Dec 8-12

What beautiful weather we were treated to this weekend!  I hope you were able to enjoy it as much as my family did.  We were away for a hockey tournament and got to spend some quality family time together. 

Curriculum:

• Math:
• We will be having the quiz for the Clocks and Calendar tomorrow (writing the date with words and in metric notation; telling time to the minute in two different ways [e.g. 5:30 and half past five]; 24-hour clocks).  Booklets were due last Friday.  I am missing a couple, so please double check with your child to make sure they handed it in.
• We will be doing line symmetry and tessellations in both math and art for the next two weeks.  We don't really need to do tessellations in grade 4 but it makes for a very cool art project :)  There is a "Lines of Symmetry" activity in the "Geometry" section of Splash Math.
• Language Arts:
• We are working on a very special project.  That is all. 
• Spelling - Lesson 4 will be due at the end of the week with a dictation on Thursday
• Social: Just finished the Parkland Region and will be moving on to the Boreal Forest Region. 
• Science: We will be learning more about wheels this week.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• No Friday Letters due
• Library books due

Tuesday:

• Tone It Up Tuesday - we strongly recommend a water bottle
• For students in choir - singing at City Hall

Wednesday:

• After school skate 3:45 p.m.

Thursday:

• For students in choir - singing at Park Meadows Village

Friday:

• No Enrichment until after Christmas holidays
• Frolicking Friday

Dec 1 - Dec 5

Welcome to December!  It's crazy, we only have three weeks until our Christmas break.  With that being said, there will still be a lot of work that will be happening!

Notes:

• Sock-it-to-em campaign.  This is put on through our caretaking CUPE and the socks stay within the district (even school).  Please send a new pair of socks, if you can.
• Please remember to send back the report card envelopes.

Curriculum:

• LA - writing activity from last week that will take us through to the end of the month.  We will explore a few varieties of poetry and different writings.   That's all I can say. 
• MATH - time - clocks and calendar.  We have been working on the 24 hr clock.  The next couple of days will consist of catch up and a few games. 
• Science - learning about rollers.
• Social - finishing up our adventure in the Parkland region.

This week:
Monday:

• library books due back
• Friday letters signed and returned
• Ask your child about the Christmas sock

Tuesday

• Library day

Wednesday

• guitar tutoring and practice 12:05 Music Room
• guitar club - 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• after school skate - 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. Adam's Ice Rink (with an adult)

Thursday

Friday

• Hot lunch forms due back
• Frolicking - please dress for the weather
• Last day for enrichment

Nov 24-28

Well, we've reached the last week of November, and the kids are already looking ahead to Christmas!  Thank goodness the next few weeks are full weeks as we have a lot to do before then!

Notes:

• I enjoyed meeting with each of you at parent teacher interviews.  We had some nice conversations to give us some direction for the next couple of months. 
• GREAT NEWS......Raz-Kids has an APP!  I found that out at hockey this weekend when the child sitting next to me was working on her iPad.  I searched it out and it is a free app.  The kids can use their school log in. 

Curriculum:

• Math - We are beginning to learn about telling time.  This week students will be exploring time, comparing digital and analog clocks, and learning to tell time by the half hour.  You can help at home by encouraging your child to practice telling time on an analog clock.
• Language Arts -
• Spelling - we will have a spelling dictation this Thursday; students should be practicing their sorts at home.
• Writing - we start a special writing project this week that I can't tell you any more about! 
• Social - We continue learning about the Parkland Region
• Science - We will be learning about friction and force.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Library books due

Tuesday:

• Going to the Book Fair as a class
• Hot lunch
• Energy Day assembly 12:30 p.m. - the theme is Moustache Day!
• Tone it Up Tuesday - yoga mats optional; be sure to have a water bottle
• Last day for Book Fair
• Family Fun Night in the gym 6:30-8:00 p.m. - all students must be accompanied by an adult

Wednesday:

• Guitar tutoring at lunch
• Guitar club after school
• Free - after school skating at Adams Ice Centre 3:45-4:45 p.m. - all skaters must have helmets and all students must be accompanied by an adult

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday

Nov 17-21

Notes:

• Please sign and return report card envelopes as soon as possible so we can reuse them in March.
• Book Fair starts Thursday and runs until Tuesday.  We will visit as a class on Monday and you are welcome to shop during interviews.
• Make sure you have signed in and signed up for a parent/teacher interview.

Curriculum:

• Math - We are finishing up Patterns in Equations and are starting Measurement: Calendar and Clocks.  Here are two fun websites to practicing time: Interactive Math Games and Mr. Meyer's Math Mania. 
• Language Arts - Peace Poems will be finished and ready for you to read by the end of the week!  Lesson 3 in spelling went home today.
• Social - We're going to the Parkland region!
• Science - We are just getting into the Simple Machines unit.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Friday Letters due
• Ask your child about the Making Connections presentation and their Band-aid

Tuesday:

• Library books day is today
• Patterns quiz

Wednesday:

• Guitar tutoring and Guitar Club after school for those who signed up

Thursday:

• Grade 5 microloan project to raise money for business people in Africa. If you would like to participate, please send $1-5 to purchase items or make donations.
• Early dismissal for students (11:45)
• Parent/Teacher interviews in the afternoon and evening

Friday:

• Parent/Teacher interviews in the morning

Nov 12-14

Welcome back!  I hope you all enjoyed a fantastic long weekend with your family sharpening the saw.  I know I did and I'm all ready to go.  We have six weeks of learning until the Christmas break - - that's crazy!

Notes:

• Just like that, it's winter!  It seems a little harder to adjust when we went from +14 to -14 in a few short days.  However, it is just that much more important that our kids are dressed properly for the weather.  It looks like it's hanging around for awhile so if you need some assistance getting your child a proper snow suit, winter boots, mitts or a hat, please let me or the office know and we will help you out.  School board policy states that we go outside for recess as long as the wind chill does not drop below -19. 
• It's that time again!  Parent/teacher interviews are fast approaching.  Please register for an account and book an interview by following this link.  I like to meet with ALL parents so if none of the times work for you, please let me know so we can get together at another time.  It's so important to be on the same page for your child's learning.
• Mrs. Bedford's grade 2 class raised over $600 for their Bridges of Hope program.  Thank you for your support! 

This Week's Schedule:
Wednesday:

• Welcome back!

Thursday:

• Hot lunch money due
• Beef jerky pickup 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the first foyer

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday if the temperature (including wind chill) is -19 or higher
• Report cards go home

Nov. 3 - 7

Notes:

• Last week we had a Show What You Know in math with adding and subtracting 3- and 4-digit numbers including estimation.  The students showed that they need a little more practice, so we're going to try again.  Today's class will be a review and tomorrow we will try again.  Please check with your child to see how well they know how to do this important skill.
• The study guides and booklets went home last week to study for the science test which is tomorrow.
• To ensure our students are ready to learn, it is important that they are eating well, particularly after a Halloween weekend!  Please send no more than one or two small candies for your child to enjoy at school. 
• Reminder that there is no school on Mon. Nov. 10 and Tues. Nov. 11 next week for the Remembrance Day/fall break.

In the Classroom:

• Math - After our adding and subtracting review, we will move on to equations in patterns. Splash Math has adding and subtracting up to 100 000 which is very helpful to practice regrouping (AKA carrying/borrowing) even if the students don't need to add that high yet.
• Language Arts - there are no new spelling words this week.  In writing, we are starting to write our peace poems.  The students' suspense stories are now due.
• Science - After our test tomorrow, we will begin the next unit.  It's a big one because it combines two topics - B: Wheels and Levers, and C: Building Devices and Vehicles that Move.  We call the unit "Simple Machines."
• Social - continuing with the Foothills Region.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Friday Letters due
• Home Alone program for those who signed up
• Library books due

Tuesday:

• School Council meeting 6:30 p.m.
• Indy 500 - bring a water bottle

Wednesday:

• Guitar tutoring in the music room at lunch
• Home Alone program for those who signed up
• Guitar Club after school for those who joined

Thursday:

• We will be visiting Mrs. Bedford's grade 2 class at 1:30 p.m. for their iced tea/cookies/art/jewelry sale.  They are raising money for the Bridges of Hope program and are asking students to bring $1-$5 to either buy something or make a donation.  For more information, watch a video here.

Friday:

• Remembrance Day Assembly 10:15 a.m.

October 27-31

I'm glad to be back to a normal routine this week with a full week of learning!

Notes:
Halloween is Friday.  Students are asked to come to school dressed up.  Students are asked not to wear violent or gory costumes to our school Halloween celebration.  As an inclusive school, we have students of many ages and from many countries.  Please help your child respect the diversity of our school by keeping costumes appropriate for the expectations of this building.

*ABSOLUTELY NO TOY WEAPONS ARE PERMITTED

Curriculum:
LA - Story writing - by the end of the week students will be handing in their short suspenseful story.  They will get class time to complete this task.
MATH - adding and subtracting 3 & 4 digit numbers to 10 000.  Please remember to practice your math basic facts at home on a daily basis.
SCIENCE - finishing up our Lights & Shadows unit.  There will be a test next Tuesday.  A study guide will be handed out today with a review class on Thursday.
SOCIAL - continuing our learning about the Foothills Region of Alberta

Monday

• Fundraising envelopes are due in.
• Library books due.
• Math page 22/23 due in today also.
• Home Alone Program for some students that registered.

Tuesday

• Crazy Hat Day!
• 8:30 assembly and hot lunch day!
• Tone it up Tuesday - please bring a water bottle.  Yoga mats are optional.
• Family Fun Night in the gym (with an adult) 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Wednesday

Thursday

• Picture retakes in the upper library - this morning only!

Friday

• Halloween Assembly Parade - 8:30-9:00 a.m.
• We will be writing our Friday Letters today.
• Halloween centers with our class and Mrs. Samayoa's class. 
• No Frolicking Friday today.