Friday, January 29, 2010

HOMEWORK, Friday, January 29, 2010

Drama:
Work on 3-person skit
Due: Monday, February 1, 2010

Language Arts:
Read Tales of the Greek Heroes, Ch. 15\
Edit fable
Due: Monday, February 1, 2010

Math:
Do p. 55, prob. 3.1; Finish A, B
Due: Monday, February 1, 2010

Science:
*Do not have HW assignment...
Check with a fellow classmate if you can't remember
or did not write it down.

Social Studies:
Read Ch. 3 packet: HOUSES & THEIR CONTENTS
Memorize portion of Declaration of Independence
Write up paragraph (what you think that portion means)
Due: Monday, February 1, 2010

Continue to work on Greek Mythology Project
Due: Wednesday, February 10

Extra Mile Club:
Assignment due on Monday, February 1

Thursday, January 28, 2010

6th Grade Winter Social

6th Grade Winter Social

Please join the 6th grade class at
Amazing Jakes
1830 East Baseline Road, Mesa, AZ 85204
http://www.amazingjakes.com/mesa/

February 11th: 4-9pm
Party room for dinner reserved
from 5:00-6:30pm

Admission is $15.99 pp and includes all games, activities and food. Bowling is extra. There is an option to purchase the food buffet only (no rides) for $7.99 pp. Siblings are welcome.

There is an academic field day and early-release on February 12th which means no homework on February 11th so please plan to join fellow students to socialize and have fun!!

In order to get an accurate count, please RSVP to:
JoAnn Falgout (6-S) at joannfalgout@cox.net
Jill Cohen (6-P) at JillC95@aol.com

Announcements

Sorry for not posting homework yesterday...
Still home sick today, but remembered to gather information
from Mrs. Stoyanoff and Mrs. Hipple and get the homework up!

Early Release Day
Tomorrow, Friday, January 29
Early release: school ends at 12:25 PM

President's Day Weekend
Begins Friday, February 12 with Early Release at 12:25 PM
NO SCHOOL Monday, February 15

HOMEWORK, Thursday, January 28, 2010

Drama:
Finish writing and type up 3-person skit
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 29

Language Arts:
Complete Heracles/Vocab. roots hand-outs
Read Ch. 14, Tales of the Greek Heroes
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 29

Math:
P. 48 #36 and P. 51 #44
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 29

Science:
Bring a data table tomorrow with information, to date, on your science fair project.
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 29

Social Studies:
If you did not complete in class, finish reading
Section 3, Text Book - ancient Greece; Answer assessment ques. 1-3
Complete Thera/Floyd McCoy poster this evening
Bring in all necessary material for in-class work day, Greek mythology project
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 29

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sorry No Homework Post Today

Home sick today. Hopefully, the students got their assignments from the substitute teachers.

Looking forward to hopefully being back tomorrow,
Ms. Nicky Pitman

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

HOMEWORK, Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Drama:
Go over reading and DEFINITELY go over quiz!

Language Arts:
Read Tales of the Greek Heroes, Ch. 11
Go over vocabulary - especially roots!
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 27

Math:
Spend 30 minutes chapter review and
correct homework if it wasn't done correctly.
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 27

Science:
STUDY!
Test tomorrow

Social Studies:
Finish reading Ch. 2 Packet: Country Versus City
P. 28-36
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 27
Work on Thera movie poster
Due: Friday, January 29
Think about what you want to work on in class Friday
for your Greek mythology project
Friday, January 29: In-class work day

Extra Mile Club:
This week's assignments due Monday, February 1
First Ind. Reading Assignment due Friday, February 5

Monday, January 25, 2010

HOMEWORK, Monday, January 25, 2010

Drama:
Read ancient Greek theatre packet
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26

Language Arts:
Read Tip Sheet on pro-nouns & do practice sheet
*If you haven't done so, write your fable (type) and/or
re-write it if you were asked to
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26

Math:
P. 39, A-C (start in class, finish at home)
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26
STUDY! Ch. 2 Test on Thursday

Science:
STUDY! Jeopardy game tomorrow
Test on Wednesday

Social Studies:
Study for Geography test tomorrow
(Southern States = map, capitals, statehood dates)
Read Packet, Ch. 2: Country Versus City, p. 24 - 28
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26
Work on THERA movie poster
Due: Friday, January 29

Extra Mile Club:
Assignment #2
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26

Friday, January 22, 2010

Announcements, Friday, January 22

Thank you to all the families that supported and participated in the P.F. Chang's Marathon and Half-Marathon last Saturday: You did a great thing for TPA/TPJA!

Thanks to those who have donated paper towels, sani-wipes, and tissue to Room 503 - We can always use them!

Tutoring
If your student received less than a B grade in any subject on his/her fall semester evaluation, please encourage him/her to seek tutoring. One session a week, oft-times, really helps!

Monday, January 25
Your student's Greek Mythology Project resources are due:
At least three book sources (and internet sources).
If your student hasn't done so already, he/she may be
asking you for a lift the library this weekend.

Friday, January 29
Early Release: School ends at 12:25 PM

Friday, January 22, 2010

Drama:
No Homework!

Language Arts:
Read Tales of the Greek Heroes, Ch.s 8 & 9
Write/type up fable
Due: Monday, January 25

Math:
Do p. 44, prob.'s 17, 19, & 20
Due: Monday, January 25

Science:
P. 28-29, Answer questions 1-18
Due: Monday, January 25

Social Studies:
Do Ch. 1 Packet Hand-out
Read (in Text Book) Section 2: Government in Athens
P. 236-241
Write/type running vocabulary
Answer questions re: Cleisthenes and Pericles on separate hand-out
Who was Pericles? What makes him such an important historical figure?
*Greek Mythology Project resources (go to library, if you haven't already)
Due: Monday, January 25

Thursday, January 21, 2010

It's All Greek to Me!

Sometimes three-day weekends leave you refreshed and ready to come back to school on Tuesday, and other times they leave you with a bit of a foggy feeling...a sort of, "What? Really? We need to go back to school on Tuesday?" - kind-of feeling. Following the MLK, Jr. weekend, I had the second feeling. I think some of the students did as well. I'm chalking it up to the PF Chang's marathon/half-marathon. But really -it may just have been "one of those weeks!" At any rate, I can't believe it's already Thursday and that we are almost done with the third week of the Spring semester.

We have spent a good deal of our subject time this week "in" ancient Greece. Be it mythology, theatre, or learning about early Greek civilization. The students are in the midst of their ancient Greek Social Studies unit, where - unfortunately - we had two days of battling technology (which, we admitted defeat on both). However, the students stepped up to the charge of flexibility and we merged improv with mythology and had an impromptu fact quiz on another.

In Drama, we are learning about the Greek theatre - primarily the playwrites this week, and one of the most famous pieces from the Classical Age: Oedipus Rex. The students have read Sophocles' tragic story and spent this morning retelling the tale.

Being that TPJA/TPA is a Great Books school and we use the Socratic Method, this seemed like perfect timing to really delve in and understand what it is we have actually been doing since August: having Socratic discussions! Hopefully, the students are gaining some further understanding of why I am always encouraging them to be curious and to dig deeper.

This week the students completed rough drafts of their dedication pages for their month-long mythology project and tomorrow they will have their first (out of three) in-class work days. Book and web sources are due in class Monday, so if your student has not had the opportunity to find three books yet, know you will probably be asked for a lift to the library this weekend.

I hope this email finds you warm and dry as we experience Seattle-like weather.

Cheers,
Ms. Nicky Pitman

HOMEWORK, Thursday, January 21, 2010

Drama:
No Homework

Language Arts:
Read Tales of the Greek Heroes, Ch. 8
The Birth of Heracles
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 22

Vocabulary Words 11-15 Hand-outs
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 22

Math:
p. 41: 3, 4, 5
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 22

Science:
Read p. 20-25; do section review & vocab (next section)
Remember to bring in friction review and
tomorrow's review
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 22

Social Studies:
Finish reading ancient Greece, Ch. 1 packet
Bring in materials to work on for scrapbook
(research, writing, drawing, etc.)
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 22

Work on Greek mythology project
Book and Web resources due Monday, January 25

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

HOMEWORK, Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Drama:
Go over Oedipus the King story
Memorize 3 lines of chorus portion, p. 9
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 21

Language Arts:
Read Tales of the Greek Heroes, Ch. 7: Perseus the Gorgon Slayer
Study all 10 vocabulary words (hint, hint; nudge, nudge)
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 21

Math:
Try to play the Four in a Row game
Answer prob. 2.2 A
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 21

Science:
Read p. 14-19; Do section review and vocabulary
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 21

Social Studies:
Read ancient Greece packet, Ch. 1
(up through mid. p. 16)

Work on mythology project
Have book & web sources ready by Sunday
Due: Monday, January 25

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

HOMEWORK, Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Drama:
No Homework

Language Arts:
Read Tales of the Greek Heroes,
Ch. 6 The Adventures of Dionysus
Go over January vocabulary, bring in vocab. sheets
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Math:
P. 28, problem 2.1 A, B & C
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Science:
Read p. 10-13; Do vocabulary and Section Assessment
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Social Studies:
Work on Greek Mythology Project
Dedication Page Draft
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20, 2010
(Book Sources due: Monday, January 25)

Study U.S. Geography (Southern States)
Quiz: Next Tuesday, January 26

Extra Mile Club:
Assignment #2
Due: Next Tuesday, January 26

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Possibili-TEAs abound in Room 503


This week provided the opportunity for the Sixth Grade Students to better understand why it is we have a day off from school on Monday, January 18.

After having read a bit about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his background and the March on Washington in 1963, the students read through and discussed King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Using phrasing from the speech, the students were asked to write poems about their dreams and hopes - for the world at large, their communities, or for their families. The poems were thoughtful (and thought-provoking), poignant, and personal.
On Friday, the students participated in a day where they could "dream" creatively: from food prepartion, to wondering (and drawing) about things that are seemingly impossible (albeit fun to think about), i.e. "What would happen if everyone in the world sneezed at the same time?" They also took some time to collaborate on an MLK, Jr.-inspired poster - sharing their favorite phrase from the poem they had written.

It was a wonderful way to kick off the three-day weekend, and to understand why we have one to begin with.

*Photos from the Friday's Possibili-Tea can be found below.

Enjoying Ourselves to the TEA!

The students in Room 503, enjoying the Possibili-TEA and one another...














Food, Glorious Food!

Creatively-inspired food and beverages from our Possibili-TEA:




















Friday, January 15, 2010

Friday, January 15, 2010

Thank you to all the parents - and, of course, the students - for bringing in such yummy foods for our Possibili-TEA. It was a terrific success and a lovely way to kick off the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend!

Enjoy your down time (R & R Weekend: no homework!) and extra day off from school on Monday.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Thought I'd Share...

...a bit of what I am doing outside of TPJA. For those of you who don't know, not only am I a teacher, but I am also a student. I am in my last semester of grad school and I am working on my thesis. My working title is Ritual as a Means of Deeper Learning and Connection: in and out of the classroom.

I am keeping a personal blog for myself as a journal throughout the process. *(While I use real names in my blog, they won't be used in my completed thesis.) I thought I'd share with you my blog entry from yesterday. I thought it might give you some insight into what I consider an important piece of our students' development as students and as human beings, and I thought it also might offer some insight as to how your students are blossoming in Room 503.

JANUARY 13, 2010:

We often do things out of habit.

We "get into the routine of things" and become so accustomed to our routines we often do them as if we were simply programmed to do so - like a coffee maker set to begin brewing before the morning wake up alarm.

But do these habits and routines have meaning? Do they help us connect to something or someone in the world? An idea? Does my routine drive to work have a particular meaning? Do brushing my teeth and showering (unless I am mindfully doing so - which, let's face it: I am not truly that mindful every morning) connect me to my teeth? My shower? To the water I use?

If I look at these in a mandala sort of way - yes: everything I do is connected. But in a mindful way? In a way in which I am ultimately aware? In ways that bring meaning to my life?

I don't think so.

However, ritual (which can become routine), is different. "Rituals are simple. They might be words. They might be actions. They point to something meaningful and significant"(Williams, p. 122). The mainstream definition(s) offered by freedictionary.com don't really explain ritual to it's fullest...they scratch the surface, making it sound much more similar to "routine" or even "habit."

"Rituals can aid in creating a firm sense of group identity. Humans have used rituals to create social bonds and even to nourish interpersonal relationships" (AbsoluteAstronomy.com © 2009. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Ritual).

Here's an interesting observation. Yesterday, at the end of school before bowing out, I asked my students to express one thing that they were grateful for (I do this with them once a week to once every two weeks). Five of my students said that being in our classroom with their friends was what they were grateful for.

This morning, I was 20 minutes late to class (so was my co, Meghan Stoyanoff, as we were in a meeting with our Headmaster and two parents). When I realized how late were were - five minutes into class - I was fortunate enough that when I stuck my head out of our Headmaster's office, one of my parents happened to be standing there and I asked if she could help Mrs. Stoyanoff and I by checking on our students and letting them know we'd be there as soon as possible.

When I arrived in my classroom, Mrs. Cohen was sitting up on one of the desks, two students were up in front of the room in the middle of a "Freeze" scene (an improv game - we have drama first period), and the rest of the class was actively engaged as audience members. I stood inside at the door just watching.

I let the students continue on for fifteen more minutes. First, because they were so engaged, and secondly, because I was awed by how much more skilled they have become at the game over the past few months. They were thoughtful, quick on their feet, and hilarious! When I finally did stop them, I told them how pleased I was to see them in right action and joked that they didn't even need me around at all.

They proceeded to tell me that Clare (this week's peer leader) led them in our opening bow, they'd taken attendance (which we do by me calling off the first person's name on the roll sheet, and then they call off the next and so on - so in that way, everyone is aware of who is here and who is not, and everyone is accountable for everyone else), and Clare had rung the mindfulness bell to kick off Drama. and Jamie (another student) had led physical and vocal warm-ups. Jill (the parent) just nodded and smiled at me. And then I said to my class, "You really don't need me!" And I felt quite proud and thrilled.

I emailed Mrs. Cohen this afternoon to thank her for her help. When she emailed me back she noted, "I was so impressed at how [the students] stayed on task even though you weren't there-it shows the maturity of your students" (email, 1/13/10)!

My students
wanted to practice our daily rituals. Regardless if I was there or not, they have something that connects them - something that bonds them together. Our rituals have some kind of meaning for them. Even if it is just "routine" for some of them, it's what we do. It's what makes us members of Room 503. The rituals offer a sense of belonging. And so maybe there is a responsibility factor in carrying them out that goes with that.

I hope you were able to glean a bit of what I am exploring in my thesis and that this post gave you some insight into the inner-workings of our classroom.

Enjoy the three-day holiday!

Cheers,
Ms. Nicky Pitman

Announcements

Possibili-TEA
Tomorrow! Thank you, parents, for all your help
with this and for supplying food/beverage.

R & R Weekend and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
No homework this weekend!
No school Monday. Enjoy your day off! : )

P.F. Chang's Marathon/Half-Marathon
This Sunday, January 17
Thanks to all who are participating and/or
who donated to raise funds for TPA!


Extra Mile Club:
First assignment due Tuesday, January 19


Thursday, January 14, 2010

Drama:
Bring in odds/ends and magazines;
Food or beverage with creatively made up name/sign
for the Possibili-TEA

Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 15

Language Arts:

Read Heroes, Ch. 5, Typhon the Terrible
Vocab. words 5, 6, & 7 - practice hand-out
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 15

Math:

Sample Tests
Collected: Tomorrow,
Friday, January 15

Test: Tomorrow, Friday, January 15

Science:

Re-read articles
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 15

Social Studies:

Greek Mythology Packet Signed by parent/guardian
"Holy Zeus, Sixth Graders!" Worksheet
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 15

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Drama:
Read Packet on The Theatre by Oscar Brockett
Underline, highlight and/or take notes in the margins
about what is important in each paragraph.

*Skim over Tales of the Heroes stories 1-4
Think about how each story could be dramatized in a skit

Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 14

Language Arts:

Read Tales Ch. 4, How Zeus and Hermes Went Visiting
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 14

*Possibili-TEA R.S.V.P. & Ques. om back of Invitation due
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 14

Math:

Finish the two hand-outs.
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 14

Additional: Memorize the definitions for Ch. 1
vocabulary for the quiz on Friday


Science:

Read article and be ready to discuss.
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 14

Social Studies:

Take home No (Trojan) Horsing Around packet.
Read through it carefully and show it to/discuss it
with your parents/guardians.
Bring packet back signed & dated by parent/guardian
By: Friday, January 15

Begin researching your Greek mythology character.
Holy Zeus, Sixth Graders! worksheet to be completed
Due: Friday, January 15

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Drama:
Edit & type up MLK, Jr. - inspired poem
Decorate, if you like
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 13

Language Arts:
Read Tales of the Heroes, Ch. 3: Prometheus
P. 31-41
Go over four vocab. words (know what they mean,
be able to provide examples, know how to spell ea. of them)
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 13

RSVP to Possibili-TEA by Thursday, January 14
*(Talk to your parents about food/beverage)

Begin collecting odds/ends & magazines for Friday's Tea

Math:
Work on the sample
*Email Mrs. Hipple if you have questions
Due: Friday, Test Day!, January 15

Science:
Read p. 4-9, do vocab; Section review, p. 9
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 13

Social Studies:
Greek Civilization Geography packet
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 13

U.S. Northeast States: Study for Test
Next Tuesday, January 19

Monday, January 11, 2010

Announcements

P.F. Chang's Marathon & Half-Marathon:
Thank you to all of you who have donated directly to TPA and those who brought checks into me to raise money for our school. It means a lot! If you haven't donated, but would still like to, by all means do! : )

Paper Towels, Sani-Wipes, Kleenex:
Thank you to those who have recently donated to Room 503.
The students and I really appreciate it!

The Weekend of January 15 - January 18:
Three-day weekend (MLK Day on Monday - No school)
R & R Weekend (No homework)
Sunday, January 17: PF Chang's Marathon/Half-Marathon

Photos Posted:
If you haven't seen them already, I posted photos this weekend from last week, and last Monday I posted photos from the fall semester.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Drama:
Read Greek Theatre packet
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12

Language Arts:
Vocabulary practice, words #2, 3, 4
Read Tales: Ch. 2: Hermes & Apollo
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12

Math:
Answer: "What makes these two polygons different?"
P. 24
Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12

Science:
Study! Test Tomorrow.

Social Studies:
Ch. 8: Ancient Greece (Text Book), p. 224-233
Answer Section Assessment Ques., p. 233
#1-3 (In complete sentences)

Due: Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Assignment #1: India

A week-long Social Studies exploration of three different cultures led to a culmination of "expert" presentations. The following three posts offer glimpses of each Assignment Presentation. All included a performance, a visual art component and a written piece.









Assignment #2: China











Assignment #3: The Hebrews & Judaism
















The Room 503 Mask-a-teers!

This week in Drama, we began exploring masks. What is a mask? What do masks do? What do they represent? How do we use them? What does it mean to "mask" something? How do we, individually, mask our thoughts and feelings?

So we began to explore masks through ourselves. What "face" do we typically show to the world and what face do we typically hide? We made two, fairly simple paper plate masks. On Friday, the students played with the masks individually. First, using their bodies in concordance with the mask's expression and then in juxtaposition to the mask's expression.

Next, the students worked in pairs to create statues, expressing their maks in juxtaposition to one another. The following photos in this post and next show some of their efforts.















More Room 503 Mask-a-teers!
















Friday, January 8, 2010

Friday, January 8, 2010

Drama:
No Homework!

Language Arts:
Bring in Tales of the Greek Heroes on Monday
Over the weekend read: Introduction, p. v &
Ch. One: The Coming of the Immortals, p. 1-13
Due: Monday, January 11

Math:
P. 17 #1-7, P. 20 #24-33
Due: Monday, January 11

Test: Ch. 1, Tuesday, January 12

Science:
Work on final copy of materials & procedures.
Due: Monday, January 11

Ch. 3 Test next Tuesday, January 12

Social Studies:
Read Greek packet
Due: Monday, January 11

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Around India, China and the Holy Land in Five Days

It is amazing that we are already finishing up our first week back from winter break!

It has been a busy week in Room 503, what with all the traveling we've been doing...Quasi-traveling, that is: in the form of reading, research and re-telling.

The sixth grade students were split into three assignment groups on Monday. Each group was responsible for learning about one particular ancient culture. Group 1 learned about India, while Group 2 explored China, and Group 3 delved into the world of the Hebrews and Judaism.

Students worked individually on Monday and Tuesday reading their text book and answering the section questions and creating a vocabulary list. On Wednesday, they each met with their Assignment Group to answer and discuss questions pertaining to the particular culture they had been reading about. Next, they split into pairs and decided what area of the culture they would explore more fully. Each student in the pair spent Wednesday evening researching the particular area they chose and came back to school today (Thursday) to report their findings to the group.

After sharing their individual information, each group worked together to decide how they were going to present all that they had learned to the other two groups. Their guidelines were that they needed to incorporate performance, a visual aspect, and a written piece of work. Students began working on their presentations in class and were asked to finish them up tonight at home. Tomorrow they will have time to rehearse their presentation before sharing with their other classmates before the day's end.

The students did a terrific job working individually, in pairs and threes, as well as in their small groups. There has been an excitement in the air - whether it is because it is our first week back, or they really are enjoying this assignment or a combination of both, I am not sure. But it's really great to see most all of them excited about the process.

This week was also a week of new beginnings and opening our minds up to looking at "old" things in new ways. On Wednesday, the students looked at - and felt - marshmellows in a whole new way. After having the opportunity to explore a marshmellow through touch, the students were encouraged to draw pictures of how a marshmellow feels. We are very used to drawing what things look like, or even how we feel emotionally, but to draw how something tactily feels is new territory.

Some of the students enjoyed the experience. Others said it was very challenging. The exercise was presented in order to give students the opportunity to explore their sense of touch and to be able to communicate it. Through discussion, the students used words such as "fluffy," "squishy," "spongy." Descriptions like, "It felt like a cloud looks," or "It feels like a baby's bottom," came up. But how does one draw those descriptions? Those adjectives? How do you describe a tactile experience? This is a bit of a precursor to richer writing.

As we are moving into the world of ancient Greece next week, we began touching on the unit by beginning mask work in Drama, and exploring root words in Language Arts. Though we will spend most of our time exploring Greece in Social Studies, we will be reading Greek mythology in Language Arts and learning about the origins of theatre in ancient Greece in Drama.

I will continue to keep you "posted" on Thursdays.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cheers,
Ms. Nicky Pitman

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Drama:
No Homework!

Language Arts:
Research three examples of paradox on the internet
Your examples can be in written form or images or both
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 8

Math:
P. 15, prob. 1.3, A, B & C
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 8

Ch. 1 Test: Polygons
Tuesday, January 12

Science:
Finish Ch. 3 Review
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 8
Start working on final copy of materials & procedures

Social Studies:
Assignment group work presentation preparation
Due: Tomorrow, Friday, January 8

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Drama:
Complete Paper Plate Masks
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 7

Language Arts:

*Bring in new composition book/journal
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 7

Math:

P. 13, prob. 1.2, #A, B, C
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 7

Science:

Complete whatever you didn't finish in class:
Sections 3 & 4, section review, vocabulary;
Answer article question

Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 7

Social Studies:

Research & type up at least two paragraphs
on your specific section for your assignment group.
Include an image, if possible. *See hand-out
Due: Tomorrow, Thursday, January 7

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Announcements

The Extra Mile Club
Begins next Monday, January 11
*Students are bringing home information to share with parents

P.F. Chang's Marathon & Half-Marathon
TPA Fund-raiser
Thanks to all parents who are running or walking in the race!
Ms. Pitman is walking the half-marathon. If you aren't parti-
cipating yourself, and you are able, students brought home
sponsorship forms yesterday. Any amount you can give, is
appreciated!!!

The race is Sunday, January 17.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Monday, January 18: No school

Ms. Pitman's Thursday Blog Posts...
...will be back up to speed this week.
See below for a special posting yesterday and photos
from the fall semester.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Drama:
No Homework

Language Arts:
Share revised "Expectations & Guidelines" sheet
and Extra Mile Club information with your parents

Complete "Janus Project"
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 6

Math:
P. 10-11, problem 1.1, A-D
*Ask parents to fill out information sheets
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 6

Science:
Read p. 82-85, 86-91
Do vocab & section reviews for both
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 6

Social Studies:
Complete assignment 1, 2, or 3
*Be sure to read guidelines
Due: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 6

Monday, January 4, 2010

It's Been a Blog Time Since I Posted....

Hi, All!

I hope you all enjoyed your holidays and time off from the regular day to day of TPJA.

I must say while I felt I could have used another week of "down time," I was thrilled to come back to school today and be back in the classroom with all my students. I truly missed them!

We started off the week by "kissing" 2009 goodbye, literally. With chocolate Kisses in hand, we each took a turn throwing our Hershey Kiss in a waste basket and stating what we wanted to say goodbye to. Several students mentioned low grades, some expressed behaviors they wanted to leave behind, while I think a couple of them mentioned siblings (must've been quite a year!).

In Language Arts the students worked individually on a partnered art project. The month of January was named after the Roman god, Janus, who oversaw doorways. Janus was typically depicted with two heads: one looking back at the past, the other looking forward to the present. Using one side of a folded piece of paper, each student sketched out a profile looking toward the past. They then exhanged their paper with someone else, handing off their work with the drawing facing downward. Once the other person received the folded paper, blank-side up, they began to draw a profile looking toward the future. Then the paper was exchanged to more times in order to complete the drawings. When the exercise was over, the papers were then unfolded to reveal a two-headed person at the "gateway" of the new year: the crossroads of the past and the future.

Our next unit in Social Studies is ancient Greece, but there is so much history between (and over-lapping) ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, that it seemed wise to give the students a taste of it. Today the students began part one of a one-week, three part assignment that will give them the opportunity to get to know a bit about ancient India, China, and the Hebrews and the history of Judaism. Each student was given the task of becoming the "expert" of the week in one of these cultures. On Friday, they will be sharing with the other two groups of students what they learned.

Just as we said goodbye to 2009 this morning, at the end of the day we welcomed in 2010. We toasted with a cup of Sparkling grape juice and stated individual aspirations for ourselves in the upcoming semester in unison. We then cheered and blew party blowers to celebrate.

As we ease back into a regular routine once again, the students will be bringing home with them this week newly revised classroom expectations and guidelines to share with you. Please take some time to look them over, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to cal or email me with them.

Student evaluations should be posted for you to view. While TPJA/TPA won't offer formal conferences again this semester, if you would like to set up a conference time with me, Mrs. Stoyanoff and Mrs. Hipple, just let me know so that we can make arrangements.

Again, I would like to invite you to stop by our classroom anytime. Our door is open and parents are always welcome.

I extend apologies for lapsing on my weekly postings. The semester became quite busy for me between prepping/grading for TPJA classes as well as juggling three of my own grad school classes online. My aspiration is to be more diligent and begin posting again weekly.

While there is so much to say about last semester, I am going to be brief and simply say how grateful I am to work with your students. I may sometimes get a little dizzy-eyed with them (they will not let me eat sugar any more during the school day as they know it makes me grumpy), but every day I feel blessed, honored and humbled working with them. Thank you for trusting me with your children.

Since pictures paint a 1000 words, I will offer you the following...

Cheers to 2010,
Ms. Nicky Pitman

Glimpses of Room 503, Fall 2009

The sixth graders took a few days to explore their passion...their "spark!" What really floats their boat?! Fresh air helps clear the way. November.









Glimpses of Room 503, Fall 2009

Found objects in nature...Art pieces created in conjunction with our Secret Garden work in Language Arts, December.









Glimpses of Room 503, Fall 2009

Letting off some steam pre-Finals... Jabberwocky, rap-style and Hamlet, done in our snootiest faux British accents!













Glimpses of Room 503, Fall 2009

Stone Age Board Games, created by the students of Room 503 (small group work), September