Chapter 2 in Math

Metric vs Customary

This week the 6th grade students started the second chapter in the Math textbook.  This chapter will include measuring length, find the perimeter of shapes as well as finding the perimeter and area of squares and rectangles using formulas. We will end the chapter will scale drawings and averages.

On Monday the students took notes on Customary and Metric units to measure length.  The customary units we are using are inches, feet, yards, and miles.  The metric units are millimeter, centimeter, meter, and kilometers.

Next, the students will learn to use the perimeter formulas for rectangles and squares.  For rectangles, we will use P=2L + 2w.  For squares, we will use: P=4L.  To find the area of a rectangle and square we will use A=LxW.  The units for area should always be squared.

1st Reading Project due FRIDAY

First Reading Project Due FRIDAY!

The sixth graders will be turning in their first independent reading project on Friday.  The students selected a Fiction novel of their choice more than 3 weeks ago.  The projects along with their very first Accelerated Reader test will be due at the start of class on Friday.  The students will be creating a poster or a letter including the following elements from their fiction novel.

Setting: ·         Time & Place
Main Character ·         _______________ ·         Description of him/her
Conflict: ·         Internal or External? ·         explanation ·         short plot summary
Favorite Passage: ·         page # ·         quote from book ·         Why you chose this?
·         Overall reaction to  the book

Problem Solving Plan

Next week the sixth grade students will be working on solving word problems.  They will be introduced to the sixth grade approach to solving word problems.  It is a comprehensive 4 step problem solving plan that is broken done to 6 mini steps.

A Problem Solving Plan

1.  Read and Understand:  Read the problem carefully.  Identify the questions and any important information.  (In this step, we ask the students to list the FACTS they already know and the information they NEED to find out.)

2.  Make a Plan:  Decide on a problem solving strategy.  (In this step, we ask the students to write a VERBAL model using words to describe ideas and then use math symbols)

3.  Solve the Problem:  Use the problem solving strategy to answer the question.  (We ask students to ESTIMATE/make a logical guess and then SOLVE the problem.

4.  Look Back:  Check that your answer is REASONABLE 

RtI Math

This week we have started our usual routine of a "Problem of the Day".  This week we are practicing long division, I know a 6th grader's favorite!!!  We began with one digit divisors but are hoping to make it to two digit divisors by the end of the week.

The main part of our lessons this week will be reviewing place value to the trillions place, comparing and ordering numbers, exponents, and decimal place value.  During the lessons, students will use individual white boards and be allowed to come to the board to show the final answer.

At the end of the week, the student will take a AimsWeb Math Computation or Math Concepts and Application progress monitor test.  The students will individually grade their work and chart their progress.

Expository Writing

This week the students began writing a short expository composition to get ready for their upcoming expository speeches. Students chose a famous person or interesting animal to write about and research. We wanted students to have some freedom in their writing to make the composition fun and interesting. We hoped to introduce and develop of the following skills in their four paragraph expository composition. *Write an engaging introduction that tells the main idea. *Create a paragraph for each main topic. *Support each topic with at least two facts or examples. *Write in the third person. Focus on facts, not opinions. *Use your own words. Don't plagiarize! *Show how your ideas are connected. *Write a conclusion that sums up the main idea of your report. *Include a bibliography.

Literature Circles in Reading

The sixth grade Reading students have begun Literature circles in Reading class. Each student was assigned a book and a group to complete the reading and task. Students will have time in class to read the books and work on the tasks. It is our goal to get kids to learn from kids. Before, during, and after reading, it is our goal to get the students to talk to each other about the books. The theme of the books is disabilities. All the main characters in the book have a different disability. Here are some of the guidelines shared with the students. You will enjoy your experience with literature circles if your group has successful discussions. We must learn how to have good discussions. That may sound kind of silly, but many people do not communicate well during a group discussion. We've all met these people before...they do not listen or pay attention to others, they cut other people off mid-sentence, or they might only talk about what is on their minds and not respond to other people's comments. Picture yourself in the middle of a literature circle discussion. You want to be a positive member of your group. What should you do? This is the first assignments given after reading the the first few chapters of the novel. Bookmarks:  Open-Ended “FAT” questions to ask your group  Inferences you made while reading (things you figured out about the storyline by using what you already know)  Literary or story elements  Advice you would offer a character  Vocabulary words – unfamiliar words, interesting words,  Connections you made with the text – about your life, other books, movies  Author style critique – evaluating the way the author wrote the story

Prepositions in LA.

Sixth grade students are finishing up the English unit on Prepositions. We encourage that students try to memorize as many prepositions are possible. There is a great chart on page 315 which we asked students to record in their LA notebooks.

We have practiced identifying prepositional phrases, adding them to sentences to elaborate meaning, using them correctly, and recognizing the difference between a preposition and an adverb.

Prepositions make a phrase that ends with an object (noun or pronoun).
*into the room
*by the desk
*near the school
*to the store and home