MAP Testing After Spring Break

Spring MAP testing is coming soon. 6th grade will take the math test on April 5th, the reading test on April 7th, and the language test on April 14th. Should you have any questions about testing, please contact Kim Smith.

Week 27: 6th Grade Science

Week: 27

This week the 6th grade will continue with Earth in space.  They will discover how Earth’s revolution or orbit (an ellipse) around the sun is a year.  

Topic:  Earth in Space: A year

Objectives: 

Demonstrate how Earth moves in space.

Explain what causes a year and Earth’s path around the sun.  

Essential Question:

What is time? 

This week kids will use Kepler’s Law to model Earth’s revolution or orbit around the sun.  

Key Terms:

revolution

orbit

Differentiation:

Observing

Predicting 

Using Models

Creating geometric shapes

Upcoming:

Gravity and Motion

Probability

This week in 6th grade math we are continuing to work on our unit on probability.  Last week we spent a lot of time working on and defining experimental probability.  This week we will be focusing on theoretical probability, fair and unfair games, making tree diagrams to find sample spaces, and the probability of compound events.  The students will be performing several investigations to work with these ideas and to help them develop their understanding of the concepts.

Week 26: 6th Grade Science

Week: 26

This week we will continue with Earth in space and see how Earth’s tilt and orbit ( an ellipse) affects our seasons. 

Topic:  Earth in Space

Objectives: 

Demonstrate how Earth moves in space.

Explain what causes day and night and the cycle of seasons on Earth.  

Essential Question:

What is time? 

This week kids will use models to explore Earth’s rotation, revolution, and tilt.  

Key Terms:

astronomy

axis

rotation

revolution

orbit

calendar

solstice

equinox

Differentiation:

Observing

Predicting 

Using Models

Upcoming:

Gravity and Motion

Probability

This week in 6th grade math we are continuing our new unit on probability.  After taking some time to learn the grid system of Chicago, for our Humans of Chicago theme, we have moved on to our pilot of a new math program.  On Monday, the students did some experiments involving coins and cups to get some data and look at the chances of events occurring.  For the rest of the week we will continue to do different types of probability experiments to see what happens and if things are fair or unfair.

Upcoming assignments:
City of Chicago Grid system Test tomorrow Wednesday March 9th

6th Grade Language Arts: Myth and Legend Unit

Sixth graders have been reading a variety of myths and legends during this unit.  They also researched and presented information about local Chicago legends.   Legends about the Chicago Fire, Resurrection Mary, and the Cubs curse were the most popular with the class. They studied the characteristics of both types of stories in preparation for writing their own creative myth or legend.  In class, students continue to draft stories and expand on their initial plot ideas.  Students will submit the first draft of their story on Thursday, March 10th, and the final draft on Wednesday, March 16th.  During class this week, I will be working with each student to provide feedback for improving their writing pieces before the final is due.

End of the Middle Ages

This week, the 6th graders are finishing up their unit about the Late Middle Ages.  Today, they took their test about the Middle Ages.  They also wrote an evidence essay.  The question that they answered was "Were the Middle Ages truly the Dark Ages?".  The students learned about how to gather evidence from the unit to help prove their opinion.  They filled out graphic organizers that helped them write their essays.  Next week, we will begin the Renaissance and Reformation unit. Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Renaissance Festival, which will be held on Wednesday, April 13 at 8:45 a.m.  I hope to see you there!

Question for your 6th grader:

• Were the Middle Ages truly the Dark Ages?

Week 25: 6th Grade Science

Week: 25

Topic:  Earth in Space

Objectives: 

Demonstrate how Earth moves in space.

Explain what causes day and night and the cycle of seasons on Earth.  

Essential Question:

What is time? 

This week kids will use models to explore Earth’s rotation, revolution, and tilt.  

Key Terms:

astronomy

axis

rotation

revolution

orbit

calendar

solstice

equinox

Differentiation:

Observing

Predicting 

Using Models

Upcoming:

Gravity and Motion

Chicago grid system and starting new unit on probability

This week in 6th grade math, the students are learning about the Chicago street grid system.  On Monday, the class looked at maps and and wrote down all the north and west streets for the entire city by 400 blocks.  It was great to see them all over the floor looking at the maps of Chicago and figuring out how the system works.  We will continue to work with the grid system on Wednesday and I will ask them to find their exact street coordinates of where they live, so that other students can find their house on a coordinate plane.  Then on Thursday, we will finally start our new unit on Probability using the experimental textbook.