Summer!

Dear Parents and Students,

Congratulations on completing a successful year of schooling.  You are now onto 7th grade!  As a final blog post, please consider the following:

• Ms. Matson is retiring - a fond farewell to an amazing career.  If you want to stay in touch with her, here is her email:  litlermatson@yahoo.com  Or feel free to write a REAL letter or send her a postcard:  Ms. Litler Matson 712 Village Green Lane East Madison, WI 53704
• Summer workbooks and notebooks are meant to be instructive and to help keep your brain working.  No need to stress about it - do your best!

Have a GREAT summer.  We'll see you in the fall!

Sincerely,

Jomana Team

Weekly Update May

NEWS:
34 students had 100% work completion this quarter for MATH!
Science fair and Family Fun Night is Thursday from 5:30-7:30

ACADEMICS:
Math:  1) Unit test today 2) Students turned in their books and will be starting Probability

Language Arts: 1) Many students passed their RETAKE spelling test from last week.  A number of students will be retaking this test again tomorrow.  2) Vocabulary test on Friday - Literary Devices  3) Poetry books due June 6th with presentation  4) Memorize poems for presentation on June 6th.  Every student is expected to have a poem memorized.

Reading: 1) See Poetry Genre requirements

Science: 1) Science Fair is Thursday

Social Studies: 1) Current events due Friday

Update Before Memorial Day Weekend

NEWS:

• Science Fair and Family Fun Night is Thursday, June 1st!
• After this weekend, there are only 11 days for the JoMaNa students to make their mark on their 6th grade year!
• Yearbooks are on sale in the office for $15
• We are finalizing the Jomana Team's "Happy" documentary and will send you details once the movie is done.  

ACADEMICS: 

Language Arts: Poetry Booklet and Memorized poem due June 6th.  Click here for the requirements.  

Science:  Poster and projects due May 29th.  Science Fair is June 1st. 

Social Studies:  Religion project due June 4th.  Presentation on June 4th.  

Weekly Update May 21

NEWS:
Olympics Closing Ceremony was today and the JoMaNa Team represented!  We earned 25 gold medals!

Academics:
Language Arts:  1) Vocabulary -  we will repeat the words from last week.  Click here. 2) Concrete poem due tomorrow.  3) Must bring genre poetry book tomorrow to work on memorizing poems.

Reading:  1) Memorize poem for presentation June 5th

Math:  1) ACE 1, 2, 3, 4 page 78-79

Science:  1) Science fair projects due May 28th.  Science fair is May 31.

Social Studies:  1) Current events due Friday  2) Continuing work on Religion/Spiritual traditions  3) Started Rastafarianism today.

Weekly Update 5/15

NEWS:
1) Fun Run is this Friday!

2) Due to lack of interest in meeting expectations, the Lock-In has been cancelled. However, the Milwaukee Museum trip is still on! Parents: Please plan to pick up your child by 5pm at Sherman Middle School.

3) 19 more days until summer vacation :)

 ACADEMICS:
 Math: 1) No homework tonight. Continuing working on area of parallelograms.

Language Arts: 1) Poetry unit started. Students chose books. Must pick a poem to memorize and be prepared to present to the class. Poetry booklet requirements also assigned. 2) Due tomorrow: I Am From poem. 3) Vocabulary - click here.

Reading:  1) Read poetry book and work on memorizing your chosen poem.

Social Studies: 1) Studying Confucianism. Chinese poetry due Thursday.

Science: 1) Continuing Force and Motion. Students participated in outside lab today.

Weekly Update May 1

NEWS:  Students are expected to have 100% work completion in order to participate in the Lock-In.

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts:  1) Vocabulary due Friday.  Click here for the list.  2) Letter to Mr. Belic, Ms. Goth, and Mr. Jampa due by Wednesday. 3) Starting poetry on May 10th

Reading:  1) Quiz/Short essay on Loser and Gutsy Girls May 4th  2) Book Review due May 9th

Math:  1) ACE #16-21 page 12 and 13

Science:  1) Continue working on science fair project  2) Force and Motion activity in-class

Social Studies:  1) Current events due Fri  2) Continuing religion and happiness 3) Optional storyboard due Thursday on movie "Kundun" 4) Will have homework tomorrow (Wed -due Thur)

Weekly Update April 24

NEWS:
 - Permission slips for the Badger spring football game has been distributed. Tickets are limited so this is a first come, first serve event on April 28.

 - Permission slips for the Milwaukee Museum fieldtrip and the JoMaNa Team lock-in has been handed out, and should be turned in as soon as possible.

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary test on Friday. Click here for the list. 2) Continuing our study on Happiness. Reflection questions due Wednesday. 3)Interviews for documentary should be completed this week. 4) Essay and prefixes/roots test on Thursday.

Reading: 1) Loser and Gutsy Girls characterization sheet due Friday. 2) Books need to be finished by Monday, April 30th. Quiz and short essay test for both books on Wednesday, May 2nd.

Math: 1) Finished Bits and Pieces III - students are required to turn in books. 2) Will get new book today: Covering and Surroundings.

Science: 1) Starting Force and Motion in-class and out of class activities. 2) Continue to work on science fair projects.

Social Studies: 1) Current Events due Fri 2) Buddhism word search due Fri 3) Fifth political article due Thursday

Weekly Update April 16

NEWS:

We've been talking to our students about 4th quarter expectations and our Milwaukee Field trip/Lock-In (May 24).

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary - click here for the list
2) Short essay on Happiness - requirements are here. 3) Notes and practice using roots

Math: 1) ACE 2 and 3 on page 55; 2) In-class Investigation 4.2 - complete all. ACE 4 and 5 on page 55.

Science: 1) Continue working on science fair project 2) In-class work on Force and Motion

Social Studies: 1) Current events due Fri 2) Continuing study on World Religions and Happiness 3) Color sheet of deity and crossword puzzle on Hinduism due Thursday

Weekly Update April 11

NEWS:

Welcome back from spring break! Here's to a productive quarter.

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary - click here for the list 2) Continuing study on Happiness research - students have been taking notes and participating in group discussion

Reading: 1) Continue reading from your book, either Loser or Gutsy Girls. Fill out characterization sheet. This is due April 26th.

Math: 1) ACE 27 page 45 2) Division worksheet due now

Social Studies: 1) Current events due Fri 2)Political current events due Thursday 3) Started World religions and happiness

Science: 1) Continue to work on your science fair project.

Weekly Update March 26

NEWS:
1) No referral reward day to the Skating Rink
2) Overture Center fieldtrip
3) School social

ACADEMICS:
1) MATH: Finish number set sheets
2) LANGUAGE ARTS: 1) Vocabulary due Fri 2) Survey due on Tuesday 3) Prefix and Essay test on Wednesday
3) SCIENCE: Not required, but can try working page 13 in lab books independently.
4) SOCIAL STUDIES: 1) Current events due Friday 2) Unit test on Tuesday, study tomorrow 3) Will be starting World Religions 4th quarter

Weekly Update March 21

NEWS:
-Overture Center fieldtrip is tomorrow. Jomana students are encouraged to dress up.

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary - click here for the words. 2) Continuing our study about Happiness and Optimism. All in-class this week.

Math: 1) ACE 1-6, page 28 and #32 on page 30.

Science: 1) Storyboard for Science project due May 29th 2) Womens Herstory report due Monday 3/26

Social Studies: 1) Current events

Weekly Update March 11

NEWS:

Overture Center fieldtrip permission slips due as soon as possible.

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts: 1) Starting a new unit: Happiness-Optimism Project Every student needs a new notebook. If anyone is willing to donate an additional notebook, please send it along. Venn diagram due tomorrow. 2) Vocabulary due Friday

Math: ACE #1-5 page 76

Science: Review packet

Social Studies: 1) Current events due Friday 2) Political article due Thursday.

Introducing Ms. Maggie Mills!

NEWS:

We are pleased to have Ms. Mills as our practicum student from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She will be with us through the end of April. Please get to know more about her by clicking here!

Weekly Update March 5

NEWS:
-Permission slips to the Overture Center due as soon as possible.

ACADEMICS:
-Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary due Friday. Find the list by clicking here. 2) Working in-class on Compare/Contrast assignments. Students were assigned "Then and Now" and Venn Diagram in-class. These need to be completed by tomorrow in order to begin writing their essays. 3) Prefix/Confusing words and Essay test on Wednesday. Study!

-Math: 1) ACE #1 and #2, page 62; OR Challenge #15 and 16, page 65; #21 page 67

-Science: 1) In-class review

-Social Studies: 1) Current events due Friday 2) Comic books due Tuesday

Mid-week update March 1

NEWS:

1) We are working to upload the video of the Jomana Team's African American History shout out. Stay tuned.

2) Progress grades were issued today.

ACADEMICS:

1) Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary due today. You can find the list here: Vocabulary

2) Reading: 1) Book Review due today.

3) Math: ACE #16 and #17 page 44; ACE #29 page 47

4) Science: 1) Finishing up weather and water unit, and will start Force and Motion unit in the next two weeks.

5) Social Studies: 1) African american history report due Feb 29. 2) Political cartoon due on Monday.

Weekly Update February 27

NEWS:
African American History Assembly is Tuesday morning - the Jomana Team will be doing Shout-Outs! Stay tuned for a video of our students practicing.

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts: 1) TEST today (commonly confusing words and Essay test), 2) Word choice poster project was due last Thursday, but Ms. Naputi accepted late projects today for 80%; Family Hero essay was due today and will accept until tomorrow for 80%.

Math: 1) ACE 13-16

Science and Integrated: African American History report

Social Studies: 1) Current Events due Friday 2) Homonoids poster due today

Reading: 1) Book Review due March 1

Weekly Update February 20

NEWS:

No school on Friday!

ACADEMICS:

Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary test on Thursday. Get the list by clicking here: Vocabulary List 2) Word Poster project DUE Thursday. The requirements can be found by clicking here: Word Poster Project 3) We are starting a new unit on "Heroes," which will lead into a bigger unit throughout 3rd and 4th quarters.

Math: 1) Starting a new book this week, "Shapes and Designs"

Science: 1) Weather presentations today 2) Work on packets

Social Studies: 1) Biography poem related to presidential primary due today 2) Current events due on Thursday

Week of February 13

NEWS:
1) Our team has been working on Shout Outs for the African American assembly. This will be on February 27th. They're practicing strong and clear voices.

ACADEMICS:
1) Math: ACE 21-29, page 43
2) Social Studies: 1) Current Events 2) Presidential Candidate projects due Monday, February 20 - students need binders and protective cover sheets ASAP.
3) Science: 1) Weather projects will be presented on Friday, 2/17.
4) Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary due Friday. Click here for the list. 2) Homework due Tue, 2/14: Story starters for mystery genre.
5) Reading: 1) Book Review due March 1

Week of February 6

NEWS:

Dress up day is tomorrow!

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts 1) Vocabulary due on Friday. Click here for list. 2) Studying War Theme
Math: 1) ACE #14-17 page 25 or Challenge 49 and 50 page 29
Science: 1) Continue working on Weather presentations due Feb 17 2) Packets due Thursday, Feb 9
Social Studies: 1) Current events due Fri
Reading: 1) Independent reading genre is Mystery/Suspense/Horror 2) Book report due March 2

Week of January 30

NEWS:

No After School classes for the JoMaNa Team.
No school on Friday.


ACADEMICS:
Math: ACE 1,2,3 page 25

Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary link 2) Started a mini-unit on WAR STORIES. Will be focusing on our next writing trait: Ideas and Content 3) Writing Essay Assignment due on Wednesday - Choose from one of the topics and write a 3-paragraph essay focusing on Ideas and Content, and Word Choice. Topics from which to choose are: 1) An amazing thing I've seen . . . 2) Secrets, or 3) Something people don't know about me is . . .

Science: 1) Focusing on Weather and Water. Presentations are Feb 17th. Group work today.

Social Studies: 1) Current events due Thursday 2) Started Ancient Civilizations in-class

Reading: 1) Next independent reading genre is Mystery/Suspense/Horror - students chose books and will be checked out this week.

Weekly Update January 23

NEWS:

1) Pictures from the anti-bullying SOARS conference will be posted soon. Stay tuned!

2) Early release at 11:40am, this Friday.

3) No school on Friday, February 3rd, due to parent teacher conferences (invitational). We will be scheduling these this week so if we need to have one with your child, we will be contacting you.

ACADEMICS
Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary due Friday - click here for vocabulary words 2) Procedural writing (recipes) in-class work, and assigned homework Tue, which will be due Wednesday.

Math: 1) ACE 28-30 page 11

Science: 1) Weather and Water projects due Thursday Feb 2.

Social Studies: 1) Current events due Thursday this week. 2) In-class work on weather in the Pacific Islands.

Weekly Update January 18

NEWS: SOARS conference is this Friday - this means that all students will be participating in an in-school conference that focuses on bullying and positive interactions.

ACADEMICS:

Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary due on Friday. You can find the link by clicking here: vocabulary list
2) In-class assignments on Word Choice

Math: 1) Set of problems due on Thursday.

Science: 1) Weather and Water project assigned with partners. In-class work on it today.

Social Studies: 1) Current Events due Friday.

Vocabulary Week of 1/9

Whoops! We accidentally omitted this week's list when we updated our blog. You can find the list by clicking here!

While you're at it, you should remember that you have the following work due tomorrow:

1) Social Studies - read article and complete KQR
2) Science - read pages 3-7, answer questions in lab book

Public Service Announcement Projects by Our Students

Here is a sample of just some of the creative work that students are doing in Social Studies. They created Public Service Announcements (PSA's) to demonstrate their understanding about climate change in the arctic region. Below are a few videos created by some of our talented JoMaNa students. Enjoy!

Weekly Update January 9, 2012

Happy New Year to everyone! We hope you had a restful break.

ACADEMICS:
Language Arts: 1) Vocabulary 2) Quick-Write assignment in class.
Math: 1) Unit test on Wednesday 2) No homework tonight or Tuesday
Science: 1) Starting a new unit on Weather and Water
Social Studies: 1) Current events due Fri 2) PSA project due Thur
Reading: 1) Finishing up Peace, Locomotion (in-class read)