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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