Probability Test

This week in 6th grade math we are taking our test on Probability.  We will take the main portion of the test tomorrow and then we will be doing the open response on Thursday.  When we come back from spring break we will be starting our next unit on ratios and proportions.

Have a great spring break.

Art Institute Field Trip

A few weeks ago, the 6th grade class took a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago.  We took a tour of the Medieval and Renaissance gallery and the students compared and contrasted the different types of art.  I was impressed with how observant the students were.  They noticed a lot of detail about the paintings.  This week, students are preparing for Renaissance Festival.  We hope to see you on Thursday morning!

Question for your 6th grader:

• What menu item are you working on for Renaissance Festival?
• Tell me about your favorite painting from the field trip.

Fair and unfair games

This week in 6th grade math we are continuing to work on probability.  Three of the middle school teachers will be leaving for D.C. early tomorrow morning so Mrs. Payne will be teaching math for the rest of the week.  On Wednesday she will be having them work with Rosenberg in the library on a project that they are working on.  On Thursday they will be doing some activities and experiments to help them learn about and identify if games are fair or unfair.  On Friday they will be practicing taking multiple choice tests and will discuss how being able to narrow down some of the answers increases your odds and probability of getting questions correct.  We will then have a test next Wednesday April 1st on Probability.

Probability

This week in 6th grade math we are working on our unit on probability.  We will be learning about how to use and create a tree diagram to identify possible outcomes and find probability.  We will then learn how we can use venn diagrams to help solve math problems.  We will be playing games and doing simulations to explain the probabilities of the games.

Ask your child how they filled out their NCAA Bracket.

Evidence Essays and Research

The 6th graders are hard at work preparing for the Renaissance Festival.  Last week, each student chose either a person or city to represent during the event.  Now, they are researching the person or place.  They will eventually perform a speech about their topic and create a menu project to share with you at the Renaissance Festival.  The research skills that they learned during their religions projects are coming in handy for this unit.
Students will also be writing an in class evidence essay on Thursday.  Today, they worked in pairs to discuss ideas that they could use as evidence to answer the question, "In what ways was the Renaissance a time of rebirth?".  They each created an essay map to help organize their ideas.

Questions for your 6th Grader:

• What evidence are your using for your essay?
• Who or what are you researching for Renaissance Festival?

6th Grade Language Arts: Myth and Legend Unit

Hello 6th Grade families,

I’m back from my maternity leave and working to get everything back on track, including this blog.

The Myth and Legend Unit is coming to a close within the next week as students submit their final drafts of their myth or legend on Thursday.  Students have read and analyzed a variety of myths and legends from different cultures to help inspire their own original myth or legend.  I have been so impressed by the creativity in each student’s writing.  During class this week, I will be working with each student to provide feedback for improving their writing pieces before the final is due.  Be sure to ask your child to see their myth or legend stories!

Upcoming Due Dates:

Tuesday, March 17th: Myth/Legend 1st Draft Due

Thursday, March 19th: Myth/Legend Final Draft Due

Week 27: 6th Grade Science

Week: 27

This week in 6th grade the class will expand on their knowledge of the moon and explore the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth during a spring and neap tide.

Topic:  The Moon and Tides

Objectives: 

Identify causes of tides.

Essential Question:

 How does the moon’s gravity create tides? 

This week the 6th grade class will create models showing how the angle of the sun, moon, and Earth create Earth’s tidal bulge.  

Key Terms:

gravity

spring tide

neap tide

Differentiation:

Observing

Predicting 

Creating Models

Using Geometry

Finding Patterns

Upcoming:

Gravity and Motion

Probaility

This week in 6th grade math we are finishing up our unit on Algebra and then starting our next unit on probability.  We will start the new unit with outcomes and different types of events like spinners, dice, and dominoes.  They will then generate random numbers by picking cards from a deck to do experiments and learn about experimental probability.

The Reformation

This week in social studies, the students are learning about the Protestant Reformation.  Last Friday, they participated in a simulation where they acted out some of the events of the Protestant Reformation, like Martin Luther writing the 95 Theses and the printing press making new information available to the people.  This week, students learned about how the Catholic Church responded to the Reformation and will learn about the impact that the Reformation had on culture and government all around the world.  They have a Reformation quiz on Friday.  Next week, they will begin preparing for Renaissance Festival.

Questions for your 6th Grader:

• Could the Reformation have happened without the Renaissance?
• Tell me a cause and effect connection about the Reformation.

Giant Birds

The 6th graders looked at the illustration style of author Eric Carle to gain inspiration for this project. They used a modified finger painting technique to create textured papers to use in making these "giant bird" collage illustrations.  They were asked to think of the birds as giant and choose a magazine image to put next to them in order to indicate their large scale.  Finally they switched illustrations with a partner and wrote a caption about what was happening in the image. We asked them to not just write about what they saw, but to think about how to advance the story with their caption. This proved to be very difficult for some and so we are probably going to ask them to write them again with a bit more scaffolding this time. Meanwhile, here are a few of the images. Try to think about what captions you might write.

They and ended up with some really nice textures, and fanciful birds. Captions to come!

Week 26: 6th Grade Science

Week: 26

This week in 6th grade the class will expand on their knowledge of the moon and explore the causes and effects of eclipses. 

Topic:  The Moon and Eclipses

Objectives: 

Describe solar and lunar eclipses.

Essential Question:

 Why aren’t there eclipses once a month? 

This week the 6th grade class will create proportions to illustrate how an eclipse occurs. 

Key Terms:

eclipse

solar & lunar eclipse

umbra

penumbra

Differentiation:

Observing

Predicting 

Creating Illustrations

Using Geometry

Finding Patterns

Upcoming:

Gravity and Motion

Renaissance Artists

Last week, the 6th graders discussed the Italian Renaissance.  They learned about Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, two of the greatest Renaissance artists.  After doing some research about the artists' styles and accomplishments, students got to try out some Renaissance techniques.  Some chose to draw unlikely inventions or try their hand at mirror writing like da Vinci.  Many others chose to draw upside down like Michelangelo did while painting the Sistine Chapel.  Students really enjoyed looking at art through the eyes of these artists.  This week, we have been discussing the Northern Renaissance.  Students looked at artwork to compare and contrast the different styles used in each region.

Upcoming dates:
Friday, March 6      Renaissance Quiz
Thursday, April 2   Renaissance Festival

Questions for your 6th grader:

Which artist choice did you choose? (If they chose Michelangelo: What is it like to draw on a surface above you?)

What made art in the Italian Renaissance different from art in the Northern Renaissance?

 Aspiring Michelangelos at work.

 Leonardo da Vinci created sketches for inventions like a helicopter and a tank, which weren't actually created until several centuries later.  James and Eric are creating inventions that seem improbable today, but could become a reality in the future.

Da Vinci often used mirror writing to make it difficult for others to read his notes.  Aidan is writing an autobiography using mirror writing.

Finishing algebra unit

This week in 6th grade math we will be finishing unit 6 on algebra.  Last Friday and yesterday we started working with pan balance problems.  On Friday, the class was excited and they were feeling very confident with algebra problems.  Yesterdays class had some different results, because we were no longer working with objects like oranges and pencils and just taking them away.  We are now creating equations and solving equations with variables and doing true algebra problems.  We will continue to review and go over algebra problems this week and we will also learn how to graph inequalities.

Test next Monday on Unit 6 algebra