About Me
I was born and raised in Indiana. Moved to TN in 2006. My family and I moved to Naples in June 2021.
I have a Master’s Degree in Education from Trevecca University in Nashville, TN. Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN.
This is my 14th year teaching 6th grade. I love volleyball, and I am excited to be coaching MS volleyball for Naples Classical Academy!
My husband is Shane. We have been married for 25 years.
We have 2 beautiful daughters. Brooke (12th grade) and Sydney (2nd grade at Naples Classical Academy.)
I also enjoy reading, swimming, and The St. Louis Cardinals!
Homework
Wish List
Hello families,
Thank you so much for your continued support of our classroom and Naples Classical Academy. I have created an Amazon Wishlist for some additional classroom resources. Again, thank you for all that you do and trusting Naples Classical Academy to educate your children.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2Y10SODCW9GDL?ref_=wl_share
Class Newsletter
Good evening 6th grade families,
We hope this newsletter finds you well. Please see below for updates from each of our 6th grade subjects. Please let us know if you have any questions. The 6th grade team
Weekly Folders: The 6th grade will send a (lime green) folder home each week. This will be counted as a weekly participation grade! Parents need to review the stapled conduct sheet and initial for the week. Please be sure to remove all loose papers from the folders and return the folder the following day.
Planners: Parents, please review your child's planner each night to make sure that homework is being completed thoroughly. Quizzes and tests should also be listed by the students in their planners.
FAST Testing (Session 1) - The first session of FAST testing will take place in a couple of weeks for 6th grade. Please make sure that your student has a pair of plug-in headphones labeled with their name for testing. They can leave them in their homeroom for the year for future testing days.
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Math: The scholars will continue to work this week in Ch. 1 reviewing Order of Operations with and without parentheses. There will be a Ch. 1 Math Test on Thursday 8/24/23. Later this week and next, the students will review and learn about factors and multiples. I have noticed that some students seem unsure about basic multiplication and division facts. The 6th grade Math curriculum already assumes that students have mastered basic multiplication and division skills, and much of what is learned in 6th grade Math builds on those concepts. For students that are needing basic math support, I recommend using flash cards a couple times per week for 5 - 10 minutes to help build their accuracy, speed, and confidence. Please reach out if you have questions or concerns regarding 6th grade Math. - Mrs. Spurgeon
Grammar / Writing: This week scholars will continue to review the different types of sentences and parts of speech, with their functions and principal elements to better understand, analyze, and diagram sentences. In Writing, our scholars will continue to develop the Key Word Outlines (KWO) of the weekly source texts as we recap the basics of writing and introduce "dress-ups" such as the -ly adverbs. There will be a quiz on Friday 8/25/23 to check for understanding of the topics covered this week.
History: This week, we are going through the geography of all the world's deserts. We’ve already gone over what a desert is, and the deserts in Africa and Australia. We’ll finish the dessert book on Friday or Monday. Then get into a long unit on Judaism and Christianity. There is a quiz on Chapter 1-3 Wednesday 8/23/23 and the Deserts Test will be either next Tuesday or Wednesday 8-29 or 8-30.
Latin: This week, scholars will be continuing their work on the first declension, and how nouns can change their ending to alter their meaning within a sentence. There will be a quiz on Friday, covering mostly Chapter 2 of Wheelock’s Latin, and Thursday will be spent preparing for this quiz.
Literature: This week, scholars will be reading the stories of “Echo & Narcissus” and “Orpheus & Eurydice.” Encourage your scholars to review their notes for 5 minutes each night. We will be having a quiz on Wednesday, 8/23 over the story of “Echo & Narcissus.” Looking ahead, we will have a quiz over “Orpheus & Eurydice” early next week. The next 2-3 weeks will be spent on various stories from Classical Mythology.
Science: The scholars have been working very hard in Science this week, be sure to ask your child all that they have been learning! This week they are covering Ch. 1 Section 5 and completing the outlines for homework
Music: There will be a simple quiz on Thursday/Friday on instrument family names and identifying instruments visually. Next week, we will be exploring what each instrument sounds like. Students will be receiving worksheets for homework and homework is assigned most days according to when I see them (2 or 3 times per week).
Helpful Links
6th Grade Math
6th Grade Intensive Math
Email Me mailto:jspurgeon@naplesclassical.org
Amazon Classroom Wishlist
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2Y10SODCW9GDL?ref_=wl_share