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Welcome! Mrs. Tallye Gass Sixth Grade Science East Ridge Middle School |
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It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. Albert Einstein
TIPS FOR 6th GRADE 1. Get organized! Have a folder for each class so you will have your work organized. Put all your work in here instead of stashing it in a book.
2. Have supplies! Make sure you always have paper and pencil. Teachers do not keep your supplies for you, so it is your responsibility to make sure you have these things BEFORE you come into class.
3. Do your work! Your education is just like building a house: It's hard to put on a roof if you never put up the walls!
What Do I Need?
Your supply list is located on the main webpage. Please make sure you always have pencils and crayons/colored pencils. You will use these crayons BUNCHES in class. We use them to work on our diagrams and illustrations. The best thing you can bring to class is a great attitude. Attitude can mean the difference between an 'A' student and a 'C' student. Be prepared to work hard and learn lots of cool things.
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 About Me
This is always the hardest part! My name is Tallye Gass, and this will be my third year at East Ridge. I live in Greeneville with my husband Kevin and our two children. My oldest is going into second grade and my youngest is in Pre-K. We also have a very large cat. She is so large that we've forgotten her real name and just call her "Fatty" most of the time. We think we might get a dog one day, but not any time soon!
I attended school in Greeneville through high school and then attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for two years. I finished my bachelors degree at East Tennessee State University in 1999. After a short break, I started my Masters degree at ETSU in the fall of 2001 and was graduated in December of 2002. I learned a lot (aren't you glad?!) and found a new appreciation for learning. Since graduation I taught in the Greene County School System for two years before coming to East Ridge. Although I always thought I would teach language arts or English, I LOVE teaching science. It's a nice compromise between learning facts and reasoning.
In our spare time, which there is little of, I like to travel with my family and just spend time with them. We love to go to the beach, but also enjoy spending time with friends just playing games. Here & Now Monopoly is our current favorite. I'm always reading something...a book, a magazine, or the back of the cereal box!
That's about all for me. I'm blessed to have a wonderful family and friends, and I wake up in the morning ready to come to school to teach. The faculty and staff at East Ridge are a talented, caring, and amazing group of people to work with, and I'm fortunate to be here.
What's Happening Now in Science & Reading?
SCIENCE (11/17)
MONDAY: Reading for Meaning; "Turkey" CODE
TUESDAY: Cut-n-Paste Tides Activity; Tides Diagram
WEDNESDAY: Define/Diagram Solar and Lunar Eclipse
THURSDAY: Cloze Notes; Continue Eclipses
FRIDAY: Solar System Review
READING (11/17)
MONDAY: Library
TUESDAY: Begin Autobiography/Biography Box Project
WEDNESDAY: Reading time in class; work on project
THURSDAY: Work on project
FRIDAY: TBD
Important Upcoming Events & Dates
FAQs About My Class
Science is a super fun class at East Ridge. We are blessed with science labs in our individual rooms and tons of technology to help students learn better. I require my student to follow three rules: Be polite, be prompt, and be prepared. In return, I will treat them with respect. It is very important that students be on time to class. Hanging out in the halls may be fun, but it takes time away from class. Also, if a student does not have his/her pencil, paper and book, it makes it hard to complete the lessons or they spend time trying to borrow materials. Our learning environment should be a positive one where no one feels uncomfortable asking questions. If students follow t hese simple rules, we will have a great time learning! Always remember to be prepared for class!
Q: What will we be studying this year in science?
A: This year you will learn more about food webs and food chains, rock formations and the fossil record, and the different forms of energy. There is lots more, but this is just a sample.
Q: What do I need for science?
A: You will need to have your science book, science workbook, paper and pencil EVERYDAY for class. I know sometimes we run out of paper or lose a pencil. If this happens, make sure you borrow from a friend before class starts. This is a class where we learn, and we can't learn if we don't have all our tools.
Q: How do I know what my grade is?
A: Your grade will come from three areas: classwork, tests, and labs. Your classwork is 50 percent, the tests are 30 percent, and the labs are 20 percent. You will receive a mid-term report and a six weeks report card. This way you know where you stand. If you have questions about a grade, please ask.
Q: I really failed a test badly. What can I do?
A: If you make below a 70 on a test, you have the OPTION of correcting it for extra credit. The amount of extra credit depends on the individual test. There will be a deadline for corrections. You may not turn in any corrections past the deadline unless you have an excused absence.
Q: I did my classwork, but I forget to bring it or turn it in.
A: Classwork is most important because it is a building block for what is to come. It is hard to move on to the next part of the lesson if you have not finished the lesson prior to it. You will have one day to turn in late work for full credit. Any work accepted after this is at the discretion of the teacher.
Q: Will I have homework?
A: Ahhh, everyone's favorite question! Because this is a hands-on class, there will be less times we have homework. However, if a student does not finish his/her classwork, then he/she will have to do it for homework. There is adequate time for students to finish the work in class, so if your student is having excessive homework we may need to see what we can do to correct this. The subject matter may be difficult or there might be a problem with using time wisely in class.
Q: I'm really not getting this stuff. What can I do?
A: Until now most of my students only had science on a part-time basis. Sometimes this change to a year-round class can be tough. If you are having trouble, please let me know. I am more than happy to help. Just remember that if you don't tell me you are having trouble, I don't always know. Grades don't always show understanding of the material.
Q: What are your rules?
A: I only have three: Be polite; Be prompt; and Be prepared. What this means is raise your hand in class, don't be disrespectful, be in class on time, and always have your materials. Not following the rules can lead to consequences such as verbal warnings, new seat assignments, or being sent to detention. The better we follow the rules, the more fun we have.
Fun Science Links
I've looked at these websites and they are a lot of fun; however, as with all websites, they may be linked to other sites. I've not investigated these, so please make sure that your child is not going anywhere on the web that they shouldn't be. These are credible sites, but there is always the possiblity that someone with less-than-good intentions may be lurking!
www.kids.msfc.nasa.gov/
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