November News
We’re moving! My webpage has moved to http://www.vusd.org/webpages/csmith/
You’ll need to sign-in as smith. You’ll have access to homework, calendar events, and news. Thank you and see you on the new site!
October Classroom News
In Mrs. Smith’s 6th grade class, we have been learning about many different subjects.
In Math, we have done LCM, GCF, and prime factorization. We have also learned converting decimals into fractions, fractions into decimals, and mixed numbers. We have been additing and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers and are moving into multiplying and dividing fractions and mixed numbers. Soon we’ll be working with negative integers. Now we are moving into groups to learn our math. Some of us go to Mrs. McLain’s class and some of her students come to our class.
In social studies, we’ve learned about Early Man and the first sign of technology and language. We are finishing up Mesopotamia and agriculture. We recently took the farmer and Mesopotamia test.
In writing, our class is writing book reviews about books we have read in the past. We are also starting narratives and factual recounts.
Our class recently completed studying about the different parts of the Earth and plate tectonics in science. Now we are working on erosion and weathering. We have a rock tumbler going to show about physical weathering and are growing crystals on a rock to show chemical weathering.
We recently finished reading Boy of the Painted Cave and are working in our reading anthology. Our last selection was about the mysterious disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Now we are beginning doing some research of our own on mysteries using our knowledge of fact, opinion, and reasoned opinions. We selected from a list of mysteries such as aliens, Loch Ness Monster, Atlantis, Big Foot, and others. We’ll have to find facts and opinions and decide how much evidence there is for each mystery.
Mrs. Smith has class pets. She has two lizards plus the crickets to feed the lizards and about 20-25 walking sticks. We have named the biggest walking stick King Bob and the second biggest, Bobette. The littlest one is Zach. I’m the biologist so I have to feed the pets.
Mrs. Smith’s class is so much fun. I’m glad I’m in her class.
–Madison
August News
Welcome to the sixth grade!
Very soon this site will be filled with news about room 401 written by our classroom members! But for now…
In 6th grade, we’ll be learning about ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Rome. The focus in reading and writing will be non-fiction, and we’ll have many opportunities to write about our lives and the lessons we’ve learned. Having an opinion and being able to support your opinion will be very important this year and in the future. In science, we’ll be learning about plate tectonics, heat transfer, and even go to SCICON (November 2-6). In math, we’ll be preparing ourselves for prealgebra or algebra! We’ll ask a plethora of questions and find the answers. What a year!
Music will be 8:35 - 9:25 Mondays and Thursdays and PE/health will be 8:35 - 9:25 Wednesdays and Fridays. We’ll have computer/library time on Tuesdays. I’ll be doing a math club on Wednesdays from 2:10 - 3:00 and Science Olympiad a bit later in the year from 3:10 - 4:10 on Tuesdays.
A bit about me….
My name is Cathy Smith and this will be my thirteenth year as a teacher. I have been teaching 6th grade for eleven years and still love it!
I attended California State University, Fresno and earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts. Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked for sixteen years as the science, math, and engineering lab technician at College of the Sequoias.
I love learning and hope to help instill the love of learning to my students. When I’m not working, I’m probably reading, gardening, spending time on the computer, or spending time with my husband, Pat, and our two dogs.
I’m anticipating a great year!
