Hello again!  Let me start by pleading for chaperones for our Eastlake trip this Thursday.  We will be walking over to Eastlake around 9:30, and returning to the school at approximately 2:00.  We are in need of three chaperones for what promises to be a wonderful, fun experience.  If you are interested, please e-mail me and let me know.  Thanks so much!

Well, that leads us into our next topic - the field trip permission forms.  I apologize for the delay in getting these out, but technology can be as much of a hinderance as it is a help at times.  Forms were e-mail blasted last Wednesday, and paper copies were distributed in class last Thursday.  If you have not already signed this and returned it, please make sure you do this as soon as possible.

With that out of the way, we can now turn our attention to academics in the Theme class.  This week, our Theme class will again divide ou ...

Hello again, and welcome to another week.  This week, science will dominate our focus, as we end our study of the nervous system and begin to examine plants.  Our original plan of sending home the nervous system assessment on Thursday was derailed by the students' natural curiosity.  As a result, we will spend some time on Monday discussing more brain related material, with the assessment to be sent home on Tuesday.  Upon the conclusion of this unit, we will begin our unit on plants, beginning with a look at the different ecosystems that exist on Earth, and how factors such as location and climate impact the development of those systems.  This week also brings a very special treat, as a special guest speaker will discuss nature journalling and her own experiences. Information regarding this extraordinary woman, and how to obtain her work, has been sent home in an earlier Monday folder.

Please check the calendar for updates regarding any ...

Here we are, another week filled with fun and excitement.  Last week's field trip to the Quilt and Pioneer Museum was a success. A special thank you to Ms. Burnett, Mrs. Lundgren, and Mr. Roper for volunterring their time as our chaperones!  Speaking of chaperones, we are in need of chaperones for this week's field trip, Math in the Mall.  As it is scheduled for this Friday, please make sure to contact your student's math teacher as soon as possibleif you are interested in chaperoning.  Permission forms were distributed to students in class on Friday; copies were also e-mailed to parents through the starmail system.  If you did not receive one, please contact me as soon as you can!

While we lose Friday to our Math in the Mall adventure, the remainder of the week is, as always, quite busy.  As half of the class was absent Thursday as a result of Take Your Child to Work Day, the test scheduled for that day is being rescheduled fo ...

Here we are, about to embark upon our next field trip!  Please make sure that you have signed and returned the permission form, as the Quilt and Pioneer Museum promises to offer much learning and fun!  Thanks to all who volunteered to chaperone, it is greatly appreciated!  To enure maximum enjoyment of the trip, please make sure your student wears comfortable clothing and most especially, comfortable walking shoes!  Also, please make sure that your student brings his or her own lunch, as lunch is not provided, nor available!  Thanks in advance for your assistance!

Although our field trip will alter our weekly schedule a bit, we will still have another full week of learning in Theme!  Monday will bring about an introduction to our trimester project, the Nature Journal.  Nature Journals are being provided to the students; as there are only enough journals for each student, please help us to reinforce the importance of no ...

Another hello, as we begin another exciting, jam-packed week in our Theme class.  First, though, a quick note - please look for your child's permission slip for our Quilt and Pioneer Museum permission forms in this week's Monday folder.  We are still looking for one more chaperone, so if you are interested, please let me know as soon as you can!

Our theme class continues to be as busy as ever.  This week, we will conclude our study of the three branches of government, finishing up with a study of how a bill becomes law.  After this, we will move on into the Bill of Rights, and look to finish up this unit some time next week.  Please look for updates as to when the test will be scheduled.  On the science side of things, we will continue to look at the nervous system, with a specific focus on the senses, and the role they play.  A quiz on the nervous system will be occurirng later in the week, most likely on Thursday.&am ...

Hello to all once again.  With the end of the school year fast approaching, we have many events and activities on which to update you!  First on the upcoming agenda is "The Talk" for our 6th graders.  This activity will occur this Thursday (4/10), so please make sure to send in all necessary permission forms. Next up is our field trip to the Pioneer and Quilt Museums in Golden, which will take place on Friday, April 25.  Permission slips for this trip will be out soon, and our class is still looking for parents to assist us in chaperoning the classes.  If you are interested, please contact me at your earliest convenience. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch!

Well, on to another busy week in Theme class, where the best-laid plans sometimes go a bit awry!  As it turns out, we became quite wrapped up in a discussion of the upcoming presidential election, as well as a comparison of pres ...

Welcome back all!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful, relaxing break.  Now, it's time to enter the home stretch. Now that CSAPS are complete, we can get back to some real learning!  This week, our Theme class will split our focus between two topics.  First, we will continue with our study of our Constitution, concentrating on the creation of the three branches of government, and how our founding fathers intended for a system of checks and balances to occur based upon the separation of powers amongst the three.  Students should be working on their Constitution game projects, which was distributed and discussed in class on the Thursday before break began.  More information about this can be found in the documents section of my blog. 

Our second area of concentration this week will be the introduction of the nervous system, and its tie to adolescence.  We will begin with an introduction of the organs of this s ...

Hello again!  Well, we're set to begin our second week of CSAP testing.  With CSAPs again taking up the majority of our time this week, theme time will be limited.  The limited amount of time we do have will be spent continuing our study of the Constitution.  Last week, we had time to begin an analysis of the goals of the Preamble.  This week, we will complete this task and introduce the Articles of the Constitution.  Any work to be completed will be done in class, so as to lessen any stress students may feel as a result of CSAP testing.  Students will also be assigned an independent project before the break.  This project - The Three Branches of Government Game Project - may be started over the break; however, there will be time to do work after the break, as the games will not be due until Monday, April 14.  Please see the documents section of my website later in the week for further information.

Wi ...

Hello to all once again!  This week sees the beginnings of CSAP.  In order to help ensure your student's success, please make sure that each student receives plenty of rest and that each is eating a good, hearty breakfast - a grumbling stomach can prove to be a real distraction (something I know from my own experiences!)  With CSAP on the schedule, our Theme class will be looking at a very light workload, which will focus on our study of the Constitution.  However, in light of the CSAP, and in the interest of not adding stress to an already tense situation, there will be no homework assigned during the next two weeks, and even the in-class workload will be kept light.  As always, if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch.  Otherwise, have a fantastic week!

Well, here we are entering the homestretch.  It's amazing how the year has flown by so quickly!  As always, we have a busy week ahead.  Unfortunately, circumstances will cause me to be out Monday and Tuesday.  On these days, we will begin our readings for our Building A New Nation unit.  Monday, two text packets will be distributed in class to provide the necessary background information for this unit, one that provides an overview of the era called Creating a New Government and one that provides more detailed information regarding the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.  Each packet will also have corresponding activities - a reading guide for Creating a New Government, and two graphic organizers that go along with the Articles of Confederation and Constitutional Convention text.  Students will be given the full class period on Monday to complete these activities.  Any work not completed must be finished at home and ...