A Peek Inside - Junior Kindergarten

Each week we'll have a look at some of the things happening at Beacon. Have a look at what our Junior Kindergarten students have been up to since they started school last week. We are so happy to have so many new students and families in our JK class!

The junior kindergarten class is ready to roll into a new school year! We are learning to be community builders and are getting used to the routines of school. During the past week we have been learning about shapes.

Here we are during gym class doing the Hokey Pokey!

We are having fun creating structures with the blocks in our class.

We made a train and are ready to have a fun year together!

Pot's Ponderings   Our program at Beacon Christian School is woven together by ten threads called Throughlines. Throughlines are qualities that we desire our students to develop as God is revealed to them "in all things." They answer the question, "How now shall I live? Each month, we will be highlighting one of these throughlines in our chapels and in our classrooms.   Tomorrow, at 8:45 AM, we will introduce our first throughline - Community Building during our Wednesday morning chapel. Parents are always welcome to attend.    What follows is a brief description of what we mean by "Community Building" that has been adopted by our staff and school. It was originally written by the Prairie Centre for Christian Education based in Alberta. I will be including future throughline descriptions each month in this space.   Community – Building Definition: Students will be active pursuers and builders of communal shalom.  Our classrooms will be communities of grace where students will walk and work together in a spirit of shalom. Description: In our hectic, fast-paced, consumer-driven society, it's common to feel overwhelmed, isolated and alone. Many are re-discovering the healing and empowering role that community can bring to our lives. The sense of belonging we feel when we make the time to take an active role in our communities can give us a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. -- Robert Alan  (American artist, writer and social activist) Our students can be active pursuers and builders of community in their classrooms, their neighbourhoods and in the global village.  In fact, they need to be.  Community is how God made us, since doing life without other people is not an option.  Shalom (from Hebrew) – is more than just ‘not fighting’. The word we most often use instead of shalom is peace, but that does not quite describe the whole concept—it is more like fullness or completeness – how God intended things to be.   One of clearest and most well-known Biblical metaphors compares Christian community to a body which is made up of many parts.  We need all the parts to work together in order to experience health and wholeness. We all know that maintaining a healthy body is not something that just happens by itself.  Attention must be paid to what we put into our body, how active we are and how we manage stress.   Students need to learn and experience that community does not just happen either.  We need to pursue shalom.  We can’t just wait for community and peace to come to us – we must go out and make it happen. We need to build shalom– to be active and eager examples of peaceful/shalom-filled communities. Biblical References I Cor. 12:12 “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” Ephesians 4:4  “There is one body and one Spirit . . . .” John 17: 22-23   Jesus’ prayer for believers:   “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:  I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Other Passages to Ponder: Psalm 133:1; Ecclesiastics 4:10; Philippians 2:1-11; I Peter 4:10-11

Music Morning

We love music at Beacon! 

All of our students in Grades 1-8 have music class 2-3 times per week. 

Our students have the chance to learn to play orff instruments, the recorder, and at least 3 band instruments of their choice. We also offer optional strings and piano lessons. 

We also love to sing, in class, at chapels, for fun - all the time!

Today the students had a chance to share what they'd been working on during our annual Music Morning and Talent Show. 

It was a wonderful celebration of music learning that has happened this year at Beacon. 

Below are a few snippets from the morning. 

Gr. 1

Gr. 3

Gr. 6

Kindergarten Down in the Farm

The afternoon kindergarten class 

had a lot of fun learning about different farm animals.

Classroom farm toys were a huge hit every day.

They learned that pigs do not have sweat glands so they roll in the mud to cool off.

Hasn't God thought of everything for his creatures?

They created their own animal cards.

They even milked a cow....

This was a huge hit...even other teachers and students who happened to walk by

 had a chance to milk the classroom cow.

The unit on the farm inspired some students to create their own farm book with pictures and print.

Aren't God's creatures amazing?

Throughline Limericks

At one of our Beauty Creating chapels in May, GIFT groups were asked to create beauty using words, rhythm and rhyme. The topic was one of the throughlines. 

Each group then shared theirs during morning announcements. Here is a sample of what our GIFT groups came up with.

Justice Seeking

There once was a world of sin

injustice tried to win.

As God's children today, 

we must help in every way

and commit to throwing injustice in a bin.

Servant Working

Helping our friends is good to do

When things get tough you help them through

Working together

Helping forever

Servants working like Jesus too.

Image Reflecting

There was an old man named Hector

Who was a throughline inspector

He made not a fuss

To live like Jesus

Now he’s an image-reflector.

Community Building

At Beacon Christian School

We have a throughline tool.

Use opportunity

To build community

Love your neighbour is the rule.

Order Discovering

Our God He made everything right;

He even added both day and night.

Fruit he gave, also the plants;

Next the elephants and ants.

In its order we see His might.

Earth Keeping

Earth is a beautiful place

And God has given this space

To us to keep clean

And beautifully green

So this task let us embrace

Summary

There once were some students from Beacon

Who were learning to walk like Jesus

The sang and they shared, 

They showed that they cared,

And are shining their lights for Jesus.

Creating Beauty

There once were some students who were learning

To live with true joy while discerning

What it means to live

With true love, and to give

a light to the world while they're learning. 

Today is limerick day at Beacon. This month, we are looking at Beauty Creating. Today during chapel, our students were given the challenge to write a beautifully creative limerick with a specific throughline as the topic. In their GIFT groups (Growing In Faith Together), students wrote their limericks and they will be shared with the school, one each day, over the announcements. 

Stay tuned over the next few weeks to read the students' creations!

We also love to create beauty with music. 

Check out our Grade 3 pioneers playing their recorders:

(Aren't they cute?? Creating beauty with costume and role play)

We love to create beauty with drama. 

Check out this skit on beauty creating:

Sometimes it's cool to watch the beauty that others create for us to enjoy and for God to be glorified. 

Check out this neat clip:

And as we were reminded in song:

Beauty Creating

 "When we look at the world around us, the plants, rocks, animals, sea creatures, insects, the skies and beyond and especially people and their intelligence and capabilities… it shouts that our God is a God who loves diversity, complexity, and creativity.(Doug Monsoma).

How often do we stop and look and marvel at all God has made? 

This month our throughline is Beauty Creating. God has placed His fingerprints over every square inch of this world. It truly is amazing, beautiful, sometimes humorous, diverse and complex. 

What an amazing God we serve!

Today we were reminded again of His handiwork. 

Grade 6 shared a choral speaking piece on Psalm 19

This video reminded us of the awe surrounding the creation story:

It's always great to welcome a local pastor. Today Pastor "GP"(Gianpalao) talked to us about 

Beauty Creating. 

He reminded us that WE are his greatest creation, made in His image, 

the thing that pleased Him most. 

We hope you can take some time to enjoy the beauty God has created around you this long weekend!