Baker's Bulletin

LA folders

Each student should have a folder where they are putting language arts assignments, graded papers and handouts. This folder is kept in class and not to be taken home.  Students who need extra time to work on a classwork assignment should only take home the papers needed and be sure to return those papers to class the following day. 

On Wednesday November 4, 2009 students will have a folder check. I will give a specific name of an assignment, graded paper or handout and the student must put it in the front pocket of the folder.  This will be an evaluation grade which they are simply being graded on following directions and organization.  Organization is something 6th graders and even adults struggle with. Bringing and keeping up with materials is an important goal. 

November 9-13, 2009

Friendly Letters vs. Business Letters

Know:

How to write a friendly letter.

How to identify the parts of a friendly letter and business letter.

How to distinguish between a business and friendly letter.

Apply  friendly persuasive tone to a friendly letter. 

Apply standard formal English tone and persuasive to Business letter.

Standards:

ELA6W2.a Technical Writing: Creates or follows an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience and context.
ELA6W2.b Technical Writing: Excludes extraneous and inappropriate information.
ELA6W2.c Technical Writing: Follows an organizational pattern appropriate to the type of composition.
ELA6W2.d Technical Writing: Applies rules of standard English.
ELA6C1.d Demonstrates appropriate comma and semi-colon usage (words in direct address).

Last week's Essential Questions:

How do People Communicate?

What is a Friendly letter?

What are the names of the parts in a friendly letter?

Monday:

Standard: ELA6W2.a-d

Complete final copy of Dear Astaurus the Alien letter. Turn in final copy today! 

Monday Homework: Some Students did not finish the final copy in class and must finish at home. Check on Pinnacle today for the grade. A black means your child did not turn it in and has homework!

Tuesday:

Essential Questions: What does it mean to persuade?

Dear LaRue, Letters from Obedience School.  Using persuasive tone in a friendly letter.

In Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School, Ike the dog writes friendly letters to attempt to persuade his owner that he should be allowed to come home.

Ike describes each day of obedience school from his point-of-view.  He uses great word choices when describing the sights and sounds of each day.  He tries to convince his owner, Mrs. LaRue, how he must be allowed to come home at once.

Using the friendly-letter format, you will be writing a letter that attempts to be persuasive today.  You will write the letter from the point-of-view of something or someone interesting.

Press the button below and look at your choices.   The first noun is the Role from whose point-of-view you will be writing your letter.  The Audience is the person or thing that will receive the letter.  What might the letter writer convince the audience to do?

As part of your letter's body, you might describe a day in the life Role you have picked.  Be creative and use your sense of humor when writing your letter.  Try to persuade your Audience “to do” or “not to do something.”

Writer’s Challenge:  Read your letter to a friend.  See how long it takes your friend to guess what the Role and Audience were that inspired your friendly letter.

Download Dear_Mrs_LaRue_Pre_Write

Writing Fix topic Generator

Wednesday:

Complete Dear LaRue Graphic Organizer

Essential Question:

How can a writer persuade an audience?

Thursday:

Essential Question:

Friday:

Essential Question:

November 2-6 2009

Know: How Grammar and Mechanics play a role in crafting a piece of writing?. And why a specific format is needed for different types of writing?. Why is tone important in writing?

Do: Practice commas in dates, address, and letters; label letter parts; create a friendly letter, create a business letter; and apply persuasive tone to business letter.

Understand: Audience, tone and letter format.

Standards:
ELA6W2.a-d Expository

Ela6W2.a-g Persuasive

ELA6W4 Writing Process

ElA6C1.d Comma Usage

Monday:

Today we began working on letter format.  Students worked on commas and including the comma in the correct location in addresses, dates and letter parts.  Workbook page was completed in class.  Students were able to have me look over their workbook page and they could revise the answers they missed.  Most commonly missed problem was with commas in addresses and dates when the sentence continued. 

ex:  I live in Acworth, Georgia, near Lake Allatoona.

Ex:  Ms. Baker's birthday is May 12, 1990, or is it 1950?

Homework: Complete workbook page. 

Tuesday:

NO School Election Day

Wednesday:

Today we had a notebook check.  Oh my, I never would have thought I had to teach a sixth grade how to use a paperclip!  How funny!  After that we discussed friendly letter format. PPT below.

Download FriendlyLetter

Homework: None

Thursday:

Today we labeled letter parts for both a friendly letter and a business letter. After we discussed the differences between a greeting and a salutation.  Key vocabulary term.  Then students created a friendly letter to Astaurus the alien.  

Role: You, as a pen-pal to the alien Asturus.

Audience: Astaurus, the alien

Format: a friendly letter

Topic:  The newest planet Fraggle has been discovered in the solar system. Life has formed over the past million years. You have been given a pen-pal to exchange letters and life stories.  You will need to make the first contact by writing a letter detailing your life activities and asking Astaurus questions about his/her life.

Additional: draw a picture of yourself and Earth to send along with your letter to Astaurus.

Friday:

Complete friendly letter and turn in. 

October 26-30

Know:How to engage a reader by creating interesting leads, hooks and details.

Do: Create a Silly Animal Story using a graphic organizer, Little Red Riding Hooks, and the writing process

Understand: Why hooks and details are important to writing. 

Standards: ELA6SV2.c, ELA6C1.iii, ELA6W4, ELA6W1, ElA6W2. 

Monday October 26, 2009

Today in class we had to review and redo our graphic organizers from the end of last week.  Many students were not completing the organizer correctly.  Be sure ALL the questions from top to bottom, left to right are answered.  You cannot do the big boxes without doing the little ones first!  Do you start eating a cheeseburger by taking a bit out of the middle?  No, it's too difficult and messy!  Same thing with writing!  I sure do love cheeseburgers!  Getting your organizer complete and correct will make drafting so much easier.

No homework, unless you brought your organizer home to work on. 

Are you keeping your Language arts materials in your folder?  I am going to be doing a notebook check on November 1.  Which means you will need to have everything we have been working on in there. This includes, notes, book exercises, handouts, graphic organizers and returned graded papers.

Tuesday October 27, 2009

Writing Hooks create a hook for your Silly Animal story based on the 8 techniques we studies in class.

These were very interesting. If you did not get your hooks checked off today in class you will need to make sure I check you off Wednesday.  Check pinnacle, a blank for Writing Hooks means you did not have me check your hooks. 

Homework:

Finish the writing hooks. We will not have time to do the hooks in class. 

Wednesday October 28, 2009

Today we continued to work on our Silly Animal story and the hooks.  Students are at different places but were supposed to have caught up last night by working on the hooks at home.  This did not happen for most of the students so now they are behind. You will be able to tell on Pinnacle what the grade is and why. 

The draft is due tomorrow at the end of class. Students who do not have a draft to turn in will not be able to participate in Friday's activity. 

Homework: Complete Graphic organize (yes some still have not finished after 5 days of classtime!) and complete introduction Little Red Writing Hooks.

Thursday October 29, 2009

Today we worked on our draft. Hopefully, this part is finished.  Be sure to have your draft ready for turn in tomorrow.  If you don't finish your draft, you won't be able to do the Halloween activity.

Homework:  None unless your behind on your draft.

Friday October 30, 2009

Today students turned in the draft of the Silly Animal story.  Students who needed class time to finish had about 25 minutes after I read my favorite book by Dave Pilkey: The Halloweiner!  Love it!  Students who turned in their draft had a word search and word find on all things Halloween.

Homework: There were a few students who did not finish the drafting in class. I allowed them to take the draft home to finish. However, it is due first thing Monday. I will not ask for the assignment students should give it to me at the beginning of class.

Week of October 19, 2009

Thank you to all the parents who sent in dictionaries!  We have about 15 now! 

Monday:
Today we finished up the compare and contrast paper and worked on adjectives. 

Chapter 5 is available for download at the bottom of Tuesday's assignments.

Tuesday:

Completed adjective activities.  Students who did not finish in class need to finish at home tonight. Below is the assignment. Note, you will not have access to the workbook pages on line. All questions and exercises from the book can be completed, however.

Chapter 5
Predicate Adjectives/Other Words as Adjectives

Directions on your own paper answer the following questions.  Be sure to label your notes with the correct heading and exercises with the correct page number.

Predicate Adjectives:
1.    What is a predicate adjective?
2.    What part of speech does it follow?
3.    What is a linking verb? (page 88)
4.    Why is it important to use predicate adjectives in your writing?

Practice and Apply Predicate Adjectives:
Grammar for Writing Book page 126
Number your paper 1-10.  For each sentence, write the predicate adjective and the noun or pronoun it modifies. Circle the predicate adjective.

Other words used as Adjectives
1.    What parts of speech can be used as adjectives?
2.    When is a noun or a pronoun an adjective?
3.    What are the demonstrative pronouns?
4.    What are the possessive pronouns?
5.    What are the indefinite pronouns?
6.    Why does it matter if you use nouns as adjectives in your writing?

Practice and Apply Other words as Adjectives:
Textbook Page 129 A. 
On your paper number 1-10, for each sentence, find the noun or pronoun being used as an adjective and write it down and circle it.  Then write the word it modifies.

Chapter 5

Download MLL6G050120DD

Wednesday:

Today we checked the answers to the previous days work.  This work should have been placed in their folder.   All language arts work should be placed in their folder, which is kept in the room.

Thursday:

Today we discussed hooks and leads using Little Red riding Hood and Bog Breath as examples.  Students began working on their own animal with a silly problem.

Dog Breath overview:

Dav Pilkey’s story, Dog Breath, involves a family's distress over their dog, Hally Tosis, and his horrible breath.  After enjoying the story, the writer will plan a detailed and sequenced story about an animal with a silly problem.   While planning and revising, students will think about their use of memorable details and their story's pacing.

Writing Fix Idea Generator

Graphic Organizer is due at the end of class on Friday.  You will have class time on Friday to complete the organizer.

Download Dog_Breath_Pre_Write

Download Little_Red_Riding_Hooks

Friday:

Complete graphic organizer in class and turn it in.  If you have extra time in class, begin writing your first draft of your Silly Animal story. Be sure to use one of the hooks from the Little Red Writing Hook sheet as well as, an enormous amount of adjectives!!!

Week of October 12, 2009

Know: How to apply adjectives in a compare and contrast essay to improve word choice.

Do: Create a compare and contrast essay using 5 senses, graphic organizers, t-charts and adjectives.

Understand: What impact adjectives and sensory details have on your essays.

Monday:

Today we worked on finishing our Candy Sense description graphic organizers.  We reviewed the types of adjectives we have been using and learned a new one: demonstrative adjectives.

Here are the notes in both a PDF and PPT files, print the notes and bring them to class if you want!

Download ADJECTIVES

Download ADJECTIVES 2005

Tuesday:

Begin organizing our information my topic using graphic organizer for compare and contrast essay. 

Download Compcon_chart

Wednesday:

Draft of compare and contrast essay.

Check out this website to edit your draft!  Bring in the printed certificate for some bonus points!

Evaluation Station

Thursday:

Work on Draft we will finish the final draft tomorrow.

Paragraph 1 should be an introduction.

Paragraph 2 should be how skittles and m&ms are alike (use the paragraph from your white organizer)

Paragraph 3 should be about items specific to skittles. Do not mention M&M's or use the words: different, not, or don't have. (use the paragraph you wrote on your graphic organizer.)

Paragraph 4 should be about M&Ms only. Do not mention Skittles.  Again avoid the words: different, not, or don't have.  (Use the paragraph you wrote on the organizer)

Paragraph 5 should be a conclusion.  Compare the two items for a final time. Use transitions to compare and contrast.

Friday:

Edit and create a final copy of essay. Essay due by end of class! 

Supplies Needed

If you can donate some of these items to the class it would be a help!

Thesauruses and Dictionaries, I do not have a class set...we have 15 or each to share with 3 teachers!   The Dollar store has Webster's paperback ones.  I try to purchase some each time I go, if you shop the Dollar Store and see these please pick up a few to donate to our classroom.

Ziploc Snack size bags

Glue - Elmer's the gooey kind!

Glue sticks too!

Week of October 5, 2009

Monday

Today we worked on our postcard planning sheet and drafting the body of the postcard.  Complete the postcard planning sheet tonight if you didn't finish in class. Don't forget to bring your picture on the printer sized paper so you can make your final copy.

Some classes still need fun or snack size M&M's and Skittles for the compare and contrast activity on Wednesday!  Please send those in tomorrow!

Tuesday 

Complete Postcard planning sheet!  Be sure your body of the post card has the specific types of adjectives in it! 

Need some help with adjectives, download some quick and easy notes on Adjectives. 

Download Adjectives

If you did not finish your post card planning sheet in class today you MUST finish it tonight at home.  Tomorrow there will only be time to finish your final copy before turning it in. Both items are due by end of class tomorrow! 

Postcard format:

Download Postcard template

Wednesday:

Complete postcard and turn in the planning sheet and your final copy.

Be sure to turn in your postcard if you did not finish it in class today at the beginning of class on Thursday. Not turning in a postcard will result in your being excluded from the Skittles and M&M eating activity. You will have to complete a non-candy eating compare and contrast activity!

Thursday:

Today we investigated Skittles and M&M's for our compare and contrast activity.  Students used their senses to compile adjectives and organize their thoughts.  We have tons of candy to finish our activity and graphic organizer tomorrow.

Students received these handouts today:

Download CANDY SENSEt-chart

Download Candysense

Friday:

Today we completed our graphic organizers for our Candy Sense activity.  The green sheet with organizers on front and back (the charts are available under Thursday's post?).

Credit Recovery

This packet is a review of the topics and standards we have covered this 9weeks.  Students wishing to add points to his or her grade may complete the packet by 10/7/09.  I cannot print copies for students.  Please print the packet at home or you may go to the public library for assistance in printing. 

The packet must be completed and TURNED in to Ms. Baker no later than 4:15 on October 7, 2009. I will not accept packets after the 7th. Please do not ask me for an extension or exception to this guideline. 

The packet is in a PDF file.  The PDF viewer is available free for download at www.adobe.com.

Download CreditRecoveryNPPIC

Week of September 28, 2009

Monday:

Complete revisions of writing assessment. Begin Final draft.

Don't forget your scrapbook page is due on Wednesday!

6B Scrapbook
2009-20010
In order to get to know you and teammates, we are going to create a scrapbook as a keepsake of our team! This scrapbook will include an autobiography page of each student.  In order to include everyone, you must complete your scrapbook page and turn in by Monday, August 17, 2009. Use an 8.5x10 sheet of paper only. 

Your page should include a paragraph with  the following:

•    First and last name
•    Homeroom Teacher
•    Clubs/Community activities
•    Hobbies
•    Likes/Dislikes
•    What you are looking forward to the most in 6th

Your page should include two pictures:

•    One picture of you only
•    One picture of your family


Let your imagination run wild!  Be as creative as you want!
We will compile a book for each class. Use your resources! Parents can help!


Tuesday:

Complete Final draft and turn in.

Some students began working on Adjectives

Two pieces of information you will need for this chapter.

Chapter 5 on Adjectives and Adverbs and Activity sheets

Download MLL6G050120DD

Download Adjectivesnotes

Wednesday:

Scrapbook Due

Adjectives and adverbs activity

Notes on Adjectives See Tuesday

Thursday:

Adjectives and Adverbs activity

Complete notes on Adjectives and exercises page 124 Practice and Apply as well as workbook page 100. Identifying Adjectives.

Turn in.

Friday:

Dark Marker on Adjectives.

Any student who did not finish the activities from Thursday needs to complete over the weekend and turn in.  The work is available on Tuesday just above this post.

ALL students need to print or draw a picture of something that relates to China: the flag, The Great Wall, pandas, Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Flowers, Food, etc.  It needs to be related to China. The picture should take up a full size piece of printer paper. We will use the back to complete our post card.  Please do not write on the back of the picture, there are specific requirements I have not given out yet that must be included in the postcard.  We will do this on Monday.

Adjectives post card

Week of September 21, 2009

Monday:

Review writing assessment.

Tuesday:

No School

Wednesday:

No School

Thursday:

Revised and Edited Writing Assessment.

Download Writingassessmentrevision

Friday:

Revised and Edited Writing Assessment.