Welcome!

1. Welcome! Sixth Grade Open House Southgate Elementary School September 17, 2014

2. The Teachers • Ms. Dawn Harriman- Math • Mrs. Amanda Meyers– Social Studies and Science • Mrs. Debbie Ebersold – Mrs. Meyers’s Student Teacher • Miss Sarah Dowden - Reading • Mrs. Melissa Vatalaro/Ms. Victoria Schrom– • Alternate Math and Remedial Math • Mrs. Beth Geragosian/Mrs. Shannon Ostwald • Ms. Stacey Shepard - LEP • Mrs. Pamela Gerfin - Classroom Aide

3. Communication Communication is very important to us! We are all on the same team, and we are here to help your children. https://southgategrade6.pbworks.com/ • We check our voicemail and email daily, and we will respond within 24 to 48 hours. • Ms. Harriman: 785-6607 x4262, dharriman@ncolonie.org • Miss Dowden: 785-6607 x4277, sarahdowden@ncolonie.org • Mrs. Meyers: 785-6607 x4250 amandameyers@ncolonie.org

4. Organization • Organization is very important in sixth grade! • We use color coded notebooks: • Blue: Math • Red: Reading • Black: Social Studies and Science • 2. Organizational skills will be stressed. • Students will use a planner every day. • Students will be responsible for their own materials.

5. Sixth Grade Assignment Planner • Purpose: • Record homework assignments • Communicate school activities and important dates • Foster organization and responsibility • Expectations: • Complete neatly and accurately during homeroom and sections • Refer to planner when completing homework • Use as a tool to inform parents • We use color coded notebooks: • Blue: Math • Red: Reading • Black: Social Studies and Science • 2. Organizational skills will be stressed. • Students will use a planner every day. • Students will be responsible for their own materials.

6. Daily Homework Expectations • To prepare for the rigors of the junior high and to meet meet the Common Core Standards, students will be expected to complete: • 30 minutes of independent reading • Uninterrupted reading of an appropriate text • Other daily content area homework • If students do not meet the following expectations, they will be required to serve a recess detention. • Complete all homework assignments • Be prepared for class • Behave appropriately

7. Study Skills and Strategies • Please help your child form good study skills. • Be consistent with your expectations • Expect high quality work • Refer to planner as needed • Designate an uninterrupted time and place for homework • Review notes • Make flashcards and graphic organizers • Study facts

8. While you were out... • Absence • Homework and class notes will be collected. • Please call the office before 9:00AM to let us know how to get the homework to your child. • You may pick up your child’s homework or have it sent home with a classmate. • Early Dismissal • Send in a note with your child. • Collect homework assignments and class notes during homeroom. • Music Lessons • Be sure to get assignments and notes from the teacher or a classmate before the end of the day.

9. While you were out…

10. Language Arts • Writing: • Use Writer’s Workshop Framework to teach informational, • narrative, and persuasive writing • To practice skills, all students will be writing in Writer’s Notebooks • Grammar: • McGraw Hill Book • The Common Core Standards have put a • renewed emphasis on grammar and usage

11. Reading Program Components • Read Aloud • Shared Reading • Independent Reading • Book Clubs • Guided Reading • Vocabulary

12. Shared Reading • Interactive reading experience that occurs when students share the reading and discussion of a text while supported by a teacher • Short stories, articles, picture books • Allows for strategy instruction that will benefit the whole class • Enables teacher to model strategy and for students to hear each other’s thinking • Students will be asked to show how they use each strategy in a written response about the text read in class and for their independent reading books.

13. Guided Reading • Guided reading instruction occurs in small groups. • Small groups guarantee that all students have access to appropriate reading level text. • Group members change based on need.

14. Independent Reading Among the Hidden Hoot Hugo Cabret Spiderwick Chronicles Holes Island of the Blue Dolphins Moon Over Manifest The Mysterious Benedict Society Percy Jackson Hatchet A Series of Unfortunate Events Flush Ida B Independent reading will be tracked through our reading logs and independent reading sheets. All sixth grade students are required to read twenty-five books by June. Some of our popular selections!

15. Vocabulary • Greek and Latin Roots • Vocabulary is the foundation of all areas of literacy • Listening • Speaking • Reading • Writing

16. Reading Units • Beginning of the Year – Get Ready for Reading • Fiction Unit – Characters in a Series • Nonfiction Unit • Book Clubs – Mystery • Review • Mythology/Folktales • Additional book clubs and cross-curricular projects to follow

17. Components of Reading Homework • Reading Responses • One per week • Free choice • Blogs • One per week • Due on Friday • Based on assigned topic • Vocabulary • Homework due Thursday • Quiz on Friday • Reading Log • Signed and due every Friday

18. Math • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt GOMATH! Series • Students are provided with a write-in student edition and practice book. • They record, represent, solve, and explain as they discover and build new understandings right in their student book. • Students use models, manipulatives, quick pictures, and symbols to build mathematical understanding. • Students have access to Think Central to print out homework and review skills.

19. Number Systems Whole Numbers Decimals Fractions Rational Numbers Ratios and Rates Ratios Rates Percents Units of Measure Algebra: Expressions and Equations Expressions and Equations Equalities and Inequalities Relationships between variables Geometry Area Surface Area Volume Statistics Data Displays and Measures of Center Variability and Data Distributions Math Sixth Grade Math Curriculum:

20. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them Reason abstractly and quantitatively Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others Model with mathematics Use appropriate tools strategically Attend to precision Look for and make use of structure Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning 2-3 Mad Minutes per week to reinforce basic facts Use technology to review, practice, and master concepts Mathematical Practices

21. Science • Sixth grade students will develop basic understandings in the following areas: • Simple Machines • Weathering and Erosion • Basic Chemistry (Powders and Crystals) • Nervous System • Astronomy • Health

22. Science Skills • Throughout the year, the students will be encouraged to act like scientists. • Think critically • Make reasonable predictions • Apply knowledge to solve problems • Draw relevant conclusions • Synthesize information

23. Social Studies Students will investigate the following topics: • Geography of the Eastern Hemisphere • First Humans Through the Neolithic Revolution • Early River Valley Civilizations • World Religions • Classical Civilizations • Mediterranean World After the Fall of Rome • Interactions Across the Eastern Hemisphere

24. Social Studies Sixth grade social studies instruction is designed to develop the following practices: • Gathering and using evidence • Chronological reasoning • Comparison and contextualization • Geographic reasoning • Economics and economic systems • Civic participation

25. Sixth Grade Traditions • Trick or Treat for the Food Pantry • Winter and Spring Concerts • Musical • Garage Sale (?) • Boston Trip • School Service • Graduation

26. Testing Dates: • CAT Testing: • Tuesday, September 16, 2014 – • Thursday, September 18, 2014 • NYS ELA Testing: • Tuesday, April 14, 2015 – Thursday, April 16, 2015 • NYS Math Assessment: • Wednesday, April 22, 2015 – Friday, April 24, 2015

27. Sixth Grade Events • Concerts: • Winter Concert: Thursday, December 18, 2014 • Spring Concert: Thursday, May 21, 2015 • Musical: • Thursday, January 29, 2015 • Friday, January 30, 2015 • Garage Sale (?): • Saturday, March 21, 2015 • Boston Trip: • Friday, June 5, 2015

28. Questions? Thank you for coming!