class updates and assignments . . .
MATH:
On Monday and Tuesday students will be taking the end of the year math test. This is a computerized TenMarks assessment. Students have been practicing and studying for this test in class and through TenMark practice tests based on the different math strands. The test is difficult! This end of the year score and your child's MARS score will be shared with you on his/her report card. The MARS score is based on four different tasks that address sixth grade standards. They are problem solving based, where students apply math concepts to solve a performance task. Analyzing these two scores will help you understand where your child is in relationship to understanding sixth grade math concepts! An individualized list of assignments will be designed that your child will be able to work on through the summer to help them get additional help and practice where mastery has not occurred. Your child should take advantage of this opportunity!
Language Arts:
Students came together for an amazing socratic seminar to discuss the book, Tuck Everlasting. They did an outstanding job sharing their ideas, digging deep into the topic, and building on each other's ideas! It was s stellar job! They also enjoyed the movie version and were able to talk about the difference age makes to a character's choices.
We finished up all of our Literature Circle Projects. We had some wonderful presentations. There is some filmmaking and editing talent amongst our students!
We are in the process of compiling our writing portfolios. Be sure to be looking for them to be coming home next week. These are a keepsake that I hope the students enjoy for years to come!
Social Studies:
The students completed their final reflections and evaluations following our Greek presentations and Greek festival.
On Monday and Tuesday students will be taking the end of the year math test. This is a computerized TenMarks assessment. Students have been practicing and studying for this test in class and through TenMark practice tests based on the different math strands. The test is difficult! This end of the year score and your child's MARS score will be shared with you on his/her report card. The MARS score is based on four different tasks that address sixth grade standards. They are problem solving based, where students apply math concepts to solve a performance task. Analyzing these two scores will help you understand where your child is in relationship to understanding sixth grade math concepts! An individualized list of assignments will be designed that your child will be able to work on through the summer to help them get additional help and practice where mastery has not occurred. Your child should take advantage of this opportunity!
Language Arts:
Students came together for an amazing socratic seminar to discuss the book, Tuck Everlasting. They did an outstanding job sharing their ideas, digging deep into the topic, and building on each other's ideas! It was s stellar job! They also enjoyed the movie version and were able to talk about the difference age makes to a character's choices.
We finished up all of our Literature Circle Projects. We had some wonderful presentations. There is some filmmaking and editing talent amongst our students!
We are in the process of compiling our writing portfolios. Be sure to be looking for them to be coming home next week. These are a keepsake that I hope the students enjoy for years to come!
Social Studies:
The students completed their final reflections and evaluations following our Greek presentations and Greek festival.
Special thanks to Mrs. Balagso!
Last Friday Mrs. Balagso gave a presentation to the sixth graders on how she uses math in her work place. She works for the Morgan Hill Police Department as a crime analyst. She showed our students how she uses data to help police solve a crime or find the bad guy! Using data provided at a crime scene, Mrs. Balagso orgainizes information in using different types of graphs and charts. Her demonstration reinforced the lessons we have been learning in the classroom about the various displays of information.
Good Bye sixties! Hello seventies!
In celebration of your child leaving sixth grade and entering seventh grade, we will have a classroom party next Wednesday. Students will have the opportunity to participate in some "groovy" activities that were popular during these decades . . . making pet rocks, macrame - ing friendship bracelets, hula hooping, disco dancing and more! In addition, we will enjoy some favorite foods of the era and need your help in providing these dishes, along with paper goods and drinks. Please volunteer at http://vols.pt/54QAob
RECIPES:
Meatballs in Grape Jelly
Pigs in a Blanket
Deviled Eggs
Disco Cupcakes
Peace Sign (or Tie-Dye) Cupcakes
Fruit Jello
All these recipes can be found on Mrs. Daprile's Pinterest Board: Groovy 60's along with other ideas if you need any inspiration!
RECIPES:
Meatballs in Grape Jelly
Pigs in a Blanket
Deviled Eggs
Disco Cupcakes
Peace Sign (or Tie-Dye) Cupcakes
Fruit Jello
All these recipes can be found on Mrs. Daprile's Pinterest Board: Groovy 60's along with other ideas if you need any inspiration!
mS. sORENSON'S SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT:
Students will be told about this assignment next Thursday during MOVE UP DAY . . .
Summer Reading Assignment 2015
Note To Parents:
It seems that summer is shorter every year. For many families, this is a time to travel, to reconnect, to relax and to rejuvenate. I, as a mother, don’t want to take that precious time from anyone. However, as the English teacher, I do want students to read. Ideally, students would eventually turn away from TV and escape the sun with a book and revel in a story with no prompting from me. Unfortunately, this is not true for all students. Many students would not read at all this summer if I didn’t require it.
To try to encourage students to read and find pleasure in it, I am requiring that every student read at least one book this summer, but the genre, title, and author is up to him or her. I do ask that it be an appropriate title for his/her reading level and it be a book he/she has never read before.
Below you will find the particulars. Please note this is NOT optional. It is a grade. It will also be used in an assignment during our first week back.
Assignment:
Find a book that is at or slightly above your reading level. Read it. Finish it. Once you have finished it, please email me at [email protected]. I want the following information:
· The title of the book, genre, author
· A one sentence summary
· How challenging you found it (you can describe this or you can use a 1-5 scale (1 being easy; 5 being hard)
· Whether you enjoyed it and why. Be specific.
This can all be just a few (4-7) sentences. It should, however be in complete sentences. I’d like you to email me as soon as you’ve finished the book.
Help! I can’t find a book. Well, I have a list of books students have enjoyed in the last few years. I will post this on the language arts page of the CSMH middle school newsletter.
For a larger, more comprehensive list, consider visiting:
http://www.c-t-l.org/kids_recommend.html.
Go to the grades 7-8. It’s a list put together by teenagers for teenagers. There are even some mini reviews there. You can also email me for some guidance about choosing a book.
What if I read more than one book? I’d love to hear from you more often if you like, but if you don’t want to email me after each book, please at least keep a list of books you read this summer. This list will go in your language arts folder when school starts.
What if I lose this paper? This information will be posted on the CSMH middle school newsletter—on the language arts page. https://sites.google.com/a/csmh.org/middleschool/Home/language-arts
How do I know if the book is an appropriate (middle school or higher) book?
If you need help on this, you can email me and I can check for you.
Summer Reading Assignment 2015
Note To Parents:
It seems that summer is shorter every year. For many families, this is a time to travel, to reconnect, to relax and to rejuvenate. I, as a mother, don’t want to take that precious time from anyone. However, as the English teacher, I do want students to read. Ideally, students would eventually turn away from TV and escape the sun with a book and revel in a story with no prompting from me. Unfortunately, this is not true for all students. Many students would not read at all this summer if I didn’t require it.
To try to encourage students to read and find pleasure in it, I am requiring that every student read at least one book this summer, but the genre, title, and author is up to him or her. I do ask that it be an appropriate title for his/her reading level and it be a book he/she has never read before.
Below you will find the particulars. Please note this is NOT optional. It is a grade. It will also be used in an assignment during our first week back.
Assignment:
Find a book that is at or slightly above your reading level. Read it. Finish it. Once you have finished it, please email me at [email protected]. I want the following information:
· The title of the book, genre, author
· A one sentence summary
· How challenging you found it (you can describe this or you can use a 1-5 scale (1 being easy; 5 being hard)
· Whether you enjoyed it and why. Be specific.
This can all be just a few (4-7) sentences. It should, however be in complete sentences. I’d like you to email me as soon as you’ve finished the book.
Help! I can’t find a book. Well, I have a list of books students have enjoyed in the last few years. I will post this on the language arts page of the CSMH middle school newsletter.
For a larger, more comprehensive list, consider visiting:
http://www.c-t-l.org/kids_recommend.html.
Go to the grades 7-8. It’s a list put together by teenagers for teenagers. There are even some mini reviews there. You can also email me for some guidance about choosing a book.
What if I read more than one book? I’d love to hear from you more often if you like, but if you don’t want to email me after each book, please at least keep a list of books you read this summer. This list will go in your language arts folder when school starts.
What if I lose this paper? This information will be posted on the CSMH middle school newsletter—on the language arts page. https://sites.google.com/a/csmh.org/middleschool/Home/language-arts
How do I know if the book is an appropriate (middle school or higher) book?
If you need help on this, you can email me and I can check for you.