Mr. Jaques Math & Science Class

Students in my class will be participating in the Hour of Code this coming week.  As part of the celebration of Computer Science Education Week, the Hour of Code is a week devoted to introducing students to the basics of computer programming. This basic introduction into coding is designed to get students excited about computer science while helping develop skills such as problem solving, logic and creativity. We will be spending some time each day during science class learning the basics of coding using a number of different websites listed below. You can learn more about the Hour of Code campaign and what we will be doing by visiting the  Hour of Code website . Below are some of the websites and coding activities students will be doing in class this coming week. YouTube Intro Video YouTube Celebrity Video Start Here --->  Learn the Basics Apply What You've Learned ---> Coding Studio More options Holiday Lights Beats - Make music More Projects

Oh my, a snow day before Thanksgiving?!?! I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. We will  hope for the best and that this year does not end up anything like last year! We have too many fun things to do and learn; nobody has time for snow days! When we are in school, we will continue to work on computation with exponents and order of operations in math. We will soon be getting into algebra where students will be evaluating and writing algebraic expressions. In science, we are continuing to learn about forces and motion. Students have had the chance to do some hands-on learning with our science kits. We are using roller coasters to model and explain potential and kinetic energy. We will soon be discussing Galileo, Newton and the laws of motion and how they affect our lives on Earth. We have also started doing some social studies lessons during our enrichment period. Students are learning some map skills right now, including latitude, longitude and world geography (oceans, ...

I recently signed my students up for Class Dojo. This is a very engaging, hands-on, behavior management system that gives students immediate feedback on how they are doing in class. I have also sent letters home to parents that gives them an access code to sign in and link their account with their student's account. This allows parents to see the progress of their student at anytime in real-time. It also has a messaging feature in the app that allows you to communicate with me directly. My goal for Class Dojo is to highlight all of the positive behaviors that are happening in class and immediately reward those students that are doing the right thing. The hope is then, that other students will follow their lead and try to earn positive points. I'm always looking to hand out at least four positive points for each negative point. This next week, we will be discussing as a class what appropriate rewards might be for positive points. I want this to be something meaningful for the ...

We had a great trip to Wesselman Woods to cap off our unit on ecology. Students got a firsthand look at the predator/prey and consumer/producer relationship in nature. Students got to dissect owl pellets to gain an understanding of what owls consume. We also were able to go on a nature hike and learn about many plants and trees native to Indiana. The students had a great time on the trip and loved the hands on activity and the time spent outdoors away from the classroom!

Welcome to the photosynthesis webquest! It's time to learn all about photosynthesis and why it is important to you and me! Below are the websites you will need to complete your webquest. Remember to record notes in your Google Doc as you visit each of these websites. Also, make sure to save any pictures or video that you may want to use later in your Prezi! Photosynthesis Basics - YouTube Video Photosynthesis on BrainPOP Introduction to Photosynthesis Animation Interactive Photosynthesis Simulation The Process of Photosynthesis Photosynthesis Virtual Lab Advanced Learning & Additional Info

Wow, it is September! It is hard to believe school has been in session for  a  month  already! We're off to a great start here in sixth grade and students are learning a lot of new things in math and science. In math, we have been studying fractions and decimals. Students are learning how to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and decimals. We will be starting a new standard this week: 6.C.3: Solving real-world problems with fractions and decimals. In this unit, students will learn how to solve problems involving fractions with different denominators and problems involving money in decimal notation. These standards require students to constantly use their multiplication facts to solve problems involving long division, finding the least common multiple (denominator) and greatest common factor (reducing fractions). Please encourage and help your child study and learn their multiplication facts (0-12). In science, we have started our ecology unit. Ecology is the s...

We're starting to really get into science and the students are loving it. We just finished learning about the scientific method that included some exciting hands-on activities using Gobstoppers and gummy worms. We are now starting to talk about the different states of matter. Students got to experiment with oobleck (slime) last week. They discovered the unique properties of this non-Newtonian fluid. It behaves as a liquid until force or pressure is applied to it; then it acts as a solid. This is a very easy and inexpensive experiment that you can try with your children at home. All you need is some cornstarch and water (food coloring optional). You just need to use a 2:1 ratio of cornstarch to water or two parts cornstarch for every one part of water. Thoroughly mix it until you start to see and feel the mixture resisting being mixed further. This is how you know the have right consistency. The oobleck is ready to be "played" with at this point. In math, we are working ...