Meet our “Un-bull-lievable” sixth grade team of teachers for this school year, 2007-2008. We are excited you have stopped by to visit our website. Our General Education teachers are: Jason DeCroo, John Kelly, Susan Colantonio, Janet Parmiter. Our Gifted and Talented Center teachers are: Mrs. Wilber, Ms. Villers & Mrs. Morgan. Our Special Education teachers includes: Lisa Leake, and  Jocklyn Webb. Our instructional assistants are: Jae Mitchell and Nora Farrell.

We are looking forward to working with you and your child during this important transitional school year. Middle school is “just around the corner”. The challenging curriculum as well as the engaging field trips we have planned for the year will help prepare our students for this monumental life experience.
Our first field trip will be on October 24, 25 & 26th to Camp Highroads in Middleburg, Va. This trip not only gives our students a chance to commune with nature but they will also have a chance to participate in extensive team-building activities. Other field trips include: West Springfield Planetarium, National Art Gallery in DC, and Pamphlin Park in Petersburg, Va. (http://www.pamplinpark.org). Please visit our individual www.blackbaord.com homework and announcement site for future information on these upcoming field trips. 

The sixth grade social studies curriculum, in US History, is quite extensive yet quite engaging for our sixth graders. Your child will have the opportunity to study many important. historical events that helped build this great country of ours. From Native American Indians to the great battles of our Civil War, the students will learn important concepts and key elements that will prepare them for their 6th grade SOL in US History this spring. We will also focus on how geography influenced the development of our country and how it continues to affect the way people live and interact. Thomas Jefferson will be visiting us in February.
Our science program is a hands-on, inquiry based curriculum. The sixth graders will study a different unit each quarter of the school year. Our units are: Patterns of Weather, Astronomy, Investigating Liquids (Chemistry), and Electrical Energy. The big ecological focus for our sixth graders this year is to have them “Think Green” and actively problem solve issues dealing with “Global Warming” and the affects of this problem on our world. If ever you want to go on a family field trip one weekend, please consider visiting Koshland Science Museum in Washington, DC. This museum has identified unique, inquiry-based activities related to its Global Warming and Infectious Disease exhibits that are designed for middle and high-school students and adhere to the National Academies’ Science Education Standards.

In math, we will continue to explore the following math strands: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and, data analysis and probability. All classes will utilize flexible grouping to meet the individual needs of each child, which means your child possibly having several different teachers this year.  Please be familiar with Blackboard (24-7) to access your child’s math homework or to communicate any questions or concerns you may have.

During language arts, your child will be involved with reading and writing in many different genres and styles.  The school focus this year is in guided reading and word study.  As your child continues to flourish into independent readers,  their classroom teacher will guide through a variety of  teaching strategies such as Marzano, Strategies that Work (interpreting the main idea, reflecting on literature, etc.) through whole group instruction, small group instruction, and one-on-one instruction. Children will also have the opportunity to discuss literature in novel groups and literature circles, which help them, understand literary elements.   We also will integrate science and social studies into our language arts program.  An integral part of our school day is teaching the children effective oral communication skills through all disciplines.

Please become an “un-bull-lievable” parent and visit our sixth grade website.  We are looking forward to posting pictures, student’s writing, accomplishments, etc., on our sixth grade page.   This is a great way for school and home to stay connected so that your child can become a life long learner.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher.  Remember to sign up for a first quarter parent-teacher conference with your child’s classroom teacher. Conference days are November 5 and 6, 2007 and visit our homework website, www.blackboard.com

The Sixth Grade Team