Staying In-the-Know
with Mrs. Drayton & Miss Jordan
Dutch Fork Elementary The Academy of Environmental Sciences, Title I
2.21.19
VIP Folders & Reminders
- Good News Club Flyer
- weekly grades
- 2/22 Affixes Quiz 16
- 2/23 Father Daughter Dance
- 2/25 Drayton/Ybarra Landfill Field Trip (please email your child's homeroom teacher if you are interested in being a chaperone)
- 2/25-3/1 Read Across America Day
- 3/1 February Reading Goal Sheet due (send your reader with a special snack to celebrate)
Rising 6th Grade Registration
Important dates:
Tuesday, March 5th at 6:00 and 7:30 Rising 6th-grade Parent Night & Tours
Tuesday, March 12th Elective Registration forms go home
Tuesday, March 19th Elective Registration forms due back
The slideshow presented at CRIS STEAM Night on January 15th:
Read Across America Week (Feb 25-March 1)
Monday
-Cat in the Hat
•”Hats Off to Dr. Seuss”-wear your craziest hat!
Tuesday
-I Can Read With My Eyes Shut
•Wear a shirt someone else can read!
Wednesday
- The Sleep Book
• wear your pajamas to school!
Thursday
-If I Ran the Zoo
•dress like your favorite animal
Friday
-Oh the Places You’ll Go!
•wear a T-shirt from somewhere you’ve been or a college you wish to attend!
Argumentative Texts Unit
- commercials
- advertisements
- picture books
- articles
We had tons of fun thinking as producers of ads and determining reasons, claims, and evidence. We have established language together as we continue to inquire in to argumentative texts, such as:
- claim
- unsubstantiated claim
- reasons
- evidence
- bias
- persuasive techniques
- defend
- refute
- credible
- pathos
- logos
In addition to LOTS of talk around persuasive and argumentative texts, we have been filling up our writer's notebooks. Have you reader share some of the responses that have been written about the arguments that have been analyzed. We have impressed ourselves with how much we can write as we analyze arguments and consider our own perspectives.
Currently, we are publishing our own writings about argumentative topics of our choosing. We selected topics, researched for evidence, and provided reasons to argue our points.
At home: Try watching commercials together and analyzing them for claims, reasons, evidence. Is it persuasive or is the producer of the commercial arguing the purpose of the product? This is such a fun activity! Let your critical thinker take the lead!
Also, please take time to celebrate your reader's responses! We have written a response everyday. Perhaps read the first response and the most recent to notice all the growth in analysis and writing that have happened. We are excited by all the ways we continue to surprise ourselves and critical thinkers and writers.
Sample Responses
Evolving response rubric
The claim presented by the author
Reasons presented to support the claim
Evidence presented to support the claim
Transitions and language of arguments to connect your thoughts
Your new insights and/or stance on the argument
London H
Sofia A
But after reading this article and learning that bullying can cause pain and problems in different ways than just emotionally, I was persuaded to believe that bullying is a big problem and should be stopped before any more futures are effected.
Analyzing Langston Hughes's Poetry
Mother to Son
Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now—
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.