January 30, 2012

From 2012-03-11

I was beginning to wonder if we would get through the winter without snow days. then we had two on back-to-back Fridays.
    This week, we will be finishing a missed spelling test, plans for the current unit in science, and of course re-arranging desks.
    In science, we are exploring the digestive system and its interconnection with the circulatory system. Today, students will take last weeks spelling test and then we will move onto the next Unit 19. The test for that unit will be on Friday 2/3. On Tuesday, the 6th graders are taking their math unit test for Bits and Pieces II. Their next book is Covering and Surrounding, a study of area and perimeter. This week I will post the learning goals, the project task and the rubric for the unit project.
    This is new to me, the Union 93 speech contest. This year’s theme is,”A Time When Volunteers Made a Difference”. I don’t have any dates for the speech but we will begin talking about this next week. You can help by talking to your child about volunteer efforts you have experienced or thought were significant.
    There is a benefit breakfast coming up on February 18th. We are raising money to help Sedgwick students. Be sure to mark your calendars.

January 23, 2012

From 1-11-12

    So far, 2012 has been a very busy year. First, thanks to parents and students who helped with the 5th and 6th grade breakfast. We raised over $500. When his child was reluctant to get up that Saturday morning, one parent reminded his daughter that the fire department would not hesitate to jump out of bed at any time of the day or night to help out.
    Today, progress reports come out. If your child is struggling in any area, do not forget that individualized help is available after school. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, students also have access to transportation home.
    Included in this week’s packet is some information on digital etiquette and safety. If you want more information, I recommend you check out CommonSenseMedia.org. This sight has advice on movies, video games and more.
    Our class spends a lot of time on vocabulary: learning new words, building words, and using words in writing. I have added this week’s vocab lessons, examples of expected work and a class work rubric to give you a better sense of  what students do.
    The 6th graders are working on fraction operations. This week, they review fraction addition and subtraction and begin to explore division with fractions. In science we are studying the five major organ systems. This week we will begin to look at the digestive system.