We have completed four full weeks of school. 6th graders have enjoyed two field trips, received iPads and are memorizing lunch account numbers.

This next week they will have the opportunity to choose the option of joining a club or going to recess during Advisory. Clubs will be offered for six-week sections. Students who sign up for a club will attend that activity instead of recess for that period of time.

We are also beginning to plan for 6th grade Intramural activities. If you are interested in Coaching or volunteering to help, please contact the KMS 6th grade Office (907)486-7459.

Watch for pictures in the next parent update from our beginning of the year Field Trips.

The CTE class will be testing students to certify them on the use of the drill press. Students will need to demonstrate the ability to safely operate equipment in the lab. Students will demo the use of the drill press after some guided practice. Students will need to be able to identify the parts of the drill press and show how to set it up, and then use it for a simple operation. We will be using this too in the class on a regular basis. I can see that there are many students extremely interested in learning how to work with the equipment in the lab. Please remind your students to bring a hair tie or something to put up their hair if their hair is long. Safety is our number one priority.

This week in ELA we finished up discussing our class contracts and did some reflecting on our reading. Next week, we’ll be using our “Minimum Writing Expectations” to start our mini-unit on how to write a proper email. We will be focusing on our organization, conventions, and the proper voice to match the recipient. As always, students are supposed to be reading each night for about 20 minutes. Whenever students finish a book, they are meant to have a reading discussion with me. I ask them questions about their book and what they liked (or didn’t like) about them. I encourage you to ask your child about what they’re reading and how they’re liking it. I keep telling them that life is too short to read bad books, so hopefully they have found something they enjoy!

In math, we’ve been alternating between multiplying decimals and collecting data. We had a fun paper airplane flying contest and calculated the mode, median, and mean of each class’s data. There is a homework assignment in math due on Monday, September 25 (pages 488-489 in the book; pages have been torn out and taken home.) Going forward there will be a homework assignment given out each Monday and due each Friday. These will be posted in Schoology going forward. We will be working on a fun statistical project next week, collecting our own data and creating graphs and making observations using the Numbers app on our iPad. Students are doing great so far!

Working in teams, students analyzed the “Ultimate Goal” of this class by writing it in their own words and drawing a picture that represented the goal. This goal is the why, or purpose, of all the things we learn in WH. We became familiar with the GoogleEarth app, which we will use frequently, and reviewed the points on a compass rose to kick off our first unit about Location. Ask your student what the Ultimate Goal is and if they can name the cardinal & intermediate directions!

This week in GT, students were introduced to the GT Group Project Contest which will run the course of the year and allow students an opportunity to engage in inquiry and problem-based learning through an interdisciplinary approach in an area of passion. Parent signatures are required to compete, so please speak to your son or daughter about this exciting project! Next week, GT class will meet on Wednesday, September 28th during Period 4.