TWIS (This Week in Switzer) 9/19-9/23

Parents,

   We have a fantastic week of school planned!  Here's what you can expect your student to work on This Week in Switzer:

Math: Most students have finished up Topic 1 and we are beginning to work through Topic 2.  We'll be giving a CFA (Common Formative Assessment- that's teacher talk for a mini-quiz that everyone takes) over Exponents.  We use the quiz information to see who gets the concept of exponents, and who needs a little more work on it.  Our goal is that every 6th grader will pass the CFA for Exponents by mastering the concept.  We'll keep working with students that don't master this skill until they do-

Science: We're wrapping up talk on Hypothesis, Independent and Dependent variables, and control variables.  We'll take a CFA over those concepts on Monday.  Then we begin to look at Claims and Evidence- how we, as scientists, can only make valid claims with the support of empirical evidence (and not literary, or fictionalized, evidence).  We'll look at some "mystery" stories to figure out "who dunnit?" using evidence from the text.

Reader's Workshop: Your student should be reading towards their weekly goal every night.  Most of my students said they would like to read 25+ minutes a night (about 23 pages worth).  It's an ambitious goal, and we're thankful for parents that set aside a time for their student to read each night.

  We're journaling our thoughts from our reading and learning how to analyze literature more deeply.  I'm also FAST testing students this month, and doing some work with students to help them find their "just right reading level."

Social Studies:  Students are wrapping studies on landforms and will move into early U.S. History soon.

Writing: Students are working on drafting stories and using peer editors to improve and collaborate on a final draft.

Look for a School picture form to come home Monday afternoon- school pictures are Sept. 29th.  Forms need to come back to school that day with payment (if you choose to purchase pictures).  The Iowa Youth Study survey will take place soon as well (in class)- it's a State Dept. of Health survey that looks at the social and emotional habits of students in middle school and high school.

Finally, here's our 6 day cycle schedule in Mr. Switzer's Class:

Day 1,4- music (around 11:55-12:30 most days)

Day 2,5- PE 

Day 3- Art (around 9:55-10:45)

Day 6- Media

Monday is a Day 4.  Have a fantastic weekend!