Gulf Oil Spill News

There is so much news coming through hour by hour as the oil spill disaster continues in the Gulf of Mexico. The shores and wetlands all along the Gulf are being covered with the thick, tarry oil. People who live in the region, and depend on fishing and ocean-related industries for their livelihoods are in dire financial trouble. Birds, turtles and sea-dwelling species are being coated with oil. Some have been rescued. Many others have died and continue to die. I hope that, as you relax and enjoy your summer, you are also watching the news and reading the various reports. This is such an important event. I don't think anyone can really predict how this will effect all of us over time, but it makes sense that each of us pay attention and if the opportunity presents itself to help, I know you will do that as well... here are some websites that might be interesting to you as you follow the story of this disaster: BP Oil Spill: Daily Dead Wildlife Tally Oil Spill Tracker See the Oil Spill from Space

We Had Such a Great Year!

I cannot believe the year is over. It seems like our time together went very quickly. I am so awfully proud of all of you -- for all you learned and all the ways you helped me and one another. You are very special young people, and I will miss you... I hope you have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer. Take time to dream and plan. Do the things you love to do. Spend good time with friends and family. Pay attention to the world around you. Don't forget to stop in room 204 and say "Hi" next fall... Ms. Daniel

Reconciliation Goals for 6th Grade

Here are the goals that 6th grade students set for our class this year. As we come to the end of the school year, it is good to look back at where we've been and evaluate how we've done. Review these goals that our class chose to work on this year, and then leave your comment about how you see these goals being met (or not) this year. KINDNESS GOAL -- I will not gossip, and I won't listen to those who spread gossip. CONFLICT RESOLUTION GOAL -- I will stop choosing sides. HELPFULNESS GOAL -- I will be a better student, a better friend, and more helpful to others. INCLUSION GOAL -- I will work to eliminate drama, exclusion, and gossip.

Visiting with the Delegation from China

We had the opportunity to spend time with students from China last week. Although our students found that language presented a challenge on both sides, it didn't take long for them to find ways to communicate. We shared greetings in Chinese and Spanish, asked and answered a lot of questions, played Heads Up Seven Up, and danced the Macarena, the Bunny Hop, and the Hokey Pokey. Mostly, we laughed a lot and made friends.

Studying Tropisms in Plants

One of the topics for 6th grade life science is Plants. As students study how plants grow, they come to understand that plants exhibit a number of behaviors that are called tropisms. Tropisms are specific responses to environmental influences. One of these is the response to light stimuli that causes a plant to "follow" or "seek" the light. We are in the midst of an experiment that has students observing the growth and reactions of pinto bean plants to an environment that provides very limited light from a very controlled direction. To do this, students have constructed "light" boxes from shoeboxes. The boxes have relatively small holes cut into the top or side, and then a further light diverting baffle placed on the inside. As the bean plants grow, it is possible to see the effect of the tropism for light sensitivity.

Measurement Mania -- Flying Saucers

One of the activities of our Measurement Mania event was building flying saucers. Students made flying saucers from circles cut out of poster board. We didn't have time to test fly them on that day, but now that our springtime weather has improved, we have gone out and measured how far our saucers fly. Students also had the opportunity to modify their saucers and examine what changing their saucer designs would make. Lots of measuring and lots of discussing what the data that they collected might mean...

Measurement Mania

The very first day after spring break, we staged a daylong event that we called "Measurement Mania." Students, working in small groups, worked their way through a series of six different hands on activites -- all related to measurement. They investigated a crime scene, made flying saucers, built sand clocks, created scale models of traditional Chinese courtyard houses, plotted the change in the mass of chewing gum as it is chewed, and calculated the volume of boxes as their dimensions changed. We had the help of a great, very game group of parent volunteers, and the students had a great time. Here are some pictures taken that day --