How Big is Your Brave?

Every  year the sixth grade students are inspired by the brave characters in Wonder and they participate in an event called MIX IT UP AT LUNCH. This event happens with students all over the country on the same day.

This year we will be Mixing It Up on October 27th. Students should be prepared to sing, dance, sit somewhere new, and talk to kids they don't normally speak with. 

http://www.tolerance.org/mix-it-up/what-is-mix

Below is a music video of the song Brave. Look at these people getting their groove on everywhere!

How Big Is Your Brave?

WONDER:  This week in class our novel is making many references to outer space and astronauts. I showed the students a link to the International Space Station. 
In one of my classes we actually got to watch the sun set from space!! So cool. 

If it is morning on the West Coast, take a look at what is going on right now. After the sun sets (during early afternoon time), the live camera sees only black.

> http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/ <

GUEST BLOGGERS

FAMOUS PERSON

I am thinking of a famous person.

This person was born on February of 1963. He is 6’ 6” tall. He played for the Washington Wizards for about 2 years, and he also played for the Chicago Bulls. His numbers were 9, 45, 12, and 23. He is really good at basketball. He received a Rookie of the Year Award. His nicknames are Air Jordan, Black Cat,  MJ, and His Airness. He helped his teams make it to playoffs.

Who is this person?

By Angy

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

While I was in Ms. Davis’ class getting my work done, I asked Hayley what she is doing this weekend. 

She said she is going to miss school and go up to Paradise on Friday. She is going to her aunt’s house with her mom where there will be a Halloween party. She is going to dress as a burglar after making her own costume at home. Hayley loves her aunt. She used to live with her aunt who has been in Paradise for three years and in Magalia for 15 years before that. Hailey will return home on Sunday.

By Luke

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE

1. I love to draw and read. I mostly draw people, fairies and warriors in the style of Manga Shoujo which is one of the favorite types of art in Japan. The drawings usually have big eyes and are bright and colorful.
2. I’ve been going to Disneyland 5 summers in a row. I’m excited to be going back this year. Every year I ride the Tower of Terror and my mom is afraid every time.
3. This year I’m planning on trying out for every sport available for 6th grade girls. I hope to make each one. I have already made both the volleyball and basketball teams. I don’t know what is next, but I am ready!

By Kimberlee

Intersession

MEET OLIVER

I hope you are all enjoying your break! I am sleeping in and taking long walks with our dog, Oliver. 

Oliver waiting for a walk

Academic Summary from the article
"Too Much of a Good Thing."

STUDENT WORK

I'm also grading Wonder tests and Academic Summaries. Many of the answers are supported with evidence from the text and students, overall, remembered their basic writing skills. Good work!

The first Wonder test

This is a Whiz Kid working on the Wonder test.

This "Joker" finished his test and
writing assignment. Now he's looking
for something to read.

******************************************************

MORE ALTERNATIVE SEATING

I read this article the other day about reading and riding stationary bicycles (<Click on the link) in class. Then I went out and found a stationary bicycle! Below is Eva reading and riding. I will have two more by the end of the week. Let's try it out!

Do you think you are the type of person who would be able to focus more on the bicycle? Exercise, nevertheless, is good for everyone.

SUPER month, SUPER traveler, SUPER stars

October is my favorite month all year long. It contains my birthday (October 14th), an entire week off of school (October 5-9), and Halloween (October 31st) which I really enjoy because I love to dress up. (P.S. We are not allowed to wear costumes to Palermo School. Save your dress up for Spirit Week.)

SUPERSTARS

It's time to recognize some Superstars in my classes! These are kids who demonstrate role model behavior. They are Safe, Responsible, Courteous, and they show Integrity. These certificates are coming home to keep.

PEN PAL

I've introduced my students to my friend, Peter, who lives in Taiwan for this school year. He's also a 6th grader. His family is from Chico, CA, but they are temporarily relocated to the other side of the world. All students are encouraged to write to him. My fiance and I will be visiting his family in Taiwan in February.

Guest Bloggers

FAMOUS PERSON

I am thinking of a famous person.

This famous person is an American film and teen actor. He was born February 15, 1998. He began his professional acting career at the age of 8. Right now he’s 17 years old. He’s in all three movies of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid:” #1 Diary of a Wimpy Kid, #2 Rodrick Rules, and #3 Dog Days. These movies are based on the books written by Jeff Kinney. He plays a 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grader, Greg Heffley. He earned the three-time Young Artist Award for best leading actor.

Who is this famous person?

From Jacky 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

I asked my mom, “What did you do on your weekend date night?”

"My weekend was very good. On Friday me and Jeff (my stepdad) went out to dinner at the 6th floor steakhouse at Gold Country Casino. It was very nice break away from you kids. When we got there, they brought us a bunch of delicious breads. I ordered a steak and Jeff had a prime rib with shrimp. I got salad with my steak, and Jeff got a cup of clam chowder which he said was spectacular. By the time dinner was over we were too full for dessert. The atmosphere there was very romantic and we had a lovely date night.”

Charles

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE

1.     I have lots of friends and family. I live with my mom, my grandma, and my two sisters. My mom’s name is Rachel. My grandma's name is Frances. My sisters’ names are Tehya and Laila. Some of my friends’ names are Easton, Faith, Haley, Brenna, Shantelle, Kylie, and Taylor.

2.      My favorite type of animal is a dog. I have two dogs named charley and Elvis. My dog is Charlie and my mom’s dog is Elvis. They are both Chihuahuas. They are my favorite type of animal because they are very friendly and they play alot just like me so I play with them.

3.     My favorite show is Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse has been my inspiration ever since I was 3-4 years old. I always thought he and Minnie were going to get married and have beautiful micelings.

By: Riley C

Common Core Standards

 Common Core Standards (< Click here to view the standards. 6th grade starts on page 52 of the document)

Because of the new Common Core Standards that were adopted a couple years ago, lots of changes are being made in the way teachers are teaching various subjects. I am excited about teaching kids more about reading like detectives and writing competently. We collaborate more and learn from each other! Watch this video to see one person's opinion about where good ideas come from.

Furthermore, Math sure seems different! I am not a Math teacher, but my daughter is in 6th grade and I see the changes. Watch this video to understand the changes a little better.

In room 1, students work independently; they work in pairs; they work in small groups. They present their ideas in a variety of ways. Here is a video of students (posted with parent permission) participating in Reader's Theater in order to help them better comprehend the character's personalities.

I LOVE teaching your kids. We are all learning so much together. I must be doing something right. This sign was taped to my door last week: 

And HERE are this week's GUEST BLOGGERS
Who is this famous person?

This person was in a movie called Aladdin and was in Aladdin King of thieves. He died of suicide. He was a comedian. He was also in the movie Patch Adams. This man died on August 11, 2014. He was born July 21, 1951. He is one of my favorite actors. His family was really sad about his death. When I found out, I was devastated. He is an only child, but he does have a half-brother and a half-sister. He was born in Chicago.

Louisa 

Question of the Week

I asked my mom “What is your favorite football team?”

She said “49ers”.  Did you know that the 49ers won 5 Super Bowls?  Did you know Joe Montana led the 49ers to 3 Super Bowls? Did you know that the 49ers have been to 6 Super Bowls and won 5 of them and lost 1?  Did you know the 49ers have 14 hall of famers?  Did you know that the 49ers were the first team in San Francisco? I like the 49ers because they are our home team.  All in all the 49ers are an awesome football team.

Isaac

Two Truths and a Lie

1. I’m a Christian, I love God , and I like to sing worship music. I go to New Life Church!!!!! It is a Pentecostal church! I love my Pastors and I love the church members, and reading your bible and praying every morning is very important.

2. I love school, doing work is awesome. I get sooooo bummed out when the school day is over, and when each period ends, and I also love getting on the bus every morning almost not getting a seat and having to sit with someone I don’t know feeling awkward the whole ride.

3. I’m allergic to Mosquitoes.

Caleb B.

Our Weekly Routine

You may want to know what your child does in this classroom everyday. Routine is important to me. I believe that the kids are more successful if they know what to expect. We do our best to maintain a predictable structure.

The following activities are repeated every week: 

• We visit the library. 
• We read aloud from the same non-fiction passage all week long to practice oral fluency and track data of the students Words per Minute (WPM)
• We read from our novel; this trimester it's Wonder. We write our analysis of the book in journals. Our class discussions focus on plot, character development, theme, figurative language, inference. I encourage the students to "read like detectives," so they can cite evidence in the text to support their thoughts.
• We listen to the Writer's Almanac podcast.
• We complete assignments in our Language Arts workbook, improving reading and writing skills.

Quizzes will be given periodically to determine how students are doing in all of these areas. Students earn two separate grades in this class-- one for Reading and one for Language Arts. Grades are based on students' daily participation in their journals and workbooks (50%) and tests on reading and writing (50%). 

GUEST BLOGGERS

Famous Person

      

This man was in one of the best movies. He is the best actor. He was in the movie “Hours,” a great motion picture. He is a great man but didn’t get to have a long life.        

His Life

This man was born November 1973. This year it would have been his forty second birthday.  He grew up in the state of California and lived a nice life.  He went to a Christian School. Soon he chose to be an actor and went on doing that and enjoyed it.

His Career

After graduating from college to becoming an actor, his first movie came out in the year 1986. Then, he went on to being in more movies. When it hit the year 2001, his life changed. He hung out with many great actors who soon became his best friends and then they began to act like his FAMILY.

His Death

In the year 2013, there was a tragic accident on his way to a famous fancy party. He didn’t arrive. While he was on his way BOOM a BIG crash happened. The car set on fire and he was trapped inside and couldn’t get out and burned to death. That was the end of this famous SUPER STAR. He will always be remembered as a great actor and a great BROTHER to the cast.  

By Lane

Question of the week- What is your favorite thing to do?

I asked Natisha what her favorite thing is to do. She said she likes to make crafts with her grandma, walk her goats, eat food (especially Mexican food) and watch movies on Netflix.

She likes to say nice things to people. She rides horses with her aunt Chelia. She likes to play with her puppy, Rosie. She likes to dance. She likes to hang out with me and all her many other friends. I think she is very creative. She also NEVER stops taking about her funny sounding goats.

By William

Two Truths And A Lie

1. I live with my beautiful aunt. She is really nice. I live in a room across from her. We have a big house. Yesterday I watched a movie there in the living room.

2. I love school. It’s really fun in Ms. Davis’ room with the seating arrangement. It’s so awesome in this class. I love this school, this classroom. I just love everything here. Ms. Davis is the nicest teacher I’ve ever had.  I love reading in her class and reading the book Wonder.

3. I never lie. I tell the truth because I want to be a good person. I hate lying because I feel bad if I lie to someone.  I don’t lie at school either.  I don’t want to get in trouble and I just want to be truthful and I want to be honest.

Your student, 

Cynthia

How Our Classroom Works

In this classroom, I am not always the teacher. Students have the opportunity to share with their peers as well. At any given time, any one of us could be the "teacher." I encourage students to show respect to whoever is teaching at the moment. 
"Who is Teaching Right Now?" is a common question heard in Room 1.

 We have high expectations of student work! Basic writing skills have been learned before 6th grade. Capitalization, punctuation, spelling... I expect students to turn in legible work that follows the basic rules listed on the flyer. They have all seen these requirements. Many of them may be re-writing papers right now because they failed to be careful with their work. I have so much to teach them. I cannot go backward to reminding them to put a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence.

Here are some of the good ideas students have come up with for using the alternative seating in the classroom. They seem to be enjoying the choices they have. I really like to see kids running to my door so they can have first choice of where they sit and with whom.

GUEST BLOGGERS  

I’m thinking of a famous person.

The Beginning

            This person was born on September 10, 1929, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and their career was a golfer. At age 17 this person he already captured two state interscholastic championships. His first pro victory was the 1955 Canadian Open, and picked up more wins through out the years.

Throughout the Years

The golfer launched to fame after winning the 1958 Masters Tournament. By the early 1960’s this golfer became one of the world’s best and most successful golfer. This golfer won an astounding 29 tittles and took home more than $40,000 in prize money. This golfer’s major championship’s are: The Masters: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963 U.S Open: 1960 and The Open Championship: 1961, 1962.

                            The Finishing Years

            In 2004, this golfer competed in The Masters for the last time, marking their 50^th consecutive appearance in that event. After missing the cut at the 2005 U.S Senior Open by 21 shots, they announced that they would not enter any more Senior Majors. This golfer still lives on at age 86, and in his golfer years was nicknamed “The King”.

By:Raiden

Question of the Week     

I asked Easton what she would change about the school and why. She said that she would change how band doesn’t give us our materials. The reason she said that is because some people don’t have enough money or don’t have time. And we should get a break between classes because people will get all their energy out and so they will focus more. And those are the things that Easton thinks that the school should change. Ask yourself what would you change?

By Hayley

Two Truths and a Lie

1. I play football. My positions are full back and defensive end. I like football because I like to hit. I like memorizing the plays. I like kickoff, too. The one I like the most is defense because you get to hit more.
2. I have a dog named Sweatpea. She has a black coat and brown eyes. When we get home, she gets so excited that she just jumps up and down and it takes her forever to stop. Sweatpea and I go in the back yard every day and play. She is so fun to play with. She is the best dog ever.
3. I am a champ in golf. It all started when I was a kid. I saw people playing it, so I asked my dad what it was. About a year later he started to train me. He had to teach me how to play at the same time, and that’s how I became a champ at golf.                                            By Ethan

Getting Into the Rhythm

We've been in school for a month now! 

It is so important to me that children read. I want to build and nurture the love of reading. We will visit the library every week and students will have opportunities to read from their choice of materials in class. I encourage your family to go to the public library and get library cards as well if you don't already have them. Model reading, read to each other, ask about the books others are reading. READ! READ! READ! That's the only homework assignment that students will have all year. Read something every day. I don't ask for logs or reports; I just want everyone to read. :-)

In class we are reading a novel called Wonder. Watch this book trailer to learn more about the book. 

We are also reading a non-fiction passage aloud every day for one minute. Your child should be practicing reading out loud at home, too. Fluent reading means reading at the right pace (not too fast or too slow), reading loud enough to be heard, pronouncing the words correctly, and paying attention to punctuation.

We listen to the Writer's Almanac several days a week. Click here to listen to today's Writer's Almanac podcast.

Finally, we are reading from our workbook about PT Barnum and Grizzly Adams, men famous for their dramatic work with animal shows. 


GUEST BLOGGERS

Here are last week's guest blogger posts. Remember that you can comment, guess, or ask questions in the comment section. Please include your first name.

Famous Person

I am thinking of a famous person. She was born on December 13, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania. She is known for country/pop/rock music. She is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee at age 14 where she got started with her career. This famous person is very tall for a woman; she is 5’ 10”. Some of her most famous songs are Bad Blood, Shake it Off, and I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In. If you do not know who this person is, you should listen to 102.5. Who is it?

-Kaleb

Question of the Week

Today I asked Faith “What do you enjoy doing?’’

Faith replied that she loves to eat cheese and hang out with her friends and cousins.  She also enjoys running for short distances. She loves hearing funny jokes. She also likes to read Harry Potter. She also likes to play with her little dog Truffles. She also likes to go to school and likes to travel. She has been out of state lots of times. She likes going to friends' houses. She also likes to start conversations. She also enjoys listening to K- pop, a Korean YouTube channel. She also likes to draw.      

-Kylie                                 

Two Truths and a Lie

1. I play football for the Oroville Eagles. For offense, I play on the line and on defense, I play linebacker and on the defensive line.
2. I like to ride scooters. I can do flairs and I’m sponsored by Lucky Pro Scooters. I ride with R. Willy all the time.
3. I have 4 dogs, about 25 snakes, 1 fish, 1 Savannah Monitor, and 2 bearded dragons. My stepdad has been breeding bearded dragons for a long time. Right now we have two bearded dragons. We breed snakes too. We are waiting for the baby snakes to be born. I have two pitbulls and two other dogs. My dad’s savannah monitor can get four feet long. We love to play with our snake baby; she is about 3 feet long. She does not bite. She is the best snake ever.  

Brayden