Course Title: Sixth Grade Humanities

Mrs. Nancy Stansbury

 

Call (310)545-4878 x, 3318 OR email to nstansbury@manhattan.k12.ca.us

The Humanities block includes the study of history, geography, language arts and literature. Sixth graders expand their knowledge of history by studying the major Western and non-Western ancient civilizations. Students will appreciate the contributions of the ancient world to our modern world and recognize the role of geography in the development of social, economic, and political structures.  Students will develop higher levels of critical thinking by considering why civilizations developed where and when they did, why they became dominant, and why they declined.  Reading skills that are emphasized include fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary development.  Writing skills - proper sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling - will be incorporated into a variety of writing assessments including response to literature, expository and persuasive composition, and a research report. Students will make well-organized formal oral presentations that demonstrate a command of standard American English as well as organizational and delivery strategies. All of the California Standards for Grade Six English-Language Arts and Social Studies will be addressed and assessed.

Long Term Assignments: Welcome 2008-2009 sixth graders and parents.  I am delighted that you are using my website.  The "Long Term Assignments" section lets you know about assignments that will require repeated study over several nights. There will be a spelling test every Friday. (Students who will be out of school on Friday should be prepared to make up the spelling test on Monday.) Continents/Oceans Map Test – Sept. 9th .  Students need to keep a log of their daily reading (minimum 20minutes a day X 5) - it is collected Fridays. There will be two book reports each trimester.  The reports will cover different genres of literature.  The first Book Report is a Biography – Due Oct. 1st.

 

HOMEWORK POLICY: I do not generally accept late homework.  However in the event that a parent feels there are special circumstances which warrant extended time, I will accept a note from the parent in place of the homework, and I will expect the homework to follow in a timely manner.

 

Extra Credit:  Opportunities are made available throughout the year for extra credit, however there is no assignment that students can do during the last weeks of the trimester in order to raise their grade. 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Students are required to bring a pen, pencil, and writing paper to class every day. Students must also have their Student Handbook with them every day in order to write down their assignments. Although my weekly assignments will always be posted on this site, it is very important that students develop their organizational skills by learning to write down their own assignments as well as any additional information/special instructions that I may give during class.

 

Homework Assignments:

 

Tuesday, Sept. 2

Homework

Language Arts:   Spelling – Geography terms  Literature:  Bring in Second Summer Reading Book None -Social Studies:  Study map of the continents, oceans, Equator and Prime Meridian (Practice test went home today).  Students social studies textbooks went home today.  These books stay at home until the end of the year.  Passwords for the online textbook support also went home today.  I will explain this system in detail at “Back to School Night” – Sept. 16th.

Period 1 & 4 –  Students will present their Storyboards for the first Summer Reading Project.

Period 2 & 5 –  Storyboard Summer Reading Project cont.

Period 3 & 6-  Checkout Social Studies Textbooks from the Library. 

 

Wednesday,  Sept. 3 -

Homework

Language Arts: Study Spelling – test Friday  Literature:  None (All work on Second Summer Reading Project should be done in class).  Social Studies: Study Continents, Oceans, Prime Meridian, and Equator – test Sept 9th.

ALL students will be bringing home their Magazine Drive Order Forms

In Class

Period 1  -    Sixth Grade Magazine Drive Assembly

Period 4  -    Grammar Rock

Period 2 & 5 – Begin Second Summer Reading Project - Postcard 

Period 3 & 6-   Video on Longitude & Latitude – Map Practice (United Mainstreaming Educational Programming 12 min.segment)

 

Thursday, Sept.  4

Homework

Language Arts:  Study Spelling  Literature:. None  Social Studies: Study for Map Test

In Class

Period 1 & 4 –“ Using the Middle School Library”  & Parts of Speech

Period 2 & 5  -   Second Summer Reading Project

Period 3 & 6-  

 

Friday, Sept. 5

Homework   

Language Arts:  None   Literature:  Begin Next Week’s Reading Log. Social Studies:  Study for Map Test

In Class

Period 1 & 4 –  Spelling Test – Postcard Project continued

Period 2 & 5  –  Journal Writing – Postcard Project completed

Period 3 & 6 -  Practice Map Test & Guidelines for what is considered cheating in the Middle School.

 

Monday,  Sept. 8 -

Homework

Language Arts: Study Spelling – test Friday  Literature:  Students should choose a biography of a person who has historical importance. Students should bring the book with them for the teacher to check on Friday.  20 minutes Reading Recorded on the Reading Log – due Friday.   Social Studies: Study Continents, Oceans, Prime Meridian, and Equator – test Sept 9th.

 Students remember to bring in your Magazine sales signed by a parent.

In Class

Period 1 & 4  -  Directions for the 1st Book Report :Biography  

                           Parts of Speech – Nouns - GRAMMAR ROCK ( Schoolhouse  Rock video 5 min. segment)  

Period 2 & 6 – Third Summer Reading Project

Period 3 & 5-   Video: Wide Angle – CHINA PREP  (This is a PBS documentary that describes the education process in China today)

 

Tuesday, Sept.  9

Homework

Language Arts:  Study Spelling  Literature: None –Social Studies:

In Class

Period 1 & 4 – Parts of Speech – Nouns  (BRAIN POP – educational programming  10 min. segment )

Period 2 & 6  -   Third Summer Reading Project

Period 3 & 5-   Oceans, Continents, Prime Meridian, and Equator Test 

 

Wednesday,  Sept. 10 -

Homework

Language Arts: Study Spelling – test Friday  Literature:  None (All work on Second Summer Reading Project should be done in class).  Social Studies:

ALL students will be bringing home their Magazine Drive Order Forms

In Class

Period 1 & 4  -    Pronouns - GRAMMAR ROCK ( Schoolhouse  Rock video 5 min. segment)  

Period 2 & 6 – Third Summer Reading Project

Period 3 & 5-   Longitude & Latitude – BRAIN POP (educational programming  12 min. segment )

                        

Thursday, Sept.  11

Homework

Language Arts:  Study Spelling  Literature:. Students need to bring their biography book to class Friday.  Social Studies: Study for Map Test

In Class

Period 1 & 4 –  Pronouns  BRAIN POP(educational programming  9 min. segment )   

Period 2 & 6  -   Third Summer Reading Project

Period 3 & 6-  

 

Friday, Sept. 12

Homework   

Language Arts:  None   Literature:  None . Social Studies:  Study for Map Test

In Class

Period 1 & 4 –  Spelling Test – Journal Entry

Period 2 & 6  –  Third Summer Reading Project

Period 3 & 6 -  Video “Prehistoric Life” (Eyewitness video – 1995 Parents’ Choice Award winner produced by the BBC – 30 min.)

                         Class discussion.

 

Monday,  Sept. 15 -

Homework

Language Arts: Study Spelling – test Friday  Literature:  Students should choose a biography of a person who has historical importance. Students should bring the book with them for the teacher to check on Friday.  20 minutes Reading Recorded on the Reading Log – due Friday.   Social Studies: Study Continents, Oceans, Prime Meridian, and Equator – test Sept 9th.

 Students remember to bring in your Magazine sales signed by a parent.

In Class

Period 1 & 4  -  Spelling Practice Test

                           Parts of Speech – Nouns - GRAMMAR ROCK ( Schoolhouse  Rock video 5 min. segment)  

Period 2 & 6 – Third Summer Reading Project

Period 3 & 5-   Video: Wide Angle – CHINA PREP  (This is a PBS documentary that describes the education process in China today)