With best regards

Greetings everyone!


An end to the academic year brings an end to this blog...


The year 2010 - 11 has been simply fantabulous!! This batch of students has really made me grow as teacher... it was a challenge for me to challenge them!! The classroom memories that we all have had will be cherished forever.


As I bid good bye to the academic year, I want to thank one and all for all the support and appreciation. Authentic feedback is always helpful to improvize oneself.


I wish all the students the best of luck for the coming year.. may all your hard work pay off! However, always remember that wherever you may go, you carry a name with you: "INDUS". Along with practicing the core values of love, empathy, discipline and respect, be focussed at all times - this will for sure never let you digress from your goal in life! Reach for the sky....

Next will be an entirely new experience for all the students. The middle school program is much different from the primary years. There will be text books, subject teachers and EXAMS!! However, have no fear as the curriculum taught in grade 5 was much more than that required for grade 6 - specially in math and English. In the vacation, students may revisit the topics taught this year. The below mentioned websites can be used for further practice during the vacation:

http://edhelper.com/
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/
http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/grade_5.php
http://www.kidzone.ws/math/dynamic.htm
http://math.about.com/
http://www.math-drills.com/
http://www.ixl.com/1a?gclid=CKnzpK3CsqkCFYl66woduT87Lw
http://www.ezschool.com/Grade5ESheets.html
http://www.quia.com/
http://www.iknowthat.com/com

Here is a list of reading:
Grade 6



Picture books

Author -Title

Allan Baillie- Rebel

Libby Hathorn - Way Home

Patricia Polacco - Pink and Say

David Shannon - A bad case of stripes

Chris Van Allsburg - The sweetest fig

Novels

Author - Title

Janet S. Anderson - Going Through the Gate

Avi - Nothing but the Truth

Avi - The Barn

Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting

T. A. Barron - Heartlight

Marion Bauer - On my Honor

Nancy Bond. - Truth to Tell

Bruce Brooks - Midnight Hour Encores

Robert Burch - Ida Early Comes Over the Mountain

Betsy Byars- Keeper of the Doves

Betsy Byars - The Pinballs

Barbara Cohen - Thank You, Jackie Robinson

Carolyn Coman - What Jamie Saw

Pam Conrad - My Daniel

Pam Conrad- Prairie Songs

Christopher Paul Bud Curtis - Not buddy

Christopher Paul Watsons Curtis - Go to Birmingham – 1963

Lois Lowry - Number the Stars

Lois Lowry - The Giver

Janet Lunn - Shadow in Hawthorn Bay

Scott O’Dell - Island of the blue dolphins

Katherine Paterson - Come Sing, Jimmy JO

Gary Paulsen - Popcorn Days and buttermilk nights

Gary Paulsen - The Haymeadow

Rodman Philbrick - Freak the Mighty

Carolyn Reeder - Shades of Gray

Marilyn Sachs - At the Sound of the Beep

Jane Denitz Smith- Mary by Myself

Elizabeth George Speare- The Sign of the Beaver

Jerry Spinelli - Maniac Magee

James Stevenson - The Bones in the Cliff

Caroline Stevermer - When the King Comes

Frances Temple - Ramsay Scallop

Cynthia Voigt- Homecoming

Elizabeth Winthrop- Castle in the attic

Patricia Wrightson - Balyet
Popular Series

A series of unfortunate events (Grade 4-7)

A to z mysteries (Grade 3 – 5)

The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids (Grade 2-5)

Amazing days of Abby Hayes (Grade 4-6)

Babe the Gallant Pig (Series) (Grade 3-6)

The Bartimaeus Trilogy (5 – up)

The Bryant, Bonnie. Saddle Club (Grade 4-6)

Captain Underpants (Grade 2-4)

The Chronicles of Narnia (Grade 4-8)

Circle of Magic (Grade 5-8)

Dark is rising, The (Grade 5-8)

Dear Canada, Series (Grade 4-8)

Enchanted Forest Chronicles (Grade 4-8)

Harry Potter (Grade 4 – up)

His dark materials (Grade 5-8)

The Junie B. Jones series (Grade 2-5)

Keys to the Kingdom (Grade 5-8)

Lizzie McGuire, Series (Grade 4-6)

The Lost years of Merlin (Grade 6-8)

Magic shop books (Grade 4-7)

Magic Tree House (Grade 2 -5)

Mary-Kate and Ashley (Grade 4-6)

Matt Christopher (Grade 3-7)

Our Canadian Girl (Grade 2-6)

The Princess School (Grade 4-6)

The Prydain chronicles (Grade 4-8)

Random House All About books (Grade 4 and up)

Redwall (Grade 4-8)

Saga of Darren Shan (Grade 5-8)

The Screech Owls Series (Grade 3-6)

Shrek Tales, Series (Grade 2-7)

So Little Time (Grade 4-6)

The Spiderwick Chronicles (Grade 3 – 7)

Sweet Valley Kids (Grade 2-7)

Sweet Valley Twins (Grade 2-7)

Two of a Kind (grade 4-6)

The Young wizards series (Grade 4-8)

ADVANCED READING

1. Blackwood: The Shakespeare Stealer c1998 historical fiction, mystery

2. Funke: Inkheart c2003 fantasy

3. Hesse: Music of the Dolphins c1996 realistic fiction

The thoughts of a young girl, who was raised by dolphins from 4 years old after a plane crash, are recorded by a scientist as she is reintroduced to a civilized way of life.

4. Levine: Hana’s Suitcase: A True Story c2002 biography

5. Selznick: The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures c2007 adventure, mystery

Students can write book reviews, etc. for the ones they reas. They should also do some amount of creative writing on a regular basis. Writing prompts are found very easily on the web. Tip: Use 'Six traits for writing' - Google it.. extremely good!
 
That's it folks.. Keep in touch.. Good bye and Good luck!

Websites for reference

Construction of incenter
http://www.mathopenref.com/constincenter.html
Construction of circumcenter
http://www.mathopenref.com/constcircumcenter.html
Construction of incircle
http://www.mathopenref.com/constincircle.html
Construction of circumcircle
http://www.mathopenref.com/constcircumcircle.html

Also, the students who are working on the charts on Learner Profile, Attitudes, etc. need to write how exactly the group has showcased them and not just the plain list. For the concepts, you need to write the key questions. Please get in touch with me if any one has any doubts.

Homework April 14th

Homework for today:

A. Draw a scenery, a city or a dining room and show atleast one (Extension: 2/3) example  of
1. Line
2. Ray
3. Line segment
4. Parallel lines (Lines that never meet)
5. Intersecting lines (Lines that meet at an angle)
6. Perpendicular lines (Lines that meet at a right angle)
7. Acute angle
8. Right angle
9. Obtuse angle
10. Straight angle
11. Point

B: Find out about 'Anna Hazare' and why he is in the news lately.

Extension: Write your own opinion in your reflection journal/a sheet of paper. How can this be linked to your central idea?

11th April

We began the day with discussing the SWOT analysis of the education system in India. Students gave their inputs based on their homework. We also discussed in detailed concepts like corruption, crime, poverty, unemployment, etc. The students were asked to add more points in their graphic organizers. They then filled up the 'What have I learnt' section in the collaborative KWHL. We also decided which medium the groups will use for their performance component of the summative assessment. Another point of discussion was a fund raising event on the Exhibition day.

The students practiced and presented to the rest of the PYP a PPP on their exhibition unit.

They have received work based on angles in Math.

8th April - Friday

In English, we learnt how to interconvert abstract nouns and adjectives. Students have got practice based on this.

In Math, we learnt about lines, rays and line segments. We discussed many examples and how to label them. Students also constructed many lines, rays and line segments.

We had a guest speaker for our PYP Exhibition today: Mr. chalsani. He spoke to the students about the importance of equal education. He showed them many motivating videos. The students then filled the reflection sheet. They also brainstormed about their summative assessment – the tasks and the criteria for assessment.

7th April - Thursday

In English today we continue with the persuasive essay. The students wrote their drafts and edited them.

In Math, we came up with the definition of points and lines. The students were made to understand the meaning of ‘Dimensions’. We also looked at linear and non linear points and the labeling of points.

The students were made clear about the concept of ‘wholesome’ education through a guest speech by Ms. Aruna, our school counselor. She spoke about the two important aspects of a person: mind and body. The students understood the difference between ‘education’ and ‘literacy’. They realized that good education can help us to be psychologically strong and emotionally stable and that being a good individual is just as important as being knowledgeable. The speech was truly engaging and motivating for the students. They filled up a reflection sheet after the speech.

6th April - Wednesday

We began the day by some written work in English. The students were asked to write a persuasive essay. They were given three options: Adoption of animals, homework and addiction to smoking. They were also given different templates to plan for the write up.

We then did a collaborative KWHL by analyzing the central idea. On different post it’s, the students wrote what they knew about the central idea, what they wanted to know and how would find out the answers. The ‘L’ section will be filled as and when they learn new concepts.

We then spent some time to scaffold the central idea into three main parts to frame the lines of inquiry. This is what the students want to inquire into:

·         The importance of education for all

·         The meaning of whole some education

·         The effect of a good education system on world peace

Framing the central idea and the inquiry lines themselves has given them a lot of ownership of the unit. We are hoping the interest levels stay on the higher side up till the end!

We ended the day by having a pre unit assessment for our new unit in math: Points, Lines and Angles. The students were asked to complete sentence starters to show their prior knowledge of the topics in the unit.