for the gift boxes.  Keep them coming!  At the all Lutheran Student gathering at SVSU in early March we will bring in all that we have collected.  Thank you in advance.  It is so great to see kids excited about helping others.

These boys brought all of these items!  Way to go!

Christmas Crafts and Party

I walked through the silent school hallway after church this morning.  Such a contrast to Friday when all students, their teachers and parent helpers were celebrating Christ's birthday!  We had a great time trying crafts in each of the classrooms while mixing with students from pre-school through 8th grade. Below you'll see pictures of students working on their craft and proudly displaying their handiwork.  You'll also see the fun results of our Christmas tree decorating relay at our party.

Several reminders:  The 4:30 December 24 Christmas service will again include the movie Frozen to aid in our worship!  I'll be out of town, so I'll need a report about this!  Third graders, continue working on your reading and creating your Reading Bingo project.  Practice your presentation so you'll do a great job on Tuesday, January 6.  

My husband John and I wish everyone a joy filled Christmas, and a blessed new year!

I'm looking forward to January 5, 2015 when our hallways will again be filled with happy, eager students wanting to share their Christmas experiences.  Joy to the World!

The Saginaw Art Museum

Wednesday, November 12 parents drove us to the newly remodeled Saginaw Art Museum.  We toured rooms that had once been part of the Ring family mansion (including finding a hidden door!), and also the modern new addition.  We were amazed at the size of some of the paintings and sculptures and briefly toured the temporary display of WWI posters.  Afterwards our guide led us to the art classroom where we used watercolors to paint whatever each third grade artist chose.  Lastly, we enjoyed the formal gardens attached to the back of the former home.  Thanks to Jada's mom, Mary Parks for the attached photos.

STEAM

Have you heard of STEM?  STEAM is similar and stands for lessons that encompass Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.  On Reformation Day/Halloween we used M and Ms for a lesson if this type.  Did you know that the red dye used to make M and Ms is more expensive than other dyes?  Rare is the package of M and Ms that has more red than any other color.  We also found out that each small package doesn't always have the same amount of M and Ms.  Graphing helps us look at the data.  To include art we planned an arrangement of our candies and then placed them carefully in water.  The color gradually floated off, creating wonderful, but temporary images.  The second packet of candies was tasty too!