What's Going On?
An Update from 6th Grade
Grading and Aspen GradeBook Update
As you probably know, the sixth grade is making some transitions around grading, feedback and report cards. Dr. Cohen has referenced this transition in a few of his weekly emails during the course of the first term and into the second. Math I and Science were the first two classes to report out using the pilot. Social Studies has been making the transition during the second term. The goal is for Math II and English to have transitioned fully for the third trimester. We believe in the philosophy of standards-based grading, as it gives all students a clear picture of their learning.
There have been some growing pains, particularly with Aspen, during the process and we thank you all for your patience and understanding in this matter. We have been in almost constant contact with the tech department to help us work on transitioning the Aspen Gradebook to a standards-based grading format. In addition two members of the 6th grade team recently received additional training from the Aspen staff which has been very beneficial to the process. As we continue to keep track of your child’s progress via Aspen, we will also be sharing feedback and progress directly with the students in class. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact one of the sixth grade teachers directly.
A Note from Social Studies
“Dumela”, or hello if we were in Botswana! Social studies students have finished their study of Africa’s culture, climate, locations, and physical features. We ended our unit by discussing our essential question, “What would it be like to live in Africa?” Students shared their posters and selected two posters to represent their class in the front lobby. Check it out!!
Our focus in February will be southwest Asia or the Middle East. We will discuss the importance of religion and the exporting of oil to this region’s culture. We look forward to continuing our tour of countries around the world.
Math I
In Math 1 students have been working on division of fractions. The standard includes interpreting quotients and understanding the relationship between multiplication and division as well as simply computing, and requires visual models to support understanding. Students have also been interpreting and creating fraction division word problems. Students are encouraged to employ multiple strategies that reinforce their number sense and conceptual understanding of fractions, that they might effectively employ a solution path that has meaning for them and will scaffold future mathematics work. This work with fractions has begun to transition to work with ratios and proportions. Rather than have your student do work at home with specific RP standards, they will be better served by practicing for multiplication and division fact fluency, and by practicing basic fraction work such as ordering, comparing, and finding equivalent fractions.
An Update from ELA
6th Grade ELA students finished writing their South American folktales after the holiday vacation. The stories have been proudly displayed in the hallway in the traditional Brazilian Literatura de Cordel, or “Stories on a String.” Please come down and read some of the fantastic stories!
We are currently reading the novel Maniac Magee as a class. All assignments, due dates and resources can be found in Google Classroom. Some of the themes in this novel that will be explored are prejudice, homelessness, illiteracy, and courage. The main essential question for this unit is: Is it possible for one person to make a difference? I encourage you to ask your child about the reading and the in class discussions.
Enjoy the winter break to catch up on some rest, spend time with friends and family, and read some great books!
Geometrically Speaking...
In Math 2, we are extending and applying our previous understandings of geometry! While finding the area of rectangles was a skill that students brought with them from elementary school, we were able to discover that the formula for finding the area of parallelograms and triangles all comes back to the formula Area= Base x Height. We were then able to use that to find the area of composite shapes and apply these skills to solving real-world and mathematical problems. Currently, we are working on meeting the Massachusetts standards of finding the area and circumference of circles. After, we will move on to three-dimensional shapes, finding surface area and volume. As we come upon Winter Break, it’s a great time to have your student help with projects around the house. Ask them to find the area of the room you are re-tiling or adding carpeting to or how many square units you may need to cover a wall with paint. Of course, basic multiplication and division fact fluency are the foundational skills for these applied geometry skills. Use IXL for individualized fact practice or play a game such as Yahtzee with the whole family over break.
Wish List
As we pass the midpoint of our school year, our supplies have been depleted. If you are willing and able to make a donation to our classrooms, we would greatly appreciate it! Your child can bring the donation to his or her Advisory, where it will be delivered to the appropriate recipients. Thank you!
- Pencils
- Glue Sticks
- Tissues
- Cleaning Wipes (i.e. Clorox or Lysol)
- Sticky Notes (i.e. Post-Its)
Stay Connected!
The 6th grade team are all easily reached via email.
Math I: averyd@nps.k12.ma.us
Math II: grandic@nps.k12.ma.us
ELA/Academic Support: condonb@nps.k12.ma.us
Social Studies: vaitesa@nps.k12.ma.us
Science: maillouxt@nps.k12.ma.us
Email: maillouxt@nps.k12.ma.us
Website: www.npsk.org
Location: 10 Surfside Road, Nantucket, MA, United States
Phone: (508) 228-7283
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cyrus-Peirce/803316849746372?fref=ts
Twitter: @CyrusPeirceMS