¡La clase de español!

The 6th graders have been practicing how to say what they like and do not like to do. Today in class they participated in a survey. They were given different activities and went around the room to ask classmates if they like the activity or not. The survey practiced the question, ¿Te gusta...?-Do you like..., and the phrase Sí/No, no me gusta...- I do/don't like... Overall, it was a great way for them to practice conversation while reviewing vocabulary. Here are some pictures from class:

Next week, we will review subject pronouns. They will learn the importance and usage of subject pronouns in Spanish.  We will then learn how we use the verb ser to identify a person or say where he or she is from.

*This Thursday they will have a quiz on activities, food, and beverage vocabulary. At home, quiz your child on vocabulary by playing charades or pictionary. They should have all their vocabulary on their iPads.

Self-portrait lino-cut prints in art.

The 6th graders finished printing their self-portrait lino-cut designs yesterday. They drew themselves from head to toe and transferred their drawings to soft-cut linoleum blocks and then carved out their drawings using special cutting tools. They were encouraged to use different line thicknesses, and were also asked to think about how to create large areas of white and solid  color.   Some of them really got it and some had to really be pushed to be bolder and more dramatic with their carving. It is a little scary sometimes because you can't put back what you carve away, so you have to make it work.  For some added interest, we had fun printing on old pages from a 1982 dictionary.  Overall I think they look pretty good and these will be framed for the 6th grade auction project. Ask your 6th grader if they see themselves here.

Week 5: 6th Grade Science

Week: 5

Topic:  What is Magnetism?

Objectives: 

What are the properties of a magnet?

How do magnetic poles interact?

What is the shape of a magnetic field?

Essential Question:

Why do magnets float?

This week the kids will discover the magnetic field of a magnet by using iron filings. 

Dinner table discussion:  Where is the magnetic field the strongest?

Upcoming:

Next week we will go inside the magnet to see how it works.

***Don’t forget to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Finishing up Unit 1

This week in 6th grade math we are finishing up our current unit on Data and graphing.  Today in class we are looking at misleading graphs and how graphs can be used to mislead people who look at them.  We will then conclude our unit tomorrow with our last section on samples and surveys.  Our next unit will cover very small an large numbers and scientific notation.

Upcoming:

Math MAP test on Monday October 5th
Reading MAP test on Wednesday October 7th
Unit 1 Math test Thursday October 8th

Greek Mythology Menu

This week, the 6th graders have been immersed in the world of Greek mythology.  They spent much of last week reading different myths.  This week, they are using their knowledge of Greek mythology to create their own project that they have chosen from a list of options.  These projects are called menus, because students get to make their own choices.  Students in 6th grade are showing their knowledge of myths by creating comic strips, writing journal entries, and performing interviews with gods and goddesses.   Later this week, we will learn about the Persian Empire and their interactions with ancient Greece.

Questions for your 6th grader:

• What do most Greek myths have in common?
• What menu item are you working on?

6th Grade Language Arts: Steppenwolf for Young Adults Opportunity

Steppenwolf for Young Adults is featuring a stage adaptation of George Orwell’s classic novel 1984.  The production runs from October 21, through November 20, 2015.  Although we will not be attending this play as a class (since it is not part of the Language Arts curriculum), I wanted to post information about the play for families interested in attending the play on their own.

Here is the play summary:

“Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth located in the nation of Oceania, part of a vast empire in a constant, shifting war against other superstates. Dissent is not tolerated (not even in thought), and Winston and his fellow citizens are under perpetual electronic surveillance by their ever-watchful ruler Big Brother. When Winston falls in love with a co-worker, their illegal affair pushes them to rebel and face the darkest and most dangerous corners of the regime. On the heels of last year’s gripping Animal Farm, Steppenwolf for Young Adults presents Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece in a multi-media production that is a haunting, shockingly timely look at a future that seems disturbingly present.”

http://www.steppenwolf.org/Plays-Events/productions/index.aspx?id=645

Upcoming 1st Quarter Assessments & Due Dates:

MAP Reading Test: Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Literary Elements and Techniques Final Test: Thursday, October 15, 2015

Short Story 1st Draft Due: Thursday, October 8, 2015

Short Story 2nd Draft Due: Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Short Story Final Draft Due: Friday, October 16, 2015

Data and graphing

This week in 6th grade math we have continued unit 1 on collection, display, and interpretation of data.  Yesterday, we reviewed bar graphs and today we learned about a new type of graph called a step graph.  For the rest of the week we will be reviewing circle graphs and using parabolas to look at area and perimeter or rectangles.

This weekend ask your child what a parabola is.

Week 4: 6th Grade Science

Week: 4

Topic:  What is Magnetism?

Objectives: 

What are the properties of a magnet?

How do magnetic poles interact?

What is the shape of a magnetic field?

Essential Question:

Why do opposites attract?

This week the kids will discover how magnetic poles interact. 

Dinner table discussion:  What happens at the poles?

Upcoming:

Next week we will uncover the magnetic field.

***Don’t forget to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences.

6th Grade Language Arts: Short Stories

Students are studying literary elements and techniques during our first quarter Language Arts unit.  The 6th grade unit will focus on short stories.  We will be reading and analyzing some classic short stories by Toni Cade Bambara, Jack London, O. Henry, Sandra Cisneros, and Langston Hughes. 

Sixth graders will start writing this week.  They will use their knowledge of the literary elements and techniques to craft their own original stories.  

Upcoming 1st Quarter Assessments & Due Dates:

Literary Elements and Techniques Quiz: Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Literary Elements and Techniques Final Test: Thursday, October 15, 2015

Short Story 1st Draft Due: Thursday, October 8, 2015

Short Story 2nd Draft Due: Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Short Story Final Draft Due: Friday, October 16, 2015

Greek Mythology

The 6th graders are very excited to begin learning about Greek Mythology this week.  Today, they were each assigned a god or goddess and they did some research about that character.  Later in the week, they will teach each other mini-lessons about what they learned.  They will also do a menu project where they will choose from a list of creative options to create a mythology project.  The 6th graders have their first quiz this Friday.  Last week, students learned about democracy in ancient Athens.  They participated in a simulation where they came up with ideas for laws and then gave speeches and debated with each other, just like in ancient Greece.  It became pretty chaotic, which showed students that democracy was not always well organized.

Questions for your 6th grader:

• Was the ancient Athenian democracy an effective way to rule a society?
• What god or goddess did you research?  What did you learn about them?

Athenian Democracy Simulation

Upcoming MAP Testing

6th grade will be taking the NWEA MAP reading and math tests soon. The math test will be given on 10/5/15 and the reading will be given on 10/7/15.

Students are told that these are simply tests that help us to know how much they know and how best to teach them, and we place absolutely no stress on the students regarding testing. We do encourage students to take their time and to read and answer the questions carefully. We also discuss the fact that frustration with these test questions is normal. The adaptability aspect of MAP can be very frustrating for some students as it is meant to get at how much a student knows.
At home, we ask that you do the same. Discuss the frustration that may occur and reiterate that it is not meant to overwhelm your child but simply to showcase the depth of his/her knowledge. Help your child to get a good night's sleep the night before each test and to have a healthy breakfast the morning of the test. Encourage your child to do his/her best and to take his/her time while testing.

At this time, we do not have any firm answers as to what the plan will be for your children and the CPS high school process. It is my understanding that it is not likely that CPS will renew the purchase of the NWEA MAP test after this year because CPS students are taking the PARCC test (which requires at least 9 hours of testing time). What this means for our kids is that it is not likely our students (called non-attending students) will have to take MAP for/at CPS. There is a strong chance that this means the current 6th graders will only submit grades from 7th grade and take the Selective Enrollment Exam. As always, expect change and indecision from CPS, but know that I will keep you up to date as much as possible.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mrs. Smith at smith@npeschool.org. If you would like further information about the NWEA MAP tests, take time to look through the Parent Toolkit created by NWEA.

Graphs

This week in 6th grade math we are continuing to review graphing data.  Today the class was introduced to a new game called Landmark Sharks that reviewed mean, median, mode, and range.  Tomorrow we will learn about a new type of graph called a box-and-whisker plot.  We will then spend the rest of the week reviewing line graphs and bar graphs.

Question to ask at home:
How do you know when the mean or the median represents data the best?


Remember that conferences and the book fair are on October 1st and 2nd.

Week 3: 6th Grade Science

Week: 3

Topic:  What is Magnetism?

Objectives: 

What are the properties of a magnet?

How do magnetic poles interact?

What is the shape of a magnetic field?

Essential Question:

Why do magnets and magnetic material act the way they do?

This week the kids will discover why certain materials attract, what happens at the poles, and discover the magnetic field. 

Dinner table discussion:  Are all materials magnetic?

Upcoming:

Next week we will begin our unit on What happens inside the magnet.

***Don’t forget to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences.

The Minoans and Mycenaeans

This week, the 6th graders are learning about the people who lived in ancient Greece, the Minoans and Mycenaeans.  Today, they learned all about ancient Greek city-states, which were also called a polis.  The 6th graders are now working on their first menu project of the year, where they get to choose a project from a list of options.  Later in the week, students will learn about government in ancient Greece and will get to experience an assembly simulation that will give them an idea about how the Athenian democracy really worked.

Questions for your 6th grader:

• Would you rather have lived with the Minoans or the Mycenaeans?  Why?
• What Greek polis menu project are you going to work on?

Parent/Teacher Conferences 10/1 and 10/2

Parent/Teacher Conference Sign Up for 6th Grade

You may have noticed that fall conferences will be held in early October this year. The teachers would like to utilize this early time to get to know you and your child and to review and discuss the goals that your child worked to set with his/her teachers for the 2015/2016 school year. This conference will be more a time of collaboration with you and your child and less about giving you an academic picture of your child, as conferences have been in the past. Consider this a time to start conversations that can be continued throughout the year by email, in-person, and at spring parent/teacher conferences. As always, outside of conference times, you are welcome to contact your child’s teacher by email, phone, or to schedule a time to meet together.

Visit the link below to sign up for a conference with your child's teacher. Through this link, you should be able to see schedules for all of your necessary classes (if you have more than 1 child or a middle school student) side-by-side. If you are having trouble signing up, please visit this page for more detailed instructions.

When scheduling, especially for multiple teachers, please keep in mind how long you have for the conference itself and how long it will take you to move to other locations in the school. The time allotted for each conference is as follows:

MS - 10 minute student led conferences for each content teacher (sign up for all 4 teachers);

3-5 - 10 minute student led conferences with 5 minutes for parent only interaction (if needed); and

K-2 - 10 minute conferences.

Contact your child's teacher if you are unable to make any of these scheduled times. Contact Kim Smith with questions pertaining to the sign up system. If you would like to schedule a time with one of the co-curricular teachers, please contact that teacher directly by email.

In addition to the conference sign-up procedures described above, we would also like to share our plans to communicate with NPES K-5 parents on a trimester basis during the school year. This was the reporting system in place three years ago at NPES and feels most appropriate as a complement to our fall and spring student goal setting processes. Middle school reporting systems will remain on a quarterly basis. Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher with any questions related to our reporting systems and as always, should you have a question or concern pertaining to your child's learning in school at any point in the year, NPES faculty and staff are always available for further discussion.

Thank you,

Kim Smith

6th Language Arts: Pest Patrol Wanted Posters

The final Pest Patrol Wanted Posters were presented and turned in on Friday.  The 6th grade did an awesome job challenging their descriptive writing skills during this project.  The pests turned out to be more annoying than we even expected.  

Here are the 6th graders with their Pest Wanted Posters:

Welcome to PE!

Welcome back to school and to Mr. Hirsch's PE class everyone! This year I will try to have the kids write down blog entries.    - Mr. Hirsch

"For PE the first two weeks of school we have been working on our soccer fundamentals such as shooting, passing, and dribbling. The first day of PE we worked on dribbling with a game called Levels. The next class we worked on passing between partners. if you made a bad pass you had to do a push-up. For shooting we had goalies and got to shoot using correct form. That was pretty fun. Everyone is excited for the next few classes when we get to play real games!"   - Wyatt

Welcome to Middle School Advisory

Happy new school year from Middle School Advisory.  The 6th graders are integrating into their advisories and getting to know the other kids.  Most of the advisory activities this month are focusing on getting to know one another.  But in addition the last couple of advisory sessions have been focused on the vegetable garden beds in the playlot that the kids helped plant last spring.

Of course, nothing tastes better than food that you've grown and picked yourselves!  Middle School advisory kids got a taste of that experience after picking vegetables and herbs and making tasty pizza creations.  Nasturtiums and green tomatoes on a pizza? Fantastic!

¡La clase de español!

The 6th graders are off to a great start in Spanish.  Last week we explored their textbooks and discussed why we learn Spanish, how we learn and use vocabulary and grammar, and how culture will be incorporated into our class. Additionally, we went through what is new for Middle School Spanish. We set up their Noteability, an iPad app that will act as their notebook and they became familiar with Schoology, an online technology system which will be used to administer assignments, quizzes, discussions, polls, and more.

This week we've reviewed what they learned last year through activities and games. Yesterday we practiced saludos y introducciones, greetings and introductions.  The class worked in groups to create skits related to this topic.  Today they presented their skits to the class.  Here are pictures of the groups' presentations:

Next week we will begin our first unit of the year.  The theme for this unit is ¿Qué te gusta hacer?, What do you like to do.  They will learn vocabulary related to after-school activities, snack foods, and beverages.  They will learn how to use subject pronouns with conjugating verbs.  They will practice saying where they are from using the verb ser.  Lastly, they will learn how to say what they like and do not like to do with the verb gustar.

At home, ask your child to show you their progress on Duolingo.  Duolingo is an excellent language learning app on their iPads.  It is fun, addictive, and gives them practice with reading, writing, speaking, and listening.  This year I am incorporating Duolingo School.  This feature allows me to follow each student and see their progress.  It will be a great way to see how each individual is progressing and enhance my lessons.

Interesting Humans All Over the Place

I always like to start the year with a collage project that coincides with the theme of the year.  It is intended to be a one day project and it just kinda gets those creative juices flowing. The 5th through 8th graders all made collages of "interesting humans" using magazine pictures. Here are some 6th grade examples, they are a little odd, a little creepy, a little amusing and certainly interesting.

This week we move on to lino-cut prints of the human figure. 

I am excited this year to have an individual portfolio slot for each student from 3rd - 8th grade. It will be really nice for organizing and assessing kids work and managing the art show selections. 

Look how nice it looks. 

6th Grade Language Arts: Vocabulary Root Words

We will be studying common Greek and Latin root words throughout the school year in Language Arts class.  Students will learn to use clues from those roots when they encounter unfamiliar words.  They will complete creative and challenging vocabulary building activities to reinforce the root words.  Each of the twelve units introduces ten vocabulary words and traces their definitions back to a common meaning.  Students will examine the words in context to understand correct usage and complete hands-on activities to build their vocabulary skills.

Be sure to check with your child and hear the new words they are learning this year!

The roots we will study this year in sixth grade include: 

foli (leaf), miss, mitt (to send), manu (hand), map (bad), gen (birth, origin), geo, terr (earth), ped, pod (foot), astr, stell (star), chron, temp (time), aqua, hydra (water), mob, mot (move), cap (head)

Data Representation and measures of central tendency

We had a great start to the year last week in 6th grade math.  This week we will continue to work in the Everyday Math Journal and really get into our fist unit on data representation and interpretation and measures of central tendency.  We will collect data to review line plots, create stem-and-leaf plots, and review median and mean to examine the best measure of central tendency for a set of data.

Question to ask at home:  What is an outlier?

Geography of Greece

This week in social studies, the 6th graders are beginning their unit about ancient Greece.  Today, students observed and labeled a map of Europe and made predictions about how the geography of ancient Greece might affect the lives of the people who lived there.  Throughout the unit, they will find out if their predictions were correct.  Later in the week, students will learn about the Minoans and Mycenaeans, the first two civilizations in Greece.

Each week, I will be posting some questions that the students have been discussing during class.  Feel free to use them as dinner table conversation starters.

Questions for your 6th grader:

• What is the geography of Greece like?
• How might the geography of Greece shape the lives of the people who live there?

 Students used Notability to annotate maps on their ipads.

Students are moving around the room in an activity to help them remember the cardinal directions.

Week 2: FIrst Days of School

Week: 2

I know their heads are spinning, but the first week went well for the 6th graders.  We covered the ins and outs about the lab.  The high-lights of the week were safety and “Classmate Search.”  This week we will begin moving around in the lab with our “Safety Lab” and diving into magnetism.

It's a pleasure meeting you.

I’m excited to introduce myself as the new music teacher at North Park Elementary School.  I’d been a music teacher in the Chicago Public Schools since 2004 where I had developed my curriculum to include a variety of folk instruments including recorders, ukuleles and guitars, as well as an extra curricular band program.  I look forward to bringing some of the experiences I’ve gained in my former school as well as taking advantage of the many resources available at NPES.  

This year we will put extra emphasis on the music of Chicago. In addition to developing the basic concepts such as rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and notation covered in the general music classroom, we will be looking at the musicians and the rich musical history and influence of one of the world’s greatest cities, Chicago.  

I really look forward to getting to know and making some great music with your children throughout the year.

-Ben Saltz

6th Grade Language Arts Week 1: Pest Posters

This week students will be given the following creative writing task:
“You have been hired as a secret agent by the F.B.I., the C.I.A., and the X-Files because you have seen a creature only you can identify!  These creatures are so mysterious that students are the only people who are alert enough to actually see them commit their annoying pranks.  The pranks that these creatures commit are just mischievous actions to annoy you and others.  For example, these creatures take peanuts out of Snickers bars just when you are ready to take your first bite.  Also, just as you sit down to taste your buttery popcorn, the butter has suddenly disappeared.  The pests have been known to take bubbles out of bubble gum!”

Students will begin drafting their pest descriptions this week.  First, they will create their own original pest.  Then they will start writing detailed descriptions of their pests.  The descriptions include what the pest looks like, its annoying qualities, where to find the pest, and how to capture it.  The final draft will be a pest wanted poster with an illustration of the pest and a detailed description.

Check back to see how these pests are developing!

-Mrs. Payne

6th Grade Math

Hello 6th Grade Families,

We have had two days of Math so far and they have been great.  On Monday I introduced the Recipe of Me and the Math Autobiography.  I really enjoy these two projects because they get the students to think about their math history and give me a little insight into who they are.  The Recipe of Me is due on Friday and the Math Autobiography is due next Tuesday.

Today in math we did some problem solving activities.  I allowed the students to work in group to discuss and work through several multi-step problem solving pages.  On Thursday we are going to take the problems we worked on today and create an "Explain Everything" to learn how to use technology to explain our thinking and our precess on how to solve problems.

Towards the end of the week we will begin working in the Everyday Math Journal.

NPES Art 2015-2016 The Year of the Human and "Humans of Chicago"

This year I am excited to focus on all aspects of humans and the human body as it pertains to art. We will be looking at art that explores the human form and learning what it means to be a human, especially a "human of Chicago". Along with a wide variety of new lessons and old favorites, we will take time this year to do more figure drawing and portraiture, in an effort to learn how to draw human proportions and faces.

One or more elements and principles of art are addressed with each project. They include:

Balance, emphasis, contrast, unity/harmony, movement,/rhythm, proportion, line, shape, form, value, texture, space, and color. 

Students practice:

Looking at and talking about art

Following directions and sequential steps in a process

Creative problem solving

Craftsmanship and technique with new and familiar mediums

Philosophy and Objectives

Art students learn how to be engaged fully in the artistic process and gain skill and confidence by learning to work in the following two and three dimensional mediums: drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, print-making, collage, fiber, and computer arts. Drawing receives the greatest emphasis because it provides the basis for all other creative activities. Drawing is the single most accessible form of art available and provides a direct link between reading, writing, and math.

  The art program is integrated with the core curriculum in order to establish historic relevance and offer students the opportunity to create and do in all subject areas. The program nurtures inventiveness as it engages students in a process that aids in the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation. The program is spiraled to allow for building on and practicing prior knowledge and skills at every grade level, while adding more complex techniques, critical thinking opportunities and higher expectations of craft as the student matures.

The goals of the visual art program at NPES are to provide students with the tools to understand human experience; to learn to adapt to and respect others way of thinking; to learn creative methods of problem solving; understand the historical and cultural influences of art; to make decisions in situations where there are no standard answers; to analyze non-verbal communication; and to communicate thoughts and feelings using a practiced and highly developed visual vocabulary.

Student Assessment

Effort 

Participation (including clean-up) 

Creativity and meeting project criteria 

Following directions 

Office Hours

Tuesdays 3:30 - 4:30