Friday January 16, 2015

Dear Families,  Students presented wonderful monologues today.  The first Winter Fitness day was quite a lot of fun for all last Thursday.  The main assignment on the horizon is the Ancient Rome graphic novel that is due February 9th. I encouraged students to take home as many of the page templates that they wanted for the long weekend.  If you are in need of more papers for the graphic novel, our classroom will be open on Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday.  A word about reading. While many students are reading independently, there are some students who are not reading.  Until a person gets into the habit of reading and makes a conscious effort to read, reading will not become a natural part of someone's life.  6th graders are expected to read 20 minutes a day at home.  As the monologues are completed, students should be onto reading another book that they will be able to use for the next book project. In math, we have started geometry with area and perimeter of rectangles.  We will move onto finding the area and perimeter of triangles and then the diameter and circumference of circles.  We are also reading a class read aloud called Firegirl.  I hope you have a great long weekend and you are able to get out and enjoy some winter fun.  Take Care, Ellen 

Ancient Rome web sites that may be helpful:

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/

http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/RomeUnit.html

http://rome.mrdonn.org/index.htm

http://www.lancasterschools.org/Page/5591

January 9, 2015

Dear Families,

It the first week in the New Year and we have been very busy.  While the temperatures have been unusually cold, there are still some students coming to school who are not properly dressed for outside.  Please be sure your child has boots, snow pants, mittens, hat and jacket. 

There will be a 6^th Grade Transition Session for Parents only on Tuesday, January 13^th at 6:30PM at U32 for all parents only.  This is an important meeting for you to attend, even if it is your second or third child going to U32. Please see the flyer in the Friday folder.  Another one was also sent home with students earlier in the week.

There are two assignments on the horizon.  One is due next Friday, January 16 and the other is due Monday, February 9^th.

Book Character Monologue:  This assignment is due January 16^th.  Students will assume the persona of a main character in a book they have read.  The character, in a class presentation, will explain the story and how the character is feeling in the book.  Students must write the monologue, as well as present it.  It should be no longer than 2-4 minutes long.  Students should practice and practicing for you would be a great home activity. Students should practice using expression in their voice for the presentation.  Dressing up as the character will earn extra credit.  Most students have a great start on the monologue.  This assignment will require some work at home.  Students were given a rubric to follow for this assignment.  It is very important that your child is reading.  When we have book response assignments, it assumes that students are reading at home and have a book they will be able to use for projects.

 Graphic Novel Final Rome Assessment:  As part of our study of Ancient Rome, students are working on a graphic novel final assessment.  Students have chosen either a general overview of Ancient Rome or will have focus on one topic, such as daily life, architecture, Pompeii or gladiators, to name a few.  I am providing  students with the graphic novel “cell” papers.  Students also have a rubric to follow.  While we will have some time for researching and for working on the graphic novel, students will need to work on this at home as well.  This assignment is due February 9^th.    Students should begin working on this now to produce a quality product.

Literacy:  We have started a to work on our information writing instruction.  Students will write an information paper using information text features.  Students will use the topic they are using for their graphic novel assignment for their information writing piece.  In this way, students will be able to conduct research for both assignments but create two different pieces of work.  I am hoping this will make both assignments more meaningful to students.  For the most part, we will work on the information writing in class.  However, students are always encouraged to work on their writing at home and all are able to access their writing on Google docs.

Math:  We are working on Statistical Landmarks:  minimum, maximum, range, mode, mean, and median.  We are also analyzing data.  Students are working hard and all seem to be doing a great job on this material.  Today in math class we had a quiz on the landmark terminology definitions. 

Please remember that reading is imperative.  Students should be reading for at least 20 minutes a day on average.  If your child struggles to read for 20 minutes, start with 10 minutes and increase a minute a day or every two days. 

Please see the information sent home regarding the Winter Music Concert on January 29^th. 

I’m glad the weather is warming up for the weekend.  -20 is a bit too cool for me!

Have a great weekend.

Ellen