September 24th Letter

September 24, 2010

Greetings.

This week in social studies all of my students took a geography quiz which focused on latitude and longitude.  I am still correcting these quizzes, and should have the back to the kids by Monday.  Although many students did well on the quiz, there were several students who struggled.  For that reason, I will allow any student who wants to re-take the quiz next week, and I will average their 2 grades together.

I also gave the 5^th and 6^th grade students their first spelling quiz on Wednesday.  I will grade those this weekend and have them back to the kids on Monday as well.

Kettle Pond Hike: Hopefully your child brought home a permission form which you need to sign that will allow them to go on a hike at Kettle Pond on September 29^th.  All students in grades 5 – 7 will be going on this easy hike.  If you haven’t seen the form, it means it’s probably still in your child’s backpack.

Fairbanks Museum:  I will be taking my home base class to the Fairbanks Museum on the morning of September 30^th.  We will learn what science tells us about the creation of Earth.

In addition, school photos will be taken on either September 30^th or October 1^st, depending on who is your child’s homeroom teacher.  (It is September 30^th for my home base students.)   

Homework:  Have your child study their spelling words.  If they lost the list, you can find it on my blog.

I have started a web site (it’s actually a blog) that contains all the news, photos and homework assignments for my students and their families.  If you have internet at home, you can check out this blog whenever it’s convenient.  You can find it at http://danvillemiddleschoolshea.blogspot.com

Have a great weekend.

Jim Shea     (cell: 371-8068)

Spelling Words for Level 6 Students

Sitton Spelling Words for level 6:

Unit 1: (September 20 – 25)                                                        Unit 2: (September 28 – Oct 1)

although                                                                                                             anyone

you’re                                                                                                                   afraid

animal                                                                                                                   because

single                                                                                                                    especially

opposite                                                                                                              women

millions                                                                                                                 their

they’re                                                                                                                 let’s

there                                                                                                                     lets

their                                                                                                                      whose

girl                                                                                                                          science

born                                                                                                                      millions

addition                                                                                                               sense

special                                                                                                                  history

suppose                                                                                                               caught

enough                                                                                                                 found

known                                                                                                                  uncovered

either                                                                                                                    animals

friend                                                                                                                    there

information                                                                                                        doesn’t

cattle                                                                                                                     earth

may be                                                                                                                 material

because                                                                                                               than

sense                                                                                                                    happened

young                                                                                                                   a lot

difficult                                                                                                                 piece

however                                                                                                              rule

Spelling Words for Level 5 Students

Sitton spelling words for Level 5:

Unit 1 words:  (September 20 – 25)                        Unit 2 words: (September 28 – Oct 1)

fields                                                                             it’s

mark                                                                              grew

buy                                                                                listen

everything                                                                    among

inside                                                                            single

years                                                                              its

told                                                                              groups

later                                                                              sure

its                                                                                 follow

it’s                                                                                 does

window                                                                        clear

important                                                                      ask

heat                                                                             several           

through                                                                         build

there                                                                               their

their                                                                               they’re

they’re                                                                           check

water                                                                             written

hundreds                                                                      together

which                                                                              there

own                                                                              surface           

music                                                                             most

friends                                                                           faces

warm                                                                              first

September 17th update

September 17, 2010                                      

Greetings.

SOCIAL STUDIES: The 5^th, 6^th and 7^th grade students made great progress this week with their study of geography.  They will have a geography test on Sept 20^th or 21^st (depending on which day they have me for social studies).  The test will focus on map reading and longitude/latitude.   They should know how to read and write coordinates (longitude and latitude) since we have spent days reviewing this.  I will give the students a map and the coordinates (longitude and latitude) of a particular country or city, then they will have to tell me which country or city the coordinates are referring to.   I will also ask them to write the coordinates of a particular city or country.  (They don’t have to memorize any maps as I will provide a map.)  They will also have to know (memorize) the following terms

A.) Equator                     B.) Longitude           C.) Latitude

D.) Tropic of Cancer     E.) Tropic of Capricorn     F.) Prime Meridian

G.) International Date Line

SPELLING:  If your child is in the 5^th or 6^th grade, they will have a spelling test next Wednesday, September 22^nd.  I have inserted a list of their spelling words into this Friday Folder, so you will have an opportunity to help your child study their words this weekend.  In addition, I have added the words for the spelling test the following week as well.

It was great seeing many of you at the Open House/Carnival last night.  Feel free to contact me at any time if you have a question or concern about your child’s progress.  Have a great weekend.

Jim Shea  (cell: 371-8068)