Week 20: The Skeletal System

Week: 20

Topic:  The Skeletal System

Objectives: 

Identify the major bones of the body.

Identify the functions of the skeleton.

Explain the role that joints play in the body.

Describe the characteristics of bone and how to keep bones strong and healthy.

Essential Question:

What would your body be like if you did not have a skeleton?  

This week the kids will create a poster of the major bones that make up the skeletal frame, then they looked inside the bone to see its individual components and there functions.  Lastly, we used abstract objects to identify the four major joints of the body and predicted their form, function, and location on the skeleton. 

Key Terms:

skeleton

vertebrae

joint

ligament

cartilage

compact bone

spongy bone

marrow

Differentiation:

Observing

Inferring 

Classifying

Concluding

Upcoming:

So you want to be a doctor?  Diagnosing bone and joint injuries.

Geometry test and more fractions

This week in 6th grade math we are finishing our geometry unit and will then begin our next unit on algebra.  During our current unit on geometry we have learned about measuring angles with protractors, how to find degree measures without a protractor, and how to make a circle graph using degree measures.  In our next unit, we will begin by reviewing multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers and then apply that to dividing fractions.  We will then review addition and subtraction of negative and positive numbers and learn about multiplication of negative and positive numbers.

As was mentioned by Mrs. Friend several weeks ago, after our next unit on algebra we will be switching programs for our unit on probability to pilot a different program.  As we get closer to that time I will provide you with more information.  I would guess we will start that unit in about three weeks.

Upcoming assignments:
Test today.

6th Grade Language Arts

As the first semester comes to an end, we are moving forward in our adventure book clubs.  The students are already halfway done with their meetings! I have really enjoyed witnessing the meetings in action.  It is amazing to see how engaged in discussion students become when they have strong feelings about the characters’ actions and the development of the plot.  Friday is book club meeting #5. 

The students are currently working on completing their fact cards for Monday, January 25th.  Students should be reading through their sources to find the most important information about the person they are researching.  They will keep track of the facts they find by filling out note cards.  Next week, we will organize the fact note cards into categories and focus on how to best structure and organize the research report before creating an outline.

Upcoming due dates:

Book Club Meeting #5 on Friday, January 22nd

Fact Cards due Monday, January 25th

Week 19: 6th Grade Science

Week: 19

Topic: The Cell

Objectives: 

Identify structures of the cell and their functions

Comparing plant and animal cells

How cells make tissue

Essential Question:

What came first, form or function?  

This week the kids will use their microscope skills to start this unit by deconstructing the “Hierarchy of Life” to identify and understand the parts of a cell and how they make tissue. 

Key Terms:

cell

cell wall

cell membrane

nucleus

cytoplasm

Differentiation:

Observing

Inferring 

Identifying

Making slides

Math integration: ratios

Upcoming:

The Skeletal System

Greetings from an Absentee Blogger

My apologies for my negligence in keeping you up to date on Advisory.  

Our advisory program generally consists of seven components and they are:

Adolescent “hot topic” discussions and lessons

Team and trust building

1:1 meetings with the advisor with goal setting

Gender specific meeting times

Lil’ Buddies  - working consistently with a younger grade

Service learning - global citizenship

Study and organizational skills

This year is our Service Learning Project which is part of the global citizenship component of our Advisory program fits in well with the school-wide humans of Chicago theme.  Earlier this year, middle school kids chose an area in which to focus: environmental issues, Literacy issues. Social Services issues (with particular interest in Special Olympics amongst other things) and Animal Welfare issues.  The students researched some of the local organizations that are involved with these areas and we have discovered that we have great resources in our parent community.  To date, we have had two guest speakers come in to represent some of these organizations and we will hear from two more.  After that, the groups will work on in-school projects that can benefit these organizations, culminating with an off-campus Field Day devoted to making a difference in the community.  It is a work in progress but we are excited about setting up a model that will take us into future school years.

Also new this year is a Social Emotional Learning curriculum that we are using to guide us through topics of interest to young people.  The curriculum is called Overcoming Obstacles and can be found here: http://www.overcomingobstacles.org/middleschool_curriculum.

What this all means is fewer trips to Starbucks……but the kids are benefitting from being more engaged and interested.

Math Mania Night and Geometry

Looking forward to seeing everyone this evening from 6-7 for Math Mania Night.  I think it will be a lot of fun for everyone.  If you didn't get a chance to RSVP you can still join us.

This week in math we have been continuing our unit on geometry.  So far this week, we have been reviewing how to plot ordered pairs on the coordinate plane and  translation, reflect, and rotate figures on the coordinate plane.  For the rest of the week, we will be working on creating sketch drawings of figures using only a protractor and ruler and how to do constructions (copy figures) using only a compass and a straightedge.

Week 18: 6th Grade Science

Week: 18

Topic:  The Microscope

Objectives: 

Identify parts of the microscope

How to find magnification

Describe field of view

What is a compound microscope?

Be able to use a microscope

Make a wet mount slide

Essential Question:

How does magnification work?  

This week the kids will start this unit by understanding the parts of a microscope, how magnification is calculated, how the specimen moves under magnification, and understand what  the “field of view” is. 

Key Terms:

magnification

compound microscope

field of view

Differentiation:

Observing

Inferring 

Building

Math integration

Upcoming:

Taking a look at a onion cells (plant) and cheek cells (animal)

The Fall of Rome

This week, the 6th graders are finishing up their unit about ancient Rome.  They will take their quiz about the Roman Empire on Friday, January 15.  Students learned about the causes of the fall of the empire on Monday.  Now, they are working on menu items about the fall of Rome.  Some students are creating comic strips, others are creating warning posters, and some chose to write letters and diary entries as if they were Romans or barbarians living during the time period.  Later in the week, they will review their timeline skills by creating Rome timelines, which use both AD and BC dates.

Questions for your 6th grader:

• Was the fall of Rome unavoidable?
• Were the biggest factors in the fall of Rome internal or external?
• What menu items are you creating?

Whose bones are these?

That's the question that the 6th graders always ask when they come into art and see human bones on the tables. They are studying anatomy in science so I tell them that Mr. T. is a grave robber and has recently dug them up for our use. Maybe they believe me?

They start these drawings by using their I-pads to take a photo of the bone still-life so they can consider how to balance their own compositions. I have started to add strange and unexpected elements to still-life arrangements to make them more interesting and engage the kids a bit more. Here the lollipops served as motivation (they get to eat them when they are done) and they added a pop of color. They also had to learn how to shade in reverse given that they are using white charcoal on black paper. I think they did a nice job.

The Roman Empire

This week the sixth graders are learning about ancient Rome transitioned from a republic to an empire.  They are also working on the skill of taking organized, simple, and useful notes.  Students are learning about Julius Caesar's rise to power by acting out some of the events that happened.  Then, they are having discussions about what important information should be included in their notes and which extra details that can be left out.

Question for your 6th grader:

• Was Julius Caesar a great leader or a terrible tyrant?

Math Mania Night and Geopmetry

Hello 6th Grade Parents,

I am using today's blog to highlight Math Mania Night.  Next Tuesday, January 12th, is the second annual Math Mania Night at NPES from 6-7 in the evening.  Last year, the event was a great success and everyone found the evening to be fun.  This year, I have put the evening in the students' hands and asked them to decide what would be the most enjoyable way to spend an hour at school working on math.  We have worked as a class to decide what they want to do for the evening.  They came up with some great ideas and I think it will be a lot of fun.  If your planning on joining us on the 12th, please RSVP Math Mania RSVP .  Please come join us.

This week in 6th grade math we are starting our fifth unit on Geometry.  We started the unit out today by reviewing how to measure angles using a protractor.  Next we will work on reasoning on how to find angle measures using supplementary and complementary angels and not a protractor.  We will then end the week learning how to use a protractor and angle measures to make an exact circle graph.

Week 17: 6th Grade Science

Week: 17

Welcome back!  I hope you all enjoyed your holiday break.

Topic:  The Skeletal System

Objectives: 

Identify the form and function of the skeleton.  

Identify the major bones of the body.

Essential Question:

What came first form or function?  

This week the kids went on a archeological dig and unearthed a skeleton.  They examined different bone shapes and tried to predict the bones function.  Check out their pictures of the dig.

Key Terms:

form and function

skeleton

major bones of the body

Differentiation:

Observing

Inferring 

Concluding

Upcoming:

What is the make-up of a bone?

6th Grade Language Arts: Research Report

As we enter the second part of the school year, we will start the research report writing unit.  This year, sixth graders will be researching a person in history.  They will be working on this paper in school and at home.  Students will be conducting their research independently.  From the sources they will create a three-six page overview of the topic.  The report must be organized, clear, and informational.  During the writing process, all students will create a works-cited page (three sources minimum), fact note cards (twenty cards minimum), and an outline of their paper.  Students will be required to meet various deadlines throughout the research report writing unit.  All components and research tasks will be discussed in detail in Language Arts class.  The project timeline, materials, and due dates are on Schoology. 

Upcoming Due Dates:

Research Report Topic Choice due: Friday, January 8, 2016

Source Cards due: Friday, January 15, 2016