Geometry students created books, developed a lesson plan and presentation to share with Algebra 1 students to help them see and appreciate God's amazing creation in the form of transformations.
After a genetic unit and significant exploration of Down Syndrome and Cystic Fibrosis, students planned and participated in a Respite Day for caretakers.
After studying the difference between needs and wants, students used math skills to organize shoes collected for an organization that provides shoes for children with inadequate footwear.
Students planned age and ability appropriate lessons about exercise for kids at House of Hope, an organization that provides for the needs of mothers and children escaping life on the streets.
Students developed an awareness of the impact of plastic on the environment and the habitats of sea turtles and felt empowered to help restore God's creation by cleaning up trash at the local beach and around school.
As reflectors of Christ, students developed and encouraged positive interactions on the school playground through mentoring, designing new playground games and helpful signage.
6th grade students partnered with local mission school to engage in a penpal program that centered around independent reading progress. Students exchanged weekly journals and feedback and then met to continue to build and foster ongoing relationships.
Students grow in their beliefs about justice, debate and discuss these ideas with their classmates to expand what they knew to be possible and to begin to see themselves as thinkers with valuable potential solutions to racism.
Students dedicated their required 5K training to another person that they identified as "fulfilling God's purpose" in their life. They wrote letters letting these people know how they impacted their life and community and invited them as special guests to attend the 5k school event.
Students used their understanding of sound to create podcasts of how God was impacting their lives. These podcasts were shared on the school website to help future families and donors know more about the school.
Music students organized, choregraphed and ran a cardio drumming class for a local nursing home. They also prepared and shared care packages with the residents.
After a unit on minerals, students researched their own birthstones and the birthstones of the mothers. They then designed a Mother's Day card that reflected their knowledge of the birthstones and their appreciation and love of their mothers.
Kindergarten students used math skills to count and sort food items that they collected to donate to a local food pantry. They then created artful decorations to share with the shelter providing a Thanksgiving meal.
Enrichment students inspired others to appreciate the value of languages and eliminate the stigma around foreign languages through a language fair. Additionally, they wrote a book of poetry that served as a fundraiser for the Welcome Immigrant Network.
Algebra 1 students used math skills to deepen their understanding of fundraising and planned and implemented parent-approved fundraising over a one-month period to raise funds for Kiva's microloan program.
Students learned about the importance of nutrituous food and grew in their understanding of plants and then created a community garden to share with those in need.
After studying and discussing Psalm 139, students prayerfully created words of encouragement regarding each classmate that reflect them as an image bearer of God. The compiled lists were then mailed home as a constant reminder of each student's image bearing quality.
Middle school Spanish students embody their storyline of Welcome Others, Extend Grace, Create Unity as they design and perform skits for young students in Spanish.
Seventh grade Bible students designed a video, tract or graphic novel to invite people to church, to engage in conversation, and present the gospel to neighbors, friends, family and the unchurched.
Kindergarten students used their knowledge of community builders and Throughlines to design a Community Helper Museum to share with PK students. They also wrote thank you letters to community helpers in their community.
High school physics students created resources, supplies and ideas that they shared with two other schools that had more limited science budgets. They fostered a stronger sense of community between the schools as they provided from their abundance to meet the needs of others.
Using principles of chemistry, students create bath bombs and prepare gift bags with handwritten letters of encouragement for those who will receive them.
After learning about trees in science and disability therapy in ELA, students partnered with Tersoro de Dios to plant trees and to particpate in caring for the horses used in disability therapy. They developed strong, ongoing relationships with the students and families at Tesoros de Dios.
Math students practices throughlines while working alongside and learning from engineers who were usng math skills to prepare a new well for a community that had been without for more than two years.
After studying about digital communication systems work and how a digital divide results in some members of society to be underserved, students decided to partner with a local senior center to help their elderly friends overcome the digital divide.
Art students raised awareness of the needs of refugees by creating art, selling it at an auction and raising funds for an organization supporting refugees.
Elementary art students create art pieces that highlight the wildlife conservation efforts of a local wildlife trust. Their work is auctioned off and displayed in the facilities of the wildlife trust organization.
Students explore earth keeping and stewardship as they test for contaminates in water systems and then share PSAs with fellow students about stewarding our waterways.
Students considered how, as characters in God's story, they could develop Christ-like characteristics of compassion by engaging in letter writing and relationship building activities with lonely elders.
Third grade students studied, then wrote devotionals based on the Throughlines. These devotionals were shared with their kindergarten buddies to help them to understand the Throughlines.
Students researched and create a museum exhibit of examples from history of "living between the trees" — people who recognized brokenness in their context and worked toward shalom and restoration.
1st grade students engaged in meaningful helpful home tasks to earn money to provide coats for other young children. The gifts of coats were accompanied by words of encouragement and Bible verses.
8th grade students used prayer journals to pray intentionally for others and then sent letters of encouragement to the people they prayed for. Through the experience, the students' prayer lives were impacted deeply.
Pre-K students show love for others by collecting stuffed bears and writing short messages of encouragement for the recipients — sick children at a local hospital.
Students researched and designed brochures for newcomers to their community so that they would feel welcome and would have important information about the community.
With the help of lots of experts, 2nd grade students learned about plant health benefits and grew young plants for a community garden that supplies organizations that help those in need.
Students researched the characteristics of thriving communities and then applied that research to their own community to identify areas of flourishing and areas where their response to support was needed. They shared their research with the city mayor.
Second grade students show compassion for their school janitor by proactively working to make his job easier and encouraging him with words of gratitude and scripture.
Students live out their deep hope and used their science skills to design a school garden and arrange a food drive to provide needed resources for their community food pantry.
Through an in-depth study of literature and character along with a study of scripture, students identified ways in which sins are manifested in both the fictional and real life settings and reflected on ways they are called back by God's word.
Students studied scripture relating to the ideas of being salt and light and then planned with their own families specific actions they could engage in as a family to be salt and light in their community.
Students studying ASL share about deaf culture, language, and history with the hearing community to celebrate the beauty of diversity found in the deaf community.
First graders study saints from stories and identify medical community members to model saintly characteristics of loving God by loving others. Students write thank you letters and create fleece blankets of hospital.
Students learned about the Kairos Prison Ministry and created neurographic art incorporating verses, thoughts and messages of hope to be shared with inmates at a maximum security prison.
Students work to build awareness of genetic diseases and partnering with an organization to celebrate with families welcoming children with Down Syndrome.
Students live out their calling as justice seekers by composing thoughtful, carefully crafted, rhetorically effective letters to challenge/confront or aid/encourage local justice initiatives.
8th grade students collaboratively built Rube Goldberg contraptions to share with 3rd graders who were learning about simple machines. Students encouraged 3rd graders to be curious, creative and tenacious problem solvers because we bear God's image.
High school students mentor and practice with 5th grade students to engage with lower school students by sharing Hispanic nursery rhymes during Hispanic Cultural Awareness Month.
4th graders learn about racial injustice during the Civil Rights era and write stories reflecting what they've learned. They read their stories at a public lecture on justice, race and the gospel.
Students prepared and presented proposals to administration to improve student experience at their school. Students adopted a posture of humility and gratefulness as they shared their ideas with leaders.
In their study of their local communities, students noted the divisiveness of community and sought to bring shalom through a deeper understanding of their community neighbors and letters of appreciation for their contributions.
Students researched the life stories and the impact Black mathematicians made in American history and shared the significance of the work with their school and greater community.
After learning how God created families and adopted us as his children, first grade students consulted with their own families to do chores to meet their needs in order to raise money to buy supplies to fill backpacks for foster children's needs.
5th grade students interviewed members of their community to show their New Covenant community that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they see the world through God's eyes. Students told these Kingdom Builder stories in a book where they compiled the interviewee's stories.
After learning about the role of decomposers, 3rd and 4th grade students decided to do their part in addressing environmental concerns by starting a compositing project at their school.
After visiting a nature center, 1st grade students were convicted of the importance of caring for God's creators. They created informational packets including a friendly letter, a PSA about animals and a how-to for making a bird feeder. These packets were shared with their community to spread.
Middle school students wrote and produced an original poetry book to share with the ICS community. And they mentored and supported their first grade partners as they prepared for their own poetry recital.
Students learn about the importance of metal recycling and copper mining to develop renewable energy. They share their insights with the community to raise awareness.
As part of their SS and Financial Literacy studies, students came to understand the important work various organizations were doing in their community. They desired to support these organizations so they partnered with the United Way to collect books for children who didn't have the same access.
After completing a unit on nutrition and understanding the importance of healthy eating, preschoolers assisted at a local food pantry to ensure that others could also experience healthy food options.
As students studied genetics and their own unique facial characteristics, they were inspired to create self-portraits which were then displayed along with accompanying reflections of how God uses each of us for his unique kingdom purposes. Staff and students were challenged to do likewise.
Students shared performances that raised awareness of "the least of these" in their community. Their performances offered hoped and an encouragement of God's love. In addition, at each performance, donations were collected for an organization that served the marginalized population
Ist grade students identified a recess problem, brainstormed together solutions and wrote a "how-to" piece that was shared with the school to enable harmony during recess. Students modeled "shining bright" on the playground.
Middle school students use their math skills to consider how to design school lockers that will better serve the needs of their school community. Proposals are presented to the HoS for consideration in the new building project.
After reading some literature about how words can lead to change, students discussed how they could use their words for positive change in their school community. Students used sidewalk chalk to write words of affirmation and kindness on the outside hallways of their school.
Students planted wild rice for waterfowl and created shelters for wood ducks in the Fenner Nature Center to ensure that they were being good caretakers of the earth
Students were invited to build relationships with local Spanish speakers to develop language skills and cultural understanding and to enrich each others' lives with the hope of building long-term friendships.
Seeds are sent to Ukraine, "Europe's Breadbasket," as students study the breadbasket of the U.S. and how God's image bearers can serve as a part of the community of believers.
After studying the impact of power in their social studies curriculum, middle school students recognized the need to encourage and acknowledge the responsibility of current leaders and wrote letters of gratitude and encouragement.
After learning about the history of Hip Hop and how it was used as a medium to create positive change, students chose issues in their own school community that could benefit from positive change. They then designed and performed Hip Hop messages for their classmates and community.
Second grade students in a reading intervention program practiced their reading skills to be able to read and share with kindergarten students who also struggled with reading fluency and word recognition.
Students worked like scientists as they evaluated evidence to make informed decisions to help themselves and their families as well as create an infographic to explain how mRNA vaccines work.
Using their understanding of electricity, students recycled/repurposed old lamps to reflect the missions of organizations in their community that were being a light to others. The repurposed lamps were gifts of encouragement to those organizations.
Through a bilingual exchange, students in Michigan and Ecuador were able to support each other by providing content (videos, writings, Zoom) to help develop language skills and to share cultural perspectives.
Students performed the musical Annie after learning more about foster care and the challenges faced. Students invited an audience of foster families to attend their performance.
Middle school students raised money for the purchase of three new instruments for a neighboring Title I school, then delivered the instruments and visited with students and had conversations about their shared interest in music.
Fourth grade music students presented a Veteran’s Day Tribute Show and Performance and wrote letters to veterans so that they know they are not forgotten.
Students learned about the Harlem Renaissance and then engaged in research to study one person's story of how his/her art helped restore God's broken world. They then created their own tribute art and shared it in an exhibit at the Justice, Race and the Gospel event at a local church.
After researching body systems, students interview LifeGift spokesperson to learn more about the importance of organ donation. Students then created a stop motion PSA to share on the LifeGift website and in their own school newsletter to raise awareness of the need for organ donation.
Students reflected on how what they love determines the direction of their hearts. Through interviews and reflection they were able to celebrate how their grandparents reflected their deep love of God in the daily decisions of their lives and that those decisions have impact for generations.
Students applied their math knowledge to budget for and purchase Christmas gifts for children in their local community who would otherwise not be receiving gifts.
Students learn about decomposers and the importance and value of composting. They begin to compost at their school and write a book about composting to share with others
Students learned about the impact of music on memory care seniors, then prepared 10+ pieces of music to share with residents in a senior assisted living facility.
After reading Tiger Rising, students discussed the importance of processing our emotions. They decided to create calm down kits for early elementary students. They designed and presented the kits and explained the importance of sharing and processing our emotions.
Students individually planned and practiced daily acts that they linked to fruits of the spirit, and, as a class, they wrote birthday cards to a community member who was turning 100. (These teachers felt like their FLEx design was extremely effective for their kinder students.)
In a study of local animals and habitats, students worked in teams to clean out a local empty lot so animals could return to and thrive in that habitat.
After studying revenge cycles as part of their exploration of Hamlet, students researched various topics pertaining to mental health for the purpose of creating advocacy posters. These posters were displayed in the school library and students were invited to use a scavenger hunt to dig deeper.
Third grade students created quadrilateral castles along with "I Spy" questions to display in their local library so that patrons could enjoy and interact with them.
Kindergarteners create memory books for their 8th grade buddies who are about to graduate. These memory books serve as a keepsake to remember the Christ-centered relationships formed between the kindergarteners and 8th graders.
After studying the bioethics involved in the Covid-19 pandemic, students had to reach out to an individual who had been affected by Covid-19, and write and share their story.
Students looked for ways to help others feel valued and focused on encouraging boarding students with letter-writing, handmade gifts, and campus beautification.
As we engage the themes of the book and discern their meaning within God’s story, we look for ways that we can live “The Good Life” in our own community by partnering with families in our community.
In a unit on fictional narrative writing, fourth graders at Bellevue Christian School collaborated to write and illustrate their own story that went on to reach a large audience.
2nd grade students were invited to use their writing skills to promote local restaurants that could use the extra encouragement during the trials of Covid-19.
Students wrote letters of encouragement to other middle school students in their community who were not able to meet in person. These letters not only expressed empathy and encouragement regarding distance learning but also provided some advice and encouragement about transitioning from elementary.
Helping families create a home liturgy of word and table, growing together in their love of the Bible, and learning how to communicate honestly with one another their insights and perspectives.
8th grade science/English students collaborate with 6th grade English students to create a podcast that encourages and invites 5th graders into middle school.
After reading some stories about the power of teamwork, 5th grade students brainstormed things they could do in the school and broader community together. Students worked with school groundskeepers to improve their campus and reflected Christ by being servant hearted.
Visual arts students visited band rehearsals and sought mutual inspiration from the process of creating something beautiful. Visual artwork inspired by the collaboration was featured on the evening of a fine arts musical performance.
In order to help cut down on their school’s contribution to and funding of unsustainable food systems like the costs of transporting produce, they planted potatoes for use in the school lunchroom, and will work to maintain this garden plot as well as many others planted by other classes.
For the final FLEx project in an honors American History class, my students and I designed a magazine focusing on the throughline of justice seeking in America’s past and present with a special focus on the Civil Rights Movement.
The students spent time thinking about a faculty/staff member that had impacted them, selected a form of poetry to use, and then wrote a poem meant to bless them. These were given to the staff either by the student directly, or anonymously.
As first graders learned about plants in science and from an area expert, they decided to plant a community garden where the vegetables raised could be shared with a local food pantry
7th grade students studying Paul's missionary journeys looked for modern-day "Pauls" and wrote letters of encouragement to these people. They also researched missionaries supported by their churches and created a public display to broaden their local communities awareness of missionaries.
3rd graders learned about leadership and discovered their own leadership gifts. They then expressed appreciation for leaders in their lives through thank you letters.
Students were asked to produce a short instructional video intended to benefit an intended audience of other students who need help with the difficulties of the course, or who need some encouragement amidst the challenges of the course.
By examining the chemical ingredients of everyday products that they used, students were invited to identify and advocate for more natural and sustainable products.
Students learned about plants and the plant life cycle and they decorated pots and plants beautiful plants to share with people in their lives who had helped them to grow in their love for God and each other.
Students write a persuasive essay about a topic they care about, and then practice engaging with other people in a loving, respectful way on that topic.
An unusually harsh Texas winter storm had hurt some of God’s creatures — the birds — and our 1st graders desired to respond by helping the healing process. We used our Creation Investigator skills as we learned about the problem, what we were called to do by God, and then developed solutions.
Students were asked to spend time sharing/discussing with their parents what they had been thinking about in Bible class, in hopes of developing a habit of family connection over the Bible and what it means to them.
Students held a carwash to raise money for those most impacted by Covid and hunger. Students wrote reflections and acrostic poems about their experience.
8th grade PE students designed and implemented PE lessons for a neighboring elementary school that had no K-3 PE specialist. Student had to think creatively since their interactions had to be virtual because of Covid 19.
