Native American Research 6th Level

Nov3

Level Six students have begun their Native American research project.  This project will mostly be done at school, with some at home work required for the finishing touches.  Because we are really beginning the time where we will be conducting quite a bit of research, it is important that your child has, and brings with them a flash drive of some type to save their work on.  We cannot save student projects on our local computers.  Having a drive makes it easy for them to work on projects at home and at school.

Today we started another unit in American History and this research project falls nicely in line with the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday and our original colony studies.

You can see the project requirements and the accompanying rubric at this file titled Native American Research Project and Rubric  .

Utah Compose and Business for the Coming Week

Nov2

Beginning tomorrow, all students will have access to the Utah Compose writing tool.  This is an internet based writing program designed to help students improve their writing skills.  This website replaces Utah Write, a site that level 5 students have used in the past to help prepare them for the DWA (direct writing assessment).

Each week your student will receive a writing lesson during class and a writing assignment that will need to be completed at home.  They will have some time to utilize the computers in class, but because of the limited resources in the classroom and time during the day, students will need to do a portion of the work at home.

All students will be logging in and resetting passwords tomorrow in order to be able to utilize this great resource at home.  At that time, we will be learning how to navigate the site and begin the first writing assignment.  The more time they are able to spend with this resource, the better they will do on the assessment and the better their writing will become.

Feel free to email me with any questions you may have.  As always, if you do not have access to the internet, we will make arrangements for your student to have time during class.

In other news, our school has decided to participate in the interim testing for SAGE.   Our class will test Tuesday, November 11 and Tuesday November 18.  This will enable the children to experience a form of the test, before they have to take the test in the spring.   In addition to the testing, students will be doing practice assignments in class utilizing the SAGE portal.  This practice will help them become familiar with the site and the types of questions they will encounter on the SAGE Summative.

This week we will also be discussing the expectations for the next book report (due November 21).  This month the students will be doing a scrapbook page book report.  All information for this report and the expectations (with a rubric) will come home this week and will be available on the blog.  I was so excited with the creativity and thoughtfulness the students put into October’s report!   We had sandwiches and wardrobes, posters and puppet shows.  Your children are so clever!

With the weather cooling off, please be sure your children are dressed appropriately. Unless there is lightening or extreme freezing temperatures, all students go outside for recess everyday.  Students who do not have appropriate clothing, will not be allowed to stay inside.  Make it routine for your children to check the weather.  4th level students are studying weather in science so this would be a great practical extension on their weekly science lessons.

~Cheers

 

Daylight Savings

Nov1

Good Afternoon!

Don’t forget daylight savings tonight.  Turn your clocks back one hour.

~Cheers

 

 

This entry was posted on November 1, 2014, in General.

Science and IXL update

Oct29

IXL:

I have not assigned any new IXL homework this week.  With the activities for Red-Ribbon Week (assemblies, essays and door decorating contests), along with our field trip and book reports (DUE TOMORROW), I felt it would be prudent to bypass any additional homework.   Regularly scheduled assignments will continue next week.

Science Updates:

Level 4: Mr John’s science students began a new weather unit.  Students  made some weather vanes and anemometers.  They will also make barometers and move onto recording and forecasting.

Level 5: We have just started our heredity unit.  In this unit we will study traits (inherited and acquired) as well as adaptations.  We have already had a fantastic conversation about they types of traits that are inherited as opposed to those that are acquired.  Please continue this conversation at home when the opportunity arises.

Level 6: Ms. Kirsten’s science students started their new unit of study on Tuesday.  They are now learning about heat, light and sound.   Stay tuned for more information about their unit of study.

As a reminder, there are no costumes allowed at school on Friday.   Have a safe and Happy Halloween.

Class Business Week of October 27

Oct27

I want to apologize in advance for the amount of information I’m about to deliver in this blog post.

Firstly, our class will be joining Ms. Holly’s lower elementary class on a field trip to the Ben Lomond Cemetery this Thursday, October 30.  This walking field trip will allow students to explore our local history by participating in grave rubbings as well as an historical scavenger hunt.  We took this field trip last year and the children really enjoyed it.  If you are interested in joining us on this field trip, even though it is short notice, please let me know by Wednesday,October 29.  We will be leaving the school at 9:00 am,  and returning by lunch at 12:00.  This is a great trip for parents who can’t take an entire day off work (been there, done that).  Because the field trip will take place in the morning on Thursday, we will be holding reading groups on Friday.   If you are a Thursday reading group volunteer, we will plan on seeing you again on Thursday, November 6.

Our October book reports are due this Thursday.  As previously stated, these book reports are student choice.  From the genre to the presentation method, these reports are in the hands of your children.  They can turn in a simple written report, they can do a power point, they can create a display board or even a diorama.   If your student is planning on doing a power point presentation, they will need to turn in a print copy of their power point on Thursday October 30.  We will do the actual presentations on Wednesday, November 5.

This week is Red Ribbon Week.  We have several different activities happening this week.  Our class is participating in a door decorating contest in which the winning class will receive a pizza party.  Our class has a great concept that we will be working on tomorrow.  Tomorrow we also have an assembly featuring Dorian Willes.  Dorian is a recovering drug addict from Idaho who has dedicated his life to educating others about the dangers of addiction.   Please take time this week to speak to your children about making healthy choices.  We have spoken a bit about what it means to be healthy and why it is important to be drug free.  The theme for Red Ribbon week is “Love Yourself.  Be Drug Free”.

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Thank you to those who are helping their children with homework!   Whether it is science fair, book reports or weekly IXL assignments, your support is vitally important to your child’s success.   I like to think of your child’s education as a team effort.  I am with your children for such a small percentage of time during the day that I count on your support when it comes to your child’s academic, social and emotional progress.  If you ever have a concern about your child’s development, whether academic, social or emotional, I am happy to schedule a time to meet with you.   If you are curious about how our classroom runs, you are welcome to schedule a time to come and observe in our classroom.   We welcome observations in 30 minute blocks.  Please contact the front office to schedule observation times.

Lastly, we have a 6th grade student and parent meeting on Thursday, October 30 at 4:30 pm.   Upper elementary teachers will be discussing the 6th grade student council, committees, expectations and fundraisers.  We will also be discussing the 6th grade Alliance Redwoods field trip.  We are so proud of the 6th grade students and who they are becoming.  We want you to be well informed about what is going on this year.  Please plan on attending, we hope to see you there.