Language Arts:
We started to collect writing topics/ideas for our memoirs. Using the planning sheet above, we spent time jotting down writing ideas based on the subtopics. We will continue this work tomorrow in class..... writing homework will begin again tomorrow.

Reading:
Duffield section, ABC books are due this Thursday. All students have a rubric to use in order to do the best job possible.
VanOoyen- The book needs to be finished along with their individual jobs for the final discussion on Friday. 

Social Studies: Studied the Maya Culture

Language Arts: Continued our work on academic vocabulary, tier 2 words. See above for examples. Memoir writing starts Monday.

Social Studies: Finished and presented research on The Mayas.

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books (see some notes above students are taking) that will summarize a fictional novel.Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd. See above for an example of what the book can look like. 

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- By Monday, students should be at least halfway through this book

Math: R & P 275 & 6-38 to 6-42

Language Arts: Completed vocabulary webs on tier 2 academic words. Homework: Complete sheet if you did not complete in class

Social Studies: Read a text about the Mayas and create a summary of visual in reference to the text. 

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books (see some notes above students are taking) that will summarize a fictional novel.Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd. See above for an example of what the book can look like. 

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- They decided today in their historical fictions groups how much they needed to read by tomorrow. By Monday, students should be at least halfway through this book

Math: 6.33-6.37- Mr K's class

Language Arts: Voted for our most persuasive commercial and the runner-up. The commercials were all very well done. Keep in the back of your mind that the winning commercial will focus what charity we will donate proceeds to from the Medieval Faire come June.

Social Studies: Continued our work on The Mayas.

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books (see some notes above students are taking) that will summarize a fictional novel.Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd. See above for an example of what the book can look like. 

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- They decided today in their historical fictions groups how much they needed to read by tomorrow. By Monday, students should be at least halfway through this book.

Math: Page 270- review and preview (Mr K's section)

Language Arts: Finished watching teen activist videos and tomorrow we will vote for the most persuasive.

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books (see some notes above students are taking) that will summarize a fictional novel.Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd. See above for an example of what the book can look like. 

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- They decided today in their historical fictions groups how much they needed to read by tomorrow. By Monday, students should be at least halfway through this book.

Social Studies: Completed our reading on the Mayas. 

Science: Study for Science test- use your notecards. 

Science Test

  There is a science test tomorrow (should be written in child's planner since Monday).   Many students missed the test review outline in class due to Book Bowl and/or music sectionals.

Language Arts: Continued to watch commercials

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books (see some notes above students are taking) that will summarize a fictional novel.Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd.

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- They decided today in their historical fictions groups how much they needed to read by tomorrow. By Monday, students should be at least halfway through this book. 

Social Studies: Started studying The Mayas. 

Language Arts & Social Studies: Spent both class periods dedicated to our Greece & Rome Socratic Seminar. What a fantastic job the students did taking part in this elevated conversation.

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books that will summarize a fictional novel.Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd.

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- no homework

Math HW 2/18 and Math Test Friday 2/19

Greetings,

    Apologies for the late notice of this email, but I just wanted to send a note to parents letting them know that in the haste of dealing with a sick baby last night, I  did not pay close enough attention to details and assigned kids a bit more work than I should have.  In terms of math homework, kids are assigned about 5 problems each night (with the exception of the "Closure" that I always like to give kids class time to start as that's a test review).  So, please let your child know that in fact, I should have assigned only the first five problems so tonight kids should do 6-5 through 6-9 only and remember that kids can always do 20 minutes of hw and come in with a signature from and adult and that's fine too.  We don't want kids hitting frustration nor do we want parents hitting frustration from dealing with frustrated kids!

Test:  Reminder the test on chapter 5 is tomorrow and the closure problems in their notebooks as well as tonight's problems on area are good reviews for the test. Hour 2 math can access our last book and curent book at http://kr4923.textbooks.cpm.org and Hour 3 math can access the same at http://kr5489.textbooks.cpm.org.  Each student received a username and password that should be taped in the front of their planner for access.

Hope I didn't cause too much strife and looking forward to the kids showing their great math gains tomorrow!

Justin Kruger

Language Arts: Started to watch teen activist commercials. THEY ARE AMAZING!

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books that will summarize a fictional novel.Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd.

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- no homework

Social Studies: Used class time to finish our preparation for our Greece & Rome Socratic Seminar on Friday. If students are not done with their Seminar worksheet- it is homework. 

Language Arts: Commercials are due tomorrow- you NEED to share them with me through your google drive or bring in a USB or flashdrive.

Reading: Duffield rotation- Worked on our ABC books that will summarize a fictional novel. Homework: ABC book are due March 3rd.

Mrs VanOoyen's rotation: Each person will be getting 7 different grades.  5 of the grades are their journal entries for the chosen job.  The due dates vary, since each group created their own calendar of meeting dates.  The two other grades will be the discussions and use of class time.  All journal entries need to be completed by March 3rd.

Olsen's rotation- no homework

Social Studies: Prepared our notes and our thinking for our Socratic Seminar on Friday. See above for evidence of hard working students!

** Hamilton Clothing Sale sheets went home today. They are due March 1st!**

Language Arts: Had time in class to film commercials. Homework: Commercials are due 2/18/16

Reading: Started our first rotation with Mr. Olsen, Mrs. VanOoyen/Mrs. Franco and Duffield. Those students who are working with Duffield first rotation have an ABC book due 3/3/16. 

Social Studies: Read TCI textbook Chapter 38 with a focus on the following essential question: To what extent does ancient Rome influence us today? Homework: Nearpod assignment due 2/17/16- code is seen above. 

Science & Math

Science:

    In science we have spent the last week working on our Celery Investigation Plan and carrying out our experiments.  Due Friday February 12th at the end of class was the completed plan and results pages that we worked on in class over the last week Mon-Fri.  

This week we will dig deeper into plants looking specifically at stems and leaves and the process of germination.  Students will look at various leaves and seeds under a microscope to see differences and parts of a plant up close.  Focus: germination & plant adaptations  

*Test on science material will be early next week (Prob.  Tuesday)

Math:

    This week we've been working on finding the area of polygons and focusing particularly on the area of triangles, rectangles, parallelograms and trapezoids.  Just a reminder to parents that the cpm website has some good extra practice for kids with step by step directions for kids and an answer key for parents to check.  Check out this link and click on "Chapter 5" for more:  http://cpm.org/cc1-parent-guide 

*Test for math will be later this week. (Friday)

Reading:

    This week we're entering the Mythology Unit. Kids will work in teams to accomplish reading and reading strategy goals with a lens of Greek Mythology with a sprinkling of mythologies from other cultures included.

*Assessments are mostly informal during class during this unit and will be posted as their taken.

Language Arts:  Last day in class to use Chromebooks for script writing. We will have next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at school to record commercials. Otherwise, students can film at home. Homework: Commercials are due Thursday, Feb 18th.

Reading: Our focus today was fluency, practicing stems and comprehension. Homework- Stem quiz on 2/15/16.

Starting on Monday, Feb 15th, Duffield's 2nd hour Reading Class will take part in a 9 week rotation with Mr Olsen & Mrs. Van Ooyen. I divided my Reading Class up into 3 groups of 7 (as did Mr Olsen & Mrs Van Ooyen) and then we combined groups so all 3 teachers have about 21 students (represented from all 3 classes). Student groups will spend 3 consecutive weeks with one teacher and then rotate two more times, so they will spend time in all 3 classrooms. The reading standards will be different in all 3 classrooms. Duffield will focus on Summarizing through an ABC book project, Mrs. Van Ooyen will focus on historical fiction and the traits of a reader and Mr Olsen will focus on reading fluency.

Social Studies:
I reposted the Nearpod homework as I did not apply "homework mode." Please accept my apologies on that! The new Nearpod code is seen above- this work is due 2/17/16.

Language Arts: Continued working on scripts & using our rubric to drive our revisions. Commercials are due 2/18/16.

Reading: Completed a reading log entry on the high interest fiction story, The Escape. 

Social Studies:  Created a Venn Diagram on the terms: democracy and republic. Homework: NEARPOD session due 2/17/16
NEARPOD Code:  EKMYV

Language Arts- Worked on script writing, timing our commercials, revising with peers, using rubric to drive our revisions...... Homework- Commercials are due 2/18/16.

Reading- Focused on informational reading, text driven questions and close reading. Homework- Fluency due 2/12 & Latin Stem Quiz 2/15.

Social Studies: Read about the terms democracy and republic in Ancient Rome.

Language Arts: Discussed turning our notes into scripts for our commercial. Commercials are due on Thursday, Feb 18th.

Reading: Shared our thinking & summaries on a nonfiction article. Fluency read due- 2/12/16 & Latin Stem Quiz- 2/15/16.

Social Studies: Setting the stage for Rome.  Homework- pages 225 & 226 in TCI student book IF not finished in class. 

Language Arts: Scored commercials from several students from last year using rubric and researched our activist and their cause. Commercials due 2/18/16

Reading: Latin quiz. Next one is 2/15/16, Fluency read- 2/12/16, articles (Close read, answer questions and summarize) due 2/9/16

Social Studies: Started conversation about what a Socratic Seminar sounds and looks like.

Language Arts: Activist work. We continued to keep our notes simple & organized:

Background of activist
Background of cause
Persuade- what are 3 things WE can do to get behind the cause



Reading: Fluency & informational text work. Homework- Latin Stem quiz on 2/8 & fluency read on 2/12 & article close read, questions answered and wrote a summary due 2/9

Social Studies: Started researching Rome.

Language Arts: Researched teen activists and their cause. You may bring headphones for the duration of researching. Notes MUST be organized as seen above:
* Background of activist
* Background of cause
* Persuade classmate- what are 3 things that 6th graders at Hamilton can do to support cause

Reading: Completed Reading Logs on a fictional story shared orally. Homework: fluency read due 2/4/16 & latin quiz 2/8/16

Social Studies: Studied and summarized Greek contributions to the modern world.

REPORT CARDS: Once you log into IC, select the white REPORTS tab (it is about 5 tabs under Grades) on the left hand side. Once you select REPORTS, click on Report Card Quarter 2. This will allow you to view the report card with teacher comments. 

Language Arts: Students are allowed to bring headphones or earbuds to class for the next week or so as we are researching teen activists on Chromebooks. By the end of class on Wednesday, teen activist should be chosen and we will focus on note-taking for our commercials. 

Reading: Conferenced with the students individually regarding MAP scores in Reading.  

Social Studies: Worked with partners on highlighting chapter 27 in TCI book- Ancient Greece and contributions to modern world. 

Language Arts: Shared biographies in small groups.
Reading: Took Latin Stem quiz. Homework: Fluency read- 2/4/16 & Latin Stem Quiz 2/8/16
Social Studies: Started our work on comparing and contrasting Sparta & Athens. Homework- Complete pages 192 & 193 in TCI Student Book if you did not finish in class.