Good to be back!

It was certainly great to be back in the classroom today! It was a great opportunity, but I was glad to be back.

In spelling we took our pre-test and corrected incorrectly spelled words.

We copied our quote for handwriting. Today may be the last day that our handwriting assignment is so short, as some are not doing their best. I told the class that if each does not do his/her best, then I will assume we need much more practice and lengthen our handwriting assignments.

In writer’s workshop we introduced problem. That is what makes a story, a story. We will continue working on that tomorrow.

In science we took core samples from our fossil sandwiches that we made last Tuesday. Ask your child about this activity. In discussing it with each class, I can tell they enjoyed it because they were able to tell me their procedures.

Have a great Monday evening!

A note to parents from Mrs. Jacobs

I am at a teacher workshop this week from Wednesday through Friday, learning new techniques of engaging our sixth graders in science.  I have prepared lesson plans for my substitute, who will be keeping our sixth graders on track with the material we would have studied if I had been there.  Tell my students I miss them, and I'm bringing back lots of great activities to help them connect with science.

The rest of this week I am at a STEM workshop, studying new ways to bring authentic science and math to the sixth grade classroom.  Lots of great ideas here on how to involve students in activities that help them learn for themselves, not just study science out of books.  I can't wait to bring some of these into the classroom.  Tell my Jewels I miss them!

Fossil sandwiches...sound yummy?

In writer’s workshop today we wrote acrostics for our grandparents.  Unfortunately, some students were elsewhere, so not all did it today.

We played games using spellingcity.com today so that your child could see how easy it is to get on at home and prepare for our spelling tests on a fun  site.

In science we made fossil sandwiches.  Ask your child about this activity.

Class does a great job presenting their book in Rise 'n Shine

Today we had our Rise ‘n Shine and all of you should be proud of your child, because each student helped in one way or another with our presentation.  Not all were on stage but all helped with the writing of our book that we shared this morning.

In spelling we took our pre-test.  I will put the words on Spelling City as soon as I am finished with the blog.

In science we checked our notebooks, as they are a large part of our grade and some were not caught up.  It is important that if your child misses, he/she needs to talk to a classmate to see if anything was added to our notebooks.  It will be written on the absent note, as well, but it is good practice to ask a classmate. 

Tomorrow we will be working on problem in a story for writing.

Tomorrow is also Grandparent’s Night.  I hope to see you there.

Sixth graders finish preparing for Monday presentation

It doesn't sound like much when you read about it, but today was a full day for sixth graders.  In spelling we took our test.  We're performing the book we wrote in Rise 'n Shine on Monday, and we did a lot of work on that today.  Presentation skills are important for sixth graders to develop, so we worked on every aspect of performing before an audience.In science we went to the computer lab.

Have a great weekend!

Writers finish and practice performing book for next week's program

In writer’s workshop we continued working on our book.  We also practiced our speaking parts for Rise ‘n Shine next Monday.

In science we measured 8 irregular-shaped items, using the displacement method.  We used graduated cylinders, pipettes, and several different objects.  The children seemed to grasp how it works. 

Here is our completed book:

Cooperate means, “You cut the paper while I glue.”

Patient means waiting for the bell to ring.

Proud means, I am proud of the 100 I made on my AR test!

Modest means you don’t run around telling everyone you made a 100, even if it is true.

Respect means listening when there is someone talking to the class or school audience.

Trustworthy means, if you ask me to hold your pencil, I will still have it when you return, in the same condition.

Fair is when you are working in a group, everyone gets a chance to participate.

Unfair is when you’re working in a group, but you do everything and don’t let others help.

Compassionate means giving half of your candy to someone that dropped his.

Greedy is not sharing supplies with those that don’t have any.

Generous is sharing your supplies even if you don’t have a lot.

Pessimistic is thinking you will fail before you even begin an assignment.

Optimistic is thinking you will do well on your spelling test because you studied.

Courageous means letting an adult know that a bully is picking on you or someone else.

Polite means, ‘Your hair looks nice today.”

Honest means, you found a dollar and you turn it into the teacher rather than keeping it, because you know it isn’t yours.

Envy means I can’t get over the fact that you won an award, and I didn’t.

Loyal means still being friends even if your friend makes you mad.

Open-minded means I will try to play the recorder even though I don’t like music.

Regret means not finishing your work when you had time to do it.

Content means I am happy with the backpack I already have.