BRRRRRRR!! It sure has cooled off today! That wind is making recess quite chilly. Please make sure your child has the appropriate clothes for recess. Always assume that recess will be outdoors, so if it is snowing/windy/raining, please ensure that your child has all of the appropriate attire to keep warm outside (ex. warm coat, hat, scarf, mitts, lined pants, warm boots, etc). It is always easier to leave items in their locker than wish they had brought them.
Friday is going to be quite busy with the Halloween celebrations. Here is the breakdown of the day:
Block 1-3 (8:30-10:10) will be 'normal'. At 10:10, they will get ready for our class party. (Thank you to those parents bringing snacks for them!) We will watch a movie (Wall-E) and enjoy our snacks until lunch recess (11:55) at which time they will go out for recess. Lunch will begin at 12:20 but there is NO hot lunch this week. At 12:45 we will head to the gym for assembly and then walk over to Salem Manor at 1:00. Upon their return, the students will do a parade in the gym to show off their costumes so the other students/classes can see.
Stay safe this weekend! DON'T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK ON SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING!!!
Language Arts
This week we introduced 'Word Work' in our Daily 5. The students will get to use different manipulatives to explore their spelling words each week. The students are going to have a blast using 4 out of the 5 Daily 5 stations! (Note: The 5th station of Read to Someone will be introduced after Christmas holidays).
Our Phonics is just wrapping up with common words using short vowel sounds. We are jumping into long vowel sounds this week and letter blends that make the long vowel sounds.
In our Writing, the students have been working a lot with FACT vs OPINION, and what the difference between them is. We even got to take facts and use our feelings to turn them into opinions. For example: The weather gets cooler in Autumn (fact), but I do not like that the weather gets cooler (opinion).
We continue to listen to 'The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail' and the students are really getting into it! It is a novel that we are listening to as a class, and they are enjoying learning with the character.
Math
We have wrapped up our Patterns unit with a test. Thank you for taking the time with your child to work on the practice sheets that were sent home! We continue to work on math facts and this will be an ongoing practice throughout the year. Next week we will begin our 'Numbers to 100' unit.
Science
Our class is at the tail end of the Magnets unit. We are testing magnets' strength through fabrics/objects to see if they are more weak or strong. Our Magnets test will be next week Wednesday.
Social
We have wrapped up our Mapping unit and are heading on to learn about the different communities throughout Canada, specifically Meteghan (Nova Scotia), Saskatoon (Saskatchewan), and Iqaluit (Nunavut) and how those communities relate to Leduc. Throughout the year we will be discovering different qualities of these communities (people, geography, jobs, resources, etc) and comparing them to Leduc.
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Oct 21, 2015
Busy weeks are ahead!
Today and tomorrow after school we have Parent/Teacher Interviews. Thank you to those parents who signed up! I am excited to meet with you.
Important things to remember:
-picture forms are due back to school on THURSDAY OCTOBER 22, 2015. Even if you would like retakes, please send the form back.
-we will be having a dress-up day next Friday and walking through Salem Manor (Senior Center across the street). In the morning will be our class party. For those who signed up to bring items, I will send out a sign-up sheet for you to sign up (this will be sent via email).
Language Arts
We are doing Reading Comprehension every morning. The students are getting much more confident with understanding what they are reading.
Daily 5 is going really well. The students love the 3 parts we have started (read to self, listen to read, and work on writing) and we will be introducing 'Word Work' next week.
In phonics, we are developing our understanding and confidence of short vowel sounds. Next we will be working with long vowel sounds.
Our writing is developing too! We have learned about two types of writing: expository/informative and narrative. We are exploring the differences of the two types: why the author writes this way, what the story looks like, what each sentence contains, the importance of a title, etc.
Math
We have wrapped up our Patterns unit and are starting to review. There will be a test next week on Wednesday October 28.
On Monday we looked at money (specifically, coins) and what each coin is worth. We then moved on to adding money together and figuring out 'how much money is in Miss Kruse's wallet'. This is a great chance to work with your child when you go to the store or are finding money around the house. Ask your child: how much is that worth? if I had all these coins together, how much would I have?
Science
Magnets are the topic of conversation lately. The students got to test various items to see if they were magnetic or not. Items such as a pop can, juice box, eraser, pencil, paper clip, money, chalk, nails, and a twist tie were among the items. Our next experiment will be to see how many paperclips a magnet can hold. We will be talking about predictions and observations as well.
Social
We are at the tail end of our Mapping unit. Our discussion lately has been around directions (compass rose, left, right) and the continents. The students are very interested in the continents and what is on each continent (ex. variety of animals, weather, geography, etc). The conversation has even led into tectonic plates!!
Today and tomorrow after school we have Parent/Teacher Interviews. Thank you to those parents who signed up! I am excited to meet with you.
Important things to remember:
-picture forms are due back to school on THURSDAY OCTOBER 22, 2015. Even if you would like retakes, please send the form back.
-we will be having a dress-up day next Friday and walking through Salem Manor (Senior Center across the street). In the morning will be our class party. For those who signed up to bring items, I will send out a sign-up sheet for you to sign up (this will be sent via email).
Language Arts
We are doing Reading Comprehension every morning. The students are getting much more confident with understanding what they are reading.
Daily 5 is going really well. The students love the 3 parts we have started (read to self, listen to read, and work on writing) and we will be introducing 'Word Work' next week.
In phonics, we are developing our understanding and confidence of short vowel sounds. Next we will be working with long vowel sounds.
Our writing is developing too! We have learned about two types of writing: expository/informative and narrative. We are exploring the differences of the two types: why the author writes this way, what the story looks like, what each sentence contains, the importance of a title, etc.
Math
We have wrapped up our Patterns unit and are starting to review. There will be a test next week on Wednesday October 28.
On Monday we looked at money (specifically, coins) and what each coin is worth. We then moved on to adding money together and figuring out 'how much money is in Miss Kruse's wallet'. This is a great chance to work with your child when you go to the store or are finding money around the house. Ask your child: how much is that worth? if I had all these coins together, how much would I have?
Science
Magnets are the topic of conversation lately. The students got to test various items to see if they were magnetic or not. Items such as a pop can, juice box, eraser, pencil, paper clip, money, chalk, nails, and a twist tie were among the items. Our next experiment will be to see how many paperclips a magnet can hold. We will be talking about predictions and observations as well.
Social
We are at the tail end of our Mapping unit. Our discussion lately has been around directions (compass rose, left, right) and the continents. The students are very interested in the continents and what is on each continent (ex. variety of animals, weather, geography, etc). The conversation has even led into tectonic plates!!
Tuesday, 29 September 2015
September 28-October 2, 2015
Well the temperature is decreasing, the leaves are changing color, and we have officially entered the season of FALL! There is still a lot going on in the classroom and there is no slowing down!
-Club Moo (milk program) will begin next week. Information went home on Monday Sept. 28 about it. This year you can purchase milk online through Powerschool.
-Home Reading: the goal for September is 2 hours. Please fill in the Reading Log in the red duotang that was sent home. A new Reading Log for October will be sent home on Thursday October 1.
-Hot Lunch program starts on Friday.
The Terry Fox Walk went really well on Friday. We had fantastic weather and the kids had a ton of fun on their walk. They really enjoyed coming back to school for a hot dog, bag of chips, and a water. Thank you to all those who came out and helped!
This week:
Language Arts
Phonics: recognizing common words, using common words to complete sentences, short vowel words
Spelling: our spelling words this week are words that contain the short vowel o and u
Writing: Action words, splitting a sentence into two parts (subject and predicate; Who/What and a Doing/Describing)
Daily 5: We have been working on mastering "Read to Self" and "Work on Writing". We will introduce "Listen to Read" this week too. This allows kids to listen to books using iPads as a different form of reading.
Math
Patterns: practicing how to extend a pattern and predict parts of a pattern that are missing; making a pattern with a pre-determined number of parts (ex. 6 red beads, 3 red beads, and 3 green beads)
Addition/Subtraction: we are wrapping up our review unit and starting numbers that go up to 20
Science
-Identifying magnets around our school/classroom and where magnets might be used
Social
Students will be using a map to understand how to get from 'Point A' to 'Point B'.
-Club Moo (milk program) will begin next week. Information went home on Monday Sept. 28 about it. This year you can purchase milk online through Powerschool.
-Home Reading: the goal for September is 2 hours. Please fill in the Reading Log in the red duotang that was sent home. A new Reading Log for October will be sent home on Thursday October 1.
-Hot Lunch program starts on Friday.
The Terry Fox Walk went really well on Friday. We had fantastic weather and the kids had a ton of fun on their walk. They really enjoyed coming back to school for a hot dog, bag of chips, and a water. Thank you to all those who came out and helped!
This week:
Language Arts
Phonics: recognizing common words, using common words to complete sentences, short vowel words
Spelling: our spelling words this week are words that contain the short vowel o and u
Writing: Action words, splitting a sentence into two parts (subject and predicate; Who/What and a Doing/Describing)
Daily 5: We have been working on mastering "Read to Self" and "Work on Writing". We will introduce "Listen to Read" this week too. This allows kids to listen to books using iPads as a different form of reading.
Math
Patterns: practicing how to extend a pattern and predict parts of a pattern that are missing; making a pattern with a pre-determined number of parts (ex. 6 red beads, 3 red beads, and 3 green beads)
Addition/Subtraction: we are wrapping up our review unit and starting numbers that go up to 20
Science
-Identifying magnets around our school/classroom and where magnets might be used
Social
Students will be using a map to understand how to get from 'Point A' to 'Point B'.
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
September 22, 2015
Well, we are settling into our daily routines and understanding the expectations of a Grade 2 classroom. Students are coming to school less tired and more mentally ready to learn. It is wonderful to see them prepared every morning, and excited for the day ahead.
I noticed that some of the students are still suffering from a stuffy nose or sore throat. In health class, they have been discussing washing their hands, eating healthy food, staying active, and drinking lots of water. Although I have been reminding them at school, practice these things at home too! And never underestimate the power of sleep. It is super easy to be busy in the evenings or go to sleep a little later, but kids this age need 9-11 hours of sleep every night. The benefits are seen in the classroom as well.
Every Thursday we have Library. Please ensure library books are returned to school by Thursday so your child can take out new books.
This Friday we have our Terry Fox Walk/Run. If you are able to volunteer, please let me know. Also, please ensure that your child is dressed for the weather. It looks like it is supposed to be the nicest day of the week but there is a chance of rain. Make sure they are wearing the proper clothes for this walk.
LA
We have introduced the first two parts of our Daily 5 program: Read to Self and Work on Writing. When students are doing 'Read to Self' they are: choosing one spot to read and remaining there, picking a book quickly and quietly, and reading the whole time. For 'Work on Writing' the students have the ability to work on different writing types (letters, postcards, stories, lists, cards, or poems) and there are no restrictions as to a topic. The benefit to this program is that it gives the students choice, and it allows me to work individually with each child.
We continue to work on our Phonics, and this week we are working on 'short vowel a' words.
In our spelling, our words are focused on 'short vowel a' and 'short vowel i' words.
Something new for the students this year is Reading Comprehension. 2-3 times per week we read a passage and answer questions about the passage. This is a great practice for the students to get in the habit of because they are learning to focus and concentrate more on what they are reading.
Math
We will be continuing our Review of Addition/Subtraction to 10 and the beginning of our Patterns unit. They will be using manipulatives to build their own patterns as well. We have discussed what the core of a pattern is (the part that is repeated over and over) and we are now discussing attributes (qualities of the pattern; ex. blue triangle has 2 attributes: blue and triangle).
Science
We have been having a ton of fun with magnets and testing what is magnetic around our classroom and school. It was awesome watching the students test different materials to see if they were magnetic. We will continue to explore the parts of a magnet (poles), and the different styles of magnets.
Social
Our class is looking at different types of maps. One part of maps that we looked at are road signs. It really surprised me how many different types of road signs each of the students knew! This is a great activity for you to do with your kids: talk about signs as you are driving and what they mean.
I noticed that some of the students are still suffering from a stuffy nose or sore throat. In health class, they have been discussing washing their hands, eating healthy food, staying active, and drinking lots of water. Although I have been reminding them at school, practice these things at home too! And never underestimate the power of sleep. It is super easy to be busy in the evenings or go to sleep a little later, but kids this age need 9-11 hours of sleep every night. The benefits are seen in the classroom as well.
Every Thursday we have Library. Please ensure library books are returned to school by Thursday so your child can take out new books.
This Friday we have our Terry Fox Walk/Run. If you are able to volunteer, please let me know. Also, please ensure that your child is dressed for the weather. It looks like it is supposed to be the nicest day of the week but there is a chance of rain. Make sure they are wearing the proper clothes for this walk.
LA
We have introduced the first two parts of our Daily 5 program: Read to Self and Work on Writing. When students are doing 'Read to Self' they are: choosing one spot to read and remaining there, picking a book quickly and quietly, and reading the whole time. For 'Work on Writing' the students have the ability to work on different writing types (letters, postcards, stories, lists, cards, or poems) and there are no restrictions as to a topic. The benefit to this program is that it gives the students choice, and it allows me to work individually with each child.
We continue to work on our Phonics, and this week we are working on 'short vowel a' words.
In our spelling, our words are focused on 'short vowel a' and 'short vowel i' words.
Something new for the students this year is Reading Comprehension. 2-3 times per week we read a passage and answer questions about the passage. This is a great practice for the students to get in the habit of because they are learning to focus and concentrate more on what they are reading.
Math
We will be continuing our Review of Addition/Subtraction to 10 and the beginning of our Patterns unit. They will be using manipulatives to build their own patterns as well. We have discussed what the core of a pattern is (the part that is repeated over and over) and we are now discussing attributes (qualities of the pattern; ex. blue triangle has 2 attributes: blue and triangle).
Science
We have been having a ton of fun with magnets and testing what is magnetic around our classroom and school. It was awesome watching the students test different materials to see if they were magnetic. We will continue to explore the parts of a magnet (poles), and the different styles of magnets.
Social
Our class is looking at different types of maps. One part of maps that we looked at are road signs. It really surprised me how many different types of road signs each of the students knew! This is a great activity for you to do with your kids: talk about signs as you are driving and what they mean.
Friday, 11 September 2015
September 11, 2015
WOW! First of all, I would like to extend a huge WELCOME BACK to everyone. It was so exciting to see all the kids come in on that first day of school ready to learn.
Please find the spelling words and calendar in the tabs above. I have been posting pictures to Class Dojo, so feel free to check there to see what we are doing (in addition to this blog).
Other Items:
1. Please return all forms that were sent home in the past week. Some are for the office and some are for me to look at...but both are important to return ASAP.
2. Hot lunch online orders are now open. If you would like to order hot lunch for your child, please go to: http://ees.blackgold.ca/parents/hot-lunches/
We have been busy working on a multitude of items so far. Each week I will update the blog to let you know what we are working on so you can have more specific conversations with your child. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.
LA
We started our first week of spelling words. The students will write them in their agenda and dictionaries, practice with other manipulatives, but it is always helpful to practice them at home too. Spelling tests will be on the last day of every week.
Each week we will also do Reading Comprehension. This is a great practice for students to get in the habit of doing to ensure they are processing information that they are reading.
On Tuesday, I sent home the Home Reading log in a red duotang. The goal this month is 2 hours. Each month we will have a goal to reach. Students are asked to read every night (if possible). Please record the time (and other info) on the page provided. If a child is reading quietly or aloud...it counts! Even if you and your child takes turns reading, that counts as time that can be recorded.
On the first day of every week, our class will write in their Journals about what they did on the weekend, or another topic given. Sometimes students have a difficult time remembering what they did on the weekend, so for the first few months it is beneficial to talk about this (with them) on the way to school on Monday mornings.
Math
For the month of September we will be reviewing numbers/addition/subtraction/representing numbers to 10. We will also be exploring different patterns. They are discovering that patterns are found all around us. This is a great conversation piece to discuss with them when you are in the car, at the grocery store, etc as to what patterns they see.
Science
We have started to explore the power of MAGNETS! We will be looking more in depth next week as to 'what makes up a magnet' and 'why do some things stick to magnets while others don't' and other questions.
Social
Earlier this week we started looking at maps, and why maps are important. On Thursday we took a peek at a world map and all of the continents, as well as a town map, street map, and a house floor plan. Students discussed why each of these might be important, why we need maps, and why maps only have things that don't move on them (do not contain people).
Enjoy your weekend!
Please find the spelling words and calendar in the tabs above. I have been posting pictures to Class Dojo, so feel free to check there to see what we are doing (in addition to this blog).
Other Items:
1. Please return all forms that were sent home in the past week. Some are for the office and some are for me to look at...but both are important to return ASAP.
2. Hot lunch online orders are now open. If you would like to order hot lunch for your child, please go to: http://ees.blackgold.ca/parents/hot-lunches/
We have been busy working on a multitude of items so far. Each week I will update the blog to let you know what we are working on so you can have more specific conversations with your child. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.
LA
We started our first week of spelling words. The students will write them in their agenda and dictionaries, practice with other manipulatives, but it is always helpful to practice them at home too. Spelling tests will be on the last day of every week.
Each week we will also do Reading Comprehension. This is a great practice for students to get in the habit of doing to ensure they are processing information that they are reading.
On Tuesday, I sent home the Home Reading log in a red duotang. The goal this month is 2 hours. Each month we will have a goal to reach. Students are asked to read every night (if possible). Please record the time (and other info) on the page provided. If a child is reading quietly or aloud...it counts! Even if you and your child takes turns reading, that counts as time that can be recorded.
On the first day of every week, our class will write in their Journals about what they did on the weekend, or another topic given. Sometimes students have a difficult time remembering what they did on the weekend, so for the first few months it is beneficial to talk about this (with them) on the way to school on Monday mornings.
Math
For the month of September we will be reviewing numbers/addition/subtraction/representing numbers to 10. We will also be exploring different patterns. They are discovering that patterns are found all around us. This is a great conversation piece to discuss with them when you are in the car, at the grocery store, etc as to what patterns they see.
Science
We have started to explore the power of MAGNETS! We will be looking more in depth next week as to 'what makes up a magnet' and 'why do some things stick to magnets while others don't' and other questions.
Social
Earlier this week we started looking at maps, and why maps are important. On Thursday we took a peek at a world map and all of the continents, as well as a town map, street map, and a house floor plan. Students discussed why each of these might be important, why we need maps, and why maps only have things that don't move on them (do not contain people).
Enjoy your weekend!
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
May 2015
What a busy past few weeks it has been! With our field trip to Fort Edmonton Park, May Long Weekend, the hustle and bustle of District Track Meet coming up, and practicing for the Track Meet...it has been a very busy few weeks! The crazy part is that it is not going to slow down!
A few things:
-Keep an eye out for forms and information being sent home. The students will put the forms in their kanga pouch and I will try to send an email when they go home, however, best to check every night when you sign their agenda.
-With the change of weather, the students are spending more time outside (YAY!!) however they still need a good night's sleep. They are much more productive at school after a good rest.
Language Arts
We continue to work on our phonics, spelling, writing (empowering writers program and 6+1 traits), journals, story prompt writing, and reading comprehension. This week we have started our Novel Study on Charlotte's Web. The students are pretty excited!
In phonics we have been learning about: 'wr' words, digraphs (wh, ck, ch, kn, th, sh, wr, etc), 'ar' words, and 'or' words. Our next section of phonics continues on to learn about 'ir', 'er', and 'ur' words, compound words, and contractions.
Our writing unit has been encouraging the students to elaborate and add details to their writing while thinking about two important questions: What does it look like? and Why is it important?
The Empowering Writers unit will focus on: using good description words, writing convincing statements, creating a postcard, write suspenseful writing, and be introduced to acrostic poems.
Another important part to writing is varying their word choice, so they have been trying to write with different words and 'juicy' words. They have began learning about verbs (action words) and why each sentence needs to have a verb in it. Over the next few weeks, the 6+1 Traits of Writing will allow students to start looking at: using clues to figure out tough words, using their senses when writing, using details but not too many, and using different words to begin a sentence.
Math
We have finished up our 'Addition and Subtraction to 18' unit. The students have come a long way with their number facts! Keep in mind that the students cannot practice these facts enough.
The students are practicing (A LOT) their double digit addition and subtraction. Although they have been exposed to different methods of addition and subtraction, ask them to show you their favorite way. This is a great activity for you to do with them!
Science
The students have been experimenting a lot with their 'recycle items' and determining which materials float or sink, and why they float or sink. This week the students will finish up their Boats and Buoyancy unit with their final 'boat' by creating a boat that is self-propelling. The students are pretty excited to create and test their boats.
The next unit is "Small Crawling and Flying Animals".
Social
Our grade 2 class is diligently working on our Social presentations. It is a culminating project in which our class has been split into groups, research one of the three communities, and put the interesting information into a google presentation. Once completed, the Grade 2 class will present their information to the Grade 1 classes. This is quite a large project for them to work on so it will take a few weeks to work on. The presentations will take place in late June.
Tuesday, 5 May 2015
May 4-8, 2015
Happy Education Week!
There is a lot going on at East Elementary School this week to celebrate Education week.
On Monday we were visited by Ms Meyer, who led the class in Drum Fit. The students had a blast banging on the yoga balls with drum sticks and dancing to the music.
On Wednesday, I encourage all students to wear a hat (any kind of hat) for "Hats On for Mental Health" day. Last week in Assembly the students talked about what mental health is, how we can keep our mind sharp, and discussed how to changed negative thoughts into positive ones. **Please note this is also Early Dismissal Day**
A Zumba group will be coming in on Thursday to teach the students during gym. Zumba is a type of 'work out dance' to fun songs. I know the kids are going to love this activity!
Friday is a SUPER exciting day as the Grade 4-6 students will be having their Science Fair. An Assembly will kick it off in the morning and the Division 1 students will be able to check out the displays in the morning when we visit. Even I am doing a science experiment (display and presentation) for the students! Our class is very excited to see it.
Permission forms for our field trip to Fort Edmonton Park were sent home yesterday. We are going on May 19 (Tuesday after May long weekend) and the cost is $6.50. This will be an all day field trip and students are asked to bring a bag lunch. More information will be going out next week. **We are in need of volunteers, otherwise this field trip cannot happen. Please consider volunteering for this field trip.**
Language Arts
Students are wrapping up their 'Fantasy' story this week. They have been working diligently on writing an exciting story with details. Their story must include an introduction, body, and conclusion. They will be coming home on Friday, so keep an eye out for these!
In Phonics, we have wrapped up talking about words that contain digraphs (sh, th, wh, ch, ck). This week will allow us to start using words with silent letters (wr, kn, etc). It is great practice at home for kids to see common items and attempt to spell them aloud.
Our spelling this week is a review of the past five weeks.
In our 6+1 Traits of Writing we have been working on including voice in our writing, and how Authors add voice to their own writing. We have just started discussing adjectives and what the purpose of adjectives are in writing (add detail).
Math
Students are absolutely loving adding double digit numbers! They understand the need to add the 'ones columns' first then the 'tens column'. They love to 'carry the one' because it FLIES up to the top and joins the other 'tens' number. Have no idea what I mean?? Ask your child! They are getting pretty good at it!
Adding and Subtracting to 18 is almost over, but it is a skill they will be working on for the rest of the year. They are getting lots of practice using these numbers and committing them to memory, however the extra practice at home is always beneficial. The goal for the year is to have addition and subtraction facts to 12 committed to memory. They are to be mental math facts that can be recalled within a moment...I always say 'less than 1 second' without using any fingers, counting, manipulatives, or any help.
Science
Wednesday is the day! They are testing their items in the water table to see if they float or sink. They will start building their boats next week.
Social
The final culminating project is underway! The students have been split into 6 groups (some of 3 and some of 4). Each group has a community (Iqaluit, Meteghan, or Saskatoon) to study, become experts in, and create a presentation. They will present this at the middle of June to the Grade 1 classes. They are very excited! The best part is that the students can present their project in any way (poster, brochure, powerpoint, etc). Don't worry...all of the work will be done at school. They are very excited to research, discuss, and present their information.
There is a lot going on at East Elementary School this week to celebrate Education week.
On Monday we were visited by Ms Meyer, who led the class in Drum Fit. The students had a blast banging on the yoga balls with drum sticks and dancing to the music.
On Wednesday, I encourage all students to wear a hat (any kind of hat) for "Hats On for Mental Health" day. Last week in Assembly the students talked about what mental health is, how we can keep our mind sharp, and discussed how to changed negative thoughts into positive ones. **Please note this is also Early Dismissal Day**
A Zumba group will be coming in on Thursday to teach the students during gym. Zumba is a type of 'work out dance' to fun songs. I know the kids are going to love this activity!
Friday is a SUPER exciting day as the Grade 4-6 students will be having their Science Fair. An Assembly will kick it off in the morning and the Division 1 students will be able to check out the displays in the morning when we visit. Even I am doing a science experiment (display and presentation) for the students! Our class is very excited to see it.
Permission forms for our field trip to Fort Edmonton Park were sent home yesterday. We are going on May 19 (Tuesday after May long weekend) and the cost is $6.50. This will be an all day field trip and students are asked to bring a bag lunch. More information will be going out next week. **We are in need of volunteers, otherwise this field trip cannot happen. Please consider volunteering for this field trip.**
Language Arts
Students are wrapping up their 'Fantasy' story this week. They have been working diligently on writing an exciting story with details. Their story must include an introduction, body, and conclusion. They will be coming home on Friday, so keep an eye out for these!
In Phonics, we have wrapped up talking about words that contain digraphs (sh, th, wh, ch, ck). This week will allow us to start using words with silent letters (wr, kn, etc). It is great practice at home for kids to see common items and attempt to spell them aloud.
Our spelling this week is a review of the past five weeks.
In our 6+1 Traits of Writing we have been working on including voice in our writing, and how Authors add voice to their own writing. We have just started discussing adjectives and what the purpose of adjectives are in writing (add detail).
Math
Students are absolutely loving adding double digit numbers! They understand the need to add the 'ones columns' first then the 'tens column'. They love to 'carry the one' because it FLIES up to the top and joins the other 'tens' number. Have no idea what I mean?? Ask your child! They are getting pretty good at it!
Adding and Subtracting to 18 is almost over, but it is a skill they will be working on for the rest of the year. They are getting lots of practice using these numbers and committing them to memory, however the extra practice at home is always beneficial. The goal for the year is to have addition and subtraction facts to 12 committed to memory. They are to be mental math facts that can be recalled within a moment...I always say 'less than 1 second' without using any fingers, counting, manipulatives, or any help.
Science
Wednesday is the day! They are testing their items in the water table to see if they float or sink. They will start building their boats next week.
Social
The final culminating project is underway! The students have been split into 6 groups (some of 3 and some of 4). Each group has a community (Iqaluit, Meteghan, or Saskatoon) to study, become experts in, and create a presentation. They will present this at the middle of June to the Grade 1 classes. They are very excited! The best part is that the students can present their project in any way (poster, brochure, powerpoint, etc). Don't worry...all of the work will be done at school. They are very excited to research, discuss, and present their information.
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