By: Dora Acosta, 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher
and Team Leader
This month, the 6th grade scientists are in the final stages of their physics unit. They are digging deeper into concepts of light by investigating other types of light, including non-visible light. Additionally, students have begun their initial Genius Hour projects, which are independent research topics. Students are creating their own presentations to teach their classmates about their research topics. This is the first of four Genius Hour research topics; subsequent Genius Hours will extend over many weeks to allow students the opportunity to dig deep into their particular science interests. In math, students are learning how to find absolute values and reviewing rational number operations. Students have also began multiplying decimals using Lattis multiplication. Some students have chosen to use the Lattis method while others have decided to multiply decimals using the standard algorith. Lastly,
we have also been spending time helping students get more organized in math by ensuring students know how to set up their binders and paperwork. Why do myths still matter? In ELA, students are beginning to think about this essential question as we start our unit on myths and legends. Students are reading about the battle between Zeus and his father Cronus. Not only are they looking at how myths are at work in The Lightning Thief, but also how Greek myths play a role in the movies we watch, the books we read, and the expressions we say. Lastly, in social studies, students have just wrapped up our unit on geography. Students researched a country and created a virtual brochure that a Cambridge resident can use to learn more about a country they might be interested in traveling to. Through this project, students were able to demonstrate their understanding of the 5 themes of geography.