6TH GRADE NEWS
Reading and Language Arts
Sixth graders in Mrs. Weyant’s, Mrs.
Dudgeon’s, and Mrs. Morehouse’s ELA
classes have been reading the book
Wonder by R.J. Palacio. A New York
Times best seller, Wonder tells the story
of Auggie Pullman, a fifth grader who
has severe craniofacial deformities. The
book focuses on Auggie’s relationships
with his family, friends, and classmates
and has served as a springboard for
discussions, writing, and a public
service announcement project centered
around an anti-bullying theme. Students
will be creating service announcement
projects in the form of power point
presentations, posters, pamphlets, etc.
with anti-bullying messages; after
critiquing the presentations, students
will select the best to be broadcast on
the News at Noon program. We will soon
participate in a series of disability
simulations to help us better understand
what it might be like to deal with some
types of disabilities on a daily basis. We
have also written poetry and are
exploring the writing process through
the creation of fictional narratives.
Next nine weeks we will be exploring
the topic of discrimination and
prejudice. Students will choose to read
one or more books from a selection of
theme based novels and find out about
many civil rights activists and laws
associated with that period in our
nation’s history. We will be doing some
argumentative writing centered around
our reactions to discrimination and
prejudice. We will also be doing a great
deal of research to back up our writing.
We are working hard to improve our
reading, writing, listening, speaking,
and research skills!
We spent the first part of the year reviewing
concepts and skills that have been taught in
previous grades. This included topics such as
fractions, long division and previously learned
vocabulary. Students are now in the routine of
sixth grade math with skills practice homework
nightly. The students’ complete exit slips daily
to demonstrate knowledge of skills learned in
class that day.
You and your student can have fun relating the
day-to-day mathematics you use to other
number properties. For example, you can ask
your student:
•“Does it matter if the cashier adds three cans
of peas one at a time or multiplies the price of
one can by three?” Your student may answer,
“The total is the same either way.”
•“If you take three apples from the display and
put two back, is that the same as taking two
apples from the display and putting three back?
How does that make subtraction different?”
Your student may answer, “Order does matter
with subtraction. You can’t put back more than
you took originally!”
•“Does it matter if you multiply the price of an
item you buy by the quantity or if you multiply
the quantity by the price?” Your student may
answer, “The total price is the same either way.
Order doesn’t matter when you multiply.”
•“Does order matter with division? If you divide
the price of a pack of pudding cups by the
number of pudding cups will you get the same
answer if you divide the number of pudding
cups by the price?” Your student may answer,
“No, the answers are different, so order does
matter.
Your student studied concepts like these in
math class the first nine weeks!
See if you and your child can find other
examples of mathematical properties or
formulas in your day-to-day life.
Happy Shopping!
Math News Continued
The next chapter we will be studying is Fractions and Decimals.
Many of us have a number of recipes that we enjoy preparing. Perhaps they are old family recipes or simply
someone's favorite meal. Some recipes we can prepare without much effort; a quarter cup of butter, a
quarter cup of flour, and two cups of milk for a white sauce.
However, when we have guests over for dinner, we find these familiar recipes have to be adjusted. Maybe
we have to make three times as many servings. Now we need three quarter cups of butter, three quarter
cups of flour, and so on.
Sometimes we want to make a smaller portion, such as when part of the family is away. Now we find
ourselves using half a quarter cup of butter, half a quarter cup of flour, and so on. You and your student can
discuss strategies for preparing a meal when you have to change the recipe. For example, you might ask your
student:
•“We have to use two quarter cups of sugar. Should we use the 1/4 cup measure twice, or use the 1/2 cup
measure?” Your student may answer, “The amount will be the same either way.”
•“The recipe calls for 2/3 cup of milk, but we only want a half batch. What measuring cup should we use?”
Your student may answer, “Use the 1/3 cup measure, but only once.”
•“Grandma's brownie muffin recipe makes enough for three dozen muffins, but we only want one dozen.
What should we do?” Your student may answer, “We can divide the recipe measures by three.”
Sometimes you have to make a judgment call. How do you cut the recipe in half, if it calls for three eggs?
Talk with your student about different strategies for changing a recipe like this.
Enjoy your cooking time together!
Online Math Resources
http://www.bigideasmath.com/ (offers games, tutorials, student text; this is the book we use in class)
http://xtramath.org/ (Practice your math facts! Password was sent home at the start of the year.)
www.khanacademy.org (explains many math concepts for FREE!)
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com (arcade type games using math facts; compete against the
computer or other students)
http://www.sumdog.com (arcade type games)
6th Rocking Science and Social Studies
This year in Science classes for Mr. Penwell and Mr. Shadley the students started
learning about matter. Matter is everywhere around us consisting of solids, liquids and gas.
Atoms are small particles that make up matter and these can be found on the periodic table
of Elements. Currently, the students are working on calculating and graphing speed and
distance.
In Social Studies classes, the students started off the year learning the skills needed
to read and create a map. Students enjoyed partaking in the creation of their own map
which may have been a fictional island, playground or drawing of their house. Now, the
students focus is on placing historical dates on a timeline to better understand how one
event can cause another to occur.