Classroom Update - Week of December 4th

Literacy Night:

Tomorrow night (Tuesday, December 5th from 6:30-8:00PM) is Literacy Night! There will be lots of classroom activities and of course the book fair happening. Hope to see you there!

Book Fair:

The Scholastic Book Fair has arrived at Morrisville Elementary. If your child wishes to purchase books, they may do so during morning work time (8:45AM-9:15AM). The Book Fair will be at Morrisville from November 27th through December 8th.

Upcoming Events / Reminders:

• December 5th is Literacy Night and School-wide Spelling Bee.

• December 21st is not only an Early Release Day (school will dismiss at 1:15) but also our last day of the quarter.

• Monday, January 22nd is Track In Day.

• Thursday, January 25th from 6:00-7:30PM is MES International Festival. Please click HERE to sign up if you want to present or help in any area during this night.

• On Friday, January 26th 2nd quarter report cards will go home.

Reader's Workshop:

This week, the students will continue to read firsthand and secondhand accounts (primary and secondary resources) of an event or topic and recognizing the differences between the two. They will take their assessment on this standard on this Friday, December 8th.

Differences Between Firsthand & Secondhand Accounts:

• A firsthand account of an event or topic is based on an author’s personal experience. The author uses pronouns such as I, me, and we to describe the event or topic. Diaries, autobiographies, and letters are considered to be firsthand accounts.

• A secondhand account of an event or topic is based on an author’s research, rather than personal experience. The author uses pronouns such as he, she, and they to describe the event or topic. Encyclopedia entries, biographies, and textbooks are considered to be secondhand accounts.

Questions to Ask Your Child at Home:

• Is this article a firsthand or secondhand account of _______________? *What details from the text support your answer?

• How do you think the reader might benefit from reading this account?

• How might a reader benefit from reading both accounts (firsthand & secondhand)?

• Which type of text (firsthand or secondhand) is more reliable?

• How does the author know these details? Was he or she present at the event?

Writer's Workshop:

This week in writing, the students will continue working on their second research report. The students will be researching a famous individual that shows a growth mindset. They will be using a Who Was... book to help them conduct their research, along with two other sources. Students will be working on starting to draft their introduction and body paragraphs later this week.

Questions to Guide their Research:

• What were the challenges that your person had to face or overcome?

• What is your person famous for?

• How does your person still inspire people today?

Questions to Ask Your Child at Home:

• Which famous person did you choose to research?

• What are some ways that your person demonstrates/ed a growth mindset?

Math:

This week in math the students will continue to work on measuring and drawing angles using a protractor. In addition, they will learn how to solve for missing angles using their knowledge of complementary and supplementary angles. They will also work on solving word problems that will use their knowledge of angles in the real world. They will take an assessment on these skills next Monday.

Questions to Ask Your Child at Home:

• Show me how to draw a 85 degree angle using your protractor.

• What are complementary angles? How can you solve them?

• What are supplementary angles? How can you solve them?

Science:

This quarter, the students will be learning about landforms. More information will follow soon!