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Nov. 9-13
One word sums up this week. NOR'EASTER! 
Nov. 2-6
It was a short week, but not short on learning! We started the week where we had left off: The 13 English Colonies. Students read stories about Jamestown, Roanoke (The Lost Colony), Massachusetts Bay, and Plymouth Colonies. Students did not attend classes on Tuesday. They also examined the two major reasons colonists traversed the Atlantic to settle here: economic venture and religious freedom. We ended the week with a fun and educational look at the Mayflower Voyagers, courtesy of the Peanuts Gang! Have a safe and relaxing weekend!
Oct. 19-23 Each day this week we reviewed the three MOTIVES, four OBSTACLES and three ACCOMPLISHMENTS of exploration. We also had a daily review on the four major European Explorers, who they explored for and their claim to fame: Cabot~England~ Eastern Canada, Coronado~Spain~Southwestern US, Champlain~France~ Quebec and La Salle~France~ Mississippi River Valley. Mid week we uncovered new information included mapping the Portuguese and the trade they conducted with the three West African empires: Mali, Ghana, and Songhai. Students ended their week in our outdoor classroom playing the roll of teacher. They created a test that could be used for our Explorers unit. Be on the lookout for your child's test questions on Tuesdays European Explorers Test. Pumpkin carving time...Enjoy your weekend!
Oct.12-16 We started the week out beginning our new unit on European Explorers (US1.4a,b). Students first examined the MOTIVES behind the Age of Exploration. The three G's: GOLD, GOD, and GLORY. They read about just how dangerous life was for an explorer on the seas during the 1400-1600's. Students uncovered the OBSTACLES that explorers faced such as disease, starvation, lack of supplies, poor maps & navigational tools, and of course, fear of the unknown. Additionally, we uncovered the ACCOMPLISHMENTS that were gained from early exploration. These include: improved maps & navigational tools, new empires, and exchange of goods and ideas. Finally, we covered all four of the major European Explorers, who they explored for and their claim to fame: Cabot~England~ Eastern Canada, Coronado~Spain~Southwestern US, Champlain~France~ Quebec and La Salle~France~ Mississippi River Valley. On Friday students watched a short video entitled Three Worlds Meet and worked on their Explorer Packet due Tuesday, October 20th. Have a safe and healthy weekend!
Oct.5-9 The week began with map work on the five Native American Tribes: Inuit, Kwakiutl, Sioux, Pueblo and Iroquois. Wednesday found us heading to Hampton and enjoying a wonderful presentation at Jefferson Lab. Thank you Mrs. Stephens for putting together a fun and educational field-trip. And I might add the students had impeccable behaviour!!The remainder of the week we examined how the first Native Americans were able to adapt to their geography and climate in order to meet their basic needs (US1.3a). We colored territorial maps, viewed short videos and sang songs to reinforce the information we need to know about each tribe. Progress Reports will be sent home on Monday. Enjoy your weekend!
Sept.28-Oct.2 It was a week of testing. Students participated in the Stanford 10 Testing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This test compares the same basic knowledge of all 6th graders nation-wide. By mid-week we were creating maps of the Major Waterways and learning their locations and descriptions. Do you know what what two rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico? Students practiced their knowledge by creating a study-guide to ready themselves for the quiz on Thursday. Happy Birthday to my wonderful daughter who turned 21. I'm so very proud of you! Have a wonderful Fall weekend!
Sept.21-25 This week brought new areas of study. Geographical Regions. Students learned about the 8 regions of the United States by learning a mnemonic sentence. Can Boys Read Good Inside A Closed Closet. The first letter of each of the words corresponds with the name of the 8 regions moving west to east. This is a fun and easy strategy to help students memorizing important information. Students got to practiced their knowledge by creating colored maps, discussing characteristics of each region and creating T-Shirts depicting the topography of each region. Open House followed on Wednesday. Thank you to all the parents and caregivers who ventured out. Your support is very important. We ended the week with our Learning Logs and working in our Interactive Notebooks. Take a moment to look over all their hardwork. Have a wonderful weekend!
Sept.14-18 Yippee!! It was another successful week of learning. This week we tackled setting up our Interactive Notebooks. This is a key component to our History class. This notebook will contain all of the areas we study throughout the school year. It's a great resource for you to find out exactly what we are covering on any given day. Invite your student to bring home their Interactive Notebook weekly to share their hard work. Students enjoyed a break from learning as they attended the first dance of the season. This dance was just for 6th graders. Thanks to our wonderful PTA for their support. We also tackled our first quiz which reviewed the seven continents and major oceans. Plan on attending the Open House next Thursday to meet your child's teachers. Have a wonderful weekend!
Sept.8-11 So much has already been accomplished in just 4 short days! Students learned all about middle school rules and classroom expectations. Lockers can be an obstacle to overcome. But, they are such a wonderful rite of passage. Academically, we reviewed the seven continents, five major oceans and key waterways. Additionally, students took a city-wide pre-test to assess their prior knowledge of American History. All in all, it has been a fantastic week. Let your child know how proud you are of them; they are doing a great job transitioning into middle school!