Learn Sign Language Over Break

http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/

Persuasive Speech Model

http://youtu.be/TQmz6Rbpnu0

"If we do not cultivate confident, willing learners in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades and give them a rock-solid foundation
of skills and knowledge,
hundreds of thousands of young people
will go on to
falter
in high school, college and careers, and our decades-long effort to improve all schools and secure our future
progress and prosperity will have failed."

Source:
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
592 10th St. N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 875-9211
www.sreb.org

Extra-Credit:
Considering the quote, write an essay persuading your parents why your school is so important to your future.

Check Out Our President :)

Commercial to Analyze

http://youtu.be/EnLIkIhrb4w

Donate To Our Classroom!

Help us get more Eyewitness Books and historical fiction newspapers by donating to our class through the following website:

http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=671584

Study Tool for Persuasive Text Analysis Test

Study Riley and George's PowerPoint to prepare for your test on November 14, 2011

Pharaoh Persuasive Speeches

Pharaoh Persuasive Speeches

Research Notes: 6.2.7

Ancient Egypt Websites

Be a scholar! Explore these websites to learn more about Ancient Egypt!



http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/Egypt.html

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html

http://msshawnsblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/cartouches.html

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/puzzlesquizzes/brainteaseregypt/

http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/history/egypt/egyptiangod.asp

http://egypt.mrdonn.org/maps.html

New Archeological Findings!

Are you curious what Early Humans used to paint on caves?

Listen to or read the following article. Just click on the link:

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141313283/in-african-cave-an-early-human-paint-shop?sc=17&f=1001

Poetry Fun

Here are some websites that will help you dive in to poetry:

Instant Poetry Forms

http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/poetry/what.html

http://www.poetry4kids.com/

http://robertfrostoutloud.com/StoppingByWoodsOnASnowyEvening.html

http://www.imaginesongs.com/

http://www.hbo.com/russell-simmons-presents-brave-new-voices

http://www.magneticpoetry.com/kids-area/

Master Mesopotamia!

Explore these websites to learn more and study the Agricultural Revolution and Mesopotamia!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/cultures/mesopotamia_gallery.shtml

http://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/index.html

http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/geography/challenge/cha_set.html

Hammurabi's Code of Law:
http://phillipmartin.info/hammurabi/hammurabi_codeindex.htm

Welcome New Sixth Graders!

Blog Expectations:
When you complete your homework, the class blog is here for you to "surf" internet resources related to what we are learning in class. It is a requirement of this class to find the opportunity to go on the internet, and access these resources.

Practice surfing the internet by completing the following scavenger hunt:

1) On the Discovery Education website, find thepuzzlemaker on the page, and make the puzzle of your choice.
http://www.discoveryeducation.com

2) On the Arcademics Skill Builders website, find the division game, and play to practice your division.
http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games/

3) On the BBC website, find the game titled Spelling, and practice your spelling.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/spelling_grammar/

Mexico Wins!

Who's excited that Mexico beat USA for the Gold Cup!?

Summer Reading!

Click on the link to find a good summer book!

http://www.santaclaracountylib.org/kids/lists/all/6th.html

Ancient Rome Games and More!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/


http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/


http://www.rome.mrdonn.org/


http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Roman_Colosseum.html

What do you think about your education?

Some Thoughtful Advice from Bill Gates

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem.
The world will expect you to accomplish something
BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school.
You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity.
Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping:
They called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault,
so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring
as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills,
cleaning your clothes and listening to you
talk about how cool you thought you were:
So before you save the rain forest
from the parasites of your parent's generation,
try delousing the closet in your own room..

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers,
but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades
and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer.
*This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters.
You don't get summers off and very few employers
are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF.
*Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life.
In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds.
Chances are you'll end up working for one..

Student Reviews on Kung Fu Panda 2

Kung Fu Panda 2!!!
My review on Kung Fu Panda 2 was it was a very terrific movie and I think it’ll be great for the younger children. It was humorous, sad, and very touching towards the parents and children all across the world. The food they had fed us was great and tasty! Also the activities assigned to us were very awesome. They assigned us Face Painting, Petting Zoo, Tattoos, and they even created Animal Balloons for us. The characters in the movie were hilarious, but the best character was Tigress; she was powerful, brave, and also courageous; but Po was my second favorite because he reached enlightenment and he found inner peace. In fact, all of the characters were so brave, strong, and courageous that they were able to defeat the evil peacock. Po had discovered the fact that he was adopted so he had too find out who his real parents were but the peacock he defeated was the one who tried to kill all pandas so he was the reason why his parents had to abandon him. In conclusion, I’m thankful for this field trip; they provided food, transition, activities, and the screening of the movie.

by Helen Marie Keener

I would give Kung Fu Panda 2 a
5 star movie!!!
The movie was awesome!! What was good was that Po (the panda) found out about his childhood, parents, and what to do in his future. His dad (his birth dad) was so happy to find out his son was still out there. His dad (adopted parent) was happy he came back home. It was a good family movie. I am serious the theater was literally packed. I would give Kung Fu Panda 2 5 stars because it was a good movie, and everyone enjoyed it. There were good moments and sad moments, and all in all, it was a terrific movie. All the characters were great and I loved watching Po do all his Kung Fu.

by Viana Jacobo

Awesome Video on Why We Must Conserve!

Original Holocaust Poem

"The Horror Shoes" by Helen Marie K.
Typed by Simon M.

Thousands of shoes in a huge pile
Staring and wondering what they’re for
Thinking will any of those pairs be mine
Thinking will I survive in this cruel world


I sit and cry staring at these shoes even the little infant shoes
I hear the little souls weeping and crying
I see the darkness upon me
I look above my shoulder
I smell the smell of fear
I start sweating like a pig
I look above, into the darkness
And I see the cruel soldier
Looking at me with his bloody red scary eyes
I think to my self are my shoes the next pair in that pile?

Ancient China Websites

Explore, research, study, play games, and learn from the following websites on Ancient China:


http://www.china.mrdonn.org/

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/

http://www.ancientchina.co.uk/menu.html

Grammar Practice

Practice, practice, practice! Complete the practice exercises on the bottom of the homepage to improve your grammar and writing skills.

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfect.html

Explore Religions of the World:

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/religion/

Read the Bhagavad Gita in Pictures

Click on the link below to learn about the Bhagavad Gita and Ancient Indian culture:

http://www.bhagavad-gita.us/articles/687/1/The-Bhagavad-Gita-in-Pictures/Page1.html

Explore Ancient India

Check out the following sites to explore and research sources on ancient India:

http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/

http://india.mrdonn.org/index.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/indusvalley/

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/religion/buddhism.htm

"Alexander the Great" by Iron Maiden

Listen to Iron Maiden and learn about the history of Alexander the Great (notice the capitalization errors as you watch!):

Scene from Homer's Odyssey

English Language Arts Textbook

Here are the directions to access our English language Arts textbook online. The website includes grammar games, quizzes, vocabulary development, biographies of authors, etc:

http://www.classzone.com/cz/books/ml_lit_gr06_ca/book_home.htm?state=CA

Ancient Greece Website

The following website has maps, games, challenges, and stories to learn about Ancient Greece:

http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/menu.html

New Class Website

Hello Students,

The following link will take you to our new class website. Please take some time to explore what it has to offer. In the "Links" sections, you will find many awesome websites related to Ancient Greece.

http://teacherweb.com/CA/CRMA5/MsShawn/apt1.aspx

Follow the Revolution in Egypt!

Watch this video that is covering the revolution in Egypt, as it is occuring this day.

How are the people taking authority over the government?

What would you do if you were in Egypt at this time?



Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121191413252982.html

ELA Summative Assessment

Exodus Play

Assignment Goal:
In casts (or groups), you will write, rehearse, and perform your own creative version of the Exodus.

Performance Date: January 27, 2011

Requirements:
Students must:
- work cooperatively in their casts
- write a script with developed setting, characters, and plot
based on the Exodus from the Torah, and make sure each
person has a copy
- adapt the story to make it the genre of the group’s choice

Social Studies Summative Assignment

Ancient Hebrews Mini-book

Assignment Goal:

Create a mini-book with a cover, and 6 pages. Each page needs to include the topic’s title, description of the topic, and a picture.

Due Date: January 14, 2011

Topics

- How did Judaism begin?

- The Torah: The Hebrew Bible

- Laws and the Talmud

- Monotheism

- Ethical/Moral Behavior

- “Free choice” (AS LONG AS IT RELATES TO THE CURRENT UNIT)

Rubric

6.3.1 Students describe the origins and significance of Judaism as the first monotheistic religion based on the concept of one God who sets down moral laws for humanity.	5	4	3	2	1
Mini-Book (Weighted with 3 grades)	All pages include the title, description, and picture. Description and picture are detailed, and specifically describe what the student learned about Judaism. Student did additional research, and included it in their mini-book	All pages include the title, description, and picture. Description or picture are detailed, and specifically describe what the student learned about Judaism.	3 or more pages include the title, description and picture. Description or picture may have some details, but does not specifically describe what the student learned about Judaism.	2 or less pages include the title, description and picture. Description or picture may be missing, and the student may not have specifically described what was learned about Judaism.	Student does not turn in the assignment