Even though the students have finished the SOL test, daily instruction in reading is not stopping. They are still hard at work on their biography essays. I have been walking around and reading snippets over their shoulders and it looks like they have really learned a lot about their person. I am excited to read more about them. Essays are due on Monday. I would like to ask that you have your child pull up the essay at home and help them edit it for grammar and to make sure it "flows". Students created an outline before they began to write, but I have seen some jumbled up paragraphs and little editing will go a long way to helping their essay make sense.
In math, we are continuing to work on reviewing all the concepts that have been taught throughout the year. On day one of the SOL test, the students will not be allowed to use their calculators. Instead, all computations will be done with paper and pencil. Please use the SOL Review books to review with your child. There are notes in the left margin, and problems that show what your child can expect to see on the right. We have been completing the problems in class, so this may help you to see what you child could use extra practice on. There are many websites out there that will give you practice problems if you feel like your child needs them.
For science, I have found a science review checklist that I made copies of and sent home with your child. I am asking that they review questions every night and then they will have a quick quiz on the questions the following day. The quiz is fill in the blank and should be relatively easy if they are studying nightly. They will also be creating a quick lesson to share with the class on a science concept that was taught in fourth or fifth grade. We will use these lessons as our in class review.
Please make sure to check out the class calendar for important end of the year activity dates. I know that some of you may want to take a day off of work to join us for the cross over ceremony on Wednesday, June 15.