Archives

Welcome New and Returning Families

Jul19

It’s hard to believe the start to the new school year is just around the corner!  As such, I want to share some important housekeeping items.

Housekeeping Items

Please be sure to check the specific supplies for our classroom as each teacher requires something different.  You can find the list and guideline for preparation here.   If you choose to deliver supplies (highly recommended) prior to the first day of school, please be sure to put your child’s name and my name (Ms. Amity) on the bag so they make it to the correct classroom.

If you have a sixth grade student, your child will need an additional white 2-inch 3-ring binder for their Expert Project.  I will address this project in a separate post.

The school dress code can be found here .  Providing your child with appropriate options for school reduces the number of dress code reminders that we need to fill out allowing us to focus on education.  Please help Ms. Kari and I do our job effectively by ensuring your child adheres to the school dress code.

Subscribe to the school’s main blog here and read the most recent school newsletter here.

Purchase school spirit shirts at this link.  School spirit shirts can be worn in lieu of collared shirts and proceeds support science at MMA.

Pool Party

Join us for our annual pool party Tuesday, August 2 from 7-9pm at North Shore Aquatic Center across the street from the pool.  You will have an opportunity to purchase shirts, sign up to volunteer, reconnect with friends and chat with Ms. Kari and myself.

School Supplies 2016-17 School Year

Jul5

School supplies are starting to appear in stores so I am posting this year’s list so that you can get the best deals.  If your student is returning from last year, feel free to reuse any non-consumables that are still in good shape (pencil boxes, binders, scissors etc).  If items are falling apart or in poor shape, please replace items as you are able.

Students are required to do some preparation of their school supplies prior to the first day of school.  Please find a PDF of the school supplies and the preparation information here.

In addition to the general school supplies, 6th grade students will need a 2″ 3-ring binder and 2 packages of 3×5 note cards (can be any color – they may need more cards as the year progresses) for their expert project.

 

Wrapping It All Up

May6

I can hardly believe this year is coming to an end.  I blinked, and it was May.  With that being said, it’s not over yet; learning is happening everyday and students are expected to stick with it to the very end.

Please make note of the following dates:

May 9 – SAGE Math

May 12, 6:30 – Redwoods meeting for 5th grade parents and students

May 17 – SAGE Science (changed from May 16)

May 25, 10:30 – 6th grade bridging ceremony

May 24-26, 1:30-7:00 – PTC – Sign up for a time on the side bar (watch for a separate post about these final conferences)

For additional dates regarding end of year school-wide activities please read the newsletter.

With the changing weather, we are spending more time outside with lessons than we have in the past.  Please be sure your child has a water bottle, sunscreen, and even a hat to protect them from the sun.   We have been taking a daily run around the track as we transition from independent work to partner and small group work times.  The students love this activity and Ms. Kari and I benefit from the exercise as well.  We will continue this activity this year and into next year as well.  Next year we plan to join Ms. Shanan’s class for their Wednesday WOD (work out of the day), I can’t wait to include this element into our work cycle.

Our last two SAGE exams are upcoming.  Monday, May 9 we take our Math exam and Tuesday, May 17 we take our Science exam.  Please help your child be prepared by ensuring a good night rest, healthy breakfast and lunch as well as a healthy snack for test day.   Please be sure your child is on time to school on these days.  Arriving on time helps them relax and settle in prior to the assessment.

Finally, thank you for all the kindness during teacher appreciation week!  The flowers, cards, drinks and gifts are all greatly appreciated!

 

 

April 18 Update

Apr18

This morning your children were talking about there only being 6 weeks of school left.  I knew the school year was coming to an end, but I hadn’t completely wrapped my mind around it until this morning.  I am also a parent, and I know how fleeting these moments with our kids are.  One minute they are just learning how to talk, the next they are writing 5 paragraph essays for their SAGE exams.  Whew!  Time flies.

We ended our studies last week with an amazing art project that had a basis in math (photos forthcoming, I’m not the greatest at taking photos).   I want to thank Sharon Johnson for the countless hours she spent cutting thousands of 1×1 inch squares, enabling us to create this project that crossed math with art.  The artists we studied were, Ellsworth Kelly, Piet Mondrian, Victor Vasarely, Kenneth Noland, and Frank Stella.  Each of these 20th century artists utilize(d) math in their artwork.  Students created an abstract piece of art and then calculated the fraction, decimal and percent component of each color they used in their piece.  This has been my favorite project of the year.

This week we are cracking down on the following math concepts:

4th – Decimal Fractions

5th- Classifying 2D figures

6th- Percents (review), equations and equations (ongoing practice) and Statistics (just starting)

In addition to in class work, your children all have an essay due on Friday (Utah Compose) and IXL homework.  Each of them are given 20 minutes of computer time each day.  Any work not completed in this time is considered homework.

Lastly, the 6th grade students (and I) are headed to the Redwoods on Sunday, April 24.  Rachael Bush will be in our classroom with Ms. Kari during this week.