Ahh, Fall. Perhaps my favorite time of year; football, leaves turning, weather cooling, and 6th graders trying to figure out how to wear shorts everyday throughout the coming winter.
I had the opportunity last week to serve on a jury for two days, which gave our students a chance to shine for a guest teacher- Mr. D (our former Guidance Teacher at Southdale). I was very proud of how well our students interact with guest teachers- and this was no exception. Of course, I had to regale the class with my exploits in the jury box and tried to turn it into a "teachable moment" on civic duty. Our big lesson from my experience: don't mess with the law. Oh, and Be Kind. Always. From the mouths of babes...
Next week is Red Ribbon week at Southdale- it's a pledge to stay drug and alcohol free. With it comes "dress up/ theme days," which include:
Monday- Crazy for Healthy Choices (Crazy Hair Day)
Tuesday- Black Out Bad Choices (Wear Black and Shades)
Wednesday- "Chews" Healthy Choices (Chew gum day)
Thursday- Rock Out a Healthy Lifestyle (Dress like a rock star)
Friday- Rock the Red (Wear red/ CF Tiger clothes)
Coincidentally, Friday is Picture Make-up day
#tl;dr- Math test, Social Studies Test, Building stuff in Science, Keep them reading every night!
Here's This Week in Switzer:
Math (Switzer): My math class is working through the end of Topic 3 (multiplying and dividing with Decimals) and will take a Topic 3 test on Monday (if we're ready) or Tuesday. We begin Topic 4 on Tuesday.
Reader's Workshop: Students finished their Book Club books and are continuing through their free read books. We will begin a new book club book soon. We are journaling every day and logging our minutes reading, so don't hesitate to ask your student about what they are reading or writing about!
Read-aloud: We finished the book, Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate and are starting the science fiction novel, The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forrester. I've included links to Amazon if you'd like to see an overview of these books.
Science: Students have finished researching Thermal Energy and Heat Transfer and are ready to design their blueprints for a coffee mug that retains the most heat over a 30 minute time span. Students may also begin bringing in building materials to create their coffee mug- I will allow:
- A "core" material (something to hold 1 cup of hot water)- this could be a ceramic mug, paper cup, plastic cup, or glass. I will provide styrofoam and plastic cups if a student needs a core.
- Anything they want to use that they can find around the house (with parents' permission). I am NOT asking students to purchase anything. Whatever they bring will be for their use on their project only (unless they choose to share). I will not redistribute materials they bring from home.
- I will have materials for students to use, including cardboard, plastic bags, tin foil, tape, and anything else we find laying around my classroom (within reason, of course). Your student is NOT required to bring anything, and will not be at a disadvantage academically for not bringing materials.
Social Studies: Students have a test on Monday and should be reviewing their study guide on Slavery and pre-Civil War America.
Writing: Students are beginning to take their Doggy World research and synthesizing it into a research article.
Leader Notebooks: We are going to put in plenty of work with our Leader Notebooks in the next two weeks, mainly to prepare us for Student-led conferences. Conferences this year will be held on November 15th and 17th.
Speaking of which, the conference scheduler will open for scheduling on Wednesday, October 26th at 1 a.m. (in case you wanted to stay up late for the event ;-). It will close on Wednesday, November 9th. I will post the link to Southdale6.com when it becomes available.
The 6th grade participates in Student-Led Conferences, which means that we expect your student to be at conferences to walk you through their Leader Notebooks, Grades, and Social expectations. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions and get feedback from me. As always, if you have a concern, please do not hesitate to email me ASAP-
I'm having such a blast with your student this year; thanks again for sending me your very best every day. I can't tell you what a privilege and honor it is to teach your child each and every day!
--
Matthew Switzer
6th Grade Teacher,
Southdale Elementary
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