Moving on!

Moving On!!!

It Is Time!!  Time to move on from our first units of study.  Both 5th and 6th grade literature have completed the read aloud literature selection we were doing in class.
Both grades enjoyed the 2 great selections of literature.  We learned about parts of a story especially setting and characters as we read.  We completed reaction journals and comprehension questions.
And we have taken or are in the process of taking the final tests.


6th Grade Literature:  6th grade will move immediately into a Literature set.  I have 4 books chosen and students will read one of the four books.  All four are award winning and keep with the theme of a strong central character that has obstacles to overcome.  The books are listed below:

Stargirl - by Jerry Spinelli
Walk Two Moons - by Sharon Creech
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town - by Kimberly Willis Holt
Wonder - by RJ Palacio

Check out these books on Common Sense Media to read a review.
We will begin the unit in the next class time.  Students will be filling out a calendar of pages due each day.  All students should be reading pages from their book each day, even when we don't have class.
We will read the book, complete journals, quizzes, discussions and vocabulary.  Each book will have a final group project.  Remember, this takes the place of a first quarter book report.


5th Grade Literature: 5th grade will read about 3 stories from the Treasures Reading book.  These stories will extend the theme from Maniac Magee.  We will be working with workbook pages for these stories.  Keep track of your child's progress on these on Mykoob.  The pages usually are not difficult, but students often rush through them.
Beginning the last week of September we will move back into novels.  I will have 4 novels available.  Each student will read one of the four.  We will work through reaction journals, questions, quizzes, discussions and vocabulary.  There will be final group project for the book.  This remember, takes the place of a first quarter book report.

The four choices of books are:
Bridge to Terabithia - by Katherine Patterson
Dear Mr. Henshaw - by Beverly Cleary
Feathers - by Jacqueline Woodson
The Great Gilly Hopkins - by Katherine Patterson

5th Grade Social Studies:  We have completed chapter 2 which is an introduction to Native Americans.  We are using chapter 3 to further investigate tribes from the 7 different cultural regions.
Students have been assigned to a group and a specific tribe to study.  On the blog under social studies are the exact directions for this group assignment.  Each student, while working in a group, has been assigned to one specific part of the project, and their grade will reflect their effort on that part.

There is a calendar included.  The date the presentation is due will be posted next week.  Most of this work should be completed at school, however, groups may have some work that needs to be done at home.