I apologize for not sending out the TWIS for a couple of weeks... I'll do my best to get those out every week from here on out. As part of my penance, I'll give you a couple of freebies at the bottom of this email. Thanks for your support in our learning this year so far! Some quick news:
- Student-led conferences are coming up on March 7th and March 9th. Make sure you reserve a time by CLICKING HERE or visiting Southdale6.com and clicking on the Online Conference Scheduler button.
- We had a field trip last week to view a dress rehearsal of Peet JH's Cabaret show- What fun! We are also heading to Gallagher-Bluedorn on Monday to watch a play on the life of baseball great Jackie Robinson.
- I am still collecting Hy-Vee receipts for school. Send those anytime!
Here's This Week in Switzer:
TL;DR- Reading and learning about arguments, Math is looking at percents, Wax Museum will happen during conferences, and Science experiments with Chocolate Chip cookies!
Reader's Workshop: Students have been researching arguments and have been looking at topics ranging from our ethical use of plastics, to space and undersea exploration, to saving sharks or saving humans, to the risk involved in extreme sports. Students have had two debates already over these topics, and are finding out that good arguments will include information from lots of resources. Our class has also been arguing on whether video games are good for kids or not... some interesting conversations there! My freebies below may help with this conversation at home...
Math: Students are beginning to understand percents and how they work. Please help us with this concept by asking your student to calculate percents in everyday life- coupons, sales tax, and discounts. Have your student estimate those totals... I typically ask them to estimate a number they know is reasonably too high, and a number that is reasonably too low, before they make their actual estimation. Talking about this practical concept at home will help our students as we uncover the idea behind percents.
Writing/ Social Studies: Students are focusing on their Wax Museum projects- I sent home a blue informational sheet for the project last week with your student (ask them about it if you have yet to see it). The work for the project will be done here at school, including the poster board, so we can provide the most support and direction possible. Students should begin looking for ways to "dress" as their Wax Museum character, and for a "button" that gets pushed to "activate" the speech.
My son, who was in 6th grade last year, borrowed my old suit jacket and tie to portray Henry Ford. We made a button from an old light switch attached to an electrical box. Don't feel obligated to overthink this part of the Wax Museum- it's really about learning that everyone has the potential to make a positive impact in our world.
Science: We're finishing up our cookie lab by making claims about our research and finding experts on the internet to verify our refute our claims. We are graphing our data, and making conclusions based on our experiment. I've been really impressed by our thinking and deductions as to why our cookies turned out the way they did. Thanks for your help with this lab! Feel free to ask your student about the process of science. After spring break, we'll begin looking at Cellular Biology and the Human Body.
As promised- a couple freebies to help you, as parents, to navigate the world of video games, internet enabled devices, and to protect our children from the dangers posed by the internet. I use these resources with my own children, and hope they can be of help to you.
- Common Sense Media (CLICK HERE) is a non-profit organization website devoted to providing resources and education to parents and schools when it comes to best practices for anything related to media (video games, movies, tv, cell phones, cyber safety, digital citizenship, etc.). The site is a wealth of information, research, and activities parents can be with their kids when it comes to being safe in a digital world. Like I tell my kids, just because we can do something, doesn't mean we should- this is especially true when it comes to media consumption. Feel free to check out this incredible resource for parents.
- Our Pact (CLICK HERE) is a FREE iPhone/ Android app that allows parents to control their children's devices- when they have access to apps, the internet, and more. I use Our Pact with my son who has an iPhone, and my daughters who each have iPods. I set a schedule when they can use those items, and can control which apps are available to use. I pair this app with the Family App Store services software that comes with Apple devices to make sure my kids are not exposed to apps that they aren't ready for.
A quick warning- this is for internet enabled devices only, and doesn't take the place of a good conversation with our kids about appropriate use of cell phones.
Have a fantastic week- and as always, thank you for sending me your incredible kids everyday!
Matthew Switzer
6th Grade Teacher,
Southdale Elementary
