Week of August 29 - September 2

Happy Last Week of August :)

It is hard to believe we have been in school for almost a full month now! We are so blessed to be serving your children and they are rising the the challenges that the 6th grade transition brings - I truly could not be happier with the progress each student is making.

Here's what is happening this week:

Monday: Setting up Planners :)
                ***PARENTS: PLEASE SIGN YOUR CHILD'S PLANNER EVERY NIGHT :)
              ELA:  Notes on Literary Elements
              SS: Environmental Issues in Europe (Air Pollution in the U.K.)
Homework: Get planner signed

Tuesday: 
          ELA: Vocabulary tests returned. Students will have the opportunity to raise their grades by completing Vocabulary Maps. They will receive an example in class.
          SS: Environmental Issues in Europe (Nuclear Disaster in Chernobyl)
Homework: 1) Get planner signed; 2) Complete Vocabulary Maps; 3) Study for Social Studies Test

Wednesday:
         ELA: Writing Prompts Lesson for "Through the Tunnel"
         SS: TEST - Chapter 15; Sections 4 and 5 (Religions)
Homework: 1) Get Planner signed; 2) Complete 4 Writing Prompts from "Through the Tunnel"

Thursday AND Friday: 
       ELA: Formulating Central Ideas/Summaries Lesson
       SS: DBQ Preparation: Environmental Issues in Europe. Students will go to Google Classroom and read either Document #1 or #2
Homework: 1) Get planner signed; 2) Answer document questions from Background Essays on Google Classroom.

Have a great week :)
Ms. Susan

More Announcements...

Reminders:

• Progress reports are coming home today. Please review them with your child, sign the half-sheet (cover sheet), and return the cover sheet only tomorrow, Wednesday, 8/24.
• Students were given a white form (Parents Right to Know) two weeks ago. These papers needed a signature from you and the white copy needed to be returned to school. Please check your child's travel folder for this document and return it at your earliest convenience.
• Please check your child's travel folder every day so you can be aware of what they are learning in their classes as well as see any paperwork that you need to sign and return. 
• Our planners will be coming in this week :) Please get in the habit of checking these with your child on a daily basis. Helping them plan their week is a skill we are all working on and any help you can contribute benefits everyone involved. 
• Picture Day: Friday, 8/26 - This is a free dress-up day for students. 
• Book orders: Students need to complete their online purchases from the Scholastic booklet by Friday, 8/26. Books will be delivered to the school. 

If you have any questions about anything, please don't hesitate to contact me or Mr. Trent.

susan.torrance@sccpss.com

trent.kissinger@sccpss.com

mrtrent.com

And, again, thank you for sharing your children with us every day. We feel so privileged to have a wonderful group of 6th graders.

August 22, 2016

Happy Monday :)

Our week is already off to a great start! Here's what's happening this week in ELA and SS.

Monday -  We are mentoring with Ms. Natalie's and Ms. Kirsten's class on Monday afternoons.
                 SRI Testing (and if time permits, we'll take notes on Narrative Literary Elements)

Tuesday - ELA: Google Classroom Assignment: Through the Tunnel Vocabulary List due (10 words)
                 SS: Map Test: European Countries and Landforms

Wednesday - ELA: Notes on Characterization (Through the Tunnel Worksheet)
                     SS - Continue to study major religions in Europe

Thursday - ELA: Notes on Characterization
                   SS - Environmental Issues in Europe (We will be discussing three major environmental
                   issues: 1) Acid rain in Germany; 2) Air pollution in the U.K., and 3) Chernobyl Nuclear
                   Disaster in Russia

Friday -  PICTURE DAY! This is a free dress-up day for our students :)
                ELA: Through the Tunnel Vocabulary Test and Narrative Close Reading assignment due (Google Classroom).
             SS: We will continue our study of Environmental Issues in Europe as preparation for our        upcoming DBQ.

And great news for our creative writers in the class - the DEEP Writing Program will be starting up on Thursday afternoons beginning September 22 from 3 - 4:15. Interested students need to complete an application that they can get from me starting Tuesday, 8/23.


             

WELCOME TO 6th GRADE!

August 8, 2016

Teacher introduction:

Hi! I am Ms. Susan and I will be working with your child in English/Language Arts and Social Studies. This is my second year working with the wonderful Mr. Trent and I have to say, I am one lucky teacher! I have been at Ellis since 2001, with one year off living in Canada (my husband is from Montreal). Although I am the ELA/SS teacher, I have 21 years of teaching experience in Savannah teaching math - it was time for a change and I could not be happier. Also, on our team, is the awesome Ms. Diane - she is incredibly dedicated to each and every child. It was a pleasure to meet many of you at Open House and, if you were unable to make it, I hope you'll take some time to visit us soon 😀

The year is off to an amazing beginning! The first three days, we learned how our classrooms function, class procedures, and expectations of quality work. In sixth grade, we also work hard to help your child develop a strong work ethic as well as taking pride in their academic achievements.

This Week:

In English/Language Arts, we are working on narrative writing. Our focus is on strategies students will use to develop their writing: dialogue, pacing, description and details, sensory language, transitions, and point of view.

In Social Studies, we are practicing map skills and learning the Five Themes of Geography: movement, region, human-environment interaction, location, and place. 

We've been working on taking notes and practicing class procedures. There will be no homework this week, with the exception of class work that is not completed in class. 

Please be sure to get in touch via email (Susan.torrance@sccpss.com) if you have any questions or concerns or just want to share information about your child.

Thank you for a great beginning to the school year!

Ms. Susan