An 'interesting' day in sixth grade

To say that today was an interesting one, would be the understatement of the year!  One of our 6^th grade team members had to be gone, and her sub canceled this morning.  So there was no sub, and the remaining teachers split the class.  But the good news is that while this was a little stressful, the children handled it well for the most part!

In math we divided those integers that we have been working with.  Division works as multiplication.  If the signs are different  the quotient is negative, but if the signs are the same the quotient is positive.

In language we wrote a poem about a cherished item.  I had them pretend they were moving and you told them they could only take one thing in the move.  I gave them pattern that I had from a book I use and they had to write their own poem.  We also visited my old blog from my previous school, thirdgradewrites.blogspot.com.  I wanted them to see some examples of other authors.

We took our spelling test.

Have a great weekend!

Class multiplies positive and negative integers, earns extra recess time, finishes tests

In math we multiplied integers and it seemed a very welcomed lesson!  The rules for multiplying positive and negative integers are very easy.  If the signs are different then the product will be negative.  If the signs are the same the product will be positive.  Most finished their work before leaving class today!

We took our 15 minute recess we earned for having 50% of our class make a one hundred on the division timed Glad Minutes.  They loved this!  They had the entire playground to themselves.

We then came in and finished our practice tests.  Tomorrow we will go over the tests.  Going over the answers and seeing why or how we missed a question helps us to improve.  Just as scientists, we learn more from what went wrong than what went right!

Book orders came home and are due April 13^th.  The code to order online at Scholastic.com is J34XP.  We do earn free books for our classroom library when you order online.  But you may also send in your order. 

Some notes were left out of the Thursday folders and will come home tomorrow. 

Students learn to subtract positive and negative integers

In math today we subtracted positive and negative integers.  The rule we added to our spiral was, “When subtracting and integer, add its opposite."  For example:  -7 – (-7) = -7 + 7= 0.  This lesson was a great example of being so simple, that it made it difficult.  Most finished within our class period today, though.

During language and spelling time we worked on our OCCT tests that are coming up in April.

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday evening.

I was out of school today on personal business, but I'll be back tomorrow.  Tell my Jewels I missed them!

Ms. Jacobs

Class finishes second half of 9-weeks test

We took the second half of our 9-weeks test in math.  The test is 42 questions and it is impossible to work that many problems in our time slot.  I am hoping this helps so that I don’t have to have children come in at lunch to take the test. 

In spelling we were given this week’s list to write in alphabetical order.  They are on Spellingcity.com to practice.

In language I gave them a passage to correct.  I took it from the book we are reading aloud, but wrote it with several mistakes in it.

It was good to see everyone back.  Many were tired, but we all survived!  I know the alarm sounded like a siren to me this morning!

Have a great spring break!

Students take 9 weeks test in math

In math we took half of our 9 weeks test. Rather than try for two weeks to get students in at lunch recess to finish the test, I set aside two days to finish. We will finish the Monday after spring break.

In spelling we took our test.

With the tests and the performance by The Lyric Theater, that is all we got accomplished in homeroom today.

Have a great spring break!

Sixth graders learn about ordering and adding integers; some DON'T learn about getting work done on time

In math we worked with ordering and adding integers, positive and negative. We used the integer sticks I made to make it a little easier, and they seemed very comfortable with it.

We played Sparkle for spelling today.

In language we took our 9 weeks assessment.

I talked to the class about turning things in on time. Some are getting better, and others are getting worse. I told them that during the last nine weeks, there is not time at the end to try and make up for missing or careless work. Yesterday’s math assignment was short and some finished before class was over. Today when I picked it up, over half of the class didn’t have it ready to turn in. Many only had one or two more to do, and I told them they should have been done as homework last night. With junior high so near, I worry about some of them. My third son almost drowned in junior high. I never thought we would get out, as he had so many zeros. Often times the work was done but he had failed to turn it in. I would find it in his room. He is in high school now and doing better, but I know how hard it is once a child falls behind.

Class does great on math test

In math we learned how to find the area of a parallelogram. We also took our division test. Our class is the first 6^th grade class to have 50% make a one hundred on the test. Way to go.

The class earned an extra recess.

In spelling we rearranged our words to make a complete sentence.

In language, since we had so many gone to honor choir today, we just played word games on the Smart Board. Several have still not turned in Poetry Ringo. There was a grade for this for the performance of your child’s poem. There was a grade given for being turned in on time. If it isn’t today, then the highest grade your child can receive for this is a C, and that is if it is in tomorrow. Then the paper packet itself is worth another 4 grades.

Have a great Tuesday!

I was sick at home today with a stomach bug.  I hope to be back in the classroom tomorrow.

                                                         Ms. Jacobs

Class plays learning games in math, performs poetry in language

In math we reviewed perimeter and congruent shapes. Most finished with this so we had time to play Kakooma. Ask your child about this game. It is a game invented by a friend of mine, Greg Tang. It can be purchased for your computer through Scholastic. You may go to gregtangmath.com and try it for free, if you like.

In language we performed our poems from our Poetry Ringo assignment.

In spelling we took our test.

Have a great weekend!

Pi in class, games in spelling, but a long night ahead for those behind on their poetry notebooks

Oh my, oh my! We had pi in class today! Well, not the kind that tastes good going down your mouth but the math kind. We used this to find the circumference of circles. Most of our assignment was done in class, so your child should not have too much homework in math.

In spelling the students that had no missing work in language or spelling were allowed to play Sparkle again today. The ones that had missing work were allowed to work on these assignments in class.

In language we worked on Poetry Ringo. Your child has had this assignment for more than weeks, and it is due tomorrow. They have had at least four days in the class to work on this. I saw that at least a couple had not even started on theirs, so they will have a long nightJ This assignment is worth four grades!

Today in sixth grade: shapes, proportion, congruency, spelling games, and final drafts

We worked with shapes and corresponding sides today in math.  We also used our proportion skills today to determine if two shapes were similar or not.  We also worked with congruency.

In spelling we played Sparkle.

In language your child should have finished his/her final draft of our writing piece this week.

A busy day of learning for sixth graders

No need for excuses--no math
homework tonight, but
any missing work is due
by Friday.

In math we worked with word problems and the different ways to solve them.  There is no homework from today, but if your child is missing anything he/she needs to get it in before Friday.

In spelling we made pictures using our words.  Your child could make one picture using all of the words or make more than one picture, as long as all words were used at least once somewhere.

Library dime day tomorrow

In language we shared our pre-writes with others in a circular format.  Then we wrote our first draft in the form of a letter to Ms. Massey in our writers’ notebooks. 

Tomorrow is dime day for the library. 

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Students use protractors in math

In math we worked with measuring angles using a protractor.  Many had a little trouble using the protractor, but we worked with it in class and most finished his/her assignment in class.

In language we did a prewriting assignment for argumentative writing using the question, “Should 30 minutes be added to each school day?”  I told them it is important to make a prewriting list of pros and cons.  Many times a student will think one way but after making the list will see that they see the other side is a better idea/solution.

In spelling we worked with a list of 11 words.  We did fractions using our words today.  For example, the word extend has 2/6 vowels.  In simplest form it would be 1/3 vowels.  Consonants would be 4/6, and 2/3 in simplest form.

Geometry and poetry -- what a day in sixth grade!

In math we went over geometric shapes and terms that go along with them.  We then did an activity that described one of four groups, either cones, prisms, pyramids, or cylinders.  There were individual sentences and the children placed the descriptions with the correct group.  For example, one of the strips said, “There is one vertex and there are no edges.”  Then, using different sides of the shapes, we made pictures.

In spelling we took a test. 

In language we wrote poems.  These were called 2 Word poems.  Each line had only two words.  We did one as a shared writing.

Weekends

Are awesome,

Have fun

Hang out

With friends

Sleep in

Watch TV

Party rockin’!

                                                6^th Grade Jewels

                                               

Your child had to choose whether to do his/her poem over himself/herself, a friend, a famous person, or a day of the week.

Have a wonderful weekend!

One more day...

I was in a workshop again today, but I'll be back in class again tomorrow.  Tell my Jewels that I'm looking forward to seeing them again.