A 2021-2022 Day in the Life of Uppers 6 (Grade 6)
8:00: Arrival and Morning Work
Students arrive in the morning, happy to see friends and teachers. They drop their belongings off in their locker and head into our classroom. We chat, follow up on events from the day before, make sure computers are charged, look at the schedule for the day and read any written announcements from the teachers. Morning work might include finishing up a project, reading a favorite book, practicing Typing Club, using materials to create wire sculptures or colorful art to decorate the classroom. Sometimes we chat with friends while we do these things.
8:30: Homeroom
This is an awesome way to start the day. We greet each other in a fun way and play a game right off the bat. Some class favorites are The Bear Game (a distanced version of redlight/greenlight), 切西瓜, and Poison Dart Frog. Then we check the schedule for the day, discuss any topics or issues brought up, and check in on the “What’s Due When” board.
9:00: Math
This class is full of real-world ways to use numbers. We study tax, menus, and money. We plan parks, design scale drawings, and make our own tests. Sometimes we solve problems by ourselves using long algorithms, sometimes we get help from calculators, number lines and our friends. It’s a mixture of hard work and fun.
9:45: Snack
It’s like lunch, but shorter. We sit in the sun and chat with friends, while eating snacks we brought from home, like cheesy popcorn, clementines, and granola bars. When we are done snacking, we can shoot hoops, play in the nearby wooded area, or just hop around on the back steps.
10:00: Science
In Science class we explore, observe, and experience the world before we try to explain how it works. We answer questions to see if we can say what we know in our heads, but with words out loud: Are you holding the leaf of the tree above you or the next one over? Is the air flowing through the stove you built? How did you decide where to put that frisbee throw on the chart? These are questions students encounter and attempt to answer in Science.
10:45: Break
Break is a time to hang out, but we usually all want to play. Teachers bring out Frisbees and maybe a basketball for us to play with but sometimes there’s just a tag game that gets going. We sometimes organize a bigger game but whatever the case, it’s always active and fun!
11:15: Literature
“Lit” stands for Literacy, and in this class Kathleen and Chris spend the year supporting the development of each student’s facility with the written word. Sometimes all together and sometimes in small groups, we read and discuss fiction and nonfiction books, discuss social and historical issues, and create projects that express our feelings and thoughts about the books. We read books like Ghost Boys, One Crazy Summer, and The Breadwinner. Through the Writer’s Workshop portion of our curriculum, students are supported in developing their skills as writers of fiction and nonfiction. We write together, with lots of conferences with peers and teachers, drafts, and read alouds.
12:00: Lunch
Lunch is a casual time with food and friends, outside when the weather allows for it. We all sit and chat while eating. Sometimes we’ll have a large group lunch, other times we sit in smaller groups to talk with teachers and friends.
12:30: Study Hall
This is a silent, independent work time, except for the times we need to talk or ask for teacher help. We each sit at our work spot, socially distant and focused on school work. This is like Quiet Time in the lower grades, except that it is mandatory to do school-related work, so we can get a jump on our homework and finish our assignments. Kids like to do creative writing, read books, work on Lit, practice Typing Club and listen to music. It gives us a break from socializing and noise, too. Some kids say it’s their favorite time of the day. Others say it’s annoying.
1:15: Projects
Projects is a class about having ideas and then making them happen. On any given day in Projects you might find partners collaborating on an invention, a small group testing out a new recipe or a student working with a teacher on a woodworking project. The focus of this class is on practicing many of the aspects of the creative process: brainstorming, planning, revising, finishing, sharing and reflecting.
2:00: Woods Time or P.E.
P.E.: PE class is really fun. We get to play basketball, disc golf, ultimate frisbee, and other tag and running games. We’re with the 7th/8th grade for PE and so we can usually split up to do two activities, so you get a choice.
Woods Time: Throughout the week we are sure to spend time in the woods. Some days we go on a hike. Other days we play games such as camouflage or hide and seek. In the woods there are ambitious building projects, pods of kids talking together quietly, spontaneous games and lots of laughter. In the woods we leave ourselves open to possibilities, knowing that the healing properties of being in community in the forest will benefit our minds and bodies.
2:45: Jobs
As a group, we divide up the tasks necessary to clean and organize the classroom. Some take out the recycling, others sweep the floors, wash tables, sanitize door knobs, stack chairs and organize shelves. Then we load up our backpacks and chat on the rug until we get called for dismissal.