End of Level Testing Begins This Week!!

As we continue to move closer to becoming 7th graders, we  are feeling the temptation to say the year is done.  We know that there are 180 days each school year to help move each student forward in their education / learning process and although it may sound like a significant amount of time, it really is relatively short.  This being said, we will continue to work every day as if it were the beginning of school year.  With many exciting and fun end of year activities planned, this can sometimes feel like a challenge but I am sure we are up to it. 

End of Level Testing begins this week, please make sure your students gets enough rest, has a good breakfast and lunch, and comes to school EVERY day.  These test are a way to assess students in the same manner as all other 6th graders in the state.  These test are just one way we assess students progress, but they are not our class final exams.  There will be a final exam in LA and Math--I have attempted to build our finals into other work that we are already doing in class.

Our routine in LA will remain the same with Writers Notebook (AKA Homework Journal), spelling and vocab.  Instead of administering a LA final exam, I will be grading the Me to We 5 paragraph paper as part of their writing portfolio but   also  as the LA cumulative final (2 grades will be entered).  I will be looking for their ability to independently apply the concepts taught this year such as:  use of evidence, sentence types, paper structure, ability to organize and convey ideas, revision steps, final drafts as well as the ability to start and complete a project independently. 

Wilbert homeroom math homework will remain the same--2 hrs 30 minutes of ALEKS each week.  I can only ask that you remind your student of the importance of practice, if indeed they want to get stronger in their math skills. A math final exam will be given on May 21 and May 22.

Thanks for all you do to help us be the best 6th graders (almost 7th graders) that we can be!

Upcoming Events / Due Dates:

April 23-24  Language Arts End of Level Testing
April 25       Permission Slips for Field Trip
April 27       Field Trip to Water Treatment Plant

May 1          Literature Exhibit Due
May 2-3       Science End of  Level Testing
May 4          1st Draft Me to We 5 paragraph paper (LA Final)

May 7-8       Math End of Level Testing
May 11        2nd Draft Me to We 5P paper (LA Final)

May 16-17  Compile Me to We presentation board in class
May 17        Final Draft Me to We 5P paper (LA Final)
May 18        Field Day

May21-22    Present Me to We projects in class
May 23        Etiquette Training
May 24        Awards assembly  8:30 - 9:30
                    Etiquette Lunch @ Mimi's
                    Jr. High Transition Day
May 25        Last Day of School

Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!

I cannot believe that there are only 30 days of school left!!  We are so close to becoming the 7th graders that we were hoping to become and that is sooooo exciting (and a little scary).  This has been a remarkable year.

Back in November, our book report was a letter written to an author about a book that had an impact on our lives.  The students worked and struggled and worked some more and finally prepared their final drafts to be submitted in January.  It was with relief and a sigh of satisfaction that we put the manila envelope in the mail and sent it off for judging. Over 68,000 letters were entered with 955 letters coming from all over the state of  Utah.  Only 95 of the letters from Utah made it through Rounds 1 and 2 moving onto Round 3. We just received notification from the Letters About Literature organization that 9 of the 95 were from OUR school, from OUR 6th grade!    I am just so proud of our students-they are amazing.  We will be presenting the authors of the Round 3 letters with an award from Letters About Literature at the awards assembly on May 24, 2012.   Congrats to all who worked so hard.

 I just want to share a few of the upcoming events and due dates:

Monday, April 16 --                     Garcia HR  2nd draft of 5 paragraph paper
                                                    Wilbert HR Final draft of 5 paragraph paper
                                                     Garcia / Wilbert  Me to We project proposals
Tuesday, April 17 --                      Bullying Assembly with Layton Police
Wednesday, April 18 --                Garcia HR Final draft 5 paragraph paper
Monday / Tuesday April 23-24      End of Level Testing (CRT)
Wednesday, April 25 --                 Final day for field trip permission forms
Friday, April 27 --                         Field trip to Water Treatment Plant
Monday, April 30 --                      Literature Exhibit

There will be more information coming for May ................