Happy holidays to all sixth graders and their famlies

Those who had to retake the spelling test took it today.

Instead of going to computer lab in science, we finished our lab we started yesterday.  When we come back from the break we will do the lab again, but with a full can of soda this time.

I hope all of you have a very merry Christmas!

Writers learn writing tools in workshop

Today in writer's workshop we had a lesson on the writer’s toolbox. The kids learned how writers use nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, dialogue, and focus.

In science we did another lab similar to the last one, where the height of the ramp was our independent variable (what we changed on purpose). This time, however, we used four different balls, with each one having a different mass. We will finish this tomorrow. We took three trials on each ball and found the average, so it took a little longer.

Please help your child remember to remain at his/her best behavior as some are forgetting we are still in school.

Class takes language arts test

We took our language arts test today. Most did very well on it. It just shows how doing writers’ workshop helps them in all aspects of writing.

In science those who didn’t finish their 9 weeks test had the opportunity to do so today.

Students enjoy field trip at museum

All of sixth grade visited Science Museum Oklahoma this week, courtesy of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board.  We got the free field trip because I teach an OERB-sponsored unit on Oklahoma energy resources as part of our science curriculum.  I do workshops throughout the state on that curriculum, which I helped to write, as part of my work as one of OERB's Master Teachers.

The students were really great and represented Broadmoore well. Ask your sixth grader about all the activities and special programs at the museum today.

Science Museum field trip is tomorrow

For those that are doing spelling this week, we wrote our words in alphabetical order.

In science we took our 9 weeks test.  If your child didn't finish, he/she may do so on Wednesday.

Tomorrow is our field trip.  A pink note came home today with important information.  Please remind your child that he/she is representing Broadmoore.   

Sixth graders look at homonym pairs, complete story timelines

In spelling we took our test.  This test was over homonym pairs.  Some did very well.  Others did not.  So the plan for next week is to use the same words.  If your child made an “A”, he/she does not have spelling.  He/she will be able to work on other things.  If they don’t have anything I will find them something, if they choose not to use their time well.  If your child made a “B,” he/she had the option of keeping the grade or trying again, with the understanding that the higher grade will go into the grade book.  I wrote on the test what each child with a “B” chose and had each sign his/her name.  Anything below a “B” the child did not get a choice.  He/she will be retaking the test and having spelling next week.

In writers’ workshop, we finished our timelines.  Monday we will start showing how to tell the same story, but from different starting places.

In science, we were in the computer lab.

Students continue to work on retelling a story in writer's workshop

Today we worked again with our spelling words, using them in sentences.

In writers’ workshop I put the students in pairs. Each pair will read a Christmas book and then create a timeline for display. Many children have trouble retelling a story without almost telling every little detail. This is a good way for them to visually see the important details of a story.

Look for notes about next week’s field trip in tomorrow’s folders!

Writers begin work on sequencing of stories

We are starting on sequencing and retelling stories in writers’ workshop.

We took our pretest for spelling today, rather than yesterday.

In science we checked our review from yesterday and discussed it.  Tomorrow we will play a game for a last review before the test on Thursday.

We are going to be working on a huge gingerbread house in class when we have time.  If you could donate graham crackers, icing, sprinkles, candy…anything that we might need for our house, we would appreciate it!

Have a great evening.

Today's work: reviewing in language arts and in science

We reviewed adjectives in language arts.

In science we reviewed chapter 3 and will go over those tomorrow.  If your child didn’t finish his review, he/she needs to do page 93-94, numbers 1-19, and all of page 95, which has only 7 questions.  Many finished before leaving today and will have no science homework.

Field trip permission forms due

Our field trip to Science Museum Oklahoma is Dec. 18.  If your sixth grader has not returned his/her permission form yet, please be sure it comes to school next week.  Permission forms need to be in  before the trip.

Today we had our spelling test and, as always on Friday, students had to spend time in the computer lab.

Have a great weekend.

Students work with using adjectives to describe

Today our young writers worked with one of the important tools all writers have to use -- adjectives.  They began with a diagram and used adjectives to describe themselves.  Later, we will try to guess who wrote what, just using the adjectives.

In science, we reviewed Section 3.3 and answered the questions on page 90.

Doin't forget -- spelling test tomorrow.

Sixth graders prepare for science quiz next week

In spelling today, the class unscrambled their words for this week and chose the correct words for given sentences.

In science, they read pages 84 through 90 and answered questions over Section 3.2.

Please encourage your sixth grader to study chapter 3 in science, dealing with energy and matter.  We will have a test next week.

Students learn about anchoring dialogue in writer's workshop

In writers’ workshop we reviewed internal monologue and introduced anchoring.  Anchoring is when you tell what the person is doing as he/she is thinking or talking.

Example:

He thought, “Why did I promise to clean out the garage on a game day?”

With anchoring:

As he stood at the door watching his family enjoy the big game on the big screen television, he thought to himself, “Why did I promise to clean out the garage on a game day?”

In science we did a lab and had to identify the parts of each.  We had a lab sheet to fill out.  We did a lot of math in today’s lesson.  Which proves that science is math is science…………..

Young writers study the use of internal monologue

We took our spelling pretest. 

In writer’s workshop we did another lesson on internal monologue.  This goes well with what the students have been learning about dialogue -- internal monologue is what a character is thinking and dialogue is what he or she is saying.

In science we reviewed last week’s section and discussed section 3-2 today, as well as added notes.