Science & Social Studies

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,

Here is a link to comprehensive information about the Science Fair.

Science Fair Information:

The optional Science Fair at Mountain Elementary will be held this year on Wednesday, December 9th. The fair will be after school starting at 2:40 pm in the Mountain gym. Judging will be done at 3:15.

• NO project can start data collection until adult sponsor approval.

If you have questions or need help with your registration, please contact me, MaryAlice Hawkins, your Mountain School representative, at m.hawkins@laschools.net. Feel free to send all filled out forms to me via email or printed version and I can upload them to Zfairs for you if you have correctly registered.

Dates to remember:

• Last Day to register on Zfair for special projects that require IRB approval and for Mountain Elementary Science Fair is October 30th.

• Registration deadline for ALL projects is November 13th.

• Mountain Science Fair December 9th (Boards can come in anytime to room 103.)

• District Science Fair is January 22th-23rd 2027

Let the Science begin!

MaryAlice Hawkins

6th Grade Science & Social Studies

Grades

-If students are not happy with their scores on work, they may come talk to me about redoing the work. 

-The GOAL is for students to learn the material. So I am usually very happy for them to redo the work to make sure they understand.

We read the book, "Pumpkin Jack." We have a "pumpkin Jack" in our classroom that we will observe throughout the year. We will cover this standard in more depth later in the year, but our observations can begin now.

-NGSS LS 2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

We recently completed our unit: What Is Matter Made Of?

-Guiding Questions:

1. How can we tell different materials apart?

2. How do materials change when they dissolve, evaporate, melt, mix together, or are heated?

3. How can we model the differences between solids, liquids, and gases?

Concept 1.1: Describing Matter in Words and Numbers

NGSS: 5-PS1-3 Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.

This week we will begin our unit on "The Road to Revolution." This will be an interactive unit where students will learn about the major events that led to the American Revolutionary War. The unifying standard we will be focusing on is SS 5.14: Analyze the causes of the American Revolution and the effects individuals and groups had on the conflict.

Additional Standards:

-SS 5.8 Identify and explain the structure and function of the three branches of government and how they form the basis for our constitutional and federal republic.

-SS 5.9 Analyze how different individuals and groups influenced the creation and interpretation of the founding documents.

-SS 5.10 Explain how the principles of the founding documents and the principle of liberty became unifying ideas of American Democracy.

-SS 5.11 Evaluate how the Bill of Rights shaped the rights of United States Citizens. 

-SS 5.12 Explore inequality throughout the history of the United States and its connection to conflic that arises today.

-SS 5.13 Examine history from the perspectives of the participants using a variety of narratives.

-SS 5.16 Create and use a chronological sequence of events and timelines to organize and analyze cause-and-effect relationships.

-SS 5.17 Use primary and secondary sources to acquire historical information.

-SS 5.18 Explain the connections among historical contexts and people's perspectives during major historical events in the United States.

-SS 5.29 Identify how the beliefs, experiences, perspectives, and values contribute to forming points of view about civic issues.

-SS 5.31 Explain how the treatment of groups of people in the past and present impacts who they are.

States and Capitals REVIEW

Group 1: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

Group 2: Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware

Group 3: Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina

We just completed our Salem Witch Trials. I think we all enjoyed this activity, and we practiced a lot of standards.

Standards:

-SS 5.11 Evaluate how the Bill of Rights shaped the rights of United States Citizens. 

-SS 5.13 Examine history from the perspectives of the participants using a variety of narratives.

-SS 5.16 Create and use a chronological sequence of events and timelines to organize and analyze cause-and-effect relationships.

-SS 5.17 Use primary and secondary sources to acquire historical information.

-SS 5.18 Explain the connections among historical contexts and people's perspectives during major historical events in the United States.

-SS 5.29 Identify how the beliefs, experiences, perspectives, and values contribute to forming points of view about civic issues.

-SS 5.31 Explain how the treatment of groups of people in the past and present impacts who they are.