Valley Charter Middle School 6th grade page

Mr. Waterman (Social Studies) 

Students are currently learning about agriculture and the creation of the first civilizations by creating a class garden. 

Students will begin creating a graphic novel adaptation of the ancient Mesopotamian legend of Gilgamesh. 

Make sure your student is completing their weekly history homework. 

Ms. Henriquez (Math) 

Students are currently working on reviewing factors and multiples of pairs of numbers. 

Students will begin using bar models to divide fractions and use all operations to solve problems involving decimals. 

Make sure your student is practicing their daily home

work for 10 minutes. 

Ms. Hernandez (English) 

Students are currently working on setting up their reading/writing notebooks, as well as choosing books to begin our first unit of study. 

Students will begin their first reading unit: A Deep Study of Character. Students will learn various reading strategies to further study the characters in their novels. 

Students will begin brainstorming ideas and begin the writing process for their personal narrative essay. 

Make sure your child has a designated area at home for reading/writing. 

Students have checked out books and are required to read 45 minutes every night. Ask the student about their reading log requirement and make sure they are staying on top of it. 

Mr. Tirelli (Science) 

Students are currently working on understanding the Earth system and how the different pieces of the Earth system interact to form the Earth we live in.

Students will learn to analyze information and represent data through using graphs, as well as make connections between the different systems of earth to develop an understanding of how weather develops through the interactions of the different systems of Earth.

Ensure students are completing their homework. 

Try to incorporate science conversations (the weather, climate, current events) into home conversations! 

Mr. Lopez (PE) 

Students are currently learning the rules and expectations of PE. Students are playing a series of simple warm up games. These games, or ones like them, will be played in PE regularly throughout the year. 

Students will begin to learn about flag football. Students will practice the proper way to throw and catch a football, as well as terms and rules related to flag football. Whether students can only attempt to catch while standing still or can run specific routes, all students are graded on participation and effort. 

It is very helpful when students bring water bottles to school. This will cut down on time out of academic classes and allows students to get water directly during PE, instead of waiting in a line. Plus, when children are properly hydrated they learn better.

Ms. Melgar (ELD) 

Students are learning the routines and protocols that we will be using in our curriculum this year.

Students will be exploring how gaming impacts the brains of children and teens.

Encourage your child to read as much as possible.

VCMS Support Staff

(Specialists) 

       Supporting the classroom  environment  

Important Tips for all learners 

Ms. Marks 

Dr. Yates

The Special Education team has been busy planning activities and gearing up for another successful school year. There are a lot of adult supports in classes to foster and support each and every student. EVERYONE learns and processes information differently - you are unique, valued, honored, and important here at VCMS. Here’s to a fantabulous 2023/2024 school year. Welcome Back Vipers!!

Dr. Yates has been preparing the library for classroom visits and open library. This year, students will have the opportunity to browse and check out books every other Thursday during their reading class and during open library time  every other Thursday during nutrition and lunch. We always welcome book donations to keep our library stocked with great books. 

• Manage your time and materials by utilizing your agenda. 
• Make a To -Do -List daily for academic and non-academic tasks and check it off as it’s done. You will feel very accomplished!!

Mr. Waterman (Social Studies) 

History students are currently working on preparing their Ancient Egyptian apple pharaoh mummies. 

History students will begin researching their assigned pharaoh in groups to prepare for a class presentation.

Check your child’s planner to help them keep up with their weekly history homework.

Ms. Henriquez (Math) 

Students are currently working on calculating unit rates and using them to solve problems involving speed and pricing.

Students will begin using ratio reasoning to find percentages of quantities.

Make sure your student is practicing their daily homework for 10 minutes.

 Encourage your student to retake their first Mastery Check.

Ms. Hernandez (English) 

Reading: Students are currently working on a new nonfiction unit. Students are exploring various topics they are interested in studying in this unit. 

Writing: Students are currently reading short stories as their introduction for their literary essay unit.

Reading: Students will begin joining book clubs based on subtopics of their nonfiction book choices.

Writing: Students will begin analyzing short stories in depth to create a final literary essay as their performance task.

Make sure students have a quiet place at home to do their reading and writing. .

Make sure the students are filling out their reading log daily.

Mr. Tirelli (Science) 

Students are currently studying the different climates that exist around the world and the features about Earth that allow these climates to exist.  

Students will begin applying their analytical skills to interpret graphs and use their knowledge of the natural world to explain how Earth’s climate has changed over time.

Be sure to complete the weekly agenda signatures to ensure all homework assignments will be completed.

Ensure students are turning in their assignments after completion.

Mr. Lopez (PE) 

Students are currently playing various tag games. Freeze Tag, Sharks and Minnows, Infection, Original Tag, and more.

Students have been split into 4 cohorts and will be working with this group extensively.

Students will be continuing to work in their cohorts without sports equipment. As students become more familiar with the routine of splitting into their groups, equipment like hoops, beanbags, balls, and others will be slowly added to each activity. In November the students will take a fitness test that is Not the Pacer test. This test will be a 5 minute run that students will choose the pace.

Please have students bring a water bottle to school.

Please remind your child to eat breakfast and lunch. If necessary, take advantage of the free breakfast and lunch program at VCMS. No sign ups needed, the child will simply tell them their name as they get the food.

Encourage students to be active outside of school. Family walks are a great way to bond as well as exercise.

Ms. Melgar (ELD) 

In preparation for the end of their unit, students are revising their writing to include the elements of a justification.

Students will begin applying their argumentative writing skills to verbally express their opinions on a variety of topics in our next unit.

ELD classes take place every other day. Due to this, it is important to ensure that students are coming to school everyday.

VCMS Support Staff

(Specialists) 

Supporting the classroom environment

Important Tips for all learners 

Ms. Marks 

The Special Education team continues to support students as a whole and small groups as needed. Lot’s of different learning strategies being implemented alongside general education teachers to create a learning environment where all learners can be successful.

Dr. Yates is continuing to assess students in order to create reading intervention groups, starting in November.

Set a timer for 15-20 minutes to complete work. Take a 5 minute body break (set timer) and resume  your work for another 20 minutes. Giving your brain and body a break will help reducing learning fatigue.

Need a book for pleasure reading? Come visit the library with Dr. Yates on Thursdays.

Mr. Waterman (Social Studies) 

Students will begin building model sailboats to learn about how the Ancient Egyptians used the Nile River to transport people and products around the kingdom.

Make sure your child is completing their weekly homework. 

Ms. Henriquez (Math) 

Students are currently working on comparing and ordering rational numbers and comparing and ordering their absolute values.

Students will begin modeling, reflecting, and constructing rational numbers on a four quadrant coordinate plane.

Make sure your student is practicing their daily homework for 10 minutes. 

Encourage your student to retake their Mastery Checks.

Ms. Hernandez (English) 

Students will continue learning about new nonfiction strategies that they will apply to their nonfiction texts.

Students are currently working on SBAC test prep.

Students will begin working on their nonfiction culminating task, which will be a TED talk presentation. They will be applying their learned strategies to this presentation.

Students will begin practicing and working on SBAC practice tests to better prepare for testing in the Spring.

Make sure students are reading 45 minutes daily, as well as turning in their reading log. 

Provide a quiet, distraction free space for students to complete their daily homework. 

Ask students about their four writing pages, which are due every Friday.

Mr. Tirelli (Science) 

Students are learning about the past climate of the Earth, how it has changed over time, and how it will continue to change as Earth ages.

Analyzing data about the atmosphere and how it looked in the past and comparing it to how the Earth may look in the future.

Please have students complete all assignments by keeping on track of their planner, getting it signed every week.

Mr. Lopez (PE) 

Students will continue with tag games. Freeze Tag, Pac-Man Tag, original Tag, RPS Tag, and others. These types of running and chasing games will prepare the students for their running test.

Students will begin their running test on the week of December 11th. The running test will require students to run laps around the PE area, totaling 1 mile.

Please have students bring a water bottle to school. 

Please remind your child to eat breakfast and lunch. If necessary, take advantage of the free breakfast and lunch program at VCMS. No sign ups needed, the child will simply tell them their name as they get the food.

Encourage students to be active outside of school. Family walks are a great way to bond as well as exercise.

Ms. Melgar (ELD) 

Students are applying their argumentative skills to verbally express their opinions on a variety of topics such as daylight savings time, dress codes, and more.

Students will begin their Interim ELPAC to assess their progress and prepare them for the Summative ELPAC in the Spring.

ELD classes take place every other day. Due to this, it is important to ensure that students are coming to school everyday.

VCMS Support Staff

(Specialists) 

Supporting the classroom environment

Important Tips for all learners 

Ms. Marks 

Welcome back from Fall Break Vipers! As we start to wrap up the fall semester, it is important to keep up with study skills. The Special Education department continues to support all staff and students in and out of the classroom to ensure a strong and successful end to the fall semester. Supports include group and individual check ins, work support, and grade checks for all learners. 

Session one of reading intervention has begun. If your child has qualified for reading intervention, you should have received an email from Dr. Yates. The pull out classes are between 1-4 days a week for 30 minutes.

Write due dates on your calendar - move the test/assignment date over each day until the date of the test/assignment is due. Study for your test/work on the assignment/project a little bit each day!

The most effective (and fun!) way to improve reading skills is to read every day for pleasure. Reading together is a great way to have family time with amazing literature.

Mr. Waterman (Social Studies) 

Students will begin learning about the social structure and major political and cultural achievements of the Ancient Greeks.

Help your student organize their backpacks. Encourage them to have a place to put materials for each class.

Ms. Henriquez (Math) 

Students are currently modeling, reflecting, constructing, and finding distances of rational numbers on a four quadrant coordinate plane.

Students will soon begin a new unit and write, interpret, and evaluate numerical expressions.

Make sure your student is practicing their daily homework for 10 minutes. 

Encourage your student to retake their Mastery Checks.

Ms. Hernandez (English) 

Students are currently immersing into our next reading unit, Social Issues, by reading, researching, and dissecting various topics of interest.

Students will begin book clubs with various social issues books. They will engage in conversations with their peers, as well as respond to the books they read.  

Make sure your student is reading 45 minutes daily, as well as filling out their reading log. 

Mr. Tirelli (Science) 

Students are currently learning about the cell, the basic unit of life and how different organisms will have different numbers and types of cells.

Students will begin to develop their understanding of biology by understanding how the cell is the basic unit of life.

Check your students planner to ensure they are copying down their homework assignments and completing them at home.

Mr. Lopez (PE) 

Students just finished their mile run. Students played a lot of tag games and chasing games to prepare them for running.

Students will begin to use more and more equipment as sports units are reintroduced. We needed to take a pause due to excessively losing equipment. Students will begin basketball, weather permitting. They will learn the skills of dribbling, passing and shooting. The unit will end with small games of actual basketball.

Please have students bring a water bottle to school. 

Please remind your child to eat breakfast and lunch. If necessary, take advantage of the free breakfast and lunch program at VCMS. No sign ups needed, your child will simply tell them their name as they get the food.

Encourage students to be active outside of school. Family walks are a great way to bond as well as exercise.

Ms. Melgar (ELD) 

Students are currently practicing for all sections of the ELPAC.

Students will explore problems in their communities and present.

Attend our parent ELAC meeting this month!

VCMS Support Staff

(Specialists) 

Supporting the classroom environment

Important Tips for all learners 

Ms. Marks 

We encourage you to keep up with your daily routine even on vacation. You will be getting some well deserved and much needed rest. Enjoy sleeping in! Continue with your routine  with adjusted times. This will help keep you on track with your time management skills.

The first session of reading intervention has completed. The students worked very hard to improve their skills.

Keep up with your To-Do-List and Schedule your fun activities in your calendar - keep up with time management!! Reading a book and then watching the movie is fun to do! Compare the book with the movie!


 

Teacher / Staff 

Students are currently working on…

Students will begin….

Ways to support at home...

Mr. Waterman (Social Studies) 

Students are currently writing a persuasive essay on Ancient Athens and Sparta.

Students will begin learning about Greek military innovations by building a model catapult. 

Login to PowerSchool regularly to stay up to date with your child’s current grades.  

Ms. Henriquez (Math) 

Students are currently working on creating algebraic equations involving all operations. 

Students will begin finding the area, surface area, and volume of polygons and prisms. 

Make sure your child is practicing their daily homework for 10 minutes. 

Encourage your child to retake their Mastery Checks to help ensure their depth of knowledge.

Ms. Hernandez & Ms. Melgar

(English) 

Reading: Analyzing group-related issues: considering power, perspective, and tone in their book club books. 

Writing: Students are working on their informational essay/brochure where they are teaching their peers about a social issue of choice. 

Finding personal connections into their books and loop back to better understand character experiences. 

Students will begin diving into realistic fiction in preparation for their next unit: Realistic Fiction Writing. 

Make sure your child is reading 45 minutes every night and logging it into their reading log.

Parents/Guardians should be signing your child’s reading log on a weekly basis. 

Ask your child about their four weekly writing pages due every Friday.

Provide a quiet, distraction-free work space for your child to do their reading/writing homework daily. 

Mr. Tirelli (Science) 

Students are currently working on understanding the different systems inside the body that exist and how they are able to complete their functions. 

Students will begin to work on understanding how the systems of the body must work together in order to complete the functions necessary for survival. 

Check powerschool for any missing assignments for your child and help organize your child folders ensuring they are able to turn in assignments on time. 

Mr. Lopez (PE)

Students are starting a basketball unit. Students will learn the correct way to dribble, pass, and shoot. Small games will be played to build skills, eventually a larger game where all  skills will be put together. 

Students will play basketball style games to become familiar with the rules and skills. Students will begin to compete (skill levels) against each other. Students will build up into full 5v5 basketball games. 

Please have students bring a water bottle to school everyday. Refill stations are available at school. 

Please remind your child to eat breakfast and lunch. If necessary, take advantage of the free breakfast and lunch program at VCMS. No sign ups needed, your child will simply give their name as they get their food.

Encourage students to be active outside of school. Family walks are a great way to bond as well as exercise!

VCMS Support Staff

(Specialists) 

   Supporting the classroom  environment  

Important Tips for all learners 

Ms. Marks 

The Special Education team continues to support all students in collaboration with general education teachers. Strategies are provided for understanding information regardless of subject matter. Modeling how to break down the information; read the prompt more than once, the 2nd time using highlighter or underlining/circling to extract important information. Checking for understanding and walking through the steps together while providing modeling visual support of the strategy

Use a tracker when reading (make one from an index card) move the card down each line OR cut out a window in the middle of the index card to enable one line to be read at a time. Limiting text and visual information.