Letters from our teachers
Grade 6
May 2008
Classroom teacher: Miss Barbara Kreckie
Hello How can it be May already? It seems like just yesterday that a group of nervous new sixth graders were trying to figure out the logistics of changing classes, juggling homework (and books), and being part of the junior high. But it is May, and we’re ready to share some details of our busy April with you.
The Spring Show was a rousing success! Grade 6 joined the other classes in singing adaptations of classical favorites. Students in grade 6 will never forget Dvorak or Delibes, thanks to their practicing and performing their music. This was the perfect lead-in for the yearly Grade 6 Music Projects. As part of our reading unit entitled “Beyond the Notes” each sixth grader researches a composer and delivers an oral presentation. So, if you pass by our classroom during May, you may hear anything from the strains of Bach or Beethoven to the more contemporary sounds of Neil Diamond or the Beatles. This is always a fun project, and keeps the rest of the second floor guessing which composer is being featured.
We had another field trip this month, this time to the Museum of Science. We spent almost three hours exploring the museum, and there were lots of favorite exhibits. It doesn’t seem right to call them exhibits, though, since that word has a connotation of something still, and these exhibits are anything but. They demand interaction on many levels, and interact we did. The Human Body section allowed us to test many of our body’s functions and features. We were able to compare heights to ages, check pulse rates, and see how long it is possible to stand on one foot with eyes closed, (Try it!) Are you right-eyed or left-eyed? Our students were able to find out. Which is your faster reaction time — sight or hearing? How much blood is in your body? This life science section also included some adorable baby chicks and three tiny monkeys with rather messy eating habits! The Omni Theater production was about water and the Colorado River. There was an unexpected link to a story early in our reading book, as we were able to see the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people that we had read about.
We had two art projects this month. Students copied examples of fine art from postcards from Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. The “Old Masters” had nothing on our budding artists. Sixth graders also participated in a logo contest from Sustainable Weymouth, and we are anxious to hear the results.
As a former principal of mine used to say on the day after April vacation, we are on the last leg of our journey. We will have a very busy month wrapping up curriculum and preparing for final exams. It becomes harder and harder to stay focused as the weather gets better, but we can do it!