Week of Sept. 19-23

Sorry for the late post!!


Our routines are becoming set, and the classroom is feeling more and more like home.  These kids are doing a great job adapting to grade 4.  I'm sure some days they feel like we're running a hundred kilometres an hour but they don't complain!  Things will get easier as they become even more familiar with our schedule.

Notes:

• The Terry Fox run is happening next week and we are going to start collecting "Toonies for Terry."  If you'd like to make a donation, please send it in to our classroom.
• Letters went home today about Reading Rewards - a fun way for students to track their reading and get rewarded for it.  This is meant to be fun for the kids and hopefully encourage reading.  

Curriculum:

• Math: We have started our graphing unit.  Ways to help at home: look for graphs in books, online, in the newspaper (if you still get it!), etc.  Talk about how we share information.
• L.A.
• Spelling: The first list went out today.  Students took home a letter and a set of words to practice.
• Writing: We are working away at our "Small Moments" unit that will turn into a Life Map.  Today we wrote about our earliest memories.  
• Science: Our experiments this week will look at how light is reflected.  There will be a quick quiz on Thursday.  How you can help at home: go on a light scavenger hunt!  Which objects make the best reflectors?
• Social: This week we will be turning back time to look at how Alberta began.  How can you help at home?  Ask your child to tell you the two different versions of Alberta's creation.

This Week's Schedule:

Monday:

• Friday Letters due

Tuesday:

• Tone It Up Tuesday - be sure to have a water bottle!
• Hot lunch orders due online via schoolcashonline.com by 10:00 p.m.
• Library books due

Wednesday:

• Bus evacuation practice

Thursday:

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday - have proper footwear for running outside

Week of Sept 12 - 16

Week 2 and it is a super busy week!  I have to say that I'm really enjoying getting to know your kids.  What a nice bunch of young people!  For the blog this week I am posting in the format that you can come to expect.  I will list any notes or reminders; the curriculum we're working on (usually just the four core subjects); and finally a schedule for the week.

Notes:

• Welcome Back BBQ and Meet the Teacher is happening already!  I really hope you can all come because I love putting parents together with students and meeting their families.  Plus, we have lots to show and share!

• THANK YOU to parents who wrote back to their kids in their Friday Letters!  A new one will be coming home Friday, this time written by your child and not as a class.
• Don't forget to follow our class on Twitter!  @nelsonclassgr4
• Don't forget to sign up for REMIND.  This is a great communication tool. If you are looking for the number and directions, please email me. 

Curriculum:

• Math: We are looking at whole numbers up to 10 000.  How you can help at home: talk about numbers!  Where do you see them?  How do you use them in everyday life?
• L.A:
• Spelling: We are doing the Schonell assessment to determine what levels of spelling everyone is at so I can best help them this year.
• Writing: September's project for writing is a Life Map.  How you can help at home: Talk about your child's favourite memories, look at old photos.
• Science: To gear up for science we are learning about the scientific method and how to be good scientists.
• Social: The social curriculum for Grade Four is "Our Alberta" and we are getting acquainted with our province this week.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Friday letters are due back with a letter written back from you to your child.

Tuesday:

• Tone it Up Tuesday, please bring a water bottle and dress to workout.

Wednesday:

• 5:00-6:00 p.m. - Welcome Back BBQ
• 6:00-7:00 p.m. - Meet the Teacher

Thursday:

• Palm-sized rock due for health

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday - dress to walk and run outside!
• Watch for a new Friday Letter

Sept. 6, 2016

Welcome!  Thank you for stopping by!  If you’re here, it means your child showed you their agenda and you followed the link - well done!  I’m really looking forward to getting to know you and your child this year.

 

A few things to get us started:

• Please check this blog every Monday for the latest update.  It will include curriculum information and events for the week.  If it helps, you can get email reminders by clicking the link and signing up to be notified when there is a new post. If there is an extra post in a week, there will be a note about it in the agenda.  Please take a minute to explore the blog to find out the tools and resources I have available. 
• Speaking of the agenda, this is another very important tool.  Your child will write to you every day with reminders and notes.  Please read and sign the agenda every single day and encourage your child to be responsible for having it at school every morning.  
• Please sign up for Remind.  A letter went home today about this excellent communication tool.  It will allow us to communicate quickly and efficiently.  The letter also includes other ways to communicate with me.
• Your child has homework!  Sorry, I know that's just cruel handing out homework on the very first day, but this is cool!  Every student gets to have a leadership role in our classroom by being part of a team.  The homework is to read the information about the teams and fill out the application form.  These forms are due on Friday so that we can get going right away with our routines.
• We have a Welcome Back assembly on Friday at 8:40.  Parents are always very welcome to join us for these occasions.
• Another date to put into your calendars right away is Sept. 14 - our Welcome Back BBQ and Meet the Teacher Night.  I can't wait to give you some more information about Grade 4 including homework expectations, home reading, incentives, field trips and more.
• Follow us on Twitter @nelsonclassgr4.

I think that's probably enough information for now!  If you have any questions or would just like to introduce yourself, please send me a Remind message, email me at kristy.nelson@lethsd.ab.ca or phone me at the school at 403-327-3653.

Week of June 27-29

I am not sure where this year has gone, but it almost done!!  I have truly enjoyed teaching all of my kids for the year and watching them grow.  I call them my kids as you trust me with such precious cargo for 10 months.  I was looking at pictures over the weekend and I was amazed at how much they have changed since they walked through these doors.  Soon, they will be in Grade 5 and before we all know it, graduating from high school.  (Well, not that quickly, but truly time will fly by!)


I wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing your child in September!




Thank you for everything you have done this year, without you, I couldn't have been so successful!

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Afternoon at the park - Adam's Ice Arena playground (DQ treats have been delayed as their freezer broke down!)

Tuesday:

• Outdoor swimming at Westminster Pool - please make sure your child has a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, hat and a snack (the concession will not be available).  The forecast for the day is 29°C. 

Wednesday:

• Grade 5 Farewell Assembly 8:45 a.m.
• Report cards come home
• Early dismissal at 11:45 a.m.

Thursday:

• Last day for staff - done at 3:26 p.m.

Friday:

• Happy Canada Day! 

Week of June 20-24

This is our last full week of school!  I simply refuse to believe that this year is almost at an end.  It just isn't possible! 


Notes:

• Division II students will be swimming next week on Tuesday June 28 at Westminster Pool.  We will be there all afternoon from right after attendance to right before the end of the day.  We would love for any parents to join us!  You can walk over with us, meet us there, swim, not swim, it's up to you!
• Next week we will be taking a walk to the Boys and Girls Club park to spend the afternoon with friends relaxing and celebrating.  See the note coming home.
• Library books are now overdue.  Please make sure they are all returned.

Curriculum:

• Math: We have finished all our units and are now reviewing and playing math games.
• L.A: We are writing letters to the future grade 4's who will be sitting in this room next year.
• Science: Amusement parks are coming along with some very creative and inventive rides.
• Social: We are finishing up learning about Alberta this week until the present day.  Thank you to the students who have shared their pictures and their stories of their (real!) travels around Alberta!
• PE: We continue to learn new track and field events.  Please make sure your child has proper running shoes to avoid injuries.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Friday Letters due
• Hot lunch
• Energy Day Assembly

Tuesday:

• Kickball at lunch - Team A vs. Team B

Wednesday:

• Kickball at lunch - Team C vs. Team D

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday

Week of June 13-17

We had a visit from the Learning Clicks program today.  Ask your child to show you the booklet they got and what they learned about careers.  The ladies shared some websites with us.  They are:

• learningclicks.alberta.ca
• OCC Info
• Personality Test

Curriculum:

• Math: We are starting the last unit of math for grade 4 - Venn and Carroll diagrams.
• L.A.
• Spelling: We are doing a final assessment of student spelling.
• Writing: Musical chairs writing and "fun" writing
• Science: Our amusement park building has begun.  We will still take any building materials.
• Social: In the history of Alberta, we are learning about how Alberta changed after becoming a province.
• PE: We are doing lots of track and field events.  Please make sure your child has proper gym runners for running (or socks if your child wants to use their indoor shoes and wear flip-flops as outdoor shoes - we don't care!)

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Friday Letters due

Tuesday:

• School Council AGM 6:30 p.m.

Thursday:

• Hot lunch

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday

Week of June 6-10

We had a very exciting week last week with our Early School Day (the kids looked great and we had a great learning experience!), and the Cemetery Tour (where the kids were pleasantly surprised by how interesting and engaging the experience was!).  This week brings some more fun and excitement with our upcoming trip to Fort Macleod. 


Notes:

• THANK YOU!! to Peyton, Mikka and Mr. Nussbaumer for taking their spare time to create the Grade 4 Kickball League.  Games are Mondays and Wednesdays at lunch for students who are participating.
• Patroller training has started.  Ask your child what day they will be staying after school to train.

Curriculum:

• Math: We will be assessing our knowledge of multiplication and division and then we will learn about Venn and Carroll diagrams.
• L.A.
• Writing: We are going to try using Lego to write with!
• Spelling: Lesson 16 continues
• Science: Our final unit, "Building Vehicles and Devices that Move" will begin this week (see the letter that went home last Friday). 
• Social: As we get closer to the present day, we will be learning about homesteads.

This Week's Schedule:
Monday:

• Friday Letters due
• Library books due

Thursday:

• Fort Macleod - we leave promptly at 8:30 so do NOT be late or you will miss the bus!

Friday:

• Frolicking Friday