Dear Scholars and Families,
I definitely went over this very thoroughly in class, but I am still having folks who are uncertain so I want to provide as much clarity as I possibly can.
The homeschool work that I am requiring be completed by Monday is a 6 page document (3 pages front and back). There is a diagram to draw and label of the layers of the earth, a long essay on the scientific theories of Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift, seafloor spreading, Pangaea, how this all relates to earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain formation, plate boundaries and the rock cycle. They have done an essay previously about plate boundaries, and have had extensive study of all these topics through labs and readings. There are two pages of multiple choice questions, which they can use any of resources given to them, readings they have done or activities we have completed, to assist them in responding. There are three short answer questions. The third short answer question is about minerals and the presentations done by their peers covered this very, very well! Scholars were directed by their peers, as well as me, to take notes on the properties of minerals, specifically, so this question should not present a challenge. There was also a handout provided with this same information in it. On the final page is a scenario questions: a friend has found a mineral and wants help identifying it. Again, this was discussed well and presented on an anchor chart by the peers. They also provided a hand out and scholars were specifically directed to use this handout for questions on the assessment.
This is the only thing that must be completed by Monday. The assessment was sent home on Tuesday, so scholars have had Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday homeschool and will have Friday homeschool to complete this work. No mathematics has been assigned to work on since Tuesday. The crossword and word search puzzles were created by scholars as part of their Group Project Work. All groups had to have a "student activity" that could be done by peers. Scholars were told that if completing the puzzles helped them to gain information for their assessment, then of course they were welcome to begin work on them. But, they are not required to be completed and should definitely not take priority over the actual assessment in terms of time spent on work. In other words, scholars should not come to school on Monday saying that they could not complete the assessment because they spent too much time doing the puzzles. Scholars were also directed to come to school on Wednesday with any questions they had, having looked over the assessment fully, and started working on it. It was their only homework for both Tuesday and Wednesday. Scholars were also directed to call or text or email any questions they had by 3 pm so that they had time to complete the work. I have had a few students take up this offer. I know of students who had not even started to look at the work on Tuesday or Wednesday night. That is the choice they made. Work is still due on Monday. Late work will be marked down, unless their are true extenuating circumstances, which are fully communicated to me in advance of Monday. This is reasonable. Too many scholars are not being responsible with their work, and it is important that they learn this skill in 6th grade. I fully support them. I think they know that I do. They need to take advantage of that support. I am available tomorrow all day to address any further questions, until 3 p.m. I will be in meetings starting at 4 pm tomorrow. I will be available Saturday and Sunday. No homework is assigned for those days, as it was expected to be completed, but if your schedules work better to work on those days, this is also a luxury that you have. I will not address questions to those scholars just starting to work on this assessment on Sunday at 8 p.m., however. This would not be in anyone's best interest. I love these students. I want them to excel and achieve and I believe in them fully. Let them soar. Carol
I definitely went over this very thoroughly in class, but I am still having folks who are uncertain so I want to provide as much clarity as I possibly can.
The homeschool work that I am requiring be completed by Monday is a 6 page document (3 pages front and back). There is a diagram to draw and label of the layers of the earth, a long essay on the scientific theories of Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift, seafloor spreading, Pangaea, how this all relates to earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain formation, plate boundaries and the rock cycle. They have done an essay previously about plate boundaries, and have had extensive study of all these topics through labs and readings. There are two pages of multiple choice questions, which they can use any of resources given to them, readings they have done or activities we have completed, to assist them in responding. There are three short answer questions. The third short answer question is about minerals and the presentations done by their peers covered this very, very well! Scholars were directed by their peers, as well as me, to take notes on the properties of minerals, specifically, so this question should not present a challenge. There was also a handout provided with this same information in it. On the final page is a scenario questions: a friend has found a mineral and wants help identifying it. Again, this was discussed well and presented on an anchor chart by the peers. They also provided a hand out and scholars were specifically directed to use this handout for questions on the assessment.
This is the only thing that must be completed by Monday. The assessment was sent home on Tuesday, so scholars have had Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday homeschool and will have Friday homeschool to complete this work. No mathematics has been assigned to work on since Tuesday. The crossword and word search puzzles were created by scholars as part of their Group Project Work. All groups had to have a "student activity" that could be done by peers. Scholars were told that if completing the puzzles helped them to gain information for their assessment, then of course they were welcome to begin work on them. But, they are not required to be completed and should definitely not take priority over the actual assessment in terms of time spent on work. In other words, scholars should not come to school on Monday saying that they could not complete the assessment because they spent too much time doing the puzzles. Scholars were also directed to come to school on Wednesday with any questions they had, having looked over the assessment fully, and started working on it. It was their only homework for both Tuesday and Wednesday. Scholars were also directed to call or text or email any questions they had by 3 pm so that they had time to complete the work. I have had a few students take up this offer. I know of students who had not even started to look at the work on Tuesday or Wednesday night. That is the choice they made. Work is still due on Monday. Late work will be marked down, unless their are true extenuating circumstances, which are fully communicated to me in advance of Monday. This is reasonable. Too many scholars are not being responsible with their work, and it is important that they learn this skill in 6th grade. I fully support them. I think they know that I do. They need to take advantage of that support. I am available tomorrow all day to address any further questions, until 3 p.m. I will be in meetings starting at 4 pm tomorrow. I will be available Saturday and Sunday. No homework is assigned for those days, as it was expected to be completed, but if your schedules work better to work on those days, this is also a luxury that you have. I will not address questions to those scholars just starting to work on this assessment on Sunday at 8 p.m., however. This would not be in anyone's best interest. I love these students. I want them to excel and achieve and I believe in them fully. Let them soar. Carol