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!
Sunday, November 23, 2014
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.