First Week of School!

What a GREAT first week of school! This is going to be the best year ever! I'm very excited about our class and the work we are doing.
Friday was a big day. We had a Discipline Assembly in the morning. At lunch, the twenty-two students who were able to unravel and wear their frozen shirts had a root beer float party. So much fun! The music and dancing made it even more lively. We love to celebrate accomplishments in 6th grade!
After lunch, we started rotations. Students went to one of the 6th grade teachers for the first day of a two day rotation. This is going to be standard practice. Two of the rotations are social studies (early humans) and the other two are science (continental drift and volcanoes).
Three day weekend this weekend, so no school Monday. See you all on Tuesday!

Early Humans kick off and Back to School Night

Today we held a kick off for our Early Humans unit. The teachers put on a skit. Fun but hot! 

Homework tonight:

• Reading Log (plus a question)
• Studies Weekly due tomorrow
• Writing: write an ABC poem about a character
• Math: reteach 1-3 (not #5) and practice 1-2

Remember, you will get a homework pass if an adult comes for you tonight! 

Wednesday!

Wednesdays are different because we get out early. No afternoon rotations on Wednesdays :(
Tomorrow is Back to School Night. I will have a presentation at 6:30 and another at 7:00. Hope to see everyone's family there!
Tomorrow we are going to kick off our Early Humans unit. Should be fun!

Tonight's homework:

• reading log (remember to ask a question of the author or a character)
• math: reteach 1-2 and practice 1-1
• writing: write about the sound, the color, and the smell of school
• continue Studies Weekly 
• Studies Weekly worksheet, due tomorrow

Successful Teacher

Part of last's night homework was to list qualities of a Successful Teacher. The answers were interesting and a little inspiring.
Top responses were:

• have lesson plans ready
• love teaching
• make time for each student
• be helpful
• be a good example
• make learning fun
• show how to do things
• don't give up
• be organized
• encourage students
• be patient
• be positive
• give rewards
• worry for students
• and -- be on time

Homework tonight:

• reading log
• emergency card filled out and returned tomorrow
• math reteach 1-1
• continue with Studies Weekly
• writing: write about a white shirt

Today flew by! This week is going by too quickly!

Post First Day of School

First day of school is in the books! It seemed like the time flew by today. Maybe because of the clock problems!

Homework for tonight is:

• Reading log (read for 30 minutes, then write a 3-4 sentence summary)
• Writing prompt (five things you forget)
• Successful teacher
• Have pink paper signed 
• Start Studies Weekly (due Friday)

The Cool Mess activity was very fun! I wasn't sure what to expect, but 22 sixth graders were able to unknot the shirts. It was a good lesson in determination and not giving up. We CAN do what seems impossible.

Don't forget -- we will have a root beer float party if we get 100% of the pink papers back by Friday.

First Day of School!

Welcome to 6th grade! I'm so excited to start the year.
We are going to do school differently than you've experienced in the past. This year is going to be one to remember!
School hours are 8:10-2:30 every day except Wednesday, when dismissal is at 1:15.
Back to School Night is Thursday. There will be presentations at 6:30 and 7:00. I hope everyone's family can attend.
The first week we are going to have a few grade level activities. Monday, we have a fun team building activity. Thursday we are going to kick off our first round of rotations, which will start Friday afternoon.