Weekly Update 9/7/12

This is Sigma Team 2012-13's first blog post of the year.  The transition to Thomas Middle School has gone smoothly.  Everyone is getting used to the new lunch program and opening lockers.  Some of the things we really like about Thomas are switching classes, having lockers, the lunch choices, taking world languages, and having our voices heard during Sigma Celebrations.  We are off to a great start!!

These are the editors of this week's blog:

Rhea, Michael B, Henry, Paul, and Keatyn (Team Awesome!)

On the first day of school we had an all-school assembly to talk about Paw Pride.  PRIDE stands for Perseverance, Respect and Responsibility, Initiative, Dedication, and Enthusiasm.  Mr. Kaye did ice breakers for each grade and Sigma won!

All the kids watching the assembly

Sean, Keatyn, and Emma  

They had to help Sean put on a shirt that had been frozen in a baggie of water, 

and they were the first team done!

Owen, Keatyn, and Sean after the assembly.  Sean got to keep the Paw Pride t-shirt.

We went to the Computer Lab to set up our Edline accounts and learn the "dos and don'ts" of using the computer.

Connor is demonstrating how to set up an Edline account.

In science we made models on whiteboards out of Legos and Play Doh.  They had to consist of an eyeball, light source, an object, and an unobstructed view.  Our objective was to explain how the eye sees.  When we were done we voted on the most creative models that showed how the eyes see things.

Veronica and Colin

Emma & Carol; Om and Nathan H.

Michael K., Patrycja, and Connor

Jackie, Charlie, and Michael B.

Own and Paul

We all read Bystander by James Preller over the summer for our all-school summer reading book.  Some people liked it, and some people didn't.  We wrote journal responses about it; we were given four questions and we got to choose the one we wanted to write about.   In class we made t-shirts about a character in the book.  One important thing we learned from the book is that nobody should bully.  Being a bystander is bad, too, because you might turn into a victim or a bully yourself. 

Alex Y. and Sean working on their t-shirts

Nathan W. and Michael K.

Michael P., Claire, and Tyler

Our character t-shirts on display

On Wednesday James Preller, author of Bystander, came to Thomas for an all-school assembly.  He told us where he got some of the ideas for characters in the book.  He wrote the book based on some things from his life.  He also told us all to do our best to help people who are targets and that we should try to be the target's friend.  Some of us thought listening to the author was better than reading the book.  

James Preller

Can you find Cassy, Jackie, Matt, and Trey in the crowd?

We had lots of questions for Mr. Preller!   

Here Isabel, Connor, and Tyler are in line waiting to ask him a question.

For our read-aloud we are reading an AWESOME book called Wonder by RJ Palacio.  It's about a boy named Auggie who feels ordinary on the inside but doesn't look ordinary AT ALL on the outside.  We like it because it is written from different points of view, and so you can know how other characters are feeling. We also like that it's a funny realistic story.  We are making lots of comparisons between Wonder and Bystander because both have bullies in them.

Mrs. Ziegenfuss reading Wonder

Listening to Wonder

In social studies we are learning to think like historians by observing carefully and making inferences.  In groups we talked about what we saw in photographs and what was a fact and what was an inference.  We learned that sometimes if you just take a quick glance you don't fully see an entire picture.

Emma, Claire, Morgan, Michael B., and Henry examining their photos.

SIXTH GRADE SOCIAL!!

On Friday after school we had our first sixth grade social.  The DJ played great music and everyone had fun relaxing with old and new friends.