Dear Division 5 parents,
I haven't updated the blog for a long time, and so much has happened! As I am getting ready to send the report cards home tomorrow, I look back at the fantastic work that students have done over the last few months and I feel so proud of what they have accomplished! This is a wonderful class of motivated and engaged learners... They work hard in all their projects and they are making so much progress!
I haven't updated the blog for a long time, and so much has happened! As I am getting ready to send the report cards home tomorrow, I look back at the fantastic work that students have done over the last few months and I feel so proud of what they have accomplished! This is a wonderful class of motivated and engaged learners... They work hard in all their projects and they are making so much progress!
French Reading
We have been working a lot on our reading skills in December and January. We practiced reading for information during our Science unit on the Human body. We worked on identifying key words, main ideas and details, and on making mind maps with the information gathered. We also practiced reading fluently and with expression by recording audiobooks on BookCreator.
We are now moving on to Reader's Theatre to practice the skills of speaking clearly and expressively in French in front of an audience. Our four teams are working very well together at rehearsing their texts already! Each student has a copy of their script to take home for practice. I recommend rehearsing each line many times in a row, until it flows fluently and starts to sound natural. Then try to add the character voice and expression.
We are now moving on to Reader's Theatre to practice the skills of speaking clearly and expressively in French in front of an audience. Our four teams are working very well together at rehearsing their texts already! Each student has a copy of their script to take home for practice. I recommend rehearsing each line many times in a row, until it flows fluently and starts to sound natural. Then try to add the character voice and expression.
English reading
Students have been participating in the Reading Link Challenge. They are reading books and making notes about the setting, plot and characters. They made a book report before Christmas. They now have 20 days left to read as many books from the selection as they can, before the contest (if they haven't read them all yet!). Happy reading!
Writing
In English writing, we were inspired by Bilbo Baggins' invisibility ring and Harry Potter's invisibility cloak and set out to make up our own stories about finding an invisibility "thing". Students impressed me with their creative ideas and great details when they wrote their stories. At the moment, they are working on writing projects of their choice (comic, book, story, newspaper article, essay, etc) to (optionally) submit to the Young Author contest. Students are so engaged in their writing that some of them complain when I ask them to clean up for the end of the day!!!
In French writing, we have been learning about using a variety of connecting words to organize our writing. We are now learning how to structure a "sandwich" paragraph with a topic sentence, 3 supporting details and a conclusion sentence. Plus, we are using our connecting words to link our ideas together.
In French writing, we have been learning about using a variety of connecting words to organize our writing. We are now learning how to structure a "sandwich" paragraph with a topic sentence, 3 supporting details and a conclusion sentence. Plus, we are using our connecting words to link our ideas together.
Math
In December, we worked on area and perimeter with garden bed designs. We also worked through long problem-situations that had a lot of steps and included a variety of operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions, and division for the advanced problems that some students chose to do). It was fun and the students, as always, were very engaged!
In January, we have been working on multiplying multi-digit numbers. The progress has been phenomenal and most students can now multiply 3-4 digit X 1 digit numbers with good accuracy. Most students are now working on multiplying by a 2 digit number.
In January, we have been working on multiplying multi-digit numbers. The progress has been phenomenal and most students can now multiply 3-4 digit X 1 digit numbers with good accuracy. Most students are now working on multiplying by a 2 digit number.
Oral French, Classroom responsibilities and "Magasin" (store)
In oral French, we are working on correcting some anglicisms in our daily sentences. We are paying attention to the correct way of saying certain things and trying to help each other during the daily circle and at other times in class. Students are doing great at remembering to speak French in class and help each other with the "billets" (money) system.
Each month, students also volunteer for a classroom responsibility and receive classroom money for their contribution to our learning environment. This Friday, we will have our first "market day". Students who wish to do so will have a chance buy things from (and sell things to) their classmates (to be bought with classroom money, not real money!). We discussed the following ideas of things to sell: crafts you have made, cookies, stuffies or toys that you don't play with, used books that you've read and you don't want to keep, etc. Students will have time tomorrow (Thursday) in class to either make things to sell at their store, prepare signs for their store, etc. On Friday morning, we will open our market for the first time. Students will have other chances to participate in the market in later months as well, if it doesn't work this week.
Each month, students also volunteer for a classroom responsibility and receive classroom money for their contribution to our learning environment. This Friday, we will have our first "market day". Students who wish to do so will have a chance buy things from (and sell things to) their classmates (to be bought with classroom money, not real money!). We discussed the following ideas of things to sell: crafts you have made, cookies, stuffies or toys that you don't play with, used books that you've read and you don't want to keep, etc. Students will have time tomorrow (Thursday) in class to either make things to sell at their store, prepare signs for their store, etc. On Friday morning, we will open our market for the first time. Students will have other chances to participate in the market in later months as well, if it doesn't work this week.
Science
In Science, we are wrapping up our unit on the Human Body. I feel like we have learned a lot! Students became experts in a body system and prepared great presentations for the class. They made big posters, PowerPoint presentations, skits, models and demonstrations to teach their colleges about the main organs of each system and their functions.
Using their new paragraph writing skills, students are now writing a persuasive text in Science about "The Most Important Organ in the Human Body", trying to make their point with at least 3 good reasons. Of course, as students share their thinking, we are also realizing that all the body systems and organs are interconnected and that one cannot function without another! Great discussions and great insight!
Using their new paragraph writing skills, students are now writing a persuasive text in Science about "The Most Important Organ in the Human Body", trying to make their point with at least 3 good reasons. Of course, as students share their thinking, we are also realizing that all the body systems and organs are interconnected and that one cannot function without another! Great discussions and great insight!
Report cards
The report cards will be sent home tomorrow, Thursday January 31st. Soon, more learning samples will come come so you can see what your child has been working on. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any question or concern regarding your child's progress, or if you want to book a meeting with me at any point.
Sincerely,
Nathalie Boulanger
Sincerely,
Nathalie Boulanger
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