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