Teacher Bob’s Weekly Classroom Update

Hello Parents,

Last week was a busy one. We had our first fire drill, introduced new math, geometry, language, and phonetic spelling lessons, and began our first full academic workload.

We spent the first two weeks establishing classroom routines. Now, students are learning how to manage their time while completing lessons, follow-up work, and projects. Some students brought work home this weekend to catch up. If your child had makeup work, they also brought home a letter for you to sign so we can maintain clear communication between home and school.

As we adjust to these new expectations, it is important that parents and teachers continue to believe that students are capable of completing the work. Assignments are scheduled according to the independent work time available during the school day. There is enough time to finish the work, but students are still learning how to plan, prioritize, and use that time well.

Important Reminders

Cosmos and Big Bang Projects Due Tuesday

All students have been assigned a Beginning of the Universe/Cosmos Big Bang project. Each student submitted a proposal and received a big Teacher Bob Approved stamp.

The due date is written on the proposal. Projects are due this Tuesday so Sam and I have time to assess them before presentations later in the week.

Sixth-Grade Geometry Towns

Sixth graders presented their Geometry Town projects on Friday. The projects were of good quality, and students are beginning to understand the connection between presenting a project and demonstrating their understanding.

A few projects are still late. Sixth-grade parents, please check with your student and make sure any unfinished project is completed and turned in.

Pizza Friday

This Friday will be our first Pizza Friday. Almost everyone has submitted a permission slip. If you have not, it is available on my website. Please complete it so we know whether your child may participate.

Pizza Friday accounts must be at least half paid before a student can participate. If you pay half now, the remaining balance will be due on the first day of the second semester.

A Look at Our Weekly Work

As everyone becomes more familiar with our classroom, I want to explain some of the routine work students will see throughout the year.

1,200 Frequent-Word Spelling

Our 1,200 Frequent-Word spelling tests take place on Wednesdays.

Students are working toward mastering the 1,200 most frequently used words in English. Some of these words do not follow common phonetic rules, while others appear so often that students need to recognize and spell them automatically. Students move through the list at their own pace.

Words Their Way and Wordly Wise

Our other spelling and word-study work comes primarily from Words Their Way and Wordly Wise.

Students receive short lessons on phonetic patterns and language concepts, followed by word sorts and other activities that help them apply what they have learned.

Words Their Way begins with foundational skills, such as identifying vowel sounds, and gradually moves into more complex spelling patterns and word roots. Wordly Wise explores vocabulary, definitions, etymology, and Greek and Latin roots.

The goal is not only to memorize spelling words. We want students to understand how words are constructed and develop tools they can use when they encounter unfamiliar words.

Storyworks

Each student receives a monthly Storyworks magazine containing fiction, nonfiction, and other articles. The accompanying lessons focus on skills such as context clues, paragraph structure, reading comprehension, comparing texts, and citing sources.

Storyworks assignments will appear regularly in students’ weekly work.

Novel Studies

In the coming weeks, we will begin novel studies. At different times, the whole class or individual grade levels will read a book together.

Students will participate in discussions and occasionally complete reading logs or assignments connected to the chapters. Novel-study work will usually happen once or twice each week.

Cursive

We teach cursive, and it requires careful, repeated practice. Students will periodically receive cursive packets and may see similar practice again when a particular letter, connection, or habit needs to be refreshed.

Some weekly work introduces new concepts. Other assignments provide the repetition students need to become fluent and independent.

Student Portfolios and Goal Setting

This week, students will continue their weekly work and lesson follow-ups while beginning their student work portfolios.

These portfolios will be part of student presentations and our upcoming goal-setting conferences. Students will review their work, reflect on their progress, and begin identifying goals for themselves.

The Body as a River

We have also started our Montessori cultural and science study called The Body as a River.

In this lesson, the functions of the human body are presented as ports along a river. The river represents the circulatory, digestive, and nervous systems and helps students understand how the body’s systems are interconnected.

Students have begun research projects about body functions of their choice. Because this work involves discussing all parts and functions of the body, we also talked about communicating maturely, respectfully, and scientifically.

During their student-run class meeting, the students decided that one of our classroom goals should be:

"Don’t be gross on purpose."

They managed to address table manners, respect, and scientific communication in one very clear agreement.

Student-Run Class Meetings

The students have now held two class meetings almost entirely by themselves, and they are taking to the responsibility well.

Learning to respect other people’s voices while moving a group conversation toward a productive conclusion is an important part of participating in a democracy. It is also a fundamental part of Montessori’s work of peace.

Students are practicing how to listen, disagree respectfully, solve problems, make agreements, and move their classroom community forward.

Our Outdoor Project Lab

Thank you again for all the donations coming into our classroom.

Tony took home a salvaged 3D printer that I found in the office and worked hard to get it running. Unfortunately, it was an older model that took an extremely long time to print and experienced frequent failures. Tony then very generously purchased a new 3D printer for the classroom. I know the students will be excited to use it in their projects and learning.

We also received a new tool shed from our wish list. We will build it in the coming weeks. As the temperature drops, my goal is to turn our front outdoor environment into a project lab with cardboard cutters, modeling tools, paint, building materials, and other equipment students can use for projects, presentations, and experiments.

Thank you to everyone who has donated supplies, materials, time, and support. You are helping us create an environment where students can take an idea and turn it into something real.

We have another full week ahead of us. Thank you for supporting students as they adjust to greater independence, responsibility, and academic expectations. The habits they establish now will help carry them through the rest of the year.

Teacher Bob