As the school year comes to a close, we are wrapping up our research reports and in the process

of presenting them to our classmates.  Many interesting topics were chosen and we are enjoying hearing

about all of them.

        We would like to thank everyone that contributed to "Brooke's Basket."  We raised a good sum of

money and many great items were donated.  It's sure to bring a smile to her face when she gets it.

 

 

 

 

    Our culminating activity for our study of genres was to write a poem, rap, or a song.  Here are a few exceptional examples.
 
                       Poem
                               by Annabelle and Jinna

Mysteries are read
Non-fiction is true
They're both great genres
And they're our favorite "two"


                       Fantasy
                                by Lily
Enter a world where animals talk
Gumdrops can walk
Leaves can sing
Trees could even go to a spring fling
The world of fantasy can take you away
And all creatures
Can sing
HIP-HIP-HORRAY!

                       Mystery
                                 by James and Bradley (a rap)
Mysteries, what'll happen next
Mysteries, who committed the crime
Mysteries, can you solve it...it...it....
                 
                         Genres
                                  by Shawna and Hali (To the tune of Jingle Bells)
We like many books
They all are so cool
Even in the winter
When it starts to snow
We're warm by the fire
So we pull out a great book
We all sit down
And enjoy, it is really cool
Oh, fantasy, mystery,  science fiction, too
These are all genres that are really cool
Informational, historical, folktale, too
These are examples of genres that we "boo".



                                      Genres

                                               by Ana, Vada, and Madeline


I favor fiction, I think it's fascinating
Pictures in my mind are what it's creating

Made up, but it could happen to you
Can be based off a story that is true

Romance, I think, is next in line
Makes you smile, or even cry

A story that's based on love
Dances or weddings, a flower or dove

Oh, and I like poetry, it expresses thought
Could you have rhymed like that? I think not.


                                 Fantasy
                                          by Courtney

From chocolate trees
To talking bees
It's all FANTASY
They are all happily
Ever after
And sometimes give you
Some laughter
They never make you sad
And when they are over
You're not always glad


                                  Genres
                                         by Brenyn, Tyler P., and Gage
  
Genres are so joyfully fun,
Genres are for everyone.

Let's take a look inside these things,
A world of mysterious mysteries and romantic rings.

Phantoms are from horror books,
And romance really has its looks.

Fantasy has some pretty cool witches,
Yet, historical fiction gives me the itches.

Science fiction is probably my favorite thing,
It makes me so happy, I want to sing.

So, come along and rhyme with me,
In my genre poetry.




      Recently, our students dabbled with couplets and alliterations.  One student's final product is the following:

Gently gliding, slowly swaying
It winds down to the window, in which it's laying

Dancing down, slow and white
Flying and falling, delicate and light

This fun-filled fluff is soft and sleek
In to the winter world I peek

Sight of the shimmering window
My eyes catch the early snow,
All my daytime, devoted to where I'll go

SNOW!

That was a beautiful example by Ana and also an example of extension, whereby Ana took the assignment to a level beyond just writing one couplet with an alliteration.

 

     With the new year upon us, we are making steady progress with covering the needed concepts.  Most

recently, we finshed persuasive business letters.  Various issues were explored such as:  smoking in

public places, chemicals in plastics, delayed start days, and many other interesting topics.  The students

enjoyed presenting their selections to their classmates and in turn the listeners enjoyed being critics remarking on the content of the letters based on our rubric criteria.   Also on the new agenda, is a new

text, Tuck Everlasting.  We ventured in to this second novel last week with a prevoke activity of sorts.

This should be a special experience for the students this year, as 99% of them have neither seen the movie or read the book.  So, this first experience promises a great learning adventure that's full of thought-provoking

activities. 

 

 

     Currently, our classes want to show their social responsibility by participating in a community service program, The Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive, which lends a hand to children by providing them with brand new pajamas and books.  This is a joint effort between the Scholastic Book Clubs, the Pajama Program, and the classrooms around the country.  With each student from our school that donates a pair of pajamas, Scholastic Books donates a book. Following that, the Pajama Program distributes the pajamas and books to shelters, foster homes, and orphanages.  Our pod will mail the pajamas to Scholastic Book Clubs on December 7, 2009, so we need everyone to scour the stores for their pajama purchase! Thanks to all of you who contribute to help make this a success. On a side note, we enjoyed wearing our pajamas to school
to get everyone fired-up about the program.

    We have some very exciting pen pal news.  Three of our sixth grade students received mail from their pen pals.   Holly heard from her pen pal in Scotland, Brad was pleased when

his pen pal from England made contact, and Angie was surprised to get mail from Russia.  All the students were generous enough to share their letters with our entire pod, so we all could enjoy the learning experience. Along those same lines, Kim's grandmother, a missionary in Mongolia, provided several email addresses for students that did not previously attain a pen pal.  Those students were thrilled to finally have a friend to write.  Many thanks to Kim's grandmother for making that happen.  We'll keep you posted on the friends we make around the world.

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 Our sixth grade year is off to a phenomenal start that has been filled with a variety of engaging learning activities. Initially, we are reading Maniac Magee, a fictional text that the students love and can relate. The text, written by Jerry Spinelli, (a master of figurative language) bodes well for beginning with a unit on figurative language.  Thus far, we have covered similes and metaphors with almost perfect mastery shown by all ninety-five of my students this year.  In the week to come, we are continuing to put our writing skillsto the test with  a descriptive paragragh about a Snicker's bar (one of the text's character's nickname).  This is always interesting as the students have to finish their writing prior to eating their candy bar that remains in front of them during the writing process.  Moreover, we just completed a round of Tableau, a form of dramatic expression where no voices, props, or costumes are allowed.  This activity reinforces the content of the text, as the children have to reread to determine a scene to perform.  This was a big hit with my students.  Many of them showed promise for future careers in the field of acting.  Finally, we placed and received our order for world-wide pen pals.  Seventy-six pen pals were requested.  So, we anxiously await responses to our first letters that are currently being constructed and mailed.  It's always fun to track the letters on a map as they come in from around the world. Lastly, I am  also including the Read For Real text and Storyworks in our days.  Both are excellent sources for state test preparation.  Now, for one parting comment for the parents.  Please continue to monitor you child's silent reading at home and make sure that they are documenting specific page numbers that they read nightly.  This will help us to stay on good track this year.