CURRENT EVENTS

Current Events are incorporated by using the weekly magazine Time For Kids.  Daily news happenings are discussed and connections to historic events are highlighted.  There is often a student response of some kind linked to the news of the magazine.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students are expected to take notes during lecture classes.  These notes are written on a document camera so they are visible for copying.  They also have a textbook.  Students need to review frequently to best prepare for tests.  They should reread the chapter several times throughout the unit study and use the questions scattered within the chapter to review.  They should use class notes for study as well.  Tests sometimes include an essay question that is provided to them before the test date.  They need to answer the question in complete sentences – starting with a topic sentence.  Worksheets need to be accurately and neatly completed on time.  Full headings are an expectation of sixth graders.  A full heading includes        

                                                                                    Name (1^st and Last)

                                                                                    Date of assignment

                                                                                    Assignment page #

There are some long range projects that the students will have to schedule for.  The requirements and due dates are given to students far in advance.  Information is sent home with them for parent input/notification.

WHEW!  Lots to do but we have some fun doing it.  Hopefully the students will develop an interest in history that will direct them to individual pursuits throughout their lifetimes.

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******************************************************************************              General 6th Grade Reading Information

The Reading grade is composed of scores from comprehension, study skills, reference work, and vocabulary. Practice in these areas will be in the form of worksheets, partner reading, cloze stories, guided reading, and tests. Expectations are that the student always carries a pleasure book with her/him, listens attentively in class, joins in class discussions and turns in papers on time.

What happens if my child doesn’t turn in work on time?
See Work Completion Expectations.

What’s a pleasure book?
The pleasure book needs to be fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, and should be near the student’s reading level.

How is the reading level determined?
The Star Reader Test determines the appropriate reading level for each student.  It will be taken three times a year to determine progress.  The homeroom teacher will help the student choose appropriate books to read.  The student is expected to read 4 IR books a trimester.

What’s an IR book?
At the Edinbrook Media Center is a list of the IR books for which Edinbrook has purchased tests.  That’s all AR (Accelerated Reader) books are:  books for which the school has bought short computer tests.  The public library across the street also has the Edinbrook AR list.  It is organized by reading level and is kept behind the information desk.

What’s a Reading Calendar?
Your student will also be keeping track of his/her reading done outside of school hours.  This record is called the Reading Calendar.  He/she can either keep track of the number of pages or minutes every night.  

Please add up all pages or minutes and sign the calendar before having your student hand in the reading record to the homeroom teacher.

How does my child receive a reading medal?
If your student wants to receive a reading medal at the end of the year, he/she needs to turn in a calendar indicating that 400 pages or minutes were read during each month.  The calendar needs to be turned in within the first 5 days of the new month.

Our reading series from Harcourt has a web page link for reading practice and enrichment: www.harcourtschool.com/menus/reading.html

Let your children see you reading: it’s a gift that never stops giving!


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General English Information

Communications (or English) is a broad area, yet the skills are important to gain. We’ll study how people communicate in writing , or verbally.

We also want you to be aware of the way we’ll use writing in and out of the classroom. We will attempt to explain with a few definitions.

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The Writing Process:  

Writing is a process that can be learned. When this process is taught, every child can write. The basic steps include: Prewriting, drafting, conferencing, revising, editing, and publishing. The stages are closely interrelated and flexible.

Prewriting/Conferencing

Prewriting is to captivate student interest by providing time for students to select a real audience, real purpose, and task (format). Students should choose topics or at least be allowed to choose from among many options. The goal of pre-writing is to generate many ideas for writing.

Strategies for Prewriting

- free writing, focused free writing, journaling, conferencing, clustering, webbing, and mapping.

For most writing activities, this stage probably requires at least one class period but will vary from activity to activity. Sometimes a student may proceed to the drafting stage only to discover the necessity of returning to prewriting.

Key factors that need to be considered are:

*What is my purpose? to entertain, to describe, to persuade, to explain, to inform...?
*Who is my audience?
*What type of writing is appropriate for the purpose of writing?
*How much time can be devoted to the project (piece of writing)
*Will the writing be shared? If yes, how will it be shared?

Drafting/Conferencing

Drafting is getting ideas down without concern about editing or correctness.

Students need encouragement and practice to get started.

Revising/Conferencing

Revising is an ongoing activity which is part of every stage of the writing process. Writers (your child) consider the content and ask whether the ideas and purpose are clear to an audience. Writers become concerned about the effect of their writing on a reader.

Strategies for Revising

1.      combining sentences - adding words or phrases

2.      deleting words or phrases - using word processing programs

3.      checking sentence structure - restructuring/reorganization

Revising is also proofreading for capitalization, punctuation, spelling and usage.

We want to provide an atmosphere that encourages writing in which students writing is valued and where students feel safe to express their ideas and feelings appropriately.

We also:

- provide opportunities for talking about a piece of writing
- teach basic thinking skills
- provide feedback. Usually we will not write on a final draft - We ’ll attach a sticky note or Evaluation form (score sheet or rubric).
- give students choices
- read aloud
- provide time in class to read, as reading and writing cannot be separated
- provide other means of communication (videotaping and the like)
- read examples of different kinds of writing

Management and Evaluation of Student Writing

Student writing needs to be valued and consequently should be stored in a folder. This folder (which all students should have and keep track of) has final drafts kept in it. Feedback will be seen on the forms that accompany the writing folder.

- A portfolio is a storage place for language material (grammar and the like). It is also a place for student’s webbing, idea starters, and rough drafts. These rough drafts can be selected to be turned into final copies (published). We will use many of these writings for our learning throughout the year.  Students should keep an organized folder. 
- Not every rough draft will become a final draft.
- Not every error will be corrected. We try to encourage students to evaluate their own writing. Identifying parts of speech is a big part of the writing process. We will be doing many activities using the parts of speech.

At Edinbrook, we have adopted the 6 Traits Writing Model.  This is a proven model to Creating Writers.  Please look for rubric/score sheets with many of the 6 Traits highlighted.

We will focus on much of the process that goes into writing:

-         Gathering

-         Focusing

-         Drafting

-         Revising

-         Editing/Publishing

Next we piece in the 6 Traits:

¨      Ideas and details

¨      Organization

¨      Voice

¨      Word choice

¨      Fluency

¨      Conventions

Finally we match this to some of the many modes of writing: Descriptive writing, Narrative Writing, Informational writing, Technical writing, Persuasive writing, and Business writing).

We want to thank you ahead of time for your patience and understanding of the way we teach writing to your child. If you have any questions about this or any other topic, please feel free to call us at school.

Please ask your child for a writing conference and take a good look at the 6 Traits of Writing Rubrics and examples.  Thank You.

Yours in Partnership,

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******************************************************************************                   General SCIENCE / HEALTH Information

Students will be involved in a block this year that is split into Science and Health.  The district supplies 5 science kits throughout the year.  When we are not involved in the study of a science kit we will be studying our health curriculum.

The science kits for 6^th grade are titled:  “Models and Designs” (September), “Electricity & Its Safety” (November),  “Light, Sight & Color” (January), “Food and Nutrition” (March), and “Voyage of the Mimi” (May).

The kits are designed to combine the content of science with the process of science to accomplish its goals of literacy for all students and instructional efficiency for all teachers.  The kits establish a dynamic science learning environment in an exciting, non-textbook format.  The students therefore are graded mainly on daily performance and written assessments.

At the beginning, middle and end of the year we complete a review course on Bus, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Safety.

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MATH General Information

The goal of the math program in District 279 is for students to develop the ability to use the language, procedures, and tools of math effectively.

  In order to reach this goal, students must achieve the following program outcomes:

¨      Gain skills in creative thinking, decision –making, and critical thinking

¨      Gain confidence in their abilities to use math

¨      Apply knowledge of math to everyday experiences

¨      Develop metacognitive skills

¨      Demonstrate and understanding of basic math concepts using manipulatives, games and projects

¨      Reason mathematically

Please look for your student’s math books at home and for more information on www.classzone.com 

Classzone.com - Lots of resources; powerpoints, worksheets, Unit and chapter quizzes, animations and games.

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