Scrimmages

Hello, parents! Today I am sending home students' folders with their first scrimmages inside. Please review their scrimmage and sign on the record sheet. These will be due Monday.

We are quickly working toward our second scrimmage, which will be next Thursday. The scrimmage will cover the following standards (reviewing some from the last scrimmage):

• RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  
  
  We have practiced this a lot in class. This overlaps with characterization and the indirect/direct characterization we worked with two weeks ago. We've discussed making inferences about a character based on what they say and do, and we've done this together on the white board with a character from Hidden Figures, Dorothy Vaughan. 
  
  
  RI.5.2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
  
  
  Both classes will have summarized several chapters of Hidden Figures out loud and in writing. They will have to summarize a passage from Hidden Figures for their scrimmage. 
  
  
  RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
  
  
  This is a review from last week, but will also be applied to Hidden Figures. We will be 9 chapters in, and we will be able to see several themes unfold already. 
  
  
  Homework:
  Read and Annotate Chapter 6
  Written summary of Chapter 6 (1 paragraph)
  
  
  
  
  

Homework 8/30

Homework: 

Mrs. Dole's Homeroom:
Read and Annotate Chapter 5
Write a summary of chapter 5
DWB---Describe Dorothy Vaughan (2 paragraphs)

*Students were given much of class time to do the work above, so most should have a good bit completed*

Ms. Bex's Homeroom:
Read and Annotate Chapter 5
Discussion Job

Hidden Figures ctd. again!

Today we had really great group discussions. Your students led them by coming prepared to fulfill their role in the discussion. Then we talked about inferences and how we make inferences about characters based on their character traits, tying together inferences and indirect characterization. Ask your kid--they should be able to talk to you about it!

Homework: Read and annotate chapter 4 and complete discussion job

Hidden Figures ctd.

Multiple students were not prepared for class today because they did not do their reading/annotating homework. As a reminder, kids are often given class time to work on this, they have dismissal time, they have homeroom, and they have study hall. There's no reason to not have their homework done. They are losing easy points by failing to complete this work, and they're falling behind. I had a discussion with both classes today about personal responsibility, and I expect that more students will be better prepared tomorrow.

Please check with your students about their homework being complete!

Homework: Read and Annotate Chapter 3 of Hidden Figures; Complete Discussion Job

Parent Letter about Hidden Figures

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our new unit will introduce your students to Mary Winston Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Katherine Johnson. They are the women who inspired the book and the movie Hidden Figures. We will read, analyze, discuss, and debate their stories from a variety of angles. In addition to learning about the contributions of these women during their time at NASA, we will also discuss the challenges they endured as a result of the Jim Crow laws that were being enforced and the discrimination they faced.

Through discussion and debate your students will have the opportunity to form their own thoughts and opinions about these topics. They will also learn how to respectfully engage in civil discourse and learn how to express their points of view in an appropriate way.

Best,

Ms. Bex

Ready, Set, Go with Hidden Figures

We officially dove into Hidden Figures today. There are still several students without books, so they need to get them purchased as soon as possible. I have five extra copies, but they have to stay in my classroom, so that makes completing homework difficult for those students without books.

Today we read chapter 1 in class and assigned Literature Circle roles. Each student has his/her own job (should be written on the notecard they were given in class today) to come to class prepared for group discussions. We also discussed annotating/note taking while reading. I gave students a key to write in the front of their books (or on paper if they are using library books), and I expect to see annotations for every chapter. This will be a daily grade as well as the grade they will get for participating well in their group discussions. Each student can earn 2 points a day just through having their annotations and participating in group discussions.

Homework: Read Chapter 1 and 2 in Hidden Figures and complete annotations; complete literature circle role.  Students were given a good chunk of class time to do this--most should only have their literature circle role to complete.

Game Face On!

Tomorrow is our first scrimmage. I listed the standards covered in my last post, so please click back if you'd like more information on that. We will review these standards again down the line.

Students have notes in their IN for everything except characterization. We will review that today after we go over theme.

If you are new to scrimmages (like I am!), here's the layout. There will be 4 multiple choice questions and 2 extended response questions. The total point value of a scrimmage = 12 points (1 per multiple choice question, four per extended response). I will then have your child move his or her card on our data wall where we post where on the scale students fall for covered standards. If you're ever in the school, feel free to stop by the classroom and check out the data wall.

Last call for me to order your Hidden Figures book if you bought the incorrect version or have not yet purchased it. I need to receive an email from you TODAY if you want me to order it. You can send $5.22 in with your child by Friday. I sent a letter home to this effect, but if you did purchase the incorrect version, you can donate it to my classroom library, and I will then purchase the correct edition for your child.

I hope everybody is enjoying keeping up with what we are doing in our classroom. If you have any questions or would like me to post more pictures of your students in action, leave a comment!