One of the students commented that they couldn't believe we only have this week and the next before we break for the Christmas holiday. It does seem hard to believe! We do have many things to get wrapped up before the semester ends on December 19th and that includes both a math test and a science test.
Today ( Monday), we will begin preparing for the science test which will be on Wednesday. We will go through the science packet we've been working on and highlight the things that need to be reviewed for the test. We will also play Memory with the chapter vocabulary. Your sixth grader will be coming home tonight with a set of Memory cards which will be useful for reviewing for the test, as well as a practice worksheet that goes over the chapter vocabulary. Please start reviewing tonight; we will play a review game tomorrow in class and it will be much more fun and competitive if your child has studied and is prepared. It will also avoid last minute cramming tomorrow night.
The math test is tentatively planned for Thursday. We will begin working on a study guide tomorrow which will have problems exactly like those on the test. It will be imperative that your child is engaged and thinking in class as we go over the study guide. Both Mrs. Soma and I are seeing too many students who are unwilling to think for themselves and want someone to help them with each step of the process. Those students who can work independently are the ones who have been most engaged during class. Please ask your sixth grader to explain to you how he came up with the answers he got on his study guide. If he can explain how he did it, he will be able to do the problems on the test successfully.
Please remember that the early out for next week has been moved from the 17th to the 19th. School will be dismissed at 12:20 that day!
Monday, December 8, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Johnson's Journal November 23, 2014
Just a P.S. to my earlier post today---
One of the items on the sixth grade supply list was a basic calculator. A few sixth graders do not have a calculator, a couple of learners have calculators that have already bit the dust, and there are some students who just don't know where the calculator you sent to school with them in August has gone :( A calculator really is needed for math this year. If your child does not have one, it would be greatly appreciated if you could get him/her one as soon as possible. All that is needed is a basic calculator; it does not need to be a scientific calculator. If purchasing one is a financial hardship, we do have a few extras in our classroom that your child can use. However, there are not enough for everyone...it is going to be vital that the kids hang on to their calculator and bring it to class with them daily!
Thank you!
One of the items on the sixth grade supply list was a basic calculator. A few sixth graders do not have a calculator, a couple of learners have calculators that have already bit the dust, and there are some students who just don't know where the calculator you sent to school with them in August has gone :( A calculator really is needed for math this year. If your child does not have one, it would be greatly appreciated if you could get him/her one as soon as possible. All that is needed is a basic calculator; it does not need to be a scientific calculator. If purchasing one is a financial hardship, we do have a few extras in our classroom that your child can use. However, there are not enough for everyone...it is going to be vital that the kids hang on to their calculator and bring it to class with them daily!
Thank you!
Johnson's Journal November 23, 2014
I think we are all looking forward to the short week this week and then spending some well deserved time off with our family and friends. We will have a full day of school on Tuesday and then take the rest of the week off for the Thanksgiving break.
In math, we have been working hard to make the connection between ratios, fractions, decimals, and percentages. If you have heard your sixth grader uttering that famous line, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing," there is a good reason why! To help reinforce the concept that the whole thing is 100%, I showed that old Alka-Seltzer commercial where Ralph is bemoaning the fact that he ate the whole thing. (I suppose even many of you parents are too young to remember that commercial from the early '70s!) You do whatever you can to help kids remember important concepts! If you look at the online links found on the right hand side of my blog page, you will see that I have added links to several games that are great for reinforcing and practicing the percentage concepts learned in class.
Look for another grade report to come home the week after Thanksgiving which will update you on your child's progress in math during the second quarter. I will also include a science or social studies report...if your child's grade is a D or F. The second grading period is a short one and ends December 19th.
Our science lessons have focused on classifying living things into kingdoms. Ask your sixth grader to name the five kingdoms of living things and describe the organisms in each category. We had great fun discussing the fungi we have eaten recently and looking at the nasty infections that can be caused by fungi and monera. The "ick factor" is a very powerful tool for engaging sixth graders in learning! This week, we will take a look at how a very vast kingdom such as Animalia can be broken down into smaller and smaller groups in which the members become more and more similar. Your learner should be able to tell you how the mnemonic device "Kings play chess on funny green stools," is helping him remember the subdivisions of kingdoms.
I hope all of you will take time to reflect on the blessings in your life this Thanksgiving weekend. Having the privilege of working with your child is one of my many blessings!
In math, we have been working hard to make the connection between ratios, fractions, decimals, and percentages. If you have heard your sixth grader uttering that famous line, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing," there is a good reason why! To help reinforce the concept that the whole thing is 100%, I showed that old Alka-Seltzer commercial where Ralph is bemoaning the fact that he ate the whole thing. (I suppose even many of you parents are too young to remember that commercial from the early '70s!) You do whatever you can to help kids remember important concepts! If you look at the online links found on the right hand side of my blog page, you will see that I have added links to several games that are great for reinforcing and practicing the percentage concepts learned in class.
Look for another grade report to come home the week after Thanksgiving which will update you on your child's progress in math during the second quarter. I will also include a science or social studies report...if your child's grade is a D or F. The second grading period is a short one and ends December 19th.
Our science lessons have focused on classifying living things into kingdoms. Ask your sixth grader to name the five kingdoms of living things and describe the organisms in each category. We had great fun discussing the fungi we have eaten recently and looking at the nasty infections that can be caused by fungi and monera. The "ick factor" is a very powerful tool for engaging sixth graders in learning! This week, we will take a look at how a very vast kingdom such as Animalia can be broken down into smaller and smaller groups in which the members become more and more similar. Your learner should be able to tell you how the mnemonic device "Kings play chess on funny green stools," is helping him remember the subdivisions of kingdoms.
I hope all of you will take time to reflect on the blessings in your life this Thanksgiving weekend. Having the privilege of working with your child is one of my many blessings!
Monday, November 10, 2014
Johnson's Journal November 10, 2014
If your sixth grader has not shown you his/her grade report for the first three weeks of the quarter, please ask to see it tonight. After you have seen the report, please sign it and return it tomorrow. Thank you!
Friday, November 7, 2014
Johnson's Jounral November 7, 2014
In order to keep you up-to-date as to your sixth grader's progress in math, a progress report was sent home with your child today. This gives you information about the work your student has done in the first three weeks of the second quarter of this school year. Please sign it and return it to school with your child on Monday. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. I would be glad to work with you and work together to resolve those questions.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Johnson's Journal November 3, 2014
My math students took their first Mid-Module Assessment (chapter test) last week. The assessments have been corrected, grades entered into Campus, and were returned to the students on Friday. Please ask your student to see their tests. Many have work that they should be anxious to show off to you! If you have questions about your learner's progress, please contact me.
In Social Studies, the sixth graders have been working hard on creating dialogues in which they are applying skills taught in language arts and demonstrating an understanding of what life was like at Border Cave. They are off to a great start but now need a bit of help from you. They are ready to have their work edited and make any revisions necessary to improve their writing. Your child is to choose two of their four dialogues to revise. Would you please look over the two they have chosen tonight (Monday) and help them with this process? Evidence of editing and revisions will result in extra points on your student's final grade for this project. We will be ready to start our final drafts which will be published so I am looking for high quality work. Thanks for your help in this process!
Don't forget the early dismissal on Wednesday for staff development meetings.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Johnson's Journal October 26, 2014
After three days of MAP testing last week, it was nice to get back to a "regular" routine. The kids did an awesome job of focusing on their testing and did a nice job adapting to all the changes that were made to the schedule. The results of the testing will help us monitor your learner's progress and give us information to guide our programming.
This week we will take our first Mid-Module Assessment in math. Mid Module Assessment is just a fancy name for a chapter test! Our classwork on Monday and Tuesday will help us prepare for the assessment. The lime green study guide which we will work on in class on Tuesday provides a good review of the type of questions which will be on the test. If all goes as planned, the test will be on Wednesday. We have worked very hard up to this point, and I am anxious for the students to show off what they have learned!
We have wrapped up our science unit on cells and genetics and have begun a social studies unit which focuses on early man and their technology. Ask your sixth grader about the two most important pieces of technology early man had; I'll give you a hint--it was not an iPhone 6!
We will also begin working on a dialogue writing project in which the students will apply the skills learned in Ms. Halfpop's language arts classes with the knowledge gained from our work in social studies. I'm looking forward to the kids showing what they have learned in a fun and creative format!
On Friday, the sixth graders will celebrate Halloween with a movie and treats. Ms. Halfpop and I will select a movie we feel is appropriate for the students. We try to find movies they may not have seen, and we tend to like movies that can be termed as "feel good." The kids can bring a treat and drink to enjoy during the movie. Sixth graders do not wear costumes for Halloween, but we will watch the younger students as they parade around Jacobson.
By this time, you should have received your student's first quarter report card. If you have questions about their progress, please feel free to contact me.
This week we will take our first Mid-Module Assessment in math. Mid Module Assessment is just a fancy name for a chapter test! Our classwork on Monday and Tuesday will help us prepare for the assessment. The lime green study guide which we will work on in class on Tuesday provides a good review of the type of questions which will be on the test. If all goes as planned, the test will be on Wednesday. We have worked very hard up to this point, and I am anxious for the students to show off what they have learned!
We have wrapped up our science unit on cells and genetics and have begun a social studies unit which focuses on early man and their technology. Ask your sixth grader about the two most important pieces of technology early man had; I'll give you a hint--it was not an iPhone 6!
We will also begin working on a dialogue writing project in which the students will apply the skills learned in Ms. Halfpop's language arts classes with the knowledge gained from our work in social studies. I'm looking forward to the kids showing what they have learned in a fun and creative format!
On Friday, the sixth graders will celebrate Halloween with a movie and treats. Ms. Halfpop and I will select a movie we feel is appropriate for the students. We try to find movies they may not have seen, and we tend to like movies that can be termed as "feel good." The kids can bring a treat and drink to enjoy during the movie. Sixth graders do not wear costumes for Halloween, but we will watch the younger students as they parade around Jacobson.
By this time, you should have received your student's first quarter report card. If you have questions about their progress, please feel free to contact me.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Johnson's Journal October 10, 2014
Just wanted to give all of you a heads up that the first science test of the year will be on Tuesday, October 14th. In class on Friday, we will go through the science packet and highlight the important information that needs to be reviewed before the test. This will give your sixth grader time to study over the weekend. Studying over the weekend will not only eliminate "cramming for the test" on Monday evening, but it will also help the students be better prepared for our review activity on Monday. We will be playing BAZINGA which is a sixth grade favorite, and the game is way more fun if you can answer the review questions accurately! Thank you in advance for helping your child review and prepare for the test.
If you have any questions or concerns, please be sure to contact me. Enjoy the weekend.
P.S. Don't forget the early out on Wednesday, October 15th. Mrs. Bunge sent home a note to let you know that items sold during the Music Fundraiser earlier this year will come in on Wednesday. If your child will have a load of "stuff" that needs to be delivered you may want to pick them up from school Wednesday afternoon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please be sure to contact me. Enjoy the weekend.
P.S. Don't forget the early out on Wednesday, October 15th. Mrs. Bunge sent home a note to let you know that items sold during the Music Fundraiser earlier this year will come in on Wednesday. If your child will have a load of "stuff" that needs to be delivered you may want to pick them up from school Wednesday afternoon.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Johnson's Journal October 3, 2014
What a busy day to end our Homecoming Week! Everyone at Jacobson braved the cold and the wind to participate in the Iowa Healthiest State Walk. Ms. Halfpop and I both planned football themed activities for the afternoon, and we ended the day with the parade. We collected lots and lots of candy which we will be using throughout the fall for rewards and incentives!
In the coming week, my math students will be introduced to a new tool--double tape diagrams--which will be useful in solving the real life problems our math series presents to us. They will be given a problem solving assignment on Monday which will be due Friday.
I would like to encourage all of you to attend our Jacobson Math Night on Thursday at 6:30. The meeting will be held at the HS Auditorium. You have probably heard a lot about the Core Curriculum. Information will be presented on what the Core Curriculum really is and how the math series that is being used at Jacobson is helping prepare your child for this rapidly changing world. We look forward to having a good crowd attend.
Our focus in science will be genetics this week. Lots of good discussion will take place in class, and I am hoping that it will carry over to discussions you have at home. The sixth graders will be working on a project called Genetics with a Smile which illustrates how traits are passed on from parent to child and how no one person is exactly like another, even a sibling.
Wishing all of you a restful weekend!
In the coming week, my math students will be introduced to a new tool--double tape diagrams--which will be useful in solving the real life problems our math series presents to us. They will be given a problem solving assignment on Monday which will be due Friday.
I would like to encourage all of you to attend our Jacobson Math Night on Thursday at 6:30. The meeting will be held at the HS Auditorium. You have probably heard a lot about the Core Curriculum. Information will be presented on what the Core Curriculum really is and how the math series that is being used at Jacobson is helping prepare your child for this rapidly changing world. We look forward to having a good crowd attend.
Our focus in science will be genetics this week. Lots of good discussion will take place in class, and I am hoping that it will carry over to discussions you have at home. The sixth graders will be working on a project called Genetics with a Smile which illustrates how traits are passed on from parent to child and how no one person is exactly like another, even a sibling.
Wishing all of you a restful weekend!
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Johnson"s Journal September 23, 2014
Thank you to all the parents who helped their sixth graders with their edible cell/cell poster project. I was most impressed by the quality of these projects. This truly is a creative group of sixth graders. Again, thank you for your support with this project.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Johnson's Journal September 19, 2014
All sixth graders should have their science texts and packets with them this weekend, as well as their directions for the edible cell project. Remember that creating a poster of either a plant or an animal cell is also an option for the project. Which ever your child chooses, please remember that a key explaining what the cell part's function is must be included. Projects are due Monday, September 22, 2014.
I am looking forward to meeting with all of you next week during conferences. Sixth grade conferences are not scheduled. All of the teachers who work with sixth graders--Mrs. Soma, Mr. Eide, Ms. Deutsch, Ms. Halfpop, and myself--will be available. Please drop in and talk to the teachers who work with your sixth grader. This will be a great time to address concerns you or your child's teacher may have about academic progress or behavior.... we can talk about all the good things going on with your child. By meeting now, your child has time to make changes if needed to bring up their grade by the end of the quarter.
Tuesday, September, 23--Dismiss at 1:30/Conferences 2-6 p.m.
Thursday, September 25--Regular dismissal time/Conferences 4-8 p.m.
Friday, September 29--No School
I am looking forward to meeting with all of you next week during conferences. Sixth grade conferences are not scheduled. All of the teachers who work with sixth graders--Mrs. Soma, Mr. Eide, Ms. Deutsch, Ms. Halfpop, and myself--will be available. Please drop in and talk to the teachers who work with your sixth grader. This will be a great time to address concerns you or your child's teacher may have about academic progress or behavior.... we can talk about all the good things going on with your child. By meeting now, your child has time to make changes if needed to bring up their grade by the end of the quarter.
Tuesday, September, 23--Dismiss at 1:30/Conferences 2-6 p.m.
Thursday, September 25--Regular dismissal time/Conferences 4-8 p.m.
Friday, September 29--No School
Monday, September 15, 2014
Johnson"s Journal September 15, 2014
Just a reminder that there will be an early out on Wednesday, September 17th for teacher in service meetings.
I was super impressed by the Create a State map projects your sixth graders made! This project is the culmination of our map skills unit; the students are called upon to use what they have learned to create a map of a state they would like to live in. The projects were of extremely high quality and very original and unique. A big shout out to the kids for their hard work! Today, we begin our first unit in science which is a study of cells, genetic, and heredity. On Thursday, look for information to come home about the edible cell project. This project will be due Monday, September 22nd.
Speaking of Parent-Teacher Conferences, they will be held on Tuesday, September 23rd from 2-6 p.m. and on Thursday, September 25th from 4-8 p.m. Ms. Halfpop and I will be available on both days for conferences, as well as Mr. Eide, Ms. Deutsch, and Mrs. Soma. Since your sixth grader has several teachers, conferences are "drop-in." Please stop and see the teachers your child is working with. Since you have several teachers to see and we have sixty sets of parents to meet with, we will give you a quick (5-10 minute) update on your child's progress. If there are concerns that cannot be covered in that amount of time, we will need to schedule a separate time to meet.
Looking forward to visiting with you next week at conferences.
Ruth Johnson
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Johnson's Journal September 7, 2014
I hope you all had an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend! I personally wouldn't mind if the weather was like this 365 days a year.
It will be another busy week in sixth grade. Our work with ratios continues in math, and we will be wrapping up our review of map skills this week in social studies. On Wednesday, I will introduce the Create a State Project which will be our final activity. The students will be asked to create an imaginary state and include various elements on the map. The final project will be due Friday. They will also have a Daily Geography Practice due on Friday.
Having the sixth graders produce quality work that they are proud of is one of my top priorities as a teacher. Mistakes can be turned into learning opportunities; for that reason, I ask students to make corrections on most assignments. If assignments fall below 70% (D or F) work, I will work with the students as they redo the assignment. A score in that range usually indicates to me that the your student didn't understand the concept, and they need a bit of extra help. There are occasions when scores in that range are the result of a lack of effort and having to re-do an assignments is often incentive to do it right the first time.
This past week, I have entered grades in the Campus gradebook for both math and social studies. Please check the gradebook often. If you do not have an account to access the gradebook or are having problems getting to the gradebook please be sure to contact me.
Looking forward to another great week with your awesome sixth graders!
Ruth Johnson
It will be another busy week in sixth grade. Our work with ratios continues in math, and we will be wrapping up our review of map skills this week in social studies. On Wednesday, I will introduce the Create a State Project which will be our final activity. The students will be asked to create an imaginary state and include various elements on the map. The final project will be due Friday. They will also have a Daily Geography Practice due on Friday.
Having the sixth graders produce quality work that they are proud of is one of my top priorities as a teacher. Mistakes can be turned into learning opportunities; for that reason, I ask students to make corrections on most assignments. If assignments fall below 70% (D or F) work, I will work with the students as they redo the assignment. A score in that range usually indicates to me that the your student didn't understand the concept, and they need a bit of extra help. There are occasions when scores in that range are the result of a lack of effort and having to re-do an assignments is often incentive to do it right the first time.
This past week, I have entered grades in the Campus gradebook for both math and social studies. Please check the gradebook often. If you do not have an account to access the gradebook or are having problems getting to the gradebook please be sure to contact me.
Looking forward to another great week with your awesome sixth graders!
Ruth Johnson
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Johnson's Journal August 31, 2014
I hope all of you are enjoying a relaxing weekend with your family. It's hard to believe we already have two weeks of school under our belt. Things continue to go very well in sixth grade!
This week in math we will continue to work with ratios, in particular equivalent ratios. Through our study, the kids will recognize that 1:2, 6:12, 36:72, etc. are all equivalent and how to create equivalent ratios. Tape diagrams are a tool we will be using to help develop this concept and make the concept easy to see. Our new Engage New York math curriculum is exposing students to concepts that have not been taught at the sixth grade level in the past, but I am pleased at how thorough the explanations are. Most importantly these new materials really make the kids THINK and give them a deep understanding of why we do the things we do in math.
Don't forget that we will start the week with a quiz over the continents and oceans on Tuesday during social studies. The sixth graders will need to identify the continents and oceans on a map and spell the names correctly. We will continue to review using latitude and longitude, and end the week with a lesson on choosing the correct map for the job. Physical maps have a different use than road maps, and cultural maps have a different purpose than political maps. It will take us this week and the next to complete our social studies map skills unit. Then we will switch gears and dive into a science unit.
Both Ms. Halfpop and I are asking the sixth graders to use cursive penmanship on most assignments. This has caused a fair amount of groaning, but like anything, cursive will become second nature with practice. Perhaps you could have your learner write the grocery list or the Target list for you in cursive; look for times when they can practice at home.
Please don't forget the early dismissal on Wednesday, September 3rd. The teachers will be involved in professional development meetings that afternoon.
The sixth grade magazine sales drive will also kick off this week.
As always, please contact me if you have questions or concerns. I want to work with you to make this year a positive one for your sixth grader. I can be reached at 641-444-4300 ext. 334 or ruth.johnson@bkcsd.org.
Ruth Johnson
This week in math we will continue to work with ratios, in particular equivalent ratios. Through our study, the kids will recognize that 1:2, 6:12, 36:72, etc. are all equivalent and how to create equivalent ratios. Tape diagrams are a tool we will be using to help develop this concept and make the concept easy to see. Our new Engage New York math curriculum is exposing students to concepts that have not been taught at the sixth grade level in the past, but I am pleased at how thorough the explanations are. Most importantly these new materials really make the kids THINK and give them a deep understanding of why we do the things we do in math.
Don't forget that we will start the week with a quiz over the continents and oceans on Tuesday during social studies. The sixth graders will need to identify the continents and oceans on a map and spell the names correctly. We will continue to review using latitude and longitude, and end the week with a lesson on choosing the correct map for the job. Physical maps have a different use than road maps, and cultural maps have a different purpose than political maps. It will take us this week and the next to complete our social studies map skills unit. Then we will switch gears and dive into a science unit.
Both Ms. Halfpop and I are asking the sixth graders to use cursive penmanship on most assignments. This has caused a fair amount of groaning, but like anything, cursive will become second nature with practice. Perhaps you could have your learner write the grocery list or the Target list for you in cursive; look for times when they can practice at home.
Please don't forget the early dismissal on Wednesday, September 3rd. The teachers will be involved in professional development meetings that afternoon.
The sixth grade magazine sales drive will also kick off this week.
As always, please contact me if you have questions or concerns. I want to work with you to make this year a positive one for your sixth grader. I can be reached at 641-444-4300 ext. 334 or ruth.johnson@bkcsd.org.
Ruth Johnson
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Johnson's Journal August 23, 2014
The 2014-2015 school year has gotten off to a great start. Several new activities were on the calendar during this first week. We joined with our fellow Broncos on the first day of school to perform community service. The kids did a great start helping out at the Belmond Rehabilitation Center and Belle Haven Assisted Living Apartments.
On Thursday, we began the day with an assembly at Jacobson and then spent the morning moving from station to station learning about what it means to show Bronco Pride throughout the school. This was a roll out for our PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System) which will be implemented at Jacobson this year. All students will be taught expected behaviors and then recognized when they are showing these positive behaviors. We are confident that this program will make our building a positive, caring place.
In our classroom, we worked to build a learning community; procedures and expectations were taught and there were activities so we could become better acquainted. As you can see, this was a very busy week; I think we will all be ready for a bit of relaxing this weekend!
During the coming week, we will settle into our regular routine. In Social Studies, we will review map concepts. On Monday, the sixth graders will be assigned their first DGP (Daily Geography Practice) which will be due on Friday, August 29th. Many of the questions on DGP have several parts; often the students will complete only part of the question. Reviewing your learner's work and helping them make sure that their work is complete would be most appreciated. On Wednesday, look for a continents and oceans study guide to come home. The students will be expected to identify the continents and oceans on the world and spell the names of the continents and oceans correctly. There will be a quiz on Tuesday, September 2nd.
This year all students at Jacobson will be using a new math program. After a year of study, the staff felt that this new program will help students develop a deeper understanding of math. It involves a whole new way of looking at math, and students will be asked to THINK in ways they never have before. When starting anything new there will be "growing pains," but in the end, the teachers are confident that the end results will be worth pain. No pain...no gain!
Our first lessons in math will have us learning about ratios. I will try to be as thorough as I can in my instruction and pace the instruction so that all the learners are successful. However, know that I am expecting 110% effort from your child. Success will require extra effort from all of us. If you have questions about our new math program, (or anything else about what's going on in sixth grade) please do not hesitate to contact me.
Ruth Johnson
P.S. Please don't forget that school pictures will be taken on Tuesday, August 26th!
On Thursday, we began the day with an assembly at Jacobson and then spent the morning moving from station to station learning about what it means to show Bronco Pride throughout the school. This was a roll out for our PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System) which will be implemented at Jacobson this year. All students will be taught expected behaviors and then recognized when they are showing these positive behaviors. We are confident that this program will make our building a positive, caring place.
In our classroom, we worked to build a learning community; procedures and expectations were taught and there were activities so we could become better acquainted. As you can see, this was a very busy week; I think we will all be ready for a bit of relaxing this weekend!
During the coming week, we will settle into our regular routine. In Social Studies, we will review map concepts. On Monday, the sixth graders will be assigned their first DGP (Daily Geography Practice) which will be due on Friday, August 29th. Many of the questions on DGP have several parts; often the students will complete only part of the question. Reviewing your learner's work and helping them make sure that their work is complete would be most appreciated. On Wednesday, look for a continents and oceans study guide to come home. The students will be expected to identify the continents and oceans on the world and spell the names of the continents and oceans correctly. There will be a quiz on Tuesday, September 2nd.
This year all students at Jacobson will be using a new math program. After a year of study, the staff felt that this new program will help students develop a deeper understanding of math. It involves a whole new way of looking at math, and students will be asked to THINK in ways they never have before. When starting anything new there will be "growing pains," but in the end, the teachers are confident that the end results will be worth pain. No pain...no gain!
Our first lessons in math will have us learning about ratios. I will try to be as thorough as I can in my instruction and pace the instruction so that all the learners are successful. However, know that I am expecting 110% effort from your child. Success will require extra effort from all of us. If you have questions about our new math program, (or anything else about what's going on in sixth grade) please do not hesitate to contact me.
Ruth Johnson
P.S. Please don't forget that school pictures will be taken on Tuesday, August 26th!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Johnson's Journal April 1, 2014
When the students walked into my room this morning and saw the note about a math test and a science test on Friday (April 4th), they thought it was an April Fool's Day joke. It was not. As I looked ahead, I saw we were just about to wrap up both our science chapter and our math chapter. Knowing that we would be administering Iowa Assessments (Basic Skills Tests) next week (April 7-11), I wanted to get those chapters wrapped up before we started testing. Therefore, I will be reviewing for the science test with the students on Wednesday, and on Thursday, we will review for the math test. By doing this, your child can spend a bit of time reviewing both nights. On the bright side of things, there will be no homework over the weekend! Please make sure your child does come rested and ready to do their best on the Iowa Assessments!
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Johnson's Journal February 28, 2014 (Part 2)
We had a great discussion about how mummies are made in Social Studies today. I hope your child shares some what he/she learned today....just not at the dinner table! I mentioned that I had seen directions on Pintrest for making a mummified chicken. They were very intrigued by the prospect, but I told them that I wasn't game for something quite so disgusting here at school! However, I'm sure that there are some adventuresome parents out there that might be willing to undertake this project at home. Mummifying an apple seems to be more my speed, and we will start that process tomorrow here at school. I will send home the directions for both projects with the kids tomorrow and will include the links here. I will be anxious to see if any of you are brave enough to take on this project at home!
http://www.mummytombs.com/mummymaking/mummychicken3.htm
http://www.k12connections.iptv.org/pdfs/MummyActivities.pdf
http://www.mummytombs.com/mummymaking/mummychicken3.htm
http://www.k12connections.iptv.org/pdfs/MummyActivities.pdf
Johnson's Journal February 27, 2014
The students in my homeroom (6 Johnson) have spelled out HOMEWORK because they had eight assignments where 100% of the class turned their work in on time. They decided that Friday would be an E-Day for them. They may bring an electronic device to school which can be used during study hall (once their work is done), during recess, or other times designated by myself or Mrs. Suntken. The kids know they are to be using their electronics appropriately; that means no Facebook or Twitter and no gaming with violent or inappropriate content. If a student does not have an electronic device to bring from home, they can use a school laptop.
I am glad to reward them for their good work. I hope they enjoy their reward and do not choose to abuse it.
I am glad to reward them for their good work. I hope they enjoy their reward and do not choose to abuse it.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Johnson's Journal February 25, 2014
Last Tuesday morning, I told the sixth graders we were going to get back on a "normal" schedule and really accomplish something over the course of the week. HAH! Mother Nature laughed and did her number on us! Well, we're finally back, and this week, the sixth graders are getting ready for a math test on Friday, March 27th. Today, they got their study guide which they worked on in class; it needs to be completed by class time tomorrow (Wednesday). The study guide also outlines how your child can prepare for his/her test at home. There is an explanation of how your child can earn extra credit on the test included in that study guide. We will play a review game on Wednesday.
I had originally planned on giving the test on Thursday, but after checking the Checkpoint assignment which was handed in today, it is obvious that some students are not ready for the test. Corrections to that assignment will be made on Thursday; if your child got a D or an F they will need be redoing the whole assignment. I am concerned by the lack of quality work that is being turned in. I have taught these skills thoroughly, reviewed them many times, and we have played games to reinforce the skills taught. If you child does not understand their assignments, they need to come talk to me. If they are simply being careless, they need to step up. There is a lot of material that needs to be covered before the end of the year so that your child is prepared for seventh grade. Right now I feel like we are getting bogged down by a lack of effort on the part of many students. This is not fair to the students who are working hard and are ready to move on. If you are concerned with your student's progress or have questions about what is going on please contact me.
I feel that this note has a rather negative tone, but there are also some sixth graders who are developing some bad habits when it comes to turning in work on time. Please remember that it has been the policy all year that if work is not turned in on time, the student will serve a detention after school that day. Several students have two or three detentions to serve this week since they have late work. Some owe detentions to both Mrs. Suntken and myself. You will be receiving a call if your child needs to make arrangements to stay after school. We hope we can get this problem nipped in the bud before it becomes an even bigger issue.
Mastering math and reading skills is important, but Mrs. Suntken and I strongly believe it is even more important to develop good work habits which will carry on into the real world. We want students to produce quality work that they are proud of. Being responsible and meeting deadlines is a skill required of successful people. This is a great group of sixth graders and we want to help them meet their full potential. Hopefully, we can get past this mid-winter lag quickly and back on track. We want to make these last months of sixth grade a positive experience!
I had originally planned on giving the test on Thursday, but after checking the Checkpoint assignment which was handed in today, it is obvious that some students are not ready for the test. Corrections to that assignment will be made on Thursday; if your child got a D or an F they will need be redoing the whole assignment. I am concerned by the lack of quality work that is being turned in. I have taught these skills thoroughly, reviewed them many times, and we have played games to reinforce the skills taught. If you child does not understand their assignments, they need to come talk to me. If they are simply being careless, they need to step up. There is a lot of material that needs to be covered before the end of the year so that your child is prepared for seventh grade. Right now I feel like we are getting bogged down by a lack of effort on the part of many students. This is not fair to the students who are working hard and are ready to move on. If you are concerned with your student's progress or have questions about what is going on please contact me.
I feel that this note has a rather negative tone, but there are also some sixth graders who are developing some bad habits when it comes to turning in work on time. Please remember that it has been the policy all year that if work is not turned in on time, the student will serve a detention after school that day. Several students have two or three detentions to serve this week since they have late work. Some owe detentions to both Mrs. Suntken and myself. You will be receiving a call if your child needs to make arrangements to stay after school. We hope we can get this problem nipped in the bud before it becomes an even bigger issue.
Mastering math and reading skills is important, but Mrs. Suntken and I strongly believe it is even more important to develop good work habits which will carry on into the real world. We want students to produce quality work that they are proud of. Being responsible and meeting deadlines is a skill required of successful people. This is a great group of sixth graders and we want to help them meet their full potential. Hopefully, we can get past this mid-winter lag quickly and back on track. We want to make these last months of sixth grade a positive experience!
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Johnson's Journal October 3, 2014
What a busy day to end our Homecoming Week! Everyone at Jacobson braved the cold and the wind to participate in the Iowa Healthiest State Walk. Ms. Halfpop and I both planned football themed activities for the afternoon, and we ended the day with the parade. We collected lots and lots of candy which we will be using throughout the fall for rewards and incentives!
In the coming week, my math students will be introduced to a new tool--double tape diagrams--which will be useful in solving the real life problems our math series presents to us. They will be given a problem solving assignment on Monday which will be due Friday.
I would like to encourage all of you to attend our Jacobson Math Night on Thursday at 6:30. The meeting will be held at the HS Auditorium. You have probably heard a lot about the Core Curriculum. Information will be presented on what the Core Curriculum really is and how the math series that is being used at Jacobson is helping prepare your child for this rapidly changing world. We look forward to having a good crowd attend.
Our focus in science will be genetics this week. Lots of good discussion will take place in class, and I am hoping that it will carry over to discussions you have at home. The sixth graders will be working on a project called Genetics with a Smile which illustrates how traits are passed on from parent to child and how no one person is exactly like another, even a sibling.
Wishing all of you a restful weekend!
In the coming week, my math students will be introduced to a new tool--double tape diagrams--which will be useful in solving the real life problems our math series presents to us. They will be given a problem solving assignment on Monday which will be due Friday.
I would like to encourage all of you to attend our Jacobson Math Night on Thursday at 6:30. The meeting will be held at the HS Auditorium. You have probably heard a lot about the Core Curriculum. Information will be presented on what the Core Curriculum really is and how the math series that is being used at Jacobson is helping prepare your child for this rapidly changing world. We look forward to having a good crowd attend.
Our focus in science will be genetics this week. Lots of good discussion will take place in class, and I am hoping that it will carry over to discussions you have at home. The sixth graders will be working on a project called Genetics with a Smile which illustrates how traits are passed on from parent to child and how no one person is exactly like another, even a sibling.
Wishing all of you a restful weekend!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Johnson's Journal February 8, 2014
What an incredibly busy stretch we've had here in sixth grade!!
We kicked of our Jacobson Reading Olympics on Friday with a school wide assembly. I am so proud of the sixth graders and the leadership they gave in presenting this program! Look for photos to come on the BK home page and Facebook page. Just like the Olympic athletes, BK students will be working to earn gold, silver, and bronze medals. Sixth graders who read three books during February and pass the RC quizzes will be designated gold medal readers. Two books earn silver and one book earns bronze. Olympic athletes have pushed themselves to excel; we are asking our readers to push themselves to excel. The Olympics spirit also encourages unity and our BK students will be uniting to help the community by collecting items for our local food pantry. Please give as you are able. Each week, the fifth and sixth graders will be working on a special Olympic themed activity. This Friday, our focus will be Olympic symbols. The Belmond Public Library has also planned activities to coordinate with our Olympic theme. Look for the handout with details of their programming. It looks to be an exciting month!
The sixth graders competed MAP testing this past week. I was very pleased by the growth the students have shown from the fall testing period to the winter testing period in math. Keep pushing yourself to improve your skills sixth graders!
We are busy working with fraction concepts in math. We have worked to create equivalent fractions, simplify fractions, and find common denominators for pairs of fractions. We have also learned to switch improper fractions to mixed numbers and mixed numbers to improper fractions. This week we focus on the connection between fractions and decimals. With a bit of practice we should easily be able to switch fractions to decimals and decimals to fractions. When we can do this with ease, we can compare and order sets of fractions and decimals. I have found many learning activities (also know as games!) to use when practicing these skills. The kids have commented on how these activities make practice so much more fun than lengthy assignments! You do not have to do pages of practice exercises to build skills!!! Mastering these skills is very important as they will be used when we move on to computing with fractions.
We are in the midst of our study of Ancient Egypt in Social Studies. This unit has a variety of activities...art projects, writing projects....and is very intriguing. This week we will play the ancient board game Senet and explore the mysterious King Tut.
The only thing that could make life better in sixth grade is a bit of warm weather! We need some outdoor time after all our hard work in class. Whenever there is an opportunity for your child to engage in a physical activity please encourage them to do so since the weather has limited those opportunities at school. Kids need a balance of activities in their lives!
We kicked of our Jacobson Reading Olympics on Friday with a school wide assembly. I am so proud of the sixth graders and the leadership they gave in presenting this program! Look for photos to come on the BK home page and Facebook page. Just like the Olympic athletes, BK students will be working to earn gold, silver, and bronze medals. Sixth graders who read three books during February and pass the RC quizzes will be designated gold medal readers. Two books earn silver and one book earns bronze. Olympic athletes have pushed themselves to excel; we are asking our readers to push themselves to excel. The Olympics spirit also encourages unity and our BK students will be uniting to help the community by collecting items for our local food pantry. Please give as you are able. Each week, the fifth and sixth graders will be working on a special Olympic themed activity. This Friday, our focus will be Olympic symbols. The Belmond Public Library has also planned activities to coordinate with our Olympic theme. Look for the handout with details of their programming. It looks to be an exciting month!
The sixth graders competed MAP testing this past week. I was very pleased by the growth the students have shown from the fall testing period to the winter testing period in math. Keep pushing yourself to improve your skills sixth graders!
We are busy working with fraction concepts in math. We have worked to create equivalent fractions, simplify fractions, and find common denominators for pairs of fractions. We have also learned to switch improper fractions to mixed numbers and mixed numbers to improper fractions. This week we focus on the connection between fractions and decimals. With a bit of practice we should easily be able to switch fractions to decimals and decimals to fractions. When we can do this with ease, we can compare and order sets of fractions and decimals. I have found many learning activities (also know as games!) to use when practicing these skills. The kids have commented on how these activities make practice so much more fun than lengthy assignments! You do not have to do pages of practice exercises to build skills!!! Mastering these skills is very important as they will be used when we move on to computing with fractions.
We are in the midst of our study of Ancient Egypt in Social Studies. This unit has a variety of activities...art projects, writing projects....and is very intriguing. This week we will play the ancient board game Senet and explore the mysterious King Tut.
The only thing that could make life better in sixth grade is a bit of warm weather! We need some outdoor time after all our hard work in class. Whenever there is an opportunity for your child to engage in a physical activity please encourage them to do so since the weather has limited those opportunities at school. Kids need a balance of activities in their lives!
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Johnson's Journal January 16, 2014
Welcome to 2014! The sixth graders are trying to get back into the "school mode" once again. It has been a hard transition with only two days of school last week, no school on Monday, and then a late start Tuesday. Mrs. Suntken and I have both noticed how tired many students appear. Is your sixth grader going to bed a a reasonable time? We feel that our students should be in bed by 9:00 p.m. so they can be well rested and ready for a full day of work at school.
In math, we are starting the new year by working with the concepts of divisibility, factors and multiples, and then prime and composite numbers. Developing a strong foundation with these skills is very important, as we will apply what we are learning now in our fraction unit which comes next. Ask your learner to draw a factor tree for you--most kids think making factor trees is pretty nifty! We will work with these skills again next week (January 13-17th).
Our Social Studies work finds us focusing on the early civilization of Mesopotamia. One of the highlights of this unit is using an online cuneiform translator. Many students asked about doing more translating so I am including the web site we used. All you have to do is type in a word or sentence and the program will translate it into cuneiform for you. The site is: http://www.paleoaliens.com/event/babylonian/index.html. Next week we will focus on Hammurabi the powerful king famous for his code of law. We will have lots of lively conversation about whether or not his code was right or fair. A discussion about Hammurabi's Code some night next week at the dinner table could prove very interesting! Also, look for a writing assignment by mid-week in which your student will be asked to reflect on the code.
Keep your fingers crossed that the weather will moderate and all our students will be able to go out for recess next week. Coats, hats, mittens, and yes, snowpants and boots are a must for this kind of weather!
In math, we are starting the new year by working with the concepts of divisibility, factors and multiples, and then prime and composite numbers. Developing a strong foundation with these skills is very important, as we will apply what we are learning now in our fraction unit which comes next. Ask your learner to draw a factor tree for you--most kids think making factor trees is pretty nifty! We will work with these skills again next week (January 13-17th).
Our Social Studies work finds us focusing on the early civilization of Mesopotamia. One of the highlights of this unit is using an online cuneiform translator. Many students asked about doing more translating so I am including the web site we used. All you have to do is type in a word or sentence and the program will translate it into cuneiform for you. The site is: http://www.paleoaliens.com/event/babylonian/index.html. Next week we will focus on Hammurabi the powerful king famous for his code of law. We will have lots of lively conversation about whether or not his code was right or fair. A discussion about Hammurabi's Code some night next week at the dinner table could prove very interesting! Also, look for a writing assignment by mid-week in which your student will be asked to reflect on the code.
Keep your fingers crossed that the weather will moderate and all our students will be able to go out for recess next week. Coats, hats, mittens, and yes, snowpants and boots are a must for this kind of weather!