What a week! We had a long week of baseline testing (fun stuff!) and full day visits in class. In social studies we learned about ancient Sumer and how to write in cuneiform. (I thought that was pretty cool!) In math we reviewed dividing decimals by decimals and learned about multiplying and dividing by the powers of 10. (Don't forget to do you homework, pages 66-67 1-42 odd problems only for Monday.) Students also did a wonderful job in predicting our class novel's, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM, direction through skits, songs, and poems. I was so impressed, so was Mrs. Lukomski. 
   Next week will be even better! We have only four days of school (yes, we are out Friday!) and it's spirit week. Monday is hat day, Tuesday is super hero day, Wednesday is class color day. We are yellow, so wear it proud! Thursday is pajama day. Don't forget your rules when choosing what to wear. Those who violate the guidelines will have parents called for a change of clothing. Don't test the rules or we may not have another week like this. 
   In class we will finish up Chapter 3 and learn about Gilgamesh. We will explore Hammurabi's code and write a paper. Thursday will be a Chapter 3 quiz. In math we will learn to divide by powers of 10, explore some word problems, and finish up Thursday with a test as well. What else finishes on Thursday? The grading period!!!! 
   If you are missing any assignments they must be to me by Wednesday. If you have been absent you need to make sure that you make arrangements with me to make up any tests that you may have missed. If you missed any in class assignments you can not make those up, sorry. 
 
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! 
 
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!
 
 
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!