School notes: Burnside Elementary

Martin Luther King Day

Students will have an assembly Monday to honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Children will hear about his life, watch part of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech and sing “We Shall Overcome.” Many classes will also view a video about how the world would be different without King’s work.

White Giraffe

The building-wide book read of “The White Giraffe” continues. Second- and third-graders are identifying new and interesting words for the White Giraffe Word Wall in the library. Fourth-graders are identifying, defining and illustrating similes and metaphors found in the book.

Kids Junction

Children made snowman thermometers and decorated felt snowflakes with glitter to set off the New Year.

Media Center

In the library, the fourth-graders are finding similes in “Walk on a Snowy Night” by Judy Delton. Third-graders are learning how to use guidewords to help them find entries in the dictionary and encyclopedia. The second-graders have been introduced to beginning chapter books.

Music

All music classes have begun their African drumming unit. They’re studying music of Ghana, learning the patterns and rhythms of the West African country that Gretchen Anderson’s teacher Sowah Mensah is from.

Grade 2

Carol Schwartau’s second-grade class has been learning about African animals. They created Kente cloth and colored Deshiki (ceremonial shirts and dresses).

Grade 3

Students will begin learning about money: how to count change, how to count dollar amounts and how to figure the fewest number of coins needed to make a certain amount.

Grade 4

Students read a story about the creator of the Stetson hat. Then they made thinking hats to help them think better. Students paraded through other fourth-grade rooms to share their hats with their peers.

Important dates

Monday will be an early release day. Students will be dismissed at 1:30 p.m. Friday, the last day of the second quarter.

Tags: school notes, education, community