6th Grade Academy Newsletter
Welcome to the 6th Grade ASK Academy page! This can be a challenging transition year for most 6th grade scholars, some families too. To make it a little easier, the project managers have listed some ideas that may help and provide communication as to what is happening in your child's classes. As we move forward in the semester, please encourage your scholar to reach out to their Managers directly. They are ready for this responsibility.
- Scholars should check their email daily. Scholars in the 6th grade do not always know how or what exactly to study. Click here to see suggestions and ideas for how scholars in this age group should study. It's a great talking point over dinner.
- As a reminder, sixth-grade scholars will no longer be dismissed at 3:50 PM. They will now be dismissed at 4 PM like all other scholars.
- Friday intervention time is for scholars only. If parents want to meet with individual Managers, appointments are needed. Scholars that are currently receiving a grade of NC, should attend on Friday.
- Encourage daily conversation about what your child is learning, assist with organizing and planning. Have them discuss what they learned that day. This will help further develop their executive functioning skills, many have challenges with this are part in due to COVID (alternative pathways of school). Utilize the agenda.
Math
Link to Ms. Donlin's ASK page.
Link to Mr. Tharinger's Pre- Algebra ASK page
Link to Ms. Price's Math Lab
English Language Arts ELA
Battle of the Books starts next week 9/20
We will be starting our What Makes a Hero Unit 9/27
Book Reports were great . Lots of creativity.
Need book donations of the following books:
Little Women
Fahrenheit 451
My Antonia
The Birchbark House
Whirligig
Out of Darkness
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Secret Life of Bees
Kidnapped
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Homeless Bird
Night
12 Again
Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia
Mockingbird
Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan
Everything on a Waffle
Across Five Aprils
Swindle
A Long Walk to Water
Jacob Have I Loved
Becoming Naomi Leon
Maniac Magee
The Road to Memphis
Social Studies
I (Mrs. Vázquez) thank you for your grace during my maternity leave. The scholars did well under Ms. Noble's tutelage and it shows based on the improvement of their geography skills. Our next unit will be the Stone Age (Paleolithic and Neolithic). In an incredible showing, 100% of the scholars improved from their pre-test to the post-test. What a great start to the year!
In Social Studies, as per my syllabus, scholars will be able to redo homework and classwork (categories in PowerSchool) to improve their grades. Please do check my website for upcoming assignments and due dates. My grading policy is included. As a reminder, late work or redone work by scholars will take longer to be graded than the work turned in on time. If scholars have concerns about their graded work, they should come to see me.
Science
Unit 2: Matter is underway and we have been having some wild fun! Scholars are making models of atoms and molecules and the biggest buzz is about our mini project on special effects (due 9/23)! Check out my personal ASK page for further details and pictures of their creations! The Science Fair is around the corner. Details are coming out this week. 
Computers & Technology
It's all about keyboarding and coding skills right now in Computers & Technology class! Scholar's are practicing their typing skills, filling skills, and skills they never knew they needed. Plus, we are coding like crazy! All sort of amazing ideas are flowing and creations are coming together, very exciting!
Biomedical Science
We are currently finishing our study of Medical History. Ask your scholars about Imhotep, Hippocrates, and Galen. Our next topics will be Cellular Biology and Pathology. I am looking for professionals in the medical field to come and speak to our scholars. If you or someone you know are willing and able, please email me.
Engineering & Design
There is much excitement going on in Gateway to Engineering & Design for 6th graders. The semester started out with a Paper Airplane Olympics, where students made airplanes that were designed to fit within one of three different categories: distance, hang
time, and aerobatics. Now, as part of their exploration of the ever expanding field of engineering, students are currently designing and building models of different types of bridges to gain a better understanding of the work that is done by civil engineers. They are
completing work on a group bridge build, which will be followed up with each student creating a truss bridge model of similar dimensions. Once built they will compete with each other to see whose bridge can hold the most weight.
time, and aerobatics. Now, as part of their exploration of the ever expanding field of engineering, students are currently designing and building models of different types of bridges to gain a better understanding of the work that is done by civil engineers. They are
completing work on a group bridge build, which will be followed up with each student creating a truss bridge model of similar dimensions. Once built they will compete with each other to see whose bridge can hold the most weight.