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!
Sunday, November 23, 2014
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!