Welcome Note

Welcome to the 6th Grade Page! Each post below pertains to something the class is currently working on, or something they will be learning about within the week. Homework for the week will be posted on or before every Monday.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Car Wash Fundraiser!!


Make sure you sell your tickets for this weekends car wash! It is tomorrow at 8:30 am sharp! Hope to see you there:)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Creative Writing Week!

This week we will be working on our creative writing!! Here are the writing prompts for this week:

Monday-Making Observations: Observe five-seven different things and write down THREE specific details about each item.  Then, combine all seven things in a short story. Here is some of what the class chose to observe:

1. A Classroom
2. A hallway
3. A pirate ship
4. A person
5. A tree

When you are finished with these observations, write a short story using each object you observed.(1/2-1pg)


 *Remember the 'No Hurt' Rule!*

Tuesday-  Create a short story based on one of these pictures.  Each of these pictures represent a part of your faith in Jesus Christ.  Choose from the following photos and tell me the theme. A theme is the main subject or idea that reoccurs in a story.  What is the theme of your photo? When you choose a theme, write a short story based on the theme and the event shown in the picture. A helpful hint will be to frame the story on your own.  What have you struggled with in your life? How how do you see Jesus?  (1/2-1pg)

Wednesday-Create a illustrated story board based on one of your short stories, or a new fictional writing composition. This story board can be done on 1 sheet of paper, folded into six boxes.  Each box must have a simple illustration depicting an event in the story.  These events must happen in chronological order.  

Thursday-Field Trip! No in class assignment, however the writing contest prompt will be given out today.  The writing contest is optional, but highly recommended. Here is the prompt:"Imagine that you have invented a machine that creates dreams while people are sleeping.  What do they dream? Why? " The most creative and well developed essay will win a prize.

Friday-Finish story boards and short stories from Wednesday.  Today we will be reading and presenting the story boards in class.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Field Trip Tomorrow!!

DON'T FORGET!!!! 
We will be going on our Summer Reading Field Trip Tomorrow!! Be sure to get to the school on time, 8 am sharp!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Weekly News Broadcast-by Nathan Nunez

Here is the weekly news!!
Thank you, Nathan for doing such a great job as our first News Broadcaster this week!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Ambush Book Review

Obert Skye has concluded the Pillage trilogy with Ambush. What I liked was how one event led to the next, and how hard it was to stop reading.  There was good humor and many things that make you think.  I wanted the series to be longer! It was that good!! I recommend it for pre-teens and older whom love dragons.  If you read Ambush or any other of them, I hope you will enjoy the stories!
-Alex Rodriguez

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Back To School Night!

Tonight's the night!!!
Back To School Night at Del Rosa Christian!! 
We will be meeting at 7 pm in the auditorium.
Hope to see you there!! 

Monday, August 20, 2012

Summer Reading Projects

Get those projects in!!
The school year is fast approaching! Don't forget to get those summer reading projects in so you wont miss out on the field trip!! You only need to choose three books and pick any of these fun ideas!  Here is the list of projects:

Reading Projects!
Fairy-Tale Ending: Have you ever wanted to change the way a story ended?  Well, here is your chance!  Re-write the last chapter in the story, and make it your own!  Give the story the ending you think it should have.  Don’t be afraid to mix it up! (1-2 pages maximum)

Dinner is served:  Imagine you are invited to dine with a character in your book.  List 5 – 10 questions that you might ask them during your visit, and imagine what their response might be.  Also think about your surroundings: Where are you?  What is being served? Who else might be there? Try to ask questions that people really want to know.

Where in the world? Create a detailed map of where your story takes place.  Show with words or symbols where important events occurred.  Be sure to use plenty of detail in your artwork and description! (Maps can be three-dimensional as well.  Paper maché is a wonderful resource. Get creative with it!)

Scrapbook it! Create a scrapbook based on information you have learned from the story.  Be sure to write captions for each entry/page as to what is being included n the page and why.  You can add items mentioned throughout the story, or create something new by including items that you think the characters might have used or collected.  (5-10 illustrated pages, each with at least one caption.)

Dear Diary: Create 5 journal entries from one of the main characters in the story.  Be sure to include key events in these entries to give us an understanding of when they might have been written.  Give plenty of detail!  Be sure to write one entry from the beginning of the novel, and one from the end. (Each entry should be no less than one paragraph, no more than one page.)

Lights, Camera, Action! Create a movie poster promoting the novel as a popular, new movie.  You can cast real actors as the main characters, or use people you know.  Make sure your poster reflects the time period from which the story takes place, and be sure to show costumes and background detail!

Shadowbox Showcase: Create a shadowbox that shows one of your favorite scenes from your novel.  Be sure that it can sit vertically, so that it can hang on the wall. Imagine that you are capturing a little piece of that moment in the story with your artwork.  Be expressive!

Some of my favorite things: Create a poster of ten of your favorite things about your novel.  Be sure to give a description of each item, and illustrate each caption with either drawings or make a collage. Be sure to explain why they are your favorite!

Remember when… Create a poster of a timeline and show the main events of the story.  Choose at least five main events out of your timeline to illustrate on your poster.  You can illustrate them by either drawing or making separate collages. 

Wanted! Create a wanted poster for either the villain or hero in your story.  Explain who they are and what have done that makes them wanted by the law.  Also give a one-page description of who they are and what they contributed to during the story.

Comic Quest: Create a comic book based on the main events of the novel.  Be sure to include chapter headings and page numbers.  Each illustrated page will need to have captions explaining what is happening in the picture.  (5-10 pages)

On the Cover: Create a book jacket for your novel.  Illustrate the front cover by either drawings or a collage.  Be sure to include your favorite quote on the cover, and write a summary and review for the story.  Try to capture the heart of what your novel is about in your artwork! (Going the extra mile: Research the author of your novel and write a short biography about them on the inside)

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Summer Reading: The London Eye Mystery


     As Ted explains it, "Somewhere, somehow, in the thirty minutes of riding the Eye, in his sealed capsule, [Salim] had vanished off the face of the earth. This is how having a funny brain that runs on a different operating system from other people's helped me to figure out what had happened."

Share in this epic mystery and discover what happens to Ted, Kat and poor missing Salim!

Discussion questions

Spoiler Alert! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. Ted says his brain works on a "different operating system" than most people. It is most likely that Ted has a condition called Asperger's Syndrome, a type of autism. Do you know anyone with Asperger's or autism? Do you think this is a positive portrayal of someone with Asperger's?
  2. How does the way Ted's brain works help him solve the case? 
  3. Salim's disappearance occurs because he doesn't want to move with his mom to the U.S. How have you coped when you've had to do something you didn't want to? What kind of choices did you have?
  4. Ted and Kat are typical brother and sister. How do they work together to find Salim? What do they find out about each other in the process?
  5. What do you think might happen to Ted, Kat, and Salim in the future? How might the experiences in the book change their lives?

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

6th Grade in the Media!

Photo courtesy of Suzanne Murphy and the San Bernardino Sun
The 6th graders are in the newspaper!! Pictured above is a photo from the San Bernardino Sun Newspaper taken during our week long trip to Yosemite, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Simeon.  This particular scene is from the California State Capitol's Assembly floor.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Summer Reading: Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief

Thank you Christian!!
Discussion Questions:

1. Percy says, "Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everybody else, despite the fact that I had dyslexia and I had never made above a C- in my life.  No- he didn't expect me to be as good.  He expected me to be better."  What does this say about Mr. Brunner as a teacher?  

Literary Devices: 
Foreshadowing- When an author hints or gives clues to suggest that something will happen later in the story.

2. What foreshadowing did you pick up on in this story?  (An example could be Percy's love for water.)  What did is lead up to in the story?

Foil-a type pf character who is a contrast or the opposite of another character.

3. Do you think Percy's character is a foil for Luke? Why or why not?

4. SPOILER ALERT: DO not read this last question if you have not finished the story :-)
In the end of the book, do you sympathize with Luke and his feelings of betrayal from his father? Do you think what he did was right or wrong? Why? 

Monday, August 6, 2012

Incoming Student Supplies List


So many supplies!
Hello!  You should have received a letter detailing the list of supplies that your student will need for the upcoming year.  Please feel free to bring these supplies to orientation on Thursday, August 30th, at 7:00 pm.  
  1. English Standard Version Bible (Other versions acceptable, but this version is preferred)
  2.  Webster’s Dictionary & Thesaurus (Desk Size)
  3.  Two 1-Inch Three Ring Binders (For classwork)
  4. One 2-Inch Binder (For homework)
  5. Two packages (200 sheets) of college ruled notebook paper
  6. Three sets of 5-tab dividers
  7. One spiral notebook to journal in. (80 sheets)
  8. One package of 10-12 plain wooden plain pencils (Will be shared with the class)
  9. One package of 10-12 blue or black pens
  10. Backpack
  11. Pencil Box
  12.  Hand held pencil sharpener 
  13.  Two large erasers
  14. Package of Markers
  15.  Colored Pencils
  16.  Student Scissors
  17. One bottle of glue
  18.  Two boxes of tissues
  19. Bottle of Anti-bacterial gel
  20.  Compass and Protractor
  21.  Ruler
  22. One package of Dry-Erase markers (Will be shared with the class)


Some of these supplies will need to be replenished periodically throughout the year.
 If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at the school.  

Friday, August 3, 2012

Summer Reading: Shiloh

     Hello Students!!  I am greatly anticipating your summer reading projects for this month!  If you have any questions about the books, or are needing to talk to me about them, please do not hesitate to stop by!  I would like to encourage you to keep reading and find books you are really enjoying.  One of the summer reading choices for this year is a book called Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.  Here are a few questions that you should ask yourself while reading this book:
Discussion Questions
1.       Why doesn't Judd Travers like Marty?
2.        Why does Marty leave the dinner table when they're having fried rabbit?
3.       Why do people in Tyler County keep to their own business?
4.       Why do you think the author use words such as “lookin'” instead of “looking” when the characters speak?
5.       Do you think Marty should give up his desire to be a vet even though there's not enough money to educate him? Why or why not?
6.       When Shiloh reappears at Marty's house, what do you think Marty should have done?
7.        Why do people leave food for Mr. Preston in their mailboxes? What does that show about them?
8.        How does Marty's mother know about Shiloh?

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING SKILLS
9.       How can you lie by what you don't say? How do you think this relate to Marty and Shiloh?

NOTE:  If you have enjoyed Shiloh this summer, I encourage you to ask be about the other two books in the Shiloh series!  This book is the first of the trilogy, so feel free to come by and grab the other two books!!

-Mrs. Barr

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Only 2 days left!!

.....for Vacation Bible School at Grace Church!! Come on out tonight at 530 and see what you can learn! Crafts, games, super heroes, and learning about how to live a life like Jesus! What more could you ask for?? Check out what we've done so far this week:-)

Monday, July 23, 2012

Summer Reading: Pride and Prejudice

Love this style? Me too!
      Hello up and coming 6th graders!! I hope that you have had a fabulous summer thus far!  I am eagerly awaiting the start to our fun filled and exciting school year together!  I have had an eventful summer as well! I thought that I would share a little bit about the summer reading that I have been doing while away from school.  Summer is simply the BEST time to catch up on all of those books that you have been wanting to read!  Since many of you chose to read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen as one of your summer reading choices, I decided to read it again with you!! If you did not already know, Jane Austen is one of my all time favorite writers.  Here are a few discussion questions that you can ask yourself while reading:
These questions can be helpful at almost any point in the novel. 

  1. What is your impression of Elizabeth so far in the novel?
  2. How would you describe Elizabeth's relationship with her parents?
  3. Literary Concept: The term dramatic irony refers to the contrast between what a character knows, and what the reader knows.  Try to find an example of dramatic irony in your first few chapters.  How did this irony affect your opinion of the characters?
  4. Making Connections: How does your eating schedule compare to those in the novel?  Try to keep track of what you eat and at what time.  Do you think Elizabeth ate the same way you do? What do you think her favorite food was?
Also, give Elizabeth's character some serious thought.  This type of strong willed person was rare in Victorian England, and even rare today.  While she does have her own faults (and most of us do) she is a good example of a strong woman character.  Stop by the school this week and tell me what you think of her!  You might even see it posted on this website :-)

Look forward to seeing those reading projects!!

-Mrs. BARR

Sunday, July 22, 2012

VBS: Hero ACADEMY!

Calling all heroes!! Come this week to Grace Church's Vacation Bible School!  This year we have our very first HERO ACADEMY! Come out and discover who the real hero is!  Dinner starts at 5:30pm! VBS goes from 6 to 8pm.