Holiday Excitement!

Holiday excitement has started to seep into LMS!

Please be sure to check Infinite Campus for your child's grades.  I posted the Chapter 3 test grades yesterday, so please take a minute to see your child's progress.  I have had a couple of kids come to me and tell me that the grade in Infinite Campus is wrong; I put in a +25 grade when it was really supposed to be a +35 grade!!  I told the kids to check from time to time and make sure I'm posting  the right numbers for the assignments; speed and accuracy are not always compatible.

I also told the kids that the test grade was out of a total of 34, not 35, because many kids missed the same question.  This tells me we either didn't spend enough time on the concept, or the question was not well written.  Either way, I tossed one question.  So.....if your child had +35 on the test, their score is now 102.94%.

When we return from winter break, we will be starting a unit on economics.  It sounds boring, but it is actually rather interesting and offers opportunities for hands-on activities.

I predict that tomorrow will be a crazy day, so let me take this opportunity to wish you a safe and happy Holiday.  Drive carefully.

Cathy

Test Wednesday, December 18! Study! Study!

Greetings!

The natives are restless, but there is work to be done this week.  We will be taking the test on Chapter 3, The World's People, on Wednesday, December 18.  We corrected the last two pages of review work today, and tomorrow we will go over the pre-test the kids took in November.

I did have one girl ask me last Friday to tell her how to study.  I pondered her request all weekend; it was a great question.  I explained to the kids that reading, and re-reading, the chapter would be a great way to study, and all I heard was a loud, collective groan!  I also explained that ALL the work we have been doing is building toward the test, and I mentioned that those who had missing assignments were really putting themselves in danger of not being able to pass the test.

I also made a quiz on Quizlet.  Several kids in each class indicated that they have used Quizlet, so they have a passing familiarity with the web site.  I have added a link that will get you close to our quiz.  I told the kids that using Quizlet is the perfect combination of studying and technology!!


http://quizlet.com/subject/Chapter-3-The-World's-People/

After you click on this link, look for the quiz made by me - MrsCWood.  There is a small picture of me, too, so hopefully the quiz will be easy to find.  There are several ways to use quizlet, so please encourage your child to take the quiz more than once.

Thanks,
Cathy

The Horizon extends to Wednesday! Weekend Homework(possible)

Greetings,

Once again, there is a change in plans!  Although I really  wanted to have the kids take the test over Chapter Three, The World's People, on Monday, I am forced to change the date.  The date is being changed for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the BMX Assembly really generated a lot of excitement. That excitement has spilled into the classroom, so attention spans are short today.

The new, improved test date will be Wednesday, December 18.  Please keep in mind that a test grade goes into the "60% of your grade" column, so this test will have a big impact on grades.  We have looked at the chapter from every angle, now it will be the responsibility of your child to review information on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Today's assignment was the "Chapter Review" from the "The World's People" booklet.  These are the last two pages in the booklet, and the assignment is broken into Sections.  Page numbers are required for Section 1 and Section 3.  Although there is no NEW information, the wording on a couple of the questions is throwing the kids.  I don't give answers, but I do direct them to the correct page, so I encourage you to do the same.  This assignment is due Monday, December 16.

Thanks,
Cathy

Test on the Horizon

Greetings,

The test over Chapter 3, The World's People,  will be given on Monday, December 16.  I am hoping the kids will be able to take the test on a computer, but if not, we will do it "the old fashioned" way, with a pencil.  If we take it on the computer, the kids will see one question at a time, choose their (correct) answer, and move on to the next question.  They will be able to go back and check/change answers, and when they are done they will submit their answers and immediately get their grade.  It is "instant" feedback.

We have been doing multiple activities to get into the book and really "know" the information.  Today's assignment is "The World's People" booklet page 18-Section 3 Daily Quiz and the Vocabulary Activity on page 7(which is immediately after page 18; don't ask!). Page numbers are required with each page, to once again get the kids to read/re-read the information. This work is due Friday, December 13.

It is heartening to hear the kids say that they know the answer without looking in the book, however, I still want page numbers with answers so I know they are once again using the learning tools available to them.  We will correct these pages tomorrow, which will give the kids a "study guide" for the test.

So, once again, the following assignments are due Friday, December 13:
Page 18-Daily Quiz Section 3 
Page 7- Vocabulary Activity(covers entire chapter)
Both assignments are in the "The World's People" booklet

Thanks,
Cathy

Change In Plans!

I had planned on having the kids take the test over Chapter 3, "The World's People" on Thursday, December 12.  As they say, however, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry", and such is the case for us.

The date is being changed because there will be a Band Concert on Thursday, and on Friday we will be going to a BMX program.  It's hard to make Sixth Graders concentrate with such excitement, and I do want them to concentrate.

The kids are beginning to notice that the same question is being asked in several different ways as we work through the chapter, which is good.  Learning to use the book is almost as important, at this point, as knowing the information, and I think we are making progress.  It is interesting to listen to them discuss the questions and possible answers, especially when they use the book to prove their point.  I love this type of learning!

The new, improved date for the Chapter Three Social Studies test will be Monday, December 16, 2013.  I will make sure kids bring home any assignment that may be of help for a quick study session over the weekend.

Thanks,
Cathy

Link to Chapter 3 Booklet, Chapter 3 Test date

Greetings,

We are working out of the "The World's People" booklet, and the kids will need this booklet until December 12.  Sadly, many kids have told me that they lost their booklet, and my cupboard is bare. By the time replacements arrive, it will be too late; we are taking a test over Chapter 3 on December 12.   I told the kids today that losing the booklet is really equivalent to losing a textbook.

 So, if  your child is one whose booklet has disappeared, you are free to print the necessary pages.  Below is the link to the booklet, but if the link doesn't work, go to the LMS Homework Page, click on my "Document" link, and look for the document entitled "Chapter 3 work".

Thanks,
Cathy



http://www.lowellschools.com/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=14736&fileitem=5414&catfilter=1922

Questions to be answered :)

Today we started reading Chapter 3, Section 2, which is entitled "Economic and Population".  We discussed the meaning of "gross" as it relates to "gross domestic product" and "gross national product".  I also assigned the following questions, which need to be answered and ready to correct on Wednesday, December 4.  Time was given in class to work on this assignment, and the majority of kids did complete the assignment.  Those who are not done need to complete this tonight, or they may come to my room during Academic Focus tomorrow.

Thanks,
Cathy

List three (3) characteristics of an Industrialized Country.

List three (3) characteristics of a Developing Country.

What does “Literacy Rate” mean?

What is “GDP”?

What is the importance of “per capita “GDP”?  

New Marking Period, New Grades

Greetings,

Welcome to the Second Trimester!  Although it started last Monday, today I will be putting in the first grades of the marking period.  I'm a little disappointed, but  I think this will be a "wake up call" for those students who dragged their feet on this assignment. The assignment was pages 2,8, and 16 in the "The World's People" booklet.

We started this assignment on November 21, and worked on it, for the entire  class period, on November 25 and 26. Originally, it was due November 26; the the two hour delay threw a monkey wrench into the works.  So, I told the kids last week that if they weren't done it would be homework over Thanksgiving break.  Today, there were several kids in the hall completing the work.

This was a fairly straight-forward assignment, but I did require them to provide a page number with each answer for the Page 16 assignment.  I want the kids to get used to using the book as a source of information; I don't expect them to memorize all this information.  Much of it is abstract, so it would be difficult to memorize.  What I do want them to learn is how to use a book, or a website, to gather information.

Today, as we corrected the work in class, I explained how this publisher approaches work.  Each assignment is very linear; the publisher starts at the beginning of a section and works through the section page-by-page.  Every question follows a "right to left, top to bottom" pattern.  Several of the kids caught on to this pattern right away, and others are beginning to discover the pattern.

If you see a missing grade or a failing grade, please encourage your child to complete the work and turn it in tomorrow.  I told everyone at the beginning of the new marking period that everyone had an "A", but it would be their responsibility to maintain that grade.  I'd like to see everyone back at that level.

Thanks,
Cathy