It was another exciting week in sixth grade! In math, students learned more about positive and negative numbers. First, they focused on finding the absolute value of rational numbers. From there, the class applied this knowledge to real world situations involving elevation. Sixth grade readers concluded their author study of Patricia Polacco by examining Thank You Mr. Falker. They thought critically about the theme and how characters change over the course of a text. In writing, students reviewed narrative which was a topic we studied at the beginning of the year. The class wrote a final personal narrative that contained a theme or lesson. Finally, sixth graders continued their study of Europe and learned about how heat and temperature affect matter.
Math: In math, sixth graders continued their study of rational numbers this week. First, they used inequalities to compare positive and negative numbers. Students also explained how to use the positions of numbers on a number line to compare them. From there the class compared and ordered rational numbers using words such as “greater than”, “less than” and “opposite”. Finally, students worked to interpret, explain, and use negative numbers in different contexts including those involving money.
Writing: In writing, students began the week by thinking critically about objects in order to compare and contrast their features. Sixth graders worked hard to build their writing stamina by writing as much as possible about their topics in a short amount of time. From there the class examined the themes of two books they have read in the past year. They worked to carefully select details that could be used to compare and contrast the two texts. Students thought about the various strategies for writing a piece of this nature. Reading: Sixth graders began their week by thinking back to the solar eclipse of August, 2017 with an article on Achieve3000. They learned new scientific vocabulary that may be found in the text. Next, the class read a new Patricia Polacco book called Mrs. Katz and Tush. Students thought critically about how she develops her characters and shows how they change throughout the text. We also compared and contrasted these ideas with other books we have read. Science/Social Studies: Sixth graders participated in two wonderful science programs this week. On Monday, the PTO sponsored “Hagermania” where students learned about the science and math behind common items. Their week ended with a trip to White Memorial. Sixth graders were so lucky to learn about various types of environmental sciences. In between, students continued their study of heat transfer and explored more types of statistical questions. Math: In math, sixth graders concluded their study of expressions and equations this week. First, they created tables and graphs to represent the relationship between distance and time for something moving at a constant speed. Next, students wrote equations with variables to represent similar relationships. From there, the class started their new unit about rational numbers. They explained how positive and negative numbers are related to contexts such as temperature and elevation. To end the week, sixth graders plotted points on a number line and explored the meaning of opposite numbers.
Writing: In writing, students worked to complete final drafts of their essays. They used checklists and rubrics to ensure their writing contained specific details and sophisticated transitions. In addition, sixth graders who finished early spent time enhancing creative writing skills by working on a piece of their choosing. Reading: Sixth graders began their week by analyzing a new Patricia Polacco book called John Philip Duck. This story deviated from the patterns we had learned about Polacco so far in that it did not contain any biographical components. Students thought critically about how she developed the setting and the impact it had on the text. We also read the book Mr. Lincoln and Me and compared/contrasted the two stories. Science/Social Studies: Sixth graders began a new unit on energy transfer in science this week. They used prior knowledge to draft a potential habitat that can be used to successfully raise penguins in a zoo. In addition, students learned about the difference between statistical and non-statistical science/math questions. Math: In math, sixth graders continued their study of expressions and equations this week. First, they evaluated expressions with exponents and and wrote expressions with exponents that are equal to a given number. From there, students determined if multiple expressions with exponents were equal to each other. Next, sixth graders worked with exponents involving variables and learned how to solve for the unknown value. To end the week, students created tables and graphs to describe the relationship between variables.
Writing: In writing, students continued to work on editing and revising literary essays. To start, they examined their writing and thought critically about how to include higher level transitional language. Next, sixth graders worked on specific strategies to edit for spelling and grammar. They listened to their piece read out loud and made sure sentences had appropriate punctuation. Finally, the class continued on to final drafts by finding more sophisticated vocabulary words to bring their ideas to life. Reading: SIxth graders began their week by analyzing the four Patricia Polacco books we have read so far. Students looked for patterns and commonalities in themes, settings, characters and other aspects of her stories. From there, the class read a new text called My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother. They thought critically about how Polacco developed the point of view of the narrator. Science/Social Studies: Sixth graders continued their study of Europe this week. They began by identifying major countries on a map. Students also analyzed the physical features of various countries. The class thought critically about how the shape of a country influences it. Math: In math, sixth graders continued their study of expressions and equations this week. First, they applied their knowledge of this topic to a review of percents. Students solved percent problems by writing and solving equations. From there, the class used tape diagrams to determine which expressions are equivalent and which are simply sometimes equal. Next, they spent a few days learning about the distributive property and how it can assist mathematicians with making computations in their head. Writing: In writing, students continued to work on literary essays. To start, they finished carefully crafting their body paragraphs using specific evidence and quotes from the text. Next, the class worked to end their essays in a meaningful way, leaving readers with a final thought to consider. From there, they used a checklist to begin editing and revising. Students worked with two sections at a time to ensure they were truly engaged in the process. Reading: Sixth graders began the week by expanding their vocabulary through an article about the artifacts Columbus left behind in Puerto Rico on Achieve3000. From there, they continued to read like a fan. They used a new mentor text by Patricia Polacco called Pink and Say which takes place during the Civil War. Students had thoughtful, in depth discussions about how authors craft their settings and the impact that settings have on a text. To end the week, sixth graders compared and contrasted Pink and Say with other Patricia Polacco books. Science/Social Studies: Sixth grade scientists analyzed weather maps this week. They learned about the different types of fronts and high/low pressure systems. In social studies, students began a study of Europe by labeling a map of the continent. |
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June 2018
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