Friday September 18, 2015: Photos and Newsletter

Nature Journaling and Making Bubbles.  Our class newsletter follows the photos.  

Finding a tree to sketch, describe and observe its surroundings.

Sketches from our first nature journal excursion.

 Bubbleology:  Making bubbles with the giant wands. 

September 18, 2015

Dear Families,

The All-School Hike is scheduled for next Friday September 25^th.  Information will be given to students today about the hike they will be on.  Please note the departure time,  as some hikes leave earlier than the start of school.

This morning we went out into the woods for our first nature journal excursion.  The weather was great.  Students found a tree and sketched it and the surrounding area.  One of the great things about nature journaling is that it allows us to “still” ourselves.  We are often going at a fast pace, surrounded by technology and we simply don’t take the time to still ourselves and observe nature around us. 

Literacy:  We are continuing to read Number the Stars as a class read.  Students were assigned chapters 11 and 12 and questions.  These are due Tuesday September 22.  We are also continuing our class read aloud, Harris and Me. 

Math:  In math, we are continuing our work with prime numbers.  It is very important that students know their multiplication tables.  Having these facts literally at your fingertips is key to understanding the new concepts that will be introduced in 6^th grade.  Students were assigned a new word problem, “Sleepy Time”.  This is due Wednesday September 23^rd.

Science:  We started our Bubbleology Unit today with a bubble quiz.  We also went outside to blow gigantic bubbles and to determine which soap solution worked the best.  A good time was had by all.

Map Skills:  Students were assigned a Create Your Own Island Map Project.  Students must create an island and include 29 landform terms on their map.  They must also include definitions, written in their own words, of the 29 terms.  Your child should have a rubric that has a complete description of the assignment and the expectations for the project.  This is due Monday September 28^th.

It is important that all students try to be in school on Tuesday September 22^nd as we will be taking an online math assessment called the EasyCBM.  Thanks for your help with this.  We will be testing in the afternoon right after lunch, around 12:40. 

Have a great weekend.  Ellen

Mrs. Knoedler’s 6^th Grade Classroom Newsletter

September 11, 2015

Dear Families,

            This will be the last paper classroom newsletter.  Future newsletters will be posted on our classroom blog.  I will also begin sending the newsletter home via email.  I do not have an email address for a few families.  If you are not receiving the newsletter via email and would like to, please email me at: eknoedler@u32.org and send me your email address.  Thanks so much.  Please visit our blog at:  http://emeslearningportal.blogspot.com

Dates to remember:

1.                          1.   Open House at EMES is Wednesday, September 16^th, from 6:00pm to 7:00.  Please come to our classroom from 6:00 to 6:20 for a presentation about the academic program and expectations for 6^th graders.

2.                         2.    All School Hike, which is Friday, September 25^th.  The rain date is Friday October 2^nd. 

3.                         3.  Also, we will be starting Nature Journaling soon.  All students took home their nature journal from last year.  We would like to continue with those journals.  Many students have found their journal and brought it in.  It would be great if you could help your child locate their journal and bring it in. If you are interesting in helping with nature journaling please let me know.   Thanks so much. 

This week, in writing, students completed their narrative pre-assessment.  This begins our first genre of writing.  This year we will work on three major writing pieces, narrative, information, and opinion, along with other smaller daily writing assignments.  We are continuing our class read aloud, Harris and Me, and students are reading Number the Stars, and completing written responses to their reading.  These assignments should be written in your child’s assignment book. 

In math, we are working on factors and prime factorization.  Students were given a new math problem of the week, or POW, called Terrific Twins.  This is due Wednesday September 16^th. 

We have taken a brief hiatus from science to work on some map skills that will help students better understand the world we live in.  Students will be given a Create Your Own Island assignment on Monday, September 28^th.  They will be required to define landform terms and create an island using those terms.  I will be giving students time in class to work on this but some work may have to be done at home.  Students will receive a rubric and large paper for the activity.  This will be due Monday September 28^th.  We will resume science nest week.

Please read the important information regarding photos of your child and/or their work in school publications and blogs.  Thanks so much.

                                    All the best.            Ellen Knoedler

                                                               6^th grade Teacher

eknoedler@u32.org

Mrs. Knoedler’s 6^th Grade Classroom Newsletter

September 4, 2015

Dear Families,

September has started off very warm but I must say that all students are doing their best to stay focused. 

Math:  The math consultant visited our classroom this week and students had a refresher course in the Cuisenaire rods and the process of moving from the concrete to the pictorial to the abstract in math.  We also began talking about ways we can represent multiplication:  repeated addition, equal groups, rectangular array, and  area of a rectangle.  Students were given a new POW (Math Problem of the week) called “The Crawler”.  We spent time in class reading the problem, highlighting the important information, and creating the fact box.  Most students should have a good start on the problem.  This is due Wednesday September 9^th.  Please remind your student that neatness counts, spelling counts and punctuation counts in all their assignments. 

In literacy, we are continuing our class read, Number the Stars, written by Lois Lowry.  Our class discussions have been great.  Please ask your child about the assigned readings and the questions they have to answer. Students should read chapters 5 and 6 and answer questions related to the reading.  This is due Wednesday September 9^th.   Again, please remind your student that neatness counts, spelling counts and punctuation counts in all their assignments.

In science, we tested our Fortune Fish to see whether light, electricity, moisture, moving air or heat made the fish move.  Ask your child which environment is the correct scientific explanation as to why the plastic Fortune Fish moved in our hand.

Grade 6 Band has started. If your student is in band, please be sure they bring their instruments on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Open House at EMES is Wednesday, September 16^th, from 6:00pm to 7:00.  Please come to our classroom from 6:00 to 6:20 for a presentation about the academic expectations for 6^th graders. 

Information will be coming home soon about the All School Hike, which is Friday, September 25^th.  The rain date is Friday October 2^nd.  Please try to visit our classroom blog at:

http://emeslearningportal.blogspot.com

I hope you have a great long holiday weekend.    Best regards, Ellen