We've had a busy and exciting week! The students enjoyed their overnight trip to the Island School. Highlights included biking around the island, learning survival skills and creating art from objects in nature, in the style of Andy Goldsworthy.
When we returned, students learned how to do long multiplication, using the traditional method. Next week we'll look at lattice multiplication, which is a different strategy. We'll also practise long division.
We continued our inquiry on "What does it mean to be healthy?" We finished the meditation program on calm.com, called "7 days of calm." I've encouraged students to continue to use the website as needed, either in class with headphones or at home. We'll continue to use it from time to time as a whole class. We also continued to discuss the report card on the health of Canadian children. Students are working in groups to create summaries to post in the hall for the other students in Rosedale to read.
In language we talked more about Terry Fox and created an anchor chart entitled, "What lesson did you learn from Terry Fox's life?" Students learned to "never give up," and to think about Terry when things seem hard! We also participated in Orange Shirt day. We read the book, "I am Not a Number," and discussed Canada's sad history of residential schools.
Finally, we began a food drive here at Rosedale. Grade 5's and 6's helped create the boxes for the drive, and will be reading announcements. Please send in non-perishable food items before next Thursday, when our food drive ends.
Homework:
1) Read daily for at least 20-30 minutes.
2) Read the text about Rick Hansen and answer the questions.
3) Complete the math work on long multiplication.
Important Dates:
Mon., Oct. 2: grade 6 parent meeting for Halloween Hullaballoo
Tues., Oct. 3: cross country meet
Wed., Oct. 4: Curriculum night
Oct. 25: Halloween Hullaballoo
Friday, 29 September 2017
Friday, 22 September 2017
We've had another great week in room 9! In math students practised how to write large numbers in standard form, words and expanded form. We also reviewed how to add and subtract large numbers, as well as how to solve problems involving those operations. On Friday students worked on a problem involving large numbers and estimation: "If you blink about 16 times a minute, about how long would it take to blink 100 000 times? 1 000 000 times? Justify your answer and show your work." Students shared their work and thinking using a document camera and we discussed different strategies to solve this problem.
We continued our inquiry on "What does it mean to be healthy?" We continued the meditation program on calm.com, called "7 days of calm." We also read a report card on the health of Canadian children. Students predicted the marks that Canadian children would get in areas like "physical activity" and "sleep." Students then read the report and made comments on each area. They were shocked to find out some of the results. Please ask your child about it! Students also finished and evaluated their "The Best Part of Me" project. We did a gallery walk and expressed appreciation for each others' work.
We began social studies this week. Mr. Siefert will teach the grade 6's science, while I teach the grade 5's. The grade 6's are learning about Canada's Global Connections to the World, while the grade 5's are learning about Canadian Government.
Finally, we talked about Terry Fox and watched a Heritage Minute about Terry. Students read a short passage about Terry Fox and answered some questions about his life. We also participated with our reading buddies in the Terry Fox walk.
Homework:
1) Read daily for at least 20-30 minutes.
There will be no homework folder this week, due to our trip to the Island School.
Important Dates:
Mon Sept. 25-27: Island School trip
Wed., Oct. 4: Curriculum night
Oct. 25: Halloween Hullaballoo
We continued our inquiry on "What does it mean to be healthy?" We continued the meditation program on calm.com, called "7 days of calm." We also read a report card on the health of Canadian children. Students predicted the marks that Canadian children would get in areas like "physical activity" and "sleep." Students then read the report and made comments on each area. They were shocked to find out some of the results. Please ask your child about it! Students also finished and evaluated their "The Best Part of Me" project. We did a gallery walk and expressed appreciation for each others' work.
We began social studies this week. Mr. Siefert will teach the grade 6's science, while I teach the grade 5's. The grade 6's are learning about Canada's Global Connections to the World, while the grade 5's are learning about Canadian Government.
Finally, we talked about Terry Fox and watched a Heritage Minute about Terry. Students read a short passage about Terry Fox and answered some questions about his life. We also participated with our reading buddies in the Terry Fox walk.
Homework:
1) Read daily for at least 20-30 minutes.
There will be no homework folder this week, due to our trip to the Island School.
Important Dates:
Mon Sept. 25-27: Island School trip
Wed., Oct. 4: Curriculum night
Oct. 25: Halloween Hullaballoo
Friday, 15 September 2017
Sept. 11-15
We've had another great week in room 9 of getting to know each other and learning! In math this week we continued to use the YouCubed series of inspirational math lessons from Stanford University. Students learned important math lessons, like, "Believe in Yourself," and "Mistakes are Powerful," as they worked through some challenging problems. If you would like to see the videos that we watched, here is the link: https://www.youcubed.org/week-of-inspirational-math-2/. Students also learned about place value, and can now write large numbers in standard form, words and expanded form.
We began our first inquiry on "What does it mean to be healthy?" Students brainstormed in groups, and we discussed some aspects of being healthy, like getting enough sleep. We also began a meditation program on calm.com, called "7 days of calm." Check out that website for more great mediation activities.
On the theme of being healthy, we discussed mental health as well. In language we read the book, "The Best Part of Me." Student then chose some part of themselves that they like and wrote a poem about why they liked it. Students also took close up pictures of themselves. That work will be displayed in the hall. We also reviewed the writing process, as well as how to revise and edit our own and others' work. In addition, students wrote the CASI test, which is a standardized reading test.
Finally, in phys. ed. we also worked on collaborative skills through games. The students learned that a significant part of their phys. ed. mark comes from cooperation skills, participating actively and from participating safely. We read the success criteria for these skills that are posted them in the gym as a reminder. The other part of the students' marks for phys. ed. comes from movement skills, such as throwing, which will be taught throughout the year.
Homework:
1) Read daily for at least 20-30 minutes.
2) Practise your 3 times tables. We will continue "Mad math minutes" next week, focusing on the 3 times tables.
3) Complete the math work on place value.
4) Read the article, " Not Your Typical School Cafeteria" and answer the questions.
Important Dates:
Sept. 19: picture day
Mon Sept. 25-27: Island School trip
Wed., Oct. 4: Curriculum night
We began our first inquiry on "What does it mean to be healthy?" Students brainstormed in groups, and we discussed some aspects of being healthy, like getting enough sleep. We also began a meditation program on calm.com, called "7 days of calm." Check out that website for more great mediation activities.
On the theme of being healthy, we discussed mental health as well. In language we read the book, "The Best Part of Me." Student then chose some part of themselves that they like and wrote a poem about why they liked it. Students also took close up pictures of themselves. That work will be displayed in the hall. We also reviewed the writing process, as well as how to revise and edit our own and others' work. In addition, students wrote the CASI test, which is a standardized reading test.
Finally, in phys. ed. we also worked on collaborative skills through games. The students learned that a significant part of their phys. ed. mark comes from cooperation skills, participating actively and from participating safely. We read the success criteria for these skills that are posted them in the gym as a reminder. The other part of the students' marks for phys. ed. comes from movement skills, such as throwing, which will be taught throughout the year.
Homework:
1) Read daily for at least 20-30 minutes.
2) Practise your 3 times tables. We will continue "Mad math minutes" next week, focusing on the 3 times tables.
3) Complete the math work on place value.
4) Read the article, " Not Your Typical School Cafeteria" and answer the questions.
Important Dates:
Sept. 19: picture day
Mon Sept. 25-27: Island School trip
Wed., Oct. 4: Curriculum night
Friday, 8 September 2017
Sept. 5-8
In room 9 we've had a great first week of getting to know each other and establishing class norms and routines! I've enjoyed getting to know all my students and their unique strengths and interests.
On our first day, students learned the Tribes Community Agreements, which are:
1) Attentive Listening
2) Mutual Respect
3) Appreciation, No Put-Downs
4) The Right to Participate
5) Safety First
I find that using these agreements is a powerful tool to help create a positive and safe atmosphere within the class.
This week the students also wrote letters to their future selves, which they will get back to read at the end of June. Students made predictions about the year, and asked questions to their future selves. In addition, we had a funeral for our "I Can'ts", putting to rest our feelings that we can't do certain things, and changing those statements to, "I am learning to."
We also began our work on independent reading and math this week, and established norms and routines. I emphasize quiet during independent reading periods so that everyone can think, as reading is thinking! I also emphasize collaboration during math, so that students can learn from each other as well as from me. We began the youcubed "Week of Inspirational Math." We watched a short video about an important aspect of learning math, then worked on a math activity that helped students practise that skill. Students learned that there are many strategies for learning math, including teamwork, and that math is not about speed, but about deep thinking.
Finally, three permission forms went home on Friday. The first is for Kiss N Go volunteering, the second is for the cross country team. The last is for the Island School trip. I ask that all the forms be returned ASAP, and I do apologize for the many, many forms this week!
Homework:
1) Read for 20-30 minutes daily. This will be daily homework all year long. Homework folders will begin next week.
Important Dates:
Friday, Sept. 15: celebrating summer birthdays
Sept. 25-27: Island School trip
Oct. 4: Curriculum Night
On our first day, students learned the Tribes Community Agreements, which are:
1) Attentive Listening
2) Mutual Respect
3) Appreciation, No Put-Downs
4) The Right to Participate
5) Safety First
I find that using these agreements is a powerful tool to help create a positive and safe atmosphere within the class.
This week the students also wrote letters to their future selves, which they will get back to read at the end of June. Students made predictions about the year, and asked questions to their future selves. In addition, we had a funeral for our "I Can'ts", putting to rest our feelings that we can't do certain things, and changing those statements to, "I am learning to."
We also began our work on independent reading and math this week, and established norms and routines. I emphasize quiet during independent reading periods so that everyone can think, as reading is thinking! I also emphasize collaboration during math, so that students can learn from each other as well as from me. We began the youcubed "Week of Inspirational Math." We watched a short video about an important aspect of learning math, then worked on a math activity that helped students practise that skill. Students learned that there are many strategies for learning math, including teamwork, and that math is not about speed, but about deep thinking.
Finally, three permission forms went home on Friday. The first is for Kiss N Go volunteering, the second is for the cross country team. The last is for the Island School trip. I ask that all the forms be returned ASAP, and I do apologize for the many, many forms this week!
Homework:
1) Read for 20-30 minutes daily. This will be daily homework all year long. Homework folders will begin next week.
Important Dates:
Friday, Sept. 15: celebrating summer birthdays
Sept. 25-27: Island School trip
Oct. 4: Curriculum Night
Friday, 1 September 2017
Welcome to the 2017-2018 School Year!
Welcome to room 9's blog, and another school year! Please take a minute to enter your email address on the right, under the title, " Subscribe via email." This will allow blog updates to automatically be sent to your email address. I try my best to update this blog at the end of each week. I will include a recap of the learning that week, as well as important upcoming dates and homework. I find that it's a great way for students to stay organized and for parents to know what is happening in the classroom. I look forward to a wonderful year of learning and growing!
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