Sunday, May 29, 2016

All gave some; some gave all.



Memorial Day
by CW Johnson
We walked among the crosses Where our fallen soldiers lay.
And listened to the bugle As TAPS began to play.
The Chaplain led a prayer We stood with heads bowed low.
And I thought of fallen comrades I had known so long ago.
They came from every city Across this fertile land.
That we might live in freedom. They lie here 'neath the sand.
I felt a little guilty My sacrifice was small.
I only lost a little time But these men lost their all.
Now the services are over For this Memorial Day.
To the names upon these crosses, I just want to say,
Thanks for what you've given No one could ask for more.
May you rest with God in heaven From now through evermore.
WHEN THE ANGELS CAME. . .


 "JUST A COMMON SOLDIER"
Please Watch. . .



"IF YOU'RE READING THIS. . ."
 ~Tim McGraw



We laugh, we cry, we remember. . .


ASSIGNMENTS FOR
THE WEEK OF
MAY 31 - JUNE 3
OH DEAR. . .
OUR TIME'S RUNNING OUT.
LET'S FINISH OUR WORK AND
HAVE SOME FUN!
(All work MUST be turned in by Thursday!!)

Science

A little engineering is in order for the week. Get ready to figure some stuff out. 


First a little safety reminder:
Paper airplanes have sharp points and edges, so NEVER throw them at another person, a pet, or an object that could be hurt or damaged if you hit it. They can change direction once launched, so be sure the area is clear. Be safe, not silly!



Tuesday:  I recently visited Bob! (Science Bob, that is) at THIS site and got a great experiment for today.  It involves the HOOPSTER GLIDER.  (A quick instructional video can be found HERE.)  See the questions at the bottom of the page?  That's your exit ticket. Work with a friend to experiment & answer the questions on the sheet I provide. 

Have fun with this, but keep it together . . .


or. . .

Did you experiment with the position of the rings? Did it make any difference if you moved the rings forward or back or changed the order of the rings? When you think you have your best design, we'll see which of your planes flies the farthest! Get ready for a Fly-Off!
Wednesday:  Let's keep going, shall we?  It takes a giant leap of faith to do a project like this at this time of the year, but it’s also the best time of year, wouldn't you say? Just remember before you begin that this is a class and you must keep it together. 
Be cool!
             
            Like this. . .
 
                 
              NOT this!


Okie-Dokie, here we go!


Designing and Flying Paper Airplanes
  • Select a partner.
  • Select three pieces of colored paper.
  • choose three different styles of paper airplane from the list below. (Put your name on all your airplanes!)
  • Predict: Of the three, which do you believe will fly the greatest distance? Stay in the air the longest?
  • Once made, you'll depart to the gym. Just remember; this is a scientific experiment not a free-for-all, so stay focused!

  • Work with a partner to throw each airplane 3 times and record results. Take the average by adding the results and divide by 3. While one person throws, the other records, then switch off. Use the  Flight Distances Worksheet.
  • The idea is to see which paper airplane flies the greatest distance and/or stays in the air the longest.

When the experiment is over, return to the classroom and discuss results. (Each group can share their findings) using the Heads Up Class Data Sheet. Can anyone give a possible reason for their results? Any surprises?

FOR THIS PROJECT, USE THESE DESIGNS ONLY:

Arrow (video HERE)
Classic Dart (video HERE)
Condor (video HERE)
Delta  (video HERE)
Dragonfly 

 All patterns and videos can also be found HERE, including a video for the dragonfly.


 NOT PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT, BUT FUN AND CHALLENGING!

HERE is a simple paper airplane design--the key to this one is adding paper clips!

 And now, without further ado, HERE are the directions for a paper airplane that broke the Guinness World Record for distance! Challenge yourself! Ya-Hooey!

We'll use the following worksheets from HERE:
Flight Distances Worksheet
Heads Up Class Data Sheet (for overhead)

 Other useful sites:
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=1508




Social Studies
& Language Arts
FINALLY!! LET'S DESIGN A ROMAN 
Your Greek Amphorae came out beautifully, and AT LAST, we have time to look at an art form for which ancient Rome is well-known.  Mosaics. 
A little slide-show for ideas. . .


 Look below for a handout with all the directions you'll need.  

I like that this video shows the process of making a mosaic.  The man uses egg shells, but the process is the same.  White glue and a paintbrush; painting small areas at a time; mixing similar colors for detail, etc. Clean those paintbrushes with soap and water! 
Eggshell Mosaic


For Tuesday:  Look at the interactive sites below. Play around with ideas using our smallest grid graph paper before you begin. Keep it simple. Consider a border like in the picture below.
For the activity, you'll need to cut colored construction paper into 1/2 inch strips and then, if you wish more detail, in half again into 1/4 inch strips. (You must do this with scissors only.) Then, use scissors to cut into small squares.

    Online mosaic maker
    Design a mosaic (CHECK IT OUT! shows examples)
    Graph paper for mosaic practice can be found HERE

    Paperless directions can be accessed HERE.  Have FUN!



    Music and Creativity in Ancient Greece 
    - Tim Hansen

    A Glimpse of Teenage Life in Ancient Rome 
    - Ray Laurence



    HEY GUYS. . .

    ONE MORE WEEK!


     Memorial Day image     guess what?  snoopy    engineering cartoon     engineer     dancing Calvin & Hobbes     fighting angry birds     Victorian clock     safety concerns     cool dudes     paper airplane divider     American flag divider
    folding paper  paper airplane  Rome smiley face     war memorial     mosaic     first place     airplane in blue sky
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    Monday, May 23, 2016

    "How did it get so late so soon?" ~ Dr. Seuss


    The school year's winding down, and we're immersed in testing, final projects, assemblies, concerts, and, for some, completing overdue work. Everyone's trying to balance these obligations, interrupted schedules, end-of-school-year events, after-school activities, and undetermined plans for the summer. 



    It's enough to create stress in anybody. 







    Just so you know. . .
    Teachers feel it, too. 
    End-of-the-year "teacher stuff" can really pile up!
    (Just sayin'. . .)





    A little stress is beneficial and motivating. It energizes us. That's good.

    Too much stress can have the opposite effect.  See if this is you:
    • Inability to concentrate or get your work done.
    • Body aches.
    • Headaches
    • Irritability
    • Trouble falling asleep at night
    • Trouble staying awake
    • More anxious than usual
    • More colds, feeling sick

    Too much stress. . .bad.  


     Want some advice?  Watch THIS and always remember:
    • If Plan A doesn't work, don't worry; the alphabet has 25 more letters!
    • Never say "impossible."  Say, instead, "I'm possible!"  
    • "In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. " ~Albert Einstein
    • The difference between try and triumph is a little "umph!"
    • "Do the best you can until you know better.  Then, when you know better, do better." ~Maya Angelou
    • "Do what you can with what you have where you are." ~Theodore Roosevelt
    • "Anything is possible. Anything can be." ~Shel Silverstein
    Don't forget:
    • No one is perfect. That's why pencils have erasers.

     "Stress isn't so much about your situation as how you perceive it." ~Jack Singer, psychologist 
    Too much is
    Bad, bad, bad!


    So. . .
    When you're feeling stressed and want a great feel-good song to boost your spirits, go HERE  The lyrics can be found HERE.





    Though our schedule's bonkers and there's stuff left to do,
    We'll get through it together; we always do. 
    So. . .

    WHAT'S UP FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!

    MAY 23rd -- Willow -- 9:30-10:30 AM
    MAY 23rd -- 5/6 Student Council to Basin Harbor Club -- 10:15-1:45
    MAY 25th -- MAY 27 -- 6TH GRADE CLASS TRIP
    MAY 30th -- No School
    MAY 31st -- Memorial Day Assembly -- 12:30 PM
    MAY 31st -- All-School practice for concert
    JUNE 4th -- ACS Spring Concert -- 6:00 -- 6:30 PM
    JUNE 6th -- Grade 6 Step-Up Celebration -- 6:00 PM
    JUNE 7th -- All-School trip to Branbury Beach 
    JUNE 9th -- School Picnic
    JUNE 10th -- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (1/2 day)
    A little excited are we?
    Science

    Tuesday:    "Blinded by the Light!" Modern telescopes have become so powerful that they allow us to see almost to the edge of the known universe.  Still "finding a planet around a star is like looking for a mosquito a couple of inches away from a car headlight---at midnight!" Any planets that might be circling that star are virtually lost in the glare of its intense light. This activity will reveal what's hiding behind the star's glare. The technique is called "occulting."

    Wednesday -> Friday:  TBA (Get ready. . .!)


       Social Studies
    We're putting all our hard work together into a book that you'll title "ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME: A COMPARATIVE STUDY. 

    (Sounds very sophisticated, huh?)


    Here are sites to help you complete the last two topics.  Work with another student to read the information and take notes.  Doing it together will make it more fun AND easy ~or~ read together as a class, discuss, and take notes. Then type up a short summary and include a picture. It can be found online; cut and paste. 
    Use the checklist to organize your work.

    Daily Life in Ancient Greece


    The Legend of the Trojan Horse


    Truth of Troy: Trojan War Story
    1250 BCE





    For a little fun. . .
    Hercules and the Trojan War 
    Part 1



    Part 2 





    Language Arts



    Little bits of me that escape to the page. . .


    Monday:  With our poetry written and illustrated,  we'll organize them and write our Table of Contents.  
    Tuesday:  we'll put our books together.  Fini. El fin. das Ende. 
    Be looking for some published works here in the next couple of weeks!
    Wednesday -> Friday:  Let's start by finishing.  Any more work you need to complete? Poetry?  Social Studies? This would be a great work time, wouldn't you say? 



    If you're done, try some of these fun games:

    MATH

    Do not adjust your dial -- 
    This is a test. . . this is ONLY a test. . .

     Monday & Tuesday:  BHT 
    Wednesday - Friday:  Class Trip! 


                                              READING                 
    We read for the sheer joy of it. . .





     to listen raptly; to feel deeply; to experience the incredible, sensory nature of a good book.

     This week:
    We'll finish Ten True Tales: Heroes of Hurricane Katrina.


    GRADE 6 CLASS TRIP
    Day 1:  Wednesday, May 25


    You'll start by visiting the Montshire Museum of Science -- a hands-on museum in Norwich, Vermont that has more than 140 exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, ecology, and technology.  Nothing like a little curriculum-related, bring-Science-to-life kind of stuff to start the day!



    Then. . .


    . . .onto Portsmouth, New Hampshire where you’ll get settled in at the Holiday Inn--your home away from home for two days .Check it out!


    You’ll have to see how much exploring you can do with your chaperones before dinner and pool time. Lights out will be at 7:30.  (Just kidding.)

    Day 2: Thursday, May 26


    After a restful night’s sleep, you’ll enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast before your next stop at Strawberry Banke Museum, located in the heart of historic downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  This is a 10-acre authentic neighborhood and outdoor museum dedicated to the town’s rich historical past. Unlike Williamsburg, VA or Sturbridge Village, MA, Strawberry Banke’s original buildings have been preserved, not recreated. It’s a place to have fun learning about colonial architecture, traditional crafts, and the tools, clothing and collections families used for everyday life in this waterfront neighborhood. There’s always something new to see and do!

    You’ll probably want to stay there all day learning stuff, but no, there’s more on the agenda, and you might venture over to Wallis Sands State Beach for a little romp on the shores of the mighty Atlantic Ocean.


    You’re looking at Miniature Golf at the Sagamore Golf Center for later in the afternoon. 


    That, of course, will be followed by your return to the Holiday Inn and its amenities  (a.k.a. the pool) before bedtime.  If you play your cards right, everyone should be pretty tuckered out with all that fresh air, sunshine (hopefully), and bountiful exercise..

    Day 3: Friday, May 27


    You’ll enjoy another continental breakfast courtesy of the Holiday Inn.  Then you’ll pack up and, depending on the time, get in one more swim or stroll on the beach before heading for the west coast of New England.  The idea is to be back in time for busses, though parents will probably need to collect their very pooped child and accompanying luggage.



    THEN ON TO THE 
    NEXT GREAT THING: 
    STEP-UP
    JUNE 6, 2016
    6:00 PM




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