Exit Tickets

We have a poster hanging on the door of our room.  The top of the poster reads "Exit Tickets."  I use exit tickets as a quick way to check if kids are "getting" what has been taught. 

Here's how it works:  
After I've taught a lesson I will ask the students a question about what has been taught.  The students will write the answer on a sticky note and place it on their corresponding number on the Exit Ticket poster.  They usually do this on their way out the door - hence the name exit ticket. :)  

Exit tickets can be useful in all subjects, but I primarily use them in reading.  For example, we spent time as a class comparing and contrasting fiction and non-fiction text features.  At the end of the lesson students were asked to read independently.  While reading independently students were to look for fiction or non-fiction text features (depending on what type of book they were reading).  Students were asked to record 1 example from their book on a sticky note and place it on the Exit Ticket.  I always read exit tickets to see which students are and aren't grasping the concept that has been taught.  I often, but not always, record a grade for exit tickets.  Exit tickets are usually worth 5 points each. 

Road Closure

Highway 6 will be closed on Wednesday, September 12th and Thursday, September 13th due to bridge repairs over the 102 River.   Please note that this may cause the afternoon bus routes to bring children home later than usual on Wednesday and Thursday.

Smile If You Love 6th Grade!!!!

Weekly Review

Each Friday your child completes a weekly review.  The weekly review is a simple recap of what they've learned and done at school during the week.  It is printed on blue paper and has a place for student, teacher, and parent comments.  I love writing notes to each student and look forward to reading their comments and parent comments as well.  Please fill free to ask me questions on the parent section of the weekly review.  You may also share something fun with me about your child.  I was excited to learn about a student who had an awesome play during his football game this weekend from the parent section of his weekly review!  It is also fine to write a note of praise to your child on the parent section of the weekly review. 

Please look for a blue weekly review to come home with your child EVERY Friday. Please sign and return the weekly review to school with your child EVERY Monday.  

I do grade weekly reviews.  They are recorded as reading grades.  Students are required to name the book they are reading and give a quick summary of what they've read each week on their weekly review.  While I will accept late weekly reviews, grades will be decreased by 10% each day they are late. 

Symphony

Grades 4,  5 & 6  will be attending the symphony on Thursday, October 11.  Permission slips were sent home today. 

Agandi!

Agandi is how our Ugandan friends say Hello! 

Each student and teacher at Ellison has a pen-pal from Uganda!  Ellison students began writing letters last spring.  When some of our Ellison teachers visited Uganda to deliver books this summer they also hand delivered our letters.  The Ugandan kids were ecstatic to receive letters from their American friends.  I've been told that they carried their letters with them everywhere and cherished everything about them! 

Mrs. Siela gifted each Ellison classroom with  pictures of our Ugandan pen-pal class.  It is neat to look at that picture and see what school is like for our friends at New Times School in Uganda.  Even more exciting Mrs. Siela delivered pen-pal letters back to us!  It was eye opening to read what our Ugandan friends had to say about themselves and life in Uganda.  We learned quite a bit about the culture differences between America and Uganda.  Have your child share some culture differences they learned about with you!   It was sad to see that several of our Ugandan friends have MUCH less than us, but encouraging to see that they are still able to thrive in many ways.  The school our Ugandan pen-pals attend, New Times School,  is a huge blessing to our pen-pals.  It is a private school and many children only attend because they are sponsored by American families (most right here in St. Joe!).  If you are interested in learning more about how you can sponsor some of our Ugandan pen-pals please follow the link below.  

http://rescuedreaders.org/make-a-connection-make-a-difference/contributors/
  
After spending a couple days discussing culture differences and learning about our Ugandan pen-pals we got to write them back!  We also took pictures of ourselves with the pen-pal letters we received to include with the letters we are sending. :) Our letters will be on their way to Uganda shortly as they travel with a U.S. friend who spends several months in Uganda each year.

If you haven't already heard about the cool video we watched on the first day of school, ask your child about it.  The video highlights the journey of the books Ellison sent to our friends at New Times School.  We got to see many of our Ugandan friends as well as their parents and teachers in the video.  We also got to hear and see a beautiful thank you from the school's head master, Grace. Check out this short, heart warming video that we watched the first day of school.

Also, look for your child's letter from their Ugandan pen-pal in their bag tonight!  And check out the pictures we sent by following the "McDowell Pics" link on our class webpage.

Reading Response Letters

     This year students will be writing letters to me once a week during Reader’s Workshop. Their letters will be a response to the book they are reading independently.  Letters will always be written in their reading notebooks.  Letters will be due on the day recorded on the front of their notebooks.  Late response letters will not be accepted.  These response letters will be a major part of your child's reading grade this year.  I expect your child to do his/her best each time they turn a reading response letter into me.  This will be a fun way for your child to share their thoughts about the books they are reading with me.  This process will help your child to become more aware of their thinking as they read as well as improve on expressing their thoughts through writing.

            There are certain things students will need to include in each response letter.  The date should always be in the top right hand corner.  Letters will always begin with a greeting and end with a proper closing as well as their signature. Each letter will need to include the title and author of the book they are reading.  Students will need to summarize what they've been reading in their book that week.  They should give me enough evidence to show that they really are reading the book.  Students should include several specific details in each letter.

Most importantly your child will need to share some of their thoughts with me as they relate to the text they are reading, because READING IS THINKING! Students could write about something new they've learned or something that surprised them while they read.  They could write about things they agree or disagree with in their book.  Students could write about any predictions they may have or questions that pop into their minds while they’re reading.  Students can also share connections they made to the text while reading.  

I will expect your child to use their best handwriting in their response journals.  Each letter should be 1 full page.  I can’t wait to read everyone's letters!