Skating Field Trip :)

Just a reminder that we have our Team 6A Skating Field Trip from 1-3 on Monday! Can't wait to see all of you out there on the ice :)

Week 10 Vocabulary Words

Here our this week's vocabulary words for out new novel Sadako.

1.  heroine             
2.  leukemia          
3.  fluster
4. musty
5. soothe

Remember to study!! Everyone on team 6A is making wonderful progress, every one's balloons keep on soaring!

ELA Interactive Website

Please try the the link below. This website focuses on vocabulary words and their meaning. The best part is for every answer you get right, they donate ten grains of write to help end world hunger. Let me know what you think!!

http://www.freerice.com/

Adaptations Game

Please try the following adaptations games below by clicking on the link below :)

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/climate/adaptations/index.cfm



http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/climate/adaptation_quiz/index.cfm

Vocabulary Words Week 9

Genuine- Free from dishonesty; sincere.

Dreadful- Extremely unpleasant

Startle- A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected surprise or danger

Anxious- Uneasy and worried about an uncertain event or matter.

Entrance (verb) - To fill with delight, wonder, or enchantment

3 Day Weekend!!

Have a safe and fun three day weekend everybody!!! If you would like you are more than welcome to share about your weekend festivities!! :)

Habitat Game

Below is a link to game that challenges you and asks you to design a habitat based on that species specific needs. Please try it out! :)


www.arkive.org/education/games/design-a-habitat

Congratulations!!!!

Congratulations to all my Science students :) Everyone in Science today recieved a 100% on their quiz. I am so proud of all of you!!!!!

STUDY!!!!!

Reminder you all have your week 7 vocabulary quiz tomorrow!!! Below are the words just in case you do not have them. I want to see 100's on everyones quizzes tomorrow :)P.S. I even gave you example sentences that you are more than welcome to use!!!


Vocabulary Week 7


Docile: ready and willing to be taught

Parrots are very good pets because they have a docile nature.

Cunning: characterized by wiliness and trickery

The bank robber had a cunning plan to rob the bank that day.


Obstinate: resistance to change

I tried to convince her to change her mind, but she was obstinate.

Abate: to put an end to

The increasing temperature is sure to abate with the oncoming rain in the next few days.

Serenity: disposition free from stress or emotion

I was in serenity at the spa today.

Week 6 Vocabulary words

Reminder that Core 1 ELA has their vocabulary test on Friday. Core 3&4 ELA don't have their test until Monday. Below you will find this weeks vocabulary words. Make sure you study!! :)

Poignant: profoundly moving:touching

Reconcile: reestablish a close relationship between

Chasten: to correct by punishment

Drudgery: tedious or unpleasant work

Resolute: firm or determined: unwavering

STUDY FOR THE QUIZ! YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SPELL EACH WORD, GIVE THE DEFINITION, AND USE EACH WORD CORRECTLY IN A SENTENCE.

SAVE THE SEA TURTLES!!!!

Today I got the following email from Disney:


Help save sea turtles! Encourage your children and students to vote for IFAW's project in Disney’s Friends for Change!



Sea Turtles have been around for millions of years, but pollution could soon make them extinct. Help IFAW save them.

Register and Vote Now!

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR VOTING INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!

http://disney.go.com/projectgreen/explorevote.html

Dear Ms.Caloon,

As a participant in IFAW’s Animal Action education programs, we thought you’d like to know about our work to engage and involve children in the Caribbean to help save sea turtles. And we need help from the kids in your life to win support for this project from Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green.

Click the link below to visit their site and register to vote for IFAW's turtle project.

http://http//disney.go.com/projectgreen/explorevote.html

In IFAW's Clearing the Way for Turtles project, kids who live where sea turtles nest in the Caribbean will learn about sea turtle conservation and how they can help save them:

They'll clean up litter from beaches where sea turtle babies hatch;
They'll receive reusable shopping bags to help their families reduce plastic bag use;
When sea turtles come on shore to lay eggs, scientists will tag the turtles so they can identify and track them; And then, using the very latest technology, students will be able to track the sea turtles by using a special web site. So they'll be able to see the direct results of their conservation efforts!

Through the Disney's Friends for Change website, kids have the opportunity to vote for the project that they believe should receive the most funding. And that's where you come in!

Now through November 12, kids can vote on the Friends for Change website to help Disney decide how the next installment of its $1 million in annual donations will be distributed among the five programs. IFAW's "Clearing the Way for Turtles" project will receive a portion of this installment. The amount depends on the percentage of votes earned - first place gets $100,000, so please have the kids in your life click here to register and vote for IFAW's Clearing the Way for Turtles project. And then pass this email on to anyone and everyone who you think might be interested.

The voting period ends soon, so please have them vote today, and help us create a much better tomorrow for our ocean's sea turtles.

Thank you!


Fred O'Regan
IFAW President

p.s. Plastic waste can harm sea turtles and many other animals. Make sure you recycle, reuse, and reduce your plastic consumption. And don't forget to tell the kids in your life to click here to register and vote for IFAW's Clearing the Way for Turtles project.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green
Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green is a multiplatform initiative that helps kids help the planet. Through the program, kids can learn practical ways to help the environment, get their friends involved, track their collective impact and have the opportunity to help Disney decide how $1 million in donations to various environmental causes will be made over the course of a year. Kids can join online at www.Disney.com/projectgreen, where they'll pledge to take simple everyday actions, such as turning off the lights and switching to reusable water bottles, and find out more about why these actions matter.

Scholastic Book Orders

Scholastic Book Orders were originally due this Friday but, I have extended the date to Wednesday, October 20th. I have also attached a welcome and explanation letter on how to order books online. For every order we get online our classroom gets $3 towards books :)

Online Ordering Information
Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class Activation Code: G27HX

Dear Parent,

Now it’s easier than ever to find the perfect books for your child—shop our NEW online Book Clubs Web site. Choose from a much-wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card to pay.

Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.

It’s so simple! Here’s how it works:
SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, register by clicking click the “Don’t have a user name or password?” link. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.


SELECT the books you’d like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers.


SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child’s books will be delivered directly to my classroom.
Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flyer. But why not see for yourself how convenient it is to order online?


Thank you,


Melissa Caloon

Sachem's Head Field Trip

Thank you everybody for such a wonderful field trip on Tuesday! It was such a perfect day, the weather was great, and the foliage was fantastic. I had a great time with all of you and I hope that everybody enjoyed the trip :)

Test on Wednesday!!

This is a remind to all my Science students that you have a test on Wednesday! Reminder this test will cover everything we have learned on the Scientific Method! Below you will find some helpful websites that are related to the Scientific Method.

www.brainpop.com/.../scientificinquiry/scientificmethod/

http://www.quia.com/jg/65726.html

Sixth Grade book list

Sixth Grade Novel List

Below you will find a list of the novels we will be reading this year in Language Arts. More novels may be added as the school year progresses.

• Number the Stars by Louis Lowry
• Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech
• The Cay by Theodore Taylor
• Journey to Jo’burg by Beverley Naidoo
• The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton
• Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank
• The Land I Lost by Huynh Quang Nhuong
• The Giver by Louis Lowry
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
• Sadako and the thousand paper cranes by Eleanor Coerr
• The Clay Marble
• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry

Asia:
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Sadako
The Land I Lost
Clay Marble

Europe:
Diary of Anne Frank
Ruby Holler
Number the Stars

Caribbean:
The Cay

Africa:
Journey to Jo'Burg
The House of Dies Drear
Roll of Thunder

Extra:

The Giver

Welcome Families and Students !!

Dear Families:

Welcome! I hope that everyone is enjoying this beautiful fall weather, and enjoying school so far. I am very excited for this school, and to working with you and your child throughout the year.
First, I would like to introduce myself. This will be my third year teaching sixth grade Language Arts and Science. In 2008, I completed my Master’s Degree in Elementary Education, with instructional focus on the integration of technology and community service within the classroom. Also here at the Greenfield Middle School I am the Student Council Advisor, and the Science Coordinator for the building. I love animals, and in my spare time outside of school I rescue cats and kittens and then work hard to place them into healthy, happy, loving new homes.
In order to help prepare for this upcoming school year in both Science and Language Arts I have included below an outline of the main topics and books we will be covering, along with a list of supplies that will allow students to be prepared for school.

English Language Arts:
English Language Arts this year will look different from previous years. This year we will be doing most of our instructional focus through reading different novels. Most of the novels relate and will be integrated into both the Science and the Social Studies curriculum. To give you an idea, I have attached a list of the novels we will be doing this year. Also in Language Arts we do lots of writing. I ask that students come to class open minded, willing, and prepared to write everyday. Some writing pieces we will be focusing on this year are how to write a formal letter, persuasive essay, creative writing, and descriptive writing. We also will acquire pen pals from around the United States.
Students also have a regular schedule of homework for Language Arts, where they will be required to read Monday through Thursday nights for at least thirty minutes a night. In the beginning of the year students will create a note book to log all of their reading in. Besides reading on a regular basis students have no other homework, unless they have not completed an assignment in school, if they are absent, or to study for a quiz or test.
Below you will find a list of supplies that I ask students come prepared to school with.
• Three-ring binder (one inch), with white lined paper and tab dividers
• Lots of #2 pencils
• Markers, Colored Pencils, and Crayons
• Highlighters (any color)
• Pocket Folder


Science:
Sixth Grade Science is very exciting! This year we will be learning about weather, how weather occurs, natural disasters, and we will even practice being meteorologists. Also this year in Science we will focus and learn about the six kingdoms of life, how species adapt and change to their environments, ecosystems and the species that inhabit those ecosystems, and we also have a unit on chemistry. In Science every day students are actively engaged in hands on activities and labs that will help further their understanding of the concepts we will be covering. I have always believed that children learn best from doing.
In Science students do not have homework on a regular basis. Students do have homework if they did not complete an assignment in the classroom, if they were absent from school, or to study for tests and quizzes.
Below you will find a list of supplies that I ask students come prepared to school with.
• Three- ring binder (one inch), with white lined paper and tab dividers.
• #2 pencils
• Glue
• Markers, Colored Pencils
• Pocket Folder

One important thing that is very different for both parents and children this year is the grading system. Students will now be receiving letter grades instead of numbers. Often this can be a hard adjustment for students, due to the fact that a three in fifth grade does not always equal out to an A in sixth grade. We will work together on this in the beginning of the year so students will fully understand this new grading system. Also as a parent you will now have access to Power School. Power School is just like a teacher’s grade book, but the great thing is you have access to see how your child is doing at any time. In Power School I will have every assignment listed with a grade so that you are always able to see how your child is doing on all assignments. In the beginning of the year you will receive a log in ID and a password so that you are able to access your account.
Sixth Grade is also an exciting year for field trips. This past year we went on numerous field trips to give students as many real world experiences as possible. For example, this year the Sixth Grade went to the Bronx Zoo in New York City, we went hiking, skating, to a Chinese Restaurant to have lunch, Camp Apex, and to the movies. This year our goal is to have students engage in these kinds of experiences as much as possible.
Parent-Teacher communication is important to me, so my door is always open. If you have something to share or any concerns ever arise, please don’t hesitate to send a note with your child, call or email me. I also have conference times during the day, if you’d like to speak with me in person. The times and days of these regular conference times will be sent to you in a later letter. Also by the beginning of the year I should have a classroom website set up so that you are able to always follow what is happening within our classroom. I also ask that if or whenever possible classroom supply donations are always accepted and welcomed. Some of the things we will need this year are the following; markers, crayons, colored pencils, glue, scissors, hand sanitizer, tissues, cleaning wipes and anything else that comes through that door.
Again, I am really looking forward to having your child this year and to working with you!

Sincerely,



Melissa Caloon
Sixth Grade Teacher