Friday, December 14th

Looking Back:

Math:

• Fractions, Decimals and Percent conversions and number line quiz
• Comparing decimals
• Intro to Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions - booklet of work went home to be started but does not need to be finished

Science

• Fingerprint analysis
• Tire track analysis
• Fabric analysis

Humanities

• Humanities Athens Quiz Part 1, Multiple Choice and Part 2, Short Answer. Scores will continue to be posted on power school over the next day or two.
• Students have worked hard with their partner on the book review presentations for next week.  Some very creative and thoughtful work is happening.  Please remember that this is NOT a retelling of the story in writing or in spoken presentation. The focus is on the relationships between character, problem/conflict and how this can relate and connect to real life.  It is wonderful to see kids have so much fun with a book! Many are asking to stay in at lunch time or even stay late after school to keep working! 
• Practice with editing for first two qualities of writing, Conventions and Organization using "Proofreading Marks"
• 6-2 did a Home Journal entry, 6-1 did not write this week.  They will do theirs on Monday.

Looking Forward:

Thursday we are going to make holiday shirts!
- bring a shirt to decorate! T-shirt, long sleeve, sweater, sweatshirt.... 
- During period 6 we will use our creativity and collaboration to make ourselves fun "Holiday Shirts"
- Bring any odds and ends you have at home or decide to pick up from the dollar store that you'd like to add to your shirt. 
- Decorations, fabric markers, sequins, stamps, ornaments, fabric paint, pom poms, etc.

Humanities:

• Introduction to the next unit of study, The Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy.
• Book Review Presentations
• Self, peer assessment/reflection of collaboration process and how to manage time and work load in collaboration project work
• Editing practice on the two specific qualities of writing (Conventions, Organization), intro to next quality (Content)
• Circle Share and Tell, what we think we know or want to know
• Vocabulary : Confederacy, Consensus, Indigenous, Haudenosaunee/Iroquois, Longhouse

Math:

• Improper fractions and Mixed numbers
• Fraction work with fraction blocks and rods
• Conversion and number line assessment

Science

• Soil analysis
• Footprint analysis
• Chromatography
• Handwriting analysis (Graphology)
• The secret word this week is helicopter
• Evidence and Investigation test - Thursday, Dec 20th

Important Notes:

• Monday, Dec 17 - Pajamas and Hot Chocolate Day - bring your own mug
• Thursday, Dec 20 - Talent Show (period 5)
• Friday, Dec 21 - last day of classes before break, 6-1 and 6-2 are invited but not required to bring in a snack to share during the last 2 periods of the day/morning.
• Monday, Jan 7 - PD Day - No school
• Tuesday, Jan 8 - First day back to school after break

Checking Student Progress on PowerSchool

There has been a lot of confusion about how to check student progress in PowerSchool. We as teachers continue to learn and try different ways of using this tool to communicate, however there are many ways we assess that do not show through Powerschool.

When you log into PowerSchool to view your child's progress, the screen shows all of the courses your child is enrolled in.  The first column is “Semester 1”.  (S1)

To view assignments from now until the first report card, click the small (i) in this column.  This will give more information about the course you want to see. 

If there is one number to the right of the assignment, this is likely not the "mark". This number may just indicate the number of criteria your child was assessed on for a specific assignment.

To see the marks click this blue graph (some assignments do not have outcome marks, they may just have “collected”/”missing”/”late” markers, or only comments.

The small blue speech bubble means there is a comment on the student’s work

Click the word “view” to see the comments and the assignment description