April has been a month of trying new things.  We are reading newly awarded books, discovering new worlds, and finding new ways to celebrate and protect our earth.

New Additions to our Reading Program

Our first ever “Book Madness” tournament awarded Thank You Very Mochi by Paul Matsushima as the class winner.  We spent the months of March and April reading and discussing picture books that highlight authors and characters of color.  The students filled out scouting reports, taking stats on themes, characters, messages, and illustrations.  After reading 32 books, the class voted and we found our favorite.

The Great Wave by Veronique Massenot

The Great Wave was the beginning of our study of Japanese culture.  This beautiful picture book was inspired by Japanese artist Hokusai’s classic woodcut of a majestic wave.  After reading the book, students were introduced to Japanese folklore, art, and the week ended with Ms. Taylor demonstrating how to make mochi.  Students were given the opportunity to make their own interpretation of a giant wave.  Please visit our picture gallery to see individual artwork.  

Newbery award winners arrive in the classroom and make their way to our reading groups.  We have introduced some brand NEW books to the classroom and the students are responding by spending every waking minute reading, even during lunch.  Sixth years are reading the Newbery winner Echo, by Pam Munoz Ryan.  It is a must read for all ages and happens to be Ms. Amy’s favorite book.  The fourth and fifth years are reading other award winning books, like When Stars are Scattered, A Fish in a Tree, The War that Saved My Life, and The Wild Robot.  Just in case you are looking for great summer reads.

When you Trap a Tiger, by Tae Keller won the 2021 Newbery Honor award.  Ms. Taylor is highlighting this book as a classroom read aloud.  Most students would give it, “10 out of 10..would recommend!”

Other notable “new” award winners:

Newbery Honor Awards

-Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

-A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvant

-We Dream of Space by Erin Entradea Kelly

-All Thirteen:The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

Just some good reads to have on hand as summer begins.

The Renaissance and Humanism – A “New” Way of Thinking

The E6 navigators returned from their time in the New World to find Europe flourishing with new ideas.  The birth of the Renaissance had started in Florence, and artists, architects, mathematicians, and scholars were thriving.  Students traveled to Florence to study Renaissance culture.  Their first stop was to meet Brunelleschi and try to replicate the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.  Please visit our picture galleries to see their gumdrop and toothpick structures.

Earth Day – “Tyed Something NEW”

Earth Day started with an investigation into issues that are relevant to the health of our planet.  Students are doing research/presentation projects on issues of deforestation, water pollution, endangered species, 

Students watched a TedEd on the life-cycle of a t-shirt.  We upcycled white tee-shirts and tie-dyed them using water and turmeric, the results were bright and beautiful.  Since this was a “new” recipe, we weren’t sure what to expect, but our class couldn’t have been happier with the results.  Please check out the pictures.

Upcoming Events

May 7th – Someone Special to Me Tea – Gifts will be sent home.

May 10th – May 14 – Stanford Standardized Testing

May 17 – Shakespeare Unshackled – The Musical – Details TBA

We are looking forward to a fun-filled and productive last month of school.  We hope you are enjoying all the new adventures that warm weather and springtime can bring.

Don’t forget to check out our new photos! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HtDfUYD4SGyg6N1UEpza6FkAvdF7Espq?usp=sharing

Your E6 Team

Book Madness – In the spirit of the “March Madness” NCAA basketball tournament, students are participating in our “Book Madness” favorite book bracket.  We have spent the months of February and March studying award winning books highlighting men and women authors of color.  Students journal in their “scouting report” and we look forward to our class “vote”, to see which books make it to the championship round.  Students seem to love different books for a variety of reasons so we are looking forward to seeing which book is the favorite.  Along with reading aloud, journaling, and discussion, E6 recreats art, customs, and food that celebrate the culture of the artist.

Science Madness – Students have spent most of March learning about flowering plants and the fruit they produce.  The 6th year garden harvested peas, students participated in a backyard leaf search, they built greenhouses (some even survived the high winds and rain), and of course dissected fruit. 

History Madness:  Students put together presentations on famous navigators of the 15th century.  Groups made quilts, artifacts, powerpoint presentations, and, of course, food.  (There seems to be a theme here!) Students are still sailing across the Atlantic to the New World.  So far all of the crews have survived but we will see if they can make it back for the glory of Spain.

Pi Madness – Cayden Yamaguchi is our “Pi Queen”!  She was able to recite 276 characters of Pi from memory!  It was definitely madness!  Congratulations, Cayden, on your hard work and determination.  The class was so proud of you!!!

Teacher Appreciation Week Madness – The teachers of E6 would like to thank all of the families for their kind words, thoughtful gifts, coffee, and sweet treats!  We feel so appreciated and loved by our students, families, and the entire FMS community.  We wish you a relaxing and laughter filled spring break.  See you in April!  Enjoy 😀

BTW:  The teachers of E6 have some favorite teams in the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament.  #GoDucks #

Don’t forget to check out our photos! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HtDfUYD4SGyg6N1UEpza6FkAvdF7Espq?usp=sharing

The past few weeks have been filled with group presentations, projects, kindness notes, and of course celebrations.  The artistic talents of the students in E6 is noteworthy and deserves a blog post of its own.  Please visit all of our picture galleries 

Cultural

For our history simulation, students had to draw themselves as navigators bound for adventure on the sea.  

As part of our parent-education night parents and students were able to recreate our navigational map.  Parents helped students earn points to move their ships across the Pacific.  Parents are talented too!

In science, students gave presentations on a plant of their choice.  They had to identify the type of root system, vascular structure, and classification.  The class enjoyed hearing about various types of trees, carnivorous plants, and the healing powers of aloe vera.

Grammar

The study of collective nouns is always a favorite.  Ms. Taylor helped the students illustrate a collective noun “ABC Book” to be kept in our library.  The students did beautiful work!

Writing

The celebration of Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day landed on the same Friday.  The morning started with red lanterns, lucky red envelopes, and a class clean to usher in the Year of the Ox.  The day progressed with Valentine cookies, berry lemonade, Val-o-grams, and handwritten Valentines.

The students wrote kindness notes to classmates each day.  They wrote puns, similes, compliments with alliteration, “Roses are Red…,” poems, and candy heart grams.  We spent much of Friday reading and re-reading the heartfelt messages given to one another.  This is our second year of exchanging notes and it looks to become an E6 tradition.

We ended our fantastic Friday with a “Rock Party”.  Children made a “Boulder Buddy” for a friend painted on river rock. Kids enjoyed both the giving and receiving of this creative gift!

Please visit our multiple photo galleries to see photos of E6’s beautiful work.  Everyone has been working so hard and we are proud of the finished products.  Enjoy!!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HtDfUYD4SGyg6N1UEpza6FkAvdF7Espq?usp=sharing

Welcome Back to School E6!

Welcome  2021

Teachers and students were “crazy” ready to return to school after winter break.  Our students are “tangled” up in math challenges, grammar games, book clubs, and creative storytelling.  In history, we are embarking on “hair raising” adventure and all the elements of the natural world are “braided” together in the study of botany.  We are ready to “comb” through the second semester… “Wash, rinse, and repeat!”  

We are studying the parts of the plant very closely.  We have launched our botany lessons with an introduction to the kingdom Plantae.  Students understand plant classification and like true scientists have tried to group plants by common characteristics.  It’s a lot harder than it looks.  Ms. Taylor has helped them dissect seeds and grow radishes in our window.  E6 is definitely going “GREEN”.

The crews have been chosen, roles have been assigned, and navigators are preparing to meet King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to ask for financial support to sail to the New World.  Explorers have been making flags, preparing letters, deciding routes, and practicing court etiquette.  Parents will be invited to watch (via Zoom) as students do their best to convince the court that their ship is prepared to sail and will bring riches home for Spain.  (date and time to be announced.)

Can you guess what you call a whole bunch of flamingos?  Ask your kids…it’s a flamboyance of flamingos.  We have been studying all kinds of nouns.  Proper nouns, common nouns, abstract nouns, concrete nouns, and the class favorite collective nouns.  Ask your students to finish the following collective noun examples.

A parliament of _____________

A gam of ______________

An aurora of _______________

A horde of ________________

A parcel of _________________

A bevy of ______________

A cauldron of ________________

We are making a classroom ABC picture art book.  We will post photos of their art on the next blog.

Thank you again for all your support of E6.  The teachers were touched by your generosity during the holidays.  We are thankful everyday we spend working with your kids.  Thanks again

Don’t forget to check out our google photos! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HtDfUYD4SGyg6N1UEpza6FkAvdF7Espq?usp=sharing

52 Reasons we Love E6…

1.  We love listening to music at the beginning of the day (lately holiday jazz piano on Spotify).  2. We love to see Chaison running across the grass first thing in the morning. 3.  We love seeing Rocco’s San Francisco beanie through the window of the back door. 3. We love that Vivian K. is one of the first kids to say good morning.  4.  We love seeing kids reading before class even starts.  5.  We love watching kids water the garden behind E6.  6.  We love hearing Amber’s laugh. 7.  Teachers and some students love the smell of hot coffee. 8. Seeing Vivian D. run down the sidewalk and in the door. 9.  Enaara in her colorful knitted beanies. 10.  Nahlah doing dance steps while she works and during recess.  11.  Suki twirling through the class. 12.  The sounds of pencils writing.  13.  Donya saying, “Thank you for a great week” every Friday..  15.  The smell of sharpies.  16 Santannah asking if there is anything she can do to help. 17.  Rhys saying “Yes ma’am!” (and then smiling).  18.  The sound of Chimi chirping.  19.  Gabrielle swinging her feet under her chair while she works.  20.  Cian when he jumps out of his seat and shouts “I got it!!” 21.  Kellan on any dress up day, his costumes are picture worthy. 22.  We love Sophia’s illustrations on all of her work.  23.  Cooper’s turning science lessons into comics.  24.  Enzo’s enthusiasm for everything.  25.  We love when students beg to meet for reading group.  26.  We love publishing parties as kids read each other’s work and write beautiful comments. 27.  We love Logan’s quick witted comments.  28.  We love all the questions.  29.  We love how Cayden puts her best effort into everything.  She keeps this classroom organized.  30.  We love Addi B.’s thoughtfulness when helping her classmates with writing.  21.  We love listening to lunch conversations.  22.  We love watching the kids play, run, kick, and tag during recess.  23.  We love Robert’s kindness and eagerness for “more math”.  24.  We love Lilian’s attention to detail, her work is often admired.  25.  We love how Addi Z just wants everyone to be happy.  26.  We love hearing Vann’s thoughtful comments and gifts of well drawn pictures.  27.  We love sweet notes and emails from Karina.  28. Lily’s kind and gentle heart.  29.  We love seeing Phynix here early and how she cares for our plants and garden, she has a real “green thumb”.  30.  We love hearing, “hey, Ms. Amy…can we do… or Ms. Amy, I have an idea!”  31.  We love that the kids think the teacher’s desk is magic.  32.  We love the expressions of “light bulb moments.”  33.  We love the interests in all things bacteria, fungus, virus, and mold.  34.  We love the excitement for our history simulation, they all want to be pirates.  35.  We love their jokes and quick wit.  36.  We love seeing the parents every morning, even with a mask we can see their smiles.  37.  We love the support and generosity of administration and office staff to help our class be the best it can be.  38.  We are thankful everyday to see students in this classroom.  39.  We love their willingness to give to others.  40.  We love how Isabella helps others and works hard to make sure everyone is treated with fairness.  41.  Khloe’s talent for charming an audience, she adds such life to lessons, presentations, brain breaks, and read alouds.  42.  Saagar’s ability to be friends with everyone.  43.  We love reading “Wonder” aloud, complete with “ohs” and “ahs” and a few tears.  44.  Watching kids change and grow, they all seem so much taller.  45.  Watching them do small things to help one another, especially when they think no one is watching.  46.  Seeing how great they feel about themselves when they overcome something that is hard.  47.  We love notes on avocado paper from Ms. Taylor.  48.  Thank you notes left on the plexiglass from Ms. Heather.  49.  Watching Ms. Amy catch the map as it falls off the wall.  50.  We love grammar games.  51.  We love that this class always includes everyone.  52.  We are so thankful everyday for students, teachers, parents, and staff that work to make our days so special.

Wishing all of you a safe and healthy holiday season.  We have had such a wonderful first semester with your amazing children.  We can’t wait to see what we can accomplish in 2021.  Thank you for all your kind words and support as we navigated the challenges of this past year.  We really are stronger together.

Happy Holidays,

The teachers of E6.

Please visit our photo galleries!!! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HtDfUYD4SGyg6N1UEpza6FkAvdF7Espq?usp=sharing