Sixth Grade Blogger

HUMANITIES This week in History, we had a great time learning about the afterlife of ancient Egypt. After studying the magical and perilous journey that the “ba,” or soul, takes to the afterlife, we collaborated to create “travel guides” for travelers on this journey. On each page, students included descriptions of the various challenges that the ba could expect to face, as well as advice related to how to defeat these challenges. Take a look at our travel guides below! 6K – Travel Guide to the Afterlife 2017-18 6J – Travel Guide to the Afterlife 2017-18 In Literature, students finished... Read More

Special announcement:  During the month of Adar, the month of Purim, it is a tradition to do things that make us happy. To get ourselves into the Purim spirit, all teachers, staff, and students should come to school in pajamas on Thursday, February 15th (Rosh Chodesh Adar – or the first day of the month of Adar)!  Please note, that the date on the physical school calendar says Friday, February 16th, but there has been a change of date.  Students must wear shoes or slippers. If your child has PE on Thursdays, please remember to send him/her with a pair of sneakers. SCIENCE This week, students continued exploring... Read More

ADVISORY In advisory this week, students focused on gratitude. We asked ourselves: What small and large gifts are we thankful for? What are the places and memories that have made our lives meaningful? Who are the people that bring us joy? We then played the “Gratitude Game,” a combination of Bingo and Pick-Up-Sticks, which encouraged students to share their ideas on the topic. Enjoy the photos below!   HUMANITIES This week in History class, students learned about all of the jobs and tasks that went into pyramid-building in ancient Egypt. They then performed skits to present each stage of the process... Read More

ADVISORY In Advisory this week, the 6th graders had a lot of fun participating in a “seed workshop” led by representatives from Repair the World. After learning about the planting and harvesting process, students were able to plant their own seeds and bring them home. We also had an informative and valuable discussion about “food deserts” in Brooklyn, or areas where people struggle to access fresh fruits and vegetables. It was great to see students drawing the connection between this fun, hands-on activity and social justice issues. Here are a few photos from the workshop: HEBREW Dear parents, This has been a... Read More

HUMANITIES This week marked the beginning of a few new units in Humanities classes. In Literature class, students started reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor. Roll of Thunder tells the compelling and sometimes tragic story of a black family living in rural Mississippi during the 1930s, challenging readers to engage with important topics such as discrimination, violence, and prejudice. In order to prepare for this mature read, students began to learn about the the pre-civil rights era South. These discussions fit in nicely with Martin Luther King Day, and we’ll continue learning about race relations and other social justice issues... Read More

HUMANITIES: This week in Literature, students created and shared collaborative projects related to the novels they read about ancient Egypt: Pharaoh’s Daughter and The Golden Goblet. Through original songs, posters, and digital presentations, students displayed their understanding of the literary terms “Plot Pyramid” and “Mood.” It was a pleasure to see their creativity on display today as they presented their work. In History class, students explored an incredible artifact from ancient Egypt: King Khufu’s funeral boat. The boat, which was buried at the base of the Pyramid of Giza, was discovered in 1954 and was painstakingly reassembled and reconstructed by a team... Read More

HUMANITIES After the long vacation, 6th graders were able to jump back into work in Humanities classes. Everyone had finished their ancient Egypt historical fiction novel over break – either Pharaoh’s Daughter or The Golden Goblet. We discussed how we felt about the books’ endings in our mini book clubs, and then continued examining the literary concept of plot pyramid. In History class, students read about a current event related to the Nile River in order to draw connections between ancient and modern times. They learned about how Ethiopia is currently building a large dam on the Nile River, and... Read More

HUMANITIES This week, 6th graders had a great time sharing their hard work from this semester at our Heroes Convention. Thank you to everyone who could make it; we enjoyed sharing our videos, posters, and essays with you. See some photos and a slideshow of the event below. In History class this week, students continued learning about ancient Egypt. In particular, we examined the significance of Nile river and its impact on daily life. We also engaged in a discussion about current events, focusing on President Trump’s recent decision to downsize two national monuments in Utah. I was impressed with the... Read More

HUMANITIES This week in History, we moved on from Mesopotamia and launched into our unit on ancient Egypt. We began, as we always do, by looking at carefully at maps and drawing inferences. Students discovered how geographical features like deserts and the Nile River shaped daily life so long ago. They considered, too, how geography and climate continue to impact our lives today. In Literature class, students learned all about the literary term “Mood.” We analyzed mood across a variety of art forms, including video, pictures, and texts– and discussed how artists of all kinds intentionally convey particular moods. Students noticed that artists and authors... Read More

SCIENCE This week in Science, students used simulation software to breed mice. This allowed them to continue their studies of genetics by discovering the fur color of mice offspring. Students worked hard and asked questions in order to master the concepts of genetics.           Mike Noll   JUDAICS Saul: “This week in Judaics we finished our Shemot unit on Shifra and Puah, the Midwives who did not kill the baby boys like Pharaoh told them to . We started our Hero projects on the female heroines seen in this section.  We chose from Shifra and Puah,... Read More