WEEK OF MAY 8-11

This is our last week of testing for 6th grade. Still one more test to go (science) for 8th grade on the 17th!

Students are working on their museum exhibit project featuring World War 2.

6th grade has English Language Arts tests (SBAC) on Monday & Tuesday.

8th graders are researching and creating informative but fun multiple choice and true/false tests in a project titled "Is Your Uncle and Inca?"

6th grade is finishing a book club book on the book The Boy Who Dared, a boy in Germany that defied Hitler during WW2.

If you would like to send water, gum or snacks to school with your child to share it would be appreciated. Please ensure that your student gets good rest at night, eats a healthy breakfast each morning and brings something for her or his own personal snack.

week of May 1-4

I am back! My husband's heart procedure went better than expected. He now has 3 more stents and is good to go. We are very blessed!

We are still testing and our schedules are varied.

Students are working on WW2 projects, brushing up on writing techniques, writing poems and reading in book club The Boy Who Dared.

6th grade will take SBAC (smarter balanced) tests for math on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please be sure they get lots of rest the nights before and a good breakfast the morning of testing. 
THANK YOU! 

Week of April 24th

This is a testing week! Please be sure your child has gotten a good night's rest and eaten a good breakfast before school.

You may send snacks---either personal for your child or to share. Snacks will be eaten after testing (during recess).

During testing students will have mints, gum and water available.

This week students will focus mainly on their projects if they are not testing. We may have some light writing assignments. We will also be reading our book club book, The Boy Who Dared, and writing reading responses to questions from the reading.

This week I will have a sub on Wednesday and Thursday, due to another heart procedure for my husband. I plan to return Monday, May 1st if all goes well.

Week of April 17th

Mrs. Brown's class is learning about WW2 and writing poetry about WW2. We are also sharpening our writing skills by writing an argumentative piece about whether or not the penny should be abolished. In reading we are reading The Boy Who Dared as a class book club. For projects we are creating museum exhibits featuring topics from WW2.

testing will begin next week!

If you would like to help your student prepare, please have them use ixl Language Arts, Science and Social Studies to study.

If you would like to donate/send with your child mints, gum and/or lots of water that would be welcome. Other than that we will keep snacks limited and planned. You may be asked via email to contribute, or you may email me and volunteer to contribute snacks. Thank you.

Week of April 3

This month will be busy and we will begin testing in the third week. Please be sure your student is reading every night. They can also work on language arts and science ixl for practice and prep.

projects: students are learning about World War 2 and will be focusing on a museum exhibit as a final product.

8th writing: students are brushing up on the writing techniques needed for successful testing.

6th writing: students are brushing up on the writing techniques needed for successful testing.

reading: students are participating in book club reading, both in class and at home.

This year the middle school has been raising funds for Fallon Youth Club. The 2 classes that contribute the most will win a taco party and a movie. The fund drive will end the last of April.

Week of March 27

I was gone the first two days of this week, so you may have heard about two substitutes. 

Projects: World War 2
8th Writing: body paragraphs of an argument
6th Writing: body paragraphs of an argument
Reading: book clubs and a read aloud about World War 2

This Friday is student-led parent conferences. There are no time slot sign-ups; you come in with your child at your convenience. any time between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm will work. THANK YOU!

Week of March 13-16

Spring Break NEXT WK --- March 20-23

projects: students will be finishing and presenting their websites  about the Great Depression

8th writing: students are working together in small groups to write, analyze and revise an argumentative essay

6th writing: students are working together in small groups to write, analyze and revise an argumentative essay

reading: students are reading in book club groups; as a class we are reading a novel about the Danish people during World War II, titled Number the Stars

PLEASE HAVE YOUR STUDENT READ DURING SPRING BREAK AND PRACTICE LANGUAGE ARTS ixL

week of March 6-9

Spring Break is coming up the week of March 20-26; student-led conference on Friday, March 31st from 7:30 to 5:30 (or make special time arrangements by emailing me)

Projects: building websites on the Great Depression

8th writing: argumentative piece on funding cloud seeding

6th writing: argumentative piece on the Loch Ness monster

6th Reading: book clubs are reading together; read aloud about WW II titled Number the Stars; fluency practice

Students should be reading at least 20 minutes per night---it would be better if it was 30!

WEEK OF FEB 27-MAR 2

IF YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH SANDBAGGING EFFORTS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, YOU MAY COUNT THE HOURS AS OASIS VOLUNTEER HOURS! Monday through Friday 8-5.


PROJECTS: working on our websites

8TH WRITING: finishing up informative writing of game rules, beginning argumentative writing practice for upcoming testing

6TH WRITING: finished writing a modern folktale for narrative writing

READING: we finished our read aloud about the depression, will take a test on it and will have a final project to produce on the book No Promises in the Wind

Week of February 20-23

Short week this week!

Projects: Students are learning about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. They are building a website containing information on various topics of interest during the 1930s.

8th writing: Students just finished some extensive narrative writing. We will be reviewing informative, expository and argumentative writing in preparation for the upcoming testing later in the spring.

6th writing: Students just finished some extensive narrative writing. This week we will work on writing one more type of narrative---folklore stories. We will be reviewing informative, expository and argumentative writing in preparation for the upcoming testing later in the spring.

Reading: Students have a new book club for reading. We will finish our Great Depression read aloud No Promises in the Wind this week.

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 13-16, 2017

Projects: We are learning about President Hoover, working on the final project, which is developing a website on the Great Depression and learning about various aspects of life during the Great Depression.

8th Writing: Students are practicing and preparing for writing exams this week by performing a writing task, unaided.

6th Writing: Students will be learning about folktales

6th Reading: We are almost finished with our read aloud No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt. It is about the Great Depression and has touched students deeply, bringing history to life.

* NO SCHOOL NEXT MONDAY FOR PRESIDENTS DAY!

Week of February 6-9

My husband had a heart attack a little over a week ago. I had a wonderful sub, Kim Sorensen, who took over for me. I apologize if I have seemed off task a little. He is doing well and things are getting back to normal. Please contact me with any concerns that may have been overlooked. Your children and you were so kind to us, writing cards and sending prayers and well wishes. Thank you ever so much!

Valentines Day Activities

 Candygrams: You or your children can send candy grams for Valentines Day. They are 75 cents each or $10 for an entire class. They must be ordered and paid for by Monday, Feb. 13th. Orders can be placed during lunch times. Student Council will deliver them on Feb. 14th.

Dance: There will be a middle school dance this week. You should have received an email with the details. Students must bring a signed permission slip either during the week or at the time of the dance.

Projects: We are learning about the Great Depression. Each student will build his or her own web page with information about the 1930s.

8th Writing: Students are writing a narrative about someone taking a journey, modeled after journal entries of by gone years. Final is due this Thursday.

6th Writing: Students are writing a narrative about the final days aboard the Mary Celeste. This is a real life mystery that has not been solved. Students are creating their version of what happened.

Reading: Students should be reading at least 20 minutes or more every night (30 would be better) and completing a reading log. We are reading No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt, a story about the Great Depression. We will be putting students into book clubs this week. Two to four people per club. They will read together, discuss and answer questions within their group.

November 14-17

Projects: We are spending the entire month on genetics and heredity; learning how DNA controls everything in our bodies; understanding chromosomes and traits; getting familiar with Gregor Mendel's work; drawing and understanding Punnett squares; making personal discoveries about our dominant and recessive traits

6th & 8th Writing: We are continuing our argumentative writing; each student has chosen a topic and is writing an argumentative essay with 3 claims and one counterclaim. This week we are focusing on the thesis statement and writing an introductory paragraph.

Reading: Students are increasing awareness of the Civil War by reading Two Miserable Presidents by Steve Sheinklin; they are also becoming aware of the use of child labor in the world through a partially fictionalized account of a real child slave in Pakistan, Iqbal, who was assassinated by the carpet mafia of Pakistan a few years ago.

STORES will be held this coming Wednesday, November 16th

Next week there will only be two days of school---Monday & Tuesday---due to Thanksgiving.

Week of October 24-27

Important notice: “Life Threatening Peanut and Tree Nut allergy.  All celebration snacks will be eaten outside of the classroom. Parents are encouraged to provide nut free lunches and snacks.”  Thank you! 

Parent Conferences will be coming up. You will be receiving an email for sign ups, soon.

Halloween News: 
     There will be a dance this Friday, October 28th, in the cafeteria, from 6-10 p.m. Cost is $5 if a  costume is worn and $7 without a costume.
     Students may wear Halloween costumes to school on Monday, October 31st---no masks or really horrible/disgusting make-up. We will have a costume parade.
     Our class will have an activity, but no food or candy since they will be getting so much when they go trick or treating that night.

STORES IS THIS WEDNESDAY! 

Projects: Students will be presenting their endangered species projects and testing on the ecosystems unit. The second quarter will be covering genetics and heredity.

8th Writing: Students will begin working on argumentative writing unit.

6th Writing: Students will begin argumentative writing unit 

Reading: Students will have a reading log to complete every night as I am finding that many are not reading every night and many do not have a chapter type book, which is what they are supposed to be reading for 20 minutes every night, Monday through Saturday. They will be graded on this weekly and will have a reading project or two to complete this quarter

Week of October 10-13

Important notice: “Life Threatening Peanut and Tree Nut allergy.  All celebration snacks will be eaten outside of the classroom. Parents are encouraged to provide nut free lunches and snacks.”  Thank you! 

Archery for Oasis students is being offered. Cost is $30. Practice will be from 3:30 to 4:30 on Mondays for 4th-6th graders and Tuesdays for 7th-12th graders. (in the dungeon). This is under the direction of Mrs. Lane and Mr. Lewis. Please contact them with questions. Thank you.

Projects: Students will be working in groups of 3  to prepare a slide show that explains their plan to preserve an endangered species. They will also create an infographic (on online poster) featuring major facts about their chosen endangered species. 
 
8th Writing: Informative writing--Students will use the writing process to write an essay, comparing and contrasting two similar animals. This week they will finish their informative poster (in Venn diagram form), write a thesis statement, chose block or point by point form to produce an essay on their two animals.

6th Writing: Informative writing--Students will use the writing process to write a cause and effect essay, based on our Civil War book Two Miserable Presidents. This week they will write body paragraphs using text evidence, will write their conclusion, type up a rough draft for revision & editing. Their final is due Thursday.

Reading: Students are being assessed for reading improvement. In addition, they are reading about the Civil War in book club groups. They complete study guides with each chapter and have quizzes. This week they are taking a vocabulary quiz on the early causes of division between the North and the South and also  learning about John Brown's influence in beginning the Civil War.

Week of October 3-6

Important notice: “Life Threatening Peanut and Tree Nut allergy.  All celebration snacks will be eaten outside of the classroom. Parents are encouraged to provide nut free lunches and snacks.”  Thank you! 

Archery for Oasis students will begin this week. Cost is $30. Practice will be from 3:30 to 4:30 on Mondays for 4th-6th graders and Tuesdays for 7th-12th graders. (in the dungeon). This is under the direction of Mrs. Lane and Mr. Lewis. Please contact them with questions. Thank you.

Projects: Students will be learning about ecosystems and will have a project assigned Tuesday (due next week) about creating a plan to preserve an endangered species.

8th Writing: Informative writing--Students will use the writing process to write an essay, comparing and contrasting two similar animals.

6th Writing: Informative writing--Students will use the writing process to write a cause and effect essay, based on our Civil War book Two Miserable Presidents.

Reading: Students are being assessed for reading improvement. They are also researching and learning about the Author to their recent Read aloud, Never MInd. They will be finishing their own version of a final chapter to the book and writing to the author.

September 26-29, 2016

Projects: This week we will be learning about ecosystems and the relationships between biotic and abiotic elements within systems

8th Writing: Students will complete 2 essays: one on the Electoral College and one on three items that depict themselves

6th Writing: Students are finishing an essay on the Electoral College

6th Reading: Students are writing a final chapter for their read aloud Never Mind. They are also reading Two Miserable Presidents in book clubs for social studies.

In addition, we are conducting some reading assessments which will probably take the next two or three weeks to complete.

Please remind your student to read at least 20 minutes per day. Thank you!

Important notice: “Life Threatening Peanut and Tree Nut allergy.  All celebration snacks will be eaten outside of the classroom. Parents are encouraged to provide nut free lunches and snacks” 

September 19-22, 2016

Picture Day is Tuesday, September 20th!

Projects: 
Monday-Test on Body Systems. 
Tuesday through Thursday-Study Photosynthesis = matter and the flow of energy.

6th Reading: 
We finished the read aloud Never Mind last week and have several big assignments to go with it:
writing a final chapter,
researching the author to compare and contrast his life to the life of the twins,
writing a letter to the author and
creating an ad to recommend this book to others.

6th & 8th Writing:
Informative writing about the Electoral College.

The third Wednesday of every month will be STORES. That means this coming Wednesday. Students will be allowed to buy and sell new, used, homemade items---no food or drink & no real money allowed. We only use class cash.

August 29-September 1, 2016

Important notice: “Life Threatening Peanut and Tree Nut allergy.  All celebration snacks will be eaten outside of the classroom. Parents are encouraged to provide nut free lunches and snacks” 


Projects: Gallery walk to view 3D models; learn about the body systems

8th Writing: working on the rough draft and final essay of "Three Things That Depict Me"

6th Writing: working on the rough draft and final paragraph of "Three Things That Depict Me"

Reading: read aloud Never Mind; using ACES to to find main idea and key details in reading; reading/studying/taking notes on antebellum America culture and inventions/technology

PLEASE BE SURE YOUR CHILD IS READING AT LEAST 20 MINUTES PER NIGHT (I recommend 30, but only require 20)

Week of August 22-25, 2016

Important notice: “Life Threatening Peanut and Tree Nut allergy.  All celebration snacks will be eaten outside of the classroom. Parents are encouraged to provide nut free lunches and snacks”

Thank you to all who were able to attend the back to school night! If you missed it, please come see me after school or during my lunch. Email me for an appointment.

Projects: 

Students will be working in groups of four to build a 3D model of a structure/facility and relating the parts of the structure to the parts of a cell. They have the entire week to work. Students will bring materials from home to build with. There is a rubric posted in classroom. Due at the end of the period on Thursday.

Vocab test on Thursday---study on quizlet. There is a link to quizlet on classroom.

8th Writing: Students will take an assessment, a narrative writing piece on Monday. The rest of the week will be reviewing and using the writing process and parts of speech.

6th Writing: Students will take an assessment, a narrative writing piece on Monday. The rest of the week will be reviewing and using the writing process and parts of speech.

Reading: We will read about antebellum America, make annotations (notes) on transportation, economy & American renaissance.

We will learn to use the acronym ACES to help us identify the main idea and key details, organize and construct a paragraph response.

Math: Please see the Math teachers' blogs. If you have questions about Math, you may email the teachers: Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Weed.