Sixth Grade Blogger

SCIENCE Students continued their discoveries of genetics by creating custom bugs! They flipped coins in order to produce key dominant or recessive traits of their bug. Then they built their bugs from an assortment of everyday parts. Once complete, students discovered how unique their bugs could be with an assortment of different genetic traits.               Mike Noll           HUMANITIES In Literature class this week we began writing our own endings to The Giver. Students were excited to imagine what happens to their favorite characters after the book’s cliffhanger, and they’re... Read More

HUMANITIES This week in History class, students had the chance to write like Mesopotamian scribes. They flattened clay into small tablets, used wedge-shaped writing tools that resembled reed styluses, and carved sentences using the ancient writing system called Cuneiform. Some chose to paint their tablets in bright colors, too. After this writing exercise, students were better able to imagine the life and work of scribes, who played a valuable role in Mesopotamian society. Here are some photos of the students at work:    In Literature class, we reached the end of our novel The Giver. The occasion sparked strong feelings... Read More

MATH In 6th grade math we are working on graphing linear equations. They are also learning how to understand what information the graph will give you. They have been working on plotting points and understanding all about the graph. Next week 6Y will have a quiz on graphing and then move on to fractions and decimals. The 6X class will continue to work on graphing linear equations and learn how to graph their own equation. Hope everyone enjoys the weekend!   HUMANITIES: This week in Humanities, students began their Wordly Wise vocabulary study using an online program. They are enjoying... Read More

HUMANITIES This week in Literature class, students had a great time participating in a formal debate inspired by The Epic of Gilgamesh. One team argued that Gilgamesh IS a true hero, while the other team argued that he NOT a hero. They practiced both listening and speaking skills, learning to acknowledge opposing arguments, respond respectfully to peers, and defend their points with specific textual evidence. Students were professional, enthusiastic, and collaborative throughout, and the debate was a pleasure to watch! See some photos here:   In History class, we learned about the famous historic document, the Code of Hammurabi. Students examined... Read More

MATH: In both math classes we worked on one and two step equations. We learned how to solve for the variable and how to figure out how to write an equation from a word problem. 6Y took a quiz on two step equations while 6X will be taking the same quiz on Tuesday. Our next unit will be graphing with x and y coordinates and how to figure out how to graph a linear equation. It’s been a fun long week. Hope everyone has a great, relaxing weekend!   HUMANITIES: This week in humanities, students delved into several deep and meaningful... Read More

ADVISORY  Dear parents, We are excited to let you know that this week we started a mindfulness program in advisory. The program is comprised of once a week meetings. The Program Goals: Provide students with the tools to create a space between stimulus and response and manage high school process more effectively. Help students to distinguish between reality and their own thoughts and foster an ability to observe and label their own thoughts without judgment. Discover roots of mindfulness within Jewish Text and Values Cultivate caring community members Create a time and space of quiet reflection. We hope the children will benefit from the... Read More

HUMANITIES Our first full week back after the many holidays was a productive one, now that we have more time to really dig into the material. In Writing class, students wrapped up their final drafts of their narrative essays, in which they all told true stories of obstacles in their lives. They spent some time peer-editing as part of the writing process, which allowed them simultaneously to learn more about their peers’ lives while also gaining valuable writing tips. In Literature class, students finished reading The Epic of Gilgamesh. The final chapters sparked sophisticated discussions and questions: Did Gilgamesh reach his goals? Did he find true fulfillment... Read More

HUMANITIES This week in Literature we began our new book, The Epic of Gilgamesh. We looked into the story’s background (or the “story of the story”), and read about its origin as an ancient myth. The tale was found written on buried tablets from ancient Mesopotamia, the civilization that we will begin studying in History class in the coming weeks. In fact, Gilgamesh’s story is one of the oldest pieces of western literature still around today. As students read, they are keeping track of themes such as Heroism, Death v. Immortality, and Strength v. Weakness, and searching for examples of... Read More

HUMANITIES It was so wonderful to meet all the 6th graders this week during advisory time and humanities classes. In advisory with me and Mike Noll (Science), students had fun practicing non-verbal communication skills. They learned to work as a team and communicate creatively as they completed tasks without using their voices. In Literature class, students learned about the literary term “theme” and analyzed the theme of friendship in their summer reading book, Bridge to Terabithia. They answered the question: “What does friendship mean in Bridge to Terabithia?” and found evidence from the text to support their answers. Lastly, in History class, students shared... Read More