Friday, May 31st, 2019
A highlight this week was our visit to Studio Bell! Thank you to our volunteers for supporting us in our learning. Here are some quotes from our grade 3 students on what they learned:
Upcoming next week:
- Guest Presenter from Let's Talk Science: Tuesday afternoon
- Guest Indigenous Drummer: Thursday morning
A highlight this week was our visit to Studio Bell! Thank you to our volunteers for supporting us in our learning. Here are some quotes from our grade 3 students on what they learned:
- Kimball Organ was invented for movie theaters when movies were shown in black and white
- There’s a lot of instruments connected to the Kimball Organ
- We learned about when many different instruments were made or invented and where they were invented
- Kimball Organ played the song from Harry Potter
- One of our classmates played a song called “Calm Before the Storm” on the piano there
- We learned how to play the guitar, a record player, and other instruments where we could switch the tone and pitch
- There were drums that we could play and learn about
- One of our students played “his dad’s song” on the electric guitar
- A highlight was when one of the staff at Studio Bell played on the Kimball Organ
- When our tour guide was playing the guitar was really interesting
- Kimball Organ can connect many different instruments together and be played by one person!
- New words to me were “pluck” and “struck” which described how instruments were played
- An example of a pluck instrument is the double bass
- An example of a struck instrument is the drum
- Pianos are actually a struck instrument because a little hammer hits the strings inside
- A harpsichord is a plucked instrument
- A favorite part was when we got to explore the different instruments in the classroom
- There was an incredibly large elevator that could fit our entire class and then some inside it
- Sound travels in groups to create musical tamber
Upcoming next week:
- Guest Presenter from Let's Talk Science: Tuesday afternoon
- Guest Indigenous Drummer: Thursday morning
May 26th, 2019
This week we were so lucky to have Marty Chan visit our school. Marty Chan is an award-winning author from Edmonton, Alberta. He shared some of his talent about his novels and how he comes up with his ideas. All of his stories are based on events that happened in his childhood with a twist of the imagination. We will be doing some follow up work in the classroom about how we can create original characters for engaging stories. The next time you visit the library, please be sure to look for Marty Chan’s books.
We wrote our division math quiz this past week. We will be moving into the topic of fractions next week. Thank you to those of you who were able to attend the math night and learn some strategies and activities to support math learning at home.
After our guest speaker about the life cycle of the darkling beetle, we have been observing mealworms in our classroom. Most of our creatures are in the observations of mealworms; most are currently in the larva or pupa phase. In our class, some of us observed that many of the mealworms in the pupa stage were resting, so they did not eat their food. Some of the mealworms were quite active and moved in our hands and on the paper. When some were picked up, they seemed to dance and wiggle around. Some mealworms are quite fast, and others seemed dormant.
Also in science, we have been learning about how our ears work to help us hear and balance. Here are some of the interesting things we have learned so far:
In our novel, The Tale of Despereaux, we had some interesting character developments. One to note is that the rat, Roscuro, seems to know Miggery Sow’s name without a formal introduction and wants to use her in his “grand plan of revenge”. We are about to read the fourth book in our novel called “Recalled to the Light”. Some of our predictions include (a) that all prisoners will escape from the dungeon, and that (b) Miggery Sow will somehow help with Roscuro’s revenge.
In our Ukraine study, we have learned a bit about natural resources and the industries in this country. Agriculture is one of the biggest industries; over 70% of the land in the Ukraine is used for agriculture—both a variety of crops and cows/other livestock. Minerals and metals are also prevalent in the Ukraine, so mining and metal works is another main industry. With large forests available, the timber industry is another important source of work for the people in the Ukraine.
This week we were so lucky to have Marty Chan visit our school. Marty Chan is an award-winning author from Edmonton, Alberta. He shared some of his talent about his novels and how he comes up with his ideas. All of his stories are based on events that happened in his childhood with a twist of the imagination. We will be doing some follow up work in the classroom about how we can create original characters for engaging stories. The next time you visit the library, please be sure to look for Marty Chan’s books.
We wrote our division math quiz this past week. We will be moving into the topic of fractions next week. Thank you to those of you who were able to attend the math night and learn some strategies and activities to support math learning at home.
After our guest speaker about the life cycle of the darkling beetle, we have been observing mealworms in our classroom. Most of our creatures are in the observations of mealworms; most are currently in the larva or pupa phase. In our class, some of us observed that many of the mealworms in the pupa stage were resting, so they did not eat their food. Some of the mealworms were quite active and moved in our hands and on the paper. When some were picked up, they seemed to dance and wiggle around. Some mealworms are quite fast, and others seemed dormant.
Also in science, we have been learning about how our ears work to help us hear and balance. Here are some of the interesting things we have learned so far:
- earwax is made in the outer ear and helps to clean ears by making sure dust or dirt don’t get inside
- in the middle ear, the three main bones that vibrate are called the ossicles (hammer, anvil, stirrup)
- sounds hit the eardrum, causing it to move; the movement vibrates the three tiny bones (ossicles) then the signals travel to the inner ear, and then the brain interprets the sounds
- Inside the semicircular canals, tiny hairs are moved with fluid to help you interpret positioning and balance
In our novel, The Tale of Despereaux, we had some interesting character developments. One to note is that the rat, Roscuro, seems to know Miggery Sow’s name without a formal introduction and wants to use her in his “grand plan of revenge”. We are about to read the fourth book in our novel called “Recalled to the Light”. Some of our predictions include (a) that all prisoners will escape from the dungeon, and that (b) Miggery Sow will somehow help with Roscuro’s revenge.
In our Ukraine study, we have learned a bit about natural resources and the industries in this country. Agriculture is one of the biggest industries; over 70% of the land in the Ukraine is used for agriculture—both a variety of crops and cows/other livestock. Minerals and metals are also prevalent in the Ukraine, so mining and metal works is another main industry. With large forests available, the timber industry is another important source of work for the people in the Ukraine.
Friday, April 26th, 2019
We began the week learning about the importance of Earth Day. After learning about this, some of us took initiative to help take care of our schoolyard by picking up litter. Ask your child about some of the other ways that we can help protect our earth.
We started learning about division in math; some of the division vocabulary words we are using include: dividend, quotient, and divisor. Over the next week, we will be practicing fact families and linking this knowledge to our understanding of multiplication.
We have started learning cursive writing and began with the lowercase “downcurve letters:” a, d, c, and o. Part of the reason we are practicing and learning this style of writing is because it helps us read when notes are written to us in cursive, and to help us write faster (because we have to keep our pencil on the paper for each entire word).
We began our new novel study: The Tale of Despereaux. In the first few chapters, perfidy was committed against the main character, Despereaux Tilling. You might have seen this word in the agenda this past week. If you don’t know what it means, ask your child to help you look it up in the dictionary or on www.wordcentral.com.
We reviewed expectations in the classroom, which included “When it is OK to interrupt the teacher.” Ask your child about this.
We began our new topic in science about Hearing and Sound. Over the next couple of months, we will be doing some experiments and projects related to this. We also have a field trip in about a month that will help us understand this better. Stay tuned in your emails for the date.
We did a webquest about India to learn some of the main facts about this country. We also continued talking about different homes in India—focusing on building materials, the size, what amenities were available, whether it was in an urban or rural setting, and used this information to make inferences about their quality of life.
Finally, we are the proud owners of the Golden Garbage Can Award for this week. Let’s keep our fingers crossed (and our classroom sparkling clean) that we will win again next week.
We began the week learning about the importance of Earth Day. After learning about this, some of us took initiative to help take care of our schoolyard by picking up litter. Ask your child about some of the other ways that we can help protect our earth.
We started learning about division in math; some of the division vocabulary words we are using include: dividend, quotient, and divisor. Over the next week, we will be practicing fact families and linking this knowledge to our understanding of multiplication.
We have started learning cursive writing and began with the lowercase “downcurve letters:” a, d, c, and o. Part of the reason we are practicing and learning this style of writing is because it helps us read when notes are written to us in cursive, and to help us write faster (because we have to keep our pencil on the paper for each entire word).
We began our new novel study: The Tale of Despereaux. In the first few chapters, perfidy was committed against the main character, Despereaux Tilling. You might have seen this word in the agenda this past week. If you don’t know what it means, ask your child to help you look it up in the dictionary or on www.wordcentral.com.
We reviewed expectations in the classroom, which included “When it is OK to interrupt the teacher.” Ask your child about this.
We began our new topic in science about Hearing and Sound. Over the next couple of months, we will be doing some experiments and projects related to this. We also have a field trip in about a month that will help us understand this better. Stay tuned in your emails for the date.
We did a webquest about India to learn some of the main facts about this country. We also continued talking about different homes in India—focusing on building materials, the size, what amenities were available, whether it was in an urban or rural setting, and used this information to make inferences about their quality of life.
Finally, we are the proud owners of the Golden Garbage Can Award for this week. Let’s keep our fingers crossed (and our classroom sparkling clean) that we will win again next week.
Friday, April 12, 2019
This week we have finished our story Fortunately the Milk! In this humorous story, we discovered that the father went on a crazy adventure in order to get milk for his children’s breakfast. We met aliens, vampires, pirates, volcanoes, dwarfs, dinosaur police and we dived into the space time continuum! Everyone was super engaged in the story and we are creating a movie poster advertisement for the book.
In health, we are looking at different ways to live a healthy lifestyle. We are wrapping up our mini unit on tobacco use, smoking and how this can affect our bodies. As a final task, we have created advertisements to illustrate the dangers and affects it can have and how to say “no.”
In social, we are finishing up our henna art. We have been using traditional henna art colors: red, green, brown, black and orange. We are continuing our unit in India and have begun to look into the different housing in India. For example, we looked at a house in Goa, a house in the Thar Desert, and a house in Mumbai. We compared and contrasted the housing with our own housing in Calgary and inferred that people who live in a house like the one shown in Goa probably had a better quality of life than those living in the other two shown.
In science, we are continuing to learn about animal life cycles. We learned about the specific life cycles of some animals and we learned how some animals offer parental care and others do not. We looked into the male and female role when giving parental care to their young. We looked at real live examples through our planet earth and blue planet series. We looked into examples of animals that are endangered and animals that are extinct. We learned that orangutans and pandas are considered an endangered species. We have also continued to learn how to use google as a tool for school in creating our presentations.
In language arts, we continued to work on our Spring Break Instagram snapshots. We used this as a tool to expand a memory. We continued to work on and develop our “show, don’t tell” paragraphs. As the weeks continue, we are further developing our language skills with new spelling and word patterns.
In math, we have practicing our multiplication for our upcoming quiz next week: April 17th. We have refreshed our memory in estimation. We completed 9 estimation challenges. Trying to discover how many items were in a jar. Estimation is a smart, realistic, and educated guess. We also learned a new game in which it helped us learn our multiplication facts.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for our next blog post!
This week we have finished our story Fortunately the Milk! In this humorous story, we discovered that the father went on a crazy adventure in order to get milk for his children’s breakfast. We met aliens, vampires, pirates, volcanoes, dwarfs, dinosaur police and we dived into the space time continuum! Everyone was super engaged in the story and we are creating a movie poster advertisement for the book.
In health, we are looking at different ways to live a healthy lifestyle. We are wrapping up our mini unit on tobacco use, smoking and how this can affect our bodies. As a final task, we have created advertisements to illustrate the dangers and affects it can have and how to say “no.”
In social, we are finishing up our henna art. We have been using traditional henna art colors: red, green, brown, black and orange. We are continuing our unit in India and have begun to look into the different housing in India. For example, we looked at a house in Goa, a house in the Thar Desert, and a house in Mumbai. We compared and contrasted the housing with our own housing in Calgary and inferred that people who live in a house like the one shown in Goa probably had a better quality of life than those living in the other two shown.
In science, we are continuing to learn about animal life cycles. We learned about the specific life cycles of some animals and we learned how some animals offer parental care and others do not. We looked into the male and female role when giving parental care to their young. We looked at real live examples through our planet earth and blue planet series. We looked into examples of animals that are endangered and animals that are extinct. We learned that orangutans and pandas are considered an endangered species. We have also continued to learn how to use google as a tool for school in creating our presentations.
In language arts, we continued to work on our Spring Break Instagram snapshots. We used this as a tool to expand a memory. We continued to work on and develop our “show, don’t tell” paragraphs. As the weeks continue, we are further developing our language skills with new spelling and word patterns.
In math, we have practicing our multiplication for our upcoming quiz next week: April 17th. We have refreshed our memory in estimation. We completed 9 estimation challenges. Trying to discover how many items were in a jar. Estimation is a smart, realistic, and educated guess. We also learned a new game in which it helped us learn our multiplication facts.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for our next blog post!
Monday, April 8th
A highlight this past week was learning about henna and its importance to Indian culture. Thank you to Ms. Irfam for leading this! We look forward to sharing our henna hand art with you later this month. Some of our learning about India included the modes of transportation (including tuktuks (also known as auto rickshaws), bullock carts, rickshaws, elephants, trains, and more)
In science, we learned that all animals have a life cycle and that each animal can be classified by its characteristics. We have begun our animal life cycle projects this week with Mr. M. As part of our learning, we have been practicing how to use google slides and learning more about the formatting of a powerpoint presentation.
Last week we began our litter-less lunch initiative—sending all lunch items home. Thank you for your support in this and for being mindful in packing reusable items. Connected to healthy living, we will begin our project to showcase our learning about tobacco use next week.
We continue to grow as writers and have been practicing the skill of “show don’t tell.” Through our Instagram Planner about spring break, we practiced “exploding a moment” with this method of writing.
“Fortunately the Milk” is our new novel read aloud. It is a humorous story about how one dad ventures out to buy milk from the store and goes through a crazy adventure on his journey home. Don’t forget to ask your child about it.
Reminder: we have a math quiz on multiplication (up to the 5 times tables) on April 17th. Please try to practice these facts daily.
A highlight this past week was learning about henna and its importance to Indian culture. Thank you to Ms. Irfam for leading this! We look forward to sharing our henna hand art with you later this month. Some of our learning about India included the modes of transportation (including tuktuks (also known as auto rickshaws), bullock carts, rickshaws, elephants, trains, and more)
In science, we learned that all animals have a life cycle and that each animal can be classified by its characteristics. We have begun our animal life cycle projects this week with Mr. M. As part of our learning, we have been practicing how to use google slides and learning more about the formatting of a powerpoint presentation.
Last week we began our litter-less lunch initiative—sending all lunch items home. Thank you for your support in this and for being mindful in packing reusable items. Connected to healthy living, we will begin our project to showcase our learning about tobacco use next week.
We continue to grow as writers and have been practicing the skill of “show don’t tell.” Through our Instagram Planner about spring break, we practiced “exploding a moment” with this method of writing.
“Fortunately the Milk” is our new novel read aloud. It is a humorous story about how one dad ventures out to buy milk from the store and goes through a crazy adventure on his journey home. Don’t forget to ask your child about it.
Reminder: we have a math quiz on multiplication (up to the 5 times tables) on April 17th. Please try to practice these facts daily.
Thursday, March 21st, 2019
We did a lunch audit and discovered that many of us use reusable containers, but we still produce some garbage. Starting April 1st, we will begin litter-less lunch time. Please see the school website for more information.
We’ve been practicing our multiplication facts in many ways and are excited to share one of the games “The Longest Line” with you at conferences tonight and tomorrow.
We have been checking and practicing in our writing that Capital Letters are used properly. A helpful way to remember this is M.I.N.T.S (months, I, names, titles, and sentence beginnings).
Some of the learning connected to Communities around the World has been around the natural regions of India and the modes of transportation. An interesting mode of transportation that we don’t have in Calgary is the auto rickshaw (also known as the tuk-tuk).
We have been working on making our writing more exciting for our readers. One of the ways that we have been doing this is by “showing, not telling.” We can’t wait to share this with you.
After finishing up our novel “The One and Only Ivan,” we spent some time preparing a comic strip to showcase Ivan’s life. This was helpful for us to connect make connections in the story and to practice our sketching skills.
Don’t forget that school resumes on Monday, April 1st. Enjoy your spring break!!
We did a lunch audit and discovered that many of us use reusable containers, but we still produce some garbage. Starting April 1st, we will begin litter-less lunch time. Please see the school website for more information.
We’ve been practicing our multiplication facts in many ways and are excited to share one of the games “The Longest Line” with you at conferences tonight and tomorrow.
We have been checking and practicing in our writing that Capital Letters are used properly. A helpful way to remember this is M.I.N.T.S (months, I, names, titles, and sentence beginnings).
Some of the learning connected to Communities around the World has been around the natural regions of India and the modes of transportation. An interesting mode of transportation that we don’t have in Calgary is the auto rickshaw (also known as the tuk-tuk).
We have been working on making our writing more exciting for our readers. One of the ways that we have been doing this is by “showing, not telling.” We can’t wait to share this with you.
After finishing up our novel “The One and Only Ivan,” we spent some time preparing a comic strip to showcase Ivan’s life. This was helpful for us to connect make connections in the story and to practice our sketching skills.
Don’t forget that school resumes on Monday, April 1st. Enjoy your spring break!!
March 9th, 2019
After many long, productive hours, we have finished our cardboard bridge building challenge. It has been incredible watching the students take such pride and care to create and test their products. We look forward to sharing these with you during our student led conferences in a few weeks.
In math, we have wrapped up our addition and subtraction units and have moved on to perimeter and algebra. Students realized that these topics "weren't as scary as they thought" (quote: a grade 3 student).
We are nearly finished our Novel Study on "The One and Only Ivan." We have started learning more about effective uses of adjectives and how they can be used to enhance our writing. Moving forward, we will be practicing how to "show not tell" in our writing.
After many long, productive hours, we have finished our cardboard bridge building challenge. It has been incredible watching the students take such pride and care to create and test their products. We look forward to sharing these with you during our student led conferences in a few weeks.
In math, we have wrapped up our addition and subtraction units and have moved on to perimeter and algebra. Students realized that these topics "weren't as scary as they thought" (quote: a grade 3 student).
We are nearly finished our Novel Study on "The One and Only Ivan." We have started learning more about effective uses of adjectives and how they can be used to enhance our writing. Moving forward, we will be practicing how to "show not tell" in our writing.
February 23rd, 2019
I hope the extended break was restful for your families! What a great week we had in grade 3!!
We continue learning and practicing perimeter using a variety of standard units. We have been working hard on building our group bridges this week and have been discovering why working together as a team is so critical to this process. It has been really neat watching some leaders emerge in different circumstances throughout this process.
Connected to personal health, we have continued our discussion and learning around tobacco use, and will be learning more about bullying and Canada’s Food Guide over the next few weeks. Don’t forget that on Wednesday, February 27th is Pink Shirt Day to raise awareness of bullying and friendship.
We began learning about India this week and are excited to see the many unique characteristics and ways of life that this country has to offer.
Important Notes:
I hope the extended break was restful for your families! What a great week we had in grade 3!!
We continue learning and practicing perimeter using a variety of standard units. We have been working hard on building our group bridges this week and have been discovering why working together as a team is so critical to this process. It has been really neat watching some leaders emerge in different circumstances throughout this process.
Connected to personal health, we have continued our discussion and learning around tobacco use, and will be learning more about bullying and Canada’s Food Guide over the next few weeks. Don’t forget that on Wednesday, February 27th is Pink Shirt Day to raise awareness of bullying and friendship.
We began learning about India this week and are excited to see the many unique characteristics and ways of life that this country has to offer.
Important Notes:
- Please return your child’s Food Diary this week (Wednesday)
- Wear pink for Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, February 27th
- P.D. Day Friday March 1st (no school for students)
Tuesday, February 12th, 2019
Don’t forget this week is a short week: There is no school on Thursday and Friday for Teacher’s Convention and no school on Monday in celebration of Family Day. Let’s hope that the weather warms up enough to enjoy some family time outdoors!!
This week we started talking about the effects of tobacco on the body. We had a great class discussion about how this impacts some of the people we love and why this is an important topic to learn about before peer influences are present. I hope that you can continue this discussion at home as we continue to learn more about ways to keep our bodies healthy. This is aligned with the Personal Health outcomes for the Wellness Choices in the Health Program of Studies (Students will make responsible and informed choices to maintain health and to promote safety for self and others). Here is a link to a short video we used as part of our learning and discussion: https://bit.ly/2BewLDg
Tomorrow (Wednesday), we will be sending home a food diary. Please help your child keep track of food & drinks for the next week. We will be using this to start our discussion about Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating which has recently changed. This topic is also aligned with the Personal Health outcomes for the Wellness Choices in the Health Program of Studies.
Thank you for your continued support of your child's learning!
Don’t forget this week is a short week: There is no school on Thursday and Friday for Teacher’s Convention and no school on Monday in celebration of Family Day. Let’s hope that the weather warms up enough to enjoy some family time outdoors!!
This week we started talking about the effects of tobacco on the body. We had a great class discussion about how this impacts some of the people we love and why this is an important topic to learn about before peer influences are present. I hope that you can continue this discussion at home as we continue to learn more about ways to keep our bodies healthy. This is aligned with the Personal Health outcomes for the Wellness Choices in the Health Program of Studies (Students will make responsible and informed choices to maintain health and to promote safety for self and others). Here is a link to a short video we used as part of our learning and discussion: https://bit.ly/2BewLDg
Tomorrow (Wednesday), we will be sending home a food diary. Please help your child keep track of food & drinks for the next week. We will be using this to start our discussion about Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating which has recently changed. This topic is also aligned with the Personal Health outcomes for the Wellness Choices in the Health Program of Studies.
Thank you for your continued support of your child's learning!
February 8, 2019
Thank you to all of the families who made it out on such a cold day to partake in our first annual Literacy Night! It was really great to see how much fun everyone had playing with each other and learning how to engage with literacy skills in different ways.
This week in math, we finished our subtraction unit and wrote our math test (subtraction with regrouping two digit and three-digit subtraction). We used Jeopardy again to develop our teamwork skills and to review for our math test. Once completed, we began our new unit about perimeter. We looked at what ‘perimeter’ means; Perimeter is the edges, the sides of a polygon (all shapes with straight sides), and the outside border of a polygon.
In social and art, we continued to learn about Peru. We delved further into learning about at the importance of Llamas. For example, we learned that llamas can carry goods on their back and they are considered a pack animal. Connected to this, we learned how to draw llamas and developed our ‘sketching’ skills. By using your pencil and pressing very lightly on the page you can create a sketch. We learned how to use oil and soft pastels. The soft pastels are good for coloring, fading and blending. The oil pastels are a brighter color and are more vibrant. Oil pastels are great for combining with water-based paint because the oil can resist it.
In health, we learned more about our brain this week as we continued to learn about growth mindset. A growth mindset is shown in different ways that help grow and develop your brain. It can be used as a way to connect and fire neurons in your brain. We learned and looked into different strategies that can help calm ourselves downif we are stressed or worked up. On simple strategy, we looked at was taking a deep breath when we feel overwhelmed or frustrated. We shared our favorite snacks, songs, activities, what makes us laugh, and what we want to learn in school. We put these thoughts up on display to share with others in our school.
Finally, in science, we are learning how to apply different tests on different materials (popsicle sticks, paper clips, cardboard, and plastic straws) in different ways. We learned about weight, bend, and tear tests. We also learned how to create and design our own fair test. We are going to use this knowledge moving forward with our bridge construction over the next few weeks!
Tune in next week for our next blog post!
Thank you to all of the families who made it out on such a cold day to partake in our first annual Literacy Night! It was really great to see how much fun everyone had playing with each other and learning how to engage with literacy skills in different ways.
This week in math, we finished our subtraction unit and wrote our math test (subtraction with regrouping two digit and three-digit subtraction). We used Jeopardy again to develop our teamwork skills and to review for our math test. Once completed, we began our new unit about perimeter. We looked at what ‘perimeter’ means; Perimeter is the edges, the sides of a polygon (all shapes with straight sides), and the outside border of a polygon.
In social and art, we continued to learn about Peru. We delved further into learning about at the importance of Llamas. For example, we learned that llamas can carry goods on their back and they are considered a pack animal. Connected to this, we learned how to draw llamas and developed our ‘sketching’ skills. By using your pencil and pressing very lightly on the page you can create a sketch. We learned how to use oil and soft pastels. The soft pastels are good for coloring, fading and blending. The oil pastels are a brighter color and are more vibrant. Oil pastels are great for combining with water-based paint because the oil can resist it.
In health, we learned more about our brain this week as we continued to learn about growth mindset. A growth mindset is shown in different ways that help grow and develop your brain. It can be used as a way to connect and fire neurons in your brain. We learned and looked into different strategies that can help calm ourselves downif we are stressed or worked up. On simple strategy, we looked at was taking a deep breath when we feel overwhelmed or frustrated. We shared our favorite snacks, songs, activities, what makes us laugh, and what we want to learn in school. We put these thoughts up on display to share with others in our school.
Finally, in science, we are learning how to apply different tests on different materials (popsicle sticks, paper clips, cardboard, and plastic straws) in different ways. We learned about weight, bend, and tear tests. We also learned how to create and design our own fair test. We are going to use this knowledge moving forward with our bridge construction over the next few weeks!
Tune in next week for our next blog post!
January 31, 2019
Enjoy your extra long weekend. Don’t forget: no school tomorrow (Friday, February 1st)
*A note from Mrs. Smith:
Please encourage your child to practice their recorder. Our short classes do not allow sufficient time for practicing of new skills that are taught. As little as five minutes a day can have a very positive impact on student progress! As we continue to work on recorder, students who are practicing are coming prepared to learn new skills and students who don't are becoming frustrated when they aren't able to keep up. The only way to remember note names, notes on the staff, and fingering positions, is through repeated exposure during practice. The recorder can be a beautiful and rewarding instrument to play if sufficient time is given to practicing!
Thank you for your support!
Any questions? Contact me at [email protected]
Looking forward to seeing all of you next week for our First Annual Literacy Night from 6:30-8:00 pm. Please see the flyer in your child’s agenda for more information.
January 25, 2019
This week in math class, We played two different versions of Jeopardy this week. We did one before our math quiz to warm up our brains and review what we have learned. Then the next day we wrote our 2-digit subtraction with regrouping mini quiz! After the quiz was complete We began to learn how to do 3-digit subtraction questions with regrouping. We did 3-digit jeopardy as an introduction to subtracting 3-digit numbers.
In science, we finished our pencil case holders. We held a show and tell showcase of all of our great science projects! We learned how to apply tests and to re-test designs in order to make our pencil case holders fit the requirements. The requirements are: It can hold at least 10 pencils, it can stand on its own, it can open and close, and our lab reports were finished. We also learned how to make structures and use those structures as containers.
In Social, we went to Ms. Williamsons class and learned about food and water in Peru. In Peru, we learned that the Peruvian people eat cow hearts and they love Ceviche which is raw fish cooked with lime or lemon juice. We learned that Peru is in a water crisis. The water is not safe to drink out of the taps. Just like in Mexico. IN order to drink the water, you have to boil the water for 1-3 minutes. We also learned about the great Llama this week! We learned that llamas don’t require as much water as other animals. We also learned that the llama is a sacred animal and was used similarly to the Buffalo in North America. Every part and aspect of the llama was put to good use.
In LA, we did our winter wishes. We were making wishes for the homeless people of Calgary. We care about people’s well-being and this week we used the winter wishes platform to learn what it would be like to be less fortunate. We looked into empathy and thinking of the quality of life for us and for other people. We went on our winter walk on Thursday morning around our neighborhood. We imagined what it would be like to be outside without our winter gear on. We imagine what it would be like if we were less fortunate and did not have a place to go. We imagined what it would be like to be stuck out in the cold every day. We wrote about it and we wrote about what we are thankful for. We are still working on our paragraph writing this week. We need a topic sentence, at least three detail sentences and a closing sentence to make a paragraph
Tune in next week for more information on our learning!
This week in math class, We played two different versions of Jeopardy this week. We did one before our math quiz to warm up our brains and review what we have learned. Then the next day we wrote our 2-digit subtraction with regrouping mini quiz! After the quiz was complete We began to learn how to do 3-digit subtraction questions with regrouping. We did 3-digit jeopardy as an introduction to subtracting 3-digit numbers.
In science, we finished our pencil case holders. We held a show and tell showcase of all of our great science projects! We learned how to apply tests and to re-test designs in order to make our pencil case holders fit the requirements. The requirements are: It can hold at least 10 pencils, it can stand on its own, it can open and close, and our lab reports were finished. We also learned how to make structures and use those structures as containers.
In Social, we went to Ms. Williamsons class and learned about food and water in Peru. In Peru, we learned that the Peruvian people eat cow hearts and they love Ceviche which is raw fish cooked with lime or lemon juice. We learned that Peru is in a water crisis. The water is not safe to drink out of the taps. Just like in Mexico. IN order to drink the water, you have to boil the water for 1-3 minutes. We also learned about the great Llama this week! We learned that llamas don’t require as much water as other animals. We also learned that the llama is a sacred animal and was used similarly to the Buffalo in North America. Every part and aspect of the llama was put to good use.
In LA, we did our winter wishes. We were making wishes for the homeless people of Calgary. We care about people’s well-being and this week we used the winter wishes platform to learn what it would be like to be less fortunate. We looked into empathy and thinking of the quality of life for us and for other people. We went on our winter walk on Thursday morning around our neighborhood. We imagined what it would be like to be outside without our winter gear on. We imagine what it would be like if we were less fortunate and did not have a place to go. We imagined what it would be like to be stuck out in the cold every day. We wrote about it and we wrote about what we are thankful for. We are still working on our paragraph writing this week. We need a topic sentence, at least three detail sentences and a closing sentence to make a paragraph
Tune in next week for more information on our learning!
January 18, 2019
Apologies parents! Our blog was up and ready on Friday, but we forgot to hit “publish”. Oops! Here’s a snapshot at our learning last week:
Dear Readers,
Back for week number two after the Christmas break. This week went by faster than the last week! We learned many wonderful and amazing new ideas and concepts! There was a big focus in social studies—focusing our learning on Peru and the natural resources found in this country. We learned that Peru’s Amazon rainforest holds 70% of Earth’s Plants and Animal species. This same rainforest also holds roughly 20% of the Earth’s oxygen due to the amount and sheer volume of trees in this area! Some of the natural resources we learned about are: Zinc, Copper, Gold and Silver. We also learned about the oil refineries in Peru. In Peru, we learned that the people love and respect Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).
In Language arts, we are learning how to write a paragraph. We learning about the three main parts of a paragraph and how to build them. Part of this learning is focused on how to write a topic sentence, how to create at least three detailed sentences, and how to write a conclusion or closing sentence! We have continued on with our novel study journey with our book: The One and Only Ivan. This week we learned a little bit of what life has been like for Ivan so far and we learned the origin story of his pal Bob, who is a dog that lives at the mall.
In Science, we are learning about different structures and the materials used in these structures. We have begun our science pencil case holders! We will be describing how we completed our pencil case holders using the scientific method. We are learning how to choose the best material for the job. We are learning how to build structures that can serve as containers. We are learning how to apply designs and test out these designs to see if they work.
In Math, we are continuing to learn about double digit subtraction with regrouping. We have gone over our three rhymes that we use to remember three different strategies to use in subtraction. This week we focused our skills in applying our skills we have learned with student support. These activities were geared towards student teaching and learning. We are preparing for our mini quiz on Tuesday January 22.
As a look ahead to next week, we have our winter wishes week at the school. There will be a big tree in the Hawksnest where students can write a wish on a paper ornament and hang it on the tree. We are encouraged to wear toques and mittens in school during the week. We are also asking for students to bring in extra pairs winter gear to donate to charity.
Apologies parents! Our blog was up and ready on Friday, but we forgot to hit “publish”. Oops! Here’s a snapshot at our learning last week:
Dear Readers,
Back for week number two after the Christmas break. This week went by faster than the last week! We learned many wonderful and amazing new ideas and concepts! There was a big focus in social studies—focusing our learning on Peru and the natural resources found in this country. We learned that Peru’s Amazon rainforest holds 70% of Earth’s Plants and Animal species. This same rainforest also holds roughly 20% of the Earth’s oxygen due to the amount and sheer volume of trees in this area! Some of the natural resources we learned about are: Zinc, Copper, Gold and Silver. We also learned about the oil refineries in Peru. In Peru, we learned that the people love and respect Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).
In Language arts, we are learning how to write a paragraph. We learning about the three main parts of a paragraph and how to build them. Part of this learning is focused on how to write a topic sentence, how to create at least three detailed sentences, and how to write a conclusion or closing sentence! We have continued on with our novel study journey with our book: The One and Only Ivan. This week we learned a little bit of what life has been like for Ivan so far and we learned the origin story of his pal Bob, who is a dog that lives at the mall.
In Science, we are learning about different structures and the materials used in these structures. We have begun our science pencil case holders! We will be describing how we completed our pencil case holders using the scientific method. We are learning how to choose the best material for the job. We are learning how to build structures that can serve as containers. We are learning how to apply designs and test out these designs to see if they work.
In Math, we are continuing to learn about double digit subtraction with regrouping. We have gone over our three rhymes that we use to remember three different strategies to use in subtraction. This week we focused our skills in applying our skills we have learned with student support. These activities were geared towards student teaching and learning. We are preparing for our mini quiz on Tuesday January 22.
As a look ahead to next week, we have our winter wishes week at the school. There will be a big tree in the Hawksnest where students can write a wish on a paper ornament and hang it on the tree. We are encouraged to wear toques and mittens in school during the week. We are also asking for students to bring in extra pairs winter gear to donate to charity.
Friday, January 11, 2019
Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope that you had a restful and peaceful break.
Scholastic Book Orders are due next Tuesday. Earn a FREE BOOK (valued $6.00 or less) when you place an ONLINE order of $30 or more!! Use the code CLIFFORD to redeem this offer. Simply search my name and the name of our school to enter an online order.
Our first week back after Christmas holidays was filled with new experiences!
Starting off this week we had new intern teacher coming to join us for the next 4 months! Mr. Mucciarone, or Mr. M as we call him, will be teaching us math, science, and doing a novel study with us. We are studying the book called “The One and Only Ivan.” We began the year working on our 2019 flap books. We looked at things we would like to do in the new year, things to make us happier in school and 9 words to describe who we want to be when we grow up.
This week in class the highlights have been studying Peru and supply and demand in social. We learned the three different regions in Peru are the Coast, Highlands, and the Amazon Rainforest. In Math class, we played math jeopardy on the first day. We are learning to do subtraction of two digit numbers with regrouping. We are also learning how to do sudoku’s (when we are done our work).
In music, we are starting recorders. One of the highlights from music was singing songs. In gym, we started the extremely fun and new unit: Gymnastics! We are working on body movements in three levels: High, Medium, and Low. As well as learning about body movements and balance! We began our cool science experiment looking at candies. We use three different kinds of liquids to see which one would dissolve the candy the best. We used Sprite, Vinegar, and Water!
Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope that you had a restful and peaceful break.
Scholastic Book Orders are due next Tuesday. Earn a FREE BOOK (valued $6.00 or less) when you place an ONLINE order of $30 or more!! Use the code CLIFFORD to redeem this offer. Simply search my name and the name of our school to enter an online order.
Our first week back after Christmas holidays was filled with new experiences!
Starting off this week we had new intern teacher coming to join us for the next 4 months! Mr. Mucciarone, or Mr. M as we call him, will be teaching us math, science, and doing a novel study with us. We are studying the book called “The One and Only Ivan.” We began the year working on our 2019 flap books. We looked at things we would like to do in the new year, things to make us happier in school and 9 words to describe who we want to be when we grow up.
This week in class the highlights have been studying Peru and supply and demand in social. We learned the three different regions in Peru are the Coast, Highlands, and the Amazon Rainforest. In Math class, we played math jeopardy on the first day. We are learning to do subtraction of two digit numbers with regrouping. We are also learning how to do sudoku’s (when we are done our work).
In music, we are starting recorders. One of the highlights from music was singing songs. In gym, we started the extremely fun and new unit: Gymnastics! We are working on body movements in three levels: High, Medium, and Low. As well as learning about body movements and balance! We began our cool science experiment looking at candies. We use three different kinds of liquids to see which one would dissolve the candy the best. We used Sprite, Vinegar, and Water!
Friday December 14, 2018
Oki. As we enter our last week of the 2018 school year, we have lots to celebrate. We were treated to an artist in residency this week: Darcy Turning Robe, a drummer and educator from the Siksika Nation. Students learned a little bit about the significance of the drum to the Blackfoot Culture and the materials used to make traditional drums. Can you hear the steady heartbeat in the lifeline of the drumming music? If you would like to see a little video of Darcy singing and playing the drum, please email me at [email protected] .
We spent some time reflecting on how our actions can affect others in a positive way. Students were challenged to think about ways that they could show kindness and brighten up a person’s day with their actions. We learned that when we show kindness to others, our hearts grow as well. Our classroom door is a reflection of some of this work.
Students have been working hard on finishing up their personalized recipe for Quality of Life and look forward to sharing this in the new year. They also spent some time publishing their Snowman Adventure stories, which we will be using in the new year to learn some simple editing skills.
Finally, we practiced our addition and mental math skills with some fun games this week. Ask me to share some of these with you over the winter break.
Upcoming events:
Oki. As we enter our last week of the 2018 school year, we have lots to celebrate. We were treated to an artist in residency this week: Darcy Turning Robe, a drummer and educator from the Siksika Nation. Students learned a little bit about the significance of the drum to the Blackfoot Culture and the materials used to make traditional drums. Can you hear the steady heartbeat in the lifeline of the drumming music? If you would like to see a little video of Darcy singing and playing the drum, please email me at [email protected] .
We spent some time reflecting on how our actions can affect others in a positive way. Students were challenged to think about ways that they could show kindness and brighten up a person’s day with their actions. We learned that when we show kindness to others, our hearts grow as well. Our classroom door is a reflection of some of this work.
Students have been working hard on finishing up their personalized recipe for Quality of Life and look forward to sharing this in the new year. They also spent some time publishing their Snowman Adventure stories, which we will be using in the new year to learn some simple editing skills.
Finally, we practiced our addition and mental math skills with some fun games this week. Ask me to share some of these with you over the winter break.
Upcoming events:
- Friday December 21st
- “Sleepy Santa” PJ day (feel free to come to school in your comfiest PJs and holiday gear)
- Caroling 9:40-10:40 am
- December 22-January 7th = Winter break
- Tuesday, January 8th = classes resume for students
Friday, November 30th, 2018
We are moving into adding and subtracting larger numbers this week. We have been applying our knowledge of mental math to equations with 3 (and even 4) digit numbers. We played an addition game with a partner using dice, that helped us practice these skills. Students had a chance to check their answers with their partner’s answers to see if the numbers matched; if they didn’t match, students had to talk out their mathematical reasoning to determine who had answered the equations correctly. Many found it helpful to “talk it out” with a partner; it was easier to see if and where a little mistake had occurred when thinking aloud.
We have been working on growth mindset and working through challenges this week. We have focused some of our learning centered around the concept of thinking about our brain as a muscle that needs exercise, and the “power of yet”. Students had a chance to think and share something that they couldn’t do “yet” but wanted to try.
Another highlight was when students were able to try building a freestanding structure using a limited amount of resources. This challenge was called "The Great Spaghetti Challenge." After some reflection time and a few days to mull it over about what worked and what didn’t, students were given a second chance to see if they could improve upon their structure.
Here are some thoughts that emerged as the re-building was happening:
Things we’ve learned:
Shapes that seemed to work:
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to return your child's reading log from November.
We are moving into adding and subtracting larger numbers this week. We have been applying our knowledge of mental math to equations with 3 (and even 4) digit numbers. We played an addition game with a partner using dice, that helped us practice these skills. Students had a chance to check their answers with their partner’s answers to see if the numbers matched; if they didn’t match, students had to talk out their mathematical reasoning to determine who had answered the equations correctly. Many found it helpful to “talk it out” with a partner; it was easier to see if and where a little mistake had occurred when thinking aloud.
We have been working on growth mindset and working through challenges this week. We have focused some of our learning centered around the concept of thinking about our brain as a muscle that needs exercise, and the “power of yet”. Students had a chance to think and share something that they couldn’t do “yet” but wanted to try.
Another highlight was when students were able to try building a freestanding structure using a limited amount of resources. This challenge was called "The Great Spaghetti Challenge." After some reflection time and a few days to mull it over about what worked and what didn’t, students were given a second chance to see if they could improve upon their structure.
Here are some thoughts that emerged as the re-building was happening:
- “we are actually working together now”
- “we are starting with a good base”
- “this time I didn’t eat a marshmallow first”
- “look: we didn’t break the spaghetti this time”
- “we are using a triangle because it uses less materials so we can make it taller”
- “we are using double spaghetti pieces because it is stronger, like when you put lumber together in doubles”
- “we can use double lines of spaghetti to make it stronger”
- “the spaghetti is breaking. We’ve reached that point again.”
- “we have a square base and triangles in the middle, then we want to stack them.”
- “yay!! (*insert audible cheers here*). We FINALLY made something stand up by itself”
- “ours is 58 cm but last time it was only 20 something cms!!”
- “We finally made something that stands!”
- “ours made it to 80cms this time!! Last time it was only 46 cms”
Things we’ve learned:
- “don’t break the spaghetti pieces”
- “last time the spaghetti pieces were gone and the marshmallows were too small. Don’t cut the marshmallows!”
- “don’t crumble up the tape”
- “Don’t lean everything to one side”
- “add extra structures to make it stand and more stabilized.”
- “don’t forget to use the tape because we didn’t use it very well last time”
Shapes that seemed to work:
- “House shapes”
- “Because you build a square and them build a pyramid on top to make it high and structurally sound”
- Triangles
- “Because they hold stuff like bridges up to help them stay up
- “Because some people say that triangles are the strongest shape in the world
- “Because people use triangles for their houses and they never fall off
- “Because they center everything into one spot
- Pyramids
- “Because they are stabilized at the bottom and can hold stuff at the top”
- “If you have a flat surface that goes up and another flat surface, pyramids will make it taller”
- “Because they are mainly a stronger shape because they are basically a bunch of triangles stuck together”
- Cubes
- “Because they are really, really stable”
- “Because you can put edges up and sideways to help it stand up freely”
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to return your child's reading log from November.
Wednesday, November 21st, 2018
This week is centered around reflecting on our classroom work, growth, and successes. A lot of effort was put into choosing some of our favorite work to showcase to you at Student-Led Conferences. We hope you enjoy celebrating our learning with us on Thursday afternoon/evening and Friday morning.
We had some very special visitors at our school on Tuesday. The Earth Rangers is "a kids’ conservation organization, dedicated to educating children and their families about biodiversity, inspiring them to adopt sustainable behaviors, and empowering them to become directly involved in protecting animals and their habitats." Please take a look at the website: Earth Rangers for more information about conservation awareness, challenges/missions, and online games. An informational postcard came home yesterday in your child's agenda pouch with this website information as well.
Don't forget that Thursday, November 21st is an early dismissal day (9:10-1:20), and Friday there is no school for students.
This week is centered around reflecting on our classroom work, growth, and successes. A lot of effort was put into choosing some of our favorite work to showcase to you at Student-Led Conferences. We hope you enjoy celebrating our learning with us on Thursday afternoon/evening and Friday morning.
We had some very special visitors at our school on Tuesday. The Earth Rangers is "a kids’ conservation organization, dedicated to educating children and their families about biodiversity, inspiring them to adopt sustainable behaviors, and empowering them to become directly involved in protecting animals and their habitats." Please take a look at the website: Earth Rangers for more information about conservation awareness, challenges/missions, and online games. An informational postcard came home yesterday in your child's agenda pouch with this website information as well.
Don't forget that Thursday, November 21st is an early dismissal day (9:10-1:20), and Friday there is no school for students.
Friday, November 16th, 2018
Thank you to our guest speaker yesterday for sharing about his job as an architect. This will launch our new science topics of building with a variety of materials and testing materials and designs. It will be interesting to see how this connects with the learning around our upcoming field trip to the Calgary Tower.
With our buddies, we practiced place value by playing a Yahtzee game. Ask me about it! In addition, we are finishing up our Rock Hound Presentations. Wow! I am amazed and proud of how much work and effort was put into these. The students are quite proud of their work; I hope you enjoy seeing them at the conferences next week.
Thank you to our guest speaker yesterday for sharing about his job as an architect. This will launch our new science topics of building with a variety of materials and testing materials and designs. It will be interesting to see how this connects with the learning around our upcoming field trip to the Calgary Tower.
With our buddies, we practiced place value by playing a Yahtzee game. Ask me about it! In addition, we are finishing up our Rock Hound Presentations. Wow! I am amazed and proud of how much work and effort was put into these. The students are quite proud of their work; I hope you enjoy seeing them at the conferences next week.
Friday, November 9th, 2018
A highlight this week included learning to use our school email address and how to access google docs. Thank you to Ms. Pearson for taking time to help our class with this!!
We continued to dig deeper into the topic of Quality of Life as we explore our bigger questions of “How do we build a better world” and “How does quality of life impact our choices and decisions?”
A week of celebration: We ended the week with a solemn Remembrance Day assembly. Leading up to this, we spent some time learning about the importance of Remembrance Day, and hope that you have a chance to celebrate with your family this weekend. Midweek (November 7th), we learned a little bit about Diwali: its importance to the Indian culture and some of the ways it is celebrated and recognized around the world. As we continue learning about communities around the world this year, we will discover other celebrations that are important to different cultures.
Thank you to all the students for their hard work in preparing their Rock Hound Projects! It has been interesting and exciting to see the variety of rocks shared with the class, and the effort that was put into describing them and classifying them.
Next week we will continue to practice addition strategies to help us solve equations with 3 digit numbers.
REMINDER: The Glenbow Museum offers FREE ADMISSION from 5pm-9pm on the first Thursday of every month. Feel free to stop by to explore their Rocks & Minerals gallery, along with all of the other exhibitions.
A highlight this week included learning to use our school email address and how to access google docs. Thank you to Ms. Pearson for taking time to help our class with this!!
We continued to dig deeper into the topic of Quality of Life as we explore our bigger questions of “How do we build a better world” and “How does quality of life impact our choices and decisions?”
A week of celebration: We ended the week with a solemn Remembrance Day assembly. Leading up to this, we spent some time learning about the importance of Remembrance Day, and hope that you have a chance to celebrate with your family this weekend. Midweek (November 7th), we learned a little bit about Diwali: its importance to the Indian culture and some of the ways it is celebrated and recognized around the world. As we continue learning about communities around the world this year, we will discover other celebrations that are important to different cultures.
Thank you to all the students for their hard work in preparing their Rock Hound Projects! It has been interesting and exciting to see the variety of rocks shared with the class, and the effort that was put into describing them and classifying them.
Next week we will continue to practice addition strategies to help us solve equations with 3 digit numbers.
REMINDER: The Glenbow Museum offers FREE ADMISSION from 5pm-9pm on the first Thursday of every month. Feel free to stop by to explore their Rocks & Minerals gallery, along with all of the other exhibitions.
Friday, November 2, 2018
Thanks for taking the time to read this post! If you are reading this, please draw a heart in your child’s agenda when you sign it. I hope you enjoyed the buddy art we did this week in the “collage style” of Picasso. Did you see it in your child’s backpack?
This week we have been incredibly busy! We spent some time practicing addition and recording the math strategies used (how to solve addition questions in different ways). We had a chance to share how we solved these equations as a whole group.
We also spent some time learning how to write like a scientist when observing our crystals; for example: labelling a diagram, sketching what we see, and describing our observations. This was connected to some of the art that we started this week, where we were practicing drawing what we see while looking at a pumpkin. We can’t wait to show you the final project!
Some of the new skills we practiced this week include typing practice (see the link in resources section), and how to use eLibrary. Part of the typing practice will be used to finish our Travel Log for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, which we are excited to show you during our student led conferences.
One last piece that we have worked on is Quality of Life from the perspective of children in different communities. What factors influence quality of life? What is considered a good quality of life? Who decides this? We will continue to explore this topic over the next several weeks.
Enjoy your weekend!
Important Dates to note:
Student Led Conferences: Thursday November 22nd & Friday November 23rd
Thanks for taking the time to read this post! If you are reading this, please draw a heart in your child’s agenda when you sign it. I hope you enjoyed the buddy art we did this week in the “collage style” of Picasso. Did you see it in your child’s backpack?
This week we have been incredibly busy! We spent some time practicing addition and recording the math strategies used (how to solve addition questions in different ways). We had a chance to share how we solved these equations as a whole group.
We also spent some time learning how to write like a scientist when observing our crystals; for example: labelling a diagram, sketching what we see, and describing our observations. This was connected to some of the art that we started this week, where we were practicing drawing what we see while looking at a pumpkin. We can’t wait to show you the final project!
Some of the new skills we practiced this week include typing practice (see the link in resources section), and how to use eLibrary. Part of the typing practice will be used to finish our Travel Log for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, which we are excited to show you during our student led conferences.
One last piece that we have worked on is Quality of Life from the perspective of children in different communities. What factors influence quality of life? What is considered a good quality of life? Who decides this? We will continue to explore this topic over the next several weeks.
Enjoy your weekend!
Important Dates to note:
Student Led Conferences: Thursday November 22nd & Friday November 23rd
Friday, October 26th
Thank you to everyone who is making the effort to read our weekly blog. Normally we update the blog towards the end of the week. If you check it on Saturday or Sunday, you can almost be guaranteed to see the new one. If you are reading this, please write ABC in the agenda.
Mark your calendar: Calgary Tower field trip has been booked. Our CVC will be in contact with you closer to the date to coordinate volunteers.
Monday December 10th: Mrs. Cambell and Mrs. Tran’s classes
Tuesday, December 11th: Mrs. Spelay & Mrs. Williamson’s classes
One of the highlights this week has been the startup of literacy centers. We have been working on writing, word work, reading groups, and listening to reading. You can support this work at home by asking students about what they have been reading in class and how they have been practicing their spelling patterns weekly.
Another highlight has been crystal making. We spent some time learning about how crystals are formed, and then tried the process ourselves. We will be observing them over the next week. Connected to this, students had a chance to record the step by step instructions of how to make a crystal, including materials needed, equipment needed, and the list of detailed instructions.
Stay tuned for information about Halloween in the agenda next week.
Thank you to everyone who is making the effort to read our weekly blog. Normally we update the blog towards the end of the week. If you check it on Saturday or Sunday, you can almost be guaranteed to see the new one. If you are reading this, please write ABC in the agenda.
Mark your calendar: Calgary Tower field trip has been booked. Our CVC will be in contact with you closer to the date to coordinate volunteers.
Monday December 10th: Mrs. Cambell and Mrs. Tran’s classes
Tuesday, December 11th: Mrs. Spelay & Mrs. Williamson’s classes
One of the highlights this week has been the startup of literacy centers. We have been working on writing, word work, reading groups, and listening to reading. You can support this work at home by asking students about what they have been reading in class and how they have been practicing their spelling patterns weekly.
Another highlight has been crystal making. We spent some time learning about how crystals are formed, and then tried the process ourselves. We will be observing them over the next week. Connected to this, students had a chance to record the step by step instructions of how to make a crystal, including materials needed, equipment needed, and the list of detailed instructions.
Stay tuned for information about Halloween in the agenda next week.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Thank you to everyone who makes the effort to read the weekly blog! If you are reading this, please draw a happy face in your child’s agenda. Upcoming this week: No school (PD Day) on Friday October 26th A highlight of our week was our Glenbow Museum Field Trip. The students had an opportunity to explore some of the galleries and make connections. They were also invited to visit the “Secret Lab” where they observed and identified rock samples as Igneous, Sedimentary, or Metamorphic based on a variety of criteria. A huge thank you to the volunteers who joined us. Without you, we could not participate in such a great off-site learning experience. We have been continuing our learning about the characteristics of communities and what is important in a “good community”, including designing an ideal community. Our next learning piece will revolve around Quality of Life. Our number work continues to focus on place value, including comparing numbers up to 1000 using greater than, less than, and equal to. |
Sunday, October 14th, 2018
Thanks for reading the blog! Please draw a rainbow with a cloud in your child’s agenda to show that you’ve read this post.
Don’t forget: We are going on our field trip to the Glenbow Museum on Monday. Please send a bagged lunch and a water bottle with your child. We have learned lots of new information and vocabulary about the rock cycle and properties of rocks and minerals in preparation for this trip. Make sure to ask your child about it.
We beat our fundraising goal for the Terry Fox Run, resulting in a new look for Mr. Janzic and Mr. Lang. Thanks for sending in your Toonies for Terry and supporting this worthy cause!
We’ve been experimenting with different flexible seating options in the classroom. Make sure to ask your child where they work best as a learner in our grade 3 classroom.
Thanks for reading the blog! Please draw a rainbow with a cloud in your child’s agenda to show that you’ve read this post.
Don’t forget: We are going on our field trip to the Glenbow Museum on Monday. Please send a bagged lunch and a water bottle with your child. We have learned lots of new information and vocabulary about the rock cycle and properties of rocks and minerals in preparation for this trip. Make sure to ask your child about it.
We beat our fundraising goal for the Terry Fox Run, resulting in a new look for Mr. Janzic and Mr. Lang. Thanks for sending in your Toonies for Terry and supporting this worthy cause!
We’ve been experimenting with different flexible seating options in the classroom. Make sure to ask your child where they work best as a learner in our grade 3 classroom.
Friday, October 5th, 2018
UPCOMING: Glenbow Field Trip on Monday, October 15th. 4 volunteers are needed. CBE volunteers need a valid police clearance in order to join us on any trips. Please phone the office to ensure yours is up to date.
We ended our week with a whole-school Thanksgiving assembly. It was a great reminder to all of us to slow down and appreciate the many good things in our lives. This week we were treated to a story read by Mr. Lang, “Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message” and a story read by Mr. MacDonald, “The Secret of Saying Thanks.” The last book ended with the lines, “we don’t give thanks because we are happy; we are happy because we give thanks.” Thank you for this lovely reminder as we enter into our long weekend. School resumes on Tuesday, October 9th.
A highlight this week to solidify our learning of the three types of rocks was our “Crayon Sediment Rock Lab.” We acted out the formation of rocks using heat and pressure, then watched how these forces helped to form different types of rocks using crayon "sediments." We also learned about the layers of the earth and how volcanoes and mountains are formed.
We began our learning around Number sense; more specifically looking at representing big numbers (0-1000) in a variety of ways. We will continue to work with number and number sense over the next few months.
Orange Shirt day was recognized on Monday. Thank you to all who remembered to wear an orange shirt! We took some time to learn about the Residential Schools in Canada and how it affected our indigenous peoples. It was fitting that this learning coincided with our discussion about Global Citizenship and how each of us connects within our communities and around the world.
Lastly, you may have heard about Edward. He is the main character of our newest novel study, “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.” We have been tracking his journey as we read, and are looking forward to creating a travel log of his adventures over the next few weeks.
If you're walking by our exterior classroom windows over the next few weeks, please take a peek at the work we did with our buddies.
Have a great long weekend!
Friday, September 28, 2018
Orange Shirt Day is Monday, October 1st. Please visit our Hawkwood School website for more information about this important event.
Lots of excitement this week with a chilly snowfall, the Terry Fox Run, photo day, and our first fun lunch. We finished our Novel “Because of Winn Dixie” and look forward to seeing the Brown Bag Character Trait projects that the students are working on. Don’t forget these are due October 10th.
We will have a short quiz on measurement next week, and then will begin to learn number sense.
Upcoming over the next little while will be a focus on Global Citizenship and Quality of Life.
Enjoy your weekend!!
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Don’t Forget: Thursday, September 20th: Meet the Teacher Night begins in the compound at 5:30pm with a hotdog BBQ, followed by two identical 30 minute sessions of “Meet the Teacher” presentations in your child’s classroom (6:30pm and 7:00pm). We hope to see you there.
Also Note: No school on Friday, September 21st (PD Day for teachers only).
What a busy week so far, and we are only halfway through! Grade three is such an exciting year. We learned a bit about how our brain works, and a strategy to calm ourselves down if we feel anxious. We began our weekly spelling lessons, and practiced our detective skills locating words in the dictionary and listing words in alphabetical order. This was definitely a highlight for us!
We are very curious about Rocks & Minerals and continue to fill our bulletin board space with questions and wonderings. We learned about how sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks are formed and are eager to know more about their characteristics. We have talked about landforms around the world, and located the 7 continents on a map. The connections between social studies and science are evident in our learning about land formations.
In math, we continue to focus our learning on measurement; more specifically, we have been practicing using a ruler to measure the length of objects (in cm) , and a calendar to show the passage of time.
We look forward to learning about the rock cycle and finding new connections between landforms and quality of life over the next few weeks.
Don’t Forget: Thursday, September 20th: Meet the Teacher Night begins in the compound at 5:30pm with a hotdog BBQ, followed by two identical 30 minute sessions of “Meet the Teacher” presentations in your child’s classroom (6:30pm and 7:00pm). We hope to see you there.
Also Note: No school on Friday, September 21st (PD Day for teachers only).
What a busy week so far, and we are only halfway through! Grade three is such an exciting year. We learned a bit about how our brain works, and a strategy to calm ourselves down if we feel anxious. We began our weekly spelling lessons, and practiced our detective skills locating words in the dictionary and listing words in alphabetical order. This was definitely a highlight for us!
We are very curious about Rocks & Minerals and continue to fill our bulletin board space with questions and wonderings. We learned about how sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks are formed and are eager to know more about their characteristics. We have talked about landforms around the world, and located the 7 continents on a map. The connections between social studies and science are evident in our learning about land formations.
In math, we continue to focus our learning on measurement; more specifically, we have been practicing using a ruler to measure the length of objects (in cm) , and a calendar to show the passage of time.
We look forward to learning about the rock cycle and finding new connections between landforms and quality of life over the next few weeks.
Sunday, September 16, 2018
We have had another busy week in Grade 3C! We have started talking about and identifying story elements, such as: setting, characters, and simple plot lines. Along with this, we have been making meaningful connections to the characters in our novel, “Because of Winn Dixie.”
In math, we have been learning about standard and non-standard units of time. It was a lot of fun to time ourselves doing various activities in the classroom using a pendulum swing. We have also enjoyed playing 4 Corners in our classroom during DPA time.
We are looking forward to delving in a bit deeper into our Rocks & Minerals unit, and practicing identifying story elements more this week.
Don’t forget: “Meet the Teacher” night is on Thursday this week. Hotdogs will be served in the compound at 5:30 pm.
We have had another busy week in Grade 3C! We have started talking about and identifying story elements, such as: setting, characters, and simple plot lines. Along with this, we have been making meaningful connections to the characters in our novel, “Because of Winn Dixie.”
In math, we have been learning about standard and non-standard units of time. It was a lot of fun to time ourselves doing various activities in the classroom using a pendulum swing. We have also enjoyed playing 4 Corners in our classroom during DPA time.
We are looking forward to delving in a bit deeper into our Rocks & Minerals unit, and practicing identifying story elements more this week.
Don’t forget: “Meet the Teacher” night is on Thursday this week. Hotdogs will be served in the compound at 5:30 pm.
Friday, September 7, 2018
Welcome to grade 3! We have had quite a busy week getting to know each other. Our class motto in Grade 3 is: Students are Responsible, Respectful, and Ready to Learn. Already, students are being great role models in showing these things in the classroom.
To start the year, students had lots of fun being classroom detectives—figuring out who their new teacher was. A few highlights from the week include starting our read aloud, “Because of Winn Dixie,” participating in our first Phys. Ed. And Music classes, brainstorming “What Makes a Great Classroom,” and attending our first whole-school assembly.
We look forward to finishing our name art, starting some personal narrative writing, and dipping our toes into some math topics related to measurement and geometry next week.
Please remember to review, complete, and return the package of forms that was sent home with your child today.
Don’t forget to Save the Date for our annual “Meet the Teacher” night on Thursday, September 20th. More details can be found on the school website.
Welcome to grade 3! We have had quite a busy week getting to know each other. Our class motto in Grade 3 is: Students are Responsible, Respectful, and Ready to Learn. Already, students are being great role models in showing these things in the classroom.
To start the year, students had lots of fun being classroom detectives—figuring out who their new teacher was. A few highlights from the week include starting our read aloud, “Because of Winn Dixie,” participating in our first Phys. Ed. And Music classes, brainstorming “What Makes a Great Classroom,” and attending our first whole-school assembly.
We look forward to finishing our name art, starting some personal narrative writing, and dipping our toes into some math topics related to measurement and geometry next week.
Please remember to review, complete, and return the package of forms that was sent home with your child today.
Don’t forget to Save the Date for our annual “Meet the Teacher” night on Thursday, September 20th. More details can be found on the school website.