October 6th Grade Newsletter

Butler Middle School

Continued Momentum!

Dear families,

As we enter into November we would like to thank you all for a supportive start to the school year. This is a time where established routines is crucial for maintaining a sense of structure and organization, particularly when it comes to homework. By implementing consistent homework routines at home, you can help your children develop good study habits and enhance their academic performance.

Encouraging community involvement and generosity, we urge everyone to contribute to our annual Food Drive, aimed at supporting The Open Pantry of Greater Lowell. We kindly request parents to encourage their children to participate by bringing in canned or boxed goods. This initiative not only instills the value of giving in our students but also helps those in need within our community. Please ensure your contributions reach us by November 14th, as we join hands to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others through this act of kindness.

Warm regards,

6th grade team

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Join Us on REMIND

Teachers will be communicating with parents/families through the Remind app, which you can download at the app store on your smartphone.

Through Remind, teachers can send messages to parents and parents can send messages to parents. Teachers will also post announcements.

October's Students of the Month!

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The 6th grade would like to recognize five students as the students of the month for October. Throughout the month, these students have shown what it means to be a true Butler Bulldog by following PBIS school-wide expectations, working hard in class and showing kindness.

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RM 110 - Mai Vongsarasin

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115 - Prabal Ghising

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116 - Serina Nop

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121 - Angelica Tith

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122 - Vitoria Raposo Franco

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Math News

For the month of November, our students will extend their knowledge of ratios into rates, unit rates, unit measurements, and percentages.

Rates and Unit Rates

Students will understand that every ratio has two unit rates. In this example, we could also ask students to compute hours per mile: how many hours it took each person to cover 1 mile. Although not every rate has a special name, rates in “miles per hour” are commonly called speed and rates in “hours per mile” are commonly called pace.

For example a question they’ll see is: Who biked faster: Andre, who biked 25 miles in 2 hours, or Lin, who biked 30 miles in 3 hours? One strategy would be to calculate a unit rate for each person. A unit rate is an equivalent ratio expressed as something “per 1.

Video Link

Unit Rates - https://youtu.be/b9_a-U9SpzU

Unit Measurements

Students are going to use what they know about ratios and rates to reason about measurements in different units of measurement such as pounds and kilograms. In earlier grades, students converted yards to feet using the fact that 1 yard is 3 feet, and kilometers to meters using the fact that 1 kilometer is 1,000 meters. Now in grade 6, students convert units that do not always use whole numbers.

Video Link

Converting Measurements - https://youtu.be/lLkJPMFouTI

Percentages

Students use their understanding of “rates per 1” to find percentages, which we can think of as “rates per 100.” Double number lines and tables continue to support their thinking.

A sample question will state: Let’s say 440 people attended a school fundraiser last year. If 330 people were adults, what percentage of people were adults? If it’s expected that the attendance this year will be 125% of last year, how many attendees are expected this year? A double number line can be used to reason about these questions.

Video Link

Understanding Percentage - https://youtu.be/sOsthZueIN4

Solving Percentage Problems - https://youtu.be/4DyoPXpUOwc

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ELA News

In October, our ELA classes have been quite active, with students deeply engrossed in our Character Study unit. They've been diligently applying the skills they've acquired within their book club groups. Additionally, we've initiated our first WAR (Writing About Reading) project, in which students will craft an essay to demonstrate the character development within our class story, "Sunrise." Concurrently, students have been fully engaged in their original Fiction Writing endeavors, encompassing the exploration of figurative language and the Story (Plot) Mountain. As part of this process, students are tasked with writing a comprehensive story following the steps of the fiction writing process. Looking ahead to November, students will continue their efforts in these areas. As they near the culmination of their writing projects, the classes will come together to share and celebrate their final products. We appreciate your ongoing support in ensuring that your child reads at least four times a week for 20-30 minutes and completes a brief writing response for homework. Thank you for your commitment to their educational progress.

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Science News

This month we will be learning about how light moves. We will be investigating how light interacts with a. 2 way mirror and see if that contributes to the way the it works. There will be lots of discussions and investigations to see if we can figure out how a 2 way mirror works.

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Social Studies News

In October, our students delved deep into the captivating world of the Paleolithic era. As we eagerly step into the month of November, a new chapter awaits us. Building upon the knowledge gained in the Paleolithic era, our focus will now shift to the Neolithic Era. This pivotal phase in human history marks the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture and settled communities. In the coming weeks, students will immerse themselves in the exploration of this transformative period.

During this unit, we will uncover the agricultural revolution, where humans learned to cultivate crops and domesticate animals, leading to a significant shift in lifestyle and societal structures. Through engaging lessons, hands-on activities, and thought-provoking discussions, students will gain a profound understanding of how the Neolithic era laid the foundation for the rise of civilizations. Here's to a month filled with discovery, enlightenment, and a shared passion for understanding the roots of our existence.

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School Updates

Please remind your student to bring their CHROMEBOOK to school everyday. Since outlets are limited in most classrooms, it is best if students charge their laptops at home each night.