Friday, June 21st, 2019.
Students created and decorated Tunisian doors following their investigation of culture, clothing, language, religion, industry and more in this final county of study. Students reflected upon and recorded their "thoughts, wonders, and questions" in response to reviewing facts and artifacts (e.g., literature, books, maps and more) about Tunisia. Currently, students are continuing to delve deeper into their study of Tunisia by creating an informational brochure. We will continue this work on Monday. Students also learned more about this country's language, religion and customs from Mrs. Irfan, our lovely educational aid. Thank-you so much, Mrs. Irfan, for your great presentation!
On Monday, Grade 3 classes will be pinching and sampling Ukrainian dumplings (varenyky) in the afternoon. The dumpling is a type of food common in so many different cultures and something that most of our students have related to throughout our learning journey. Please pack a labelled container and/or a paper plate with a fork or spoon for your child to use on Monday.
Students created and decorated Tunisian doors following their investigation of culture, clothing, language, religion, industry and more in this final county of study. Students reflected upon and recorded their "thoughts, wonders, and questions" in response to reviewing facts and artifacts (e.g., literature, books, maps and more) about Tunisia. Currently, students are continuing to delve deeper into their study of Tunisia by creating an informational brochure. We will continue this work on Monday. Students also learned more about this country's language, religion and customs from Mrs. Irfan, our lovely educational aid. Thank-you so much, Mrs. Irfan, for your great presentation!
On Monday, Grade 3 classes will be pinching and sampling Ukrainian dumplings (varenyky) in the afternoon. The dumpling is a type of food common in so many different cultures and something that most of our students have related to throughout our learning journey. Please pack a labelled container and/or a paper plate with a fork or spoon for your child to use on Monday.
Friday, June 14th, 2019.
Grade 3 is going out with a bang! Students decorated and displayed a banner to celebrate the countdown until summer vacation starts. Students are taking turns popping a balloon each day and finding a fun prize on the inside. Some of the best prizes so far have been “two minutes of compliments”, “three minutes of chatting” and “four minutes of multiplying by fours”.
Also exciting this week: Students had an opportunity to experience the engaging Littlebits and the Invention Cycle program in-class through Minds in Motion at the University of Calgary! Students worked together to create a fully functional circuit and presented their products as a team to the entire class. The program coordinators commented on the children’s creativity and teamwork in the making of their collaborative inventions. Way to go!
Students have been busy writing their own books called “Something You Should Know About…” Students used online dictionaries and thesauruses to search for synonyms as alternative choices to common words and phrases and selected “just right” words to use in their writing. Please ask your child to share his or her personalized booklet with your family on Sunday, June 16thor sometime this weekend to celebrate the special-somebody in your family!
Students also used tally marks to collect data and construct bar graphs using connector cubes in order to show the number of bus riders, bikers, car riders and walkers to school. Students were asked to study their bar graphs in order to answer questions such as: “What is the difference between the number of bus riders and car riders to school? What operation did you use to solve the problem and why?” and “What is the total number of students on the graph? How do you know?”
Next week, students will continue to study Tunisia by talking more about the Tunisian “dinar”, language, and religion. Students will also explore and analyze Tunisian architecture and artifacts. Ask your child about the symbolism of Tunisian doorways and their big, bright and beautiful colours!
I cannot wait to see students back next week!!
Ms. Spelay
Grade 3 is going out with a bang! Students decorated and displayed a banner to celebrate the countdown until summer vacation starts. Students are taking turns popping a balloon each day and finding a fun prize on the inside. Some of the best prizes so far have been “two minutes of compliments”, “three minutes of chatting” and “four minutes of multiplying by fours”.
Also exciting this week: Students had an opportunity to experience the engaging Littlebits and the Invention Cycle program in-class through Minds in Motion at the University of Calgary! Students worked together to create a fully functional circuit and presented their products as a team to the entire class. The program coordinators commented on the children’s creativity and teamwork in the making of their collaborative inventions. Way to go!
Students have been busy writing their own books called “Something You Should Know About…” Students used online dictionaries and thesauruses to search for synonyms as alternative choices to common words and phrases and selected “just right” words to use in their writing. Please ask your child to share his or her personalized booklet with your family on Sunday, June 16thor sometime this weekend to celebrate the special-somebody in your family!
Students also used tally marks to collect data and construct bar graphs using connector cubes in order to show the number of bus riders, bikers, car riders and walkers to school. Students were asked to study their bar graphs in order to answer questions such as: “What is the difference between the number of bus riders and car riders to school? What operation did you use to solve the problem and why?” and “What is the total number of students on the graph? How do you know?”
Next week, students will continue to study Tunisia by talking more about the Tunisian “dinar”, language, and religion. Students will also explore and analyze Tunisian architecture and artifacts. Ask your child about the symbolism of Tunisian doorways and their big, bright and beautiful colours!
I cannot wait to see students back next week!!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, June 7th, 2019.
Welcome to the blog!
We have been busy in class collecting and analyzing data to solve problems. Students created research questions in order to survey their classmates and collect data using tally marks and line plots. A line plot is a graph that shows the frequency of data occurring along a number line and provides a quick way to access information. Students conducted a water bottle flip challenge in order to create and interpret personalized line plots, compare results with others and create research questions. Check out the pictures posted to see your child becoming a real-life human tally mark in a group of five!
As well, students selected a multiplication times table to focus building fact fluency up to or beyond 5 x 5. In the spirit of summertime, students created a multiplication flower to practice their self-selected time table and reviewed one another’s work for accuracy. Check out the fresh flowers in the classroom window!
Students continued to gain an understanding of fractions using outdoor chalk to represent fractions as a part of a whole. Students also compared fractions of the same whole that have like denominators using fraction bars and were challenged to connect to their knowledge of multiplication and division in order to simplify or reduce fractions. Next week, students will continue to construct and interpret data using bar graphs to solve problems.
Students completed and peer-edited written responses to the prompt: “What does your desk do at night?” Students came up with creative and comical responses that included an awareness of and appreciation for figurative language techniques such as alliteration and personification. Rumour has it that some desks “sigh in relief when students leave and proceed to take a nap” while other desks “come alive and either long for their child to come back or celebrate the chance to shimmy and shake across the classroom floor unsupervised!”
Students also got together to brainstorm potential backstories for the brand-new school mascot at Hawkwood School! Students made connections between this backstory and their science learning about the life cycles of hawks. Samples of student writing include statements such as: “As you might know already, hawks have incredible eyesight and Harry the Hawk knew Hawkwood School would be his forever home from the moment he spotted the big brick building while soaring high above!” Please access your child’s Google Drive account to continue to work on this assignment by adding detail or editing for proper punctuation marks and capitalization if your schedule permits.
Please ask your child to challenge you to a game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Multiply!” over the course of this weekend. Yesterday, the class came together in a circle in the Hawk Nest to challenge each other to a round of this game. This was a fun-filled event while students chanted: “I am in it to win it!” You may challenge your child to multiply beyond 5 x 5 by throwing down double fists to increase multiples to 6, 7, 8 and 9. Whoa!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog. I am looking forward to more learning and fun together next week!
Ms. Spelay
Welcome to the blog!
We have been busy in class collecting and analyzing data to solve problems. Students created research questions in order to survey their classmates and collect data using tally marks and line plots. A line plot is a graph that shows the frequency of data occurring along a number line and provides a quick way to access information. Students conducted a water bottle flip challenge in order to create and interpret personalized line plots, compare results with others and create research questions. Check out the pictures posted to see your child becoming a real-life human tally mark in a group of five!
As well, students selected a multiplication times table to focus building fact fluency up to or beyond 5 x 5. In the spirit of summertime, students created a multiplication flower to practice their self-selected time table and reviewed one another’s work for accuracy. Check out the fresh flowers in the classroom window!
Students continued to gain an understanding of fractions using outdoor chalk to represent fractions as a part of a whole. Students also compared fractions of the same whole that have like denominators using fraction bars and were challenged to connect to their knowledge of multiplication and division in order to simplify or reduce fractions. Next week, students will continue to construct and interpret data using bar graphs to solve problems.
Students completed and peer-edited written responses to the prompt: “What does your desk do at night?” Students came up with creative and comical responses that included an awareness of and appreciation for figurative language techniques such as alliteration and personification. Rumour has it that some desks “sigh in relief when students leave and proceed to take a nap” while other desks “come alive and either long for their child to come back or celebrate the chance to shimmy and shake across the classroom floor unsupervised!”
Students also got together to brainstorm potential backstories for the brand-new school mascot at Hawkwood School! Students made connections between this backstory and their science learning about the life cycles of hawks. Samples of student writing include statements such as: “As you might know already, hawks have incredible eyesight and Harry the Hawk knew Hawkwood School would be his forever home from the moment he spotted the big brick building while soaring high above!” Please access your child’s Google Drive account to continue to work on this assignment by adding detail or editing for proper punctuation marks and capitalization if your schedule permits.
Please ask your child to challenge you to a game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Multiply!” over the course of this weekend. Yesterday, the class came together in a circle in the Hawk Nest to challenge each other to a round of this game. This was a fun-filled event while students chanted: “I am in it to win it!” You may challenge your child to multiply beyond 5 x 5 by throwing down double fists to increase multiples to 6, 7, 8 and 9. Whoa!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog. I am looking forward to more learning and fun together next week!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, May 31st, 2019.
We are flying through third grade this year! Students coloured fraction kites this week and created a personalized pattern in their design decisions. Students recorded their fractions on bows that are now posted on the bulletin board outside class. Ask your student about to think about the mini booklet created to learn new fraction terminology such as parts, whole, numerator and denominator. Students also used pattern blocks and fraction bars to think about ways to represent a part of a whole.
On Friday, students practiced fractions by participating in team bowling around the school and had the chance to connect with other students in fourth and fifth grade. Check out the pictures posted of students bowling to calculate the fraction of fallen pins! Our friends in fifth grade even taught us a thing or two about simplifying fractions.
Students went on to write persuasively about why all students should have a chance to go bowling to study fractions. Here are some samples of student work:
Please support your child in completing the assigned writing work this weekend: Write a short story about a childhood memory or more recent personal experience to share on Monday in honour of the passing away of Stella, an admirable character from the classroom novel study called The One and Only Ivan, who specializes in sharing stories in order to comfort others.
Students also practiced persuasive writing this week in school using the acronym OREO to help them organize their thoughts and opinions. Take a look at the picture posted of the classroom chart paper or keep reading here:
Here are some pieces of persuasive writing from students this week:
I am looking forward to seeing students next week! Thank you for coming out to the Talent Share in music class this week in order to celebrate third grade talents in magic, song, music, dance and more.
Very Best,
Ms. Spelay
We are flying through third grade this year! Students coloured fraction kites this week and created a personalized pattern in their design decisions. Students recorded their fractions on bows that are now posted on the bulletin board outside class. Ask your student about to think about the mini booklet created to learn new fraction terminology such as parts, whole, numerator and denominator. Students also used pattern blocks and fraction bars to think about ways to represent a part of a whole.
On Friday, students practiced fractions by participating in team bowling around the school and had the chance to connect with other students in fourth and fifth grade. Check out the pictures posted of students bowling to calculate the fraction of fallen pins! Our friends in fifth grade even taught us a thing or two about simplifying fractions.
Students went on to write persuasively about why all students should have a chance to go bowling to study fractions. Here are some samples of student work:
- “Everyone should try bowling to study fractions because it’s a fun way to think about parts of a whole using pins.”
- “Bowling is the best sport because you don’t feel overwhelmed in a big crowd of people like in football. It also makes connections to math in real-life because you can calculate your score and figure out the fraction of pins you knocked over.”
- “Bowling is awesome for fractions because it’s easy to see your numerator and denominator.”
Please support your child in completing the assigned writing work this weekend: Write a short story about a childhood memory or more recent personal experience to share on Monday in honour of the passing away of Stella, an admirable character from the classroom novel study called The One and Only Ivan, who specializes in sharing stories in order to comfort others.
Students also practiced persuasive writing this week in school using the acronym OREO to help them organize their thoughts and opinions. Take a look at the picture posted of the classroom chart paper or keep reading here:
- O is for Opinion: tell your reader how you feel about the topic in the first sentence.
- R is for Reason: tell your reader 2-5 reasons why you feel this way.
- E is for Evidence and Experience: tell your reader how your personal connections and experiences with this topic that have shaped your perspective.
- O is for Opinion: re-state your opinion in order to reinforce your argument in the closing sentence.
Here are some pieces of persuasive writing from students this week:
- “I think chocolate chip cookies are the best cookies ever because they are both crunchy and sweet! These cookies also cheer me up with just a little milk.”
- “I feel that oatmeal raisin cookies are the best cookie ever because they are buyable at stores close by like Walmart or Safeway.”
I am looking forward to seeing students next week! Thank you for coming out to the Talent Share in music class this week in order to celebrate third grade talents in magic, song, music, dance and more.
Very Best,
Ms. Spelay
Friday, May 24th, 2019.
Hello Everyone! Thank you for your attendance at the Volunteer Tea and for your collective contributions to the success of Hawkwood School. We want to thank you “a-latte” for your “tea-riffic” help this year! You truly mean the “world” to us. I’ve posted some photos for you to see your child’s art created and shared in celebration of you! This week, students studied food in Ukraine and contemplated the impact of food and nutrition on an individual’s lifestyle and quality of life. Students learned that Ukraine has been coined as the “breadbasket of Europe” due to its rich dark soil and fields of wheat. Students then created an artistic depiction of wheat in a field using paint. In math, students practiced calculating perimeter using grid paper, rulers and pattern blocks. Students received a top-secret task from NASA to create a robot that would land on the moon using grid paper. Students had to use the squares to correctly calculate the perimeter of their robots. Ask your child about his or her personalized perimeter robot! As well, students used rocket candies in math to show division using equal groups and arrays. This was a totally tasty way to practice division strategies! Next week, I will provide students with Fruit Loops so that they may continue to practice using division strategies. Perhaps, you’ll practice using cereal to create division equations at breakfast time! I am looking forward to school next week! Ms. Spelay |
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Thursday, May 16th, 2019.
Please be reminded there will be no school tomorrow on Friday, May 16th nor will there be any classes on Monday, May 20th. I hope you and your family have a fabulous long weekend!
Students completed a division quiz after much intensive practice in class using strategies such as making arrays, equal groupings, number lines, fact families, repeated subtraction and skip counting. It was great to hear so many students say things like: “I love how much math we do every day!” and even clap and cheer aloud for math practice in class because that is how much students love to do math in Grade 3! Please take some time to review and sign your child’s division quiz before sending it back to school Tuesday.
Next week, students will continue to practice division strategies and complete division questions in a problem-solving context or word question format. Students will be given additional opportunities to show their skills using the division strategies discussed above throughout the week.
As well, please sign and return your child’s talent show form as soon as possible. Mrs. Smith has stressed the importance of a quick return of these forms so that all children may have the chance to participate in this fun event!
Attention Volunteers: If you have volunteered this year, please attend the Volunteer Tea on Friday, May 24th if your schedule permits. I am always excited to welcome parents with special expertise in any area of study or those with other special skills and a desire to help out. I greatly appreciate everyone's time and commitment to supporting the success of fun lunches, field trips, bulletin board displays, guest speaker presentations, classroom crafts and more!
Speaking of which, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to a couple people in particular who have helped out a lot in class: Mrs. Kerr, for her continued commitment to helping in class, and Mrs. Sztukowski, who willingly shared her skills in science to present to all grade 3 classes on the lifecycle of mealworms this week. I have attached her slideshow presentation if you’d like to take a look!
In science, students created optimum living conditions for their pet mealworms by transferring them to a place of fresh soil, low lighting and safety and seclusion from other potential predators. We conducted a few experiments using mealworms by gently blowing on their bellies, dropping water in their containers and considering their favourite foods. We mushed up bananas and watched in awe as some mealworms burrowed headfirst into the banana mix! If you’re around school sometime soon, checkout the Animal Life Cycle documentation board outside of class to see pictures of the student’s learning process and preview student work samples.
Please be reminded there will be no school tomorrow on Friday, May 16th nor will there be any classes on Monday, May 20th. I hope you and your family have a fabulous long weekend!
Students completed a division quiz after much intensive practice in class using strategies such as making arrays, equal groupings, number lines, fact families, repeated subtraction and skip counting. It was great to hear so many students say things like: “I love how much math we do every day!” and even clap and cheer aloud for math practice in class because that is how much students love to do math in Grade 3! Please take some time to review and sign your child’s division quiz before sending it back to school Tuesday.
Next week, students will continue to practice division strategies and complete division questions in a problem-solving context or word question format. Students will be given additional opportunities to show their skills using the division strategies discussed above throughout the week.
As well, please sign and return your child’s talent show form as soon as possible. Mrs. Smith has stressed the importance of a quick return of these forms so that all children may have the chance to participate in this fun event!
Attention Volunteers: If you have volunteered this year, please attend the Volunteer Tea on Friday, May 24th if your schedule permits. I am always excited to welcome parents with special expertise in any area of study or those with other special skills and a desire to help out. I greatly appreciate everyone's time and commitment to supporting the success of fun lunches, field trips, bulletin board displays, guest speaker presentations, classroom crafts and more!
Speaking of which, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to a couple people in particular who have helped out a lot in class: Mrs. Kerr, for her continued commitment to helping in class, and Mrs. Sztukowski, who willingly shared her skills in science to present to all grade 3 classes on the lifecycle of mealworms this week. I have attached her slideshow presentation if you’d like to take a look!
In science, students created optimum living conditions for their pet mealworms by transferring them to a place of fresh soil, low lighting and safety and seclusion from other potential predators. We conducted a few experiments using mealworms by gently blowing on their bellies, dropping water in their containers and considering their favourite foods. We mushed up bananas and watched in awe as some mealworms burrowed headfirst into the banana mix! If you’re around school sometime soon, checkout the Animal Life Cycle documentation board outside of class to see pictures of the student’s learning process and preview student work samples.
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Friday, May 10th, 2019.
Hello Everyone! It was wonderful to see so many students participate in the first annual Family Math Night at Hawkwood School! Thank you for taking the time to come out and explore math content with your child. I would like to extend a huge thank you to our lovely class volunteer, Mrs. Kerr, for her time and tremendous talent helping prepare for this special night! Grade 3’s combined their knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to create personalized number sentences that would serve as clues about themselves by creating “Figure Me Out!” self-portraits. These are now posted on the bulletin board by the conference room near the office if you’d like to try and find your third grader next time you visit the school! As well, students created gumball artwork to showcase their understanding of division terminology by selecting their choice of gumballs to act as dividends and handprints to act as divisors. This project presented another fun-filled, artistic opportunity for students to practice creating and solving their own unique division sentences using gumballs. Next week, we will welcome a special Guest Speaker who will provide more insight and information about the lifecycle of our much-loved class pets – Molly and Mike the Mealworms! – as well as additional fun facts about these little creatures. Students used the scientific method to conduct experiments and collect data about their mealworms preferred colour. Students measured their mealworms and transported them carefully across various coloured paper to see if their mealworm was comfortable staying on the paper or swiftly travelled away to a new colour. Ask your child about his or her mealworm’s favourite colour! I am wishing you a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend ahead and am hoping you will enjoy a special gift that your child has carefully made in class. Ms. Spelay |
Thursday, May 2nd, 2019.
Hello families! Happy new month of May!
This week, 3rd grade students fell in love with a small mouse named Despereaux Tilling in the latest novel called The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Ask your student to tell you more about this very small but mighty mouse who loves to read books. Oui, what a great read, indeed!
Students also investigated the importance of multiplication by answering the question: “Why multiply?” Students applied their understanding of multiplication in order to share insight such as: “Multiplication is a much more efficient way to count things up and add sums” and “Multiplication saves time making calculations while shopping”. Wisely and wonderfully, students also said: "Multiplication gives you the power to find an answer without relying on calculators, technology or someone else”. Students also continued to practice dividing in problem-solving contexts using strategies such as making equal groups, using arrays and repeated subtraction.
If possible, please share with your child your own personal connections to mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and talk about the ways in which math is relevant to your own work and everyday life. This will help increase your child’s investment in his or her learning and appreciate math more and more.
Speaking of which, it is my hope to see you at Hawkwood School’s First Annual Family Math Night on Thursday, May 9th from 6:30 - 8:00 P.M. Come prepared to participate in stations set up around the school, explore content and connect with your school community! Please collect 10 stamps or signatures from teacher stations and enter your tens frame ballot to win prizes such as a GoPro Hero, games & more!
In Social Studies, students used a combination of wax crayons and water colour paints to create gorgeous Ukrainian Pysanky Easter eggs! A huge thanks to students who brought in real Ukrainian artifacts. Ask your child to talk about the importance of studying other countries around the world by wearing his or her “global citizenship thinking cap” and keeping in mind the ways in which different factors and values influence quality of life around the world. In class, students shared answers to this inquiry such as: "It is important to be not only a local citizen, but also a global citizen!" and "It is important to learn about other places, people, cultures and communities so that you become an informed traveller and learner". These quotes are captured below your child's artwork posted on the classroom bulletin board.
Finally, I cannot wait to give you an update on your child's latest learning in Science! Students considered the real-world importance of studying animal life cycles: “It is important to know about animal life cycles to better care for species, protect the planet and keep humans alive”. Then, students made predictions about the type of class pet they would receive from me in order to closely study the life cycle of a living being. Some student guesses included potential class pets of unicorns, llamas and snails (True, all of my favourite things!). I am happy to say each student has since become a proud parent of their very own… MEALWORM! Stay tuned for more details about this in your child’s agenda.
Thank you so much for taking time to read this post and practice your child’s “words of the week” at home recorded in the agenda. If you read this blog, please prepare your child for this week’s challenger word in advance: PEOPLE. We will spell these words together in class on Monday!
Hope to see you at the first annual Family Math Night on Thursday, May 9th at 6:30!
Hello families! Happy new month of May!
This week, 3rd grade students fell in love with a small mouse named Despereaux Tilling in the latest novel called The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Ask your student to tell you more about this very small but mighty mouse who loves to read books. Oui, what a great read, indeed!
Students also investigated the importance of multiplication by answering the question: “Why multiply?” Students applied their understanding of multiplication in order to share insight such as: “Multiplication is a much more efficient way to count things up and add sums” and “Multiplication saves time making calculations while shopping”. Wisely and wonderfully, students also said: "Multiplication gives you the power to find an answer without relying on calculators, technology or someone else”. Students also continued to practice dividing in problem-solving contexts using strategies such as making equal groups, using arrays and repeated subtraction.
If possible, please share with your child your own personal connections to mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and talk about the ways in which math is relevant to your own work and everyday life. This will help increase your child’s investment in his or her learning and appreciate math more and more.
Speaking of which, it is my hope to see you at Hawkwood School’s First Annual Family Math Night on Thursday, May 9th from 6:30 - 8:00 P.M. Come prepared to participate in stations set up around the school, explore content and connect with your school community! Please collect 10 stamps or signatures from teacher stations and enter your tens frame ballot to win prizes such as a GoPro Hero, games & more!
In Social Studies, students used a combination of wax crayons and water colour paints to create gorgeous Ukrainian Pysanky Easter eggs! A huge thanks to students who brought in real Ukrainian artifacts. Ask your child to talk about the importance of studying other countries around the world by wearing his or her “global citizenship thinking cap” and keeping in mind the ways in which different factors and values influence quality of life around the world. In class, students shared answers to this inquiry such as: "It is important to be not only a local citizen, but also a global citizen!" and "It is important to learn about other places, people, cultures and communities so that you become an informed traveller and learner". These quotes are captured below your child's artwork posted on the classroom bulletin board.
Finally, I cannot wait to give you an update on your child's latest learning in Science! Students considered the real-world importance of studying animal life cycles: “It is important to know about animal life cycles to better care for species, protect the planet and keep humans alive”. Then, students made predictions about the type of class pet they would receive from me in order to closely study the life cycle of a living being. Some student guesses included potential class pets of unicorns, llamas and snails (True, all of my favourite things!). I am happy to say each student has since become a proud parent of their very own… MEALWORM! Stay tuned for more details about this in your child’s agenda.
Thank you so much for taking time to read this post and practice your child’s “words of the week” at home recorded in the agenda. If you read this blog, please prepare your child for this week’s challenger word in advance: PEOPLE. We will spell these words together in class on Monday!
Hope to see you at the first annual Family Math Night on Thursday, May 9th at 6:30!
Friday, April 26th, 2019.
Hello everyone!
Thanks for tuning into the blog! Third grade students thoughtfully reflected on the ways in which they can care for and protect the planet during Earth Day celebrations in class. Check out your child’s three promises, pledges or plans to promote environmental wellness that are proudly posted on the bulletin board outside class in the hallway.
As well, students were introduced to 3 new important division vocabulary words in math this week: dividend, divisor and quotient. Students have begun to familiarize themselves with fact families in order to consider the connections between multiplication and division. Students have also used repeated subtraction as a strategy to solve division equations and noted that this strategy is opposite to using repeated addition as a multiplication strategy.
Speaking of math, congratulations to the not one, but two students from our class who won the school-wide weekly math challenge! I am so proud of everyone's hard work and consistent positivity towards math. Way to go!
Students completed their creation of a menu to solidify their appreciation for the variety of tasty foods in India. Ask your child about his or her personal menu! I was impressed by the deals offered at many of the children’s restaurants such as free refills and half-priced Lassi (a popular yogurt-based drink in India). Thank you again to the friends and families who kindly offered to prepare incredible Indian-inspired cuisine for children to taste in class!
Equally as exciting, third grade students and myself are thrilled to welcome a new student to our classroom community this coming week! In fact, students wrote welcome letters to share with the new student and took time to carefully edit their work with support, as well as present their letters to another person in class.
Next week, students will begin to study animal life cycles in science and continue their division practice in class. Students will continue to maintain their pledges to the environment by participating in Litterless Lunch and ensuring that all materials are disposed correctly in bins around the school.
Hello everyone!
Thanks for tuning into the blog! Third grade students thoughtfully reflected on the ways in which they can care for and protect the planet during Earth Day celebrations in class. Check out your child’s three promises, pledges or plans to promote environmental wellness that are proudly posted on the bulletin board outside class in the hallway.
As well, students were introduced to 3 new important division vocabulary words in math this week: dividend, divisor and quotient. Students have begun to familiarize themselves with fact families in order to consider the connections between multiplication and division. Students have also used repeated subtraction as a strategy to solve division equations and noted that this strategy is opposite to using repeated addition as a multiplication strategy.
Speaking of math, congratulations to the not one, but two students from our class who won the school-wide weekly math challenge! I am so proud of everyone's hard work and consistent positivity towards math. Way to go!
Students completed their creation of a menu to solidify their appreciation for the variety of tasty foods in India. Ask your child about his or her personal menu! I was impressed by the deals offered at many of the children’s restaurants such as free refills and half-priced Lassi (a popular yogurt-based drink in India). Thank you again to the friends and families who kindly offered to prepare incredible Indian-inspired cuisine for children to taste in class!
Equally as exciting, third grade students and myself are thrilled to welcome a new student to our classroom community this coming week! In fact, students wrote welcome letters to share with the new student and took time to carefully edit their work with support, as well as present their letters to another person in class.
Next week, students will begin to study animal life cycles in science and continue their division practice in class. Students will continue to maintain their pledges to the environment by participating in Litterless Lunch and ensuring that all materials are disposed correctly in bins around the school.
Friday, April 12th, 2019.
I am so grateful for the many helping hands at home who helped me make batches of salt dough clay this past week for students to use to create India-inspired pottery! These special student-created pots are currently air drying over the course of this weekend and will be ready for students to paint on Monday! Click this link to learn more about the pottery making process in India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QmIkx2v2EY. Did you know that sometimes the whole family works together to create coil pots in India during special celebrations such as the Shivratri Festival? I also wish to extend a special thank you to the parent volunteers who dedicated their time on multiple occasions this week to support the success of several projects in class.
Next week, students will continue to learn about the unique food, culture and government in India as they sample India cuisine and consider the government decision-making processes in both India and Canada. If you would like to take part in this learning process, please cook any type of peanut-free India cuisine, if possible, and send it to school with your child for students to sample this Thursday, April 18th in the afternoon. All levels of culinary experience welcome! :)
Students are super excited to travel to the Home of the National Music Centre | Studio Bell this Tuesday, April 16th. Students are asked to only pack their coats and lunch bag and leave all other backpacks at school. This week in science, students created sound-amplifying devices such as megaphones and compared human hearing to that of animals such as bats. Ask your child about echolocation! Even more excitedly, students learned about different families of instruments in preparation for their upcoming field trip and constructed their very own guitars, tambourines, drums and wind pipes. Ask your child which instruments they made in class! Band practice begins Monday!
In gym, students got to hip-and-hop along with the dance specialist who taught students many multi-step dance combinations. Ask your child to show you a move from hip-hop class! The dance specialist reminded students at the conclusion of each class to “keep it cool, keep it rad, and keep it real”.
Next week, students will continue to participate in race-the-clock multiplication challenges and partner games that allow students to apply their awareness of the several properties of multiplication studied in class such as the zero, identity, commutative, distributive and associative properties. Students will also continue to work in teams to solve multiplication word problems and share helpful strategies such as skip counting, creating an array or picture, using a number line or repeated addition.
REMINDER: NO SCHOOL THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 19TH.
I am so grateful for the many helping hands at home who helped me make batches of salt dough clay this past week for students to use to create India-inspired pottery! These special student-created pots are currently air drying over the course of this weekend and will be ready for students to paint on Monday! Click this link to learn more about the pottery making process in India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QmIkx2v2EY. Did you know that sometimes the whole family works together to create coil pots in India during special celebrations such as the Shivratri Festival? I also wish to extend a special thank you to the parent volunteers who dedicated their time on multiple occasions this week to support the success of several projects in class.
Next week, students will continue to learn about the unique food, culture and government in India as they sample India cuisine and consider the government decision-making processes in both India and Canada. If you would like to take part in this learning process, please cook any type of peanut-free India cuisine, if possible, and send it to school with your child for students to sample this Thursday, April 18th in the afternoon. All levels of culinary experience welcome! :)
Students are super excited to travel to the Home of the National Music Centre | Studio Bell this Tuesday, April 16th. Students are asked to only pack their coats and lunch bag and leave all other backpacks at school. This week in science, students created sound-amplifying devices such as megaphones and compared human hearing to that of animals such as bats. Ask your child about echolocation! Even more excitedly, students learned about different families of instruments in preparation for their upcoming field trip and constructed their very own guitars, tambourines, drums and wind pipes. Ask your child which instruments they made in class! Band practice begins Monday!
In gym, students got to hip-and-hop along with the dance specialist who taught students many multi-step dance combinations. Ask your child to show you a move from hip-hop class! The dance specialist reminded students at the conclusion of each class to “keep it cool, keep it rad, and keep it real”.
Next week, students will continue to participate in race-the-clock multiplication challenges and partner games that allow students to apply their awareness of the several properties of multiplication studied in class such as the zero, identity, commutative, distributive and associative properties. Students will also continue to work in teams to solve multiplication word problems and share helpful strategies such as skip counting, creating an array or picture, using a number line or repeated addition.
REMINDER: NO SCHOOL THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 19TH.
Friday, April 6th, 2019.
IMPORTANT: Please sign and resubmit the revised field trip forms and return to school as soon as possible with an attached fee of $6.00. The previous forms were erroneous and fees were recalculated. The third grade team is thankful for your understanding and is looking forward to this field trip!
Students researched and created postcards this past week in school from a famous landmark in India! These three landmarks included the Taj Mahal, Golden Temple and Ganges River. Did you know that a postcard usually contains a greeting, paragraph, closing, address and stamp? Students created and edited a rough copy postcard from Calgary to get the hang of this writing style first. Ask your child about the place in India that inspired their personal postcard. Students will finalize their corresponding landmark art from the Taj Mahal, Golden Temple or Ganges River this upcoming week and are looking forward to continuing to explore Indian culture through food and pottery.
CALLING ALL CHEFS! Speaking of which, please sign up using the sign up genius page if you would be willing to help me make a simple salt dough recipe for students to create India inspired pots in class this upcoming week. The recipe can be found following this link: https://www.learning4kids.net/2012/12/09/how-to-make-salt-dough-recipe/. I would greatly appreciate your help in creating the recipe at home and sending it to school with your student on Thursday morning - the day of the clay pot creations! Please sign up using this link to indicate your participation: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4ea5a72ca1f94-making1. Also, check out this video clip to see traditional pottery in India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QmIkx2v2EY.
Also, please feel free to sign up for an opportunity to help me immerse students in Indian culture in the afternoon on April 18th by volunteering to make an Indian food dish for third graders to try! All recipes must be peanut-free and also include an ingredient list so that we may ensure the continued safety of all students with allergies. Parents are reminded to please sign in at the office and come to class to drop off their dish after lunch or send it to school with their child in the morning.
If this celebration of Indian culture & cuisine sounds of interest to you, please see this link to spark your appetite: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/7-wonderful-and-easy-indian-dishes-you-can-make-at_n_593abd0de4b094fa859f17bb.
Thank you so much for your willingness to participate in your child’s learning programs!
Ms. Spelay
IMPORTANT: Please sign and resubmit the revised field trip forms and return to school as soon as possible with an attached fee of $6.00. The previous forms were erroneous and fees were recalculated. The third grade team is thankful for your understanding and is looking forward to this field trip!
Students researched and created postcards this past week in school from a famous landmark in India! These three landmarks included the Taj Mahal, Golden Temple and Ganges River. Did you know that a postcard usually contains a greeting, paragraph, closing, address and stamp? Students created and edited a rough copy postcard from Calgary to get the hang of this writing style first. Ask your child about the place in India that inspired their personal postcard. Students will finalize their corresponding landmark art from the Taj Mahal, Golden Temple or Ganges River this upcoming week and are looking forward to continuing to explore Indian culture through food and pottery.
CALLING ALL CHEFS! Speaking of which, please sign up using the sign up genius page if you would be willing to help me make a simple salt dough recipe for students to create India inspired pots in class this upcoming week. The recipe can be found following this link: https://www.learning4kids.net/2012/12/09/how-to-make-salt-dough-recipe/. I would greatly appreciate your help in creating the recipe at home and sending it to school with your student on Thursday morning - the day of the clay pot creations! Please sign up using this link to indicate your participation: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4ea5a72ca1f94-making1. Also, check out this video clip to see traditional pottery in India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QmIkx2v2EY.
Also, please feel free to sign up for an opportunity to help me immerse students in Indian culture in the afternoon on April 18th by volunteering to make an Indian food dish for third graders to try! All recipes must be peanut-free and also include an ingredient list so that we may ensure the continued safety of all students with allergies. Parents are reminded to please sign in at the office and come to class to drop off their dish after lunch or send it to school with their child in the morning.
If this celebration of Indian culture & cuisine sounds of interest to you, please see this link to spark your appetite: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/7-wonderful-and-easy-indian-dishes-you-can-make-at_n_593abd0de4b094fa859f17bb.
Thank you so much for your willingness to participate in your child’s learning programs!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, March 22nd, 2019.
Please be prepared to start Litterless Lunch when school starts again on Monday, April 1st. These are lunches that produce no waste at school. Children have contemplated in class the importance of being “stewards of our school space” who extend care and concern for their environment. All leftover food will be sent home in your child’s lunch kit for composting.
Access the attached links from the school website for more information about Litterless Lunch:
http://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/Hawkwood/about-us/news-centre/_layouts/ci/post.aspx?oaid=b8976119-3515-4017-8290-f8fa35528e1f&oact=20001
http://www.wastefreelunches.org
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/facts-and-tips-to-make-the-switch-to-a-litterless-lunch-easy-and-cost-effective-1818418.htm
http://www.globalstewards.org/waste-free-lunch.htm
Students have studied several properties of multiplication and practiced multiplying in many ways. It was so much fun showing you “Math on Multiplication Mainstreet” and “Arrays of Sunshine” at student-led conferences this past week!
A highlight in Social Studies was learning that Henna or Mehndi is a form of body art from ancient India. Mrs. Irfan – an education assistant from Hawkwood School – kindly offered to show students how to crush plant leaves to make a paste that can be used to dye skin, hair, nails, wool, and silk. Students also learned that Henna is applied during special celebrations like Eid and Diwali. Did you know that Henna also has many health benefits including cooling feverish skin and as a healing salve for wounds? Students will conclude their own Henna creations upon returning to school after spring break!
Celebration of Indian Culture: Please connect with me if you would be willing to help immerse students in Indian culture on April 18th by volunteering to make an Indian food dish for third graders to try! All recipes must be peanut-free and also include a recipe list of ingredients so that we may ensure the continued safety of all students with allergies. If this celebration of Indian cuisine sounds of interest to you, please see this link to spark your appetite: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/7-wonderful-and-easy-indian-dishes-you-can-make-at_n_593abd0de4b094fa859f17bb.
Thank you for tuning into the blog this week and for your attendance at student-led conferences! It was a pleasure to connect with you and show your child’s current learning.
Have a wonderful spring break!
Ms. Spelay
Please be prepared to start Litterless Lunch when school starts again on Monday, April 1st. These are lunches that produce no waste at school. Children have contemplated in class the importance of being “stewards of our school space” who extend care and concern for their environment. All leftover food will be sent home in your child’s lunch kit for composting.
Access the attached links from the school website for more information about Litterless Lunch:
http://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/Hawkwood/about-us/news-centre/_layouts/ci/post.aspx?oaid=b8976119-3515-4017-8290-f8fa35528e1f&oact=20001
http://www.wastefreelunches.org
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/facts-and-tips-to-make-the-switch-to-a-litterless-lunch-easy-and-cost-effective-1818418.htm
http://www.globalstewards.org/waste-free-lunch.htm
Students have studied several properties of multiplication and practiced multiplying in many ways. It was so much fun showing you “Math on Multiplication Mainstreet” and “Arrays of Sunshine” at student-led conferences this past week!
A highlight in Social Studies was learning that Henna or Mehndi is a form of body art from ancient India. Mrs. Irfan – an education assistant from Hawkwood School – kindly offered to show students how to crush plant leaves to make a paste that can be used to dye skin, hair, nails, wool, and silk. Students also learned that Henna is applied during special celebrations like Eid and Diwali. Did you know that Henna also has many health benefits including cooling feverish skin and as a healing salve for wounds? Students will conclude their own Henna creations upon returning to school after spring break!
Celebration of Indian Culture: Please connect with me if you would be willing to help immerse students in Indian culture on April 18th by volunteering to make an Indian food dish for third graders to try! All recipes must be peanut-free and also include a recipe list of ingredients so that we may ensure the continued safety of all students with allergies. If this celebration of Indian cuisine sounds of interest to you, please see this link to spark your appetite: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/7-wonderful-and-easy-indian-dishes-you-can-make-at_n_593abd0de4b094fa859f17bb.
Thank you for tuning into the blog this week and for your attendance at student-led conferences! It was a pleasure to connect with you and show your child’s current learning.
Have a wonderful spring break!
Ms. Spelay
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Friday, March 15th, 2019.
Hello Third Grade Families!
Today was a special day because students learned all about the Holi festival of colours in India! This festival will commence this Wednesday on March 20th in order to celebrate lasting love, the prevail of goodness over evil and the start of spring. If you would like, please see this clip shown in class for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1hs5FO_Oqk.
Third graders also completed their elegant water colour elephant artwork and added jewels to their designs using glue. This artwork is now posted on the classroom bravo bulletin board for third graders to talk about next week at student-led conferences!
Please see attached the file to find the steps to create a vacuum chamber provided by the Hearing and Sound Guest Speaker. Feel free to write a note to me in your child's agenda if you would like a printed copy of the steps to create this experiment at home with your child. The Guest Speaker is available to answer any other questions you may have about how to assemble your own vacuum chamber although she recommends having a handy adult who knows fittings/tubing/connectors and how to seal Swagelok connectors to tubing available to help. Thank you again, Guest Speaker!
A significant portion of writing practice this week was devoted to discussion around the selection of a story planning template. Students were given the choice to plan and project their own personal stories using a mind map, picture prompt, list and so on. Students were shown several pictures (e.g., tiger, astronaut, and more!) and asked to collaborate with one another to create a story plan.
As well, students sought to generate ideas that would successfully sustain their stories. Please help your child peruse literature you may have available at home to identify the several different types of hooks used by authors to immediately interest their readers. Be sure to ask your miniature hook expert at home about the ways in which authors grab the attention of their audiences. Some of the types of hooks shared in class and practiced by students this week include the following:
Another highlight from this week was linking multiplication fact fluency with movement. Students lunged, jumped and skipped in the Hawks Nest using jump ropes in order to practice skip counting both independently and altogether as a class. This was so much fun!
Please be aware that the school book fair will commence next week. Our classroom will preview the available books on Monday morning and students are welcome to record their potential purchase ideas for sale the next day on Tuesday when we will return to the Learning Commons to make any purchases.
Thank you to those who have already signed up for student-led conferences! I am so excited to see each of you on Thursday and Friday next week. Please remember to schedule your time slot.
Talk soon!
Ms. Spelay
Hello Third Grade Families!
Today was a special day because students learned all about the Holi festival of colours in India! This festival will commence this Wednesday on March 20th in order to celebrate lasting love, the prevail of goodness over evil and the start of spring. If you would like, please see this clip shown in class for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1hs5FO_Oqk.
Third graders also completed their elegant water colour elephant artwork and added jewels to their designs using glue. This artwork is now posted on the classroom bravo bulletin board for third graders to talk about next week at student-led conferences!
Please see attached the file to find the steps to create a vacuum chamber provided by the Hearing and Sound Guest Speaker. Feel free to write a note to me in your child's agenda if you would like a printed copy of the steps to create this experiment at home with your child. The Guest Speaker is available to answer any other questions you may have about how to assemble your own vacuum chamber although she recommends having a handy adult who knows fittings/tubing/connectors and how to seal Swagelok connectors to tubing available to help. Thank you again, Guest Speaker!
A significant portion of writing practice this week was devoted to discussion around the selection of a story planning template. Students were given the choice to plan and project their own personal stories using a mind map, picture prompt, list and so on. Students were shown several pictures (e.g., tiger, astronaut, and more!) and asked to collaborate with one another to create a story plan.
As well, students sought to generate ideas that would successfully sustain their stories. Please help your child peruse literature you may have available at home to identify the several different types of hooks used by authors to immediately interest their readers. Be sure to ask your miniature hook expert at home about the ways in which authors grab the attention of their audiences. Some of the types of hooks shared in class and practiced by students this week include the following:
- Appeal to the senses
- Ask a question
- Description
- Dialogue
- Opinion
- Share a fact
- Suspense
- Statistics
Another highlight from this week was linking multiplication fact fluency with movement. Students lunged, jumped and skipped in the Hawks Nest using jump ropes in order to practice skip counting both independently and altogether as a class. This was so much fun!
Please be aware that the school book fair will commence next week. Our classroom will preview the available books on Monday morning and students are welcome to record their potential purchase ideas for sale the next day on Tuesday when we will return to the Learning Commons to make any purchases.
Thank you to those who have already signed up for student-led conferences! I am so excited to see each of you on Thursday and Friday next week. Please remember to schedule your time slot.
Talk soon!
Ms. Spelay
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Friday, March 8th, 2019.
Students had the opportunity to take part in two special guest speaker presentations this week in order to support their current scientific learning about hearing and sound. Specifically, students were able to delve deeper into the study of sound through their observations of a vacuum experiment in which various items were placed inside a chamber and the air was sucked out using a syringe. Students concluded that the volume of sound is, in part, dependent upon the presence of a medium. In the wise words of the classroom scientist who shared her skills and special experiment with students: “We hear sound because the sound waves travel through the air; once you remove the air, there is nothing for the wave to travel through so there is no sound!” Please ask your child about this guest speaker presentation and stay tuned for instructions on how to recreate this experiment at home with your child. As well, students reflected upon the ways in which the loudness of sounds can be measured and realized that loud sounds pose a risk to the ears. In fact, students learned to use sign language to speak the alphabet, share their name, favourite colour and more! Did you know there are 70 million people in the world who use sign language to communicate? Students were able to learn and speak sign language with a member of the Hawkwood School staff who relies on this form of language to communicate with children and colleagues. Students were able to see specialized equipment and assistive listening devices used by those who are deaf to support their success in daily tasks. Thank you again to both special guest speakers! Third graders were also busy showcasing their personally published All About Peru books in the Learning Commons to other classes of kindergarten, first, second and third grade students. Students practiced being professional presenters who shared facts, favourites and read their own written work aloud with accuracy and clarity to other children. Students also continued to study India throughout their analysis of this country’s geographical regions, unique cultural celebrations and sacred traditions. In particular, students gained greater appreciation for the sacredness of elephants and even got to complete their own elephant drawing through a directed drawing session with Ms. Spelay and Mrs. Campbell's class using water colour pencil crayons. Students have been asked to answer multiplication facts as part of their exit slips at the end of the school day and I appreciate your continued support with fact fluency from home. Third graders have kept up their practice skip counting in class to support their success. Students enjoyed their participation in games of multiplication headbands wherein they wore headbands provided by Ms. Spelay and worked together with a partner to find products and solve multiplication equations hidden in their headbands. Who knew hair accessories had so many multi-purposes! Check out the pictures of this math game posted on the blog this week. Thank you for your return of this week’s word list. If you read this blog post, please ask your child to skip count by 3’s and 5’s with you during your commute around the city this weekend. Tell me about skip counting on Monday! Ms. Spelay |
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Thursday, February 28th, 2019.
Hello! This week, students were awarded the title of “medical doctors” who conferenced with one another in class to analyze the parts of the ear. Specifically, students studied ear parts such as the pinna/auricle, ear cannel, eardrum, ossicles, cochlea and semicircular canals. Students were able to articulate the ways in which sound vibrations travel in a wave pattern by snapping an elastic band across the top of a plastic can to envision air particles bouncing around. Third graders also used modelling clay to create models of the parts of the outer, middle and inner ear. Ask your child which part of the ear is shaped like a snail! Have you ever wondered about the age of your ears? Students listened to a variety of sounds and concluded their ears are less than twenty years old! Listen to the sounds to determine the age of your ears by accessing this video clip seen in class: https://lifehacker.com/quickly-check-your-hearing-with-this-video-1141488864. Students also completed science centers to test their self-built bridges. Students stacked weights and blocks of various sizes on the decks of their bridges and measured their bridges across a gap between desks. Students also conducted a wind test on their bridges and created earthquake simulations to check if their bridges could withstand these types of tests! Thank you for sending your student to school in pink this week as a symbol of anti-bullying and friendship formation within Hawkwood School. Check out the picture of the friendship puzzle pieces students put together with your help and displayed during the school-wide assembly! Students also completed a wrinkled heart activity to show the significant impact of their choice of words on another person’s heart. Please remember: “Before you speak, think and be smart. It’s hard to fix a wrinkled heart!” In math, third grade students have continued to practice multiplication facts by making arrays and answering equations with a partner using multiplication charts and playing games such as capture the square and connect the dots. Please work on multiplication up to 5 x 5 with your child at home as we will continue to focus on fact fluency next week. Please be reminded that there is no school tomorrow on Friday, March 1st. See you Monday! Ms. Spelay |
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Friday, February 22, 2019.
Hello Third Grade Families! A huge thank you for your support in the completion of your child’s bridge project! These structures are “seriously significant” – check out the Hawkwood School Twitter page to see a proud picture posted of these projects. Students will start to test their structures for strength and stability next week. Students have used cubes and other concrete objects this past week to create arrays and practice multiplication skills. Check out the pictures posted this week to see the student’s multiplication array models! As well, please continue to review addition, subtraction and multiplication questions with your child at home for continued practice. Some subtraction pages for practice were sent home with students to complete over the course of this weekend. Students were also introduced to India this week and smelled mystery spices popular around the world such as cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger and paprika. Students also studied an art form referred to as Rangoli and created their own brightly coloured patterns using coffee filters. Check out the Rangoli creations hanging from the classroom ceiling in the pictures posted! Equally as exciting this week, third grade students studied a newly published children’s book called “The Good Egg” by Jory John. This picture book prompted students to consider sources of stress and its impact on their sense of self. Ask your child about the classroom egg scavenger hunt in which children found plastic eggs hidden around the classroom and cracked them open to solve the stress scenario that Ms. Spelay placed inside! Here are some strategies students shared to solve their egg’s stress scenario: “Dear Little Egg: Take a few deep breaths and then listen to your favourite song. This will help you feel less stressed about passing the next swim level”. “Dear Little Egg: I forget to bring home my mittens, too. My head feels scrambled like yours when that happens. Just remember you don’t have to be perfect”. “Dear Little Egg: You can’t control the behaviour of other eggs in the carton around you. Laugh it off, exercise and eat healthy because all these strategies will help you reduce your stress”. In closing, please be reminded that this Wednesday, February 27 this PINK SHIRT DAY! Please wear as much pink as possible to school as a symbol of anti-bullying and friendship formation. Thank you for tuning into the blog this week! Ms. Spelay |
Tuesday, February 12th, 2019.
Please be reminded that this is a short week of school. There are no classes this Thursday and Friday due to Teachers Convention and no school on Monday in celebration of Family Day. This week in science, students studied several types of bridges and tested the stability of beam bridges across their desktops. Students also teamed up to create and test truss bridges with or without the use of fasteners such as paperclips, masking tape or a hot glue gun. Over the course of this upcoming long weekend, I would be most appreciative if you supported your child’s successful creation of a bridge of their own choosing in order to complete their “Build Your Own Bridge” challenge! An assignment description was sent home with your student today alongside an additional page of information about the types of bridges children studied in class. Please send your child’s project to school as soon as it is completed or by Friday, February 22nd so that students may share their structures with other third graders and test the strength and stability of their self-built bridges. Check out this short clip seen in class for more fast facts about bridges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOnRPefcno. Thank you for your support in sending back the extra practice page of three-digit subtraction with regrouping/borrowing. Please be reminded that there will be a “show what you know” subtraction with regrouping quiz upon returning to school on Tuesday, February 19th, 2019. In health, students have studied the Canadian Food Guide and contemplated the various food groups that create a healthy plate: fruits and veggies, grains, dairy and protein-based foods. A food and beverage tracker was sent home with your child today so that he or she may gain greater awareness about their consumption choices. Please help your child track their food and drinks over the week ahead in order to continue our conversation about healthy eating and wellness choices. Thank you so much for your cooperation and involvement in your child's learning. It was wonderful to see students share Valentines Day cards and create special crafts. I am wishing you a lovely Valentine’s Day long weekend ahead! Ms. Spelay |
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Friday, February 8th, 2019.
Hello & Happy Chinese New Year!
This week, students had the opportunity to participate in Chinese New Year celebrations by learning about ancient myths, special colours, animal zodiacs and other traditions surrounding this fifteen day annual event. Did you know that 2019 is the year of the pig? Students created colourful red dragons in class that you can check out on the blog pictures this week!
Thank you to those friends and families who attended the gymnastics assembly today! The children created such groovy group names such as “Animal Dabbers” and “Stellar Stars”. Also, a special thank you to Mr. Janzic for putting together a wonderful talent show today!
In addition, I saw so many students at literacy night and had a blast connecting with them and their families. Thank you so much for taking the time to come see various stations, chat with me and check out your child’s clothes hanger story string from our classroom ceiling! I posted pictures of some of these hanging story strings on the blog this week, as well.
Another highlight of this week was creating miniature self-portraits using oil pastels and practicing blowing up balloons in class to reflect upon the question: “What’s blowin’ your mind in grade 3?” Hopefully, you had a chance to check out our classroom balloon bulletin board display last night to read student responses.
Students continued to practice three-digit subtraction skills and strategies in class this week. Some students may bring home unfinished regrouping/borrowing subtraction practice pages to be completed over the course of this weekend and returned to school. Please refer to previous blog posts for subtraction strategies posters and poems for support.
Wishing you a warm and fun-filled weekend ahead!
Kind Regards,
Ms. Spelay
Hello & Happy Chinese New Year!
This week, students had the opportunity to participate in Chinese New Year celebrations by learning about ancient myths, special colours, animal zodiacs and other traditions surrounding this fifteen day annual event. Did you know that 2019 is the year of the pig? Students created colourful red dragons in class that you can check out on the blog pictures this week!
Thank you to those friends and families who attended the gymnastics assembly today! The children created such groovy group names such as “Animal Dabbers” and “Stellar Stars”. Also, a special thank you to Mr. Janzic for putting together a wonderful talent show today!
In addition, I saw so many students at literacy night and had a blast connecting with them and their families. Thank you so much for taking the time to come see various stations, chat with me and check out your child’s clothes hanger story string from our classroom ceiling! I posted pictures of some of these hanging story strings on the blog this week, as well.
Another highlight of this week was creating miniature self-portraits using oil pastels and practicing blowing up balloons in class to reflect upon the question: “What’s blowin’ your mind in grade 3?” Hopefully, you had a chance to check out our classroom balloon bulletin board display last night to read student responses.
Students continued to practice three-digit subtraction skills and strategies in class this week. Some students may bring home unfinished regrouping/borrowing subtraction practice pages to be completed over the course of this weekend and returned to school. Please refer to previous blog posts for subtraction strategies posters and poems for support.
Wishing you a warm and fun-filled weekend ahead!
Kind Regards,
Ms. Spelay
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Thursday, January 31st, 2019.
Hello and Happy Long Weekend! Please be advised that there is no school scheduled tomorrow on Friday, February 1st. Students have been busy “splashing” into 2-digit and 3-digit number puddles around the classroom with a partner to create and solve addition and subtraction equations. I am so pleased with the increase in student’s sense of confidence using addition strategies such as “doubles, doubles +1, making 10, adding 0 and flip-flop facts” while listening to math stories and playing partner games. As well, children have practiced solving double and triple digit subtraction problems using strategies such as “stretching it out or decomposing, open number lines and the jump method” as well as saying the catchy subtraction poem posted in the blog pictures this week. Thank you for your support and assistance in sending back your child’s completed subtraction problem in their agendas. An invitation to the school-wide Literacy Night has been sent home with your child today. This event is scheduled on Thursday, February 7th and you and your child are encouraged to attend stations set up across the school to learn fun and family-friendly literacy tasks to try at home. Ms. Spelay and Ms. Williamson will be showcasing how to use “loose parts” in literacy inside Room 117 across the school if you would like to stop by and say hello! Speaking of Literacy Night, students have partnered up to identify parts of a story and talk about the setting, characters and plot. Next week, students will continue to create book reports in collaboration with a partner using the plastic clothes hangers you have kindly sent to school with your child. Check out some sneak-peak pictures of this assignment posted to the blog! Please take time this long week to read stories together and identify the story setting, problem and solution, characters, beginning, middle and end as well as any information about the author and illustrator. See you again on Monday, February 4th! Ms. Spelay |
Friday, January 25th, 2019.
Dear Third Grade Families: I am very excited to announce that students have started to create their very first digital presentations on housing in Peru using Google Slides! On Monday this upcoming school week, students will continue to edit and extend their ideas on this topic and learn how to input images that will enhance their projects. Thank you for taking the time this past school week to read and review your child’s first draft of this assignment. As well, students have carefully considered the ways in which adjectives can add detail to their own and others writing. In order to reinforce the importance of adjectives in the real word, students previewed a comical video clip of Ms. Spelay ordering a coffee without using adjectives to specify size, temperature and creamy colour. Oops! Please ask your child about the adjectives they selected in class to design their very own monster based on the book and video clip “I Need My Monster!” by Amanda Noll. After generating a list of adjectives, students swapped lists to read another person’s work and draw a monster based on what their partner wrote. Did the monster match their adjectives? See the pictures posted to find out! This week ahead, students will learn more about double digit subtraction with regrouping and learn catchy rhymes to remember subtraction strategies. Please continue to access IXL Math Online for extra practice opportunities at home. On another note, Hawkwood School is accepting donations of hats, boots, mittens and other winter gear for the Drop Inn Center in Calgary in the spirit of the school-wide “Winter Wishes & Walk” event. Please send any extra winter items for donation to this charity with your child to school. Who else is excited for school on Monday? Me! See you then, Ms. Spelay |
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Monday, January 21st, 2019.
Hello and Happy Monday! If your time table permits, please read and revise the paragraph created by your child in regards to housing in Peru. Students used laptops to type their written work into a Microsoft Word document and practiced using the keyboard TAB key to make an indentation and the CENTER icon to create a title. Please see the pictures posted of the classroom brainstorm in regards to this topic and familiarize yourself with an example of a 4-star paragraph. I will compliment your child's prompt return of their signed paragraph tomorrow in class. I encourage you to look for your child's use of crayons to underline their topic sentence, supporting sentences and closing sentence. Almost all students have already completed this step in class. If not, please complete this step tonight. Feel free to use any available colours so long as your child is able to identify each part of the paragraph. Thank you for taking the time to support your child's paragraph writing and typing success! Please let me know if you have any questions. Ms. Spelay |
Friday, January 18th, 2019.
Hello! Thank you for your support in completing the cursive writing practices sent home with your student this week. Students have started to master downward curves in cursive writing. Students have expressed their enthusiasm towards handwriting letters such as a, c, d, e, i, l, o and t. Please challenge your child to cursive write words such as “it”, “all”, “addition”, as well as their first and last name inside their agenda. Please continue to access IXL Math Grade 3 over the course of this weekend and coming school weeks. Some strands that your child can see to completing include:
As well, you may ask your child to begin to familiarize themselves with the concept of multiplication and time, or review skills in geometry and measurement such as:
Please see the sticky note in your child’s agenda or my email for their username and password to IXL Math Grade 3 https://ca.ixl.com/math/grade-3. Today, third grade students switched classrooms to learn about a different factor in Peru. Over the upcoming school weeks, Ms. Spelay will teach students about housing in Peru and Mrs. Campbell will teach about education in Peru. Mrs. Tran will teach about goods and services and Ms. Williamson will teach about food. Talk about switchin’ things up! In science, students co-created skyscrapers using connect cubes and maker space materials that measured 60 centimeters tall. Check out the photograph of the structures made by Ms. Spelay’s and Mrs. Williamson’s students! You might also want to check out a website we visited earlier this week on testing different building materials. Take a look from home and decide what materials you think would be best for different types of structures http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/materials.html. You may have heard something about a dog named Winn Dixie. We have started the next novel study Because of Winn Dixie by Kate Dicamillo. Please ask your child about similarities and differences between this story and the previous novel study called The Tiger Rising also authored by Kate Dicamillo. I am looking forward to tracking your child’s progress on IXL Math! I am looking forward to rewarding your child’s extra practice on Monday. Ms. Spelay |
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Friday, January 11th, 2019.
Welcome back!
Thank you for scheduling time over your winter break to support your child’s completion of word work bingo board choice tasks. It has been a pleasure to read and review your child’s work and watch them continue to reap the rewards of this practice inside the classroom.
This week, third graders created addition game boards and practiced playing with a partner in class. Please ask your child about creating their addition board game and playing with a pal! Check out the picture of the many classroom mathematicians hard at work.
In writing this week, students created 3 special goals to post on our classroom bulletin board with the caption #NewYearNewMe! Students also created snapshots of their winter break writing and reflected on their successes in the previous school year. We also practiced writing winter rhymes upon reading the book called "Llama Llama Mad At Mama!". Please practice rhyming with your child at home!
Equally as exciting, children created winter themed art in order to acknowledge the conclusion of the classroom novel study The Tiger Rising by Kate Dicamillo. In particular, students used water colour paints and sketch paper to complete cardinal birds. Third graders also had a choice to attend another grade three class art lesson to create winter themed barns.
Next week, students will continue to study community services and economic structures in Peru. The grade three teachers have coordinated classroom switches wherein children will travel to various expert stations to think about factors that affect quality of life in Peru. These factors will include food, housing, education and more!
For extra practice at home, please continue to practice writing a paragraph with your child that includes a topic sentence, three supporting sentences and a closing sentence that connects to the main idea. You may ask your child to write about a winter activity such as sledding, skating or snowboarding.
Have a happy weekend!
Ms. Spelay
Welcome back!
Thank you for scheduling time over your winter break to support your child’s completion of word work bingo board choice tasks. It has been a pleasure to read and review your child’s work and watch them continue to reap the rewards of this practice inside the classroom.
This week, third graders created addition game boards and practiced playing with a partner in class. Please ask your child about creating their addition board game and playing with a pal! Check out the picture of the many classroom mathematicians hard at work.
In writing this week, students created 3 special goals to post on our classroom bulletin board with the caption #NewYearNewMe! Students also created snapshots of their winter break writing and reflected on their successes in the previous school year. We also practiced writing winter rhymes upon reading the book called "Llama Llama Mad At Mama!". Please practice rhyming with your child at home!
Equally as exciting, children created winter themed art in order to acknowledge the conclusion of the classroom novel study The Tiger Rising by Kate Dicamillo. In particular, students used water colour paints and sketch paper to complete cardinal birds. Third graders also had a choice to attend another grade three class art lesson to create winter themed barns.
Next week, students will continue to study community services and economic structures in Peru. The grade three teachers have coordinated classroom switches wherein children will travel to various expert stations to think about factors that affect quality of life in Peru. These factors will include food, housing, education and more!
For extra practice at home, please continue to practice writing a paragraph with your child that includes a topic sentence, three supporting sentences and a closing sentence that connects to the main idea. You may ask your child to write about a winter activity such as sledding, skating or snowboarding.
Have a happy weekend!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, December 21st, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
It has been a fun and festive final week of the 2018 school year! To celebrate the start of the holiday season, all grade three classes got together to create Peruvian-themed llama ornaments. There were almost one hundred llamas hanging from classroom Christmas trees! A special thank you to Ms. Stewart for spending her afternoon with us to assist students in their craft success.
In writing this week, children came up with creative responses to the prompt “If I were an elf…” and produced paragraphs with a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a closing sentence about their elf activities. They also created corresponding life-like “(s)elfies” in art. Here are some samples of student writing:
“If I were an elf, I would be the elf-in-charge at the North Pole toy factory. I would be sure to make the most stylish gifts for children around the world. I would wrap my presents with red and green bow ties. Santa would smile every time he came by my elf-station” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“If I were an elf, I would be known for making the best and biggest snowmen in the whole wide world! I would wrap my snowmen in scarves of every colour. I would use orange carrots as noses and raisins as mouths. I would make my snowmen bigger than any tower so that every kid could see it! My special talent making snowmen would make the holiday better for everyone!” - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
If time permits, please encourage your child to practice writing complete paragraphs over the winter break about their holiday experiences. Ask your child to highlight the topic sentence, supporting sentences and closing sentence within their paragraph using multi-coloured pens or markers. Send these to school with your student to present to the whole class after winter break.
Children also continued to examine Peruvian culture in class by analyzing artifacts and attending a Guest Speaker presentation. In order to apply their learning, children created Peruvian villages using icing and gingerbread pieces! Students created mud houses, stables, markets and more in order to reflect their research findings about quality of life in Peru.
As well, please practice some of the activities from the Word Work Bingo Board sent home with your child over the winter break. This booklet also includes information on how to complete each activity using the word list provided. It is my hope this will provide an opportunity for some fun-filled and productive writing practice for your third grader this season!
A special thank you for your prompt return of signed report card envelopes. Also, thank you so much for taking the time and extra effort to provide me with such special holiday gifts this season. I am truly touched by your thoughtfulness and generosity this season. The highlight of my 2018 year has been being your child's third grade teacher; I hope you know how much your support means to me!
I am wishing you all a restorative winter break and cannot wait to celebrate the start of the 2019 school year with your child when classes resume on Tuesday, January 9th!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
It has been a fun and festive final week of the 2018 school year! To celebrate the start of the holiday season, all grade three classes got together to create Peruvian-themed llama ornaments. There were almost one hundred llamas hanging from classroom Christmas trees! A special thank you to Ms. Stewart for spending her afternoon with us to assist students in their craft success.
In writing this week, children came up with creative responses to the prompt “If I were an elf…” and produced paragraphs with a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a closing sentence about their elf activities. They also created corresponding life-like “(s)elfies” in art. Here are some samples of student writing:
“If I were an elf, I would be the elf-in-charge at the North Pole toy factory. I would be sure to make the most stylish gifts for children around the world. I would wrap my presents with red and green bow ties. Santa would smile every time he came by my elf-station” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“If I were an elf, I would be known for making the best and biggest snowmen in the whole wide world! I would wrap my snowmen in scarves of every colour. I would use orange carrots as noses and raisins as mouths. I would make my snowmen bigger than any tower so that every kid could see it! My special talent making snowmen would make the holiday better for everyone!” - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
If time permits, please encourage your child to practice writing complete paragraphs over the winter break about their holiday experiences. Ask your child to highlight the topic sentence, supporting sentences and closing sentence within their paragraph using multi-coloured pens or markers. Send these to school with your student to present to the whole class after winter break.
Children also continued to examine Peruvian culture in class by analyzing artifacts and attending a Guest Speaker presentation. In order to apply their learning, children created Peruvian villages using icing and gingerbread pieces! Students created mud houses, stables, markets and more in order to reflect their research findings about quality of life in Peru.
As well, please practice some of the activities from the Word Work Bingo Board sent home with your child over the winter break. This booklet also includes information on how to complete each activity using the word list provided. It is my hope this will provide an opportunity for some fun-filled and productive writing practice for your third grader this season!
A special thank you for your prompt return of signed report card envelopes. Also, thank you so much for taking the time and extra effort to provide me with such special holiday gifts this season. I am truly touched by your thoughtfulness and generosity this season. The highlight of my 2018 year has been being your child's third grade teacher; I hope you know how much your support means to me!
I am wishing you all a restorative winter break and cannot wait to celebrate the start of the 2019 school year with your child when classes resume on Tuesday, January 9th!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, December 15th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families: Thank you so much for your support in creating a fun and successful field trip to the Calgary Tower this past week! Students were fascinated by the glass floor and were able to apply their awareness of cardinal directions to spot various buildings across the city’s skyline. Third graders also got to manufacture models of the Calgary Tower using a mix of materials. Take a look at some of the pictures posted to see our view from on top! While brainstorming about buildings, students started to wonder about other types of structures in cities, rural communities and other parts of the province in connection with quality of life. Some students mentioned seeing water towers while driving through places like Red Deer, Alberta or visiting states across the border and wondered about safe drinking supplies worldwide. Students learned water towers provide clean water for community consumption and are used to provide water supplies in times of emergency. Students then got together to use pipe cleaners, cups and tape to create their very own water satellite towers that were capable of supporting actual water supplies! In math this week, students continued to enjoy challenging one another to “math battles” to practice extending skip counting sequences by 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 10s and 25s. Third graders also enjoyed playing timed games of “Snowball Scoot” around the classroom to practice adding and subtracting 2-digit and 3-digit numbers. Please encourage your child to practice adding and subtracting using strategies such as compensation, creating a number line, splitting tens and ones or drawing base ten blocks. Thank you for promptly returning all of the math practices this week and supporting your child’s adding and subtracting success from home. My class was also pleased to attend music this week in the company of a special artist in residency, Darcy Turning Robe, who is a talented drummer from the Siksika Nation. The entire class and myself enjoyed singing along with him and listening to his traditional drumming. Check out next week’s agenda as we approach the final week of classes in the 2018 school year:
Thank you for reading this week's blog! Ms. Spelay |
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Wednesday, December 5th, 2018.
Please be reminded that there is no school tomorrow on Thursday, December 6th and no school on Friday, December 7th. This week, students worked together to complete team-based construction projects inspired by places in Peru! In particular, students used materials from the maker space in the learning commons area to manufacture models of Machu Picchu – which is code for “old mountain” and is also known as “the lost city” by many in Peru. This provided students with a unique opportunity to make cross-curricular connections between their learning in Science and Social Studies. Equally as important, students practiced their skills in social empathy by researching and reading about the city of Calgary’s homeless population. Students concluded their letter writing practice and hand-crafted holiday cards for the homeless population that will be delivered by the Hawkwood Bridges Classroom this season. Another highlight from this week was decorating our school on the Deck the Halls Day! It was so much fun to see the widespread school spirit as students and staff wore their favourite holiday sweaters, reindeer ears, jingle bell jewelry and more! Students created three-dimensional spinning snowmen that are currently dangling from our classroom ceiling and also shared this craft with their kindergarten buddies. In math, we also challenged one another to "math battles" by skip counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 10s, and 25s. Your child's task this weekend is to challenge you or someone from home to a skip counting "math battle" - this was so much fun! This weekend, please practice adding 2-digit and 3-digit numbers with your child using this online mathematics resource: https://www.mathplayground.com. Students practiced their addition skills in class today using this online math tool and are looking forward to trying it out at home, too! Please ask your child to write "I love addition" in their agenda to signal to me that you read this blog post. Thank you for your holiday cheer this week! Ms. Spelay |
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Friday, November 30th, 2018. (Please see additional mid-week update below this post).
REMINDERS: Please wear a holiday sweater to school Monday, December 3 to celebrate Deck The Halls Day! No school this Thursday, December 6 and Friday, December 7. This week, third graders worked together to predict the quality of life of people in Peru by looking at landscapes. In particular, students paired up to peruse Peru by spinning globes, studying maps, considering picture prompts and watching wordless videos to make connections between the geographical features of Peru and the factors that influence quality of life in this country. Take a peek at some of the pictures posted for more information about these inquisitive learning tasks! In writing, students practiced their peer editing skills by reading aloud their winter themed writing to one another. Students played Ms. Spelay’s made-up game called “Reading TAG” around the room to positively reflect upon and edit each other’s work. This acronym stands for the following: T: Tell something you like about their writing A: Ask a question about what you heard while listening to reading G: Give a positive suggestion to improve your partner’s written work Students offered creative story responses to the winter writing prompt this week: “Stuck in a Snow Globe!" Children heard the story of Ms. Spelay perusing Chapter’s this past weekend and considering what life would be like if she was stuck in a snow globe with a sparkly unicorn or a small nomb. Here’s some of samples of students written work: “I moved into my new snow globe house! Once I settled in with all my moving supplies, I started to feel a little lonely as I watched people pass by outside my snow dome. So, then I built a pet unicorn…” - Third Grade Buzzy Bee “I totally freaked out when I woke up in a snow globe! I was startled when I saw two big pudgy hands gripping the world around me and shaking up my space. Out of nowhere, Christmas music started playing and my ears were ringing. When would this annoying human outside stop shaking my snow globe?” - Third Grade Buzzy Bee “I got trapped in a snow globe with a reindeer who started to chase me around! Then, I realized he wanted to be friends so I stopped. I then became friends with a reindeer…”. - Third Grade Buzzy Bee In short, think twice about the happenings inside a snow globe next time you see one! Please ask your child to draw a small snowflake in their agenda if you read this blog. Draw two small snowflakes if you laughed at least once while reading it! Don't forget to send your child to school in a festive and fun holiday sweater this Monday, December 3. We cannot wait to celebrate Deck the Halls Day! Ms. Spelay |
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families: Thank you so much for your commitment to attending student-led conferences this past week! It was a pleasure to showcase subject-specific activities in Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Language Arts and Health at various classroom stations in order to celebrate your child’s current learning. Students had fun rolling foam dice to demonstrate their strong foundation in number sense and enjoyed using rulers to record measurements with your support. Please note that Rock Hound projects have since been carefully packaged up and sent home with your student. I am pleased that students were able to articulate connections between the classroom novel study – The Tiger Rising by Kate Dicamillo – and health curriculum. Students were eager to share their special tiger artwork from the classroom bulletin board in order to showcase their artistic skills in press painting and symmetry! Please see the picture of the suitcase and reinforce the importance of emotional expression and regulation at home with your child. Remember, the suitcase is used to symbolize the significance of emotional health and wellbeing. Today, we discussed positive and negative coping strategies in class and also sang karaoke style to a tune called True Colours in the theme of emotional authenticity. This week, students have already played several games in mathematics to practice two-digit addition strategies. These addition strategies include compensation, splitting tens and ones, number line, counting on/all, adding up, drawing base ten blocks and more! Students were challenged to identify missing addends in addition equations and add to achieve a sum. Take a look at the pictures posted to preview some of this work! Ask your child to add any two 2-digit numbers using an addition strategy. As well, thank you to those who have completed the literacy support pages sent home with you at student-led conferences! We have had a lot of fun posting your child’s reading selfie and checking out their Instagram hashtags - #readingrewards #lookatmybook #shelfawareness Also, please keep an eye out for the field trip forms that will be sent home with your student tomorrow. We are looking forward to visiting the Calgary Tower with the help of our volunteers. Thank you for taking the time to read this weekly update! Ask your child to draw a suitcase inside the agenda to show me that you have read and reviewed this post. Ms. Spelay |
Friday, November 16th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
Please ask your child about the special Guest Speaker presentation this week! An architect visited the third grade classes to discuss the design process and encourage children to exercise turn-taking, strategizing, and sharing materials with one another while building in school. Students were excited to meet an actual architect and ask questions connected to their own building curiosities!
This week, children collaborated with one another across classroom settings on several occasions to complete building challenges. Ms. Spelay’s and Ms. Campbell’s classes connected to construct the tallest spaghetti-marshmallow towers ever seen! Children spotted several connections from their current scientific learning to topics in mathematics in that they measured and observed that certain shapes create stronger, sturdier structures. In another building challenge, students predicted triangular prisms would be most likely to successfully hold weights.
I am particularly pleased with the children’s imagination, ingenuity, and perseverance as teams worked together to complete the stages of the scientific method. The specific stages of the scientific method modelled and discussed this week include asking questions, forming hypotheses, using materials, participating in a procedure, observing data, and coming up with conclusions. Today, students exercised these skills in order to design a structure that would support a small ball during the hands-on "Help Harry!" construction activity. Please see the pictures posted to this blog and celebrate your child’s building successes!
Please ask your child to draw a tower in their agenda if you read this classroom blog. I will be checking and praising your child in class for showing me this tower on Monday morning. As well, please ask your child to access their Google Drive again to complete their weekend work written in their agenda.
Wishing each and every one of you a fabulous and fun-filled weekend!
Kind Regards,
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
Please ask your child about the special Guest Speaker presentation this week! An architect visited the third grade classes to discuss the design process and encourage children to exercise turn-taking, strategizing, and sharing materials with one another while building in school. Students were excited to meet an actual architect and ask questions connected to their own building curiosities!
This week, children collaborated with one another across classroom settings on several occasions to complete building challenges. Ms. Spelay’s and Ms. Campbell’s classes connected to construct the tallest spaghetti-marshmallow towers ever seen! Children spotted several connections from their current scientific learning to topics in mathematics in that they measured and observed that certain shapes create stronger, sturdier structures. In another building challenge, students predicted triangular prisms would be most likely to successfully hold weights.
I am particularly pleased with the children’s imagination, ingenuity, and perseverance as teams worked together to complete the stages of the scientific method. The specific stages of the scientific method modelled and discussed this week include asking questions, forming hypotheses, using materials, participating in a procedure, observing data, and coming up with conclusions. Today, students exercised these skills in order to design a structure that would support a small ball during the hands-on "Help Harry!" construction activity. Please see the pictures posted to this blog and celebrate your child’s building successes!
Please ask your child to draw a tower in their agenda if you read this classroom blog. I will be checking and praising your child in class for showing me this tower on Monday morning. As well, please ask your child to access their Google Drive again to complete their weekend work written in their agenda.
Wishing each and every one of you a fabulous and fun-filled weekend!
Kind Regards,
Ms. Spelay
Friday, November 9th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
Thank you so much for taking the time to attend the Remembrance Day ceremony this afternoon. It is so important to keep these memories alive in the hearts of our students. In addition to the choir, guest speaker and student parade, it is my hope you also enjoyed the effort put forth by third-grade students in creating watercolour poppies and peace doves on the trifold presented at this ceremony. The students showed admirable qualities of thoughtfulness and poise during this assembly, and I am so impressed and proud of those students who wore a special uniform.
Please continue to practice place value and skip counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s and 10s with your child whenever possible. Use quarters to practice counting by 25s. As well, please search for three and four digit numbers this weekend by taking a look at numbers on household items. Students are invited to identify the ones, tens, hundreds and thousands place value positions with your guidance. This practice will be of paramount importance in preparing your child for upcoming addition and subtraction skills in Math.
Happy Diwali! This week in Social Studies, children studied the five-day winter holiday known as Diwali, which has roots in India. Interestingly, Diwali is celebrated sometime during October or November depending on the cycle of the moon. Children created lanterns in celebration of the triumph of good over evil, and learned about “deepavali”, which are lights lit during the Diwali festival. Here’s a link to a short clip watched in class to help give you a little more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrrW3rO51ak.
In addition, I am excited to announce the beginning of the next building things unit in Science! Please keep your eye on your child’s agenda and this blog space as the third grade team will soon be asking for material donations to help us complete these building challenges (e.g., paper tower rolls, cardboard boxes, tape). Thank you in advance for your assistance in collecting and donating these building materials!
Calling All Volunteers! You will soon receive an invitation to sign up as a volunteer during the Calgary Tower field trip scheduled on Tuesday, December 11th. A total of three volunteer positions are available.
In closing, please ask your child to give me a SUPER BIG HIGH FIVE on Monday morning while coming into class if you read this blog message.
Wishing you all a peace-filled Remembrance Day weekend!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
Thank you so much for taking the time to attend the Remembrance Day ceremony this afternoon. It is so important to keep these memories alive in the hearts of our students. In addition to the choir, guest speaker and student parade, it is my hope you also enjoyed the effort put forth by third-grade students in creating watercolour poppies and peace doves on the trifold presented at this ceremony. The students showed admirable qualities of thoughtfulness and poise during this assembly, and I am so impressed and proud of those students who wore a special uniform.
Please continue to practice place value and skip counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s and 10s with your child whenever possible. Use quarters to practice counting by 25s. As well, please search for three and four digit numbers this weekend by taking a look at numbers on household items. Students are invited to identify the ones, tens, hundreds and thousands place value positions with your guidance. This practice will be of paramount importance in preparing your child for upcoming addition and subtraction skills in Math.
Happy Diwali! This week in Social Studies, children studied the five-day winter holiday known as Diwali, which has roots in India. Interestingly, Diwali is celebrated sometime during October or November depending on the cycle of the moon. Children created lanterns in celebration of the triumph of good over evil, and learned about “deepavali”, which are lights lit during the Diwali festival. Here’s a link to a short clip watched in class to help give you a little more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrrW3rO51ak.
In addition, I am excited to announce the beginning of the next building things unit in Science! Please keep your eye on your child’s agenda and this blog space as the third grade team will soon be asking for material donations to help us complete these building challenges (e.g., paper tower rolls, cardboard boxes, tape). Thank you in advance for your assistance in collecting and donating these building materials!
Calling All Volunteers! You will soon receive an invitation to sign up as a volunteer during the Calgary Tower field trip scheduled on Tuesday, December 11th. A total of three volunteer positions are available.
In closing, please ask your child to give me a SUPER BIG HIGH FIVE on Monday morning while coming into class if you read this blog message.
Wishing you all a peace-filled Remembrance Day weekend!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, November 2nd, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
Thank you so much for your participation in this week's Halloween classroom costumes and school-wide parade! I was thrilled to see each child's costume and celebrate their creativity, sparkle, and even gore! Ask your child what it was like to complete their Halloween activities while wearing glow-in-the-dark bracelets and listening to spooky tunes inside our classroom.
Other highlights from this week include practicing place value and creating numeracy crosses in class. If possible, please practice identifying the ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands place value positions with your child. We will continue to practice writing and illustrating the meaning of place value for numerals to 1000 in math next week. Ask your child about the sticky place value card he or she received from me this week and placed on his or her desk as a helpful strategy to use while working on these skills in school.
As well, Mrs. Williamson's and Ms. Spelay's classes went outside together this week to collect, study and compare soil collection cups from places across the outdoor school area! Here is a helpful video to watch with your child this weekend in order to prepare for continued work on soil in science this upcoming week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3A7OnTLSM8.
A few additional favourites from the student's this week:
"My favourite part of school this week was dancing to Ghost Busters with Ms. Spelay on Halloween!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was creating Candy Corn place value in math!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was working with my classmates to complete peer edits about Frankenstein writing. I liked how this writing matched the Picasso Frankenstein art we did in class a couple weeks ago!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was the costume parade!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
As well, please "be(a)ware" that Student Led Conferences have been booked on Thursday, November 22nd & Friday, November 23rd, 2018. We look forward to celebrating each child's hard work and progress thus far together with you then!
You are welcome to attend the Remembrance Day assembly this Friday, November 9th. If your child belongs to any service clubs (e.g., Scouts, Brownies, Guides) they are welcome to wear their uniforms and take part in a processional to bring in our flags at the beginning of the assembly.
Please ask your child to draw a flower in their agenda if you read this message. Many thanks for a terrific week and for taking the time to check out our classroom blog!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
Thank you so much for your participation in this week's Halloween classroom costumes and school-wide parade! I was thrilled to see each child's costume and celebrate their creativity, sparkle, and even gore! Ask your child what it was like to complete their Halloween activities while wearing glow-in-the-dark bracelets and listening to spooky tunes inside our classroom.
Other highlights from this week include practicing place value and creating numeracy crosses in class. If possible, please practice identifying the ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands place value positions with your child. We will continue to practice writing and illustrating the meaning of place value for numerals to 1000 in math next week. Ask your child about the sticky place value card he or she received from me this week and placed on his or her desk as a helpful strategy to use while working on these skills in school.
As well, Mrs. Williamson's and Ms. Spelay's classes went outside together this week to collect, study and compare soil collection cups from places across the outdoor school area! Here is a helpful video to watch with your child this weekend in order to prepare for continued work on soil in science this upcoming week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3A7OnTLSM8.
A few additional favourites from the student's this week:
"My favourite part of school this week was dancing to Ghost Busters with Ms. Spelay on Halloween!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was creating Candy Corn place value in math!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was working with my classmates to complete peer edits about Frankenstein writing. I liked how this writing matched the Picasso Frankenstein art we did in class a couple weeks ago!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was the costume parade!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
As well, please "be(a)ware" that Student Led Conferences have been booked on Thursday, November 22nd & Friday, November 23rd, 2018. We look forward to celebrating each child's hard work and progress thus far together with you then!
You are welcome to attend the Remembrance Day assembly this Friday, November 9th. If your child belongs to any service clubs (e.g., Scouts, Brownies, Guides) they are welcome to wear their uniforms and take part in a processional to bring in our flags at the beginning of the assembly.
Please ask your child to draw a flower in their agenda if you read this message. Many thanks for a terrific week and for taking the time to check out our classroom blog!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, October 27th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
I am pleased to inform you that the second field trip to the Calgary Tower has been scheduled on Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. You will receive additional details about volunteering for this trip from myself and my classroom volunteer coordinator closer to this date. Thank you in advance to all those who would be willing to accompany us on this adventure!
Check out the children's highlights of this week:
“My favourite part of this week was all the Halloween themed word work and writing during literacy stations!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was testing for carbonates in science using acid!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was solving word scrambles and riddles!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was skip counting by 5s, 10s, and even 25s!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was singing the continent song and making up actions for this song together as a class!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Next week, we will continue to practice place value and skip counting in math. We will also begin to study the layers of soil in science. Please ask your child about the prediction page they created and completed while observing carbonates reacting with vinegar in the science experiment!
Just one more fun-n-friendly reminder: Halloween day is coming up this week on Wednesday, October 31st. The school parade will begin at 2:45 so BOO sure to dress up as this will surely be a spook-tacular day!
I am looking forward to seeing you at school on Monday!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
I am pleased to inform you that the second field trip to the Calgary Tower has been scheduled on Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. You will receive additional details about volunteering for this trip from myself and my classroom volunteer coordinator closer to this date. Thank you in advance to all those who would be willing to accompany us on this adventure!
Check out the children's highlights of this week:
“My favourite part of this week was all the Halloween themed word work and writing during literacy stations!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was testing for carbonates in science using acid!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was solving word scrambles and riddles!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was skip counting by 5s, 10s, and even 25s!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was singing the continent song and making up actions for this song together as a class!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Next week, we will continue to practice place value and skip counting in math. We will also begin to study the layers of soil in science. Please ask your child about the prediction page they created and completed while observing carbonates reacting with vinegar in the science experiment!
Just one more fun-n-friendly reminder: Halloween day is coming up this week on Wednesday, October 31st. The school parade will begin at 2:45 so BOO sure to dress up as this will surely be a spook-tacular day!
I am looking forward to seeing you at school on Monday!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, October 19th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
I would like to thank those who volunteered their time to support the success of this year’s first full day field trip to the Glenbow Museum! The students were keen to share their answers to questions about the rock cycle during this day trip and talk about the characteristics of rocks and minerals within the "secret laboratory". Ask your child if he or she is able to show you the hand symbols that were taught to us during this trip to represent igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
Another peak of the week was when the Rocks and Minerals Guest Speaker returned to our classroom to provide each child with their very own sample of rose, smoky, rutilated, green or lemon quartz or quartzite. Several students excitedly said they now have the very first piece to their own rock collection! Find your child's tumbled rock in the attached picture above.
Fun fact: Quartz is the most common mineral on earth! Sometimes rocks can weather so much that they split. Ask your child if he or she received or saw a sample that split into smaller pieces during the rock tumbling process. Please ask your child if he or she remembers which sample of quartz or quartzite weathered the most while inside the rock tumbler!
Third grade buzzy bee students have also enjoyed their participation in literacy rotations and stations around the classroom this week. I would most appreciate your extra efforts to send a pair of headphones with your child to school in a labelled ziplock bag with their name to support this process.
Also, please be aware that there is no school this Friday, October 26th due to a PD day for teachers.
Thank you for your continued support and talk more soon!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
I would like to thank those who volunteered their time to support the success of this year’s first full day field trip to the Glenbow Museum! The students were keen to share their answers to questions about the rock cycle during this day trip and talk about the characteristics of rocks and minerals within the "secret laboratory". Ask your child if he or she is able to show you the hand symbols that were taught to us during this trip to represent igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
Another peak of the week was when the Rocks and Minerals Guest Speaker returned to our classroom to provide each child with their very own sample of rose, smoky, rutilated, green or lemon quartz or quartzite. Several students excitedly said they now have the very first piece to their own rock collection! Find your child's tumbled rock in the attached picture above.
Fun fact: Quartz is the most common mineral on earth! Sometimes rocks can weather so much that they split. Ask your child if he or she received or saw a sample that split into smaller pieces during the rock tumbling process. Please ask your child if he or she remembers which sample of quartz or quartzite weathered the most while inside the rock tumbler!
Third grade buzzy bee students have also enjoyed their participation in literacy rotations and stations around the classroom this week. I would most appreciate your extra efforts to send a pair of headphones with your child to school in a labelled ziplock bag with their name to support this process.
Also, please be aware that there is no school this Friday, October 26th due to a PD day for teachers.
Thank you for your continued support and talk more soon!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, October 12th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
I am delighted to tell you that your child was celebrated at the assembly today for his or her personal participation and determination to collect donations that will advance cancer research. Your thoughtfulness and help from home with our classroom accomplishment is much appreciated.
In fact, children were able to choose a brand-new hair colour for Mr. Lang in thanks to their combined commitment to fundraise over five-hundred dollars to find a cure for cancer. Please praise your child for his or her care and commitment to this cause and also compliment Mr. Lang on his new copper colour if you see him around our school!
Here are some other highlights from school this week:
“I learned to say hello in so many new languages as part of my global citizenship practice” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“I liked using witches fingers to read with my partner during literacy stations!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“It was a lot of fun using laptops to practice reading on RAZ Kids!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“One of my favourite parts of school this week was hearing that our classroom raised so much money for cancer research. We are such an awesome team!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“I am so excited to see Mr. Janzic with a bald head after the assembly!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“I feel so good about showing what I know about shapes. Now I see shapes everywhere – on my clothes, in my room, even in my lunchbox!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Next week, we will continue to study the physical properties of minerals during science stations. Students are also excited to explore place value and number sense in math.
Reminder: We will attend a full-day field trip to the Glenbow Museum this coming Wednesday, October 17th. Thank you so much to those caregivers who have signed up to volunteer for this trip! Please meet me in the classroom at 9:10 am.
See you on Monday!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
I am delighted to tell you that your child was celebrated at the assembly today for his or her personal participation and determination to collect donations that will advance cancer research. Your thoughtfulness and help from home with our classroom accomplishment is much appreciated.
In fact, children were able to choose a brand-new hair colour for Mr. Lang in thanks to their combined commitment to fundraise over five-hundred dollars to find a cure for cancer. Please praise your child for his or her care and commitment to this cause and also compliment Mr. Lang on his new copper colour if you see him around our school!
Here are some other highlights from school this week:
“I learned to say hello in so many new languages as part of my global citizenship practice” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“I liked using witches fingers to read with my partner during literacy stations!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“It was a lot of fun using laptops to practice reading on RAZ Kids!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“One of my favourite parts of school this week was hearing that our classroom raised so much money for cancer research. We are such an awesome team!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“I am so excited to see Mr. Janzic with a bald head after the assembly!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“I feel so good about showing what I know about shapes. Now I see shapes everywhere – on my clothes, in my room, even in my lunchbox!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Next week, we will continue to study the physical properties of minerals during science stations. Students are also excited to explore place value and number sense in math.
Reminder: We will attend a full-day field trip to the Glenbow Museum this coming Wednesday, October 17th. Thank you so much to those caregivers who have signed up to volunteer for this trip! Please meet me in the classroom at 9:10 am.
See you on Monday!
Ms. Spelay
Friday, October 5th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
I am pleased to tell you that the first third grade field trip to the Glenbow Museum has been scheduled on Wednesday, October 17th, 2018. Please sign the field trip forms and send these back to school with your child as soon as possible. Our class is currently seeking four volunteers for this field trip. Please note that any prospective volunteers must have a completed volunteer package and police clearance check. Please advise if you are willing to volunteer your time for this field trip; your support and assistance would be warmly welcomed!
Please send in a pair of headphones/earbuds with your child as RAZ Kids is set to start this upcoming week!
It is important to send a sincere thank you to the Guest Speakers who visited our classroom this week and volunteered their special skills, knowledge and expertise in order to enhance each child’s learning experiences:
The Orange Shirt Day Guest Speaker advanced each child’s and teacher’s awareness of the Residential School System and enabled each of us to more fully appreciate the significance of Orange Shirt Day by reinforcing that we must continue to work together to ensure that every child matters.
As well, students were thrilled to participate in the Rocks and Minerals presentation in which they were able to select their very own sample of rose, smoky, green, yellow or rutilated quartz. These samples of quartz are now in the process of being “tumbled” by the Rocks and Minerals Specialist so that students may see the “before” and “after” of the weathering process.
Thank you for taking the time to read, review, and return your child’s scientific projects, including their types of rocks, layers of the earth, and rock cycle creations. Please continue to encourage your child to review this material over the course of this weekend in order to be prepared for his or her chance to “show what you know” in class next week.
In the spirit of thanksgiving, I feel a strong sense of gratitude to have such hardworking, kind, and imaginative children in my classroom with such supportive caregivers at home. Thank you all for your conversation, commitment, and inclusion in regards to your child’s learning needs. I am wishing you all a wonderful and warm thanksgiving weekend!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
I am pleased to tell you that the first third grade field trip to the Glenbow Museum has been scheduled on Wednesday, October 17th, 2018. Please sign the field trip forms and send these back to school with your child as soon as possible. Our class is currently seeking four volunteers for this field trip. Please note that any prospective volunteers must have a completed volunteer package and police clearance check. Please advise if you are willing to volunteer your time for this field trip; your support and assistance would be warmly welcomed!
Please send in a pair of headphones/earbuds with your child as RAZ Kids is set to start this upcoming week!
It is important to send a sincere thank you to the Guest Speakers who visited our classroom this week and volunteered their special skills, knowledge and expertise in order to enhance each child’s learning experiences:
The Orange Shirt Day Guest Speaker advanced each child’s and teacher’s awareness of the Residential School System and enabled each of us to more fully appreciate the significance of Orange Shirt Day by reinforcing that we must continue to work together to ensure that every child matters.
As well, students were thrilled to participate in the Rocks and Minerals presentation in which they were able to select their very own sample of rose, smoky, green, yellow or rutilated quartz. These samples of quartz are now in the process of being “tumbled” by the Rocks and Minerals Specialist so that students may see the “before” and “after” of the weathering process.
Thank you for taking the time to read, review, and return your child’s scientific projects, including their types of rocks, layers of the earth, and rock cycle creations. Please continue to encourage your child to review this material over the course of this weekend in order to be prepared for his or her chance to “show what you know” in class next week.
In the spirit of thanksgiving, I feel a strong sense of gratitude to have such hardworking, kind, and imaginative children in my classroom with such supportive caregivers at home. Thank you all for your conversation, commitment, and inclusion in regards to your child’s learning needs. I am wishing you all a wonderful and warm thanksgiving weekend!
Ms. Spelay
September 28th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
We have had many successes this week and are proud of each and every one of them. It was so nice to see so many of you this morning at the Muffin Breakfast. Thank you so much to those who took the time to campaign and collect significant contributions for the Terry Fox Run and also to those who provided a Toonie for Terry. We ran with your spirit of generosity and thoughtfulness in our hearts and minds!
It has been wonderful to watch each child gain confidence and clarity while counting edges, vertices, and faces on various shapes and objects and volunteer their answers during class conversations. Your child has been a total geologist-in-training, too, as he or she has used scientific tools like magnifying glasses to study and share the characteristics of various types of rocks. We were happy to send home the results of our research, and hope families and friends at home enjoyed reading and reviewing our scientific flip books. Thank you to those who were willing to allow their child show and share their rock collection with us in class; it is very rewarding to see students’ personal engagement and excitement about our learning activities.
Please send your child to school in an orange shirt this Monday, October 1st, 2018 in order to celebrate Orange Shirt Day and promote awareness about the impact of the Residential School System on Indigenous communities. We will wear orange to show our continued interest in these stories and desire to come together with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples of Canada in the spirit of reconciliation.
As well, I am wishing another very happy birthday to students with a birthday in September. I hope you enjoyed hearing eight or more things that we love about you! Your birthday glowstick is a reminder of how bright your light shines both here at Hawkwood School and at home.
See you all again next week!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
We have had many successes this week and are proud of each and every one of them. It was so nice to see so many of you this morning at the Muffin Breakfast. Thank you so much to those who took the time to campaign and collect significant contributions for the Terry Fox Run and also to those who provided a Toonie for Terry. We ran with your spirit of generosity and thoughtfulness in our hearts and minds!
It has been wonderful to watch each child gain confidence and clarity while counting edges, vertices, and faces on various shapes and objects and volunteer their answers during class conversations. Your child has been a total geologist-in-training, too, as he or she has used scientific tools like magnifying glasses to study and share the characteristics of various types of rocks. We were happy to send home the results of our research, and hope families and friends at home enjoyed reading and reviewing our scientific flip books. Thank you to those who were willing to allow their child show and share their rock collection with us in class; it is very rewarding to see students’ personal engagement and excitement about our learning activities.
Please send your child to school in an orange shirt this Monday, October 1st, 2018 in order to celebrate Orange Shirt Day and promote awareness about the impact of the Residential School System on Indigenous communities. We will wear orange to show our continued interest in these stories and desire to come together with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples of Canada in the spirit of reconciliation.
As well, I am wishing another very happy birthday to students with a birthday in September. I hope you enjoyed hearing eight or more things that we love about you! Your birthday glowstick is a reminder of how bright your light shines both here at Hawkwood School and at home.
See you all again next week!
Ms. Spelay
September 20th, 2018.
Dear Third Grade Families:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who took the time and extra effort to attend Hawkwood School’s B.B.Q. and Meet the Teacher Night. Despite the chilly outdoor weather, your warm enthusiasm and excitement were much appreciated! The students were so proud to share evidence of their artistic and academic accomplishments with you on this special evening.
"My favourite part of school this week was counting the sides of shapes!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was making juicy sentences!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"I am looking forward to sharing my collection of rocks and minerals in class next week!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Please be assured that you may consider me as a constant support for both you and your child this school year. It was un-be-LEAF-ably wonderful to spend some time together tonight and celebrate your child’s successful transition thus far into the third grade.
Thank you for investing your thoughts in completing the questionnaire as it will provide me with insight into the ways in which I may address your child’s personal attributes and areas for growth. I am most excited to continue to pursue excellence in education as your child’s third grade teacher this school year.
I am looking forward to reviewing the results of your child's shape scavenger hunt this weekend!
Ms. Spelay
Dear Third Grade Families:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who took the time and extra effort to attend Hawkwood School’s B.B.Q. and Meet the Teacher Night. Despite the chilly outdoor weather, your warm enthusiasm and excitement were much appreciated! The students were so proud to share evidence of their artistic and academic accomplishments with you on this special evening.
"My favourite part of school this week was counting the sides of shapes!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of school this week was making juicy sentences!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"I am looking forward to sharing my collection of rocks and minerals in class next week!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Please be assured that you may consider me as a constant support for both you and your child this school year. It was un-be-LEAF-ably wonderful to spend some time together tonight and celebrate your child’s successful transition thus far into the third grade.
Thank you for investing your thoughts in completing the questionnaire as it will provide me with insight into the ways in which I may address your child’s personal attributes and areas for growth. I am most excited to continue to pursue excellence in education as your child’s third grade teacher this school year.
I am looking forward to reviewing the results of your child's shape scavenger hunt this weekend!
Ms. Spelay
September 14th, 2018.
Welcome Back Children and Caregivers to our Classroom Blog!
We have had another fun-filled week in third grade! Thank you for your prompt return of all school forms and associated fees, as well as your diligence in signing your child’s agenda. Your communication and support is greatly appreciated!
I am very excited to announce that Hawkwood School will offer a SPARK program this year. This is a 20-minute physical fitness program that will be available to select students who may benefit from a short body-break at the beginning of the school day. I have already notified those caregivers whose child has been offered the opportunity to participate in this program. What fun it will be for these students to enjoy an extra wiggle with Mr. Janzic in the gymnasium!
This week, we worked together to write down and describe our personal and collective curiosities in regards to shapes and posted these on our classroom “Wonder Wall”. We also adopted a “growth mindset” while practicing spelling, math, and other word work.
“My favourite part of this week was reading about the characters in the classroom novel!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was practicing spelling and guided drawings!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was doing so much math and making my minion!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Next week, we plan to delve deeper into shapes and take a peek at real-life rocks and minerals in science!
It is my hope to see you this Thursday, September 20th at “Meet the Teacher” night from 6:30 – 7:30. Please arrive early for a bite to eat – there will be a Hot Dog BBQ beginning at 5:30!
See you there!
Ms. Spelay
Welcome Back Children and Caregivers to our Classroom Blog!
We have had another fun-filled week in third grade! Thank you for your prompt return of all school forms and associated fees, as well as your diligence in signing your child’s agenda. Your communication and support is greatly appreciated!
I am very excited to announce that Hawkwood School will offer a SPARK program this year. This is a 20-minute physical fitness program that will be available to select students who may benefit from a short body-break at the beginning of the school day. I have already notified those caregivers whose child has been offered the opportunity to participate in this program. What fun it will be for these students to enjoy an extra wiggle with Mr. Janzic in the gymnasium!
This week, we worked together to write down and describe our personal and collective curiosities in regards to shapes and posted these on our classroom “Wonder Wall”. We also adopted a “growth mindset” while practicing spelling, math, and other word work.
“My favourite part of this week was reading about the characters in the classroom novel!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was practicing spelling and guided drawings!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
“My favourite part of this week was doing so much math and making my minion!” – Third Grade Buzzy Bee
Next week, we plan to delve deeper into shapes and take a peek at real-life rocks and minerals in science!
It is my hope to see you this Thursday, September 20th at “Meet the Teacher” night from 6:30 – 7:30. Please arrive early for a bite to eat – there will be a Hot Dog BBQ beginning at 5:30!
See you there!
Ms. Spelay
September 7th, 2018.
Welcome Children and Caregivers,
Thank you so much for your co-operation and support throughout this first week back to school. All students have shown positivity, perseverance, and cooperation throughout their participation in team-building projects this week. It has been a pleasure to get to know your child and celebrate his or her special skills within our classroom community.
"My favourite part of my first week of school was trying new things, meeting my teacher, and having a whole new class. I'm happy to be back at school!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of my first week of school was reading and writing and the telephone game. I really like the way Ms. Spelay always smiles at us!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of my first week of school was being in a beautiful classroom - I love llamas and I know Ms. Spelay also does!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of my first week of school was reading funny stories and going to the assembly today!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
We will continue to HIVE a lot of fun next week as we begin to explore Shape and Space (3-D Objects and 2-D Shapes). Perhaps you can play a game of "I Spy A Shape!" at home in order to get excited for this unit!
Please continue to ensure your child comes prepared each day with indoor shoes, a nutritious snack and lunch. Also, it is important that he or she is dressed appropriately for the changing weather. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Also, Caregivers, some points to keep in mind as we journey through September: Please remember to read and sign your child’s agenda daily and return the school forms sent home today. Please mark September 20th on your calendar as it is our “Meet the Teacher” night here at Hawkwood School. I am looking forward to the opportunity to introduce myself to you and gaining some personal insights about your child that may enhance his or her academic experiences this year.
Thank you for your continued efforts in making your child’s school experience positive and successful this year!
Ms. Spelay
Welcome Children and Caregivers,
Thank you so much for your co-operation and support throughout this first week back to school. All students have shown positivity, perseverance, and cooperation throughout their participation in team-building projects this week. It has been a pleasure to get to know your child and celebrate his or her special skills within our classroom community.
"My favourite part of my first week of school was trying new things, meeting my teacher, and having a whole new class. I'm happy to be back at school!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of my first week of school was reading and writing and the telephone game. I really like the way Ms. Spelay always smiles at us!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of my first week of school was being in a beautiful classroom - I love llamas and I know Ms. Spelay also does!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
"My favourite part of my first week of school was reading funny stories and going to the assembly today!" - Third Grade Buzzy Bee
We will continue to HIVE a lot of fun next week as we begin to explore Shape and Space (3-D Objects and 2-D Shapes). Perhaps you can play a game of "I Spy A Shape!" at home in order to get excited for this unit!
Please continue to ensure your child comes prepared each day with indoor shoes, a nutritious snack and lunch. Also, it is important that he or she is dressed appropriately for the changing weather. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Also, Caregivers, some points to keep in mind as we journey through September: Please remember to read and sign your child’s agenda daily and return the school forms sent home today. Please mark September 20th on your calendar as it is our “Meet the Teacher” night here at Hawkwood School. I am looking forward to the opportunity to introduce myself to you and gaining some personal insights about your child that may enhance his or her academic experiences this year.
Thank you for your continued efforts in making your child’s school experience positive and successful this year!
Ms. Spelay