Classroom life goes on, even when the teacher is out

I was under the weather and out of class today, but the sixth graders continued with our normal schedule.  Even when I am out of class, I design the lesson plans for my substitute to follow, which include all the normal activities we would have had if I had been in class.

Tell your sixth grader I missed them, and that I will be back on Tuesday.

Students do peer-conferencing on their new piece of writing

We were busy today, but we have been every day.  Getting back into a routine is always difficult but I think we finally have it down. 

In Writers’ Workshop (language) we continued to work on the piece we started earlier in the week.  We also took some time and peer-conferenced.  This is something you can do at home with your young author.  Ask to read his/her piece.  Then ask questions about it.  For example, if they say they were playing with a friend, you could ask the friend’s name, where they were playing, what they were playing, etc.  This just helps them realize they could add more information to their piece to improve it.  Our motto is, “When you think you’re done, you’ve only just begun!”

In science, all but one class finished the video.  Then we wrote and shared facts that can be proven with video.  They had to write at least five things.  Sharing helped children remember things they had forgotten about.

Tomorrow is Yankee Doodle Day, so wear your red, white, and blue!

Have a great Thursday. 

Students vote on assignment

In spelling we talked about being in sixth grade and how that came with a few benefits, as well as more responsibility.  I told them we were practicing some of our freedom and voting on two of the three pages of practice options in spelling.  We voted and it was decided that we would do pages 26-27, omitting page 25.  We also did something new.  We took a coordinate graph with the letters of the alphabet plotted all over it and chose 5 words.  They had to then write the coordinate pairs that spelled each word.  I think they enjoyed that.  I don’t think they realized that I squeezed in a math lesson with our spelling. These assignments are due this Friday morning before 9:25.

In language they were allowed to work on their piece they have started in their writers’ notebooks.

So what can you make from Duct tape?

In science we watched a little more of our video about petroleum and did a crossword that helped us review scientific method!

Tomorrow is “Wear something you made out of duct tape day!”  Can’t wait to see what your children come up with.

Book orders are due September 5^th.

Teacher conferences student writers

We took another scavenger hunt using our new language arts books.  I then modeled conferencing.  I used a volunteer’s writing and then conferenced him.  This involved asking questions and some discussion.  What this does is take a young author’s writing and help him/her add to it, which covers the "show, don’t tell” process.

Conferencing with young writers helps teachers focus on the writer, not the writing.  Instead of telling writers how to "fix" their writing, I help them think through the writing process and improve it themselves.

In science, each child was told he/she was called by a book company to design a new textbook cover, using things we have learned about science equipment, safety, and scientific method.

Book orders were originally due on September 4^th, but I just realized that students are not in class that day.  So we will make the due date the 5^th!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Sixth graders have a full day of learning and fun

In spelling we took our pretest and our words for this week are on the spellingcity.com website.  This is a free website that your child may get on and play games and do other practice activities to help them with their spelling lists.

In handwriting we copied one of Shel Silverstein’s poems, Happy Ending. 

In science we talked more about safety and watched the OERB safety video.  We will be doing the OERB curricula this year at different parts of the year, as it fits into our curriculum.  Today we started on practice safety posters.  We also discussed how the science classroom is not the only place for safety.

This week is HOWDY week.  Today was hat day.  Tuesday will be OU or OSU shirt day.  Wednesday is Wacky Hair day.  Thursday is wear-something-you- made-out-of-Duct tape.  Friday is Yankee Doodle Day.  Wear your red, white, and blue!

Have a great Monday with your family!

Class takes first spelling test, studies descriptive writing, and looks at the nature of scientific experiments

In spelling we took our first spelling test of the year. 

In language we went over our first scavenger hunt and discussed the "Show, don’t tell" process in writing, and gave some examples.

In science we worked on more terms and read about “Sponge Bob Clean Pants” and his dilemma.  We identified each part of his experiment.  We were able to find the independent variable, the dependent variable, his question, and conclusion.

Some opportunities to brush up on math skills

Thursday folders came home today for the first time of the new school year.  There are several notes.  Please look over each one. 

There is one note about Xtra Math. It is a free web site that allows your child to work on his/her facts.  Once your child has mastered one set, the site will move him/her to the next set.  It will also keep records and graph your child’s progression.  We will be using this at school.  Another free web site is aplusmath.com.  it is a great site as well.  It has games and other practice tools.  So it might be good to practice on this site before quizzing on the xtramath.org site. 

In language we took a scavenger hunt using our new language art books.  I am excited about our new text, as it uses the 6 Traits method.  I think this will be very helpful in our writing lessons this year. 

In science, we are still discussing Scientific Method and terms we will be using in our science class this year.  We have to get through these things before we can start the “fun” stuff! 

Book orders came home today for the first time, along with a letter telling you how you may order online.  When a parent orders online our class gets certificates to use toward new books.  These are due September 4^th. 

Have a great Thursday evening.

Students illustrating poem

Today we did some practice assignments with our spelling words.  Many didn’t finish but they were allowed to take them home. 

Ken Nesbitt writes funny
poems kids love

I receive a daily poem from a website of Kenn Nesbitt’s.  He writes poems for children and they are so funny.  Today’s poem was “Today I had a Rotten Day” and I made a copy for each student.  Their assignment is to illustrate the poem so that if the illustration and poem were split I could match the poem to the picture easily.

In science we had a safety presentation on the Smart Board.  We started filling in a study guide for safety quiz which we will be taking.  I don’t have the exact date, but will let you know ahead of time.  We also added to our science notebook.  Today we added a flow chart of the scientific method. 

The start has been a very good one and I appreciate your help at home.  Please don’t hesitate to call if you have questions or concerns.

Sixth grade authors look at different types of writing

Today in writer's workshop, we looked at the different types of writing our young authors will be doing -- informative, persuasive, and story-writing.  They have compiled a list of topics they can write about in their writer's notebooks, and they chose one of those for their first piece.

In science, we made some observations about the characteristics of matter using balloons and sugar in water.

Sixth graders set up science notebooks

Today we started our science notebooks.

This is an exciting way to study and learn about science, because it uses the same methodology that real scientists use.  They write down what they know and what they want to know.  Then they make hypotheses and record the results of their experiments -- in other words, just what we'll be doing.

We looked at the different things that scientists study and learned lots of great new words.

We handed out our science books and familiarized ourselves with what we will be studying.

In spelling, we took a pretest and corrected misspelled words.

Have a great evening with your family.

Science focus this year is on discovery

We're not turning these sixth graders into mad scientists -- but I hope to turn them into kids who are mad about science.  This year, our focus will not be on just the facts that scientists need to know, but how scientists think.  Our science emphasis is not about memorizing, but about discovering.  So we'll be "doing science," not just learning about science.

Today, I quizzed the class on basic science concepts -- with Tootsie Rolls as a prize -- and they did great.  I am looking forward to a great year.

Just a couple of procedural items:  If you still have paperwork to turn in, please send it Monday.  And also, please buy your sixth grader another composition book this weekend and send it to school with him or her next week.

Have a great weekend!

An open letter to sixth grade parents

Dear Parents:

This is the first of  daily updates you will receive this year. 

Our first day was a success.  We reviewed procedures and got to know each other.  One of the activities we did was called “2 Truths and a lie.”  Each student wrote 2 things that were true about him/herself and 1 that wasn’t.  Students then guessed which statement was the lie.  This was fun.

We also filled in blanks about favorites and I am putting them in a box that we will open in May.  I think the kids will be amazed at how they answered today.

We played 6^th grade bingo. 

As you saw, dismissal procedures are a little different this year.  We will all leave from the 6^th grade hall.  Car riders will dismiss on side of the basketball court and bus riders will dismiss on the school’s side.

I can already see we are going to need another composition notebook.  Please send another one with your child at your earliest convenience.  I am going to check around and see if I can find a good buy so I can have extras.

If your child hasn’t returned the mound of paperwork, please make sure he or she does that by tomorrow.

Let me take this moment to thank you for allowing me to work with your child this year.  I know your child is your most prized possession and I promise to take good care of him/her. 

Ms. Jacobs

We're glad to have you in our classroom tonight.  But you can visit our classroom every day online by going to Jacobs' Jewels: broadmoore6th.blogspot.com.