The homework for this week is that there is no written homework! (Of course, children are expected to still read for 20+ minutes each day.) The students worked very hard preparing for the EQAO test this week so they deserve a bit of a break.
Important Dates:
May 27 - 31 - EQAO testing period for grades 3 and 6
June 7 - PA Day - no classes on this day
June 15 - Fun Fair
June 27 - Report Cards sent home and last day of classes for the school year
Sunday, May 26, 2013
News for May 24
This week there was a big emphasis on reviewing curriculum content and test-taking strategies in preparation for the EQAO testing in math, reading and writing next week. The students got used to the changes in the room...the walls are covered up and the desks are in rows...
The students practiced solving math word problems and multiple choice questions covering all 5 math strands. They read fiction and non-fiction stories and answered comprehension questions. They wrote short and long stories. The students also had a chance to explore all the math manipulatives that they are allowed to use during EQAO.
In science, all the the caterpillars are now in the chrysalis stage. On Friday, one butterfly had emerged. To take the place of nectar, grape Gatorade was put in the butterfly house as food for the butterflies. To understand what the butterflies were going to drink, each student also had a chance to drink some grape Gatorade. One student even had a chance to feel what it would be like to be inside a chrysalis by being wrapped up in paper!
The class worked on the characters and words for their play, The Empty Pot. After reviewing the book, the students worked in small groups to decided the words that each student will say and what they will do. The children will be performing this play during the monthly recognition assembly next Friday.
In the computer lab, the children collected more butterfly facts by writing down new information on cards after reading information on a kids butterfly site. The site can be found here:
www.kidsbutterfly.org
Books read aloud this week:
The Tree of Life - The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth by Rochelle Strauss
The Butterfly House by Eve Bunting
Anno's Magic Seeds by Mitsumasa Anno
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Update from Ms. R
The homework for this week is to complete the survey on Apple Crisps by asking family members to taste the Apple Crisps and record who liked the chips and who did not. When the class was surveyed, about half the students said that they liked them and half said they did not. The students must tally the information, create a bar graph or a pictograph and then write a letter to the company and tell them about the results of our survey. This homework is due on Friday, May 31st.
Note: The last library day for this year is during the week of June 7th. The last day for book returns is June 14th.
Note: The last library day for this year is during the week of June 7th. The last day for book returns is June 14th.
News for May 17
This week, the students did a wide variety of activities, from using microscopes to observe the caterpillars to using pennies to create art.
In math, the students continue to focus on EQAO test-taking strategies by working on complete answers to math word problems. The children finished up the last math unit on patterning and wrote the final unit test of the year. On Friday, the students had a chance to explore the branch of mathematics called "topology" (the study of surfaces) by making flexagons. The model they created takes a piece of paper (with two sides) and by folding and cutting the paper create a model with 4 separate surfaces. Here is a video:
Room 5 - Flexagons
The class continued to learn and practice strategies for the language portion of the EQAO test. I met with each child to talk about how they could improve their written answers.
The children finished creating their "scratch art". They finished using wax crayons to put colours in patches on paper. Then they painted over the crayoned paper with black paint. Once it was dried, each child used a penny to scratch off the black paint to reveal the crayon colours to create a design.
The class visited "Cafe Maria", a cafe set up by the grade six students to raise money for cancer research. The cafe was inspired by Maria Mantello, our school's librarian/French teacher who is currently undergoing cancer treatment.
The class visited their kindergarten Reading Buddies in Room 101 this week. The students chose a favourite picture book to read to their buddies and then helped them write a reading response to the story for the Reading Buddies to take home.
Books read aloud this week:
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
What Is An Insect? by Lola M. Schaefer
Victoria Day by Jill Foran
The Empty Pot by Demi
Video - Caterpillar's Day Out
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Update from Ms. R
Happy Mother's Day!
The homework for this week is to complete the EQAO writing assignment and the small booklet on math word problems. This homework is due on Friday, May 17th.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
News for May 10
News for May 10
The big news this week was the participation of our school in the Canada-wide sing-a-long on Monday afternoon. All the staff and students gathered outside on our playground and sang the song by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and Ed Robinson, "Is Somebody Singing". This activity even made it on City-TV news! Here is the link:
On Wednesday, the class had a poetry workshop with Paul, Eric and Jason from "Train of Thought".
The class did a some creative activities to get them started expressing themselves through poetry. A video of this workshop can be found here:
The students learned how to use quotation marks properly in their writing. There are a lot of rules to remember!
In science, the class watched their chive plants start to grow and their bean plants continue to grow. They watched a DVD about trees and continued to write their daily observations in their science journals. The big news was the arrival of the box of Painted Lady caterpillars. Now the students are learning about the life cycle of the butterfly through daily observations of the changes in these caterpillars.
During our computer time, the children researched the Top Ten Cool Facts About Caterpillars. Did you know that caterpillars have 12 eyes? The students worked in pairs and then presented their facts in front of the class. Here are the sites they visited:
The students each created a gift, poem and card for Mother's Day. Using origami paper, a piece of glass and elastic cord each child made a necklace for his/her mother. They used their senses and understanding of metaphor to write a poem to include on a homemade Mother's Day card. The students wrapped their gifts and tied them up with a ribbon. They were all so excited to give their presents to their moms!
In math, the children continued with the last math unit of the year on patterning. They looked at growing (increasing), shrinking (decreasing) and repeating patterns with 2 and 3 attributes changing.
In the last few weeks before the EQAO testing period, the students continue to practice answering math, reading comprehension and writing questions.
Books read aloud this week:
Pippi Longstocking (chapter book) by Astrid Lindgren
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Update from Ms. R
Finally! The warm weather has arrived. Please make sure your child comes to school with sunscreen, water bottle and a hat. The hat is especially important as the sun's rays are very powerful and the students are outside for two recesses, lunch recess and often for their gym time.
The homework for this week is to complete the EQAO math word problems (remember to show your work). Also, our class was lucky to receive a set of Iron Man 3 (the movie) paper robot kits, courtesy of our ASL interpreter, Wendi. The challenge is to make the robot and to write a reflection on how easy/difficult it was to make the model.
Important dates:
* New* May 6 - Music Monday (around 1:00) - Our whole school will sing a song on the playing field to celebrate Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's return from the International Space Station.
The homework for this week is to complete the EQAO math word problems (remember to show your work). Also, our class was lucky to receive a set of Iron Man 3 (the movie) paper robot kits, courtesy of our ASL interpreter, Wendi. The challenge is to make the robot and to write a reflection on how easy/difficult it was to make the model.
Important dates:
* New* May 6 - Music Monday (around 1:00) - Our whole school will sing a song on the playing field to celebrate Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's return from the International Space Station.
May 20 - Victoria Day Holiday - no classes
May 27 - 30 - EQAO testing period for grades 3 and 6
June 7 - PD Day - no classes
June 25 - Report cards go home
June 27 - Last day of class for the school year
May 27 - 30 - EQAO testing period for grades 3 and 6
June 7 - PD Day - no classes
June 25 - Report cards go home
June 27 - Last day of class for the school year
News for May 3
News for May 6
With only 14 more school days before the EQAO testing starts, the students are working each day to complete practice test questions in reading, writing and math in order to prepare for the exam.
In math, the students finished the measurement unit on perimeter and area and wrote the unit test. The children also figured out that to calculate area of things shaped as squares or rectangles, they can use what they know about multiplication arrays to quickly calculate the area. Two practical examples are the ceiling tiles and the floor tiles in our classroom. For example, to calculate the number of floor tiles in our classroom, all one needs to know is the number of tiles on the length of the room (39) and the width (36). So the number of floor tiles in the classroom is 39 x 36 = 1404! The class then began the last formal math unit of the school year on patterning and beginning algebra.
In writing, the children finished their opinion essays on The Iron Man (book) versus The Iron Giant (movie). These are now on display on the bulletin board in our hallway. The class also learned about proper comma use when writing lists.
After having read ten of the non-fiction books nominated for the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian non-fiction, each student wrote a letter to the prize jury trying to persuade them to pick the book that was his/her favourite. The winner of the prize receives $10,000. The class favourite was Tim Hortons by Simon Rose with What's For Lunch? by Andrea Curtis a close second. We'll know in June which book the jury chose.
In science, the students planted two of their germinated (sprouted) bean seeds into pots with soil. They also examined and planted in soil the seeds of the chive plant. These seeds look very different from bean seeds. We opened up the box where we put bean seeds to germinate without light and saw that they did sprout but were white (that is no green or yellow colouring).
The class visited their kindergarten reading buddies this week. They played the game tic tac toe with their buddies, taught them strategies for winning and then helped them write about the activity.
On Wednesday morning, the students in grades 1-3 had their Track and Field Day. It was a great success, with good weather and the students participating in events like the 200 m run and standing long jump.
The children learned how to fold paper into an origami flower, stem and leaf. We had a great discussion on how folding a plant from paper was like growing a plant from a seed.
During our computer time this week, the students viewed the Music Monday song video. This is the song our school will sing on May 6th to celebrate the return of Canadian astronaut Chris Hatfield from the International Space Station. Here is the link:
www.musicmonday.ca
Finally, on Friday, the students had their chance to participate in a cooperation workshop activity with presenters from GROW. The children worked with other classes to complete a variety of tasks that required them to work together cooperatively.
Books read aloud this week:
Black Beauty (chapter book - finished) by Anna Sewell
If You Hold a Seed by Elly Mackay
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