Wednesday

Today we reviewed the year on video. Tomorrow is the field trip. The cost is $6.00. Money is due now.

Tuesday

After finishing our oral reports I showed the students some videos that show how difficult it is for some children to get an education. I encouraged the students to work this summer to make sure that they are prepared for school next year.

Monday

Today students gave their oral report on the scientists. They are doing quite well. However, a number of students have things to make up that must be done today. Thanks to the students who came in and got their finals done early on Thursday when they knew they would be absent from class. Good job. We still have about ten students who are supposed to do their planet mobile.

Thursday

We briefly reviewed for the test each class period. Then students took the final exam. We should have them all corrected in class. Students who are caught up on their assignments turned in their books. We still have a lot to do next week, but those things do not require science books.

Oral reports will be given on Monday. Tuesday we will finish any reports left. We will also have a presentation on appreciating what we have and doing our best. On Wednesday we have a class review. It will be kind of fun for the students that are there.

Thursday is the trip to Riverdale. Students must have have their $6.00 in by the 25th of May. They are to wear modest swim attire, and bring a sack lunch. Finally we are asking for no electronic devices to be brought as we have no way of securing them.

Wednesday - final exam tomorrow

Today we corrected the homework and reviewed for the final exam. We also talked about the color of stars and about their temperature. We learned that comets are made of ice and dust, asteroids are made of rocks and meteorides are made of asteroid particles. Meteors are asteroids that come into the Earth's atmosphere. Most of them burn up. But if they actually make it to the surface of the Earth, they are called meteorites.

The test is tomorrow, books will be turned in on Tuesday. Monday and Tuesday will be the oral reports. After the reports on Tuesday we will have a short lesson on growing up good. On Wednesday, those not on the bike-a-thon will learn about the effects of volcanic eruptions.

Tuesday Homework today and Final is Thursday

Students have reviewed every test question for the final test and have been advised to take them home and study them. Two important things are to be able to spell correctly the planets in order and being able to spell the three types of rocks correctly. Those are two things that can be practiced at home.

Today we talked about clouds and layers of the atmosphere. Students drew the different types of clouds and then the atmosphere layers. Homework is to finish D92-93 1-20. If there is one that you are struggling with, do the best you can and you will get some of the points.

If you have not paid your fees, paid up your lunch money bill, turned in all library books, or turned in your school pictures or the money for them, you will not be able to go on the end of year trip. Those are the rules, pay your bills before you can play.

Monday final will be Thursday

Our final exam will be Thursday. I am reviewing it everyday this week. All students will be able to earn 100% if they study and pay attention this week. On Monday and Tuesday of next week we will be doing the oral reports from our scientist paper.

Today we learned about the phases of the moon. We discovered why we see different amounts of the moon. Students then drew the moon phases. We watched a short video about the moon phases and then one on eclipses.

Wednesday and Thursday Hangers Now

I will be gone tomorrow as my daughter is getting married on Friday and there are still a few things that I need to get done, so I have decided to write both days here.

Wednesday, we began reviewing for the final exam. The three questions today were to complete and describe what was happening in a punnet square. Students had to list the three rocks and spell them correctly. Last they had to list the planets in order and spell them correctly. Then the students shared the information they learned about their planets. Then we watched a short video on video jug called The Planets Explained.

Tomorrow students will be making their own solar system. They have been instructed as to what they are required to do.

Tuesday and Wire Hangers

We will begin our planet project on Thursday. Students must have a wire hanger for this to work. Please find one, or find someone who can lend you one.

Today we started on planets. Each team was given a different planet to research. Tomorrow they will share that information with the rest of the class.

Monday

A very strange thing happened last week. I had meetings after school on Thursday and didn't get this written. But I went straight home and typed it up. I am not sure why Thursday isn't on this blog, but it is not. So, on Thursday we learned about light and the electromagnetic spectrum. It is amazing the gifts we receive from this spectrum, visible light, radio waves, x-rays. We discussed frequency and wavelength, and that visible light is just a very tiny part of the spectrum. In fact we were told that if we took the old movie film and stretched it 2500 miles, from California to Alaska, visible light would only take up one frame! That is just amazing.

On Monday we learned about the sun. We learned how it causes seasons and the aurora borealis. We differentiated between the earth rotating and revolving. We discussed time zones and how we got them. Then we watched an interesting video that showed the sun in comparison with other planets and stars, now that is just fascinating!

Wednesday

Many students were gone today on the band/choir trip. In science we finished watching our movie on the Big Bang. Students who were gone will be able to watch these during two days of remediation.

Please bring your hangers and your pictures or money.

Tuesday

Scientist reports are being handed back today and tomorrow. Students have been shown how to look up the material online and have been given the opportunity to come in during remediation to correct their mistakes for their final paper. They have also been told that they can use the typing lab during remediation to type their reports. It is their responsibility to get that finished. The final date for the scientist report is May 12th. Some students have already handed in their final paper. Remember, with your final copy you must have your rough draft and rubric stapled to it. This way I can grade your report more fairly.

Today we finished the movie, Beyond the Big Bang, and the worksheet.

Monday

We began the movie, Beyond the Big Bang today. This movie talks about the different theories of how the earth was created, gravity and how the universe works. It is quite fascinating, the many different ideas that were considered correct in their time until more information was discovered.

Wednesday and Thursday bring wire hangers.

Wednesday was another testing day, students took ISAT tests in reading. For science we played a rock cycle game. Each team had a ball or yarn and then moved to different stations in the rock cycle depending on the roll of the dice. The object of the game was to help them understand the rock cycle better. Then we returned to class and observed rocks and their different properties.

Today students were to turn in their scientist report rough draft. I am calling the parents of any student who does not have theirs turned in. This report teaches students a lot about different fields of science, about different people, and how to do research. This report can also save their grade. But if it is not turned in, it will crush their grades. They have been reminded everyday for the past two weeks to get it in early.

In class we are beginning to learn about the eras and periods of the Earth. Next week we will learn about the big bang theory and then look to the sky. Students need to get their wire hangers turned in ASAP. If you have extra hangers, please donate them to the cause.

Tuesday Pictures, hangers, sundials, scientist reports

There is a lot going on right now. Student need to get their pictures in, they were due last week. Sundials were due today. If they are not turned in today, they will lose points. Hangers are for a project in May. The scientist report rough draft is due on Thursday. I will keep any student who wants to stay for study hall on Wednesday to help them get it done.

Today was ISATs again. Tomorrow will be the last day for 6th graders except for make-ups.

Monday ISATs

Students took their Language ISAT today. For those who had science today we learned about the rock cycle and handled and described the different types of rocks. We reviewed the properties of rocks and Mohs hardness scale.

Sundials are due tomorrow. They were assigned five weeks ago and we have had plenty of sunny week-ends to get them done. Please, get them in at the start of class. The rough draft on the scientist report is also due this week, on Thursday. Please staple your rubric to your report so I can grade it appropriately. Finally, we need wire hangers. Please bring one for yourself and one for a friend.

Sleep early and eat well to prepare for tomorrow's ISAT.

Thursday

The school had their three screen assembly today. It is used to encourage kids to stay away from drugs and alcohol. It also encourages the students to take care of each other.

Sundials are due on Tuesday, scientist reports are due on Thursday. Please get them in on time or the score will be 60% of your earned grade. Please get them in.

Today we talked about different soil types and how to take care of our water. Students then drew a picture showing the water-table, horizons, and how pollution can damage what we drink.

Wednesday - pictures are late

We learned about how mountains and soil are made. We learned about fold mountains, fault mountains and plateaus. The students took clay and built all three types of mountains. Finally, we had a glacier exhibit so students could identify the names of the debris left by glaciers.

Tuesday - pictures or picture money is now past due

We are learning about rocks. This is an interesting unit as we can look around us and see exactly what we are talking about, no field trip needed. (Although that would be even more interesting) I am encouraging students to look around them and see how soil is being eroded and deposited by our spring runoff. It is easy to see that the faster moving water can carry larger particles.

Today we watched a ppp about erosion and deposition. We learned about four different ways sediments move. We learned about young and old rivers and about glaciers.

Students will be working on their scientist reports as homework. Remember the rough draft is due April 28th. The earlier you get it in, the sooner you get it back. The sooner you get it back the faster you can fix your report and then all the pressure is gone. Please, do not wait until the last minute.

The 6 weeks you have had to do your sundial are nearly up. Get it done, should be sunny on Friday!

Monday

We took the day to work on our scientist reports. Students used the Internet, encyclopedias and books to find their information. Three rough drafts were turned in this morning. Please, get these done as correctly and quickly as possible. Putting them off to the last minute usually brings a lot of frustration.

Quite a few more sundials were turned in. Make sure you mark to the end of the line and write each hour so I can check them. If the shadow goes past your paper, tape another piece on and go to the end of the shadow.