This month in 6C, students will be doing a variety of reading and writing activities.  First, students will be flexing their reading and writing muscles by locating and using text evidence to support various projects, including making artwork of a story’s setting under various conditions; creating topographical maps of the story’s setting; performing an allegorical analysis; and much more!  Students will continue their word analysis investigations (analyzing word parts for clues to words’ meaning) as well as hone their skills in identifying levels of questioning and answering text-dependent questions.

We’ll also start our poetry unit, during which students will write poems in a variety of forms using a wide range of figurative language.  The poetry unit will culminate in the Coffee Shop Poetry Reading — a highlight of every year!  More information will come home about this event.  Friends and family members will be invited to the “Coffee Shop” to hear students share their poetry, and you won’t want to miss it!

QUIZ BOWL NOTES:

Quiz Bowl has also started for 7th and 8th graders.  Practices will be held Fridays after school until 4:15 in room 6C.  Everyone is welcome.  Interested students should ask their homeroom teachers for information forms — or just come to a Friday meeting.

1. Due to no school on Oct. 4, we will meet Thursday, Oct. 3 (same time and location)
2. We will be discussing participation in upcoming tournaments at the next meeting.  Bring your calendars.

Students have been getting creative in 6C this month!

In English, we’ve been focusing on poetry.  Students have learned about several types of figurative language, poetic devices, and poetic forms.  Visit the hallway outside 6C to view our gallery of group-created odes!   In December, students will work together to plan and put on a poetry event: the annual Coffee Shop Poetry Reading.  Each Mod will determine a name for their coffee shop, use a simple graphic design program to create a logo and advertising for their coffee shop, make decorations, plan menus, and more as they prepare an unforgettable event.  Parents, friends, and family will be invited, so please watch your email for details.

In Guided Reading, students have been working with drama.  First, groups learned about elements of a script, parts of the theater, and different theater jobs.  Then, students read scripts and compared and contrasted them with other types of writing (poetry and prose).  After analyzing the plot of the plays, students then used a plot diagram to plan their own original plays.  Finally, students transformed their plans into the real thing: a real play, complete with script, props, backdrops, and costumes.  Students will perform their plays for each other next week.

In February and March, all sixth graders are busy researching, writing, editing, and preparing to present their oral speeches for the annual Woodmen of the World speech contest.  This year, the topic is, “What is the invention that you think has most positively influenced our world?”  While participation in the contest itself is optional, all students will present their speeches in class the week of March 19-23.

If students would like to participate in the actual contest, the first round of competition will be held after school on Tuesday, March 27.  Permission forms will be sent home as soon as they become available.

Students have been working very hard on their speeches, both in class and at home.  Parents, please remember to provide time for your child to write, edit, and practice at home, too!

All sixth graders are also reading A Wrinkle in Time.  We will be going on a class field trip to see the new movie version of this classic book the first week in April.  Stay tuned for more details.

In Guided Reading, my groups are making great strides in using text evidence to prove points, making connections to their stories, making inferences, identifying types of questions, re-telling stories in a variety of ways, explaining symbols, exploring cause and effect, and much, much, more.  As always, we also reflect upon and apply our learning in some interesting ways.  Third quarter, students will write and perform original plays, write cause/effect stories, create personal symbols, and make visual representations of heaven using paper marbling.

REMINDER: I am here every morning before school at 7:30 am; if students need help, please feel free to come early to school.  Go through the office, and Mrs. Graney will let you come upstairs.