Our Field Trip is coming up soon to the Exploratorium in San Francisco on Thursday, May 15th. Permission slips have gone home and should be returned by Friday. I have added a link to the Exploratorium if you want to check out the museum or the exhibits.
This Wednesday, March 19, will be a minimum day for students. Students will go home at 12:20, as the teachers head to meetings with grade level teachers across the district.
Thursday, March 27th the students will also have a minimum day as we prepare for Open House that night. Please plan to come from 6:30-8:00 so we can show off our accomplishments so far this year!
We have begun our research reports and the students made great progress learning about their endangered species. We will be continuing our research at school this week on Wednesday and Thursday in the computer lab, and students can also complete cards at home. I have encouraged them to check out the public library for any books. Our first deadline is this Friday, March 7th. They need to have all 100 notes cards completed by then. We will begin our outline next week.
If you would like to join us in the computer lab on Wednesday or Thursday, we would welcome any help! We’ll be there 1st period from about 8:20-9:15.
I have also added a link on this web page that is very helpful for locating articles on endangered species. If you click on the link and then type your animal into the “search” section at the top right corner of the web page, it will pull up related links to articles about your animal. Thank you Heidi for finding this very useful site!
February is here and almost gone (well school days at least!) We have four days this week since Friday is a Staff Development day, and then we have the following week off for our mid-winter break.
Although the weather has been more mild the past few days, we still seem to be in the cold/flu season. As a result was are in real need of Kleenex tissues. Any boxes you can send in will be much appreciated. We also keep a few bottles of Purell (or the equivalent) next to each box of tissue, and we could use a few more bottles of that as well. Thank to those who have sent in some supplies already!
On the field trip front…………I have about given up on the park service and a date for Alcatraz. I believe the park service is as impacted as the schools are with budget cuts, and despite our persistent efforts over several months we have not been able to get a date. I am looking at alternative field trip locations, and I will have an answer for you after the February break.
February Trivia Question: What was the original purpose for Valentine’s Day?
Welcome to 2008 and the 2nd semester of 6th grade! We will be continuing our study of Ancient Egypt when the students return, and we will be doing a few hands on projects. The first one will be this Friday, 1/11/08, when we will make “mummy’s ears”. In order to do this I need each student to bring in a container with a lid BEFORE Friday. The square zip lock containers that hold about 3-4 cups are the perfect size. I also need COSTCO size bags of baking soda and salt. If anyone can supply these, just let me know. Finally, if you would like to be in on the fun, feel free to come by and help 6th period on Friday (1:30-2:30).
January trivia question #1: On January 21st we celebrate a day in honor of a very famous American. What is his name? What name do we give to one of his most noted speeches? (Hint: it starts out “I have a ______.”)
Just a reminder that this Friday is a minimum day, and the students will be running the annual Sinaloa Turkey Trot. I will be sending home Friday Folders on Thursday this week, so students do not need to bring much in their backpacks on Friday except a pencil and pen! They may want to fill their backpack with clothes to run the turkey trot if they don’t want to get the clothes they wear to school that day muddy! Students will not be able to change clothes after the Turkey Trot, so you may want to make sure you have towels or plastic bags down on your car seats.
The race begins at 12:05 and provides some great photo opportunities if you want to watch. Students may leave after the race which will end around 12:20 depending on how quickly they finish. Awards for the top finishers in each grade will take place right after the race.
This Friday is the end of the semester, and report cards will be mailed home in January.
Happy 2 week break!
Our class is participating in the Sinaloa Shares program during the month of December. Our class will be providing gifts and non-perishable food items for a family with three children: a dad and mom, a girl aged 16 and two boys, ages 12 and 8. The students will be signing up in class for what they would like to bring in for the family, and they will be bringing a note home about what they chose. Participation is voluntary, but I am encouraging them to bring in something.
On December 21st, our last of school before the winter break, Sinaloa will have their annual Turkey Trot. Student can choose to participate in the competitive race for a turkey (a frozen one!), or in the fun run. We have been practicing the trail during P.E. the past several weeks. The 21st is a minimum day, and the race is run before they go home. If you haven’t experienced a student coming home from the Turkey Trot before, be warned that you’ll want to put towels down on your car seats before they ride home! The “fun” part of the fun run is the mud!
December Trivia question: On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Birmingham, Alabama city bus. What did this action spark?
The second progress period of this semester ended on Friday, November 9th. Progress reports will be mailed home on November 16th. You can check snap grades to see what grade your child will be receiving for their progress to date.
The 6th graders have been traveling this past week, and will be traveling this coming week, to each 6th grade teacher’s class. Each teacher has “specialized” in a different trait of the 6 traits plus one in writing. This is in preparation for our writing “colleges” that we will begin in December and then again in the spring. Our class will be pairing up with Ms. Walker’s, Mr. Banaag’s, and Mr. Wong’s classes to divide into four groups based on writing strengths and areas where students need to improve. These groups will meet for one hour on five separate days to complete a persuasive writing assignment.
(Remember we have the week of November 19-23 off for the Thanksgiving Holiday.)
As we move into the middle of October I wanted to share a few important dates and events:
Monday, October 8 - we started our UNICEF collection, students can bring in change to add to our classroom box.
Friday, October 22 - Wear Red spirit day which closes out Red Ribbon Week
This is also the deadline date for student groups in our class to come up with their design for our Halloween door design.
Monday, October 29 - Door decoration begins
Wednesday, October 31 Halloween
Wear your costume for the parade at lunch
Bring a carved pumpkin to enter in the pumpkin decorating contest
Door decorations are judged!
Friday Folders will come home most Fridays, but not all. This week we did not have a Friday Folder because of Friendship Day. We have added a cover sheet now to the Friday Folder that needs to be signed or initialed by the parent each time the folder goes home. One main difference between middle school and elementary school Friday Folders is that students only get returned papers from my class in the folder. Science, math, and often announcements will come home separately in the student’s backpack. So the best way to keep updated on your student’s progress and school news is to:
