PLEASE NOTE:
Mrs. Bennett has been granted a leave to participate in a Habitat for Humanity build and will be back shortly. Maureen Harding will be replacing her until her return. We hope to see some pictures and discuss this wonderful opportunity!
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
(see previous Student Spotlights below)
Incredibly, Layna challenges notes made in a teacher text . . . and is correct!
More importantly, Layna did this by using precisely the type of thinking that we are developing in Math. She used definitions of figures to conclude that, since the diagonals of a square are equal and a square is a type of parallelogram, then some parallelograms will have equal diagonals (lines from corner to corner (or 'vertex'). *** NOTE A parallelogram is ANY four-sided figure having two pairs of parallel sides with opposite sides and angles equal. Usually we think of slanted rectangles.
AND OUR WINNERS OF SENTENCE STRETCHLETICS SO FAR ARE . . .
Jacob H - Terrific editing using our class colours system WITHOUT BEING ASKED!
Nic - Incredibly creative (and funny) sentences.
Brandon - Wonderful use of adding an extra phrase in the middle!
RECENT HIGHLIGHT'S
(Please review, as items may be added)
(suggestions are in italics)
(suggestions are in italics)
We had a wonderful Remembrance Day service. Thank you all who could attend!
PLEASE NOTE: Some symbols/abbreviations being used on work are:
DIR - directions not followed
RWT - Review with teacher (for reassessment if appropriate, or just for learning)
NC - Not complete
Many symbols - mostly for editing - were sent home in September. If you and your child don't understand one, just send me a note asking for a new sheet.
ACADEMICS The grade 3s and 4s have been joining some of each other's Science and Health lessons, as 'Plants and Habitats' and 'Processed Foods and Nutritious Foods' are closely-related topics. After playing an outside scavenger hunt game with the grade 4s (teams with physical adaptations: bagged hands, clothes pin fingers, tape feelers, or fingerless hands, hunted paper prey camouflaged in the grass, using behavioural adaptations to succeed: for example by partnering up), the Grade 3s invited the grade 4s in learning how popcorn comes from the farm to the processing plant to our table in a delicious lesson in Health. No we didn't pop it on cob, but we learned that you can! Look at labels and discuss ingredients that are healthy (mostly natural foods) or unhealthy (artificial flavouring and colouring - often with numbers such as "red D41", certain fats, too much sugar or salt, etc. - can they even be pronounced, or even be understood for what they are?) Look for alternatives to junk food: instead of having a pop, filter some fruit in water
and add ice cubes.
In Family Life the Grade 3s have been discussing family and friends. What is extended family, what are customs, and what's in a name. Family and friends help us to be loving people. We need them. That is how God made us. Pope John Paul II described the innate vocation of every human person to love. The Grade 4s are now developing their understanding of how we love one another in relation to what they have just studied - that each person is made in the image of a loving God. At home, have a discussion about family history and customs, how family and friends support one another, especially in difficult times. Share moments when you needed love as well, and how each member takes on responsibilities, for example when the family goes through a transition (moving, loss, new baby).
The Grade 4s received their recorders and are practicing for 'belts' as done in karate by learning pieces. Remind your child to blow softly like blowing a bubble but to cover the holes tightly. We are all reviewing music quizzes which will shortly be brought home with other marked work for parents to sign in the Marked Work folder.
In Language we are learning about Explanation Texts (encyclopedias, some magazines...), but reviewing Procedural Texts and Recount Texts. Your child should be able to name their purpose, parts in order, how to read each one, and language features found in each (transition words, present tense verbs...). The test will most likely be next week. A writing assignment will follow. Show your child examples of these kinds of texts that you read (e-newspaper, manual/recipe, partial biography...).
Weekend Missions are individual tasks given to some students for the weekend. Some students will receive no missions for a few weeks, others will receive a misson two weeks in a row. For good completion of these missions, please reward your child with GP (Gold Pieces) from your ClassCraft parent account or, if unable to, write me a note saying: Mission completed. Award XP. I will reward your child in the game.
PARENTS
Remember to check off boxes in the agenda as items are completed, and to sign the agenda each day. Write me any questions you may have,leaving me space to reply in the next day's box. Ask your child what his or her goal is and remind him or her to try hard at school to follow the step to succeed with the goal. We will be revisiting and assessing students' personal goals.
CLASS
Our Class has goals too, and the class government is making suggestions for a few activities, but also about what to do about students who have significant difficulties with homework, etc. and cause ClassCraft team members to fall over and over in battle. They decided that after a certain point the student should not be able to affect the team and alternate consequences should be given (e.g. time to catch up on their own time). In order to run the game more efficiently and help with this issue, we will input -HP once a week (not daily) - THEREFORE, YOU WILL SEE A SUMMARY OF YOUR CHILD'S WEEKLY PERFORMANCE ONCE A WEEK (BY THE WEEKEND. Once a student falls in battle they will make up any extra HP lost in minutes (completing overdue homework, writing a reflection, helping with the class...) to make up for negatively affecting themselves and their teammates (eg reaching 0HP causes teammates to lose 10HP). Students will continue to support teammates so as not to let them fall in battle, but individual players will not be able to repeatedly bring all their teammates HP down because of excessive misbehaviour and missing work. FYI I was also asked by a couple of parents what the following consequences are: Skill Demonstration: students demonstrate/write about a concept or skill they have learned in school; Make a Tool: make a tool that helps classmates do work (for example, a adding ruler with evens and odds in different colours, a Go Fish game with Science concept pictures, a poster about music notes). Ask your child about ClassCraft 'events' and 'laments' if you are looking for ways to get your child to discuss what s/he does in school.
Don't forget, your child will love to see positive, encouraging notes in his or her agenda. Write me about something s/he is/should be proud of and I'll write back. You can also assign Gold Pieces for good or quick homework completion, work at home, etc. if you log on to your parent account in ClassCraft.
PLEASE NOTE: Some symbols/abbreviations being used on work are:
DIR - directions not followed
RWT - Review with teacher (for reassessment if appropriate, or just for learning)
NC - Not complete
Many symbols - mostly for editing - were sent home in September. If you and your child don't understand one, just send me a note asking for a new sheet.
ACADEMICS The grade 3s and 4s have been joining some of each other's Science and Health lessons, as 'Plants and Habitats' and 'Processed Foods and Nutritious Foods' are closely-related topics. After playing an outside scavenger hunt game with the grade 4s (teams with physical adaptations: bagged hands, clothes pin fingers, tape feelers, or fingerless hands, hunted paper prey camouflaged in the grass, using behavioural adaptations to succeed: for example by partnering up), the Grade 3s invited the grade 4s in learning how popcorn comes from the farm to the processing plant to our table in a delicious lesson in Health. No we didn't pop it on cob, but we learned that you can! Look at labels and discuss ingredients that are healthy (mostly natural foods) or unhealthy (artificial flavouring and colouring - often with numbers such as "red D41", certain fats, too much sugar or salt, etc. - can they even be pronounced, or even be understood for what they are?) Look for alternatives to junk food: instead of having a pop, filter some fruit in water
and add ice cubes.
In Family Life the Grade 3s have been discussing family and friends. What is extended family, what are customs, and what's in a name. Family and friends help us to be loving people. We need them. That is how God made us. Pope John Paul II described the innate vocation of every human person to love. The Grade 4s are now developing their understanding of how we love one another in relation to what they have just studied - that each person is made in the image of a loving God. At home, have a discussion about family history and customs, how family and friends support one another, especially in difficult times. Share moments when you needed love as well, and how each member takes on responsibilities, for example when the family goes through a transition (moving, loss, new baby).
The Grade 4s received their recorders and are practicing for 'belts' as done in karate by learning pieces. Remind your child to blow softly like blowing a bubble but to cover the holes tightly. We are all reviewing music quizzes which will shortly be brought home with other marked work for parents to sign in the Marked Work folder.
In Language we are learning about Explanation Texts (encyclopedias, some magazines...), but reviewing Procedural Texts and Recount Texts. Your child should be able to name their purpose, parts in order, how to read each one, and language features found in each (transition words, present tense verbs...). The test will most likely be next week. A writing assignment will follow. Show your child examples of these kinds of texts that you read (e-newspaper, manual/recipe, partial biography...).
Weekend Missions are individual tasks given to some students for the weekend. Some students will receive no missions for a few weeks, others will receive a misson two weeks in a row. For good completion of these missions, please reward your child with GP (Gold Pieces) from your ClassCraft parent account or, if unable to, write me a note saying: Mission completed. Award XP. I will reward your child in the game.
PARENTS
Remember to check off boxes in the agenda as items are completed, and to sign the agenda each day. Write me any questions you may have,leaving me space to reply in the next day's box. Ask your child what his or her goal is and remind him or her to try hard at school to follow the step to succeed with the goal. We will be revisiting and assessing students' personal goals.
CLASS
Our Class has goals too, and the class government is making suggestions for a few activities, but also about what to do about students who have significant difficulties with homework, etc. and cause ClassCraft team members to fall over and over in battle. They decided that after a certain point the student should not be able to affect the team and alternate consequences should be given (e.g. time to catch up on their own time). In order to run the game more efficiently and help with this issue, we will input -HP once a week (not daily) - THEREFORE, YOU WILL SEE A SUMMARY OF YOUR CHILD'S WEEKLY PERFORMANCE ONCE A WEEK (BY THE WEEKEND. Once a student falls in battle they will make up any extra HP lost in minutes (completing overdue homework, writing a reflection, helping with the class...) to make up for negatively affecting themselves and their teammates (eg reaching 0HP causes teammates to lose 10HP). Students will continue to support teammates so as not to let them fall in battle, but individual players will not be able to repeatedly bring all their teammates HP down because of excessive misbehaviour and missing work. FYI I was also asked by a couple of parents what the following consequences are: Skill Demonstration: students demonstrate/write about a concept or skill they have learned in school; Make a Tool: make a tool that helps classmates do work (for example, a adding ruler with evens and odds in different colours, a Go Fish game with Science concept pictures, a poster about music notes). Ask your child about ClassCraft 'events' and 'laments' if you are looking for ways to get your child to discuss what s/he does in school.
Don't forget, your child will love to see positive, encouraging notes in his or her agenda. Write me about something s/he is/should be proud of and I'll write back. You can also assign Gold Pieces for good or quick homework completion, work at home, etc. if you log on to your parent account in ClassCraft.
Mr . L.
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