Hello my name is Jeff Stuewe and I am very excited to be in my 2nd year teaching 6-8 grade Science and Social Studies at Holy Family.
I have a Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education and two Masters Degrees, one in Special Education and a Masters Degree in Administration and Leadership, all from Kansas State University.
I taught Special Education for 9 years and have been a Building Level Principal for 15 years.
6th Grade
Math-6th grade students will develop note-taking skills and expand on their ability to think critically to problem solve. Their textbook includes very clear example problems and many example problems will be solved together on the board. These problems will be put in their Math Notebook as notes not only for them to reference, but may also be used by me or families to “double check” students are participating in class. Because I believe that “repetition is the mother of all skills,” they will have homework on a daily basis, though often they receive time in class to ask questions and complete their assignment.
English- Students spend a great deal of time reading and writing. 6th grade students begin research, learn about plagiarism and how to cite their sources. They then use that information to present their knowledge and ideas. First, they present their research projects to the class and eventually their work goes on display at Germanfest. Students also spend a lot of time reading Literature. They work to cite text evidence to support analysis. Students learn to determine the theme of a piece of Literature and to provide an objective summary free from personal opinions and judgements. We also work to strengthen our spelling, grammar and punctuation skills as practice makes perfect!
Social Studies- Students work to explore and understand the Kansas History, Government and Social Studies Standards that include but are not limited to Kansas, United States and World history, government and geography. The framework of the standards are based on the following five concepts: 1) Choices have consequences 2) Individuals have rights and responsibilities 3) Societies are shaped by identities, beliefs, and practices of individuals and groups 4) Societies experience continuity and change over time 5) Relationships among people, places, ideas, and environments are dynamic. Our main text covers “Ancient Times” but we will utilize many other sources including Primary and Secondary sources and original works. Students will complete research projects that involve written and oral presentations. Students will eventually go on one or more field trips to historically significant sites and/or museums and libraries.
Science- Students will explore scientific methods to solve real world problems and will become familiar with design processes. They will study ecosystems and how human and non human interactions affect the world that we live in utilizing textbooks, workbooks, and online resources. In addition students will have the opportunity to research a variety of topics that they find of interest including careers in scientific fields.
Religion-While continuing the journey of understanding and practicing the Catholic faith, students will improve their knowledge of the history of the church and its teachings. Much of our classwork will be based on the “Common Place” book that is utilized in the Theology of the Body curriculum.