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| Lincoln, Tanner, and Addy making their first attempt at creating a scientific model of how ice cream is made. |
Welcome Back to the Quest Team!
We have had an excellent start to our sixth grade year. The students have come back with much enthusiasm, and we are excited for the 2018-2019 school year here on Quest!
Curtis's classroom has moved to what was formally known as the "project room." We are utilizing our movable wall to change the learning environment of our different classes.
Our student teacher, Mary Vachon has started to work in our classrooms. Welcome Mary! Her student letter can be found
here.
Mr. Taylor and Mrs. Williams will be participating in a Learning Lab for Innovation. Information about that can be found
here.
The schedule: Our day starts at AG, and then moves to "Core 1." This is an interdisciplinary time of the day. Students receive whole class, small group, and hands on learning during this time with both Mr. Taylor and Mrs. Williams team teaching the lessons. These lessons are based on 3 learning targets: Finding main idea / using graphic organizers, ratios, and creating models to communicate scientific information. Your student has participated in whole team activities (making ice cream, receiving direct instruction, creating questions for our question board), small group activities (drawing models of matter, hands-on activities), and individual time for reflection.
After Core 1, we move into workshops, which operate in a similar manner to last year.
Although we will refer to these learning targets throughout the year, our focus will shift after the end of September.
Snack - At 10:00, we have a snack break. Students do not each lunch until 12:15, so this snack break is crucial for helping them get through the morning. Please send a snack with your student each day. If you are unable to do this, please notify the Quest teachers. Then at 10:15, students go to band and chorus. Mr. Taylor and Mrs. Williams work with small groups of students for additional workshops at this time.
After band / chorus / studyhall, students have reading class. Students are working on graphic organizers to chart the main ideas of their reading. They are also recording their books in their planners.
The next hour is dedicated to Core 2. Students work on projects (an identity box) and material related to our learning targets and curricular themes. This time of day is more project and problem based.
Students then have lunch and recess block with the rest of the 5th and 6th grade. They end their day with Applied Academics (World Language, PE, Art, Music, Tech Ed, Sustainability).
POWs:
POWs! We will be starting our POWs this week.
POWs are a two week process this year. For the first week, students will be creating graphic organizers about a non-fiction article. We will begin these during our workshops. Students have one week from when it is assigned to when it is due. The due date is in your student's planner.
The next week, students will start their writing in workshop, and will have a week to finish and revise their writing. They will have some time during workshop block to work on their writing pieces, however, they will most likely still have some to bring home to finish.
The POW assignment can be found on the Quest Website. Follow this
link to see this week's topics.
Math Homework
Students will have a weekly assignment that they will begin during workshops at school. The assignment will mostly be practicing skills and concepts taught in workshops. They will have a week to complete the assignment and record the due date in their planners.
Welcome back and feel free to email us with any questions.
