GETTING READY FOR 6TH GRADE

WHAT TO EXPECT!

You have Day 1’s and Day 2’s -This means a couple of things:

1. You never have the same class two days in a row.

2. Depending on the week, you will have one of your core classes only two times in a week.

YOUR SCHEDULEYou always start the school day with one of us. We are

your “core” teachers.

BUT, we only have you for 85 minutes. Then you move on to your next class. Bye bye! We don’t see you again

until the next day.

Lockers!

You each get your own locker. You do not share with anyone else. You can keep all of your school supplies

and various items in there. This means that you only need to carry the

items you need for the class you are going to. It also means you need to plan ahead and

keep your locker ORGANIZED!

These two websites are going to be your best friends!

Powerschool This is where your grades are posted.

ISA 24/7 This is where your homework is posted.

You still need to write your assignments in your homework diary, but this is an excellent secondary source for you and your parents.

Each class has its own page.

ISA 24/7 and Powerschool

Grades This is your first year with LETTER

GRADES! What do they mean?

A: 90%-100% B: 80%-89% C: 70%-79% D: 60%-69% F: 59% and below

This is pretty different from 5th grade!

Lunch and Breaks

You have 2 classes before lunch and 2 classes after lunch.

You have a 10 minute break between your two morning classes and your two afternoon classes.

Your lunch is 35 minutes, which includes recess. This means that you have about a 15

minute recess!

Homework

Homework assignments for your core classes are typically 30 minutes each.

It is best to do you homework the day it is assigned even though you do not have that class the next day.

Late assignments are penalized for each day they are late. The longer your assignment is late, the fewer points you can receive.

Homework is worth half of your entire grade so it is VERY important.

Math: 1.) We begin the day with a warm-up. This usually

consists of a math problem solving riddle, or a review of concepts we have already learned.

2.) Next we correct the homework. We discuss the problems that are incorrect and I re-teach those concepts.

3.) Finally I lead the lesson while you take notes, ask questions and answer problems. Sometimes you “teach” the class, or we use different games/activities to practice the concept.

4.) I assign your practice work. You usually have some time in class to begin, then you take the rest home to complete.

Miss Watkins continued

Science1.) Again we begin the lesson with a brain warm-up.

Usually this is something that requires critical thinking or descriptive writing.

2.) Next we go over the homework. We discuss any misconceptions or confusing parts. I give you time to fix any mistakes.

3.) Now we can do a variety of things. a. We may go to the lab to do some hands-on

learningb. We may watch a video or video clip to help

visualize what we are studyingc. We may work on a project or other activityd. We may read about what we are studying

and have questions to answer after4.) I assign your practice work. You may or may not

have time in class to begin depending on the day.

Mr. Cunningham My class is primarily discussion based.

This means that everyone participates a great deal each day.

All reading is done at home, and it is very important that you do your homework so that you are prepared to be a part of the discussion the next day.

Since we do so much discussing and sharing our ideas, it is INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT to me that you feel COMFORTABLE AT ALL TIMES! I make this my number one priority.

What did the current 6th graders say about their move

from 5th to 6th grade?In order to give you an idea of what to

expect, we asked our students about their transition to middle school.

Here’s what they said…