The Bissinger Beacon
December 2018
Reader's Workshop
Students read aloud Mariette on a Highwire and practiced summarizing the important parts of a book including the main character, supporting characters, problem, important events, or details that are related to the problem, the solution and the ending.
Readers have been zooming in on nonfiction as we identified text and graphic features, noticed how nonfiction authors use these features, and applied our knowledge to help monitor our own reading. Nonfiction readers discovered four common text structures of nonfiction (problem-solution, compare & contrast, chronological, and cause and effect) and studied them in order to determine importance in a text.
4B students are reflecting on their learning in preparation for their Student-Led-Conference. We are focusing on finding artifacts which illustrate our strengths, and also areas we find challenging. We have been working hard identifying "gems" and "grows" for our upcoming conferences. 4B students are keeping a "growth mindset" and know mistakes are simply proof you are trying. Check out the video below for an excellent example of growth mindset!
Immigration
Writer's Workshop
Math
4B students solved number stories involving equally shared quantities. We can use an area model and number line to recognize and generate equivalent fractions, and lastly we can create visual models to show equivalent fractions.
Energy
Holiday Traditions Project
In keeping with our school’s focus on appreciating differences and as we begin our Social Studies Immigration Unit, I would like to invite your child to share a family holiday tradition with our class. In the next couple of weeks we will be reading books about various holiday traditions and I would like to spend some time on Friday, December 21 celebrating our own traditions. If you are interested, please plan on sending in some type of “artifact” for your child to share that day that represents your family tradition. Examples could be a book, a game, a decoration, pictures of a tradition, etc. Students will have the opportunity to share their “artifact” and their family tradition with their classmates. I look forward to learning about all of the holiday traditions our families celebrate!
Understanding your Child's Report Card
Report cards are now rubric based. Please see below for a brief description:
3 – The student understands and consistently and independently applies grade level concepts, skills and strategies.
2 – Student is developing an understanding of and is sometimes able to apply grade level concepts, skills, and strategies.
1 – The student is beginning to understand grade level concepts, skills, and strategies.
* (asterisk) or grey box - indicates the skill is not assessed at this time.
By the end of the second marking period, most students will earn a 2 or a 1 since a 3 requires a student to be consistently independent in applying the skills/strategies.
Pajama Day For CHOP: December 21st
Please join the Student Council in supporting The Children’s Fund at CHOP by wearing pajamas to school on December 22nd. Bring in $1 or the donation of your choice to participate in the PJ day. All three elementary schools in Haddonfield are participating in this PJ fundraiser and we hope to make a difference for the children at CHOP.
Up & Coming
12/10 RC's available on Genesis
12/12 1/2 day, Student Led Conferences
12/13 Evening Student Led Conferences, 6-8pm
12/14 School Closed, Student Led Conferences
12/14 1/2 day, Evening Student Led Conferences, 6-8pm
12/21 PJ Day for CHOP! 1/2 day, Holiday Traditions Project presentations