Happy Halloween everyone!!
We worked hard at Centers this morning. The students received their spelling words for lesson 7. The spelling test will be on Friday, November 4.

After recess, we completed Math Pods. At teacher table, students worked on the last estimation strategy for subtraction of the unit, Compatible Numbers. Independently, students continued to practice Front End Rounding with subtraction. The third station was computer based.

We then headed down to the library.

Our afternoon was spent enjoying the Halloween parade and some treats in the classroom.

Have a safe Halloween everyone!

November Newsletter

November 2011 Newsletter

Room 20 – Mrs Shields

www.mrsshieldsblog.blogspot.com

As the snow gets nearer, Room 20 continues to “heat” up the classroom!! The students are continuing to work so hard in the classroom. Just a reminder to everyone...please do not send Halloween treats to school for snack or for lunch. 

Here is what we are doing this month...

Language Arts

We are continuing with our small group instruction for guided reading during Centers. The Fontess and Ponell reading assessment has been completed. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

The students are doing an excellent job practicing for their weekly spelling tests. Students will continue practicing their words taken from the short stories we are reading, past spelling tests, and TWAS. Spelling tests will continue to be given every Friday.

We have moved into the Organization trait for 6+1 Writing. The students did a wonderful job working on their ideas and are ready for the next step. We will work on the beginning, middle, and end of our stories. Students will focus on how to put their ideas in order to help their writing flow. 

Math

We are coming to the end of our Whole Numbers unit. Students will continue to practice estimation of subtraction questions to wrap up this unit.

We will then move into Multiplication and Division of Whole Numbers. Students will be asked to recall basic multiplication and division facts. Students will also be multiplying 2-digit by 2-digit numbers, as well as dividing 3-digit by 1-digit numbers. Please encourage your child to practice their multiplication and division facts daily.

Social

We are wrapping up our Locations unit with our unit test during the beginning of November. Our next unit, Multicultural Canada, will have students focus on immigration and refugees. Students will be looking at population numbers and how Canada has changed over the years. We will also be researching why cities and towns have the names that they do....for example, why is our town called Esterhazy?

Science

The Human Body unit will wrap up this month as well. We will finish the unit by discussing how all of the systems we have learned so far work together. Students will have a unit test before Report Cards go out at the end of the month. Our next unit, Properties and Changes of Materials, will focus on what matter is and how the changes in matter influence the design of materials and products.

Art – Mrs. Schentag

November will be a time where Arts Ed will turn from the Visual Arts strand to the Drama strand. Students will complete their vegetable/fruit sculpture which was part of their Victor Cicansky artist study. They will also complete a Remembrance Day Poster for the poster competition. We willl culminate the unit with a comparison of traditional First Nations art and First Nations Pop Art.

In our Drama Unit, we will still focus on Pop Culture while students are engaged in drama games and activities. Students will participate in role-playing, improvisation and action/voice activities. The students appear to be very excited about beginning the drama unit. I am looking forward to working with them in this very fun and creative unit of work.

Phys Ed – Mr. Leidl

Students will review the areas of physical literacy they have participated in so far this year (sending, receiving, striking, and evading). They will also be introduced to the dominant movement patterns in gymnastics. Students will review the elements of personal safety and how they can create a safe checklist that applies to their daily lives.

French – Mrs. Orosz

Students will participate in activities around a wacky week school subject timetable in French. They will continue to do general vocabulary review and reinforcement activities, including numbers to 100, games and songs, and specific on-line activities.

A new set of Centers kick started our day this morning. Students wrote their Lesson 6 spelling test, as well as this week's TWAS.

After recess, students watched a short video helping to explain the nervous system in Science. We then read through some information regarding the nervous system. Students then worked together to go through a varity of scenarios and determine which of the body systems work together to make it work.

After lunch, we completed Math Pods. At the independent station, students continued to practice Front End Rounding with subtraction. At the teacher table, students corrected some of the work from earlier in the wee. The third station was computer based.

We ended our day with Phys Ed and read aloud. We started a new book today..."Walking Backward." We are very excited to read this book as we have heard many great things!!

Have a great weekend everyone! Just a reminder....please do not wear your costume until the afternoon on Monday. The parade will begin at 1:15.

The day started off with the final day of Centers. Students handed in their activities. Remember to study your spelling words tonight!!

After recess, we completed Math Pods. Independently, students completed a review of all three of the estimation strategies for addition. At teacher table, students were introduced to estimation of subtraction using Front End Rounding. At the third station, students practiced Whole Numbers using the links on the blog.

We started the Organization trait in 6+1 Writing Traits today. Students were introduced to RAFTS. We will be using this to help guide our writing over the next few weeks.

After lunch, students were given their review for our unit test in Social Studies. If students did not finish the review it is homework. The review is due on Monday, October 31. The unit test will be on Thursday, November 3.

Students then headed down to French and Phys Ed.

We ended the day with the return of our Famous Canadian paragraphs, as well as our 3-D models in Science. We also wrapped up our read aloud today. What a great ending to a great book!!

Have a great evening everyone!

Super job once again boys and girls!! We completed Day 3 of Centers this morning. Remember...tomorrow all of the Center activities will be collected.

After recess, we discussed our last lesson in Social Studies. Students discussed a timeline of Canada's western expansion and discussed the reasons why people moved to the west in the 1800's. This wraps up unit 1. We will be getting a unit review tomorrow to start getting ready for our unit test next week.

Art wrapped up the morning for Room 20.

After lunch, we completed Math Pods. Students were introduced to the third, and final, estimation strategy today...compensation. Students also worked on a practice sheet of compatible numbers. The third station was on the computers.

Our day finished off with Phys Ed and read aloud.

Another great day in Room 20! The students did a wonderful job and worked very hard to complete Day 2 of Centers this morning. Remember, to practice your Spelling words tonight.

Students will have the opportunity to Skype with Keltie Thomas, an author of one of the books that has been nominated for a Willow Award. If everything goes as planned, the Grade 5's will get a chance to ask Mrs. Thomas some questions and learn more about her book through Skype. We are all very excited for this to take place next week!!

After recess, students headed down to Art with Mrs. Schentag.

Problem Solving kicked off our afternoon. Students worked in partners to complete our next problem...

The students then headed to French and Phys Ed.

Our day wrapped up with students handing in their Famous Canadian paragraphs. I'm very excited to read through their work as I know the students have worked very hard on them.

Students then completed a self evaluation and peer evaluation for their work on their 3-D models of the digestive system.

Have a great evening!! Remember that tomorrow is picture re-take day.

We kicked off the day with a new set of Centers. Students also got their new spelling words for Lesson 6. The spelling test will be Friday, October 28.

After recess, we headed down for bowling. Here are just a few sneak peaks of our morning...

After lunch, we continued to work on Estimation in Math. At the independent station, students worked on Front End Rounding. At the teacher table, we continued to work on Compatible Numbers. The third station had students on the computer and the iPod Touch's.

The day finished with Phys Ed and read aloud.

Reminders:
- Social Studies - Famous Canadian paragraph due tomorrow

We wrapped up Day 4 of Centers this morning. The students handed in their activities for the week. We also wrote our Lesson 5 Spelling test and wrote this week's T.W.A.S.

After recess, students completed Math pods. Today was the first day that students got to use the iPod Touch's as part of the computer station. I don't know who was more excited....me or the students!! At the independent station, students practiced Front End Rounding, as well as writing numbers in words. At the teacher table, students were introducted to the second estimation strategy, Compatible Numbers.

Students then headed down to the Book Fair.

After lunch, students worked on their Canadian Hero paragraphs. This was the last class period they will get for this. If students are not completed, this assignment is homework. The paragraphs are to due on Tuesday, October 25.

Our day wrapped up with French and Phys Ed.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Students completed Day 3 of Centers this morning. Remember...tomorrow is the Spelling test!!

After recess, we headed down to bowling. The students had a great time!!

Our afternoon was spent designing and building our 3-D models of the digestive system. Great job boys and girls!! They were very creative and did a wonderful job!!

I hope to see everyone tonight at Family Fun Night!!

What a great day Room 20 had today!! To start off our day, we enjoyed some entertainment during assembly. The Grade 2's and Grade 3's danced the "Bird Dance" while many of the Grade 5's were dancing along in their seats!!

We worked to complete a "Building Blocks" activity where students had to expand a sentence 4 different times including details such as when, size, name a place, and add a name. The students have become very good at adding details to their writing. Great job!!

After recess, we completed three stations during Math Pods. At station 1, students worked on a booklet that reviewed place value and writing numbers to the millions. At station 2, students were introduced to their first estimation strategy, Front End Rounding. At station 3, students practiced their Whole Number skills using the links on the blog.

Students continued to work on their Canadian Hero paragraph. This activity is due Tuesday, October 25.

Students then headed down to French and Phys Ed.

We then started to work on our Digestive System models. Students will continue with this tomorrow.

Reminders

Book Fair - Friday

Bowling - tomorrow

Family Fun Night - tomorrow

Students completed Day 2 of Centers this morning.

After recess, students continued to work on their Canadian Hero paragraphs. Most students are beginning to work on their first draft.

Students then headed down to Art with Mrs. Schentag.

After recess, students enjoyed a presentation from Mrs. Charlotte Raine in regard to Willow Awards awarded to books.

Students then worked on a review of place value and writing  numbers in words. If students did not complete this in class, it was homework for tonight.

The day came to an end with Phys Ed and Read Aloud.

The Grade 5's started off the week with a new set of Centers this morning. Students picked their new Spelling words and will have their Spelling test on Friday, October 21.

After recess, Room 20 headed off to Art with Mrs. Schentag.

The afternoon kicked off with Problem Solving. See if you can solve the problem...

Students then headed to French and Phys Ed.

The day wrapped up with the students continuing to work on their Canadian Hero paragraph. Students are beginning to work on putting their ideas into a graphic organizer.

Reminders:
Assembly - Wednesday, October 19
Family Fun Night - Thursday, October 20
Bowling - Thursday, October 20

Today began with Day 4 of Centers. Students handed in their activities at the end of today's Centers. Students also wrote their Lesson 4 Spelling test as well as their TWAS.

After recess we completed 4 stations in Writing. Students worked to complete their final draft of our String Along assignment. Students also worked on adding details to simple versions of The Three Little Bears and Cinderella. Students worked with me to add "Building Blocks" to their writing. We discussed how adding thoughtful details (when, size, where, and names) can be very effective. The fourth station was computer based using the links on the blog.

The afternoon was spent in Math pods. Students worked on a wrap up activity using expanded notation, standard numbers, and written numbers. Students were also given verbal numbers which they had to write in standard form, then expand. The third station was computer based using the links on the blog.

The day wrapped up with Phys Ed and Read Aloud.

Reminders
Bowling money and Party money
Family fun night - Thursday

Our day began with Day 3 of Centers. Please remember to study your spelling words tonight for tomorrow's test.

After recess, students completed Math Pods. At the independent station, students practiced expanding and writing numbers out in words. At the teacher station, students practiced hearing numbers and writing them in digits. At the computer station, students practiced expanding numbers using the links on the blog.

The day wrapped up with library.

Students wrapped up Day 2 of Centers to start off our day. Great job today boys and girls! The students continue to impress me every day!

After recess, students worked through 4 stations during Science. At station 1, the students and I read through en explanation of the digestive system and the role that it plays to keep us healthy. Students at station 2 worked as a small group to plan how they will build a model of the digestive system. Students are encouraged to bring their items asap to make sure everything is here when they need it next week. Students worked at a third station to complete the graph that represents their pulse rate from the activity we completed last week. Lastly, students watched a short video explaining the digestive system.

After lunch, we completed Math Pods. Mrs. Gale worked with expanded notation at her station. Students practiced expanding numbers. With me, we worked on writing numbers in words and using digits. The third station had students using the links provided on the blog.

The day wrapped up with Phys Ed and Read Aloud.

Reminders:
-Early Dismissal tomorrow

Yet another week started off with a fresh, new set of Centers. Students also received their Spelling words for this week. The test will be Friday. The word lists are in each of the student's agendas.

After recess, we worked as a whole group to discuss writing numbers in standard form and expanded form. Students were assigned pages 45 and 46 from their textbook, numbers 3,6,8, & 9. This is homework if they didn't get through it in class.

Students continued to work on adding details and final drafts of their String Along stories in Writing.

After lunch, students spent one more day gathering 8 interesting facts about their famous Canadian. Students will start to compile their sentences into a short paragraph on Thursday.

Students then headed off to French and Phys Ed.

We ended the day by drawing a graph to represent our pulse rates from the previous Science experiment we completed last week.

Day 4 of Centers started off our morning today. Students handed in their activities. A new set of Centers will start on Tuesday. Students also wrote their spelling test and wrote a TWAS for this week.

After recess, students began researching their famous Canadian. We will continue with this research next week.

Students then headed off to Art with Mrs. Schentag.

After lunch, we completed Math Pods. We began working with understanding 1 000 000. Students also worked with a partner and played a game called "Aim for 100 000." Students also spent some time on the computer practicing place value with the links provided on the blog.

Our day wrapped up with Phys Ed and Read Aloud.

Reminders:
- Safety Patrol permission slips due Tuesday, October 11
- Bowling money

Our morning kicked off with a great performance from Junior Concert. The students were treated to a magic show that was magnificent!! Here is a sneak peak of what we saw today...(Sorry, I can't flip the video!!)

We continued to work on our String Along stories to finish off the morning. Keep an eye out in the hallway for these wonderful pieces of writing!!

Students then headed off to Art with Mrs. Schentag to present their Me Boxes.

After lunch, we continued to work through the problem solver template that we started last week.

Students then had French and Phys Ed.

The day ended with Social Studies where students got an opportunity to choose which famous Canadian they want to research for their expository paragraph.

Reminders;
-Spelling Test tomorrow

We completed Day 3 of Centers this morning. We will not have Centers tomorrow due to Junior Concert.

After recess, students worked through 4 stations during 6+1 Writing. At station 1, students continued to work on their String Along paragraphs. Station 2 had students rolling their Detail Cubes to describe, in detail, an object of their choice. At station 3 students used their Narrow the Topic activity from last week to add more details to the final box. The fourth station had students using RazKids.

Our afternoon began with Math Pods. Students worked with a partner to create given numbers using the base ten blocks. Students then took pictures of their numbers. Students also worked through a variety of numbers and stamped the representation using base ten stamps. The last station had students on the computer using the links on the blog.

The day wrapped up with Phys Ed and Read Aloud.
Enjoy the beautiful weather everyone!!

We completed Day 2 of Centers this morning. Remember to study your spelling words for Friday!

Students did an excellent job on the Math test yesterday!! I'm very proud of everyone!! The students are bringing their tests home to sign and return for tomorrow.
We began our next unit today, Whole Numbers. Students worked together as a group at a station to find as many 1, 2, 3, and 4 digit numbers they could find from magazines. Students also worked with a group to build a variety of numbers using base ten blocks. Students also had a chance to play whole number games focusing on place value on the computer.

Students were able to take out library books today with Mrs. Schentag.

After lunch, students tried their best to write out the words to O'Canada. We are beginning the last portion of our unit focusing on Canadian symbols. We also brainstormed a number of Canadian symbols.

The day wrapped up with French and Phys Ed.

Reminders:
- Return math tests tomorrow
- Class party money ($8) asap

A new week started off with a new set of Centers. The groups have also been shuffled around a bit. Students recieved their new spelling words this morning. Please check their agendas as the word lists should be listed there. The spelling test will be on Friday, October 7.

After recess, students completed three stations during Science. We worked to complete four different activities where we measured our heart rate after a variety of activities. Students were to find their pulse and count how many beats per minute their heart made. We will be constructing a graph with this information. Students also worked to draw the Circulatory System to their human body systems chart. The third station, due to the loss of the Internet today, had students explore through a variety of books that relate to the human body.

Our afternoon began with our Patterns and Equations unit test. I will have these marked and returned tomorrow.

The day came to an end with Phys Ed and Read Aloud.