Week 32: 6th Grade Science

Week: 32

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:

Moon and Tides

Ratios/Proportions

This week in 6th grade math we are starting our next unit on ratios and proportions.  We started the unit off today reviewing rates using per-unit-rates and rate-tables methods.  We also introduced the idea of proportions as a model for rate situations.  On Thursday, we will continue to use rate tables to model proportions and solve rate problems.  On Friday, the class will be introduced to using cross multiplication to solve proportions problems.

We completed the pilot program unit on probability and I think it was a great success.  What I really enjoyed about the unit was how the students were required to think, talk, and figure things out with each other.  Even though some struggled with the process they ended up doing a great job on the test.  I really enjoyed watching them rise to the challenge and think critically.

Columbian Exchange

This week, the 6th graders have been learning about the Age of Exploration and the Columbian Exchange.  Students learned that before the Age of Exploration, many plants and animals were only found on one continent.  It was only after this time that people traded new plants, animals, and ideas (not to mention diseases, guns, and slaves) across the Ocean.  Students made predictions about where they thought popular foods originated from.  They were surprised by some of the results.  Florida oranges originated in Europe and the tomatoes found in so much Italian food came from the Americas.  Students then looked at ethnic restaurant menus and found that most modern meals have a mix from both the New World and Old World.  Students will take their Science and Exploration test next Tuesday, May 3.  They will also begin working on an essay about the influence of the Renaissance on the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Exploration.

Art Institute Field Trip

Today, 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 and applied their knowledge about the differences between the Italian Renaissance and Northern Renaissance.  Because it was a gorgeous day, the kids also spent time exploring Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park. This week, students are learning about the Scientific Revolution and Age of Exploration.

Questions for your 6th grader:

• Tell me about your favorite painting from the field trip.
• How did the Renaissance influence the Scientific Revolution?

Week 31: 6th Grade Science

Week: 31

This week in 6th grade the class will explore gravity and motion.  

Topic:  Gravity and Motion

Objectives: 

Identify what determines the strength of the force of gravity between two objects.

Describe two factors that keep the moon and Earth in orbit.  

Essential Question:

What was Newton thinking? 

This week kids will perform labs to explore the two factors that define gravity, understand the difference between mass and weight, and how Newton defined inertia.

Key Terms:

force

gravity

law of universal gravitation

mass

weight

inertia

Newton’s First Law

Differentiation:

Developing Hypotheses

Interpreting Illustrations

Analyzing Data

Using Models

Cause and Effect

Upcoming:

Eclipses and Tides

Finishing unit of Probability

This week in 6th grade math we are competing our unit on probability.  This week we have been learning about:

If you do not know the answer to a true/false test, what is the probability that you can get a good score with random guesses?

What patterns are there in models for binomial probability situations that are equally likely?  How do these patterns help you answer probability questions?

If two teams are evenly matched, how do binomials probabilities help you figure out the probabilities that a winner of the required number of games will occur after a certain number of games?

So basically the class is learning about the result of 50/50 situations performed several times and how this effects the probability of the results.

This is the last week of the pilot math program for this year.  We will be taking the unit test on Friday and will then return to Everyday Math on Monday for a unit on ratios, proportions, and percents.

6th Grade Language Arts: The Hobbit Unit

The sixth grade students started reading the classic fantasy novel The Hobbit last week.  Students will read the novel throughout April and May.  They will keep reading logs and personal vocabulary lists with words from the novel.  Students will complete activities and participate in discussions to enhance their understanding of the novel.  The final project is the Middle Earth Gazette.  Each student will write creative articles as a newspaper reporter in Middle Earth.  Be sure to ask your child about what is happening in each chapter of The Hobbit.

Probability and area models

This week in 6th grade math we are continuing to work on our probability unit.  Last week we spent time working on making a list of possibilities or making a tree diagram.  This week, we have been using area models to find probability for many different situations.  We will then finish the week off by talking about finding expected value.

On Thursday or Friday, the class will be taking a partner quiz over what they have learned so far.

6th Grade Language Arts: Poetry Unit

The sixth grade students are starting new reading and writing units this week.  They are studying a variety of poetry techniques and practicing their skills while writing creative poems.  During this writing unit, they will create drafts of six poems and pick their three favorite poems to take to the final draft stage.  Be sure to ask your child to see the draft of his or her first poem.  The first poem was created using words that students found to be either beautiful or ugly sounding.  For example, many students found words like sapphire and glisten to be beautiful sounding and the words yolk and curdled to be ugly sounding.  

Week 30: 6th Grade Science

Week: 30

This week in 6th grade the class will review and reinforce what they learned from their moon observation project. 

Topic:  The Moon

Objectives: 

Explain what causes the phases of the moon?

Essential Question:

 Why don’t we see the far side of the moon? 

This week kids will perform labs to see the moon’s phases, what causes the shadows, and its position along with with the sun and Earth in space. 

Key Terms:

phases 

crescent

quarter

gibbous

new and full

Differentiation:

Observing

Predicting 

Inferring

Using Models

Finding patterns

Upcoming:

Gravity and Motion

Middle School Advisory Update

On Friday, April 29th, middle school students will be participating in a "Day of Service.".  Throughout the year, the kids have been investigating four areas: Environment, Literacy, Social Services with a focus on Special Olympics, and Animal Welfare.  They researched the various organizations in Chicago that work in these areas, then partnered with several and have been learning about the local issues in these areas.  For our Service Day, a group of kids will be helping with the Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies, another group with the Open Books project in Pilsen, another group with habitat restoration in LaBaugh Woods, and the fourth group with the Chicago Canine Rescue Foundation.

By the way, the animal welfare advisory group has just launched a website featuring foster pets that need permanent homes.  Please check out their website an post it to your social media.  

http://fureverhomesforfurryfriends.weebly.com.

Middle School Students stuffed over 650 "goody bags" for participants of the
Polar Plunge fundraiser for the Special Olympics.


Books begin to fill up the floor of the Social Studies room
as donations come in for the Open Books Book Drive

Probability

This week in 6th grade math we are continuing to work on our pilot unit on probability.  Some of the ideas that the students will be working with this week are:

1.  How does understanding probability help you design a winning strategy to a game?

2.  How can you design a simulation to determine probability?

3.  How can an area model represent a situation to help analyze probability?

The class continues to do simulations using coins, dice, and spinners to explore experimental and theoretical probability.

Also, the MAP Testing date has been moved to next Tuesday, April 12th.

Week 29: 6th Grade Science

Week: 29

Welcome back! and I hope you all had a fun and relaxing break.

This week the 6th grade will look at some unique properties of the moon.  Why don’t we see the other side of the moon?  Based on the moon’s rotation and revolution around the Earth, What would a moon calendar look like?

Topic:  The Moon

Objectives: 

Explain what causes the phases of the moon?

Demonstrate how the moon rotates on its axis and revolves around the Earth.

Essential Question:

Why don’t we see the far side of the moon? 

This week kids will perform labs to discover these unique properties of the moon. 

Key Terms:

phases 

Differentiation:

Observing

Predicting 

Inferring

Using Models

Finding patterns

Upcoming:

Gravity and Motion