Dear parents,
Today, for Pink Shirt Day, we discussed the importance of being kind to everybody and not just our friends, and reaching out to people who are lonely. We discussed that a class culture (or school culture) of being kind, open and accepting is the best way to prevent bullying from developing, and that small acts of rejection (refusing to sit with someone on the bus, or making a face because you don't like the partner you've been assigned) can grow to become intimidation. We also had wheelchairs in the gym and learned to play Sharks and Minnows in a wheelchair. See your child's portfolio (scrapbook section, at the bottom) for a short video of the class. The grade 4s also had their Reading Link Challenge today. This was a fun project: Thank you Susan for organizing this!
Today, for Pink Shirt Day, we discussed the importance of being kind to everybody and not just our friends, and reaching out to people who are lonely. We discussed that a class culture (or school culture) of being kind, open and accepting is the best way to prevent bullying from developing, and that small acts of rejection (refusing to sit with someone on the bus, or making a face because you don't like the partner you've been assigned) can grow to become intimidation. We also had wheelchairs in the gym and learned to play Sharks and Minnows in a wheelchair. See your child's portfolio (scrapbook section, at the bottom) for a short video of the class. The grade 4s also had their Reading Link Challenge today. This was a fun project: Thank you Susan for organizing this!
Values
Last week, we combined French Language Arts, Art, and the Personal Identity Competency to do a reflection on our values. We sorted values according to our priorities and reflected on the choices that we make according to our values. We generated a list of words in French and created a Word Art project that represents our values. Students really liked thinking about what is important to them and working on their word art.
Writing
In French writing, we are working on editing our work using the word wall and the dictionary. To improve their spelling, students have selected 10 words that they misspelled on their last writing exercise and will be working on finding sentences that use these words in their reading books, as well as making 10 detailed sentences using these words (and spelling them correctly!).
In English writing, we have been working on two storyboards to practice writing complete and detailed sentences. We will start working on paragraph writing to practice organizing our ideas with one main idea and related details for each paragraph. We will then apply what we have learned to help structure our ideas for our French speech for Concours d'Art Oratoire.
In English writing, we have been working on two storyboards to practice writing complete and detailed sentences. We will start working on paragraph writing to practice organizing our ideas with one main idea and related details for each paragraph. We will then apply what we have learned to help structure our ideas for our French speech for Concours d'Art Oratoire.
Concours d'Art Oratoire
We have done a few lessons this week on public speaking and started to think about ideas for the Concours d'Art Oratoire. Please see my resource page for the Concours if you want to learn more about what we'll be doing and see some English documentation.
Math
In math, we are still working on multiplications and on word problems. Last week, we worked in teams to determine the price for a ski weekend at Mount Washington for a big family. Students had to select tickets for everybody according to their age and calculate the total for 2 days for the whole family. It was very productive work and many teams were able to find a good strategy to come up to the answer.
Today we used base-ten blocks to find the product of 2 digit by 2 digit multiplications. We will keep using blocks, coupled with the box method (or partial products method), to gain a better understanding of double-digit multiplication. The grade 4s who are doing mathematica had their first practice with Grant today. The grade 5 mathematica participants will start next week.
Students are really enjoying the Multiplication Squares game to practice their times tables. In the Math Resources section, I've added a copy of this game and other resources for multiplication tables practice. There is also a link to a video that explains ways to help 'right brain' learners (visual learners) learn their times tables. If your child has a hard time memorizing times tables:
Today we used base-ten blocks to find the product of 2 digit by 2 digit multiplications. We will keep using blocks, coupled with the box method (or partial products method), to gain a better understanding of double-digit multiplication. The grade 4s who are doing mathematica had their first practice with Grant today. The grade 5 mathematica participants will start next week.
Students are really enjoying the Multiplication Squares game to practice their times tables. In the Math Resources section, I've added a copy of this game and other resources for multiplication tables practice. There is also a link to a video that explains ways to help 'right brain' learners (visual learners) learn their times tables. If your child has a hard time memorizing times tables:
- Practice with the free visual flashcards (arrays or dots) that you can download in the resources section to develop a better understanding of multiplication and to promote the use mental math strategies rote memorization. It helps build real understanding and fluency!
- There are visual flashcards that combine pictures, numbers and story. They are available for sale, or (even better and free), help your child make up their own stories and drawings for the times tables that are hard to remember. See Math Resources for more details.
Carnaval and Report Cards
There will be some Carnaval events next week! The big activity day is planned for Tuesday March 6th (at school) and there will be a potluck and parade on Friday the 9th.
We are working on self-assessing our Core Competencies (Personal and Social, Communication and Thinking) and this should come home with the report cards next week.
Have a great rest of the week!
Nathalie
We are working on self-assessing our Core Competencies (Personal and Social, Communication and Thinking) and this should come home with the report cards next week.
Have a great rest of the week!
Nathalie
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