December 12, 2011

From Building1

Each week, I try to focus on a social skill. This week it is “advocating for yourself.” Regardless of your need, it is more likely to be met if you make your request immediately and if you are up front about what you want. Waiting only causes anxiety, and being coy or timid, means you are depending on someone else to figure out what you need. Today we are looking at our digital footprints. Students need constant reminders that everything they put out in digital form can show up on the web. Judging from the recess chatter, students seemed suitably uncomfortable with the chats and email I was able to uncover with a simple search. Students are very busy with their Social Studies project. The assignment and the rubric have been posted on the class blog. In math, 6th graders continue to work on 2-D geometry. You can see some of their work on the class blog. Our class has been selected to sponsor the next breakfast, January 7th. The proceeds will go to the Brooksville Fire Department. The firefighting families are donating many items however I still need the following items: 4 types of baked goods • 2 large fruit salads •20 dozen eggs Please contact me at school, via email or on the super-duper, auto-updating spreadsheet. You can find that on the blog.

December 5, 2011

From 12-2-11

Thanks to all of you who helped make the Holiday Fair a success! There were some big changes this year. The whole event was in the gym and there was a silent, as opposed to live, auction. What did you think? Want to go back to the old format?
    Today we send out report cards and I hope you and your child have a chance to talk about strategies for growth over the next trimester.
    This week, I have set aside Tuesday - Friday for parent conferences. I am free from 3:30 until 5:30. Please call Mrs Andrews to set up an appointment. On the back of this paper, I have included some questions you might want answered.
    On January 7th, the 5th and 6th grade is sponsoring the BES breakfast. Proceeds will go to the BES fire department. Next week I will send out a list of food along with a schedule.
    The 6th grade math students are working on geometry proofs. We will start uploading them to the blog this week. You can see a sample up there now.
    In science, we will continue to learn about molecules and matter; this week’s spelling is a multi-unit review; and in ELA, we are finishing up our writing projects.
    Don’t forget to call Mrs. Andrews to set up a conference.

November 28, 2011

From What?

Today is the first day of trimester 2. Some subjects like math and spelling seem easy to tidy up in a trimester time frame, but other subjects like writing and reading seem to be difficult to fit into specific time slots. Right now students have two writing pieces going. The first is a Compare/Contrast paper and the second is a write-up of their dissolving experiment. We are working on reading comprehension strategies. Students work in pairs to discuss reading strategies and monitor each others reading. The sixth graders are using an application called Geogebra to study two-dimensional measurement. For more see, geogebra.com We ended the week with a challenge I call “ The Alligator Pit”. The object is for to students work together to use the the materials they are given to go from milk-crate to milk-crate. They were not successful and will have another opportunity in a few months. To see more pictures of this, go to http://besjohns.blogspot.com and click on the “Our School Day” link. On Thursday, 12/1, students are going to the Grand to see C. S. Lewis’s, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Students will be leaving the school at about 10:30 and returning in time for the bus. All students will need a bag lunch. Also on Thursday, there is a Grand Canyon meeting at 6PM. Check the blog for an agenda.

November 14, 2011

From 11-8-11

We are quickly getting to the Thanksgiving break and the end of the 1st trimester. This week promises to be busy; after school there is a soccer celebration on Monday, a basketball meeting on Tuesday and the first basketball practices on Wednesday.

The 6th graders completed their second unit test and after some hands-on work with data, we will move into our third unit, Covering and Surrounding. During this unit, students will study two-dimensional geometry.

In science, students continue to construct their first experiment and in Social Studies, students are studying the mid-western states. Today, we take the final test on our shared reading book, Hoot. Our next focus in ELA will be writing to compare and contrast. This Friday, we will end the day with a challenge called The Alligator Pit.

Many students seem to have colds and runny noses. We are combating that at school by making sure students wash their hands frequently and clean their desks every afternoon. Hopefully this cold season won’t be too bad.

November 7, 2011

From Harvest Party Last week’s Harvest Party was a great success! Thanks to all parents who made it happen.    This week, students continue to develop their own experiment. Each student is developing a scientific question about how liquids dissolve solids. In Social Studies, students are learning about the geography of US regions and once they have learned some fundamental vocabulary, they will be ready to start their “Travelogue Across the US”.      I anticipate we will be finishing our shared reading book, Hoot, and when we return from the long weekend, students will begin their next writing project. Percentages are the next mathematics topic although we will take some time to retest on a few topics.     Last week’s transition in the greenhouse was amazing. All of the tomatoes have been harvested and the plants removed. We set up the lower chambers and ran all the heat tape. Students from 1st grade to 6th grade have planted seedlings, some generously donated by Tony Ferrara and some home grown. There has been so much growth that this week, we will be harvesting some lettuce and chard! These greenhouses are very productive.

October 31, 2011

From 10-27-11

Last week, students began exploring the properties of water molecules. Students observed how water dissolves grains of sugar and learned first hand how energetic H20 molecules can break apart a solid. 6th grade math students are investigating decimal equivalence and on Monday, students will work on their first collaborative project via Google Apps.

Next week, we will begin a Social Studies unit on US states and geography. When we finish the details of the project, I will post it on the class blog.

 At the end of the day on Friday, we said goodbye to Ashlie Grant. Ashlie really appreciated the cards, gifts and refreshments and I have no doubt that we will continue to stay in touch with her.

  On Monday afternoon we have a Harvest Party. There are many interesting activities for students, all around a fall and harvest theme. You can find more details of the afternoon in last week’s newsletter.

This Thursday, November 3rd, there is a Grand Canyon meeting. We are trying to determine how many adults are interested in attending and there are several big changes to discuss. Please try to attend. Thursday, 6PM in the 5/6 room. If you are not able to attend, you can read the minutes on the blog: bes-trip.blogspot.com

October 24, 2011

From Melting Ice 10/18/2011 Last week we had a very nice hike in Acadia. You can find pictures of the hike on the “Our School Day” blog. This Sunday there is a hike to Great Pond. We will meet at the Fish Hatchery at 9:00AM. Need a ride? Give me a call! In science we are continuing to investigate water and this week we will begin some of our first science experiments. The 6thgraders are beginning to study decimals and they will have a quiz at the end of the week. You can follow up on homework by checking the blog: http://besjohns.blogspot.com/ The cover crop we planted, clover, is beginning to sprout and the seedlings are doing well. This week we hope to begin making signs for next springs garden. Can you bake for a Grand Canyon fundraiser? We are having a bake sale on November 8th. Tonyia Peasely is collecting baked items. This Friday is Ashlie Grant's last day. We are having a party for her at the end of the day. Nicole and I are taking care of refreshments.

October 17, 2011

We have reached the mid-trimester. Reports are in the yellow envelopes. If you have questions or concerns, please give me or the teacher involved a call.

This week our big projects are planting our winter crops and making salsa. Last week we cleaned all of the garden beds and some of the greenhouse beds. Now we are planting winter crops such as chard and kale, putting garlic cloves in for spring and sowing clover on the dormant beds.

The 6^thgraders are studying the application of fractions. They had their first quiz today. In science, students are learning about matter and in spelling we are working in a review of the first 5 units.

Marshal is back and while he really liked Las Vegas, he gave the Grand Canyon two thumbs up. Speaking of which, there is a GrandCanyon meeting on October 20^that 6PM. It will be in the 5/6 grade room.

October 3, 2011

From Just For Fun

This is a short week and it will be dominated by our yearly NECAP testing. All students will take 3 sessions of reading tests followed by 3 sessions of math tests. The 5th graders have an additional writing test. The testing takes place in the mornings so getting to school on time will be especially important this week. There are several activities planned for the afternoon. On Monday, the 3rd - 6th graders will spend an hour gathering materials for our new compost pile and on Thursday, the school will spend the afternoon cleaning local beaches. Over the next week, we will begin wrapping up our unit science unit on seeds and germination and begin our next unit on matter and molecules. The 6th graders should be bringing home their math unit tests, please take a look at them. October 6th marks the middle of this term and reports will be sent home in the October 17th envelopes. Remember, no school this Friday and next Monday. Have a nice, long weekend!

September 26, 2011

From 9-20-11

It was very nice to meet so many of you at last week's conferences. The first parent-teacher meeting of the year sets the tone and example for what you want and expect.

Last week, we finished our first writing piece, worked on reading comprehension strategies, started a germination project, thinned our fall seedlings, and began writing letters to students in all 50 states.

This week, students begin writing a persuasive paper. On Friday , 9/30, the 6^thgraders have a math unit project due and they will have their first unit test. You can find rubrics on the class blog.

It is time to begin our fall harvest. We have picked an untold number of tomatoes and eggplant, now it is time to begin harvesting our root crops. On Monday and Tuesday we hope to gather all of our potatoes, carrots and beets. We will plant our garlic and sow red clover as a cover crop.

This Thursday, 9/29, there is a Grand Canyon meeting. We will meet at 6:00 in the 5^th and 6^th grade room. Please return your interest slips ASAP.

September 19, 2011

From 9-14-11

 

September 17^th marked the beginning of Constitution Week. Your child received a pocket-sized copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. We discussed the first 8 amendments in the Bill of Rights and talked about why that document continues to be so important to Americans. The School Day blog contains a video that students watched.

Speaking of the blog, you can get to it by going to the BES website, or by going directly to http://besjohns.blogspot.com. The blog contains parent letters, a homework calendar, pictures of daily activities, and learning goals.

This Monday, today, we begin our goal setting conferences. I can meet with you on Monday or Tuesday afternoon. If neither of those afternoons are convenient, get in touch and we will set up another time.

This Wednesday, at 5:30 there is a BBQ at the school. At 6:15 of that same evening, I would like to meet with parents that are interested in discussing the possibility of taking some students to the Grand Canyon.

September 12, 2011

From 9-10-11

This will be the first full week of school but already students have taken several tests. The entire class has spelling tests on Friday and 6th graders had their first math quiz today.

6th grade math students are reviewing factors, multiples, prime factorization and applications of these skills. One big change for the 6th graders is the emphasis on explaining math knowledge in complete sentences. 5th graders are studying arrays, multiplication facts, fact families and factor pairs.

Most students began their first writing project, writing to inform. They are writing step-by-step instructions for a process. The focus will be on writing complete sentences and developing topic sentences.

In science, students will be learning about plants, seeds and germination.

Next week, we have goal setting conferences. I am excited to have an opportunity to meet with you and learn about your hopes and dreams for your child. You may schedule an appointment by calling Mrs. Andrews.

Go to the "Our School Day" link to see more pictures.