This page will chronicle our classroom learning this year!
I have enjoyed doing a separate tab/page for the 180 Day Project so far this year. I am noticing that I am posting the same pictures on both the home page and the 180 Day Project page, so I have decided to just post the pictures here on the home page for the rest of the year. I will leave the 180 Day Project tab open so you can refer back to it in case you go there for certain items. Thanks!
Day 55 - Yesterday we were broken into teams for our Biomes projects.
Day 54 - Here are the ZPD sticker equivalents from our library for your scholar. These are the levels that they choose their books from.
Day 53 - We are working on dividing fractions and mixed numbers.
Day 52 - Here is a picture of a smashed pie all over my face because our 6th graders smashed their AR goal!
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Day 51 - We are continuing to work on our argumentative writings.
Day 50 - Today we learned about intensive pronouns.
Day 49 - Today we learned about reflexive pronouns.
Day 48 - Today we continued our work on diving with fractions. Here is an example of our work.
Day 47 - We have now had our second Science Fair Project teacher presentation. Last week Mrs. Clark presented to all of our classes.
Day 46 - Below are a few pictures from our Module 2 group work.
Day 45 - We have finished our Geologist poster as a class. Below are the two items that are hanging on our Think Like a Disciplinarian wall.
Day 44 - As you can see we have been adding to our Think Like a Disciplinarian wall. Below is what we have learned about Anthropologists.
Day 43 - Today we started Number Systems in Math. Below are pictures of our math today. We are now dividing with fractions! Lots of fun!
Day 42 - On Tuesday we will be Thinking Like a Disciplinarian. We will learn about how geologists think.
Day 41 - Our next Think Different person will be Buzz Aldrin. All scholars need to come to class on the assigned day with their research about Buzz Aldrin and how he made a difference in our society.
Day 40 - I want to encourage you all to attend the Rockin' & Reading Festival put on locally this Friday.
Day 39 - This week our Think Different person is Jane Goodall. All scholars need to come to class prepared to discuss Jane Goodall's contributions to society.
Day 38 - Today I would like to show you what your scholar's DLW test looks like every Friday. I tell them how many mistakes there are in each line of the paragraph. After a set amount of time the scholars exchange papers and then we grade them together under the overhead projector.
Day 37 - Today we took our Map Test. Your scholar should have the new study guide with them today. They will have a test on this next Friday.
Day 36 - Today Ms. Shari came and did a lesson with us on recycling called "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Below you will see our piece of recycled paper we made with her.
Day 35 - This week we are busy Benchmark Testing in the classroom and in the computer lab several days. Make sure your scholar has a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast.
Day 34 - I wanted to show many of you how the curriculum is being differentiated for the GATE scholars in our classroom. This is a neat explanation in nutshell.
Day 33 - Today I attended a GATE meeting where we worked on the District Plan. One of the great resources I took from the meeting was information that explains the Frames that we use in the classroom.
Day 32 - Today we continued to discuss the Science Fair project from yesterday afternoon. All scholars must complete an individual Science Fair project. Below are pictures of completed projects. The school has already purchased the project boards for each scholar.
Day 31 - Today we went to the cafeteria with the other GATE scholars to watch a Science Fair project demonstration by Mrs. Sitko. The scholars took notes and learned the steps they will need to complete when they do their Science Fair project next quarter. All scholars are required to do a Science Fair project.
Day 30 - Today we started to read Homeless Bird and put up our new Quotation Poster. Scholars will write their favorite quotes from the book, the quotes that made an impact or a strong feeling emerged when they read it. As you can see below the scholars have fun with this activity. Our completed A Long Walk to Water Quotation Poster is below.
Day 29 - Today we reviewed the difference between Tone and Mood in literature. Tone is the author's attitude toward the writing and the readers. Mood is the general atmosphere created by the author's words. It is how the reader feels when reading the text. Below is an anchor chart we used to review these concepts.
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Day 28 - Today we reviewed the Ratios and Proportions concepts we have worked on so far this quarter. Our District Benchmark is coming up in the next two weeks and scholars will be working with Ratios for the Benchmark. Please take time to review this with your scholar.
Day 27 - Today we reviewed what the THEME of a story is. It is the message, moral, or lesson learned from the story.
Day 26 - Today we worked on Ratios and Conversions. Below are a few pictures from our lesson.
Day 25 - Today we went over our CLOSE Reading Marks. These are the marks we use while we are doing CLOSE reading in class. As you will notice in the picture below the CLOSE reading marks are all based on our Depth and Complexity Prompts. There is also a picture of the steps of CLOSE reading. These are all posted in the classroom.
Day 24 - Today I wanted to spotlight our new Prompts. They are called Content Imperatives. Please ask your scholar where the Prompts are located in the classroom and go over them. There are only 5 new ones: Convergence, Origin, Parallel, Contribution, Paradox. The second picture below show you how we use the Content Imperatives.
Day 23 - Today we created our new Think Like A Disciplinarian poster. We worked on learning what an archaeologist studies, the tools they use, the vocabulary they are surrounded by, and the skills they need.
Day 22 - We are continuing to work on Ratios in math. Today we learned that Rate is a ratio of two quantities, a Unit Rate is the value of the ratio, and a Rate Unit is the two things being compared in the ratio. Below are two pictures of Lesson 16 that the scholars asked me to post today. On the right it describes each of the new terms being used. On the left we worked out a couple of problems together.
Day 21 - Today we worked in groups to complete math problems involving ratios. Scholars we're put in small groups and asked to solve a ratio problem by crating a table, double number line, and plotting the coordinates on a graph. They really had fun learning from one another. Make sure you study, tomorrow will be a math quiz on the same thing!
Day 20 - Today in math we learned how to take a ratio table, equation, or double number line diagram to create ordered pairs. These ordered pairs can then be graphed on a coordinate plane as a representation of the ratio. Below you will see a picture of the lesson I did with the scholars and a scholar's work afterwards.
Day 19 - Today the 6th grade teachers challenged the 6th grade scholars to read 350 points on AR by the end of the first quarter. If the scholars meet our challenge, the top scholar in each class will get to smash a pie in their teacher's face in front of the other 6th graders. Good luck scholars!
Day 18- We have been working hard with math. We have been learning how to use a double number line with ratios. Practice with your scholar plotting the ratios below on a double number line. We have not do the fractions yet. Try to plot only the equivalent ratios on the number line.
Day 17 - Today I wanted to show you our Random Acts of Kindness board. The scholars are asked to do a random act of kindness for someone every week. They are given an opportunity to put their act of kindness on the board each week.
Day 16 - Today we were working on our Passion Projects during our Genius Hour. We will complete 4 Passion Projects this year, one per quarter. Below you will see our Genius Hour wall and an up close look at the forms your scholar has been filling out to narrow down their Passion Project.
Day 15 - Today I wanted to remind you about our Habits of a Scholar. The poster below is hanging in our classroom. This year we are implementing the Habits of a Scholar in all of the GATE classrooms. Please help your scholar remember that these are part of our classroom expectations to help your child succeed in and out of the classroom.
Day 14 - Today I wanted to point out a section of our classroom. We have sentence stems posted at the front of our room for scholars to use daily. Please encourage your child to speak to you in complete sentences. I continually expect my scholars to answer and speak in complete sentences not just say YES or NO. Speaking with your child daily in complete sentences and having them speak to you only in complete sentences will help them greatly in school.
Day 13 - Today we took our second Geography Test. Scholars will test every Friday on a different region of the world. Below you can see a scholar's test from today and the study guide your child should have in their binder. Please encourage them to study this guide every day to help them do well on our tests.
Day 12 - Today we had a guest speaker for Science. Ms. Shari is from the IERCD (Inland Empire Resource Conservation District). She will come to our classroom 8 times this year and do special lessons with the scholars that align with the New Generation Science Standards. Ask your scholar today about her presentation on Water Conservation.
Day 11- Today we started our graphic organizer for Unit 1 in Social Studies. We will continue to add to it as we study Early Man. The big idea of the unit is "How does technology change people's lives?" We are also looking deeper and want to know "What is the relationship between technology and change?" "Relationships" is the Universal Theme for the GATE classrooms this quarter. Look at the homepage of this blog for links to videos that will enhance your scholar's learning in Social Studies.
Day 10 - Today we continued our reading of A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park. It is a book that parallels two different stories, during two different time periods, of children in Southern Sudan. The scholars are following Nya and Salva and their journeys. Below is the book and a new project we have started this year. Every time we read a new novel, scholars will pick a quote from the story that grabs their attention or has meaning to them. They will then write the quote on a paper I have hanging on our Language Arts board. When the novel is finished we will hang the poster we created in the room for the rest of the year. Ask your scholar to tell you the story of Nya and Salva.
Day 9 - Today I was able to present to other GATE teachers in our district when I attended our first GATE training. I learned about many valuable resources for our classroom.
Day 8 - Today we continued to work on Ratios. Below is a picture of the anchor chart for 6.RP.1 that we are using in our class. It may help you at home as well.
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