Myanmar

As we have studied about ancient India this week, we've learned about the beginnings of Buddhism. We've also been trying to focus on compassion and what it means to open our hearts and minds to the suffering and pain in the world. And so it is that we must notice and feel for those of our brothers and sisters far away, across the globe in Myanmar, as they struggle for freedom...

Plant Parts Salad Project

6th Grade Science – Plant Parts Salad Project
Directions: As we begin our study of seed plants and work to understand plant parts and their functions, we will look carefully at a variety of plant parts that we often use as foods. Please choose one of the foods from this list and bring it to school on Friday. It will be helpful if whatever you bring is washed before you bring it to school. Thank you.

Shopping List

_______ Asparagus
_______ Lettuce (Green Leaf).
_______ Avocadoes
_______ Lettuce (Iceberg)
_______ Artichokes
_______ Lettuce (Red Leaf)
_______ Green Beans.
_______ Lettuce (Romaine)
_______ Potatoes (Sweet)
_______ Beets
_______ Mushrooms (Shiitake)
_______ Radishes (White)
_______ Broccoli
_______ Mushrooms (Portabella)
_______ Radishes (Red)
_______ Bok Choy (Baby)
________ Onions (Green)
_______ Spinach
_______ Cabbages (Red)
_______ Onions (Red)
_______ Sprouts (Alfalfa)
_______ Cabbages (Green)
_______ Parsley
_______ Sprouts (Bean)
_______ Carrots
_______ Peas (Snow)
_______ Squashes (Yellow)
_______ Carrots (Petite)
_______ Peas (Sugar Snap)
_______ Squashes (Zucchini)
_______ Cauliflower
_______ Peppers (Green Bell)
_______ Tomatoes
_______ Celery
_______ Peppers (Jalapeno)
_______ Turnips
_______ Corn (Yellow)
_______ Peppers (Red Bell)

Plant a Sock

One of our current science projects involves "Planting a Sock," and although it sounds a little strange, it is a great experiment. The results are due by October 8th, so if you haven't planted your sock yet, you need to get going soon! If you need more information, or are just not sure about the details, here's the link to the site on line: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/sockseeds.html

Personal Hygiene Poster Project Assignment

6th Grade Health: Product Poster: Directions: Now that you know some of the kinds of concerns that you need to pay attention to related to your own personal hygiene, take an inventory of the products that you might use to take care of these daily routines. What are the hygiene products that you can use to care for your skin, hair, and nails? Choose one or two products and create an attractive and informative poster centered on that product. Requirements: 1) Your poster should describe the product that you are working with: § What it the purpose of this product? § Who manufactures this product? § Does this product make any special claims that would cause you to use it instead of a similar product for the same purpose? § Does this product have any special or important or extra “healthful” ingredients? § Is there anything in this product that you should be worried about using? § Why do you choose this product? 2) How do you/or your family usually buy this product § Do you buy it or does someone in your family purchase it? § Does the whole family use it? § Can you buy it at any store or do you have to get it somewhere special? § Do you know what it costs? 3) Would you recommend this product to others? Why or why not? 4) Illustrate your poster with appropriate graphics. You could use the product label, pictures of people using the product, etc. Your poster should be bright, colorful, attractive, and easy to read and understand. Rubric

Studying Graphing and Culture

We've been busy these last couple of weeks.

We've begun our mathematics studies with data and graphs and so we needed to collect some real data to work with. One of the ways students did that was to get busy and measure things about themselves -- things like the circumference of their heads and the span of their arms for instance. They then took this data and used it to make a whole series of different graphs which were presented to the class. That same data will be used again in a few days when we consider measures of central tendency as we calculate mean, median, mode, and range. Look:

Studying culture began, for us, with a look at the "family" culture that we all come from. So, students brought in special items or stories or traditions or timelines from their families to share with the class. This gave us a sense of how our own "culture" has been passed on to each of us from parents and grandparents and great grandparents. In sharing, we came to appreciate the diversity of our community and to also understand some of the things that we share in common. We saw special quilts and baptismal gowns. We heard the histories of families descended from artists and kings and warriors. We got to listen to a taped interview with a grandparent and we saw wonderful old newspaper articles and photographs and cookbooks -- just to mention a few of the treasured gifts that were shared during this first month. We even learned about the Tucker Automobile and the radio made especially for it. A few of the moments that were shared in our classroom:

Octosquid?

This post was originally from July of 2007. Several of my students wanted a chance to see this newly discovered species, so I've reposted it here... Enjoy! Look at this! An animal that looks like some sort of half octopus, half squid was found in the ocean at Keahole Point in Hawaii. Local biologists think that it could possibly be a new species, but so far, no one has been able to identify it. This creature seems to have gotten sucked up into a deep seawater pipeline at the Natural Energy Laboratory Authority at Keahole, Hawaii. The pipeline pumps cold water up from 3,000 feet below sea level. Every now and then, deep-sea animals get caught in a filter in the line. Workers who discovered this one are calling it an "octosquid" because it has the body of a squid and the tentacles of an octopus. The octosquid only lived for three days once it was found by researchers. Now, it will be sent to the University of Hawaii for further tests and study. Richard Young, who is a professor at the University said that the specimen tentatively belongs to the genus Mastigoteuthis, but that the species not yet determined.

Characteristics for Mastigoteuthis:

Arms -- with expanded lateral membranes which form tentacular sheaths. Tentacles -- virtually cyclindrical; with suckers in many irregular series (30 or more in some species). Funnel -- locking-apparatus oval, usually with knobs affecting the shape of the depression in the funnel component in different species; specific shape varies with species. Fins -- large to very large, with terminal position. Tail -- Short tail present (often absent due to damage during capture). Photophores -- present on eyeball or eyelid

The Young Americans are Coming

The Young Americans are coming! This will be a wonderful opportunity for students to work with touring performers, and get some "showtime" experience themselves. The Young Americans don't come around every year and so for the group of young people who are in the 6th grade this year, this will very likely be their last opportunity to have this experience. It should be a fun and exciting few days, well worth the effort to make it happen. Don't miss your chance! Don't be shy. Don't let this one pass you by. If you are worried about expenses, there are "scholarship" options available -- just check in the school office.

Kids Talking About... Being Busy

I found a great site with lots of information about all sorts of topics. One of the interesting things that I found there were articles based on surveys of "kids" about the things that impact their lives. The survey results are then analyzed and that information is taken and put into short, easy to read pieces about the subject at hand.

This particular article is all about "Being Busy." I think that "busy-ness" can be something that all of us have to think about and figure out how to manage in our lives. It really is true that, as young people get older and older, their schedules become more and more full with all sorts of competing demands on their time and their energies. That is a real and serious fact of our lives.

I listened this last week as students talked about the upcoming weekend -- scheduled full with events and travel and committments of all kinds -- and, of course, trying to figure out how they would "fit in" the demands of school work along side of all of that. It is a challenge, and one that does not get easier as our lives get more full and the demands of school and family and community increase. Finding ways to plan effectively and schedule carefully and selectively are all important. Keeping a neat and orderly plan book and/or a personal calendar can help. Still, there are only so many hours in the day, and only so much energy available to each one of us. Deciding what can fit into a busy life, and what cannot possibly be included is not only an important skill, sometimes it is a critical one.

Nasco Math 24Game Challenge

Do you like math games? Here's a challenge for you!

Nasco Math is giving away weekly prizes in an online 24Game(r) challenge.

To play, go to this site.

You can play the game and enter your answer every week. I think the way this works is that there will be weekly winners, and then I think there will be a classroom size game given away for the individual or class that wins it for 24 weeks.

August Assignments -- Archive

August 31, 2008 Math-63: Review data about our presidents and decide what you will choose to work with to create a bar graph. August 30, 2008 Math -63: Finish your adding machine tape graph "piece." It should have your name, your height in centimeters, a self-portrait, and 25 things about you.Math-64: Review data about our presidents and decide what you will choose to work with to create a bar graph.Science-- write a detailed description of your "object." August 29, 2008Math -64: Finish your adding machine tape graph "piece." It should have your name, your height in centimeters, a self-portrait, and 25 things about you. August 28, 2007Cover your books. Have forms signed.

How Good is Your Memory?

Memory and the ability to remember connections and details are important keys to learning. How we learn to remember has been the subject of much research and study. Most of us know some tricks and techniques to help us remember lists of things, people's names, important details, etc. However we do it, memory is a topic that I find intriguing. Here's a simple, short little memory quiz that you can take to test how well you remember "details." Why not check it out and see how you do? I scored 80%. A Memory Quiz