E A S T A V N E N U E

Teachers Message:
``
Mrs. Knox 6th Grade Class
Greetings parents/guardians! We have now entered into a new trimester and expectations our even greater. As we continue to
work towards reaching our goals in mastering the sixth grade standards, we must continue to encourage our students to do their
best and take the initiative in becoming a productive and responsible student. Encourage your child to take into consideration the
strategies and suggestions for increasing their level of understanding that I provided for them in their report card comments. To
be a productive and successful student, they must work beyond what is required and take the extra time to develop study habits in
their area of struggle. Keep up the good work!

Remember to send the science camp accountability form back with your child. It is important that we get an estimated count of
the number of students that will participate in this activity as soon as possible. As the new year approaches the sixth grade team
will begin to plan smaller fieldtrips related to the curriculum.

A Bi-Weekly Newsletter Issue 7 November 2009 Your Child’s Teacher

Upcoming Test and

Assignments Social Science
Reading Grammar Science
-Group social science
Math Monday, Dec. 4th -Group science project test Dec. 2nd.
Monday, Dec. 4th
project test Nov. 30th. - Dec. 3rd, students
Monday, December 4 th -Students will be tested -Students will be tested
on the grammar
-
Dec. 1st students will will complete class
­Students will be tested on   on the reading
concepts taught in complete class project project. Final project
rates, ratios, and proportions. strategies and key due Dec. 4th.
vocabulary for theme 3 class and practiced for (Science Lab).
story 1 homework. Analysis due Dec. 2nd
chapter, students will work as a whole
-Book Reports due Nov. class project on interpreting maps.
30th
What’s Happening In:
Math Strategy Focus: Predict/Infer
Science
For the next two weeks we will focus on  Comprehension Skill: Text
Students are preparing to present
the following concepts:  finding rates and  Organization
their group projects to the class. They
ratios through problem solving and 
Grammar are creating individual drawings that
algebraically and solving proportions.  
reflect the areas/content being studied
Students will be taught how to grasp  Students are learning how to identify
and providing written explanations on
these concepts through various methods  and write transitive and intransitive
how it relates to earthquakes.
and mediums.  Understanding these  verbs; being verbs and linking verbs.
Students are creating a group drawing
concepts will help students in their 
Social Science that analyzes earthquake risk in
advancement in solving algebraic 
equations.
California and will present their
Students are preparing to present understanding of this along with their
Reading their group projects to the class. They individual drawings during their
are creating individual drawings that presentation. Students will than be
We are within the third theme of the reflect the areas/content being studied assessed on their group earthquake
reading curriculum, which is called, and providing written explanations on analysis drawing. Before ending the
“Growing Up.” Within this theme how it relates to Ancient Egypt.
students are reading stories that chapter on earthquakes, students will
Students are creating a group drawing have an opportunity to participate in a
focuses on historical and scientific that analyzes Egyptian Society and
mysteries. Students are reading story will present their understanding of skills lab activity, where they will
1 in theme 3, which is called “Where this along with their individual observe, draw conclusions, infer,
the Red Fern Grows.” During this make models, and communicate about
drawings during their presentation. earthquake risks in California.
story students are practicing the Students will than be assessed on their
following skills: group drawing. Before ending the
1
 When analyzing text organization, write
ome Study
M AT H   the sentence frame: When I read
________, I noticed that the text was
Study:  Adding subtracting,  organized __________.
multiplying, and dividing, 
Grammar
decimals and finding rates and 
ratios. Study: transitive and intransitive
verbs; being verbs and linking verbs.
Strategies: Practice converting
decimals to fractions to find the sum, Strategies: Practice editing writing by Announcements and 
 

difference, quotient or product. proofreading and correcting sentences Reminders

Practice using the traditional with grammar and spelling errors.
New
algorithm, an area model using base Underline transitive verb and circle
ten blocks, or a generic model to solve the intransitive verb. Underline each -Report cards go home Wednesday,
decimal problems. Practice finding being verb and circle each linking Nov. 14th .
rates and ratios for within a word verb. Example: Asian farmers live in
problem. bamboo houses. Zoo keepers harvest -Book Report packet will be handed
bamboo for pandas. Put a triangle out Nov. 23rd .
Example:
around being verbs and a square -No school Nov. 11th , Veterans Day
around linking verbs. Example: The
mountain air smells fresh.
Old
Social Science
-Homework is due Tuesday through
Study: Ancient Egypt chapter 4, Friday and should include a book report
sections 1-4. Study interpreting maps page, math, grammar, and spelling. Each
and the pyramid of Egyptian Society. homework sheet is a reflection of what
was taught in class, so please ensure that
Strategies: Study locating and HW is fully completed. Please remember
pinpointing earthquakes in California to sign your child’s planner after
(p. 198) and their magnitude. reviewing their HW.
Measure the distance from one
-Your child should bring their
earthquake prone area to another.
notebooks home each day for the
Practice writing the Egyptian Society
purpose of studying and doing HW.
class rank and who they are in
(Their notes are a reflection of what’s
chronological order.
learned in class)
Science
Reading -Please check your child’s graded
Study: Monitoring and Clarifying a Study: Earthquakes chapter 5, work folder for any graded tests and
stories text. Analyze the organization of sections 1-4. Study interpreting maps, assignments.
text. Key Vocabulary: erosion, evidence, pinpointing the magnitude of an
excavation, extinct, fossils, geologists, earthquake, and measuring distances
hypotheses, paleontologists, specimens, between fault lines.
and theory.
Strategies: Study locating and 
Strategies: When monitoring and
clarifying a story, write the following pinpointing earthquakes in California 
sentence frame: When I read _______, I (p. 198) and their magnitude.  
________; therefore I clarified by Measure the distance from one 
________. Now I ___________.
earthquake prone area to another, 
using a cm ruler. Understand the 
location of cities on a map.
If there are any questions please do not hesitate to e-mail me at tknox@husd.k12.ca.us, or call 510-723-3815 2