8:20
8:20 Morning Greetings
My day at CCA starts around 8:15, when I meet other students outside our classroom door. When the bell rings, our teacher lets us in. We have flexible seating, which means we can choose where to sit. I like to arrive early to score an office chair!
We usually have a puzzle of some kind to do; our teacher calls it morning work and says it will warm up our brains for learning. There are always 4 people whose job it is to put up the flags on the flagpole outside, and 2 people whose job it is to collect recycling from all the classrooms and offices and dump it outside in the recycle bin.
8:30 The Day Begins
At 8:30 the tardy bell rings and we start the day with prayer requests. Some are really serious, like a sick grandma or a traveling parent. Some are more fun, like praying for snow or no homework. Prayer leads right into Bible class, which includes memory work and Bible study. Sometimes we have great discussions on how Jesus would want us to respond to things going on in the world today.
9:15 Science
Science class comes after Bible, and sometimes our teacher connects both subjects. Science might mean a project from the Summit Platform, like creating games to show Newton’s laws, or a chemistry activity from something called Modeling Curriculum. Our teacher says we’re learning through inquiry, which means we get to find the answers instead of her just telling them to us. Mostly we work with a partner or two, like real scientists do. 
10:00 Math
We usually take a mid-morning snack break, and then it’s math time. I like how we do math, because there aren’t any books. The lessons are always online, but we also do lots of work on paper. The Summit Platform uses inquiry for math, too, so instead of the teacher just writing stuff on the board, we work through problems to help us understand the concepts. I like how we sometimes argue about the answer until we figure out who’s right. Our teacher keeps the discussion going by constantly asking, “Where’s your evidence?”11:00 SDL/Mentoring
Part of the Summit Platform involves learning on our own. SDL stands for Student Directed Learning, and it’s when we get to choose how we want to study specific topics. We have due dates we have to pass them by, but how we study is up to us. We all have to take Cornell notes, but we can take them by watching videos, working through online lessons, or reading material on websites. Our teacher meets with us every two weeks for a mentoring session. I like that time because we talk about school and how things are going in my life and my goals and that kind of stuff. It’s nice to know somebody at school knows me so well. 
11:50 Recess
I love that we still get recess in middle school. It’s nice to get fresh air and exercise, plus hang out with my friends. Soccer and basketball are my favorite things to do at recess.
12:15
12:40 P.E.
We don’t have PE every day, but it’s one of my favorite classes. We usually do units, like volleyball, basketball, pickleball, etc. We also go outside on nice days to play outdoor sports or maybe something fun like Capture the Flag. It helps us be physically fit and gives us a chance to learn other stuff like sportsmanship and teamwork. The teachers are awesome at encouraging everyone to do their best and push themselves to learn new skills. 
12:40 Social Studies(Non-P.E. Days)
After lunch we have social studies. In 7th grade we studied US History, and in 8th grade we’re spending the first half of the year on geography and the second half on Washington State history. I like how it’s more than just maps and history–we learn about culture and social impact, too. Some of it is on the Summit Platform, and some of it comes from other places. My favorite part is something called “Human Geography,” because I like learning about people and why they do things.1:30 English Language Arts
In English we do different things. We’re reading a book right now for literature, and we analyze it in writing and discussion. We write argumentative essays, with strong claims and subclaims. I’m not crazy about writing, but I’m glad we’re learning it because I know I’ll need it. English also involves grammar and punctuation practice. 
2:15 Electives
Seriously, this is the best part of my day. Two days a week I go to band, and the other two days I have Latin. My other choices were choir, art, yearbook, writing club, or drama. It was hard to choose, but I thought having a music class and a language class was good balance.3:05 Closing
When everybody gets back from their electives classes, the flag crew goes out to bring down the flags, and the rest of us pack up. We end the day with a reminder about homework, and then we close in prayer. 
3:15 End of the Day
Out the door we go! I don’t often get to go home, because I love sports, so I play them all.
After-School Sports
In the fall I do soccer, but there’s also volleyball for the girls and cross country. Winter means basketball, and then I do track in the spring. Our teams are usually pretty good, and I like that they’re smaller so I get to play more often. 
End of the Day
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