STUDENT FIRST SPOTLIGHT
Trey is able to handle a lot, and he always does it with humour. He won our Super 3/4 Best Actor's Award as a supporting actor in Hugh's Disgusting Recipe. We are still trying to figure out what he said about alien food, but that's another story...
THANKS!
As we near the middle of the first term, I would like to express my
appreciation for your ongoing support with homework and practicing skills at
home. I would also like to pass on some important information. A special thank
you to parents who helped supervise the class when we went swimming.
ONGOING ACTIVITIES
See the photos in the bottom right-hand corner of the class blog. More to come!!!
Wow! We have had another busy week! The Grade 4s received their bibles, the Grade 3s went on their last of three swimming safety courses, the OPL presented to us in the Learning Commons, we filmed our disgusting recipe presentations using the Green Screen app, we had a guest helper (who is considering becoming a teacher) in, and Progress Reports went home. Thanks to a donation by Jacob H's father, we also got to see an actual New York Times edition from 1945 with headlines about the war. We shared it with the rest of the school, naturally. We have been playing a lot of learning games. For instance, in Science the Grade 3s joined the grade 4s to play "Hunter". The Grade 3s are learning about plants and how they adapt to their environment (a cactus grows fibrous roots to quickly absorb temporary water). The grade 4s are learning how animals adapt to avoid being hunted by predators or to hunt prey. So we scattered many pieces of coloured paper (camouflage) for teams with physical adaptations (bagged hands, clothes pin fingers, tape feelers, or fingerless hands) to hunt. The students had to use behavioural adaptations to succeed, for example by bending, scooping, or combining bags. In the end we learned that the brown (and green) food were last found in the brown earth and green grass. We also learned that the team capturing the most food did not survive the best, as some colours were more nutritious and yellow was poisonous in the way that brightly coloured bugs can be to birds! Aha! This is just to give a taste of how the students are playing to learn.
See the photos in the bottom right-hand corner of the class blog. More to come!!!
Wow! We have had another busy week! The Grade 4s received their bibles, the Grade 3s went on their last of three swimming safety courses, the OPL presented to us in the Learning Commons, we filmed our disgusting recipe presentations using the Green Screen app, we had a guest helper (who is considering becoming a teacher) in, and Progress Reports went home. Thanks to a donation by Jacob H's father, we also got to see an actual New York Times edition from 1945 with headlines about the war. We shared it with the rest of the school, naturally. We have been playing a lot of learning games. For instance, in Science the Grade 3s joined the grade 4s to play "Hunter". The Grade 3s are learning about plants and how they adapt to their environment (a cactus grows fibrous roots to quickly absorb temporary water). The grade 4s are learning how animals adapt to avoid being hunted by predators or to hunt prey. So we scattered many pieces of coloured paper (camouflage) for teams with physical adaptations (bagged hands, clothes pin fingers, tape feelers, or fingerless hands) to hunt. The students had to use behavioural adaptations to succeed, for example by bending, scooping, or combining bags. In the end we learned that the brown (and green) food were last found in the brown earth and green grass. We also learned that the team capturing the most food did not survive the best, as some colours were more nutritious and yellow was poisonous in the way that brightly coloured bugs can be to birds! Aha! This is just to give a taste of how the students are playing to learn.
PROGRESS REPORTS
You have received a Progress Report which indicates in general terms your child’s demonstrated academic level and learning skills. Please note that we are currently focussing on Organization and Responsibility. Your child is participating in discussions and lessons on topics such as how to keep a clean desk, organize a duotang, and plan his or her time. S/he is learning to be a caring citizen who accepts responsibilities and helps others. In the next few days I will be contacting parents if their child is experiencing difficulties or have needs to address.
GOALS
By now you probably know that each student has developed a personal goal with a measurable step to help him or her improve in a specific area. They are attached as a bookmark in your child's agenda. Your child should be able to tell you what the goal and step(s) are. Encourage, suggest, and praise your child to support his or her progress in this area at home. For example, if the goal is to write more detailed answers, ask how s/he has or can improve a piece of homework, perhaps give a further suggestion, and then praise him or her for putting forth a strong effort. If s/he chose to improve his or her planning, have your child help you plan activities (dinner, clean up, outing).
Some other skills we are learning as a class are expressing oneself clearly (using words from questions, and avoiding unclear words such as ‘it’ ‘he’ thing’); showing one’s thinking in work; and reviewing work for errors and possible improvements.
CURSIVE
Some students are proudly putting to use their newly learned cursive writing skills; others will do this with a little encouragement. Students are welcome to write a few words in cursive for practice work, for example in a reflection, even if the rest of their work is printed. Invite your child to do so at home too!
HOMEWORK
The homework section of this class blog describes the weekly routines. I
will restate them here (and print this), as several students are not following
the schedule and perhaps some parents are not aware of the section or cannot
access the blog.
Home
Reading
Each
week students are asked to read 105 minutes (about 15 minutes a day) which is
recorded on a form and signed by a parent. Points are awarded for 105
minutes read in any week. Remind your child to be practicing reading strategies
while reading. EXAMPLE: finding little words inside big words for sound or
meaning. Students know where to get extra reading sheets.
Words This is the usual weekly schedule. Students are encouraged to complete work ahead of time if they have a busy week ahead (eg hockey game on Tuesday night).
MONDAYS
Words Sheets teach
meanings, usage, and word forms as well as spellings. They are completed on
Mondays.
TUESDAYS
The words are then dictated by a parent for their child to spell in a
notebook (not in the agenda anymore) on Tuesdays - it is easier to check the
next morning.
WEDNESDAYS...
Wednesdays and Thursdays are for studying words that were
misspelled. Have your child write each out with a trick to remember the spelling. Example "friend. fri-end : Fri. ends the week".
THURSDAYS
Thursday is also the day to do Sentence Stretchletics (restarting
in Nov). It is a program to reinforce stretching sentences by adding useful
details. Each student will find at the back of their Word duotangs sheets on
which to do this work that will be due on the Friday of each week when Weekly
Words are assigned. On the sheets your child will write the date and a sentence
having three circled list words from that week's Words sheet that your child
knows the least or wants to practice using in sentences the most (i.e. the
hardest words). To get a level 4 mark the sentence will also have at least one
verb and adverb (told secretively)(told behind the shed) (told after school),
(told out of jealousy), two nouns and four adjectives (scratchy sweater), and a
subordinate clause! (this is an added description inside the sentences with
commas: ", who could talk a cat down from a tree,". Notice it is not
a complete sentence by itself). Good luck and happy stretching!
FRIDAYS
Test
CLOTHES
As the colder weather approaches, children need warmer clothes in case of a sudden drop in temperature. Please make sure that your child has a hat, mitts, warm coat, etc. Your child is encouraged to keep with his or her emergency bag of clothes extras of these articles of clothing. Last week we had another student full of mud without a change of clothes.
Next week we are scheduled for a presentation by a nurse. We will also have a special Remembrance Day Service. Have a wonderful remainder of the week and a safe, happy weekend.
Mr . L.
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