Thursday, October 31

Happy Halloween!  This morning students continued their work on their Halloween writing.  Students shared this writing with their buddies and worked on a funny ad lib with their buddy.  In the afternoon, students painted a pumpkin using watercolours.  We finished off our day with gym class with M. Trevor.  Have a great long weekend and a fun night tonight.

Wednesday, October 30

Please send along your child's home reading books and red duotang tomorrow.  I will be placing the November Words of the Week in your child's red duotang.  We will be visiting the library on Tuesday, students are welcome to bring their books back anytime before we go. Tomorrow is Halloween and students are welcome to dress as usual, in black & orange or in a costume.  Please be sure to follow the guidelines from VAS.
Today, students worked on using Halloween vocabulary in their writing.  In math, we reviewed place value to 100 and skip-counting, both forwards and backwards and subtraction of single digit numbers.  Students had music today and after lunch we reviewed key French science vocabulary "est plus chaud/froid que." 

Tuesday, October 29

This morning, we tried our "Défi de lecture" (individual reading) but we were not successful.  We'll try again later this week.  Students began to use the words of the week, le son "ou" in sentences in their journals.  In math, we used manipulatives to make numbers with hundreds, tens and ones.  Please see our pictures below.  In social studies, we looked at Alberta's provincial flower and in science we watched some meteorologists give weather forecasts in French.  Students participated in PE with M. Trevor.

Monday, October 28

A cold day today; students stayed in at lunch recess as it was -22 with the wind.  In FLA this morning we read and discussed a book called Friend Ship.  In math we practiced counting by 1's and 5's to 100.  Students played more cooperative games with M. Trevor in gym and in social studies, we placed Meteghan, NS; Calgary, AB; Saskatoon, SK and Iqaluit, NU on a map of Canada. We also read a book called Notre Canada d'un océan à l'autre.  We finished off the day by playing our Math Monday game.  It's a fun one this week.  Your child will be coming home with it in their green folder. 

Friday, October 25

This morning we read a funny book about Carlos, the dog.  We discussed beginning, middle and end.  Next students came up with what they thought the beginning, middle and end parts of the book were.  They wrote and drew the story, by dividing up a paper into 3 sections.  We will finish up this work next week.  Students participated in reading buddies and each student selected 3 books to read to their big buddy.  M. Trevor would love you to check out his physical education blog.  It can be found at
https://mtrevorphysed.blogspot.com/

Thursday, October 24

Don't forget about the dance, here at Varsity tomorrow.  Today in FLA, we read a very funny book about what teachers actually do in the staffroom.  This funny book led us to a journal entry about what Room 8 students think happens in our staffroom.  Please see some of our favourites below.  I enjoy the one of me at the party in my pink dress!  We also continued to discus beginning, middle and end of stories. 
I have conferenced and given back the math tests today.  In the conference, I highlighted what each student did well and where improvements could be made.  I'm sending home both math tests for you to see.  Please sign and send them back, as I will be keeping them.  In science, students worked in partners.  One student wrote the temperature and the partner had to draw the thermometer.  Students also played co-operative games in PE class.

Wednesday, October 23

Today we talked about what qualities a friend has.  We also discussed how good friends make us feel.  In math we reviewed numbers in French up to 10 and represented these numbers.  In FLA, students worked on small book about themselves.

It was an exciting day in science.  Students can now read a thermometer and today they got to use their thermometers in hot and cold water.  It was fun watching the red go up and down.  See our excitement below!  In social studies, we talked about the different provinces and territories in Canada and coloured a map.

Tomorrow is library so please return all library books so we can take out new ones.

Tuesday, October 22

This morning we worked on our reading stamina.  Students choose the goal of 18 minutes and they achieved this goal.  Why build a child's reading stamina?  Here are a few thoughts

Spending longer periods of time reading means fewer interruptions and more time reading what you love. As your child moves into higher grades, having reading stamina will help your child navigate the longer texts and assignments.

-www.readingrockets.org

...when it comes to building literacy skills, the relationship between putting in the practice it takes to build skills and the success that feeds the desire to practice presents a paradox—even a Catch 22. To get better, students need a lot of practice and exposure to reading. Putting in that practice demands sustained effort or stamina. A key motivator for continuing to practice (thus building stamina) is experiencing some success...

-Education Leadership, Feb 2017

We begin with Read to Self because it sets an essential foundation for creating lifelong readers, writers, and learners who are independently motivated.

-The Daly Cafe, by Gail Boushey & Joan Moser, 2009

We wrote the second part to our math test today and I'm hoping to have the test back to you by the end of the week.  In social studies we discussed how Canada is a very diverse and multicultural  country.  In science, we learned out different points of the thermometer.  In health, we read a book called "Voici Triangle" by Jon Klassen and discussed how sometimes jokes we think are funny are not so funny to others.

building our reading stamina

Monday, October 21

This morning in FLA in addition to their weekend journal writing, we read a story and talked about beginning, middle and end parts of a text. Key vocabulary used was "début, milieu, fin." Students had music and then wrote the first part of their math test. We played the Math Monday game and I handed back the social studies mapping test.  You should be able to find both of these in your child's green folder.  Also in social studies, we discussed our Canadian flag.  We also took a movement break outside for 15 minutes, as we didn't have PE with M. Trevor.
Just a reminder that today is the last day for ordering Scholastic books and tomorrow we will be having a fire drill.

Friday, October 18

This morning students visited their last literacy station, had a social studies mapping test and participated in reading buddies with their Grade 5 friends.  We also had a fire drill and Room 8 did a great job being quiet and lining up.  We happened to be over by the library and lined up in a different spot.  They did all the right things and I was very proud of them and their behaviour.  Have a lovely weekend.

Thursday, October 17

I just realized my dates were wrong this week-sorry about that! We continued with graphing today and students will write a test on Monday.  In social studies we completed one last example of mapping.  Tomorrow students will write a quiz.  We read a Mi'kmaw legend and this afternoon I handed out the "étoile de la semaine" schedule and instructions.  Your child has a paper copy (yellow) in their green folders.  I'll also send out a digital copy with the weekly message tomorrow.  Scholastic book orders have gone home today.  Please place your order by Monday, October 21 if you would like to order a book. 
Don't forget to send back home reading books and red duotang tomorrow for exchange/review.

Wednesday, October 16

Sorry for the delay in this post.  I was trying to figure out how to upload the video.
Students continued with their literacy centers, and in math we worked again on being able to read and answer questions about a graph.  Students also created their own graphs.  Many times we work in Room 8 with a partner or in groups to discuss our learning and figure things out together but sometimes Mme. explains that it's an "individual task." Below is a video of students working "individuel" on their work.  Room 8 is excellent at being able to work independently, especially in situations where my job is just about done.  We're coming to the end of our unit on graphing and students have a strong understanding of what to do and how to do it.  They don't require much help. Please see the video below.

Students had gym with M. Trevor and we continued to develop vocabulary and understanding around thermometers.  We went outside for a little while, as it was so nice out.

Tuesday, October 15

A busy day today.  In the morning students began a rotation in literacy centers.  Centers included writing in their journals about their weekend, spelling the words of the week, an alphabetical name activity, and partner reading.  Students will continue with these centers for the rest of the week, spending about 25 minutes at each center. We visited the library today and students exchanged their books.  We will go to the library next on Thursday, October 24.  In math, I handed back their graphing quiz from last week and we went over it together on the Smartboard.   We will spend a bit more time on graphing before writing a test either this Friday or early next week.  Students have brought their quiz home for you to see.  This afternoon, we played the Math Monday game which is also in your child's green folder.  We also worked at reading and drawing different temperatures on the thermometer.  Here are some pictures of us enjoying the learning commons (library).

Thursday, October 10

This morning we talked about things that we are thankful for.  We wrote our thoughts on the back of our fall art.  In math, we continued to present our graphs and receive feedback on what we can do to improve.  Students also reviewed numbers 0-20.  Mme. Zdrill shared her love of music with students and in the afternoon we worked on some special writing (sent home for you!).  Students also drew thermometers to go along with visuals (sunny day=thermometer quite high, skating=thermometer low).  Have a lovely Thanksgiving.