6th Grade Classroom Update - November 16, 2018

6th Grade Parent Newsletter

November 16, 2018

Principal's Message

Over 40 studies on the impact of gratitude have concluded that the effects of expressing gratitude are overwhelmingly positive. East Middle School is thankful for the opportunity to engage in the education of your children and partner with parents in shaping the future of each and every student and the community as a whole. We want to wish you a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving.

EMS Giving Tree

Would you like to help some of our families this holiday season? As the winter holiday season approaches, many of us are excited about family gatherings and celebrations. Yet, there are many East families worried about not having the means for family celebrations this year.

We are asking EMS students, families and staff who are able to provide a donation to assist us in meeting the needs of our less fortunate families. If you would like to help East families this holiday season, look for the East Giving Tree in the school's front entryway or at the winter music concerts and Wolf Ridge meeting. Choose a "leaf" from the Giving Tree, purchase the gift card indicated on the leaf, and return it to Beth Dahl in the front lobby by Wednesday, December 19. All donations will be given anonymously to families in our school community.

If you have any questions about the giving tree, please contact Debbie Kimlinger in the student services office at 763-745-6231 or Debbie.Kimlinger@Wayzataschools.org. Thank you for helping our students and families this holiday season.

Math

What We've Been Working On

The students have been working on integer operations, especially understanding opposites and negatives.
They've also learned how to put points on a coordinate graph in all four quadrants.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

What is the definition of absolute value?
Can absolute value ever be negative?

What We're Working on Next

In Unit 4, the students will learning about variables and ratios, specifically how to write equivalent expressions and using them to generalize.
Also, they'll be learning how to enlarge and reduce two-dimensional shapes.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

How well do you understand algebra?
Can you do 1-step algebra? 2-step algebra?

Accelerated Math

What We've Been Working On

The students just took the Unit 3 Individual Assessment. They showed their knowledge of: fractions, decimals, and percents, fraction and decimal operations, negative integer operations, scaling on a number line, and order of operations.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

How well are you understanding negative integer operations?

What We're Working on Next

In Unit 4, the students will be learning about proportions and expressions, how to draw and scale similar figures, and whether relationships are proportional. If so, how does that look in a table and a graph?

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What is unit rate? How do figure out what the unit rate is?

Language Arts

What We've Been Working On

We have focused on the Elements of Literature in the past two weeks. Specifically, we have explored theme and conflict in stories and poems.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

How did you do on your Unit 1 Poetry Assessment?

What We're Working on Next

We are starting personal narratives. Students will be writing a story about a memory of something in their lives.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What memories have you chosen to write about?

Notes

Students should make sure to have a Language Arts notebook and bring it to class everyday.

Science

What We've Been Working On

For the last two weeks we have been studying the physical and chemical characteristics of Matter.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

Can you name 2 kinds of chemical changes?

What We're Working on Next

This week we are starting our unit on Solids, Liquids, and Gases.
We will also introduce the Chemistry Experiment Project!

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What is your scientific question in regards to your Chemistry Experiment?

Notes

Please be in communication with your child about the needs for the Chemistry Experiment - they may need small amounts of household supplies. Thank you for you help and encouragement.

Social Studies

What We've Been Working On

We have been experiencing the Fur Trader roles and activities. Students have been creating a project detailing the members and activities of the trade.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

Who was your fur trader and what important role did he have?

What We're Working on Next

We will begin the Westward Expansion and focus on some important members and events.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What are you thoughts about the interactions between the settlers and the Native Americans?

Phy. Ed.

What We've Been Working On

Finished outdoor fall units

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

What sport did you enjoy this fall?

What We're Working on Next

Fitness components and goal setting

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

Which fitness test will you write your smart goal about?

Band

What We've Been Working On

New notes
Quarter notes
Subdivision

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

What is your favorite song to play up to now?

What We're Working on Next

Eighth note rhythms
Tempo markings
Repeats

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What does internal repeat mean?

Orchestra

What We've Been Working On

Bow Hold/motion
Bowing Open Strings

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

What are some look-fors of good bowing?

What We're Working on Next

Bowing
A String Notes

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

How can you continue to improve on your bowing?

Notes

Students need to be practicing 20 minutes five days a week.

Art

What We've Been Working On

Term One Art students - created a figure drawing using correct proportions and presented the artist they researched to a small group of peers.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

How do you use the 8 heads rule to create a figure drawing?

What We're Working on Next

Term Two Art Students will create a crazy coil pot, then begin researching an artist of their choice and create a presentation about that artist to share with a small group of peers.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What techniques do you use to create a crazy coil pot?

Tech Ed

What We've Been Working On

Welcome to Tech Ed!

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

What will you learn in Tech Ed?

What We're Working on Next

Keyboarding
Tinkercad and 3D printing

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

How did you do on your WPM pre-test?

Spanish

What We've Been Working On

School classes, descriptions and class objects

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

Describe your classes and say what is in them.

What We're Working on Next

AR verbs and actions people do in classes

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

Ask how to conjugate an -AR verb, and say activities that I/she/we/they do in class.

Gifted & Talented

What We've Been Working On

We have started Habitude #2: Curiosity.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

What are genius questions?

What We're Working on Next

We will continue curiosity and creating curiosity lists.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What are you curious about?

Young Scholars

What We've Been Working On

We are working on making sure we have all the school supplies we need to be successful in school (part of using our imagination to plan ahead) We also cleaned out lockers and backpacks.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned

Do you need any school supplies?

What We're Working on Next

We will start Habitude #2, Curiosity, and learn how to be curious by asking questions.

Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material

What are genius questions?

PTO News

Join or Volunteer

Around the District

The District Legislative Action Committee (LAC) met October 10 with Jim Westrum, Wayzata Public Schools Executive Director of Business and Finance, as the guest speaker. All candidates for Minnesota House of Representatives seats in districts serving Wayzata Public Schools were invited. Mr. Westrum gave a brief overview of past accomplishments of LAC advocacy, an overview of public education finance in Minnesota and an update on the current financial position of Wayzata Public Schools. This year’s Legislative Platform is scheduled to be finalized at the November LAC meeting and approved at the December 10 School Board meeting. This Platform will guide LAC advocacy at the State Capitol during the 2019 Legislative Session which begins January 8.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Zohra Tridane, EMS’ LAC representative or visit the District Committees webpage.

Wayzata High School Theatre presents The Secret Garden at Wayzata High School in Auditorium 1. Performances Friday, November 9, 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 10, 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Thursday, November 15, 7:00 p.m.; Friday, November 16, 7:00 p.m.; Saturday November 17, 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at whstheatre.com for adult $15.00, senior $12.00, student/staff $10.00.