Over the last two weeks Language Arts has been introducing plot elements, characterization, and theme. Students have been practicing by applying their skills while reading the short story, Charles, by Shirley Jackson. Advanced Language Arts classes have continued to apply their new skills through the novel, Freak the Mighty.

Students have been gearing up for our Unit 1B Summative on October 17^th. After completing our 2^nd summative, students will begin reviewing the narrative writing process. During the last couple of weeks in October, students will write their own personal narrative.

Study materials and practice activities are posted in the Language Arts itslearning courses for students to use in preparation for their upcoming assessments.

Upcoming Assessments & Important Dates:

Unit 1B summative – 10/17

Personal Narrative – due date TBD

Students have been hard-at-work preparing an in-class project called a book reflection to tell about a book they enjoyed from quarter one. All students will show their reflection in class with a gallery walk through beginning Tuesday, October 18. We are excited to see their creativity and learn about more books to read! As quarter one comes to a close, students should have read at least five books and two different genres, and you will see this listed in the gradebook. Now is a great time to talk to your student about their favorite book from quarter one!

All students have started a new unit working with exponents and both numeric and algebraic expressions. Students are now allowed to use a basic calculator, so they should start bringing it to class in their pencil pouches. Students in on-level and advanced math classes will have a quiz on Friday, October 14^th and a second quiz on October 28^th. The summative assessment is tentatively scheduled for Friday, November 4^th. Students in accelerated math will have a quiz on Wednesday, October 19^th and a summative test on Tuesday, October 25^th.

This week 6^th grade science students learned how to predict the phases of the moon (lunar cycle) as we continue with Unit 2 Earth, Moon, & Sun. Students should look to the sky nightly to see what phase of the moon is occurring! Students will also learn about solar and lunar eclipses as well as how the tilt of our Earth causes the changing of the seasons. Students took their first formative within Unit 2 this week. The second quiz will be on Friday, October 28th, and our Unit 2 Test is scheduled for Thursday, November 3rd.

Social studies recently wrapped up our unit on Europe Geography. Our next unit is European history. Students will learn about the conflict and change in Europe from World War I through the Cold War. Specific events to be covered are the Treaty of Versailles and the Rise of Nazism, the growth and spread of communism, and worldwide depression. Students will also study fascism and how the use of propaganda and other events eventually resulted in the holocaust. Last, we will examine how the reunification of East and West Germany led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Our unit test is scheduled for Nov. 3.