The Week of 2-4-13

We have two weeks to go before the mid winter break which is the week of 2-18-2013.  It is important that the students get off to a strong start in the first three weeks of the marking period leading up to the break, so I want to ensure that you will be informed if your child is scoring below a 'C'.  In addition to communicating with you using the usual progress reports each week, I will also be making phone calls and sending e-mails to you the parents as well.  This should help keep the students on top of their work, and in getting late work in on time.  We have a one week window from the time progress reports come out to get missing work done, and requests for missing work need to be in to me by the Friday of the week the progress report came out.  Any work turned in beyond the one week window will not be counted.  So far, after week one, many parents have requested work, and many students have turned in their late work to help keep their grades up.  Thanks for your efforts in this process, I think it will be a definite improvement upon the old system, and will yield more positive results.  I had to postpone the party celebrating the success of students who improved upon the fall scores for the district tests.  I had questions on the answer sheets that I am awaiting responses on before scanning the results for the writing and reading tests.  Therefore, I have scheduled the party to occur on February 15th, the last day before break.  We are still in need of classroom supplies, and many students are really in need of school supplies.  Many students are in desperate need of a dry erase marker, calculator, pencils, new notebooks, and crayons.  Please check with your child on what he/ she needs.  At the start of this year, I had 30 scissors, and now I'm down to less than 10, my glue sticks are completely used up, my boxes of crayons have been reduced from 32 to less than 20, my pencils are completely gone, and I only have a handful of dry erase markers.  Once my materials are used up, I will not buy more as the school does not provide additional funds for it, and I cannot afford it on top of supplies for science labs, social studies projects, and other instructional supplies.  Every day, many kids are requesting pencils, usually the same kids, and all I can offer them is what I find on the floor at the end of the previous day.  Our pencil sharpeners are also broken, so if you could purchase a pencil sharpener for your child, I would greatly appreciate it.  Thanks for attending to this as soon as you could.

Reading News
Book It sheets are due ASAP.  New Book It sheets will go out on Friday, February1st.  Missing reading logs are the number one reason why kids struggle to get good grades for this subject.  I put the reading logs on the class web site for people to print off if the kids misplace them.  I can replace them on a limited basis right away, otherwise it may take a day for me to print new ones off.  The logs usually come out on Friday or Monday, so please try to keep up on these.

Math News
On Thursday, we had just under half the class participate in the online tutoring covering chapter 5.  The test for chapter 5 will be on Monday.  I encourage your child to do the practice test at the end of the chapter to help him/ her study.  I also encourage all of the students to click on the link for the recording of the tutoring session which will be available on the class web site.  Watch over and review prior to Monday to ensure your child scores the targeted 80% or higher on the test.

Writing News
This week, we looked over sentence parts and distinguished between sentence fragments and complete sentences.  Next week, we will look over verb tense and past participles.  Our paper will be a nonfiction piece using the text structure 'Cause and Effect'.

Science News
Students are beginning their unit on Force, Energy, and Motion.  I am still awaiting on the contest information to be released for the K'NEX/ Cedar Point Thrill Ride Build off where kids have to design a roller coaster out K'NEX Toys.  Students will also begin in the next 2 weeks to build their balloon cars for the big race in March.

S. Studies News
We are about to wrap up our study on the Mesoamerican Native American empires.  Next week we will wrap the chapter with a test on Thursday, and a debate on Friday.  Some of the kids had to develop a case that these Native Americans were savages as the Spanish believed them to be.  Other kids will have to argue that these were highly civilized and sophisticated people.  We'll let you know how it turns out!  We are in need of helpers for our Fiesta Day coming up on the last Thursday of March.  IF you are willing to help, please let me know.

Hopefully the ground hog will give us good news this weekend!  Stay warm and have a great week!

WIZ IQ Tutoring Session Thursday, 1-31-13!

We have a test on chapter 5 in math coming up next week on Monday!  If your child has struggled over the lessons of chapter 5, he/ she should definitely log into tomorrow's online tutoring session at 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.  We will cover all of the topics, do sample problems, and answer any and all questions to get your child prepared for the big test.  Just go to the class web site at: http//up2dategrade6.blogspot.com, click on the link under the section on the right titled, "WIZ IQ" for Thursday's lesson.  WIZ IQ accounts are free and only require an e-mail for your child to sign for the lesson.  Take advantage of this opportunity and your child will get a homework pass!!

The Week of 1-27-13

Next week, the temperatures should be warm enough for outdoor recess, so please make sure your child has appropriate outdoor wear.  On February 1st, we have a busy day planned, we will be having our PBS party for those who stayed on green or got less than 3 yellow cards during January.  It will be a movie showing for about 30 minutes along with popcorn.  We will also be having our Honor Roll Open House in the afternoon.  Those parents whose children earned a spot on the Honor Roll should have received their invitations already this week.  On Monday, January 28th, report cards will be sent home with the students.  If you have any questions, please contact me via e-mail or phone.  Also on Monday, the first progress reports for the third quarter will be sent home as well.  Please do not confuse these scores with the ones on the report card.  Students will have until Monday, February 4th to get any missing or late work into me that is listed on the progress report.  After the 4th, it will not be counted.  This applies to late or missing work only; corrected work can be turned in at any time.  We have a lot of flu and cold germs going around the school.  Our class is in need of hand sanitizer if anyone would be willing to donate it.  We also need Kleenex and multi colored construction paper if anyone is willing to donate.  Have a great week, and stay warm!

Reading News
We finished our winter district test this week.  Next week, we will be learning the text structures of nonfiction texts.  The reading logs have been sent out for next week and are due on Friday, February 1st.  Also due on Friday are any Book-It forms.  The new forms for February will come out on Friday as well. 

Writing News
This week we looked at verbs and helping verbs for grammar, and we wrote a "How To" paper.  Next week, we will write a "Cause and Effect" paper and work on sentence fragments and compound sentences again.  We want students to use compound sentences more in their writing to make the writing piece flow better for the reader.

Math News
This week we were busy choosing stocks for our stock portfolios, but we did cover the Least Common Multiple.  Next week, we will order rational numbers, buy our stocks, and take the chapter 5 test (Thursday). 

Science News
On Monday, we will take the second test for the Earth Unit.  This conclude the Earth Unit and lead us into our Force and Motion one. 

S. Studies News
This week we covered the Aztec Native American Tribe of Mexico, and began our Native American weaving projects.  If your child has not yet brought a shoe box or shoe box top, please provide one for him/ her for this project.  Next week, we will work on studying the Incas, and take a test on Latin American geography and ancient peoples (Friday).

The Week of 1-21-13

On Monday, we will not have school in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Please make arrangements if needed for your child on this day.  The card marking has ended as of today, January 18th.  All late, missing, and corrected work needed to be into me by this day to count on the report cards.  Report cards will come out on January 28th.  We will be having an Honor Roll Open house for kids who were on the Honor Roll.  Their names will be on display in one of our showcases in the main hallway, and they will receive a certificate of appreciation for their hard work.  Parents are welcome to attend and join their students for refreshments.  More on this will come out soon.  The late work policy for the third card marking is that students have one week from the time late work is given to get it done and turned into me.  Students have two days from receiving the progress report to turn it back into me with a parent/ guardian's signature to receive late work.  Any late work turned in beyond this point will not be counted.  We want to instill in the students accountability and responsibility so that they will be successful at the next level.  I know this is a jump from the past two quarters, so please remind your child to show you the progress reports and to turn in work on time.  Next week, the weather is supposed to be extremely cold.  We will not have outdoor recess during the cold stretches where temps are below 30 degrees and wind chills even worse.  Still, please be sure your child is wearing appropriate outdoor wear to school as they walk to the building or wait at the bus stop.  Being the end of the first semester, I will be attaching a supply list your child will need for the rest of the year.  Most students have used up their notebooks, pencils, crayons, glue, and other items.  Please restock your child over the next week.  for the classroom, we need Kleenex, loose leaf paper, anti-bacteria wipes, hand sanitizer, pencils, and dry erase markers if you would like to donate any thing.

Reading News
This week the students were placed into their new reading groups and received a new group book.  I want to stress with parents the need to turn in reading logs on time.  Reading logs are available on the class web site to the right, in the event your child has lost it.  No reading logs will be accepted beyond a week late in the third quarter.  This was a major reason why many kids were failing reading, please make sure your child reads every night for 20 minutes.  I am also noticing many kids not coming to class with a book for reading.  If you could take your child to the library over the weekend to check out a book, that would be great.

Math News
Due to the writing test and the stock market game, we fell a little behind this week.  Next week, the students will be doing least common multiple, adding and subtracting fractions, and multiplying fractions and mixed numbers.  We are also starting the Stock Market Game.  Students will look up companies that sell stock and purchase the stock with a mock $100,000.  To be sure they diversify their stock portfolio, students will have to purchase stock from 2 Michigan Companies, 2 Alternative Energy Companies, 2 Technology/ Science Companies,  2 Commodities, and 4 companies of their choice.  The objective is to compete against other other 6th grade classrooms to see who can make the most money.

Writing News
We are starting to write nonfiction pieces which include biographies, argumentative/ opinion papers, and how to/ explanatory pieces.  We will also take a strong look at verbs, verb phrases, linking verbs, and helping verbs.

Science News
We will be wrapping up our units on the Earth Sciences, and soon will be moving into the study of Force and Motion.  For this new unit, we will be creating balloon cars and having competitions with them, studying Newton's Laws of Motion, and use these activities to help us develop a roller coaster for a contest out of K'NEX Toys.

S. Studies News
We are beginning our study of Latin America with a brief unit on the geography and the Native Americans of the region.  We need your child to bring in a shoe box for some of the activities we will be doing as we study these cultures.  The primary Native American empires of the region we will study are the Aztecs, the Incans, and the Mayans and Olmec.  After this unit, we will move onto to the study of Mexico.

Have a nice weekend, rest up, stay warm, and Go Wings!

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations Sarah B. for being one of the Spelling Bee finalists!  She will compete next week against the district finalists to see who moves on!  Way to go Sarah!

Important Announcements!!!!!

Due to me forgetting to pass out the spelling lists on Friday, the spelling test will be on Tuesday, January 22nd when the students return.  Reading logs are due by Tuesday, January 22nd as well.  Any late or missing work sent home  this week must be in by Friday, January 18th in order to be counted towards the second marking period report card.  There is half day of school this Friday, January 18th.  Students will be here for the morning session only.  There will be no WIZ IQ tutoring this Thursday, January 17th due to people needing to get missing work done and the writing test we are doing this week.  Please make a note of this. We will have our next tutoring sessions next Thursday, January 24th at 7:00 p.m.  Have a restful and relaxing long weekend, and Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

The Week of 1-14-2013

With the weather being what it is, unpredictable, and the flu season as one of the worst in a long time, I am asking parents to please make sure their kids have coats, hats, gloves, and if they want to play in the snow, boots or spare shoes.  I was amazed by the number of kids who came to school not dressed properly for outdoor recess.  We will not go outside on days where the weather is dangerously cold or extremely wet.  Please also help me to remind your children to stay off the ice.  We had a few accidents this week when kids did not follow this direction and slipped, only to hit their heads on the ground.  If kids cannot stay off the ice, or dressed appropriately, we'll have to resort to indoor recesses only, as I cannot divide up my class.  I apologize in advance for any errors on e-mails and other writings.  I broke my finger the Sunday before we came back and the splint makes it difficult to type and write with.  I want to also apologize for not getting extra credit work up for break.  After two busy days of programming leading right into Christmas, I completely forgot.  If your child read over the break, include it on the reading log that went out today for extra credit.  If your child did 28 kind things for extra credit, just send me a list of those items and I'll give your child the extra 50 points for a subject of his/ her choice.  We will have a half day on Friday, January 18th and no school on Monday, January 21st.  The half day will we morning sessions only for the kids.  Thanks to all who helped out for our Ellis Island and World Foods Programs.  We had a great turn out and the kids had a blast.  I'll post pictures of the event later this week.  The card marking ends next week with a little room the week after for me to get late work into the books.  Please request missing work by Monday, January 14th and try to have it in by the 18th of January to be sure it is counted.  For the third quarter, students will have only a week after progress reports come out to get work into me, so requests need to be made prior to the end of that week.  There is an updated January calendar now available on the web site.  Look on the right hand side and scroll down; there should be a link for it.

Science News
This week we learned about the different fossil types and how to determine the 'Relative Age' of rocks.  Next week we will do experiments on both concepts and also learn about soil composition and properties of erosion.  Look for a test to come out the week after.

S. Studies News
We are starting a new unit on Latin America, beginning with a chapter on the geography of the areas in Latin America, and a study of the Native American Tribes in Pre-Columbian America.  Students will study the Olmec and Mayan, Incan, and Aztec Tribes, as well as how they were eventually conquered by the Spanish.

Math News
This week we took our district test for math, and the target goal for each child was to improve upon their scores from the beginning of the year by 5 problems.  We also learned how to make ratios and fractions into percents, and percents into fractions.  Next week, we will jump into least common multiples and how to add and subtract fractions.  Look for a test on these items the week of MLK Day.

Reading News
New Book It forms will come out this week.  We are moving into our nonfiction reading lessons and small groups have been established.  For the nonfiction unit, we will be using our science and social studies textbooks.  Look for a district test in two weeks on reading.

Writing News
Our next tests in spelling and vocabulary will be next week.  The list should have come home on the 11th of January.  We are looking to soon be working on a nonfiction biography piece of a person of their choice.  Students will make a timeline as a pre write piece, then create the rough draft from it.

Yes, my Irish looked like Irish instead of the Fighting Irish.  Alabama was unstoppable as usual, but at least I can say congrats to the team for making it so far when at the start, Notre Dame was not even ranked as far as I know.  Better luck next year!  Have a great week!