Day 160 - Color Mixer

Hello everyone! Today is Tuesday, May 24, 2011. We came into the classroom and started our morning routine. We went down to P.E. with the other sixth grade class. Once we got there, we got with partners and decided what stations we wanted to do for Field Day. Then, at about 9:30, fifteen minutes before we had to go, our music teacher took us into the music room to practice our graduation song together with a piano player. It sounded really nice! We went back to class and got our net books out after we finished our morning work. When we had them, we worked on our persuasive writing for about fifteen minutes before we went out to recess. We came back and looked at arguments that could be used against our essays. We also did some peer reviews. We stopped at 12:06 to dock our net books, and then we headed out to recess.

When we came back from lunch, we did science. The student teacher found a website that allowed you to add red, green, and/or blue to make different colors. We tried to make ROYGBIV, also known as; Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. We also tried to make Gray, Black, Brown, and White. We then went onto The Giver. We had a big discussion about the story, and then we read one and a half chapters. We filled out Vocabulator, Connector, and Predictor. Then we did PSV, cleaned up, wrote down homework, and left. Here’s your homework:

Homework
Read 30 minutes and Reading Record
AP, p 131 & 132

Day 159 - CIV

Good morning! Today is Monday, May 23, 2011. We entered the class and started our morning routine. At our usual time, we went down to P.E. In P.E., we played a variation of dodge ball. We had four large mats to hide behind for ten seconds, and then we had to move on. There was one person in the middle who tried to hit us with foam balls. If you were hit, you went to the middle and hit other players. It was a lot of fun! The last person to be hit became the next person to be it. Then we started a new game. We went back to class and immediately started working on our persuasive writing (We don’t have to do our MSP questions anymore!J). At about 10:00, our teacher revealed our CIV groups. We got together and decided on a leader for our group. The leader would meet with the teacher every now and then to give him an update on what we were doing. At 10:30, we went out to recess, because we don’t have break anymore. We came back and worked on our persuasive writing. We went over the paragraphs and started to get our conclusion done. We did one peer review, and then we went over the changes. Then we went out to recess.
When we came back, we did science. We looked through spectra scopes at light through colored filters. We wrote down the results, and discussed the reasons for the appearances of colors. Then we moved on to Social Studies. We read about the Battle at Marathon, and how a man with about three hundred men, including Spartans, fought to the death against the Persians to delay them while the rest of his army escaped. We then announced the president and vice president for the Student Council. We then continued on to The Giver. Upon completion of Connector, we did PSV, wrote down homework, and left. Here’s your homework:

Homework
Read 30 minutes and Reading Record
Math Worksheet (Two questions)

Day 158 - Fighting the Persian Wars

Hi everyone! Today is Friday, May 20, 2011. We came into the class and started our morning routine. At 9:15, we had library, so three minutes earlier, we got out our net books and tiptoed down to the library, because the other sixth grade class was taking the math MSP in the computer lab. In library, we tried to get onto the Communicator site where we would put a post on our librarian’s blog about a book that we read. We checked out books in the last five minutes, and then left to work on morning math. When we were done, we worked on our introduction, and our second and third paragraphs that stated our reasons why we should/shouldn’t have healthy vending machines. We did one peer review for ten minutes before break. We got our partners by pulling sticks. We quickly went over the other person’s essay, and then stopped for break. When we came back, we continued to work on the paragraphs, and then we did a second peer review with different partners. We had 17 minutes, so we went out at 11:54. When we were divided onto teams, it turned into boys verses girls, with the two teachers on the girls team, and the counselor on the boys team. It was a lot of fun!

We came back from lunch, and worked on the science stations again. We finished them up with a quick discussion about light and spectra scopes, and then we moved on to Social Studies. We read two chapters on the Persian War. We learned how the Athenians and the Spartans had to unite to defeat the Persians. Then we read two chapters of The Giver. We filled out summarizer, and then we did PSV, and left. Enjoy your weekend!

Day 157- Math MSP

Good morning! Today is Thursday, May 19, 2011. We have another long day of testing, and we are following the same schedule as the Reading MSP (See Day 148). We had the breakfast today, and almost all of the class was there. We had eggs with spinach (you couldn’t taste the spinach), turkey sausage, cheesy hash browns with optional Ketchup, fruit, juice, and our teacher’s special chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream on top. Compliments to the chef! Our student teacher was also there, cooking and eating with us. It was a lot of fun. We entered the class room at 9:15, and left our stuff in the classroom. We didn’t even have to unpack. We took our MSP test in the computer lab, on WA Online Testing. We ran over the directions, got some manipulatives, and got started.

We were all done by 2:30, so we went outside to enjoy the sunshine. We played kickball on the upper field because there were kids on the lower, and were going to play “Danish Rounders”, but didn’t because kickball was already set up. We went in at 3:15, and we PSV, and our teacher did trivia. If someone on our side of the room got a question right, we got thrown a fistful of candy that we scrambled for. It was a lot of fun, and we went home tired. Our only homework was to get a good night’s sleep. See you tomorrow!

Day 156- Math Stations

Hello all! Today is Wednesday, May 18, 2011. We came into the classroom in the morning, and started our morning routine. We went down to music at our normal time. We looked at Debussy, (composer), practiced our graduation song, and then we tried it without words. We came back to class and worked on our introduction paragraph for our healthy vending machine persuasive essays. We looked for more sources to back our essay up, and found solid facts to persuade our audience. We had break, and then we came back and worked on math. Our teacher had set up eight stations that each focused on a different math skill. The skills were probability, number lines, fractions, decimals and percents, graphing, 2D & 3D geometry, and algebra. We got into groups, and worked on the stations until recess. About 20 minutes after 12:10, we had a drill. Everyone came into the gym and stayed there until our principal said it was safe to leave.
We came back from lunch and we worked on the stations. We got through about two stations before we had to do PSV, jobs, clean up, and leave. MSP is tomorrow. If you can, come to the teacher’s breakfast at 8:30 tomorrow morning. Here’s your homework:
Go to bed early
Eat a healthy breakfast
Don’t Worry About the Test, YOU’LL DO AWESOME!

Day 155 - TCI Learning Site

Good morning! Today is Tuesday, May 17, 2011. We entered the class room and started our morning routine. At 9:04, we lined up for specialists. We had P.E. with the other sixth grade class, so we went outside to play Frisbee Golf. This time, we had to complete eighteen holes in partners. We went back to class at 9:45, and we did morning math. We went over our MSP questions, and then we went to a TCI website. We logged onto our accounts, and then played a game that tested us on what we know about Sparta and Athens, and their economy, education, government, and their women and slaves. Once we were done, we worked on our introduction for our persuasive healthy vending machine essay. We had break, and worked on it even after we came back, up until recess.

We came back from lunch and worked on a math quiz that would tell the teachers where we needed to improve for the MSP. Don’t forget, we’re testing on Thursday! At about 2:30, we corrected them as a class, and turned them in to the student teacher. After we got them to him, we did science. We looked through spectra scopes at different kinds of light and different colors. We drew and colored what we saw, but were stopped short because we had to do jobs, PSV, and leave. Enjoy the sun! Here’s your homework:

Homework
Read 30 minutes and Reading Record
AP, p 54 & 58

Day 154- MSP Practice in the Computer Lab

Hello everyone! Today is Monday, May 16, 2011. We came into the classroom, and started our morning routine. We needed to bring our net books to music, so at about 9:03, we got them out. At our normal time, we went to music. We looked at a Russian performer, and then went into a different room and played a game called “Time Machine”, which spits out composers, and you have to name their period that they lived in. Then we went back to class and worked on morning math. We reviewed the questions for MSP, and then we did some more MSP review. We focused on nets and 3D figures. We drew the nets of dice, individual Starburst candies, and if we found the surface area, volume, and the 3D shape of the dice and candies, then we got to do a box of Nerds. We got to eat them once we got done and got them checked by the teachers. Then we had break. During break time, we went to an assembly for 3rd through 6th grade for band. They had two groups that played two songs each. One group was the sixth grade band, and the other was the junior high band. When they were done at about 11:45, we went back to class and continued to work on the nets and 3D shapes of the dice, Starbursts, and Nerds until 12:05. Then we docked our net books and went out to recess.
When we came back, we went to the computer lab to look at a tutorial for the online test that we are going to take for the MSP on Thursday. Once we got the headphones working and we took it, we did the practice test. You got to use the striker which was used to mark answers that were wrong, the highlighter to highlight important part of the questions, and other tools that were important to taking the test. Then we came back and went over what we are going to do for our science lesson tomorrow, and then we passed out homework. We got to work on it for about five minutes, when we did PSV, wrote down homework, and left. Don’t forget to come to McDonald’s night where the teachers serve you! Here’s your homework:
Homework
Read 30 minutes and Reading Record
Math Probability Worksheet

Day 153- Friday the 13th

Happy Friday the 13th! Our teacher is not here today, so our student teacher is filling in. I hope nothing bad happens to either of them! Today is Friday, May 13, 2011. We entered the classroom and started our morning routine. We had library at 9:15, so at 9:10 we got our net books and headed down. We checked out books and read while the librarian graded our Favorite Author power points. We went back to class, and worked on our morning math. At about 10:00, we did MSP review for our Daily problems, and then we had Project Alert with the guy from Evergreen Hospital. We watched a video, and then made a skit or an ending for it. Then we had break. After break, we did persuasive writing. We continued to work on our introduction paragraphs, and then started our first body paragraph. We worked on it until lunch. We went outside to play our game, but we were very disorganized, and when we tried to set the field up, we kept changing it. Then everyone kept on switching sides, and little kids started coming down to play on the lower field, so we abandoned the game, and we got fifteen minutes as recompense.
When we came back, we did Social Studies, and we read about Sparta. It turns out that Spartan women trained in the military, and were expected to guard their homes in times of war. Then we went on to science. We continued looking a different wave lengths and infrared lights. Then we read two chapters of The Giver. Then we filled out the predictor, and then we did PSV, and left. Your only homework is Read 30 minutes and Reading Record. Have a nice weekend!

Day 151 - The Giver

Hello all! Today is Wednesday, May 11, 2011. When we entered the class room and began our morning routine. At 9:05, we went down to music. Today, we focused on ironing the rough spots out of our graduation song, “Follow Your Dream”. Then at about 9:35, ten minutes before we had to go, we practiced spelling different composers’ names. We returned to the classroom, and worked on morning math. At about 10:45, we did even more math. A small group went out into the shared space, and the rest of them stayed inside and worked with percentages until break. We continued after break, until about 11:30. Then we did persuasive writing. We found four solid facts that gave reasons for or against healthy vending machines. We then narrowed them down to the two best facts that we thought couldn’t be destroyed. We made the facts sentences, and added them to our introductions paragraphs. Then we went out to recess, while our teacher had a Writer’s Guild meeting.

When we came back from lunch, we read a couple chapters of The Giver. Today we filled out connector. We also shared some of them. After we finished, we went over a couple important points, like the Triple Dime a Dip. Try to come; it’s going to be a lot of fun! Then we did PSV, wrote down homework, and left. Enjoy your evening! Here’s your homework:

Homework
Read 30 minutes and Reading Log
Triple Dime a Dip Forms
Writer’s Guild Stories
Finish Math Project

Day 149 - A Basketball Court

Hello all! Today is Monday, May 09, 2011. This morning, we came in and went through our morning routine. At 9:05, we headed down to P.E. When we were all in our squad spots, we voted to either play Frisbee Golf outside, or do the timed run inside. I think you know which we voted to do. We got a score sheet, a marker, and a Frisbee, and lined up with a partner. We headed out to the lower field and ran to the end and back as a warm up, and then the P.E. teacher set up some hula hoops with numbers hung up on them. We then flew the Frisbees into the hoops in the least amount of throws. Then we came back to class and finished our morning math. Then we did math. First we did an Activote test on area, perimeter, and volume. Then we were divided up into two groups, and then the student teacher took one group out into the shared space. The group that remained in the classroom had to find the dimensions of an NBA basketball court for Eminem. We had to find the area of the key, the cost of a shiny material for the key, the perimeter and the cost of 14k gold for trim, the amount of concrete that would be laid down one foot deep, and the material that covers the remainder of the court. Then we had break. After break, we returned to our groups and continued working. Then we went out to recess.

When we came back from lunch, we did science. We looked at white light and prisms. It turns out that white light is actually a combination of colors. Then we read a chapter of The Giver, and filled out our predictions. Then we performed our Chaos in the Canyon skits. Two groups tied for first place at 91 miles. Then we did PSV, wrote down homework, and left. Here’s your homework:

Homework
Read 30 minutes and Reading Record
AP, p 7 & 13

Day 148 - Reading MSP

Good morning! Today is Thursday, May 05, 2011. We have a very short blog today due to testing all day. We came in and started reading the directions at 9:15 sharp. Then we began. Here is the schedule that we followed until 2:30ish.

9:15 Testing
10:00 Break
10:15 Testing
11:00 Break
11:15 Testing
12:00 Break
12:15 Testing
12:45 Lunch

1:00 Break
1:15 Testing
2:00 Break
2:15 Testing
2:30 End of testing

We then went outside until 3:00, and then came back in and did a little bit of math review. Then we did PSV, cleaned, and left. There is no homework except for Reading 30 minutes and Reading Record. Enjoy your weekend! By the way, there is no school tomorrow on Friday.

Day 147- Reading MSP Tomorrow

Hello class! Today is Wednesday, May 04, 2011. When we came in the morning, we went through our morning routine. At 9:04, we went to music. We got to watch the Kindergarten play. It was only going to be the 1st, 2nd, and our class, but it turned into a full blown assembly. After it was over, we went back and did some math review, and went over homework until break. After break, we did another “done period” and more math review for MSP. Then we went to recess and played a game outside because we earned it by being so awesome during the play by being good examples and helping out.

When we came back, we read a chapter of The Giver. Today we did Vocabulator, and then we cleaned out our desks and got rid of everything. Then we did PSV, and left. Tomorrow is the Reading MSP.

Your homework tonight is to go to bed early, get a good night’s sleep!

Day 146- Social Studies Test

Good morning everyone! Today is Tuesday, May 3, 2011. When we came in, we went through our morning routine. At 9:04, we went to P.E. In P.E., we got into groups of eight people, and then we went to three different stations. The first station was practicing our control by bouncing Cush balls back and forth to a partner or group. The second station was throwing the Frisbees to a partner, or having them run and catch it. The last station, station number three was really three stations in one. The first set up was three pins on top of some mats. You had to try and knock them down. Then there was a hoop on mats, and hoop around a pin. The objective was to get the Frisbee through the hoop, and then get it to knock over the pin by bouncing off the wall. Then there was just a hoop that was up on top of some mats that we had to fly our Frisbees threw. Then we left. When we got back, we got our net books out and finished our morning math. Once everyone had their net books, we did some reading comprehension until break. When we came back, we went over the selection, and then went on to persuasive writing. In the writing, we talked a little more about tone in your essay and about your audience. Then we went on to writing a beginning paragraph for our healthy vending machines essay. You had to include your name, your subject, and a few other things. We worked on it until lunch. The fifth graders were having the MSP, so we selected five people to fill in for lunch helpers on second lunch.

When we came back, we did science. We set up an experiment to look at energy transfers and waves. We placed a piece of paper on a desk, and then set two blocks of wood upright, and then placed a container on them. We filled the container with water, and shone a light over it. We then did two experiments pertaining to light. Then we did a Social Studies test on the four forms of government, Monarchy, Oligarchy, Tyranny, and Democracy. After we were finished, our teacher took a small group out into the shared space to work on last night’s math, while the rest of us worked and had fun. Then we did PSV, wrote down homework, and left. Here’s your homework:

Homework
Read 30 minutes and Reading Record
AP, p 49 & 50

Day 145 - Algebra Aptitude Test

Hello everyone! Today is Monday, May 2, 2011. When we entered the classroom, we went through our morning routine. At 9:04, we went down to music. We learned about Johannes Brahms. He was famous for Brahms’ Lullaby, and he lived in the Romantic period. Then we practiced our graduation song, and then left. When we got back, we finished our morning math, got our net books out, and then we were split up into two groups. We looked at the morning math, and then we did an interesting problem. There were six people at a party, and they each shook hands with every person once. How many handshakes were made total? A way you can figure that out is to give every person a number, and them but them into pairs, or combinations, making sure that you don’t repeat any pairs, and then count them. That number is the total handshakes made by all the people at the party. We worked on the problem, making strategies, and showing our work to the class until break. When we came back, we did Persuasive writing. We talked about writing about the other side, or “Knowing Your Enemy”. Our topic that we were going to research was: Should we ban healthy vending machines in school. Then we were divided up into two halves, and we were assigned the side we were supposed to research, for banning the vending machines, or against. We researched it, and then shared our ideas and results with our teams, and then we researched the opposite side. We then showed our final results to the other team, and they showed us their information. Then we went out to recess.

When we came back, at 1:10 we had the Algebra Aptitude test for Honor’s Math. The group that signed up to take the test went down there, while the rest of the class remained behind to do math. We played Math Jeopardy until they came back from working on the test. Then we did a science experiment with BB bullets, a plastic tray, and a paper towel tube. Then we discussed the behavior of the bullets, and their relation to light. Then we did PSV, wrote down homework, and left. Here’s your homework:

Read 30 minutes and Reading Record
AP, p 53 & 57