| April 16, 2008
I apologize for the delayed update. We are beyond busy behind the scenes
here at TCAPS.
Social Studies: This week we continue our look at Latin America by building
our basic map skills knowledge and beginning to look at current issues
facing Mexico. Students have a test asking them to identify the location,
and naming the countries of Latin America. Two weeks later, they will be
identifying the capitols of each country given the names of the countries.
Practice maps (2) and good interactive websites have been provided.
Everyone should be learning these in small doses. Do not leave this for one
evening!
Science/Health: Sky Tree this month is due on April 22. You need to sketch
your tree at home and bring it in anytime on or before that date. Also,
bring in a snippet of a small tree branch to use for your personal bud
sketch that is also due April 22. We have a sketching station set up in
class for the buds with steroscopes and sketching template with the
intention that you do your bud sketch at school. Bring those buds in
immediately so you have time to do it class.
We are continuing with our health unit on drugs and substance abuse. We are
building factual knowledge of various drugs and looking at advertising
strategies used in alcohol and tobacco ads as well. There is a CAAP test
over this unit that will be given early next week (Tuesday is the target
day).
March 24, 2008
Social Studies: We will finish looking at urban sprawl issues in the U.S. on
Monday by studying the specific challenges Atlanta faced and the solutions.
We will have a chapter test on Tuesday.
On Wednesday we will travel south of the U.S. border to begin studying Latin
America. We will begin our studies in Mexico City. Latin America will be
our focus until the end of the year.
Science/Health: Monday we will look at alternative energy sources and their
advantages and disadvantages. We will also work on reading pages 14-19 in
the Electricity and Magnetism textbook and completing the questions.
Tuesday, March 26th, will be our Personal Safety Lesson required each year
in
our health curriculum. A letter went home two weeks ago regarding this
lesson and letters will come home today in the Monday folder that are a
summary and follow-up to Tuesday's lesson for parents.
Wednesday, March 27th we will finish the Magnetism/Electricity unit with a
reading and responding to various articles on magnetism research and a
review
sheet.
Thursday will be the CAAP test over Magnetism and Electricity.
Friday we will be doing mini-research on various scientists associated with
magnetism and electricity research including:Oersted, Ampere, Faraday, Henry
and Tesla.
March 11, 2008
Social Studies: We are in Lesson 5 studying/debating urban sprawl and
solutions to this problem. We will be doing a role model exercise later
this
week with roles such as housing developer, smart growth advocate,
environmentalist, business owner.
Science: We have changed the date of the March Sky Tree to March 25th. You
can complete your sketch or painting at home anytime in the next two weeks.
Remember to include the weather data, date and temperature in the upper
right
hand corner as this is a scientific observation. Also, remember to not use
crayons or sparpie-type markers. These do not allow you to include enough
detail for full credit. We will begin the second part of the tree
assignment
in class later this week.
We will continue our exploration of the relationshi between magnetism and
electricity this week. Today we are testing variations on our original
electromagnet experiment by changing one variable in hopes of improving the
strength of the electromagnet.
February 26, 2008
Social Studies: Frozen Fire reading and questions packets should absolutely
be completed and turned in no later than Thursday or before.
You all indicated good to excellent progress completing your flipbooks.
These are due Friday when you come to class or before.
Chapter 4 test on Wednesday as announced Monday.
Editorials should be completed in school by Thursday. If you need to come
in
on recess to do this, feel free to ask. Many have done this already. Most
were able to get done during regular classtime.
Science/Health: Dissection day on Thursday morning. Wear older clothes -
just in case. Parent/dissection leader study guides are being sent home for
review.
You did a fantastic job on your circulatory system assessments! We are
beginning a physical science unit on magnetism and electricity. Very fun!
February 11, 2008
Social Studies: We are using information stations to gather information
about
Great Lakes issues including invasive species, pollution and habitat losss.
Each student will become part of a team either a "booster" or "doomer" in
preparation for an informal group debate. Research will continue through
Wednesday.
Provincial book should now be worked on at home for final submission later
this month.
Health: Dissection day has been set for Feb. 28th. A note went home
yesterday seeking volunteers. I have asked the fifth grade teachers to save
us one lung pluck so that we can do a quick walk through on that ( I know
they did not get to do the lung dissection last year). A quiz over the path
of blood through the heart was taken today. We will finish up the
circulatory system unit early next week.
February 4, 2008
Social Studies: You should be working to complete the last pieces of your
provincial research project over the next two weeks. You will receive your
blank book on Thursday - do not carry this around so that it get tattered
and
dirty. Take it home and put in a safe place so that you can glue all the
parts into it before the final due date. Remember to lay everything out on
the pages BEFORE using glue.
Science/Health:
This week we are learning the parts of the heart starting with the main
chambers, then adding the major veins, arteries and valves. You will finish
the week with a clear understanding of the parts of the heart and the
correct
path of blood through the circulatory system. Each of you will make a deck
of review cards that should be practiced at home in addition to school so
that the path of blood is clear to you. Remember to do this as a logical
reasoning thinking activity as opposed to a sheer memorization activity.
January 28, 2008
Social Studies: We are revising and sharing rough drafts of the Location,
Region and Place sections in class this week. You will need to go home with
the comments and editing marks and make your revisions and additions to each
of these sections this week. We will also discuss and clarify what to focus
on in the Human Environmental section and Movement. You should be spending
20-30 minutes a night on this project. Don't forget websites on the Central
Grade website under sixth grade that are very helpful for your research. We
will also begin a new chapter in Geography Alive that takes a look at U.S.
and Canada issues.
Science/Health: We are beginning the circulatory system this week. This
unit
will take us into the anatomy and function of the heart and vascular system
as well as focus on healthy habits that contribute long term heart health.
I
will be setting a heart dissection date by the end of this week and will be
looking for parent volunteers for the last week of February.
Saturday Jan. 26 ********FYI
THE TCAPS EMAIL AND PHONE SYSTEM WENT DOWN YESTERDAY ABOUT NOON DUE TO AN
ACCIDENT. WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE BEFORE LEAVING AT 4 THAT BOTH WOULD MOST
LIKELY BE DOWN THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
January 22, 2008
Social Studies: you should be working about 30 minutes a day on your
provincial research. Focus on the order that portions are due to stay on
track. We will work many days in class (not every day) so carry your bag
back and forth. Many of the other TCAPS libraries have books on the
provinces, if you have access to another library through a neighbor, sibling
or relative this could be helpful.
Science: Big unit test on Thursday morning (both classes even though it is a
half day) over simple machines. Review your packet, worksheets, review
questions provided in class this week (in your spiral) and the websites we
used in computer lab as sources.
Our next unit will be a health related unit on the circulatory system and
heart.
January 14, 2008
Social Studies: We will begin a research project about the provinces of
Canada. Each of you will select a province to study and write about. The
final product will be a flipbook (blank one provided for you). The
structure
of the information will be organized around each of the five themes of
geography. You will get a research packet today. This will need to be
signed
by a parent. The first page of the packet has a project timeline for you to
follow. Rough drafts of sections of the report will be due on various
progressive days. This approach will help greatly to do this project in
increments. I think you will love your finished products!
Science: This week we will finish analyzing pulley systems. Sky Tree
creative
stories and sketches are due tomorrow January 15th. We will share stories
in
small groups. Remember, 12 font, very plain font selection.
December 17, 2007
Social Studies: We have two wonderful representatives for the school
National
Geography Bee - Jami Chung and Ivan Suminski! Everyone did a wonderful job
on the challenging questions in the classroom competitions.
We are beginning Frozen Fire today. You should have chapters 1 & 2 read and
questions answered by Friday.
Science: We continue our look at simple machines. We have tested force
requirements for many classes of levers and will use the rest of the week to
apply our new knowledge to every day levers from home.
December 2, 2007 Report Cards will be sent home on Friday, Dec. 7
Social Studies: In the upcoming week we will be doing something
called "Mapping Lab" these activities will build your understanding of
Canada and U.S.
Health: We will continue our unit on making friends and solving conflict
this week. Most lessons will be completed during class time. You will have
a few homework assignments that will be fun and insightful.
November 13, 2007
Social Studies: This week we are working on building a knowledge base of key
regional characteristics specific to each of the five physical regions of
Canada. We are also learning and applying graphing skills in computer lab
using population data for Canadian provinces or cities. You have received a
new Current Events to be checked on Friday.
Science: We are having a test on Thursday of this week. You should be
reviewing at home using the new science folder we created last week and the
review sheet you received last week as well.
We will be moving forward with our lab activities exploring the phases of
the
moon with various models.
Sky Tree sketch and tree report are due today.
Keep up your moon observations; the skies are clearing up!
November 2, 2007
Social Studies: We will begin our Canada Unit on Tuesday of next week.
Your
new Current Events questions, crossword and main idea pages will be due on
Wednesday. You will have more class time to complete these Tuesday and Wed.
of next week.
Science: Start your moon observations tonight and continue them through
ll/29/2007. Keep that sheet in a safe place for the next 29 days! We will
be working with moon models early next week in class with small groups.
Remember: No school Monday or Friday p.m..
October 23, 2007
Social Studies: We are taking the unit 2 test today. It was pushed back due
to time constraints last week. We will complete pages 19,20,24,25 in the
Geothemes packet by Wednesday. If you need to check out an atlas Wednesday
at the end of our work period, you may. We will heading a bit north of the
U.S. later this week as we begin our study of Canada.
Science: We have have been slowed down to less than warp speed by schedule
interruptions last week. We will, again, skip our shadow tracking outdoor
activity until the Sun is willing to shine brightly; perhaps tomorrow. We
will be working in a rotation/station format this week to explore new
concepts. One of the stations is using a computer program to record Sun
shadow data in winter and summer for our location. Another station will
have
you delving into a wonderful science fiction book entitled The Green Book.
THis adventure follows a group of people to another planet and their
struggles to adapt and survive (highly recommended by past tagsters!). We
will also begin collecting observational data on the moon later this week.
Family History Project: Tuesday's computer lab time will mostly be devoted
to research. You will need all of your materials with you on Thursday for
another work session.
October 16, 2007
Science: October Sky Tree sketches are due today! We will work on our clay
project next week. We have been significantly slowed down by MEAP testing
and teacher inservices (two last week). We will pick up the pace later this
week.
Social Studies: We received a new Current Events periodical; the questions
are due Friday and should be completed during class time when other work is
complete.
Today, you received two geothemes pages to do using the class atlases.
These
should be done by Thursday. If you do not have them done tomorrow (Wed.),
check out an atlas and complete them at home on Wed. evening.
This week we will also finish up our look at thematic maps on population
density and take a Chapter Test on Friday. This test includes multiple
choice and application questions. The best way to review and refresh what
you have learned is to: read through your ISN and reread the Chapter packets
in the classroom.
Family History Project: Please show your homeroom teacher your parent
signature. This Thursday afternoon will be a "work bee" day on this
project. You must bring something to work on during this time. Computers ,
teachers and time will be available.
October 4, 2007
Science: We have successfully launched into space! This week we are
exploring ideas each student has about Earth, Sun and Moon relationships.
We
started by writing answers to 5 of the essential questions from our unit
based on current knowledge. We worked in small groups discussing and
organizing these response into a correct, not correct or unsure framework.
As we build new knowledge, we will be revisiting and reorganizing this
information. Each student will be using hands-on models this week to
demonstrate key ideas. There is no homework.
Social Studies: We are well into our unit on interpreting our world like a
geographer. Yesterday, small groups acted out key physical features of the
Earth; these were very creative! We will be looking at various map themes
through the end of the week. Your current events questions should be done
by
Friday.
Sept. 24, 2007
Science:Bring a pressed leaf from your Sky Tree at home, if possible. We
will be attempting to clearly i.d. each of your trees for future reference.
September Sky Tree rubrics will be returned later this week. Your sketches
and observations are fantastic! Next week we will begin our astronomy unit-
"We're Outta Here!"
Social Studies: We are working on our second Current Events question set
this
week be sure to look up those vocabulary words rather than guessing. We
will
continue to work on our unit about thinking like a geographer.
September 18, 2007
Science: We will complete the group poster project on the structure and
function of 6 tree parts. They will be displayed in the hall. You should
be
working to complete both your Sky Tree sketch and observations to be turned
in on Friday. We will share with each other your beautiful sketches so that
you can see how others interpreted their tree (you can turn them in early if
you like). We will also learn how trees are classified and identified this
week as well.
Social Studies: We have received and are working with our first Current
Events periodical/mini-magazine. A full year subscription has been ordered
for you. This one is due on Wednesday, Sept. 19th. Class time will be
provided to read and complete these. This week will provide time to
highlight our Constitution; Monday was Constitution Day! We are reviewing
Core Democratic Values as well. You will need to be able to discuss them in
the upcoming Social Studies MEAP test.
September 10, 2007
Science: This week we will work together in small groups researching,
sketching and recording information about tree parts. The "big idea" is to
make a strong connection between the each structure and its function. Most
of this work will be done in class. You are encouraged and welcome to do
some research at home to share with your group.
Social Studies: We are reviewing and building on prior knowledge about world
geography, maps, latitude, longitude and hemishpheres this week.
Please return Lake Ann permission slips a.s.a.p.
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