6th Grade Newsletter
Students are smoothly transitioning into their second week of middle school. Many have found their rhythm, mastering their new locker combinations and arriving to class on time. Here are a few reminders:
- Please come to school with a charged iPad.
- Students are required to bring their AVID binders to ALL classes
- If your student has their headphone adapter from last year, please have them put it in their pencil pouches to bring to school.
This week in ELA, students began Unit One of StudySync:
Unit Title: Testing Our Limits
Essential Question: What do we do when life gets hard?
What do we do when life gets hard? How do we respond in a difficult situation? What do we do when our limits are tested? How do we face a challenge? What actions can we take to solve a problem? How can we overcome feelings of sadness, stress, or fear?
These are the questions your students will explore in this Grade 6 unit, which focuses on the genre of fiction.
Students read the short story, "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros. Click here to read the text
Sandra Cisneros (b. 1954) is a renowned Chicana writer of poems, novels, and short stories. Cisneros is best known for her novel The House on Mango Street and the collection Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories. “Eleven” is from the latter, the story of a girl named Rachel who experiences growing pains on her 11th birthday. When her teacher insists that an ugly red sweater belongs to Rachel, the 11-year-old has exceptional thoughts but can’t share them. Even so, it’s evident that the protagonist of Sandra Cisneros’s short story has insight beyond her years.
Looking Ahead: Next Week in ELA
Next week, we will continue to analyze the story "Eleven" by looking at how Cisneros's use of figurative language impacts how we, as readers, perceive the protagonist's emotions and experiences, thereby deepening our understanding of her journey and the themes of growth and identity.
ELA District Testing
ELA Assessment: Tuesday (9/9) and Wednesday (9/10)
💻 Important Tech Reminder: iPads Charged for School & Assessments
As students take their first assessments of middle school, please help them build a strong routine at home:
Charge iPads fully each night so they’re ready for school and testing.
Pack the device in the morning (and charging cable if your family prefers).
Do a quick power-on check before leaving to confirm the battery is full.
A charged device ensures students can focus on showing what they know—thank you for your partnership!
During this week, students finished their "All About Me" posters, allowing them to share personal interests and to get to know their peers. We also reviewed class expectations to ensure everyone is aligned on our goals and behavior standards. Additionally, students participated in their first Character Strong lesson, focusing on developing social-emotional skills and fostering a positive classroom environment.
Looking Ahead: Next Week in SLA
Students will learn about the "Mundo Hispano," where we will explore Spanish-speaking countries. They will create maps that include the countries and their capitals, enhancing their geographical knowledge.
Additionally, students will design a travel brochure for a Spanish-speaking country of their choice, allowing them to showcase cultural highlights, attractions, and important information.
In our 6th-grade math classes this week, we introduced our unit on Area and Surface Area. Students began exploring the formulas and concepts related to calculating the area of various shapes, as well as understanding surface area for three-dimensional figures. Additionally, we completed the i-Ready Diagnostic, which will help us tailor instruction to meet each student's needs.
Key vocabulary for this unit includes:
- Base
- Height
- Quadrilateral
- Parallelogram
- Compose
- Decompose
- Rearrange.
Mr. Sommer/Ms. Larson/Ms. Fox
In class this week, students are studying the continents and oceans in preparation for a quiz next week. They need to focus on labeling and spelling the names of the seven continents and five oceans on a blank map, which will be assessed next Monday.
Please encourage your student to review these terms and practice identifying them on a map to ensure they are well-prepared for the quiz.
Practice quiz online #1 - link
Practice quiz online #2 - link
Looking Ahead: Next Week in SS
Sommer/Fox/Larson
- Students will start the week off with a quiz on the continents and oceans.
- Following the quiz, they will begin a writing project related to 9/11.
- This project will encourage students to reflect on the significance of the events and promote understanding of their impact.
- Please support your student by discussing the topics covered and encouraging thoughtful engagement with the writing assignment. Additional information about the project will be provided during the week.
Mr. Sommer’s Science Class
This week, we have been discussing lab safety to prepare students for upcoming science experiments. It is essential for them to understand the importance of safety in the lab.
- Students need to study the lab safety symbols in preparation for a science quiz on September 8th.
- Please encourage your child to review these symbols to ensure they are well-prepared for the quiz.
Looking Ahead: Next Week Mr. Sommer's Science Class
- Students will have a quiz on Lab safety on Monday, September 8th. (Students made flashcards for the lab quiz).
- Then students will perform the Rainbow Lab and will start the Gondola Challenge!
Ms. Stone's Science Class
This week, students are learning about who scientists are and what they do through a mini-project.
- Students will research a scientist of their choice
- Students will create a digital story using the Apple Clips application on their iPads.
- Their videos will be between 20 to 60 seconds long, showcasing the scientist's life and body of work.
In addition to the project, students are preparing for their first major lab, the "Rainbow Lab," where they will apply their newly acquired knowledge of science safety. They will follow extensive procedures to create a liquid rainbow right before their eyes!
This engaging hands-on experience will reinforce their understanding of lab safety and scientific concepts.