WMS: Math & Science Update

Dear Families,

Just a little math and science update for this week. I want to remind you that I am still posting homework assignments to the calendar section of my website [link]. I check homework in at the beginning of class each day and I stamp your child's planner on that day if their homework was complete.

Variables and Patterns

• In math we have been working hard on our new algebra unit "Variables and Patterns." The first part of this unit really focuses on the skills of creating and reading graphs (learning targets 1 and 2, respectively). The first investigation is mostly review for the students since 5th grade introduced line graphs.
• The twist that is new for 6th grade is figuring out what scale to use. Earlier this week students completed a flash feedback on creating graphs. The question about creating a graph gave students the number of jumping jacks someone did over time. But instead of giving them regular time intervals, the flash feedback showed the number of jumping jacks at 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 20 minutes. Students had to decide on a time scale for the graph (so many chose to count time by 2's or 5's) instead of just placing 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 20 next to each other on the x-axis.
• We will have a quiz on learning targets 1 and 2 this week. I believe that we will be ready for it by Wednesday, but it might be pushed back to Thursday based on the practice work tomorrow. Students will bring some practice problems home with them the day before the quiz. 

Earth History

• Last week we spent two days discussing the differences between observation and inference as we get ready to talk about geology.
• The first part of our Earth History kit focuses on the Grand Canyon as a scenario for investigating rocks and time (as shown in the layers of the rock). Today we saw the beginnings of a short video that helps us imagine the Grand Canyon and introduces us to John Wesley Powell -- the first person to document the geology of it. We will then look closer at Powell and what he learned in multimedia form and then by examining rock samples.

Thank you for all you do to support your child's education!

Brian MacNevin