Sixth Grade Blog

HUMANITIES We’ve had a busy week in Humanities since returning from Thanksgiving break! In ELA, 6th graders are working hard on several different projects. For their independent reading projects, students are writing paragraphs and designing a poster to share what they learned from the biographies they read. To tie their work together, they’re all focusing on one primary question: Is the person I read about a hero? Why or why not? Upon reflection, some students have decided they really admire the people the read about, while others feel that they’re not heroes at all. Simultaneously, students are writing their own,... Read More

Dear parents, We hope you enjoyed our e-mail updates these last few days about our wonderful time at TEVA! Students had a blast hiking, exploring the natural environment, singing original TEVA songs, completing art projects with recycled materials, doing tefila (prayer) outside in the sun, and more. Throughout the week, they strengthened bonds with good friends and formed new connections with other classmates. It was wonderful to see the students outside the classroom, learning in active and creative ways. I know it’s an experience the 6th graders won’t soon forget! Feel free to browse our TEVA photos at this link.... Read More

HUMANITIES It’s been a full and busy two weeks in Humanities. In Social Studies class, students are writing and performing creative pieces about life in ancient Mesopotamia. Some students are writing scripts for news shows, while others are writing op-eds and news articles. They are including true facts about Mesopotamian climate, religion, and culture while writing about such topics as: “Slaves ran away from a priest’s family!” and “The holy ziggurat (temple) was flooded!” Students had a great time using their imaginations to bring ancient times to life. In English Language Arts, we are finishing up our study of The... Read More

MATH This week, our sixth graders took their very first math quiz of the year. Two days before, all students took a pre-test to give them the practice they needed. The actual test followed the same format, so there were no surprises. Students will be given the opportunity to fix their errors (if any), and should use this as an opportunity to practice those areas they still need to master. Tests will be sent home for your signature, to be returned to me. We will then empty the math section in their accordion folders; those papers will be hole-punched and placed in a... Read More

HUMANITIES This week in Social Studies class, students learned all about what defines a civilization, and which features all civilizations have in common. For example, all have organized governments, their own forms of art and architecture, and big cities. Students then “created” their own civilizations — describing their civilizations’ important jobs, languages, government positions, and more. It was fun to hear about their creative, made-up worlds, and to see how they all incorporated the key features of a civilization in different ways. In ELA class, we are just beginning our first class text: The Epic of Gilgamesh. This tale, which... Read More

HUMANITIES The first few weeks in 6th grade Humanities have been short but busy! I have so enjoyed getting to know this insightful, energetic, and intellectual group of 6th graders. In ELA (English Language Arts), we’re spending these first few weeks focusing on our summer reading book, Bridge to Terabithia. We’ve used this novel as a lens through which to discuss important themes, like “friendship,” as well as literary terms that we’ll discuss throughout the year, such as direct and indirect characterization. In Social Studies class, instead of diving immediately into the history of the ancient world, we began the year by talking... Read More

HUMANITIES: My name is Naomi Forman, and I’m so excited to teach your children in 6th grade grade humanities this year. In Social Studies and English Language Arts, students will learn to engage with texts in new ways; they’ll read critically for deeper meaning and draw connections to their own lives and the world around them. As we learn about ancient cultures in places like Egypt and Greece, they’ll examine how history continues to impact our lives today. They’ll also practice sophisticated reading skills as they track themes and literary devices in both fiction and nonfiction texts, and they’ll hone... Read More