Growing up in the FRIGID midwest, Spring Break was always the most anticipated time of year. The end of winter was near, trees were maybe starting to blossom, and of course, everyone would head south for a week to jump-start their thawing. I always thought to myself, when we visited places like South Carolina and Florida for break, “Do people down here look forward to Spring Break as much as us midwesterners and northerners do?” After living here for 2 years now, I can answer my younger self with a resounding “YES!!!!!”
Spring Break, no matter where in the country you are, is a refreshing reset button. It’s a time for students to recharge, step away from the pressures of school, and enjoy a well-deserved break. Whether it’s spent traveling, hanging out with friends, or simply enjoying time at home, Spring Break offers a chance to unwind, explore new activities, and return to school feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle the rest of the year. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of balance between work and relaxation in a young person’s life.
We wish you a safe and refreshing Spring Break!
-AG
Math:
This week, 6th graders practiced subtraction, multiplication, and division of negative numbers. We applied these skills to the coordinate plane in quadrants 2, 3, and 4 as well! When we return from break, we’ll begin wrapping up this unit by writing expressions with variables and equations with variables that include negative numbers, and explore how negative numbers affect the solution to an equation.
ELA:
6th grade readers began a novel study of The Last Cherry Blossom this week. We started by responding to photographs from Hirioshima after the bombing and building our historical contexts. Our class will model itself after the traditional peace classes that were created in response to the disasters in Hiroshima and Nagasaki – students’ daily journal entries and ‘empathy builder’ reflections will be reviewed as their final grade when the unit ends on April 25th.
After break, 6th graders will continue studying the impact of history on characters in the novel and explore symbolism. We will test on grammar that week as well – April 11th.
Social Studies:
Sixth graders began learning about Ancient Greece. This will be a fun unit with great projects! We also began working on our historical research papers. We have also done work on Women’s History month and will finish the week with important women in today’s world.
Science:
The sixth graders learned about aerobic cellular respiration and the digestive system this week. They explored the ways cells receive energy from oxygen and food. They also started working on the Sixth Grade Family Cookbook. We will be compiling healthful, delicious recipes into a collection for all to use. The sixth graders also started to read Omnivore’s Dilemma, contemplating the farm system here in America.
Important Dates:
March 31st-April 4th – Spring Break
April 9th- Spread the Word (11:30 dismissal)
April 18th-April 21st – April Break
May 6th – Elementary Pass It On (11:30 dismissal)
May 7th-May 9th – Earthshine Field Trip
Upcoming Assessments and Deadlines:
April 16th – Math Test
May 6th – Math Test
