Classroom Update - Week of August 21st
BYOD Devices:
If your child chooses to bring a device to school and it is a tablet, it would be very helpful for them to download the following free apps, as we will be utilizing them frequently throughout the year.
Google Drive
Google Docs
Google Slides
Also, please make sure that you have taken the time to register your child's device using the following Google Form:
Learning to Type:
Last week in Technology, the students were introduced to a typing program called Dance Mat Typing. This program will teach them proper finger placement on the home row and then with practice they will eventually learn how to type without looking at the keyboard as they do it. This is such an important skill and we will be typing many writing pieces this year.
Room Parent:
I am in need of a parent to take on the responsibilities of being our class room parent. I am very low maintenance and your responsibilities will include forwarding email from the PTA to the other parents in this class and helping out with class celebrations in the winter and end of year. If this is something that you are interested in, please send me an email or message me on Bloomz. Thank you!!
Updates / Reminders:
Please visit the MES website for more information about Student Clubs! Many have applications that need to be filled out by a certain deadline.
If your child plans on bringing in a device for our BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program, they may start doing so on Monday, August 14th, as long as the BYOD agreement has been completed by the student and parent (this went home in Friday Folders) and you have registered your child's device HERE.
School Picture Day for Track 4 is Wednesday, August 30th. These are photos for the yearbook. Picture forms will go home tomorrow.
No School on Monday, September 4th in observance of Labor Day.
Our next early release day is Friday, September 29th. Students will dismiss at 1:15PM.
Track Out Day is Friday, September 29th, however report cards will not go home until Friday, October 27th.
Mark your calendars for Morrisville's Annual Fall Festival! It will be held on Friday, September 29th.
Reader's Workshop:
This week in reading the students will read nonfiction texts and in doing so work on being able to identify the main idea and supporting details. To help them organize their thinking on the main idea (what the article/paragraph is mostly about) they will be utilizing the Brace Thinking Map, which helps the children to see the whole to part relationship.
Questions to Ask Your Child at Home:
Show me how you use a Brace Map to find the main idea and supporting details of nonfiction texts.
How does the brace map help you in writing a summary of what you just read?
Writer's Workshop
This week in writing, the students will continue to work on the writing process, as they work at drafting their beginnings, middles, and endings. As they finishing drafting they will also work on revising and editing their personal narratives through utilizing a provided checklist. The students will be using this checklist both individually and with a writing partner. Finally, as the week ends, the students will work on publishing their narrative by taking it to final copy either through writing it neatly on loose leaf paper or typing it on the computer. Qualities of Good Personal Narrative Writing:
Write about a small moment in time (one time, one place, one topic)
Zoom in so you tell the most important parts of the story.
Include true, exact details from the movie you have in your mind.
Begin with a strong lead – maybe action, setting, dialogue, or a combination which creates mood.
Use Slow Motion Replay to describe the actions
Paint vivid pictures that are important to the focus
Use strong vocabulary that is precise and purposeful.
Make a strong ending – maybe use important actions, dialogue, images, and whole-story reminders that make a lasting impression.
Questions to Ask Your Child at Home:
Tell me about some of the slow motion replay that you have used in your writing to add stronger description.
How did you end your narrative? Does it seem complete?
What do you plan on doing to improve your narrative?
Math:
This week in math the students will continue to work on using multiple strategies to solve multi-digit addition and subtraction problems. A focus will be placed on solving word problems through the millions. The students will be using the below Math Problem Solving Strategies to help them, as many of the problems will be multi-step. There will also be an emphasis placed on estimating and the reason why we do it when solving word problems.
Math Problem Solving Strategies:
C ircle the key numbers. If they are written in word form, write the standard form above.
U nderline the question. What are you being asked to solve?
B ox in any math ACTION words. These key words will tell you what to do to solve the problem.
E valuate what STEPS you should take to solve the problem. Eliminate any information you don’t need.
S olve and check. Does my answer make sense? How can I double check my work?
Questions to Ask Your Child at Home:
What are some different strategies that you can use to add and subtract numbers?
Using the numbers 1,294,943 and 627,533, can you create an subtraction word problem using estimation?
Can you show me the strategies you use to solve a word problem?
Social Studies:
This week in social studies the students will finish the history of North Carolina unit. They will take the Social Studies assessment tomorrow and they will spend the rest of the week learning about the state symbols of North Carolina and important landmarks in our state. Next week the students will start learning about rocks and minerals with Mrs. Wade in Science.
Questions to Ask Your Child at Home:
Tell me about the state symbols of our state. Which state symbols are you researching?
What are some important North Carolina landmarks are you learning about? Can you tell me more about them?