"You must not hurt anybody or do harm to anyone. You must not fight but do right always." --Wovoka

Hello families: 

Last week we started our Native American unit titled "We the People." It explores how human and physical characteristics of geographic regions influenced the development of distinct Native American cultures.   "We the People" encompasses lessons in Geography, History, Civics, Language Arts, Art, and Anthropology.  Many interesting and engaging activities are included in this unit, with a plethora of enrichment options for those willing to take the challenges offered to them.

Each child has chosen a tribe to study based on information from a map they recently completed. This map activity identified tribes within each region of North America. Next step is to complete a Webquest that will guide them in finding specific information required for a Powerpoint to be presented at the end of the unit.

Here are a few sites being used to help your child in her or his search:

 

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Where to go to find information about your tribe:

NATIVE AMERICAN FACTS FOR KIDS -- Huge!!

KID INFO—NATIVE AMERICANS—Another huge site!

MR. DONN – NATIVE AMERICANS IN OLDEN TIMES INDEX

(Wonderful, kid-friendly site with lots of information on most tribes) 

NATIVE AMERICANS IN OLDEN TIMES FOR KIDS: SOME PRINCIPAL TRIBES AND NATIONS—Great place to go to pick a tribe to research!

TRIBE COMPARISONS—Covers many tribes

NATIVE AMERICAN RESOURCES 

 WHAT-WHEN-HOW

**  Interactive Test on Native Americans:  See how much you know!

Online Native American Activities for Kids

(For Fun When Work is Done. . .)

   

NATIVE AMERICAN MEMORY
SPOT THE ONLY!

Image of map taken from:  http://questgarden.com/145/36/6/120609111751/images/native-americans.jpg

“At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. One extra degree makes all the difference.” ~ from 212-The Extra Degree

Welcome, welcome, welcome, everyone!

Well, NEXUS is up and running for the 2013-2014 school year -- FINALLY!  September certainly means getting into the groove of a new family of students, a new schedule, and a new curriculum, which promises to be an exciting one, by the way.  It's also a time to reassess how I budget time -- always in short supply -- efficiently.  (Students aren't the only ones to grapple with that one!)  

For those of you new to my blog, NEXUS, which means connections, is just that--a connection between school and home designed to be a "go-to" place for information students and families will find helpful throughout the year.  Look here for news, important dates, assignments, and samples of exemplary student work, videos, and podcasts.  Take a few minutes to look around; it's a fun place to visit, with interactive educational activities for every learner in your household (including you!).  

I'm excited about what's in store for your students this year!  Heather Racine joins the 5/6 team as the Math, Science, and 6th Grade homeroom teacher, and I must say, she's absolutely wonderful to work with!  We are equally committed to maintaining a school culture that focuses on high expectations, collaboration, and innovation.  Please welcome her and know that your students are in exceptionally capable hands. She's a gem.

You're going to become a lot more familiar with Common Core Standards this year; these standards guide what we do as educators to provide our students with rigorous and authentic learning experiences. Assessments will reflect them, and even report cards will look a little different, providing you with added information about your child's progress toward mastery.  

I look forward to a great school year in which we work together to “make all the difference” for our students!  

My best to you--
Teri

Welcome image:  http://images.pcmac.org//images/Users/hardy.mary_anne@north-haven.k12.ct.us//animated_school.gif

Animated teacher image:  http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/staff/boldtkatherine/images/animated-teacher.gif

"All gave some; some gave all."

 

MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN:

"THE ANGELS CAME DOWN"

Kevin Costner & Modern West

~

MEMORIAL DAY

BY C. W. JOHNSON

We walked among the crosses

Where our fallen soldiers lay.
And listened to the bugle
As TAPS began to play.
The Chaplin 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.

 

 ~

 

 

"After winter, but before spring, there’s a muddy, cold, gray sliver of a season. . ."

". . .The ground is almost bare, yet very little grows. This season is not good for much . . . unless you’re one of those overalls-clad, Northwoods diehards who eagerly awaits the running of the maple sap. If you are, you lovingly set aside this season, “from the Ides of March to the singing of the spring peepers,” for tending your trees."

~by Eva Apelqvist

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 

APRIL 8--12

LANGUAGE ARTS, GRADES 5/6

Monday:  Complete "Millions of Mummies" cartoon activity &amp
Tuesday:  Bibliography lesson

Wednesday:  Type final draft/complete final touches of Pharaoh report

Thursday:  Continue typing final draft/complete final touches of Pharaoh report

Friday:  Turn in completed Pharaoh Report

SPELLING, GRADE 6

Monday:  Homonym activity, part 1


Tuesday:  Homonym activity, part 2


Wednesday -- Thursday: Have fun playing these interactive games!

• Homonym Memory Game
• Guess the Homonym
• Homonym Madness 
• Word Confusion 
• Homographs -- Tossed-Up Talents 
•  Synonym Hangman
•  Antonyms Millionaire                                                                                               

Friday:  Fairy Tale Homograph activity.


SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5/6

Monday/Tuesday & Wednesday/Thursday: Painting Chicken Mummies and Sarcophagi & concluding project

Friday: Activity day, Mrs. M.'s class

Wonderful maple sugaring  photo:  http://www.fruitlands.org/sites/default/files/image/iStock_maple%20sugaring.JPG

Quote:  http://www.travelwisconsin.com/article/things-to-do/a-walk-in-the-sugar-bush?articleid=186

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~Mark Twain

Rabbit, Rabbit!  . . .and so we start another month--the one that takes us from snow drifts lingering on shadowed hillsides (and yes, that occasional awakening to snow-covered lawns) to daffodils dotting grassy meadows.  Peepers will be out within two weeks, mark my word. 

Anyway, with the improvement in weather conditions comes the all too familiar desire for children to do just about anything to get out of completing school work.  Ahh, youth.  Now teaching and parenting must become a bit more, shall we say, inventive. (Kind of like hiding the peas in the ice cream.  Well, sort of. . .)

   Please help your child to remain on track with homework. 

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 
APRIL 1-5 

Spelling

Monday:  "Right Spelling, Wrong Word"

Tuesday:  Practice session for "S-BAC" online testing pilot

Wednesday:  Begin "S-BAC" 

Thursday:  "Words with Multiple Meanings"

Friday:  READ-A-THON all day!  Fundraiser -- Please consider sponsoring your child--any checks can be made payable to "Meals on Wheels."

Social Studies

Monday:  Mrs. M.'s class -- Watch the movie, "Building the Great Pyramid."

Tuesday:  Mrs. D.'s class -- Same as above.

Wednesday: Mrs. M.'s class -- Mummify those chickens!

Thursday:  Mrs. D.'s class -- Same as above. 

Language Arts

Monday:  Egyptian Poetry Project

Tuesday:  Complete Egyptian Poetry Project

Wednesday: Grade 6 pilots "S-BAC" online test.

Thursday:  "Millions of Mummies" 6-panel cartoon summaries.

Friday:  READ-A-THON!

  

Reading

Monday: Study hall to complete overdue work.  Ten points off late work turned in today!

Tuesday:  Comprehension activity/silent reading

Wednesday:  No class -- read aloud in Library

Thursday: Comprehension activity/silent reading

Friday: READ-A-THON! 

Beautiful artwork, huh?  Fireflies under the Springtime Moon can be found @ 

http://img2.etsystatic.com/000/0/5198223/il_fullxfull.358655542.jpg

  

"This day I have sent couriers to every part of our country, to every city and village. They carry this decree. That I have set a task for Egypt. . ."

". . .which in any other land would be impossible on the desert sands. You will raise a pyramid, a structure greater than any in the world. This pyramid shall be resting place for the second life. Each man has a covenant with me to work as man has not yet worked in all time. And as the living God of Egypt, I promise you that each man by his labor shall secure for himself a place in the life to come."  ~William Falkner's Land of the Pharaohs 

~

We continue our study of Ancient Egypt through the completion of our Mini-Books and Research Reports.  As you will see, assignments are a little different now, since much more time is given to students demonstrating their understanding of the concepts we've covered throughout the year. Working independently and with each other, they are creating and polishing projects of interest to them, gathering ideas and insights -- and help in problem-solving -- from their peers.   

The first is a Mini-Book of facts about the everyday life of Ancient Egyptians. This project not only covers reading for information, highlighting important facts, effective note-taking, and compiling information into a visually appealing, polished document, it also demonstrates students' understanding of informational text features.  In fact, each book is required to include at least ten.

This project will be due on Friday, March 29th.

The "Pharaoh Report" is a major research project.  Written in first person, it recounts the lives of some of the greatest kings of Ancient Egypt. Students scoured the internet and printed off three documents that they found most helpful -- to be used as the basis of their report.  They read, highlighted information that they were required to include in their report, took notes, and began the writing process -- one paragraph at a time -- in class. In no time, students were seeking additional information on their own, and were identifying relationships with one another's pharaohs as they began to unravel the history of each of the great kingdoms through a continuum of dynasties. Awesome.  

This is to be an academic paper, complete with bibliography written in APA format.  Ask to see your child's syllabus.  In it, I outline each of the parts of the report (which will become the rubric for grading) as well as the timeline for completion.

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF

MARCH 25-29 

LANGUAGE ARTS 

Monday: Begin work on COVER -- an Egyptian scene utilizing the artform known as frontalism.  The words ANCIENT EGYPT will be written in hieroglyphs. We will work on this again tomorrow, after which any unfinished work will need to be completed at home or during study hall in the afternoon.

Tuesday:  Complete cover (include color) and work on any other unfinished aspects of the project.  (Remember "Presentation Quality!")  After today, you're on your own to complete and turn in your project no later than Friday.

Wednesday:  Center Square Activity

Thursday:  Complete Center Square Activity and put finishing touches on this month's Writer's Notebooks.

Friday:  Share Mini-Books, turn in Writer's Notebooks for March.


SOCIAL STUDIES
 

Monday:   Mrs. M.'s class completed the concluding paragraph/s (death and legacy).  All the paragraphs should be organized onto one document -- the second draft of the report -- and turned in for feedback.

Tuesday:  Mrs. D.'s class is a day behind.  We will work on accomplishments and interesting facts paragraphs. 

Wednesday:  We'll share our reports with our peers and seek their advice.

Thursday:  Mrs. D.'s class will complete the concluding paragraph/s (see Monday's assignment above). 

Friday:  No class. 

SPELLING, GRADE 6 (No task cards this week!)

Monday: Art got in the way; we'll catch up tomorrow.

Tuesday:  191-194

Wednesday:  195-196

Thursday: 197-200

Friday: TEST

READING, MRS. M'S CLASS

Monday --> Friday:  

• Concepts of Comprehension activities

• Independent Silent Reading

• Study Hall (lots of informational reading is associated with projects in most subject areas)

  

I hope this week will be productive and fun as project work becomes increasingly creative and students work more freely with peers to critique and complete them. 

“...as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold - everywhere the glint of gold. For the moment - an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by - I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, 'Can you see anything?' it was all I could do to get out the words, 'Yes, wonderful things.”   ― Howard Carter, Tomb of Tutankhamen

Ancient Pharaohs illustration:  http://www.rhesusnegative.net/work/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pharaoh-t9842.jpg

King Tut illustration:  http://www.paperdroids.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/king-tutankhamun-dna_12801_600x450.jpg

"Then come the wild weather, come sleet or come snow, we will stand by each other, however it blow." ~ Simon Dach

 

Well, there is consolation in knowing Spring is coming even if its effects cannot be felt for awhile...

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 

MARCH 18 -- 22

So much more work is project-based this trimester.  

It relies on your ability to stay on task and work productively and independently.

SPELLING, GRADE 6

Words for the Week:  indefinite, illuminate, jealous, emit, uncommitted, ancient overworked, thoughtless, illegibly, achieve

Two of your task cards should be to write definitions for each of these words and use them effectively in a sentence.

Monday:

pages 181-182 & task cards

 

Tuesday:  

pages 183-184 & task cards

Wednesday:  

pages 185-186 & task cards

 
Thursday: 

pages 187-190 & task cards

Friday:  

Test - collect task cards

LANGUAGE ARTS, GRADES 5 & 6

Monday:  

Write Source Assessment

Tuesday:  

Review informational text features. Finish typing & adding text features to mini-book.  Check off which text features are included in your mini-book using worksheet provided to you.

Wednesday:

Egyptian Art Form Activity -- Frontalism.  Complete practice sheet and begin planning cover. (If you're not done typing your mini-book, this must now be done for homework or during free time.)

Thursday:

Work on cover art (Ancient Egyptian scene utilizing Frontalism) and hieroglyphs ("Ancient Egypt")

Friday:  

Finishing touches on mini-book -- turn in!

SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5 & 6 

Monday:

Mrs. M.'s class -- Write paragraph/s (background, description)

Tuesday:

Mrs. D.'s class -- Same as above

Wednesday:

Mrs. M.'s class -- Write paragraph/s (accomplishments/ interesting facts about your pharaoh)

Thursday: 

Mrs. M.'s class -- Same as above

Friday: 

No class (Complete any unfinished work)

READING, MRS. M.'S CLASS

Monday:

Work on Reading project for the end of the month, Social Studies informational reading/writing

Tuesday --> Friday:

Comprehension activity, then silent reading, informational reading/writing 

Wonderful cartoon that pretty much sums up our hopes for Spring in this week of snowstorms: 

http://www.davegranlund.com/cartoons/wp-content/uploads/color-spring-fev-sno.jpg

“Mud season is also sugaring season. We really prefer a long and difficult spring. ... We're alone in that.” Patrick Hooker

 

After[another]winter
the world dissolves
in weak sunshine and water:
Mud sucks at your shoes.
It’s impossible to keep the floors
or the dogs clean... 

     ~from Mud Season By Alice Persons  

~ 

When I think of mud season, I remember hauling my young children into the woods on an old toboggan to gather sap.  We made our way to our meager stand of maples on a long-abandoned road, little more than a muddy/slushy path now.  It made traveling pretty challenging--especially on the way back with buckets brimful of sloshing sap and giggling pre-schoolers in tow.  No one minded the mud. It was part of the experience.

"You cannot open a book without learning something."  ~ Confucius

~

Remember, 6th Graders, Story Maps (on your first book for the month) are due on Thursday, March 14th. 

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 

MARCH 11 -- 14

LANGUAGE ARTS

Monday:

Notes for sub-sections "Ra" through Nile River due TODAY!  10 points off if turned in  tomorrow.  "Cool Facts About Ancient Egypt" page due tomorrow.

Tuesday:

Type facts (from all sections). (Refer to syllabus for directions.)  Work must be "Presentation Quality" -- include sub-headings and at least 5 pictures.  Be creative, and remember G.U.M.!

Wednesday:

Continue typing, Grade 5!   Grade 6, continue to work independently since we'll be at Hunt's Farm during your class time.

Thursday:

Finish, finish, finish typing!  Associated art projects and book completion next week.

SPELLING, GRADE 6

No assignments this week.  However, tomorrow we'll have the Vocabulary Test associated with last week's work.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Monday, Grade 5:

Complete Note-Taking using Graphic Organizer I provided you

Tuesday, Grade 6:

Same as above

Wednesday, Grade 5:

Complete Introductory Paragraph using notes from Graphic Organizer.  Turn both in at the end of class.

Thursday, Grade 6:

Same as above

READING, Mrs. Maynard's Class

Monday:

Lesson -- "Steps to Textual Analysis" (no assignment)

Silent read

Tuesday:
Grade 5 -- A Real Life Bat Man (textual analysis--figurative language)
Grade 6 -- A Hole in the Planet (textual analysis--vocabulary in context)

Wednesday:
No class -- Read-aloud (listening skills/comprehension) with Mrs. Chamberlain


Thursday:
Grade 5 -- A Stargazer's Guide to Mission Control (textual analysis--genre)
Grade 6 -- A Liger's Tale (textual analysis--figurative language)

    

STORY MAPS DUE, GRADE 6!

MARVELOUS MUD SEASON IMAGE:  http://www.thegardenerseden.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/The-Mud-Season-Ball-

%E2%93%92-michaela-thegardenerseden.com_.jpg

CHILD READING IMAGE:  http://vector.us/files/images/1/5/152615/man_reading_with_glasses_clip_art.jpg

“Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” ― L.M. Montgomery

Hello, families--

After a weekend of last-minute corrections and updates, report cards are done.  Your students will bring them home on Friday, but in the meantime, feel free to check PowerSchool.  Lessons come in many forms; whether your child is learning from celebrations or challenges, each one of them have value. I hope you use this opportunity to keep the conversation going.  I'm doing the same!

While our schedule is slightly altered (in Science) for the next two weeks, I have created some Language Arts/History activities (which will happen more and more often for this trimester) that will provide some interesting flexible work time for everyone.  In Language Arts, our Ancient Egypt Mini-Project will involve research, reading (interpreting text), note-taking, writing, editing & revising, using technology, and art -- and culminates in a "Publication Quality" piece that demonstrates students' understanding of the every-day life of ancient Egyptians (and each student's individual creativity). (Please peruse the grading rubric included in the packets to see how each piece will be assessed.)

In Social Studies, we are beginning our Research Report project on one of the mighty pharaohs of Egypt.  Everyone received a packet of information, which they should share with you.  The dates are something that we will negotiate together, so they may be subject to "slight alteration," but the final, final, final date for completion is April 12.  Presentations will follow.


Cool sites to check out about Ancient Egypt (You can use this for both Language Arts and Social Studies!):

Ancient Egypt Online

Ancient Egypt for Kids   

Kid Info   

Virtual Egypt

Animal Mummies

Ancient Egypt -- Kids Konnect

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 

MARCH 4-8

~

 LANGUAGE ARTS

Monday:  

Introduce packet and read together first three subheadings.  Students are shown how to highlight appropriately (well, it still needs a little practice. . .) and to choose interesting facts (from Daily Life, Marriage, and Food & Cooking), which they must rewrite in their own words for use in their project.  At least TWO facts from each subheading are required, but students are encouraged to find more. (I will collect and look over.)

Tuesday:

More independent work time.  Students must read (at least) the next four subheadings (Cosmetics, Hair, Jewelry, Clothing), highlight information they find interesting) and write it (in their own words) on paper for use later. (I will collect and look over, since staying on track is essential.)

Wednesday:

Again, read (at least) the next four subheadings (Housing & Furniture, Entertainment, Government, Pyramids) and follow the directions above.

Thursday:

Read the next five subheadings (Mummies & Mummification, Hieroglyphs, Papyrus, Book of the Dead, Pharaohs) and follow the directions above.

Friday:

No class for 6th grade since we'll be at a play, but the work continues! Read Ra, Food, and Clothing (very short) and write down at LEAST four facts that you found interesting in the "The Nile River" section.

READING (for Mrs. M.)

More of this time (for both Mrs. M. and Mrs. D.) will be used for informational reading associated with Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts projects.  However, time will also be given for Independent Book reading (associated with book projects due each month (twice a month for 6th graders). USE IT!  Also, expect short comprehension sheets--quick checks that will be part of your Reading grade for the last trimester.

Monday:  
     Grades 5 & 6:  The Gift of the Nile comprehension activity

Tuesday:  

     Grade 6:   "A Bird Came Down" interpreting poetry
     Grade 5:   A Bad Move comprehension activity
Wednesday:  

     Grade 6:  A Constitution for Kids comprehension activity
     Grade 5:  A Hero With Heart comprehension activity

Thursday:  

     Grade 6:  A Secret Note comprehension activity

     Grade 5:  A Juicy Problem comprehension activity

SOCIAL STUDIES

Monday, March 4 (Grade 5):

1. Introduce Pharaoh project
2. Choose Pharaoh
3. Set up "Pharaoh Research" folder on desktop or documents to keep all information you find.
4. Find cartouche
5. Find picture of pharaoh for front page
6. Begin gathering information from web and documenting websites.

VERY IMPORTANT: Understand that for every resource you use (pictures or writing) you need to save the URL address on a word document so that you can go back later and get information for the Bibliography page. 

Tuesday, March 5 (Grade 6): 

Same as above.

Wednesday, March 6 (Grade 5):  

Finish collecting information from websites.  WARNING:  Don't just hit "print" when you find a good website.  It may be dozens of pages long.  If you need to, cut and paste into a word document ONLY what you need, and include the URL address for later! I will collect all these papers later, so don't throw them out.

Thursday, March 7 (Grade 6):

Same as above. I will provide you with a graphic organizer to help you organize your information.

Friday, March 8 (Grade 5):

Use this additional time to highlight and take notes for your pharaoh.  I will give you a graphic organizer that will help you - and make it easier to find the information you need.

SPELLING (Grade 6)

Monday:  pages 167-168

Tuesday:  pages 169-172

Wednesday:  pages 173-174

Thursday:  pages 175-178

Friday: TEST

NOTE:  No Task Cards this week.

Report card image found at:  http://www.bisd303.org/cms/lib3/WA01001636/Centricity/Domain/765/report%20card.gif