Missouri Valley Christian Academy

Kids Against Hunger

2012-01-29T16:39:00.000-08:00

MVCA families took time out of their weekend to package meals for hungry people in Haiti through the Kids Against Hunger ministry. Students decorated the boxes with Bible verses and expressions of kindness. A total of 3,752 meals were packaged and prayed over during the 2 hour service project. Find out more about the Yankton chapter of Kids Against Hunger at http://www.kahyankton.org/.

Exploring Fractions

2012-01-26T15:03:00.000-08:00

Snow Fun!

2012-01-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

The Kingsway Campus was very excited about the recent snowfall!

"It's big enough for a baby hippo!" (or 3 students)

Excited shouts could be heard across the playground as the students enjoyed a morning of digging tunnels.

The girls showing off their tunnel creation.

Rocky Start to Our Day

2012-01-15T14:50:00.001-08:00

It was a "rocky" start to our day on Friday and not because something big or tramatic occurred. Instead the reason for this "bumpy" start was the demonstration given by one of our 6th graders about the different types of rocks. The 1st/2nd graders are beginning a unit on rocks and to start this unit they and the other students of MVCA listened to a speech about rocks.

Pastors for December & January Chapels

2012-01-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

We are very blessed to have pastors from churches within our MVCA families who come and speak at our monthly chapels. Last month Rev. Robert Grossmann from Providence Reformed Church, Vermillion spoke and this month Pastor Jon Cooke from Calvary Baptist, Yankton attended our chapel. We are extremely thankful for these two men and the other men and women who minister in the churches located around the area.

Panning for Gold

2012-01-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

The kindergarten class studied mountains. These videos show us panning for GOLD! We also journaled about what we wanted to do with the gold we found. My favorite was a student who said he would give it to his sisters!

Singing at Walnut Village

2011-12-14T13:03:00.001-08:00

Clothing Closet Donation

2011-12-14T08:24:00.001-08:00

MVCA's students, staff, and families recently conducted a clothing and toy drive for HSC's Clothing Closet. Shown in the photo is some current and future MVCA students with Leah Brandt, Clothing Closet director, and a few of the items donated.

Our Teacher's Assistant

2011-12-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

The kindergarten class welcomed Miss Boehmer to their classroom earlier this fall. She volunteers an hour of her time on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and does a variety of duties assisting both the students and Mrs. Frederick. Thank you, Miss Boehmer!

Ancient Egypt!

2011-12-01T16:32:00.000-08:00

2011-12-01T16:31:00.000-08:00

Salt Map displays of Poland and surrounding areas during WWII

2011-12-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

Food for Relief

2011-11-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

The kindergarteners spent the morning utilizing their "gluing & stamping" skills to help put labels on canned meat that will be distributed to hungry people around the world. The Mennonite Central Committee of Freeman, SD oversees the regional ministry. Log on to http://www.mcc.org/ for more information.

That's A Lot of Seeds!

2011-10-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

Who would have guessed that the big pumpkin would have fewer seeds? Later we learned that the number of grooves will determine the seed count. The grooves are where the seeds are clustered on the inside; the more grooves there are the greater number of seeds!

2011-10-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

2011-10-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

2011-10-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

More Photos from Pastor Appreciation Chapel

2011-10-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

Pastor Appreciation Chapel

2011-10-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

We had a great chapel on Friday! Many parents attended along with many of the pastors of our MVCA families. The students shared scripture, statements of thanks, and a gift.

THANK YOU PASTORS FOR YOUR TIME, DEDICATION, AND SERVICE TO EACH OF OUR MVCA FAMILIES!!

Skype Date with a Missionary

2011-10-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

The kindergarteners have met their classroom missionary via Skype! For the first time ever, some students were able to talk with someone on the other side of the world! Miss Brandt is a missionary teacher in the Czech Republic and her class will be penpals with ours.

Ready For Pastor Appreciation Chapel ~ Oct. 14th

2011-10-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

During reading buddies on Friday, the students worked together to make gifts for our pastors. Students mixed up, bagged, and decorated 50 bags of "Blessings Mix". A wonderful treat for some wonderful servants of God!

"Blessings Mix"

The Bugles are a symbol of the cornucopia, a horn of plenty.

The Pretzels represent arms folded in thanks and prayer.

The Candy Corn reminds us that during the first winter, the pilgrims were allowed only five kernels of corn per day because food was so scarce.

The Fruit is a reminder that Thanksgiving is the celebration of the harvest.

The Peanuts represent seeds, the potential of the bounteous harvest for the next season if they are planted and well tended.

A Vine Through Time

2011-10-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

The kindergarten class started a unit study on pumpkins. Their first activitiy was to make a pumpkin book showing the different stages from seed to fruit.

September Chapel

2011-09-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

Pastor Dani Jo Ninke spoke at our September Chapel on Friday. Her talk was entitled, "Bearing Good Fruit" ~ Galatians 5:22-23. Thank You Pastor Dani for speaking at our first chapel of the year.

Apple Snacks

2011-09-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

The kindergarten class enjoyed making applesauce and apple leathers with their classroom volunteer, Grandma Brandt. The students learned to use an apple peeler/corer while making applesauce and a sieve with the apple leathers (homemade fruit roll-up). Check out the picture of the really, really, really long peel! It's still attached to the apple!

SD Highway Patrol at MVCA

2011-09-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

Trooper Joel Peterson stopped by MVCA today to talk with the K-2nd graders about his job as a highway patrolman. Seat belt use was an important topic along with the "gadgets" found on his belt. Students also got the chance to look at his patrol car and try out the siren. Thank you Trooper Peterson for your visit!!

Learning About Firefighters

2011-09-08T15:23:00.000-07:00

The K-2 students got a special visitor yesterday from Firefighter Terry Nickels from the Yankton Volunteer Fire Department. He talked to the kids about fire safety and to always remember that firefighters are here to help people. Thanks Terry for visiting MVCA!

A Child's Heart

2011-08-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

A kindergartener's closing prayer today, "God, thank for today... you know, it's my first day of kindergarten!"

First Day of School Photos

2011-08-24T07:14:00.001-07:00

And we are off and running on another school year at MVCA!

A Few Last Day Photos

2011-05-17T17:56:00.001-07:00

Geocaching

2011-05-14T15:55:00.001-07:00

The K-1 class is learning to use multi-million dollar satellites to find plastic toys and candy.... also known as GEOCACHING!

Fun with Our Chicks

2011-05-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

2011-05-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

2011-05-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

The Chicks Are Hatching!

2011-05-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a little chicken,

ready to hatch.

Pecking at my shell,

scratch, scratch, scratch!

Ahhh.... Spring!

2011-05-02T18:57:00.001-07:00

Helicopter Rides

2011-05-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what you can find within a 100 yards of the school! Some students were able to interupt their studies to take a closer look at the helicopter that is offering rides to the community.

Grading Eggs

2011-04-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

There were more than students getting graded today in the K-1 classroom! That's right... we learned to grade EGGS! Eggs are graded in two different ways: size and freshness. Eggs can range in size from small to jumbo and the weight of the egg determines its size. Freshness is graded by the air cell inside the shell. One picture here is showing the difference in air cell sizes. Can you tell which egg is the freshest by finding the smallest air cell? If you guessed the far right... you're correct! That is a Grade AA. The top shell is Grade A and the bottom shell is the oldest with a Grade B.

What Grade Do You Want?

2011-04-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

Look at this picture closely. The egg on the left is a Grade AA (freshest) and the one in the middle is Grade A. The egg on the far right is a Grade B (oldest) and won't be seen in stores. The freshness of an egg can be determined by looking at the albumen or egg white around the yolk. The fresher the egg, the more solid the egg white will be. If you could see a cross-section, you would see that the yolk and whites are piled higher too. Grandma Brandt taught us today that you can grade eggs without breaking them open by checking the size of the air cell inside the shell during the candling process. Older eggs have a larger air cell.

Isn't this exciting??? We love hands-on learning!

Candling Eggs

2011-04-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

After incubating eggs for 1 week, it was time to check for chicks. This process is called "candling" and involves holding each egg up to a beam of light. If a chick is developing inside, a shadow will appear where the chick is sitting. Any eggs that don't have chicks developing must be taken out of the incubator to keep the developing eggs/chicks healthy. Here are some students checking our eggs.

Chick Development: 1 Week

2011-04-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here is what a chick looks like at 1 week of development. This cracked egg gave the K-1 students an interesting and real look at what we've only been able to see in books. There was a combination of "this is gross" and "ahh COOL" comments from the students. Either way, it was a GREAT lesson about life and the God who creates it!

K-1 Class Incubating Chicken Eggs

2011-04-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

Today we wiped off fresh farm eggs, checked them for cracks, and placed them into an incubator in hopes of having some cute little chicks running around in 3 weeks. Our classroom Grandma taught us about keeping the temperature and humidity level at just where it needs to be for the eggs to hatch. We also learned that eggs have a protective covering on them to help keep "germs" out of it. Incubating eggs need to be turned, but thankfully our incubator is automated! Whew! How does God make sure each hen knows all of these details?

Race for Christ Fun Run (students pictures)

2011-04-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Race for Christ

2011-04-09T14:10:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of the students racing in the Fun Run which took place right after the Race for Christ, our major springtime fundraiser.

Bike Helmets for the Second Graders

2011-04-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

MVCA second grade students received their bike helmets on Tuesday. We say, "Thanks!" to the Yankton Medical Clinic for the helmets.

MVCA Students Share Their Voices

2011-04-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

The K-5th grade students shared their voices this morning with pastors from around the area who were gathered for a special monthly conference. Students did an excellent job!! We love to hear them sing!!

P.E. Tumbling Unit

2011-03-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

A student shows off her handstand!

Pictures from the K-1st Play

2011-03-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Narrator

The Musicians

The Inn Keeper

The Robbers

March Chapel - A Visit to the Holy Land

2011-03-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Buxcel shared photos of her recent trip to the Holy Land as part of our March Chapel. The students were able to see pictures of places written about in the Bible. Students really enjoyed the picture of Mrs. Buxcel all "dirtied up" with mud from the Dead Sea. Thank you Mrs. Buxcel for sharing your trip with us!

Remaining Art Work by K-1st Graders

2011-03-16T08:22:00.001-07:00

MVCA Artist

2011-03-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

A picture created by a kindergartener using Crayola Art Studio.

(Click on the picture to see a larger image.)

An MVCA Artist

2011-03-15T07:38:00.002-07:00

A picture created by a kindergartener using Crayola Art Studio.

(Click on the picture to see a larger image.)

MVCA Artist

2011-03-15T07:38:00.001-07:00

A picture created by a first grader using Crayola Art Studio.

(Click on the picture to see a larger image.)

MVCA Artist

2011-03-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

A picture created by a kindergartener using Crayola Art Studio.

(Click on the picture to see a larger image.)

2011-03-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

A Few Pictures

2011-03-10T16:47:00.000-08:00

Food & Fellowship = Fun!

2011-03-06T17:22:00.001-08:00

On Thursday the fifth graders passed up the scheduled chicken leg for a delicious lasagna meal prepared by Mrs. Lippert. The meal also included a lettuce salad, garlic bread and an oreo dessert. Even the student with a dampened liking for lasagna cleaned up her plate...hmmm, I think Mrs. Lippert needs to share her recipe!!

February Chapel

2011-02-24T15:24:00.001-08:00

Susie Tschetter, a good friend of Miss Moline, was our speaker this morning for chapel. She came with her "shower curtain" which is a world map and she indicated all the countries where she has shared her love for Christ with the people. She also brought many pictures for the students to look at as well. Her next mission trip is a few weeks away to India and Cambodia.

Shine Those Pearly Whites

2011-02-13T12:17:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Hubbs visited MVCA on Thursday to teach proper oral hygiene techniques to the students and staff. All got the chance to practice their new skills and each received a new toothbrush. Thank You Bonnie for sharing your expertise with us!

Winter Night Out Photos

2011-02-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

**Sorry Graham & Austin. Your image was out of focus.

**Garrett?? I missed you! Were you hiding from the camera??

Heating Up the Lanes at Yankton Bowl

2011-02-13T11:54:00.000-08:00

While the temperatures outside hovered in the sub-zero range the students of MVCA heated up the lanes at Yankton Bowl with some fine bowling. The students just completed a unit on bowling for their p.e. class. All had tons of fun!

January Chapel

2011-01-27T09:37:00.000-08:00

We had January chapel this morning with a full house of students, parents, and grandparents. The Rev. Ron Johnson from United Methodist Church here in Yankton was our speaker. He talked about the big things even little ones can do to show God's love to others.

Cowboy Fun

2011-01-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

The kindergarten class is reading a book this week about a cowboy and his horse. The students came up with the idea of dressing up like cowboys/girls for a day and soon the first graders were in on it too! What a fun day! Yeehaw!

Snow Pile Fun

2011-01-17T11:22:00.001-08:00

One of the simple joys of winter here at MVCA is the snowpile that if formed from the removal of the white stuff from the parking lot. Unlike last year this pile seems to be keeping on the "soft" side and not immediately turning into a "rock" and forming a play hazard. The students have had a tremendous amount of fun sliding, tumbling, and rolling down MVCA's winter hill.

K-1st Computer Class

2011-01-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

Crayola Art Studio was the center of attention for the K-1st graders during computer class. This software will be used to create illustrations for their writings in the classroom with Mrs. Frederick.

Measuring the Ark of the Covenant

2011-01-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

The second and third graders were busy with rulers and yarn measuring the dimensions of the Ark of the Covenant. What a math lesson because they first had to convert cubits to feet! Whew...what a lesson to come back to after an unexpected 3 day weekend!!

A Peek at Our 1st Day Back from Break

2011-01-03T18:03:00.000-08:00

Sharing The Christmas Spirit

2010-12-20T12:43:00.001-08:00

The students of MVCA once again shared their musical songs this morning. They traveled to the Care Center here in Yankton and sang to a room full of the residents.

Caroling at The Center

2010-12-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

The MVCA students brought Christmas cheer to The Center in Yankton yesterday. The kids shared the songs from their Christmas musical, "Shepherds, Sheep, and a Savior."

Reading Buddies

2010-12-15T08:09:00.000-08:00

The 2nd and 3rd graders shared their love of reading this week with the students of Headstart here in Yankton. Each MVCA student was paired up with either 1, 2, or 3 preschool age children and read a variety of books to them. Although, the MVCA kids found out that 4 & 5 year olds do have short attention spans and do get the wiggles. It taught our students great patience and kindness. And ~ now they know how Miss Moline feels when they get the wiggles in class.

2010-12-14T19:51:00.000-08:00

It took about 4,025 cranks and 35 minutes to make this butter snack, but it was worth it! These students learned to churn butter which was then spread on freshly baked bread. Mmm! What a special treat!

2010-12-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

The kindergarten and 1st graders made Christmas ornaments with a classroom volunteer on Monday. Many of the students even took extra supplies home to make another ornament with their families.

First Snowman of the 2010-11 School Year

2010-12-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

And, as you can see, it took most of the snow on the playground to make it! The kids are anxious for more snow!! Visions of snowpiles and snowdrifts are dancing in their heads ~ memories from last winter.

2010 Christmas Program & Musical

2010-12-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

Getting Ready for the Christmas Musical

2010-12-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

One more day until the MVCA production of "Shepherds, Sheep, and a Savior". Please join us tomorrow night (Friday, December 3rd) at 7pm for a delightful evening focused on the real center of Christmas, the birth of our Savior. Students will be sharing scripture, Christmas poems, the musical, and other musical talents. A time of fellowship with refreshments will follow the program. We are located at 305 W. 25th St. (behind Days Inn on Broadway).

A Small World

2010-11-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Last week the K-3rd grade students were able to see and talk with Miss Sheila Brandt who is currently in the Czech Republic working in a missionary school. She was MVCA's 2nd/3rd grade teacher last year. The internet software Skype was used to actually see her classroom and ask her questions about her day. She was just ending her school day at 3:40pm while we were just beginning at 8:40am. The Lord has surely blessed us with technology allowing us to stay close to a much loved and dearly missed friend.

3rd Grade Dictionaries

2010-11-18T08:06:00.000-08:00

The women of the American Legion Auxiliary were at MVCA on Tuesday, November 9th to present the 3rd graders with their dictionaries. These dictionaries are awesome because they are not just a reference for spelling and definitions, but also for amazing facts about presidents, states, and the the longest word in the world! Hmmm...will this word be on the spelling test for next week?

Field Trip Photos 2 ~ Sertoma Butterfly House

2010-11-11T17:54:00.001-08:00

Field Trip Photos ~ Sertoma Butterfly House

2010-11-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum Cont.

2010-11-05T08:20:00.001-07:00

Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum Cont.

2010-11-05T08:18:00.001-07:00

Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum

2010-11-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

An Apple-icious Afternoon!!

2010-11-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

The 2nd/3rd grade class sampled a variety of apples Tuesday afternoon to determine their favorite and their least favorite. Here are the results:

Favorite: Granny Smith

Why? "It was very sour." "It gives you a WOW!" "It gives you a WOW flavor." "It was sour and good."

Runner-Up: Jonagold

Why? "They were crispy and sweet."

Least Favorite: Golden Delicious

Why? "It was sweet, but the inside was very FUZZY and too soft."

Little Red Hen Lesson

2010-10-29T20:56:00.001-07:00

Each Wednesday the K-1 class looks forward to a visit from our "classroom grandma" as she shares her love for God and children. During one visit we read Little Red Hen and took a closer look at wheat, corn, soybeans, and buckwheat. The biggest surprise was when a REAL "little red hen" made an appearance!

Puppets and an Echo Mic

2010-10-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

Our class has come to love "Elephant and Piggy" books written by Mo Willems. The students in this picture are using a new piggy puppet to retell one of the stories. Oh... and the echo microphone just makes it even more fun!

Dodgeball with Mrs. Frederick & Miss Moline

2010-10-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

The K-3 teachers jumped in and played a rowdy game of dodgeball with the students today. I don't know if their talents helped their teams to a win?!?

Gifts for Our Pastors

2010-10-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

The students were busy on Thursday making a gift for their pastors and other church workers. October is "Pastor Appreciation Month" and we wanted to make sure we recognize these important shepherds of our families. The gift was a blessing mix containing bugles, candy corn, pretzels, raisins, and peanuts. Thank you parents for providing the ingredients!!

October's Chapel

2010-10-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Pastor Mantz from First Assembly of God (www.yanktonassembly.com) was our guest speaker for October's chapel on Wednesday (20th). The title of his talk was "When You Need a Four Wheel Drive to Get Through Life". God IS our four wheel drive to help us when we find ourselves "stuck" in life's temptations. Thank you Pastor Mantz for your visit to MVCA. Please come again, soon!!

The Life of Abraham ~ told with 2nd/3rd dioramas

2010-10-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

What Great Weather for Frisbee Golf!

2010-10-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

This week the students of MVCA headed to Memorial Park for a couple rounds of frisbee golf on Tuesday and Thursday. It was a bit windy both days which created havoc with our frisbees. They just didn't go in the intended direction. Kids had tons of fun though. What gorgeous weather we are experiencing ~ a wonderful blessing! Thank you to our parents who volunteered to drive and chaperone!

Firefighter Visits MVCA Today

2010-10-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

Mr. Dean Gustad from the Volin volunteer fire department visited MVCA this morning to talk with the students about fire safety. One of our students was the "model" for the morning trying on the 70-80 lbs. of gear worn during a fire. Other students got the chance to see how the helmet fit their heads. Hmmm...maybe a future fire"wo"man!

Thank you Mr. Gustad for visiting MVCA and spending time with our students and staff.

Story of Abraham by 2nd & 3rd Grades

2010-10-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Play

2010-09-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Two HUGE pumpkins showed up on the playground this week. The students are having fun climbing on them while parents joke about how many pumpkin pies can be made with one of them. I look at these and think our God is so creative and amazing!

5th Grade Reading Buddies

2010-09-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

See You At The Pole Pictures

2010-09-27T08:56:00.001-07:00

September Chapel

2010-09-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

September's chapel speaker was Pastor George Shaver and his wife, Jean, talking about their mission trip to Africa. They are showing a special drum made of stretched animal hide which was very soft to the touch. Thank you Pastor Shaver for your visit to MVCA!

Is the Sacrifice Worth It ?

2010-09-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

Before MVCA became a reality, a wise Christian school advocate told us that each month when parents write out their tuition check, they will be asking themselves if it is worth it. There are several ways we can try to "make it worth it" for parents, but in the end many of our ideas would just be earthly human attempts at trying to be the best. Too many people are sacrificing too much for our focus to be less than Christ himself. (Colossians 3:23) I want to encourage you today that the sacrifice is worth it. A parent shared this story.....

We just finished praying for our supper and my child said, "I hope I can go to the Chrisitan school FOREVER! I just love talking about Him!"

Colorful Science Class

2010-09-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

5th graders were using red cabbage to indicate acids in science class today. They added vinegar and their "hot" air with a straw. It ended up being a colorful afternoon!

Learn, Lead, and SERVE

2010-09-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

Part of MVCA's mission is to develop students who will continue a lifetime of SERVICE. This year the fifth graders will partner up with buddies from a preschool here in Yankton as a service project. Every two weeks they will read a book and share an activity related to that book. Today was our first day of meeting and reading to our buddies.

PS...Sorry Garrett. I deleted your picture from my camera. Catch you next time.

Classroom - Missionary Connection

2010-09-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Frederick's class has adopted a missionary for this school year. Miss Sheila Brandt came to the classroom to meet the students and share a little bit about what she will be doing in Prague for the next 5 years. (teaching ministry) Our students were intrigued with the idea that when we pray for Miss Brandt in the morning, she will be ending her day and vice versa. We are hoping to arrange a Skype call with Miss Brandt's class once she gets settled into her school year.

A Time of Change

2010-09-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

The K-1 class has finally witnessed three stages of the mealworm's life cycle.