Language Arts Update

For my first Blog posting, I would like to say hello to all who are involved in the lives of the TR-SIX students. Thanks to Mr. Roth for introducing me on the Blog earlier this month. In addition to Language Arts 6 and Social Studies 6, I will also be teaching Health 6 for Mr. Coupland until the end of April.

Language Arts:
1. SPELLING TESTS will take place every Friday (or Thursday, if it is a short week). Reviewing/studying for these spelling tests is important.
Each Monday, the students will be given a pre-test of 20 spelling words, as well as an activity (crossword, fill-in-the-blanks, etc.) that will help them practice spelling and using the words correctly. The activities will be due for the following day (Tuesdays).
-Generally, the spelling words will come from the novel we are studying or will be words that are commonly misspelled.
-Note: Due to the short week with skiing and a PD day, there will be no spelling test this week.

2. We have now started reading Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli and will continue with this novel study unit for several more weeks. The students should have already read chapters 1-5 and done the corresponding vocabulary and study questions.
-For Thurs. Feb. 1, they have been assigned to read chapters 6 and 7 and there will be a short quiz on those 2 chapters.
-It is expected that students will keep all of their Maniac Magee materials (spelling lists and activities, handouts, assignments, activity sheets, etc.) in their Maniac Magee duotangs.

3. Last week the students started writing stories about Maniac’s “Lost Year” (see green assignment sheet), with a focus on characterization (see blue handout). The rough copies were due last Fri. Jan. 26th. If they have not been handed in, it is critical that these rough copies are completed and brought to school this Thurs. Feb. 1, as we will be moving on to the editing and revising process.

MathTest

Math Test Monday on perimeter and Area. Orange booklet due. It will get marked Thurs. due to skiing and PD day. No new booklet this week.
Next topic is volume.

Math Test

P.187
p. 188 #2,3
P. 190 #1
Perimeter and Area Booklet 1st page
Due Friday

Introducing...

*I would like to introduce Miss Teryn Garberg, an intern teacher from the University of Lethbridge, coming to our class to teach Language Arts 6 for me, and Social Studies 6 for Ms. Andrew, until the end of April. Miss Garberg will bring lots of great ideas and enthusiasm and we will work together to provide the best learning activities for our TR-SIX students. While Miss Garberg is teaching the class as a whole, I will be working with a small group of TR-SIX students to assist them in improving their reading and writing skills.

*This week Miss Garberg is introducing activities leading up to the novel we will be studying, "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli, which is an entertaining and thought-provoking tall tale about a boy 'on the run', and trying to find a real 'home'. You should start to see this novel coming home for regular chapter reading later this week.
* TR-SIX students have watched clips of "Big Fish", a motion picture tall-tale, and will be writing a tall tale of their own this week as well.

Welcome Back!
This week in math they have practice on basic skills in the pink booklet. It is due Monday. In class we are working on perimeter concepts. We will then move on to area.

Students should be bringing a calculator to class to help speed up some calculations and to do some problem solving.

When they write teheir achievement tests in june. One part of the test is without calculator and the other part allows calculators. They should get familiar with them.

Math Test Fri Dec. 15

Math test on Fri. Dec. 15th. It covers decimals. Identifying place value ,rounding, adding and subtracting.
It also covers multiplying with whole numbers. They are working on a review booklet this week. It will be homework tonight if it is not completed in class. We will go over it tomorrow. The test is on Friday.

Keep them working on basis skills over the holidays. Add, subtract, multiply and divide.

Merry X-mas

Christmas Concert update!

Our Language Learning time has almost completely been taken up with planning and rehearsal for the Christmas Concert next week, Thursday, December 14th.
Our part of the concert is certainly very important, with the TR-Six class having all the speaking parts and starring in "The Tiniest Christmas Star". It is coming along well, with a few technical and staging challenges to work out, but the kids are real "stars" and are taking on their characters really well.

***Thanks for your help in rounding up costumes and finding other props and lighting. We appreciate your support to make our concert a big success.

* See you next Thursday - Dress Rehearsal begins at about 9:00 a.m. on Thursday (14th) morning and any parents, grandparents who would rather attend this daytime performance, rough as it might be, are welcome to attend.

*The Christmas Concert itself begins at 7:00 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. See you there!

Math Tests

Lime Green Booklet due Monday.
Each week they have a booklet due.
Currently we will be working on 3-d Shapes in class.

Quiz Reminder

Tuesday's quiz will review the watercycle, tree part labelling and the matter cycle. Don't forget those glossary words, this weeks quiz includes words used to identify tree parts.

When the Saints (and Stars) Come Marchin' In!

*No, we're not studying New Orleans, or rag-time Jazz (although I'd like to!), but our TR-Six students have been working on a Research Report on Saints. Each student has chosen a saint to research, on the internet, and in books, and then prepare a 5-6 paragraph written report. The report is due Monday, December 4th. Your son/daughter has an outline of how the report should be prepared and what information each paragraph should contain. They also have the rubric which shows how their Saint Report will be marked. Ask to see both of these as well, as the report they are working on. Please help him/her to finish the report for Monday.

**Christmas Concert rapidly approaches (Thursday, December 14th, 7:00p.m.) and our TR-Six students are the stars! Literally! The play that all elementary classes are jointly working on is called "The Tiniest Christmas Star", and our class has all the speaking parts, and yes, they are all stars Of course some of them play the parts of Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and Wise Men as well. We have begun practising the play, and ask for your help in finding appropriate costumes. Please ask your child what part he/she has and if he/she is Mary, Joseph, a shepherd or Wise Men, help him/her to find an appropriate costume. We think we will have costumes for all of our students playing "Stars".

All TR-Six students are asked to wear black pants/skirts and white tops for the concert since they are performing as a Band as well. It looks to be a great concert!

***Report Cards go home today, Friday, December 1st. Please take the time to go over the report with your child and have your child tell you about his/her progress.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about any of this, or if you wish to have a parent-teacher conference, please call me at the school 345-3373.

Math Tests

Students received their math tests back today .Nov. 17th. This was the first big test and covered all work from the beginning of the year.
I have gone over the test with the students. They are asked to take it home and bring it back signed.

Their purple review booklet is due Monday. This booklet reviews basic skills.

Science Quiz Update

First quiz for Trees and Forests Unit will be Tuesday next week.

Thursday Before Remembrance Day

Just a quick reminder of the work in progress in our TR-Six class:

We're writing a 'crime' story, really a type of "whodunnit" story, which is a project shared with Mr. Coupland's 'Investigation and Evidence' unit in Science 6. So, some due dates for this assignment:
*the First Draft was due today, Thursday, 9th,
*edited (improved) Draft is due Tuesday 14th
*proofread/rewrite good copy is due Thursday 16th.

This story will be marked by both of us, Mr. Coupland and myself, with Mr. Coupland assessing the use and understanding of the concepts of Investigation and Evidence, and me looking at the skills in creating an interesting story.

MathTest

Math Test on Nov. 15
Covers all topics from the start of the year.
Read and write numbers
Multiples
Factors
Prime and composite numbers
Lowest common multiple
Greatest common factor
prime factorization

It's November Already!

*Thanks to all the parents who provided food for our Hallowe'en party on this past Tuesday. It was delicious and we had plenty!

*Going home today in an envelope is the 'Work Habits Assessment" rubric that the students and teachers completed. One side of the rubric, (labelled 'student') shows you how your son/daughter 'assessed' their work habits and effort in Grade 6 up to this point. On the other side is the assessment of the core teachers in Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts, of your son's/daughter's work habits and effort so far. Your child has seen both, and I have discussed with him/her how the teachers view his/her performance so far. After discussing it with your child, you will have a chance to meet with us at Parent Teacher (and student, if you wish) next week on Wednesday or Thursday evening, November 8th and 9th. Please call the school to arrange a time.

Just a few reminders of homework and ongoing assignments in Language Arts:
*We will continue with our Bag Book Report presentations on Monday and all students should be ready to present.
*Spelling Unit work on Unit 6 is due on Thursday.
*We will continue work on our "Crime Story" which is an activity of both Science and Language Arts. Your child should have a 'plan' and perhaps a 'rough draft' of a story in the works.

As always, you can contact me at the school at 345-3373, or at home at 345-4543.

Evidence and Investigation Title page

Students are finishing their first unit and as a closing activity are creating a title page for the unit. Students have now written the exam so they can clear out their binder in preparation for the next unit. Students need to save their work so they can use it to study for the Provincial Achievement test at the end of the school year. As a suggestion they could glue their title page to a folder or use a second binder for completed units at home.

Factors

Finish R33from a few days ago.
Do #1,2 on R34
Do #1 - 5 on Rocket Booster

Forensics Test Date

The Unit Test for Forensics has been moved to Friday Novembe 3.

HALLOWE'EN and Bag Book Reports!

A couple of reminders:

Halloween!
*The TR-SIX Grade Six class will have a Hallowe'en class party during the afternoon of Hallowe'en Day, Tuesday, October 31st. We are going to begin our party at lunchtime with a lunch organized by our classroom parent reps, Mrs. Cale and Mrs. Allen. They will be contacting some of our TR-SIX families to bring food for our lunch, which I'm sure will be delicious. So, TR-SIX students will only need to bring a drink ( pop, juice, milk) for the lunch.
* Their will be a costume parade in the gym at about 12:30 followed by a special Halloween assembly where the School Family Teams will participate.
*Then the class has decided they want to watch a suitable video for the remaining party time.

Bag Book Reports!

We have just begun our presentations of our Bag Book Reports, and each student will have the opportunity to present their book report to the class in the next 2 weeks. Ask your son/daughter to rehearse their talk on you!

Math Quiz Rescheduled

Math quiz on multiples rescheduled for Thursday.
Math basic skills. ( 2 digit muyltiplication on grid) 10 questions due Friday