Feline like reading?

I have heard through the grapevine that some of my new sixth graders are not feline like reading their summer books. Oh my goodness, I can NOT imagine not wanting to read! By reading, you can go anywhere, do anything, and imagine everything possible! Through reading just this summer I have traveled through time on the Blue Comet to the Great Depression, I have runaway from home and walked across Michigan in search of a missing father, I have learned about the Radium Girls and how they impacted worker safety, and I have read countless other books in preparation for the coming school year.

I am so looking forward to hearing about your reading adventures, but I am also worried that you might now have any. Some of you have already accepted my invitation to share one of your adventures by posting a note on this Padlet Wall. If you haven't done that yet, please visit HERE. You can read about your classmates' reading adventures as well as post your own.

If you're still NOT feline like reading then you need to meet the Internet's newest viral sensation:

Max, the Library Cat. 

BE LIKE MAX! 

Why do I say this? 

Just READ HERE.

Max wants to be at the library!

Gr. 6 ELA/Religion Supply List

updated 6/1/19

The following supplies should be brought to English Language Arts class EACH day
so that students are prepared for whatever is needed for lessons.
If a supply is used up during the course of the year, it does need to be replenished
as soon as possible.

COLLEGE-ruled COMPOSITION Notebook
(grade six needs TWO, one for ELA and one for Religion).
Ideally, this notebook is the one that students should have.
It is specifically made to be an interactive notebook such as what I have my students do.

https://www.fivestardirect.us/fivestar/browse/product?prodId=09460

Blue or black pens

Dixon or Ticonderoga pencils

Colored pencils

Small package of crayons

Fine black Sharpie

Ultra-fine black Sharpie

Elmer’s all purpose glue (no glue sticks)

Loose leaf paper and a folder in which to keep it

Package of 3x5  index cards

Package of small post-it notes

Scotch tape

Pair of inexpensive headphones or earbuds

Scissors (Wescott or Fiskars)

Highlighter (any color)

Ruler

Eraser (pink pearl style)

Pencil Sharpener

Small box in which to keep these supplies

Sixth Grade Summer Reading Fun

Updated June 1, 2019

I hope this post  finds you well and enjoying the lazy, hazy days of summer break. I'll be posting periodically throughout the summer with fun and engaging activities to help your student avoid the summer slide and continue his/her learning progress. Hopefully your student has selected a Newbery book to read. If not, it might be a good time to select the first one and begin reading soon (see the post below this one for more information regarding these books). When he/she has selected their first book, please have them visit this page to complete the survey:

https://padlet.com/teachersdesk6/summernewbery19

Available at this post is a fun reading log for your student to complete. Simply download the file and print it out. Have your student follow the directions on the page and bring it to school on the FIRST day for a small reward.

Happy Summer!

Summer Reading Assignments

UPDATED June 1, 2019

Although summer is here, student learning never stops! To help foster continued learning and increased skill development, students in grs. 5-7 have been assigned summer reading homework.

Students in current grade FIVE (incoming sixth graders), please click HERE to access the letter detailing your summer reading assignment and book list. If you have questions about the assignment, please feel free to contact me via email or phone/text (info. on the letter) or by leaving a message below.

Additionally, incoming sixth graders, check THIS BLOG POST for a list of your needed supplies.

English Festival 2017-2018

I am pleased to announce the reading selections for the 2017-2018 Ashtabula County English Festival. Seventh (and hopefully eighth) grade students will be participating in this challenging, yet engaging annual literary activity. Students will be reading all six of the following  books during the upcoming school year as part of their English classes. We will analyze, discuss, and quiz each book in preparation for the festival held in mid-March 2018.

I will have multiple copies of each book available in my classroom for student use as soon as the order arrives; however, students often opt to purchase their own copies, particularly digital copies, or check them out of the local libraries. Above each book cover below is a clickable link to Amazon where you can read more about each book, sample a few pages, or purchase a personal copy. Current grade six students MUST read at least one of these titles over the summer and be prepared to complete a fun and engaging activity upon returning for the next school year. As of now (this may change come June 7th), it is STRONGLY SUGGESTED that current grade seven students read at least one of these titles over the summer in preparation for the upcoming school year.

I am looking forward to reading each book and preparing lessons and activities over the summer.

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

Night on Fire by Ronald Kidd

The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century by Sarah Miller

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

HAPPY READING!

Science Study for Our Changing Earth

Embedded below is a window into Quizlet, an online app that allows teachers to post vocabulary words and students to practice them in fun and unique ways. Currently posted are a set of 12 science terms for Our Changing Earth: Weathering, Erosion, and Tectonic Plates.

The activity in the window is called LEARN, a definition is posted and students must type the word on the space provided. At the bottom of the window can be found  CHOOSE A STUDY MODE. This is a drop down menu of alternate study activities. The bars at the upper right of the window allow you to customize the activity and/or to start over.

We will be using Quizlet in class through the end of the school year for Science material as a fun, engaging way to encourage students to study vocabulary.

What's even more fun than practicing on the computer like this is practicing on a personal device! Visit Quizlet and download an app for Android or iOS.

Photo-ops

Lots of pictures from recent activities.

Hard Boiled Earth

Chi Rho Fish (Toaster Oven Science) 

STEM at United Skates of America