Communication

I am starting to feel a little like this fellow...

This week, I have 22 students who have not returned their signed notes indicating that parents have seen their graded homework packets -- over half! That means that I will spend class time again tomorrow checking with those students and trying to get them to bring in those signed notes. I hope a few more will be returned. And likely more on Thursday, and probably, I will end up assigning some sort of "penalty" assignment because some significant number of them will not ever return those notes that I so diligiently produce every single week.

I think it is important for me to keep parents informed of the work that their students are doing in my classes. I think it is important for parents to be able to see what students are turning in -- or not turning in. I think it is a valuable thing for parents to be informed about upcoming tests and classroom events. That is why I try to be so consistent with those weekly packets. Clearly, though, some students do not feel any particular pressure at home to PRODUCE that weekly packet of graded work and the note from me that accompanies it.

Sigh. That is a significant tool for me to communicate with parents. If it doesn't get home on a regular basis, the loop is broken. I can't be sure that parents know what's happening with their students. In fact, I become pretty suspicious that parents probably really don't know what their student is doing in my class. Otherwise, I'd be getting those notes back -- every week. Without fail.

Music Hall

Tomorrow we'll head off to Music Hall for our annual field trip to enjoy the musical artistry of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. If you don't know much about the actual building itself, here's just a little bit of the "history" and story behind this lovely Cincinnati landmark --

Built in 1878 with private money raised from what is believed to be the nation's first matching grant fund drive, this Cincinnati showpiece has been renovated and updated and includes what is judged to be among the best and most beautiful concert theaters in the world.
Springer Auditorium - The Springer Auditorium is known the world over for its extraordinary acoustics and its lavish old world decor. With its plush seating for 3,516, it serves as home for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Opera and the May Festival Chorus, among other local performing arts organizations. In addition, throughout the year it hosts a large number of touring performances, conferences, concerts and awards ceremonies. The fully-equipped stage with a complete lighting system, hydraulically-operated orchestra pit and roomy backstage area make any type of production or performance possible.

Seven Ethical Tests

There almost always comes a time in the sixth grade year when students begin to find themselves facing choices about a variety of issues. It just seems that, as young people reach the age of 11 or 12, there are things that have previously been defined by parents that, increasingly, become more a matter for students to control for themselves. This is the time of the year when students have to determine what to do about including others, what to do about handling their responsibilities, what to do about being honest and fair, what to do about treating others with kindness and respect, and what to decide about things like cheating on assignments and tests.

One recent study that I read about asked students in the upper primary grades and in middle school to answer questions like these:

1. We are playing Monopoly and I roll a 2 with the dice. If I move there then I land on someone's property. If I land there, I have to pay somebody money. Is it okay if I just go ahead one more space? 2. You are asked to draw a picture in Art class. The teacher wants you to draw a picture of a cat but you are not very good at it. You ask your friend to draw it for you. The art teacher thinks you drew the picture and gives you a good grade. Is that okay? 3. You are out on the playground and see a toy like a hot wheel, beanie baby, or a pair of sunglasses that someone left outside. No one is going to see you pick up this toy, so you get it and take it home with you. Is that okay? 4. Your mom and dad see that you have a new toy and they know they didn't buy it for you. They ask you where you got it. You tell them a friend gave it to you. You don't tell them you found it on the way home and just picked it up. Is that okay? 5. You are taking a test in spelling. You don't know how to spell a word. The person sitting next to you has the answer. The teacher is not looking at you so you look at the other person's paper and write the answer. Is that okay? 6. A teacher sees you talking in class and sends you to the principal's office. You tell the principal that you weren't talking and that you were just listening, but actually you were talking. Is that okay?

What researchers found was that, once students were really old enough to know what was "right" and what was "wrong" the number of times that seemingly "wrong" choices were viewed as "okay" decreased but still remained much higher than most people are comfortable with. The motivations are varied but if students see that it is important to get good grades or remain popular or obtain a certain level of performance, then they will choose in ways that they identify as "wrong" under other circumstances.

Clearly, it is very difficult for young people to choose to act in alignment with the values and beliefs which they know and have been taught. In the moment when a student is faced with a difficult ethical choice, it is important to have TOOLS or TESTS to apply to the situation in order to help make the right decisions -- the ones that will be "right" and not just "easy." How does a young person make those judgements?

Thomas Lickona, who is a well-respected author and educator on the subject of character, proposes that it is possible to evaluate most situations using these seven ethical tests:

1. The Golden Rule (reversibility) test: Would I want people to do this to me?
2. The what-if-everybody-did-this test: Would I like it if everyone else acted this way?
3. The parents test: How would my parents feel if they found out I did this?
4. The religion test: Does this go against what my religious faith teaches?
5. The conscience test: Will I feel guilty afterwards?
6. The consequences test: Might this have bad consequences, now or in the future?
7. The front-page test: How would I feel if my action were reported on the front page of my hometown paper?

What About those Island Nations?

Many students did poorly on the Island Nations test... I gave them this assignment as an optional opportunity to repair that grade... the performances are due on November 26. If you need the assignment or the list, here it is for your convenience. Social Studies – Island Nations Map Studies: An Opportunity Directions: To help you memorize the locations of the various Island Nations, make up a song or a poem that includes the names of the islands and their locations. Be prepared to recite your poem or “sing” your song in class. You have two weeks to prepare this assignment. Antigua and Barbudos Caribbean Comoros Indian Federated States of Micronesia Pacific Maldives Indian Maritius Indian Papua New Guinea Pacific St. Vincent and the Grenadines Caribbean Tonga Pacific Vanuatu Pacific Barbados Caribbean Cyprus Mediterranean Figi Pacific Kirbati Pacific Malta Mediterranean Nauru Pacific St. Kitts-Nevis Caribbean Samoa Pacific Solomon Islands Pacific Trinidad and Tobago Atlantic Cape Verde Atlantic Dominica Caribbean Grenada Caribbean Madagascar Indian Marshall Islands Pacific Palau Pacific St. Lucia Caribbean Seychelles Indian Sri Lanka Indian Tuvalu Pacific

Thank You Very Much

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each one of you who have contributed to my charitable fund raising efforts (through the littel "gizmo" over there on the side of the page, or in person by check or cash). If you don't know much about the organization I'm trying to raise money for, then you can learn more here: The Arc Hamilton County. The "Arc" is an advocacy organization for people with developmental disabilities, and we work with them and their families to help ensure that they are able to fully participate in the life of our community. In these increasingly difficult economic times, the dollars needed to continue the work of the agency is very hard to come by. Without the help and support of donors like you, services and programs would certainly have to be scaled back or eliminated altogether. We just received our first check for a little more than $1700.oo from First Giving. The campaign will continue through the end of the year. I am so very grateful to each and every single one of you who have taken the time to give so generously. I know that there are many competing demands for your dollars and your generosity. Thank you for choosing to help those in our community who depend on the services of the Arc. Sue Daniel

Feed the Hungry -- Improve your Vocabulary

Here's a website where you can play a vocabulary game and help to feed the hungry around the world. For every vocabulary word that you get correct, rice will be donated through the United Nations, to those who are suffering from hunger. The words begin at about the third grade level and increase in difficulty as you progress through the game. Give it a try...

Burnett Woods Field Trip -- Aquatic Environments

Today, we took a trip out of the building to Burnett Woods, to study aquatic environments. Even though the weather was rainy over night, it turned out to be a lovely, cool, sunny fall day. The park was truly beautiful, and we got a chance to learn about the role that water plays on our planet and in our lives.

We learned about the algae that form the basis of the lake ecosystem, and had a chance to actually see some up close, using some magnifying viewers. We tested the pH of the lake water, and found that our readings were generally between 7 and 8. The naturalists told us that these readings indicate that the lake is a pretty healthy environment for the organisms that live there. We played a game that helped us better understand the water cycle, and we even formed a "web of life," that gave us a good picture of what happens when one part of the web is damaged or destroyed. When we were done, we could se clearly that if even one plant, or one animal is lost from an ecosystem, the whole system is impacted.

After lunch, we took a hike around the lake so that we could see the animals that live in and around the lake. We got the chance to see a turtle, some frogs, some small fish, some ducks, and collect seeds from some of the plants that grow around the edge of the lake. Back at the nature center, we had a short time to learn more about animals like the beaver and the red-earred slider who live in this habitat.

It was a very good day.

Ancient China -- Our "Mini-Museum"

As part of our social studies exploration of the culture and history of Ancient China, students worked with a website put together by the British Museum. After completing their "virtual tour" of the museum exhibit, they created their own pieces modeled on artifacts like oracle bones, and the jade bi. They made figurines of the goddess, Nu Gua, and diorammas of ancient burial tombs. Our mini-museum is on display in the hallway on the second floor. Parents and friends are invited to stop by and see what we've created.

Experimental Probability

We are starting to learn about the differences between theoretical and experimental probability. In studying experimental probability, we will work with a variety of simulations -- ways of recreating or simulating real life situations so that we can see what might really happen, and compare that with what mathematics predicts will happen "theoretically." It makes for a lot of "shaking and spinning and rolling and flipping" in math class...

Confucius

One part of our study of ancient China has been learning about the philosopher, Confucius. Students learned that this "master," or teacher believed that each person should lead a life of virtue, and that, in this way, an orderly society would be created. In the collected writings of Confucius, The Analects, we find this --

Be humble, obedient, trustworthy, and loyal. Maintain high standards in those with whom you associate, serve, and/or emulate.

As part of the work that we did, then, students chose a virtue that they felt was part of their own lives, and then chose a Chinese calligraphy character that represented that virtue and brushed that character in paint. They wrote a short piece describing how that virtue is illustrated in their life.

Here are some pictures of students at work on the calligraphy --

We are well into our annual food drive, collecting good things to share with those in our community who may need a bit of assistance through the holidays. So far, our class has collected 45 items to add to the school total. We'd like to gather at least 100 items -- more if possible.

Don't forget to check the pantry and the cupboard, and see what there is that you can find to share. We've gotten off to a great start. Let's keep it up!

Remember Our German Students?

Here are some pictures from the morning that the 6th graders spent visiting with the students from Germany...

It was quite a conversation! Students discussed favorite activities and families, and politics and... well, you name it, they talked about it. It was an altogether enjoyable morning.

Two Bears -- A Probability Problem

There are two bears - white and dark.

We may reasonably ask several questions:

1. What is the probability that both bears are male? Writing 'm' for male and 'f' for female and counting the lighter bear first we get four possible outcomes (ff, mf, fm, mm) of which only one should be considered favorable. The answer, therefore, is 1/4.

2. Now assume I told you that one of the bears is male. What is the probability that both are males? Of the three possible outcomes (mf, fm, mm) only the last where both bears are male is favorable. The answer is 1/3.

3. Now the last question. I am telling you that the lighter bear is known to be male. What now is the probability that both of them are males? Please stop for a while and think of the problem. Try to answer the question before looking into the solution.

October Homework Assignments Archive

October 31, 2007Be safe tonight!Remember your "choice" projects for the China at the British Museum assignment are due tomorrow. October 30, 2007Math 63 -- p. 427, Writing Math -- questions 1&2Science -- make a cladogram -- C.O.W. packet October 29, 2007Math 64 -- p. 427, Writing Math-- questions 1&2 October 26, 2007Your Ancient China "choice" projects are due on Thursday. October 25, 2007Math 63&64 -- Write a description of a simulation that would allow you to determine the experimental probability that in a family with 5 children, 2 would be boys... You do not need to do the simulation, or determine the probability. You only need to describe how you would do the simulation.Social Studies -- "Choice Projects" for the Ancient China at the British Museum project will be due next Thursday, Nov. 1. You may choose from the following five projects:Create a 3-dimensional model of a Shang calendar. You might choose to make your model out of clay or plaster of Paris, or papier mache, or some other similar substance.Create a diorama of an Ancient Chinese Tomb. Your diorama should be 3-dimensional, and show the layout and design of a typical tomb as well as some of the typical artifacts that might be found there.Make a replica of a jade bi, similar to one that might have been placed in a tomb to protect and preserve the body of an ancient Chinese nobleman.Make a 3-dimensional model of Nu Gua, the female goddess from the ancient Chinese creation story.Make a replica of an oracle bone, used by the ancient Chinese to “divine” the answer to questions about almost any decision they faced. You might choose to make your “oracle bone” out of clay or plaster of Paris, or some similar material. October 24, 2007Science -- read pp. 189-191, answer questions 1-4 on p. 191Social Studies -- your map is due on Friday. October 22, 2007The science test is tomorrow. The Lentils Lab report is due on Wednesday.Social Studies (due Friday)--Make a map:From your house to school.Make your map detailed and accurate.Show which direction is north.Show important landmarks and details on your map.Make your map attractive to look at.Color your map and include artistic touches.We will send our maps to our Chinese pen pals. October 18, 2007Science test -- Tuesday, Oct. 23. Lentils Lab report due, Oct. 24Math 63 -- Homerun Hitters report due tomorrow. Math test on Monday.Math 64 -- completion of math test tomorrow. October 17, 2007Science: Lentils Lab Report -- due Wednesday, 10/24Chapter 9 test -- Tuesday, 10/23 October 16, 2007Science -- Plant a Sock lab write up (due tomorrow)Math 63--Homerun Hitters Project (due Friday)Test on Monday October 15, 2007Math 64-- Test tomorrow. Homerun Hitters report due tomorrow.Math 63 -- Homerun Hitters report due on Friday. Data and graphing test on Monday, 10/22. October 10, 2007Science -- flower parts dissection lab is due Monday.Math 64--Homerun Hitters final project and Data and graphing test on Tuesday.Math 63--you should have all the ranges calculated for the Homerun Hitters project. October 9, 2007Math 63 -- calculate the range for all the homerun hitters.Math 64 -- Homerun Hitters final report due on Tuesday (October 16). Students have directions and rubrics.Data analysis and graphing unit test -- Tuesday, October 16. October 8, 2007Social Studies -- read pp. 136-139. Answer questions 2 & 4.Science -- lab write up for flower parts dissection due Monday, October 15.Science -- your "Plant a Sock" boxes are due this week. Even if it didn't germinate, bring it in so we can talk about it. October 5, 2007No homework. Have a good weekend. October 4, 2007Social studies test tomorrow. October 3, 2007Study for the social studies test on Friday. October 2, 2007Terra Nova Testing is in progress. Get plenty of sleep and eat a good, healthy breakfast. Make sure you bring a #2 pencil to school. Get your permission slip for Caldwell Nature Center field trip signed...Social Studies test is Friday. Use the study guide to help you prepare.Math 63 -- finish calculating the means for the homerun hitters.Math 64 -- finish calculating the ranges for the homerun hitters. October 1, 2007Get your permission slip for Caldwell Nature Center field trip signed