The end of September is upon us. Can you believe that? We enter October this week and excitement is in the air! We have a lot of things going on or about to happen at GCCAS and in the sixth grade! First, let's recap last week. - In math we finished up multiplying with decimal numbers. If you see that your student is struggling with this skill you may encourage them to use graph paper when doing their homework. I have most likely talked with them about this. You can purchase it at the store, print of just what you need off the internet, here's a great site: http://www.printfreegraphpaper.com/ , but please do not let them use graph paper composition books. These pages will not fit into their binders.
- In social studies we finished learning about early humans and the dawn of agriculture.
- In reading we read the first two chapters of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH together as classes. Students have been asked not to read ahead as we are working through the book in class.
Now for the week ahead: - In math we will move into dividing with decimals. (A lot of the same principals of multiplying with decimals apply, as well as basic rules of division.)
- In social studies we will learn more about farming and how civilizations used technologies to produce more. We will also have a Unit one review session and Unit test.
- In reading we will learn more about what is happening with Mrs. Frisbee and I have some fun activities planned.
In the school as a whole: - We have many visitors that will be here over the course of the week. They will be in our school observing and checking out what we are doing. I encourage all students to make sure that they are on their best behavior (I know you will be because we talked about this during the first week of school).
- Teachers will also be getting initial evaluations, so there will be visitors coming in and out of the classrooms. We should follow procedures for that as well. Students should also remember that adults working for the school are addressed Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss. and last name. Not by their first names. Even if you know that adult outside of school, inside school you must follow the expected rules.
After school next week: - The milk carton building club will meet on Wednesday, only if some building materials are brought in (ask your student if they are a member what those supplies are), in the Radio Road side of the building. This is so we can construct our plane with little interference and safety. This will be good for all parties. After the construction is complete we will move it (if possible) to the front of the main building. When time is almost over for the meeting, students will be walked back to the main building under adult supervision.
- The yearbook club is meeting on Thursdays after car line (4:00 I believe). Students interested in helping with the yearbook should stay with after school until the sponsor comes to get you.
The week after this: - The week of October 7th is Spirit Week. The schedule of events is on the calendar in the What's Going On tab of the website. Each day has a different theme. I do not have a full set of rules yet, so please be patient (reading vocab word!) as I will pass them along as soon as I have them. I do know that our class color is yellow. I saw plain t-shirts on sale at AC Moore crafts 3 for $10 and they had lots of yellow...
Hope you all enjoy your weekend and I will see you bright and early Monday morning! As always, feel free to contact me if I can be of service!
Hi everyone! We are at the halfway point of the week. Tomorrow, Thursday, 9/26, we will have a section 2 quiz in social studies. Remember we made the books to help us answer the review questions. If you are reading this, then you now know that the quiz will be open book and open note. Just like the last quiz, all of the answers will be found in the textbook or your notes.
We will also finish up section 1-1 tomorrow and have a CPS (student clickers) quiz on Friday. I believe that you all are 100% ready to move forward from multiplying decimals into dividing them.
Mid-terms went home today and I told the class I had this afternoon and will tell the other class when I see them tomorrow, each midterm shown to me with a signature will gain them extra credit in their class with the lowest grade. Extra credit is always nice!
Have a good night guys! Get some rest and I will see you tomorrow!
That's another week in the books everyone! Congratulations! This week in class we learned lots of things!
In Math we began to multiply with decimals and discussed the differences between adding/subtracting decimals and multiplying decimals. (How do we determine where the decimal goes in a multiplication product?) We will continue practicing with this next week.
In Social Studies we started talking about the Paleolithic Era and Mesolithic Era (what Stone Ages were these called?). We will finish up the Stone Ages with discussion concerning agriculture and further technological advancements.
We will have tests across both subjects next week, but don't worry. You will have plenty of notice. If you are keeping up with the homework in math you will be just fine. If you are reading with us and participating in the conversations in class you will be prepared.
We should also be able to start our novel, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM, next week. IF YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY OBTAINING THE BOOK PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP. We will read some in class, some at home, and be doing activities and writing based on the book. Students who own the books will be encouraged to be active readers and write in the margins and write in the books. This is perfectly fine (if you own the book), as students may write down a thought they had while reading which could be recalled while discussing the text in class.
There will be health screenings next week for sixth grade, as well as K,1, and 3, and information was sent home Friday.
Please have a great weekend. Relax and unwind and I'll see you refreshed on Monday!
Four weeks down! That's hard to believe, isn't it? I just wanted to pass a few things along.
1. We will keep the builders club on Wednesday's as it seemed to work well for all who are participating.
2. Extra credit math work is due Monday. We have a test over chapter 0. I am live on Edmodo; if you have questions ask them.
3. I would like for everyone to have a copy of the class novel by Friday. (Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIHM) They are available in lots of places.
4. Interim reports should come out on the 20th. CORRECTION! They should come home on the 25th. If you think you may not be doing well, please ask me. I can give you some kind of indication.
5. Friday the 20th is a half day.
Keep up the great work and let me know if I can be of assistance!
Dear parents and students,
You have decided the turn our reading class will take, and reading a novel together in class was the overwhelming winner. To that end, I have decided that our first book will be a classic and we will move forward from there. The first novel will be Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien. I believe this will be a great first book as it has something for everyone.
There are five copies of this book showing in the Collier County Public library system. There are numerous copies available on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Frisby-Rats-Aladdin-Fantasy/dp/0689710682) , and I know you can probably find it at some local book stores. I would like to start reading this novel as soon as possible, next Friday should allow time for shipping and checking out from the library. I may be able to get some copies from the Lee county library as well. Please get a paper copy (electronic is available) so your student can bring the book to school.
If you cannot find a copy to checkout or do not have the funds to buy a copy (some are as low as $0.01 + shipping) let me know and I will see about getting you a copy. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Hi everyone! I hope you have come over to the blog to vote on Reading class. However, this post is to let you all know that we will finally have a meeting about the building of a milk cartoon transportation model on Wednesday, 9/11, right after car line is finished (think 4) in my room (12) until 5. If you stay you MUST BE PICKED UP AT 5! Unless you are after school. We will talk about the specifics and come up with a game plan. Only those serious about the project should attend.
See you then!!!
What a whirlwind week last week at GCCAS for the sixth grade. We had a few baseline tests, and I believe there may be more in our future, that took up a lot of time. We also had a fun critical thinking assignment with Mr. Mr. Auer on Friday (that's our principal, Mr. Auer's father). We did some additional review in Math, read the second section of our World History text book online, and then on Friday, we received our new textbooks!
We spent some time Friday looking over the new books and thinking about what is in store. As we move through next week students will be working out of them directly, as well as utilizing some technology. A lot of people have asked me about the Edmodo code (which will be used primarily for Math homework help, but also some review problems) and if you will send me an email you can have the class registration code before the rest of the class gets it on Monday.
Also, I told you we had a staff meeting on Friday afternoon. Administration has realized that sixth grade often loses their outside PE time due to the rain and to help curb that they have adjusted the days specials schedule. Mrs. Lukomski is working on a new daily schedule to reflect these changes and should have it ready for us all on Monday. Our lunch time has not changed, neither did most of our morning, but the afternoons did.
I was also informed that there will be no set reading curriculum for us this year. This is good and bad. Bad that we have to make up our own course, good in that we get to make up our own course! At the bottom of this list is a poll. Please think about the options before you vote. I believe that we can do one of a few things. 1) We can choose a new novel every grading period. Read it at home or during some classes, discuss the book as well as do activities. 2) Use that class time to work on writing and the mechanics of writing. Not just nouns and verbs, but we can read short passages and then imitate them, have writing workshops, and create original works. These works can be your contributions to the class magazine!!! or 3) Continue using the reading passages like we used last week, answering questions, and learning about various subjects. I am very interested in all three options and would really like for you and your parents to help decide. If we choose option one we will need to either check out copies of the book from the local library, each student provide their own (I can help those who can't afford it), or find ways to pay for class sets.
That's about all for now. I am dutifully working on lesson plans for next week so that we have a great, productive full week of school. Let's go get it!
See you Monday!
As a STEM school we want as much technology inside the classroom as we can get, and when that helps boost a lesson in Math, it's even better. This past week, through donations of batteries from you wonderful parents, we were able to use our clicker system for the first time. By utilizing assessments with this system, I can get instant feedback on what areas we need to focus on, and with which students. The data collected helps to differentiate the class, allowing students to get the most out of instruction time.
We also had a visit from Principal Auer. He came in to tell the sixth graders how great they have been as school leaders and role models for the younger classes. That makes us all proud!
Also, in Math we watched a video about how math and algorithms have changed the face of origami, then we folded some "fortune tellers" that we used as question generators to ask one another questions about the printing press. Things are always happening in sixth grade!
Last week we started to understand why people, archaeologists in particular, study the past and how difficult that job might be at times. Students were divided into groups where they had to perform a number of tasks. They wrote a letter to the future (what would be important to share with people in 3013?), read about the profession of archaeology, dug up bones and reassembled them like real archaeologists, and looked through layers of the ground to see what might be buried and how they came to be so. Students also got to interact with the OneBoard and reassemble dinosaur fossils.
One of the things I heard the most was how difficult some of the tasks that seemed to be easy really were. That was an eye opener. Students also learned some practical applications for the vocabulary we learned about archaeology that will follow us throughout our world history studies this year.
On our half day, Friday, our class was invited into Mrs. Fangmeier's first grade classroom to read to her students. Everyone seemed to have a great time together! We will do this every so often so that each group of sixth graders get's to take part. Just another great way that sixth grade get's to be leaders of the school.
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