Lexia

Lexia is an online program that helps students with reading. Each student should be using the program for at least 100 minutes per week. Most students reach 100 minutes during their school week, however extra practice at home could help them even more. If possible, please have your student use Lexia for 10-20 minutes per day at home. The link can be found on the right side of the blog, and all students know how to access it. 

If you're curious as to how many minutes your child used Lexia last week, please email me and I can let you know. :)

Ted Talk: Hidden Miracles of the Natural World

Early Man in the Stone Age

We have been studying Early Humans during Social Studies. Next week, we will be moving on to the Stone Age. Watch the video below to prepare yourself for what we will be learning.

Homework for August 28th

1. ELA packet

2. Math fluency

3. School of Fear Ch. 18 questions

4. Study Map #4: test tomorrow

5. Study for your Early Humans test tomorrow. We completed a study guide today to help prepare for the test.

Book Orders

Today, book orders were passed out. Please consider buying some books for your child. You can send the orders to me or order online using the activation code FM289. They are due by September 9th.

Homework for August 27th

1. ELA packet

2. Math fluency

3. Lesson 15, Exercise 6

4. Study Map #4

5. Lexia 10 minutes

6. AR Log

Homework for August 26th

1. ELA Packet: Day 2

2. Math Fluency

3. School of Fear Ch. 14 and 15 Questions

4. AR Log: 20 minutes

5. Lexia: 15 minutes

6. Study Map #4
7. Math: Lesson 14 #2

Homework for August 25th

1. ELA Packet: Day 1

2. Math fluency

3. Social Studies: Review p. 66 #1-6

4. AR Log: Read, read, read!

5. Study map #4 for your test on Friday.

Ratios and Double Number Lines (6.RP.3a)

Review the video below to get ready for this week's math. You can also log in to Learn Zillion and earn the credit for watching if you go through their site.

Homework for the week of August 25-29

1. ELA Packet: I have begun personalizing homework for certain students. If your child's ELA Packet  is from Lexia, please have them complete that in place of the usual packet you see coming home.

2. Math Fluency: 1 side

3. AR Log: Read at least 20 minutes per day. Earn those points! If a student chooses to test on more than one book in the reporting period, I count the highest test score towards their grade. They are trying to reach a team goal of 350 points, so read, read, read! 

4. Study for Map Test #4. Study guide will be passed out tomorrow.

TED Talk: Hidden Beauty of Pollination

The first three minutes explain pollination. The beautiful images begin at the 3:00 mark.

Up for a Challenge?

I have a BIG announcement to make. The 6th grade teachers officially challenge the 6th graders to earn 350 AR points by October 3rd. Why? Well, if you would like to see your teacher have a pie smashed in her face by the top point earner in class, you better get reading! The more you read, the more you can test. The more you can test, the more points you will earn. The more points you earn, the better your chances are of reaching your goal. Remember, this is a group goal, so encourage your classmates to read as much as possible. Good luck!

Finding Lucy

Review this video about the discovery of Lucy.

How Lucy got her name.

Homework for August 21

1. ELA Packet
2. Math fluency
3. Letter to parents as a School of Fear character.
4. Unit 2 Roots packet: Test is tomorrow
5. Study for your map test tomorrow.
6. AR Log: Read for 20 minutes. Students have committed to their book as of today. No changes can be made. Keep an eye on the countdown as test time gets closer.

Homework for August 20th

1. ELA Packet: Day 3
2. Math Lesson 10: f, b
3. Roots Packet Unit 2: Due Friday
4. AR Log: Read for 20 minutes.
5. Writing: Letter to your parents as a character of School of Fear.
6. School of Fear Ch. 13 Questions

Homework for August 19th

1. ELA Packet: Day 2
2. Math: Lesson 9 Exit Ticket
3. Study Roots Unit 2
4. AR Log: Read for 20 minutes.
5. Social Studies: Main Idea and Details on Mary Leakey biography. (p. 61 Social Studies book)
6. Click the link below to check out some pictures of Nutcracker Man's skull.

Nutcracker Man

Homework for August 18th

1. ELA Packet: Day 1
2. AR Log: Read any book you like for now until you commit to the next book on Wednesday. Not many students passed their AR Test last week. Please be sure you are reading at least 20 minutes a day so you're ready for the test.
3. No math homework today since we took a test. :)
4. Social Studies: All About Early Humans worksheet.
5. Bring your ear buds for the Skills Lab tomorrow. We will be working on Type to Learn 4, Lexia and XtraMath.

Teaching Lab: Tomorrow

We will be going to the Teaching Lab tomorrow to publish our descriptive paragraph and take the placement test on Front Row if you haven't already done that at home. Be sure to bring your ear buds for Front Row.

TED Talk: Polar Ice

Enjoy this TED talk about polar ice.

Cave Art of Early Humans

Use these videos to review the cave art of early humans. While watching, see how many different animals you see painted on the walls.

Weekly Homework: August 18-22

1. ELA Packet
2. Math Fluency (1 page)
3. Study Root Cards (test on Friday, Aug. 22)
4. Start reading your new AR book.
5. Study your map #3 study guide (test on Friday, Aug. 22)
6. Log on to Front Row and take the Ratios and Proportions Placement Test.
7. Log on to Learn Zillion and watched the latest assigned lesson.
8. Math test is on Monday. Use your study guide to review. Here are my notes from today.

Homework for August 14th

1. ELA Packet
2. Math Fluency (1 side)
3. AR Log: Finish reading your book. If you are already done, please review it for your test tomorrow.
4. School of Fear Ch. 10 Questions

It's Picture Day tomorrow. This is the picture we use in the yearbook, so look your best :)

DUE August 22nd: Log in to Front Row and take the pretest for Ratios and Proportions. You must use chrome to access it).

Homework for August 13th

1. ELA Packet (Day 3)
2. Math Lesson 7 # d, e
3. AR Log: Test is on Friday!
4. Attend Back to School Night at 5:30 p.m. Classroom doors open at 6:00 p.m.

Earn a homework pass if you sign in at Back to School night :)

Narrative Writing and Context Clues

Please log in to Learn Zillion and watch the two videos I assigned about narrative writing.

We have been learning about context clues in class. We use context clues to figure out an unknown word's meaning. It's sort of like being a word detective ;) Watch the video below about context clues.

Flocabulary: Context Clues

Flocabulary: Early Man

Enjoy this flocabulary video about early man. It is a great summary of that time period, and is really funny!

Flocabulary: Early Man/Hunters and Gatherers

Announcements and Homework

This week's homework includes:

1. ELA Packet

2. Math Fluency (1 page)

3. Complete your AR book by Friday. You will test on Friday during your regular computer time.

Special Announcements:

• Back to School Night will be held on Wednesday, August 13th at 5:30 p.m. 
• Picture Day is Friday, August 15th.
• Parents: Please email me at bridget_dcruz@cjusd.net with your email address if I don't currently have it. I am able to email pictures of your child's tests and class work to you through a program I use.

I hope to see all of you at Back to School night :)

TED Talk: Underwater Astonishments

Enjoy this TED Talk about interesting underwater creatures.

Homework for August 7th

1. ELA Packet

2. Math Fluency (one side)

3. Worksheet 377

4. AR Log: Read for 20 minutes. One week until test time. Check the countdown!

5. Unfinished class work (School of Fear Ch. 6 Questions, Australia graphic organizer)

6. Learn Zillion Video: Log on to watch the assigned video on using tape diagrams.

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses

During writing and language we have been learning about restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses. Review the concept by visiting the pages below. You can find our class anchor chart in the ELA Anchor Charts tab above.

Nonrestrictive Clauses

Restrictive Clauses

Homework for August 6th

1. ELA Packet

2. AR Log

3. Math: Lesson 5 #1

4. Study map and roots.

5. Xtramath for 10 minutes.

6, Watch the video below about figurative language :)

Homework for August 5th

1. AR Log: You have 10 days until you take your first AR Test. Be sure to be finished with your book by then.

2. Xtramath: 10 minutes

3. ELA Packet: Pages marked Tuesday 

4. Figurative Language in Movies Video

Homework for August 4th

1. Math Lesson 3 #a, b, c

2. AR Log: Read for 20 minutes

3. ELA Packet for Monday

4. Log in to Learn Zillion to watch an assigned lesson. (Due on Friday)

5. Work on Xtramath for 10 minutes.

6. Study your Map#1 study guide for 3 minutes.

Just a reminder, book orders are due August 8th. I recommend you buy a copy of Freak, the Mighty since that is one of the novels we will be reading this year. It's only $1!

Also, tomorrow we will begin our Lexia rotation. You have your log ins and I encourage you to get on Lexia at home as well. Bring your ear buds, or buy some from Mrs. MacQueen for a $1.

Weekly Homework for week of Aug. 4th-8th

All of these assignments are due on August 8th. You can start on any of them early if you want to get them out of the way.

1. ELA Packet (Week 1)

2. Math Fluency (one side)

3. Study for your map test 

Book Orders due August 8th

Students were given two Scholastic book catalogs this week. I highly encourage you to look into purchasing some new books for your child. In 6th grade, students are expected to read a novel every two to three weeks. Orders can be given to Mrs. MacQueen. The books take about two weeks to arrive.