5th and 6th Grades - Essay Writing for the Second Semester (note new regulations about adult involvement)

To Avoid:
•    Contractions, slang, and clichés
•    The words “get,” “stuff,” and “things”
•    Second person (the word “you”)
•    Phrases such as “I believe,” “I feel,” and “I think”

Each essay must contain:
•    An introduction that is at least two sentences long.  The last sentence of the introduction must be the thesis sentence, the one sentence that sums up your entire essay.
•    Three body paragraphs, each of which contains at least five sentences (one of which is the topic sentence).
•    A conclusion that is at least two sentences long.  Do not begin your conclusion with the words “In conclusion.”  The conclusion restates what you wrote in your introduction.

Tips:
•    Follow the writing process – PREWRITE (brainstorm, outline), write a draft, revise (make content stronger), edit (grammar/spelling/punctuation), publish.
•    Vary sentence length (have some short sentences and some long ones) and vary word choice (use a thesaurus for synonyms; consider Wordle to determine overused words)
•    Have strong details – good reasons to support your opinion
•    Use (but don’t overuse) transitions – “in addition,” “furthermore,” etc.

Grading:
•    Sentence and essay requirements (such as the sentence and paragraph lengths) (10 points)
•    Grammar/spelling/style – proper grammar, correct spelling, appropriate style (such as avoiding slang and contractions) (15 points)
•    Content (what you say in your essay) (25 points)

Essays must be typed in a standard font.  Prewriting and draft(s) may be typed, but do not have to be.

Adult help is limited to a few general “Yes/No” questions.  “Does this paragraph make sense?” or “Is this a strong argument?” is fine.  “What are the grammar mistakes in this essay?” or “What are your opinions about this topic?” is not.  Detailed editing will be your responsibility.  You will also be given specific feedback from your peer editor prior to turning your essay in for a grade.

Topic for January:
If you ran the Middle School at Dunham, what three policies/procedures would you add, delete and/or change?  Explain your choices.

Due Date:
Final draft is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, January 21st.  A self-assessment form should be completed at this time as well.  Your peer editor will make suggestions and complete a peer-assessment form in class that day.  You will then be given a chance to make changes to your essay in response to your peer editor’s feedback.  The essay, though, must be turned in by the end of Thursday’s class.

6th Grade - Week of January 11th

Math

• Math Olympiad practice and contest
• Unit pretest (Chapters 6-9) - due Monday
  

English

• Commas - comma editing activity due Thursday if not finished during Wednesday's class
  
• DLR
• Poem blog for Mrs. Lee
• Knowledge Master Open sample contest 
• Next essay due Thursday, January 21st
  

Logic

• Math Olympiad contest
• Alice programming (push-in activity with Mrs. Lee's class) 
  

5th Grade - Week of January 11th

Math

• Chapter 9 pretest
• Division overview (as needed)
• Math Olympiad practice and contest

Reading

• Essay due next Thursday (the 21st)
• Read "Wading into Marine Biology" for Mrs. Hazey
• Note: Next Word Masters contest will be the week of February 8th 
• Begin preparing for Word Masters class (bonus class from 9-9:25 on Friday) 
  

4th Grade - Week of January 11th

Language Arts

• Blurt! (word game)
  
• Persuasive essay writing
• Begin Word Masters competition activities
  
• Note: Next Word Masters contest will be in early February (before break)

Math

• Math Olympiad practice and contest 
  

3rd Grade Math - Week of January 11th

• Place-value review
• Multiplication concept review
• Multiplying with two-digit factors
• Homework: Multiplication worksheet due Thursday of next week
  

2nd Grade - Week of January 11th

Math

• Flash Masters (practicing subtraction facts)
• Knock-Out (adding and subtracting game)
• Subtraction - basic facts and negative differences (one digit differences)
• Homework: Subtraction worksheets (due Tuesday of next week)
  

Reading

• "The Concept of Change"
• Homework: Examples of Change worksheet, due next Thursday (the 21st)
  
• Continue reading Frindle
• Blurt!
• Activity preparation for next week's push-in class
  

1st Grade - Week of January 11th

Reading

• "The Concept of Change"
• Start Frindle as time permits
• Homework: Change worksheet, due Tuesday of next week
  

Math

• Flash Masters addition and subtraction practice 
• Homework: Practice addition and subtraction facts at home 
  

Happy Holidays!

Best wishes to you and your family for a blessed Christmas and a wonderful new year!

6th Grade - Week of December 14th

Math

• Math Olympiad Contest #2 (and practice)
• Preparation for semester exam (exam designed by Mrs. Kerner)

English

• Essay #5 due
• Daily language review
• Self- and peer-assessments
• Peer editing
• The Important Book

Logic

• Math Olympiad Contest #2   
  

5th Grade - Week of December 14th

Math

• Math Olympiad Contest #2 (and contest practice)
• Tine to work on Unit 3 study guide for Mrs. Jordan (if needed)

Reading

• Essay #5 due Wednesday
• Self- and peer- assessments
• Peer edits
• The Important Book 
  

4th Grade - Week of December 14th

Math

• Math Olympiad Contest #2

Language Arts

• The Important Book
• Live and Learn and Pass It On activity due (share responses)
• Win or Lose 
  

2nd Grade - Week of December 14th

Math

• Addition practice worksheet due Tuesday
• Puzzled by Math
• 1-2-3 OY game

Reading

• The Important Book
• A-B-C OY game  
  

3rd Grade - Week of December 14th

• Measurement Olympics: Student-Created Events
• Puzzled by Math
• Hands-on Equations (algebra)
  

1st Grade - Week of December 14th

• The Important Book
• ABC-OY game
  

6th Grade - Week of December 7th

Math

• AMC 8 corrections
• Math Olympiad practice (contest #2 is next week)
• Review of graphing terms and strategies
• Homework: Practice Math Olympiad problems
  

Logic

• Alice programming 
• Homework: Practice Math Olympiad problems and continue exploring Alice
  

English

• 55-word story due on Wednesday
• Persuasive essay #5 due Wednesday, December 9th
• Student-teacher conferences
• Grammar/editing game
  

5th Grade - Week of December 7th

Math

• Applications of decimal multiplication
• Puzzled by Math (due Tuesday of next week)
  
• Math Olympiad practice (contest next week)

Reading

• Word Masters practice
• Word Masters contest
• 55-word story due on Wednesday
• Persuasive essay #5 due Wednesday, December 16th 
  

4th Grade - Week of December 7th

Math

• Math Olympiad practice (contest #2 next week)

Homework: Practice math facts.  If not currently secure in multiplication and division facts through 10x10=100, learn them by Wednesday, January 6th.


Language Arts

• Word Masters contest (be practicing at home - analogies and vocabulary)
• Live and Learn and Pass It On (start in class; finish at home - due Friday, December 18th) 
  

3rd Grade Math - Week of December 7th

Note: Students have been practicing multiplication facts (through 10x10=100) both in the gifted center and with Mrs. Kelley.  Students must be proficient with these facts by Thursday, January 7th.

Homework: Practice math facts at home.  Use flashcards, First in Math, or any method you choose.

• Fact practice
• Hands-On Equations
• Puzzled by Math
  

2nd Grade - Week of December 7th

Math

• Addition of two- and three-digit numbers
• Puzzled by Math

Note: While some students are proficient with their basic addition and subtraction facts (through 10+10), some are not.  Students must be proficient with these facts by Monday, January 11th.


Reading

• The Real Story of the Tortoise and the Hare 
  

1st Grade Reading - Week of December 7th

• Diamante poem
• Typing and editing traveling story