Wow! What an amazing 100 Books Party we had on Thursday! Thank you to all the parents who were able to join our celebration. The class estimated that we had over 220 people visit our room to celebrate the student reading and writing activities in Room 5.
The homework for this week is to write a story in the homework writing journal about the big celebration in our class this week. It can be a non-fiction report OR a fiction story, with the party in our class as the setting. This homework is due on Friday, April 5th.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
News for March 28
It was a short four-day week but the students were very busy!
In math, the children applied their math skills to our 100 books. They figured out how long, how tall and how heavy the books were. Then they counted the number of fiction and non-fiction books, the number of male and female authors, the number of picture books and chapter books, the number of pages altogether, the number published before 2004 and the number after that date and finally, how much all the books cost! The students worked together to compile the information then worked with a partner to create posters to share what they learned. This group work is presented in our 100 Books Party video:
The class also created over 200 bookmarks, complete with a candy to remind students that reading is "sweet", to give to guests as a thank you gift for attending our celebration.
In cursive, the students learned the letters w, b and v.
Our pioneer unit continued with the class learning about where many of the pioneers came from and how they got to Canada (for example, the journey from England took over 42 days across the Atlantic ocean). The children also talked about how the pioneers chose where to live and build their homes (access to fresh water and good soil being the top two priorities). The students learned an ABC rhyme from pioneer school days and worked together to create a banner with this poem on it. The banner is now hanging in the hallway outside of our classroom.
The class has been asked to read some of the books nominated for the 2013 Norma Fleck Non-Fiction Book Award. After the top ten of these books are read aloud, the students will vote for their favourites and write the jury to persuade them to choose the same book that they chose.
In writing, the students each had a chance to read another student's chapter book. Then she/he wrote a letter to the author telling them what they liked about the book, what the author could do next time to improve his/herr writing and finally, asking the author a question about the story.
Books read aloud this week:
The Easter Egg by Jan Brett
Going Up - Elisha Otis's Trip to the Top by Monica Kulling
Tim Hortons by Simon Rose
The Room 5 Interview Show!
This week Andjela and Lakshmi interviewed M. Thomas. She is the grade 3 French immersion teacher at our school.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Update from Ms. R
Welcome back!
Well, spring arrived this week, though the weather outside does not really reflect the new season...
The homework for this week is to complete the math and writing assignment. The math worksheet is on fractions and the reading/writing work is an EQAO worksheet. This homework is due on Thursday, March 28th.
REMINDER
Our 100 Books Party is on Thursday, March 28th, from 9:15 to 11:30. Come join us in celebrating the reading and writing of the students in Room 5.
News for March 22
News for March 22
The students started their week back by each learning how to "cork". Corking is a beginner's way to learn how to knit. In pioneer times, children would make a corker by hammering nails into the top edge of a wooden spool (empty spool of thread). The class is using the wool that they dyed to cork or knit a tube of knitting.
In math, the class continued the unit on fractions. They learned how to fold a piece of paper into equal eights and then fold it into an 8 page book. Then they folded and cut pieces smaller pieces of paper into various equal parts and labelled them with the proper fraction name. Later in the week the children learned how to apply what they knew about fractions, or equal parts, of a whole object to creating and identifying fractions of sets of objects.
In writing, the students did a few more steps in finishing their chapter books. They each wrote, edited and revised, an "author biography", telling about themselves, and put this on the back cover of their books. They also taped the photos they each took of the paintings they made (that inspired their stories), to the front cover.
In the computer lab, the students played fraction games. Here are the sites they visited:
http://www.primarygames.com/fractions/start.htm
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/fractionflags/fractionflags.html
The children learned how to sew a book together and made a "layered" book based on a book read aloud this week, Open This Little Book. Each student took the blank book they made and wrote their own stories.
The class learned about the amazing friendship between a baby hippo (Owen) and a 130 year old tortoise (Mzee). We figured out that Mzee was born in 1876, only 9 years after Canada became a country (in 1867). The children also saw a video of these two friends together:
www.timeforkids.com/photos-video/video/owen-and-mzee-36636
In cursive writing, the class learned the letters k, r, s and o.
In our pioneer unit, the students learned making maple syrup and how making it in the bush isn't much different from 150 years ago. They also learned about rope and how it was important to the pioneers. They also learned how to make rope and each child made a short piece of rope using the wool they dyed. Here is a video of traditional rope making:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnW7-M7aQpQ
The students used the newly-learned technique of folding a piece of paper into a little book to create invitations to our 100 Books Party (March 28th, 9:15-11:30) for families and school staff.
On Friday, our school observed Earth Hour from 2:00-3:00 pm, by turning off lights and other objects that use electricity. It was tricky walking in the hallways!
Books read aloud this week:
Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier
Owen and Mzee - The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Craig Hatkoff
Owen and Mzee - The Language of Friendship by Craig Hatkoff
! (The Exclamation Mark) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
The Matzah Man- A Passover Story by Naomi Howland
The Room 5 Interview Show!
This week, Danielle and Marina interviewed Ms. Kam. She is the grade 4 teacher at our school.
The students started their week back by each learning how to "cork". Corking is a beginner's way to learn how to knit. In pioneer times, children would make a corker by hammering nails into the top edge of a wooden spool (empty spool of thread). The class is using the wool that they dyed to cork or knit a tube of knitting.
In math, the class continued the unit on fractions. They learned how to fold a piece of paper into equal eights and then fold it into an 8 page book. Then they folded and cut pieces smaller pieces of paper into various equal parts and labelled them with the proper fraction name. Later in the week the children learned how to apply what they knew about fractions, or equal parts, of a whole object to creating and identifying fractions of sets of objects.
In writing, the students did a few more steps in finishing their chapter books. They each wrote, edited and revised, an "author biography", telling about themselves, and put this on the back cover of their books. They also taped the photos they each took of the paintings they made (that inspired their stories), to the front cover.
In the computer lab, the students played fraction games. Here are the sites they visited:
http://www.primarygames.com/fractions/start.htm
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/fractionflags/fractionflags.html
The children learned how to sew a book together and made a "layered" book based on a book read aloud this week, Open This Little Book. Each student took the blank book they made and wrote their own stories.
The class learned about the amazing friendship between a baby hippo (Owen) and a 130 year old tortoise (Mzee). We figured out that Mzee was born in 1876, only 9 years after Canada became a country (in 1867). The children also saw a video of these two friends together:
www.timeforkids.com/photos-video/video/owen-and-mzee-36636
In cursive writing, the class learned the letters k, r, s and o.
In our pioneer unit, the students learned making maple syrup and how making it in the bush isn't much different from 150 years ago. They also learned about rope and how it was important to the pioneers. They also learned how to make rope and each child made a short piece of rope using the wool they dyed. Here is a video of traditional rope making:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnW7-M7aQpQ
The students used the newly-learned technique of folding a piece of paper into a little book to create invitations to our 100 Books Party (March 28th, 9:15-11:30) for families and school staff.
On Friday, our school observed Earth Hour from 2:00-3:00 pm, by turning off lights and other objects that use electricity. It was tricky walking in the hallways!
Books read aloud this week:
Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier
Owen and Mzee - The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Craig Hatkoff
Owen and Mzee - The Language of Friendship by Craig Hatkoff
! (The Exclamation Mark) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
The Matzah Man- A Passover Story by Naomi Howland
The Room 5 Interview Show!
This week, Danielle and Marina interviewed Ms. Kam. She is the grade 4 teacher at our school.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Update from Ms. R
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the Room 5 families a safe and happy March Break!
The homework for this week was to write a story using the cardboard tube and two pieces of fluorescent coloured paper given to each student on Friday. The story can be about anything but the good copy needs to be written on the coloured paper and the cardboard tube needs to be decorated or have words written on it as it is to be a part of the story. This is a great opportunity for the students to use their imaginations! This homework is due on Friday, March 22.
Special Announcement!
On Thursday, March 28, from 9:25 to 11:30, our class will be celebrating reading 100 books together by hosting a party! Friends and families are welcome to join us.
The homework for this week was to write a story using the cardboard tube and two pieces of fluorescent coloured paper given to each student on Friday. The story can be about anything but the good copy needs to be written on the coloured paper and the cardboard tube needs to be decorated or have words written on it as it is to be a part of the story. This is a great opportunity for the students to use their imaginations! This homework is due on Friday, March 22.
Special Announcement!
On Thursday, March 28, from 9:25 to 11:30, our class will be celebrating reading 100 books together by hosting a party! Friends and families are welcome to join us.
Gymnastics!
News for March 8
News for March 8
The cursive letters learned this week were : u, y, i, j. Each student learned how to write his or her name in cursive. The students then used what they know about reflections and lines of symmetry to create a work of art using the reflections of their cursive names. Then the children wrote about how they made their art and what their art reminded them of.
In math, the students finished up the unit on motion geometry by looking at symmetry. After reviewing the concepts, the children wrote the unit test on Wednesday. Our new unit is on fractions. So far the children have explored the concept of equal parts of a whole.
In our social studies unit on Pioneers, the students learned about how much work the pioneers needed to do just to create fabric out of wool for clothing and blankets. They learned the basic steps to process the wool on the sheep to weaving the final fabric. Along the way, the students got to try using carders (separating the wool fibres), a spinning wheel (spinning wool into yarn) where the twisting of the wool makes it stronger and a swift to hold the yarn while winding the wool into balls. Each child then demonstrated their understanding by creating a short report telling the story of wool using words and actual examples of wool at the various stages. These reports are now on display in the hall outside of our classroom.
The students each made a small weaving loom out of cardboard and began using the wool (which the students dyed) to weave a bookmark.
In writing, the students wrote letters to Tracy of Kobo Books Canada telling her of their experiences using the Kobo ereaders at school. The class made a video demonstrating what they learned from this research project. This video can be found near the end of this posting.
In computers, the children visited a site to practice different ways to move on a grid. Here is the link:
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/math-games/bike-route/
As a link to our author study of Oliver Jeffers, the students learned how to fold and fly paper airplanes as a link to his book The Great Paper Caper.
Books read aloud this week:
Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep by Teri Sloat
This Moose Is Mine by Oliver Jeffers
How To Catch A Star by Oliver Jeffers
Kate And Pippin by Martin Springett
It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Snow
The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers
The Kobo Books Research Project
Here is a video of children using the ereaders and reading their letters expressing their opinions.
The Room 5 Interview Show!
This week Ms. Kang was interviewed by Akshit and Kashish. She is the music, drama and dance
teacher for our class.
.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
News from Ms. R
The homework for this week is for each student to teach an adult how to write a "Mad Libs" story. (Mad Libs is a language activity that reviews the parts of speech and results in a funny story.) After teaching the lesson, the student is to write a reflection on his/her teaching experience. Also there is a math worksheet on geometric slides, flips, turns and symmetry. This homework is due on Friday, March 8th.
Important Dates:
March 11 to 15 - March Break holiday
March 29 - Good Friday
April 1 - Easter Monday
May 20 - Victoria Day
June 7 - P. A . Day
June 27 - This is the last day of classes for the school year.
Important Dates:
March 11 to 15 - March Break holiday
March 29 - Good Friday
April 1 - Easter Monday
May 20 - Victoria Day
June 7 - P. A . Day
June 27 - This is the last day of classes for the school year.
News for March 1
This week the students started a project sponsored by the Canadian company Kobo Inc. Our class was chosen to do some research on using the Kobo ereader (electronic tablet computer) in the classroom. Kobo is interested in learning how the ereaders can be used in schools and the opinion of the students.
In math, the students reviewed the questions on last week's math test on measurement. These tests were sent home on Wednesday. The new unit is on motion geometry (different ways a two-dimensional shape can move on a flat surface). The students learned about slides (translations), flips (reflections) and turns (rotations), as well as, symmetry (and how to use mirras).
All the students are finally finished their chapter books. (Now the big job is for me to type all the projects!) Each child had a chance to try and create a special book project. The challenge with this project was to make a book (with front and back covers, story and illustrations) that fits in a small plastic container.
In cursive writing, the class has now learned 10 letters altogether, a, c, d, e, f, g, h, l, p, t.
In our pioneer unit, the students did lots of activities this week. First, each student received a red kerchief. A kerchief was very useful to a person 200 years ago as a hankerchief, neckerchief, head scarf and napkin.Together, we read a story about visiting a general store. The children each created a Venn diagram to compare pioneer life and modern life. The class watched a video about early Canadian settlers. The students learned how to dye sheep's wool with Kool-Aid. Using hot water, Kool-Aid and vinegar (vinegar helps to set the colour), the students worked in groups to dye green, blue, pink and red wool. Finally, in the pioneer spirit, the children made a loom out of cardboard and used the yarn they dyed to start weaving a bookmark.
In computers, the students practiced their motion geometry by playing a robot building game. Here is the link:
www.eduplace.com/kides/mw/swfs/robopacker_grade4.html
On Friday, our class was invited to the gym to listen to the annual Speech Arts Contest, for grades 4,5 and 6. It's important for grade 3 students to attend this contest as they will be expected to write and give their own speeches next year when they are in grade 4.
This week, our kindergarten reading buddies came to visit us in our class for a change. The children did a cooperative art and writing activity together then sat down to read books together.
Books read aloud this week:
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
Pelle's New Suit by Elsa Beskow
Up and Down by Oliver Jeffers
Big Book of Farm Animals by Teruyuki Kamiya
***The Room 5 Interview Show will return next week!
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