Sixth Grade City Happenings

    As we have reached the end of the first quarter, it seems appropriate to reflect on all we have done so far. Here is a quick overview of our learning and activities we have completed so far this year.

                                                                  Mayan Simulation

    For the first few weeks of school, we broke up into different Mayan cities and participated in a Mayan simulation. Students took on the roles of noble lord, mathematician, high priest, and others as they worked cooperatively to count their valuables, make trades with other cities, solve problems, and build a strong Mayan city. 

   During this unit we also studied a few other Mesoamerican cultures and incorporated writing into our study. We learned about the Aztecs and Inca civilizations, and then compared and contrasted various aspects of all three civilizations. We also wrote a fictional narrative from the point of view of a Mayan peasant. To finish our study of the three cultures, we learned about myths from each culture, recreated the myths in short skits, and then wrote comparison papers about these myths. 

   All in all, it was a packed first few months, but the learning was evident throughout all these activities. 

Reading 

        This first quarter we have been loving reading and just can't seem to get enough of it. During our language arts block we have had been rotating between literature and non-fiction. During our non-fiction weeks, we have been thoroughly digging into the text and completly understanding it from all different angles. We think about key ideas and details, vocabulary and context clues, and integration of knowledge, all while citing evidence to support our answers. Ask us about how and why we annotate a text. We are becoming pros! 

        While reading literature, we also dig into our reading in much the same way. We come up with our own questions about the reading, find answers based on the text and our background knowledge, cite evidence, and then have a discussions on Friday with our classmates where we share our opinions and ideas. 

       In addition to our language arts block, we are also taking part in small literature circles. We are reading novels in small groups, writing questions, having discussion, and whipping through these books. I often have kids begging for more time to read as they are highly engaged in these relevant and self-directed reading groups. 

      Although kids are getting a lot of reading practice at school, please make sure they are still reading 30 minutes a night every night. 

Engineering and Design

     As we move into the second quarter and head toward Winter Break, we have begun our study of engineering and design, with a focus on bridges. Our final task will be to make a strong bridge, out of straws and paperclips, using all the scientific principles of engineering and design we have learned. 

     So far we have been introduced to the different types of bridges and various bridge vocabulary. If you want a fun game to play with your family, ask your child about the bridge vocabulary game. See how many of the vocabulary words and actions they can remember. They usually beg to play in class, so my guess is they'll remember quite a few! 

    Here are some great blueprints of the different types of bridges that include our vocabulary labeled and explained on each one. These kids never cease to amaze! 

             Stayed tuned and check back often for more updates on our learning in Sixth Grade City!