6th Grade Learning Previews - February 2020
Posted on 02/04/2020
Science: Mr. Phil Nerboso
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Currently, students are learning that rock layers and fossils are valuable sources of evidence about the history of Earth as well as past environments and climate. Our young scientists learn about how sedimentary rocks are formed, the Law of Superposition, how fossils are formed and how fossils can be used to determine the relative age of rock layers. (Students need this background information for our next lesson when they begin to figure out Wegener’s mystery.) Students pull all of this evidence together as they learn about the geologic time scale and create posters describing the Earth through time. Also, students will investigate scientists that study rocks and fossils to see how our thinking about the Earth has changed over time. See what your young scientist can tell you about rock layers and fossils!
Social Studies: Ms. Gisel Saillant
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This week students will be working on their Mesopotamia unit project. The unit project is a document-based-question (DBQ) performance assessment. This DBQ will focus on the Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest recorded examples of written law. The DBQ asks students to examine primary and secondary source documents in order to answer an analytical question, is the code of Hammurabi fair? Be sure to ask your student what they think is most interesting about Mesopotamia. And, as the unit progresses, ask them to tell you their opinion on Hammurabi? Was he fair? What makes them think that?
Project details:
–DBQ essay should be 5 paragraphs (intro,three body paragraphs,conclusion).
–Students will work on this essay during social studies class.
–The expected homework will be unfinished classroom tasks.
–Their essay will be typed on a Google document.
–Google docs autosave and it is shared with me.
–The essay is 45% of their grade and the tentative due date Monday, Feb 10th, 2020.
ELA: Dan Tobin, aka Mr. Tobin
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As we approach the break, we’re finishing reading our books in book clubs. From there, we’ll write an essay comparing how a theme is expressed in two texts. Students will have a choice of comparing their book club book to Seedfolks, or to an independent reading book they have completed in sixth grade. This task will have the added benefit of being a good preparation for the MCAS exam students will be taking in March or April. After February vacation, the class will be reading Lois Lowry’s classic dystopian novel, The Giver. Before break, ask your student what they think of the characters in their book and if they think they are like them in any way. After break, you can ask them what they think about the characters in the Giver, who they like or dislike and why.
Math: Ms. Alexandra Spencer
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During the month of February we will be moving onto our fifth unit: Arithmetic in Base Ten. Students will become fluent with multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting with decimals. We will launch our new unit with tasking students to create a dinner party menu using real-life grocery store prices and a budget. Ask your student what they chose to have at their party or to identify their biggest challenge with shopping on a budget!