April 27-May 1

Notes:

• Thank you to all students who have brought items for our Leader in Me gift bags so far.  One item we are definitely missing is play dough.  If you have a free evening and would be willing to make a batch, we would be very grateful!  When we put the bags together on Wednesday, we can divvy it up into smaller portions so you don't need to worry about that.  I found a website here that gives different recipes.  It doesn't need to be fancy!!
• Thanks also to everyone who supported the spring concert.  The students performed beautifully.
• Please be sure to read the note about the T-shirts that went home last week.  Students who are unable to bring a shirt in will not be able to make this project and since it is for a gift, we really want all students to be able to participate.
• Our class' nutcrackers are now on display at the SAAG.  I highly recommend paying them a visit to see how much incredible artistic talent we have in this city.
• The district had a press release regarding the impact of the provincial budget on our district.  Please read it if you haven't already as this will have a big impact on your children.  Class sizes are already big and are only going to get bigger.  This is only one concern, the press release highlights more.  Click here to read, and VOTE on May 5th!

Curriculum:

• Math: We are still working through our division booklet.  If you see it come home for homework, please make sure it is returned the next day.
• Language Arts:
• Writing: This week we will finish up our unit on puns.
• Spelling: Lesson 12 starts this week.  For some groups this is a review of lessons 7-11.  Spelling City is up.
• Science: Our new unit, Plant Growth and Change, will begin today.
• Social: We continue learning about the first settlers this week.
• PE: Last week of gymnastics.

This Week's Schedule:
Tuesday:

• Library day is today!
• Hot lunch
• NO assembly
• Last day of gymnastics

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday

April 20-24

This is concert week so that means our schedule will be a little off and we have a field trip on Wednesday!

Curriculum:

• Math: Continuing to work with multiplying 2- and 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number and dividing 2-digit by 1-digit.  The homework you may see coming home may not be recognizable as the strategies we were taught when we were young.  That's ok!!  Alberta Education has set out different strategies for students to use.  There isn't really a "right" or "wrong" way to multiply as long as they can consistently get the right answer.  The students have been taught different strategies and are encouraged to use the one that works for them.  If you have another one that is successful for your child, by all means teach it to them!  Also, the Splash Math Springboard Challenge is still going on.  Our weekly target is 2000 points.
• Language Arts:
• Writing: The students are enjoying our pun unit.  Share some puns at home and have a good groan fest!
• Spelling: Continuing with Lesson 11.  Don't forget about Spelling City!
• Science: Students will be writing a pledge to protect our environment, and the unit test will take place on Tuesday.
• Social: This week we begin to learn about early settlement in Alberta.
• P.E: Gymnastics is in full swing so please make sure your child has proper gym clothes or your child may be phoning you!  This should be the students' responsibility, but they may need a reminder or two.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Happy birthday, Mrs. Nelson!! (and yes, I am 115!)
• Friday Letters due
• Library books due

Tuesday:

• Waste in our World science test
• Recycled robots "junk" to be brought in

Wednesday:

• Practice day at Park Meadows Baptist Church
• Walk over after recess (10:15)
• 10:30-12:15 - Dress rehearsal for A-L
• 12:15-12:45 - Lunch
• 12:45-3:00 - Dress rehearsal for M-Z
• Spring Concert for last names A-L at Park Meadows Baptist Church 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Thursday:

• Creating our recycled robots this morning!
• Spring Concert for last names M-Z at Park Meadows Baptist Church 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Friday:

• No school for students - district professional learning day

Sunday:

• Opening Ceremony for Art's Alive and Well in the Schools at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery.  Our class along with Mrs. Nelson's class has a group project that will be on display.  The ceremony starts at 1:00 p.m.

April 13-17

Welcome back!  I hope everyone had a great break.  Just think, the next big break is summer holidays! 

Notes:

• If you haven't returned the permission form for Art's Alive please do so ASAP.  Since it is a group piece and no student names will be given out this is really just a formality but we'd like to cross as many t's and dot as many i's as possible!
• Splash Math is continuing their Springboard contest.  Our class' target is 2000 points.  We won't be going to the computer lab as we have Theme V at our scheduled time but I would like to set an at home challenge for the students.  Help us reach our target!  1 point for attempting a question and 10 points for a correct answer.  There are bonus points for answer streaks of correct questions (25 for 5 and 50 for 10).

Curriculum:

• Math: Multiplying and dividing bigger numbers continued.
• Language Arts:
• Writing: We are starting a really fun unit this week learning about puns and humour in writing.
• Spelling: Lesson 11 begins this week.
• Science: Managing waste is more than just throwing things out and the students will learn more about that this week.
• Social: Finishing the fur trade.
• Health: Theme V is this week.  The students had their first lesson today and learned a lot.  Parents, you should be proud of them as they were respectful of the subject matter.  They have been strongly encouraged to discuss their new knowledge with you.  The next lesson is on Wednesday.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• First Theme V Lesson
• Birth Interview coming home as homework

Tuesday:

• Gymnastics begins - please see letter(coming home today) regarding proper dress
• School Council meeting 6:30 p.m.
• Library day - books are due in

Wednesday:

• Birth Interview due

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday will still occur during gymnastics
• New round of Enrichment begins

March 30-April 3, 2015

We had a great field trip to the Helen Schuler Nature Center last week and today we look forward to Charolette's Web.  Thank you for sending me your child as I love working and learning with them!

Curriculum:
Math: multiplying 2 & 3 digits by 1 digit.  Practice your math basic facts nightly.
LA: continuing to write our persuasive essay.  We will work on the body and conclusions and start to type them out.
Science: learning about biodegradability and hazardous waste symbols
Social: learning about David Thomson and Rocky Mountain House
Week at a Glance:
Monday:

• Library books due
• Friday letters signed and returned
• Charolette's Web production at Chinook

Tuesday:

• Hot lunch day
• Assembly - 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday:

• College Agriculture Presentation in the afternoon

Thursday:

Friday:

• Good Friday - No school.  See you on Monday, April 13.

March 23-27

Notes:

• Last week's Celebration of Learning was a great success!!  I had the best turnout I've ever had so thank you, thank you, thank you to the parents and students who were able to come and made the night awesome.
• We still need a couple of parent volunteers to join us on our Helen Schuler field trip on Thursday afternoon.  We leave the school at noon on the bus.  You're welcome to join us on the bus or meet us there.
• Splash Math is having a contest!  Beat your scores from the previous week or top the leader boards to win prizes.  See splashmath.com for details!

Curriculum:

• Math: This week we will be doing an area investigation and then will start back into multiplication, this time with bigger numbers.  In grade 4, students in Alberta learn to multiply 2-digit numbers and 3-digit numbers by a 1-digit number.  We will also learn to divide with bigger numbers.
• Language Arts:
• Spelling: Lesson 10 begins this week.  Watch for new words coming home to practice with.  Spelling City is up and running and due Apr. 6th.
• Writing: The students wrote the introductions to their essays last week and this week will learn how to write the body and conclusion.
• Science: The students started a research project last week that had them learning about worms.  This will continue this week.
• Social: We will be learning some more about the fur trade.Tomorrow we have Shawnee Price, our FNMI liaison coming to talk to the kids about the First Nations people and will show them a special buffalo kit.  Ask your child to tell you all about it!

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Library books due, library tomorrow.

Tuesday:

• Buffalo Kit presentation
• Tone It Up Tuesday

Wednesday:

• Guitar club after school for applicable students

Thursday:

• Helen Schuler field trip in afternoon - dress for ANY weather

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday
• No Enrichment

March 9-13

The leprechaun traps are due in today and they look fantastic!  We will be presenting them all week in preparation of catching that sneaky little leprechaun!

Reminders:

• Mark your calendars for Celebration of Learning on Tuesday, March 17th 6-8 p.m!

Curriculum:

• Math: We will finish up with fractions this week and move into decimals to the tenths and hundredths place. 
• Language Arts:
• Spelling: Lesson 9 is coming home today; Spelling City is due March 23rd.
• Writing: Students have been working on writing a magazine article about cleaning up.  They will finish those this week and we will begin learning how to write essays.
• Science: This week will mainly be dedicated to presenting leprechaun traps but we will also take a detour from those to learn about landfills.
• Social: Ms. Price, our FNMI liaison was going to present to our class about how the buffalo were important to the First Nations people however, she is sick today so we will have to reschedule.  In the meantime, we will continue learning about the first peoples of Alberta.

Week in Review:
Monday:

• Friday letters signed and returned
• Traps due
• Library books due back

Tuesday:

• Tone it up Tuesday - bring a water bottle
• School Council Meeting 6:30pm

Wednesday:

• Guitar Club-Black Dogs-3:30-4:30

Friday:

• Report cards go home
• Galbraith Groove Sock Hop 10:15-11:15

March 2 - 6

Reminders:

• Leprechaun Traps are due ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!
• Report cards go home next week and the following week is Celebration of Learning (March 17).  Please plan to come as this is a very important chance to see up close and personal how your child is doing in school. 

Curriculum:

• Math - This week it's all about fractions.  You can help at home by discussing how real life objects can be divided into fractions, or equal parts.
• Language Arts
• Writing - For the next month, we will be working on writing non-fiction pieces related to our new science unit, Waste in our World.
• Spelling - The assessment for Lesson 8 words is on Thursday.
• Guided Reading - We are now finished with reading Flat Stanley.  Be sure to stop by the library during the Celebration of Learning to see the tri-fold projects the students completed.  We are now back into our regular Guided Reading rotation.
• Science - The unit test for Wheels and Levers is today (a study guide went home last week and was on the blog).  This week will see us going over the test (please sign and return it when it comes home!) and starting the new unit, Waste in our World.
• Social - With the completion of Book 1 which was the geography portion of social, we are now beginning Book 2 which is the history of Alberta.
• PE - The snowshoes have arrived so please make sure your child has appropriate outside clothing for PE.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Science test
• Choir at lunchtime for students who signed up
• Notes going home about Celebration of Learning on March 17 and clothing orders (due March 20)
• Library books due

Tuesday:

• Tone It Up Tuesday - Indy 500

Wednesday:

• Guitar Club after school for applicable students

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday