Integrated Studies

Week of April 30
The most important piece of the research project is due (A) Tuesday (B) Wednesday. Students should have been working on the Graphic Organizer as they took their resesarch notes. The final requirement is to write a BCR to answer the thesis question. The BCR is to be written the same as a BCR for a LA class but using the notes instead of a book as support. Details are on the neon pink GO rubric in the research folder.

Week of April 23
We are continuing the research stage of the research project. The last notes are due this week. I expect most students will need to find the website at home since we have such limited class time. Recommended websites for the project can be found in the RESEARCH PROJECT section (found on navigation bar to right) under STAGE THREE. Lessons on how to print from a website, how to do the bibliography and how to evaluate a website are also on that page. Students should also be working on the graphic organizer as they take the notes instead of waiting until the night before it is due.

Week of April 16
The research project officially begins this week. Expect homework for the rest of the month. Deadlines for each set of notes can be found on the front of the student's research folder, on the calendar sent home to parents, and on the homework calendar on this site. Information on each stage of the project can be found on the RESEARCH PROJECT pages (found on navigation bar to right).

Week of April 9
No homework this week. We are doing in-class work only.

Week of April 2 - Spring Break
No homework was assigned over spring break, except to get an adult signature on Acknowledgment of Research Project Deadlines. Enjoy your break.

I will be updating grades over the break since I won't be traveling. Once we return we begin "work to contract" so I won't be updating over the weekends or on my personal time after that.

Week of March 26
All grades have been updated for the term except Binder Check. I will be regrading the corrections during the teacher work day on Monday. Students in classes A1 and A3 have an extension to Tuesday/Wednesday to turn in corrected binders.

We will be starting the Reseach Project after Spring Break. Students in the A day classes chose their topics on Friday, 3/23. The B day students will choose Tuesday, 3/27. The first stage is done in class. Homework will begin after the Stage One Presearch has been approved. When we return from spring break, watch for an information sheet and calendar to be coming home for your signature.

Week of March 19
We are back to regular classes and homework has returned. Whether your student has homework or not will depend on many factors, most importantly, your student.

Binder Check - The "Binder Check" gives students credit for taking appropriate notes during lessons and for completing the in-class practice assignments. Everyone should have received a 10/10 for Unit One since these practices were mostly whole class work. The practices for Unit Two were completely independent and fairly challenging. The grade for "Binder Check: Unit Two" in Pinnacle will give you an idea of how much work needs done. (All grades should be updated by Monday evening.) I do not expect any sixth grader to earn 10/10 on the first try. Students earning a 6/10 have minor corrections to make. Students with 2/10 or 4/10 have much to do. The 6/10 is what is expected at this point. However, corrections must be made until the practices are approved as indicated by 10/10 points. As with research, these assignments are cummulative. Students use the notes from Unit One to do the graphic organizers in Unit Two. Once the GO is approved then the GO is used to complete a storyboard. That storyboard must be approved before it can be used for the PowerPoint. The PP will be a graded assignment. Students have until Friday, 3/23 to make corrections. March 23 is the last day of the term, therefore, the last day I will accept corrections that affect the grade. If the work has not earned 100% the student will be required to continue to make corrections before he or she will be allowed to start the PowerPoint, but the grade will not be updated after 3/23.

New homework - We will be practicing the "Presearch" stage of the research method in class. If your student does not complete the assignment in class then it becomes homework.

Upcoming Research Project: Students have the choice between doing the project independently or with a partner. The parents of both partners must sign the partnership agreement for it to be approved. It is important that both you and your student think carefully about which option is appropriate for your student. It will be the student partners responsibility to share the work and they will both receive the same grade regardless of which partner completed the work. I will not be a mediator between students - that is the responsibility of the students and their parents. Much of the research and all of the final product will be completed at home. If you are not able or willing to help your student make arrangements to work with a partner then your student should not take this route. Partnership agreements will be offered next week and will be due (A) 3/23 (B) 3/27.

Grading Note for Week of March 12
All grading has been caught up. If an assignment shows as past due then it is truly missing. I recommend checking comments in Pinnacle before grilling your student. Some students do have extensions. If you go into Pinnacle and click on the blue grade for this class it will take you into my class so you can see comments. Low grades on the Bibliography Practice assignments indicate a lack of attention to detail. These are incredibly easy assignments, but do require the student to pay attention. These assignments may be redone for a replacement grade. The grade on the Graphic Organizer for Phobias is also based on effort more than understanding of a difficult concept. Students who did poorly on the original Notes from Phobias assignment were given a choice between redoing the work or making corrections. This redone or corrected work was the basis for the Graphic Organizer assignment. As I graded the GO, I could see that many students did not make the corrections to the notes when given the opportunity.

Week of March 12
We are taking a break during MSA week. We will be watching a movie that introduces the research method in an entertaining but very educational way. (I wish I could find more movies or videos that do both so well.) There will not be homework at all this week. I am still catching up on the grading. As before, if there is not a Z then assume your student has turned in the work and it is waiting to be graded.

I recommend looking at the Earth Day shirts. I've bought several over the years and like the quality for only $10. http://wkms.sites.fcps.org/announcements/797

Grading Note for Week of March 5
Please note that an unusually large number of in-class assignments have been scheduled for this week. The students are learning about filling in bibliographies and need to practice for each type. With 150 students it will take me many days to grade the work. Additionally I have been involved with several afterschool events that have taken my time. Please be patient as I get Pinnacle caught up. If there is not a Z in Pinnacle, then assume your student has turned in the work and is waiting for me to grade it.

Week of March 5
Important homework will be assigned for (A) Monday and (B) Tuesday. At this time, no other homework is planned. Due to a technical issue, I've had to postpone the PowerPoint activity scheduled for this week. I'm as disappointed as the students. In fact, I'm developing a lesson about it so they'll understand the delay and why it should not have happened.

The one advantage to the delayed PowerPoint activity is it gives me more time to grade the binders (they use the work in the binders to create the PowerPoint). You may have noticed that the due date for the binder check was the week of Feb. 27. I extended it so that I would have more time to give the students feedback.

Congratulations to the students participating in Wizard of Oz. The opening night performance was oustanding. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it to all families. Even if your child isn't in it, bring them and any younger children for a great show.

Week of February 27
Quiz: The unit quiz will be (A) Tuesday (B) Wednesday. The study guide was completed in class last week. If your student misplaced it, a new one can be printed from Pinnacle.
Homework: No new homework this week. I'm still working with students who need to make corrections to the Notes from phobia article assignment.

Grading Note: The mid-term was Tuesday, 2/21. Teachers cannot enter grades for assignments due after that day until the county gives us the go-ahead. So while there may be assignments due this week, no grades will be entered for a while. We have to wait until FCPS pulls the grades electronically. 

Week of February 20
Hope you enjoyed the long weekend with the added bonus of no IS homework. I am grading the Notes from a Phobias assignment. The next homework will only be for students who need to make corrections to that assignment. If your student got a 100% on the assignment, then there won't be any homework this week. Next week we wrap-up the unit with a quiz.

Week of February 13
If this is your first time visiting my site, please scroll down and read the first blog for some introductory information.
The quiz grades will be updated Sunday evening.
See the homework calendar for this week's homework.

Week of February 6
If this is your first time visiting my site, please scroll down and read the first blog for some introductory information.

Homework for Friday and Monday will be the first of several that are based on completion only. It is worth 5 points for having attempted the work OR 0 points for not having it ready on time. This CANNOT BE MADE UP OR TURNED IN LATE. Either the student has done the pre-reading and is ready to use the assignment in a class lesson or not.

The first quiz will be (A) Thursday (B) Friday. The study guide was distributed (A) Friday (B) Monday. Students will play review games in class (A) Tuesday (B) Wednesday. The quiz is primarily to let students see what a quiz for this class looks like. It's only worth 14 points. The study guide and the quiz are identical twins. Every question on the quiz is on the study guide. A study guide can be printed from Pinnacle as well.

I will be out of school on family business Monday and Tuesday. The lessons will continue, though there will probably be a change to the homework depending on how much the sub is able to complete in class. Your student's agenda will have the most current homework. The quiz will go on unless I don't return on Wednesday. I would never give a quiz without being present to explain questions.

Week of January 30

If this is your first time visiting my site, please scroll down and read the first blog for some introductory information.

The first homework for this week may seem confusing, but it is incredibly easy. Students identified their primary learning style - visual, auditory, kinesthetic - and developed lists of tips that they could use. The hw is to USE one of these tips; there is no writing required. On (A) Monday (B) Tuesday the warm-up is to write about the tip and its outcome.

The next hw assignment is the same but about an ACTIVE Listening tip. Same procedure. On (A) Wednesday (B) Thursday the warm-up will be to write about the tip used.

There will be another hw assignment that involves YOU the parent or guardian. On (A) Wednesday (B) Thursday your student will bring home a Resource Check. By following it, you will see how I communicate with parents through Pinnacle and this website.

There will be a minor quiz the week of February 6, but I haven't decided yet if it will be Tues/Wed or Thurs/Fri. UPDATE: It will be Feb. 9/10, Thurs./Fri.

Week of January 23: Welcome to Integrated Studies!

This blog is your source for homework, upcoming deadlines and other information for parents. I update this page every Friday with information for the coming week. You can also sign up to receive weekly notifications via email or text. Go to Remind 101 (on right) for more information.

The only supply needed for this class is a 1/2" 3-ring binder. The binder can be any style and used is fine as long as it's the smaller 1/2" size. The binders are stored in cabinets in the class so space is limited. The following link shows the type that works best, but you don't need the "durable" quality shown here. Any inexpensive hard-cover works fine.
 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Avery-1-2-EZ-Turn-Durable-View-Binder-White/14935308 
Additionally students are expected to bring a pencil and the school planner to every class.

I require students to write homework and upcoming deadlines in their school planners. The "Homework Calendar" (top link on right) is useful for when the planner is forgotten at school and for long-term planning since it's usually several assignments ahead. Keep in mind that changes do happen in class and the student's planner will always have the most accurate information.

I highly recommend that you take a minute to look at the About Grading for IS page (near top on right). It's slightly more detailed than the syllabus.

If you have any questions, I can be contacted at Theresa.Church@FCPS.org.

I'm looking forward to working with your student this year. Sixth grade can be the most exciting year in a student's school experience as well as the most challenging. I'm hoping this class will be part of the fun as well as a learning challenge.