Only two weeks left in the first quarter!! That is so hard to believe. I have spent some time going over with students assignments that are still missing or incomplete. They should continue to check Educate and discuss with teachers grades that are a concern. Do not wait until the last day of the quarter to ask!!
As the quarter comes to an end, we are wrapping up many of our units as well. Some will include a final evaluation, vocabulary work or final writing piece. I will send notices as we approach these finals.
5th grade Language Arts: Literature: We plan to finish reading Wonder by the week's end or early the following week. We have so enjoyed this wonderful book and have had amazing discussions about the topics that it brings up. We will be finishing vocabulary this week as well. Vocabulary words have all been done in class and are in a vocab folder. The folder itself will receive a grade, and there will be a test over the words as well. I will notify you of the exact date of the vocab test as we get closer. There will be a final test over the book as well. Students should not have to study for the book test. I will notify you of that test date.
We will then be moving on into book clubs. There will be 4-5 choices of books that students can read. I will publish a list of those, so that you can review them. Students will be placed in a book based on interest and reading level.
English/Writing: Spelling words were chosen last week Tuesday. Your child's words are on Google classroom. They have 20 words. We have used Spelling City to practice. They will have Spelling homework Tuesday of this week, due on Wednesday. The test over these words is Thursday, October 5th.
I am so proud of the 5th graders in writing. They have worked so diligently in writing their personal narratives. This past week I had them take the story and begin a new draft from the start, trying to tell the same story in a different way. We will use this week to revise those drafts. The following week will be editing and the we will publish our first story!!
The stories will be on Seesaw and we will let you know when that happens.
As we get to the editing stage, we will take some time and go over some grammar skills. There will be grammar homework, posted on Google classroom.
Social Studies: We have a big week ahead in social studies. Groups have spent two days researching their Native American tribe. Now they are working on creating artifacts to represent their research. Each group will need a shoe box to hold their artifacts. Artifacts must be completed and in the shoe box by Tuesday morning.
Akerson's class will go outside for the dig at 8:25 am Tuesday. It will end around 9:25. We will be at the sand pits on the far end of the playground.
Brown's class will head out about 10:45. We will be finished at 11:45.
Wednesday, we will sort and evaluate the artifacts dug up by each group. We will hypothesize what tribe the artifacts came from.
Thursday is our field trip to Cahokia Mounds. We are so excited to get to visit this historic site in our own backyard. We will leave CCLS at 10:45 and return at 2:45. All students need a sack lunch (throw away)! If you plan to attend, and have not told us, please let us know by Tuesday. Parents will need to transport themselves, but cannot transport students - even their own.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
****************************************************************************
6th Grade Literature: This week we will wrap up our reading of True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Students are working in groups to create character presentations that focus on the 5 types of characterization. This author uses all 5 types. Presentations will be this week and worth 40 points.
This week will also be Quiz #2 for the book. It will be on Google Classroom.
At the end of the week we will complete vocabulary for the book. Vocabulary has been done together in class. It is kept in a vocabulary folder. Folders will be graded as well as a final test over the words.
We are setting the final vocabulary and book test for True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle for Thursday/Friday October 12/13 (depending A/B day).
We will move on from Charlotte Doyle into Book Clubs. There will be 5 book choices for 6th graders to read. All have the same genre and similar theme. We will post the books next week so that you can look at them. Students will be placed by interest and reading level.
6th graders need to make sure they have checked Educate. There is still some outstanding work at this time and only 2 weeks left in the quarter. I will accept the work even if it is late.
I am looking forward to a great week ahead.
Blessings on your weekend - hopefully you can find time to fellowship at the Carnival or CCLS Sunday.
Mrs. Brown
Friday, September 29, 2017
Friday, September 22, 2017
Week of September 25-29
We completed a very busy week last week. We turned in several significant assignments.
Students are working hard and checking their progress.
If your student has resubmitted work after making corrections, I will be posting those updated grades this week. I do not allow for corrections on all assignments, so your child should speak to me if they need to resubmit an assignment.
For the most part if I feel they have completed the material correctly, I will allow them to try again.
5th Grade Language Arts: Literature:We are engrossed by the book Wonder at this point. We cheered on Friday when Auggie forgave Jack and they became friends again. We are using this book as a catalyst for discussing our own treatment of people that are different than us or our classmates. The 5th grade will have a vital role in our school wide Kindness Challenge that is beginning.
We completed Word Puzzles for the characters on Friday. I will be printing those. This week we will work on vocabulary words in class, and begin looking at the Precepts that go with the story. By the end of the week we will take the second quiz for the book(on Google classroom).
English/Writing: We continue to work on our personal narratives. We will do some re-writing this week and focus on the theme of the story. We will then begin to edit our stories looking at the grammatical parts of them. We will be doing some grammar skills in class and some work will be assigned on Google classroom.
We will be choosing new spelling words on Tuesday. The class words will be on the blog, the complete list for your child will be on google classroom.
Social Studies: Hopefully you received the parent note outlining some upcoming events in social studies for 5th grade. In class, we are finishing up the notes for the unit. We have created a chart that will be our notes for the final test. This week, students will be choosing a tribe to study in depth and prepare for the Great Native American Dig. The necessary information for this project will be posted on Google classroom under social studies.
I will be collecting and grading the workbooks again this week. Look for those grades on Educate.
****************************************************************************
6th Grade Literature: We are more than halfway done with The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. We worked on notes about the setting of the story this week. Students are sketching the Seahawk as an assignment. They may use the book or PDF of the book on line for help. Journals will be graded and posted as well. We have done more vocabulary in class. This week we will go back and look at characters again, taking further notes on that literary element. Students will be put into groups and assigned a presentation on one of the characters. We will be using our notes for the specific information that must be in the presentation.
We will be wrapping this book up within a couple of weeks. Look for information about the final test and vocabulary.
Looking forward to a busy but wonderful week ahead,
Mrs. Brown
Students are working hard and checking their progress.
If your student has resubmitted work after making corrections, I will be posting those updated grades this week. I do not allow for corrections on all assignments, so your child should speak to me if they need to resubmit an assignment.
For the most part if I feel they have completed the material correctly, I will allow them to try again.
5th Grade Language Arts: Literature:We are engrossed by the book Wonder at this point. We cheered on Friday when Auggie forgave Jack and they became friends again. We are using this book as a catalyst for discussing our own treatment of people that are different than us or our classmates. The 5th grade will have a vital role in our school wide Kindness Challenge that is beginning.
We completed Word Puzzles for the characters on Friday. I will be printing those. This week we will work on vocabulary words in class, and begin looking at the Precepts that go with the story. By the end of the week we will take the second quiz for the book(on Google classroom).
English/Writing: We continue to work on our personal narratives. We will do some re-writing this week and focus on the theme of the story. We will then begin to edit our stories looking at the grammatical parts of them. We will be doing some grammar skills in class and some work will be assigned on Google classroom.
We will be choosing new spelling words on Tuesday. The class words will be on the blog, the complete list for your child will be on google classroom.
Social Studies: Hopefully you received the parent note outlining some upcoming events in social studies for 5th grade. In class, we are finishing up the notes for the unit. We have created a chart that will be our notes for the final test. This week, students will be choosing a tribe to study in depth and prepare for the Great Native American Dig. The necessary information for this project will be posted on Google classroom under social studies.
I will be collecting and grading the workbooks again this week. Look for those grades on Educate.
****************************************************************************
6th Grade Literature: We are more than halfway done with The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. We worked on notes about the setting of the story this week. Students are sketching the Seahawk as an assignment. They may use the book or PDF of the book on line for help. Journals will be graded and posted as well. We have done more vocabulary in class. This week we will go back and look at characters again, taking further notes on that literary element. Students will be put into groups and assigned a presentation on one of the characters. We will be using our notes for the specific information that must be in the presentation.
We will be wrapping this book up within a couple of weeks. Look for information about the final test and vocabulary.
Looking forward to a busy but wonderful week ahead,
Mrs. Brown
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Week Of September 18-22
A look at the week past and into the week ahead....
As grades are posted this week, encourage your child to check his/her grades and discuss with teachers missing work or low scores. I am happy to talk to students about their grades at a break time.
If your student is having missing or late work, encourage them to write everything in their planner and bring that home each night and check off work as they complete it. Make sure as you work with your student, it is their responsibility to complete the work and return it to school.
5th Grade Literacy: Literature: Students were assigned a reflection journal on Thursday. It is due Monday. They had time in class to work on it, but many took it home to complete. It is on Google Classroom under literature. We will go over the quiz from last week and journals on Monday. We have been working together on much of this, allowing students to add to their answers as we discuss in order to complete the assignments correctly. We went over the quiz answers in class before they turned it in, so they could determine if they were correct or needed to add more details to their answers.
We are beginning the Jack chapters this week in Wonder. We are working on vocabulary together in class. Hopefully on Friday we will be ready to complete a character Word Puzzle on the chrome book.
Students will receive an Independent reading assignment on Tuesday of this week. It will be due on Thursday.
Writing/Spelling/Grammar: We have chosen our new spelling words. Class words are posted on this blog under English. Your child's complete list is on Google classroom under English. We worked on Spelling City this week Thursday with the words. If your student received a score of less than 10 on the Spelling list, that means they need to correct words. They are marked on the document. The test will be this week on Thursday. We will have a spelling assignment on Tuesday of this week.
In writing we are ready to write the draft of our final personal narrative. We will be working on that Monday and Tuesday of this week. As we go through the editing of these stories we will be picking up grammar skills. Look for grammar homework next week.
5th grade social studies: We have completed chapter 2 which is really an introduction to chapter 3 on Native Americans. We did 3 workbook pages together that will be graded. Students were assigned the vocabulary words in their workbook as well. That will be collected and graded this week. There will be no chapter 2 test/quiz. This week we will be working in Expert groups to go over the regions of the US that the Native Americans lived in. Students will work in small groups to become experts on one region. Then they will report the information to a larger group. While we complete this, students will be creating their Origin stories on canvas. Those will hang in the hallways. There should be little or no homework this week in social studies.
6th Grade Literature: I realize that this goes out to all 6th grade students and families. Ms. Stearns and I team teach literature, which means we are completing the same assignments at approximately the same time. However the information in this blog may be slightly different if your student has Ms. Stearns for literature. I am sending it to all 6th grade, since the information is essentially the same.
Students had an independent reading assignment over the weekend that is due on Monday. (Brown teacher). This will be in their Readers notebook.
We will be taking a look the first part of this week at last week's assignments. The character theories were full of flaws and not everyone followed directions. We will also look over last week's quiz. I will allow students to make corrections on these assignments, since they are the first we have done.
Students will be assigned the first reflection journal on Google classroom Mon/Tues of this week. It is due the next class period.
At the end of the week, students will be assigned a sketch of the Seahawk. We will be going over notes about setting, and then sketching the setting of this book. The drawings will need to include a list of things that will be posted on Google classroom. The assignment is worth 25 points and students will have several days to complete it.
We are very much enjoying this book. My class has requested a day just to read from Charlotte Doyle. Again, the book is rich in literary elements, actually combines several genres, and leads to wonderful discussion about the author's craft and the characters themselves.
Blessing on your week,
Mrs. Brown
As grades are posted this week, encourage your child to check his/her grades and discuss with teachers missing work or low scores. I am happy to talk to students about their grades at a break time.
If your student is having missing or late work, encourage them to write everything in their planner and bring that home each night and check off work as they complete it. Make sure as you work with your student, it is their responsibility to complete the work and return it to school.
5th Grade Literacy: Literature: Students were assigned a reflection journal on Thursday. It is due Monday. They had time in class to work on it, but many took it home to complete. It is on Google Classroom under literature. We will go over the quiz from last week and journals on Monday. We have been working together on much of this, allowing students to add to their answers as we discuss in order to complete the assignments correctly. We went over the quiz answers in class before they turned it in, so they could determine if they were correct or needed to add more details to their answers.
We are beginning the Jack chapters this week in Wonder. We are working on vocabulary together in class. Hopefully on Friday we will be ready to complete a character Word Puzzle on the chrome book.
Students will receive an Independent reading assignment on Tuesday of this week. It will be due on Thursday.
Writing/Spelling/Grammar: We have chosen our new spelling words. Class words are posted on this blog under English. Your child's complete list is on Google classroom under English. We worked on Spelling City this week Thursday with the words. If your student received a score of less than 10 on the Spelling list, that means they need to correct words. They are marked on the document. The test will be this week on Thursday. We will have a spelling assignment on Tuesday of this week.
In writing we are ready to write the draft of our final personal narrative. We will be working on that Monday and Tuesday of this week. As we go through the editing of these stories we will be picking up grammar skills. Look for grammar homework next week.
5th grade social studies: We have completed chapter 2 which is really an introduction to chapter 3 on Native Americans. We did 3 workbook pages together that will be graded. Students were assigned the vocabulary words in their workbook as well. That will be collected and graded this week. There will be no chapter 2 test/quiz. This week we will be working in Expert groups to go over the regions of the US that the Native Americans lived in. Students will work in small groups to become experts on one region. Then they will report the information to a larger group. While we complete this, students will be creating their Origin stories on canvas. Those will hang in the hallways. There should be little or no homework this week in social studies.
6th Grade Literature: I realize that this goes out to all 6th grade students and families. Ms. Stearns and I team teach literature, which means we are completing the same assignments at approximately the same time. However the information in this blog may be slightly different if your student has Ms. Stearns for literature. I am sending it to all 6th grade, since the information is essentially the same.
Students had an independent reading assignment over the weekend that is due on Monday. (Brown teacher). This will be in their Readers notebook.
We will be taking a look the first part of this week at last week's assignments. The character theories were full of flaws and not everyone followed directions. We will also look over last week's quiz. I will allow students to make corrections on these assignments, since they are the first we have done.
Students will be assigned the first reflection journal on Google classroom Mon/Tues of this week. It is due the next class period.
At the end of the week, students will be assigned a sketch of the Seahawk. We will be going over notes about setting, and then sketching the setting of this book. The drawings will need to include a list of things that will be posted on Google classroom. The assignment is worth 25 points and students will have several days to complete it.
We are very much enjoying this book. My class has requested a day just to read from Charlotte Doyle. Again, the book is rich in literary elements, actually combines several genres, and leads to wonderful discussion about the author's craft and the characters themselves.
Blessing on your week,
Mrs. Brown
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Week of Sept. 11-14
We have two short but productive weeks. At about halfway through the first quarter, students should be in the swing of things and on track. Please let me know if you have concerns about that.
Remember to check Educate on a regular basis to keep informed of grades and late, missing or incomplete assignments. If students are absent, they will need to check about any work that was missed.
Thank you to all of those that were able to attend School Night in Miniature last Tuesday. We had a wonderful turn out. The information I went over is posted on this blog under the appropriate class heading. I am also happy to send home a paper copy handout if you want one.
5th Grade Literacy: Literature - We are approaching the halfway mark in the book Wonder. We spent time last week analyzing 4 of the characters. That was an assignment on Google classroom, that we worked on in class and then finished as homework if needed. Those grades will be posted on Educate and you can see the grade on classroom. **On Tuesday of this week students will be assigned a quiz for the book. It will be on Google classroom. We will work on it during class, but they are able to complete it at home. They can use the book to help them out. The quiz is due on Wednesday.
We will work on vocabulary words together in class on Wednesday. Students should be able to complete these in class time. On Thursday they will be assigned a second reflection journal. It will be assigned on Google classroom and due on Monday. Directions will be on the document on classroom.
Lastly, I conferenced with students during independent reading on Friday to see where they are in the book they have chosen. They have a weekend assignment to read 25 minutes, record it in their reading log and write a 1/2 page reflection in their readers notebook. This is due Mon. 9/11.
English/Writing: We took our first spelling test on Thursday. I am grading both the spelling homework and tests this weekend. Those will be posted on Educate. I will be working with students this week that struggled greatly, mostly because of choosing inappropriate words for their level. This will be a bit of a learning curve for most. We will choose new words on Tuesday of this week. Class words will be posted on the blog. Each child's complete list will be on Google classroom. They will need to have 20 words chosen by Wednesday. The final test is next week Thursday, September 21. Between now and then, we will work on 2 spelling websites and have at least one homework assignment.
We are coming to the end of the instruction portion of writers workshop for personal narratives. This week I will meet with each student and look at what they have been writing and set some goals. They will be working to find a seed idea that they can develop into a published narrative. We will write our Flash Draft on Thursday. This is a 20 minute write of the first draft of this narrative. They will have a choice between paper or chrome book. The next weeks then will focus on revision, grammar skills and then final edits for this piece. There will not be homework this week in the writers notebook.
Social Studies: We have finished our 3D Physical maps. This week each student will take their group's map and explain it. These will be posted on Seesaw. It was a great learning experience.
The second quiz for that chapter is posted on Educate and returned to students. They are able to make test corrections and turn back in. Remember, parents must sign the test, and students must notate where they found the correct information in order to receive points.
We have moved on to the next unit on Native Americans. We are taking notes on the introductory information for this unit. This is being done in the workbook. This unit includes a project where each student will create and record an origin story. We will spend a few weeks on studying specific tribes, creating artifacts and then we will be ready for The Great Native American Dig activity. I will post the date and times for this as we get closer. And the culminating activity is our field trip on October 5th to Cahokia Mounds. Information will come out for that as well. All work this week will be done in the workbook. We will begin it in class, but if not completed, it should come home as homework.
********************************************************************************
6th Grade Literature: I have met with each student this week about the book they are reading independently. We have read each day during class. I have encouraged them to read these same books outside of class as well. I am not requiring them to record every time they read, but it will be assigned as homework from time to time. In class we are on chapter 6-7 of True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.
Last week students worked on developing a theory about 3 characters and showing proof with examples from the book. That assignment should be complete and turned in, however I will accept them Mon/Tues this week. We also began a quiz over the chapters we have read so far. We will finish those on Mon/Tues and they will be due the next class.
Both of these assignments are on Google classroom.
We will look at setting of the story this week and take notes in class. Students will be assigned a sketch of the Seahawk. Directions will be on Google classroom and the sketch will be on paper. It will be assigned either Mon/Tues or Wed./Thurs depending on how far we get in class. It is due the next class period.
We will also begin working on vocabulary words this week. This will be done together in class.
Thanks for sharing your children with me. I love reading and discussing with them about what we read. We will continue to expand on these thoughts and ideas as we read deeper in our books.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns this week. Thanks!
Blessings on the week ahead,
Mrs. Brown
Remember to check Educate on a regular basis to keep informed of grades and late, missing or incomplete assignments. If students are absent, they will need to check about any work that was missed.
Thank you to all of those that were able to attend School Night in Miniature last Tuesday. We had a wonderful turn out. The information I went over is posted on this blog under the appropriate class heading. I am also happy to send home a paper copy handout if you want one.
5th Grade Literacy: Literature - We are approaching the halfway mark in the book Wonder. We spent time last week analyzing 4 of the characters. That was an assignment on Google classroom, that we worked on in class and then finished as homework if needed. Those grades will be posted on Educate and you can see the grade on classroom. **On Tuesday of this week students will be assigned a quiz for the book. It will be on Google classroom. We will work on it during class, but they are able to complete it at home. They can use the book to help them out. The quiz is due on Wednesday.
We will work on vocabulary words together in class on Wednesday. Students should be able to complete these in class time. On Thursday they will be assigned a second reflection journal. It will be assigned on Google classroom and due on Monday. Directions will be on the document on classroom.
Lastly, I conferenced with students during independent reading on Friday to see where they are in the book they have chosen. They have a weekend assignment to read 25 minutes, record it in their reading log and write a 1/2 page reflection in their readers notebook. This is due Mon. 9/11.
English/Writing: We took our first spelling test on Thursday. I am grading both the spelling homework and tests this weekend. Those will be posted on Educate. I will be working with students this week that struggled greatly, mostly because of choosing inappropriate words for their level. This will be a bit of a learning curve for most. We will choose new words on Tuesday of this week. Class words will be posted on the blog. Each child's complete list will be on Google classroom. They will need to have 20 words chosen by Wednesday. The final test is next week Thursday, September 21. Between now and then, we will work on 2 spelling websites and have at least one homework assignment.
We are coming to the end of the instruction portion of writers workshop for personal narratives. This week I will meet with each student and look at what they have been writing and set some goals. They will be working to find a seed idea that they can develop into a published narrative. We will write our Flash Draft on Thursday. This is a 20 minute write of the first draft of this narrative. They will have a choice between paper or chrome book. The next weeks then will focus on revision, grammar skills and then final edits for this piece. There will not be homework this week in the writers notebook.
Social Studies: We have finished our 3D Physical maps. This week each student will take their group's map and explain it. These will be posted on Seesaw. It was a great learning experience.
The second quiz for that chapter is posted on Educate and returned to students. They are able to make test corrections and turn back in. Remember, parents must sign the test, and students must notate where they found the correct information in order to receive points.
We have moved on to the next unit on Native Americans. We are taking notes on the introductory information for this unit. This is being done in the workbook. This unit includes a project where each student will create and record an origin story. We will spend a few weeks on studying specific tribes, creating artifacts and then we will be ready for The Great Native American Dig activity. I will post the date and times for this as we get closer. And the culminating activity is our field trip on October 5th to Cahokia Mounds. Information will come out for that as well. All work this week will be done in the workbook. We will begin it in class, but if not completed, it should come home as homework.
********************************************************************************
6th Grade Literature: I have met with each student this week about the book they are reading independently. We have read each day during class. I have encouraged them to read these same books outside of class as well. I am not requiring them to record every time they read, but it will be assigned as homework from time to time. In class we are on chapter 6-7 of True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.
Last week students worked on developing a theory about 3 characters and showing proof with examples from the book. That assignment should be complete and turned in, however I will accept them Mon/Tues this week. We also began a quiz over the chapters we have read so far. We will finish those on Mon/Tues and they will be due the next class.
Both of these assignments are on Google classroom.
We will look at setting of the story this week and take notes in class. Students will be assigned a sketch of the Seahawk. Directions will be on Google classroom and the sketch will be on paper. It will be assigned either Mon/Tues or Wed./Thurs depending on how far we get in class. It is due the next class period.
We will also begin working on vocabulary words this week. This will be done together in class.
Thanks for sharing your children with me. I love reading and discussing with them about what we read. We will continue to expand on these thoughts and ideas as we read deeper in our books.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns this week. Thanks!
Blessings on the week ahead,
Mrs. Brown
Monday, September 4, 2017
Week of September 5-8
We had a great week last week and have hit the ground running. We will work hard over this week and next, to make sure all students are organized, using their notebooks and Google classroom correctly and completing assignments.
It is a bit of a learning curve this year, especially in Language Arts with the new curriculum and addition of Reader's and Writer's Notebooks.
We will be specifying on our planners if the assignment is in the Notebook (N) or Classroom (C). Hopefully that will help with some confusion.
**I hope to see as many parents as possible Tuesday evening for Taste of Middle School. I am anxious to go over the new curriculum with you and explain some of the wonderful things about Middle school. If you are unable to attend, please let me know and I will send home a copy of the materials that we go over that evening.
This week's assignments:
5th Grade Language Arts: English - Writing/Spelling: We did begin Spelling last week. Together as a class we chose 14 words. Each student then added 6 of their own words to make 20. Your child's complete list is on Google classroom under English. The first 14 words that everyone is learning are posted on this blog, under the English/Spelling tab. The students have worked with their words on Moby Max and will be bringing home Spelling homework on Tuesday.
They will be taking a Spelling test on Thursday on their 20 words. Please look over these words with them this week.
Spelling will run on a two week cycle. We will choose new words next week Tuesday, work on them through various assignments and then be tested on them again Thursday, Sept. 21st.
Writer's workshop is going well. Thank you for reading through your child's notebook and making a comment last week. Look for this notebook to come home about once each week with an assignment. It may be completing a story or other writing work. Again, we will note in the planner that this is Notebook homework. After one more week or so of lessons on Narrative writing, we will begin a story draft that we will work through publication. I am confident your children have written more with this curriculum than years past.
Literature: We are through part one in Wonder and have begun part two. Last week we began vocabulary to go along with the story. This will be done for this class book completely together. Each student needed a 3 prong folder for vocabulary. Check with your child - a few needed to find one. This week we will focus on Characters by analyzing them and finding proof of our theories. We will work on a word puzzle about each character. Coming most likely at the end of this week will be a quiz on Wonder chapters we have read so far. It will be on Google classroom.
5th Grade Social Studies: Tuesday, September 5th is the second half of the Geography quiz. We went over the study guide on Friday, and it should have returned home to go over. This half will have multiple choice and some fill in the blanks - no maps to label. I will be speaking to a few students about studying again for the first map labeling quiz and taking it over. Most students did well.
**We hope to finish our 3D maps of the US Tuesday or Wednesday. We will be going on to the next chapter on Native Americans.
*******************************************************************************
6th Grade Literature:
We are splitting our class time now into two parts. The first part of each class is spent in Independent reading. Each student has a reading partner and they meet often with them to discuss the book they are reading or go over questions I have posed. I am keeping tabs on the reading through the reading log and conferencing as they read. This is what the Reader's notebook is used for. It will most likely come home once a week with a reading assignment.
The second half of our class is reading together as a class. We are in the beginning chapters of True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. We have taken some literary notes about characters and will use those this week to develop theories about the major characters and proof of our theories from the story.
We will use this book to go over many literary elements that we will use all year.
On Thursday and Friday of this week the first quiz on Charlotte Doyle will be assigned. It will be on google classroom and due the following class period.
Thanks for being patient as we dig into this new curriculum. I have so enjoyed seeing the reading and writing and thinking your children have done already.
Blessings on your week,
Hope to see you Tuesday night.
Mrs. Brown
It is a bit of a learning curve this year, especially in Language Arts with the new curriculum and addition of Reader's and Writer's Notebooks.
We will be specifying on our planners if the assignment is in the Notebook (N) or Classroom (C). Hopefully that will help with some confusion.
**I hope to see as many parents as possible Tuesday evening for Taste of Middle School. I am anxious to go over the new curriculum with you and explain some of the wonderful things about Middle school. If you are unable to attend, please let me know and I will send home a copy of the materials that we go over that evening.
This week's assignments:
5th Grade Language Arts: English - Writing/Spelling: We did begin Spelling last week. Together as a class we chose 14 words. Each student then added 6 of their own words to make 20. Your child's complete list is on Google classroom under English. The first 14 words that everyone is learning are posted on this blog, under the English/Spelling tab. The students have worked with their words on Moby Max and will be bringing home Spelling homework on Tuesday.
They will be taking a Spelling test on Thursday on their 20 words. Please look over these words with them this week.
Spelling will run on a two week cycle. We will choose new words next week Tuesday, work on them through various assignments and then be tested on them again Thursday, Sept. 21st.
Writer's workshop is going well. Thank you for reading through your child's notebook and making a comment last week. Look for this notebook to come home about once each week with an assignment. It may be completing a story or other writing work. Again, we will note in the planner that this is Notebook homework. After one more week or so of lessons on Narrative writing, we will begin a story draft that we will work through publication. I am confident your children have written more with this curriculum than years past.
Literature: We are through part one in Wonder and have begun part two. Last week we began vocabulary to go along with the story. This will be done for this class book completely together. Each student needed a 3 prong folder for vocabulary. Check with your child - a few needed to find one. This week we will focus on Characters by analyzing them and finding proof of our theories. We will work on a word puzzle about each character. Coming most likely at the end of this week will be a quiz on Wonder chapters we have read so far. It will be on Google classroom.
5th Grade Social Studies: Tuesday, September 5th is the second half of the Geography quiz. We went over the study guide on Friday, and it should have returned home to go over. This half will have multiple choice and some fill in the blanks - no maps to label. I will be speaking to a few students about studying again for the first map labeling quiz and taking it over. Most students did well.
**We hope to finish our 3D maps of the US Tuesday or Wednesday. We will be going on to the next chapter on Native Americans.
*******************************************************************************
6th Grade Literature:
We are splitting our class time now into two parts. The first part of each class is spent in Independent reading. Each student has a reading partner and they meet often with them to discuss the book they are reading or go over questions I have posed. I am keeping tabs on the reading through the reading log and conferencing as they read. This is what the Reader's notebook is used for. It will most likely come home once a week with a reading assignment.
The second half of our class is reading together as a class. We are in the beginning chapters of True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. We have taken some literary notes about characters and will use those this week to develop theories about the major characters and proof of our theories from the story.
We will use this book to go over many literary elements that we will use all year.
On Thursday and Friday of this week the first quiz on Charlotte Doyle will be assigned. It will be on google classroom and due the following class period.
Thanks for being patient as we dig into this new curriculum. I have so enjoyed seeing the reading and writing and thinking your children have done already.
Blessings on your week,
Hope to see you Tuesday night.
Mrs. Brown
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)