News for October 10

News for October 10, 2013

It was only four days long, but we managed to pack in a lot of activities this week...

In math, the students reviewed subtraction strategies. One of the most valuable lessons is to use what you know about addition to help with subtraction. For example, 10-7 = ? can be thought of as "What do I have to add to 7 to make 10?". The class also used "vertical" subtraction to solve word problems requiring subtraction without regrouping.

In social studies, the students learned about the four cardinal directions (north, south, east and west) and learned about maps and why humans use them. They had a chance to discover the different countries of the world on a world map and coloured in the different countries trying to respect the borders. The students then each worked to find Toronto on the world map as well as their families' home countries. After writing about where they live now and where their relatives live now or in the past, each child created a poster with this information and a handmade paper flag of his/her country. These are now on display, with connections to a world map, in the west stairwell by our classroom.

The class learned how to iron this week! The next step to completing our pillows was to iron the two pieces of fabric flat to make sewing the fabric together easier. Each student ironed his/her tie dyed fabric and hand-painted fabric. We will start sewing next week.

Our school's community police officer, Officer Marcie visited our class this week. She spoke to the children about personal safety. Her main message was that children should always let their parents know where they are, who they are with, what they are doing and when they will be home.

The students learned about the song "Wavin' Flag" by the Canadian-Somalian musician K'naan. They listened to the song and learned that the words to the song were based on a poem that his grandfather wrote and used to read to him when he was a child. The book we read was also a story of his coming to Canada and the challenges and successes in his life.

As a connection to our writing unit on creating stories using comics, the class went to the Northern District Library to work with author/illustrator, Martha Newbigging. The children learned about the features of comics and tips and tricks to writing and illustrating their own comics. The class also had a chance to go upstairs to the art gallery where many of Martha's original artwork for her books were on display. On the way home, we stopped for berry smoothies at Rachel's Coffee House. Maria also gave us delicious cookies that she baked. Thanks so much to Jose and Nelani for volunteering to come with us on this field trip.

On Thursday, our class had a Thanksgiving feast! As a connection to the story, Stone Soup, each child prepared vegetables to make vegetable soup. They also learned how to mix and bake bread. (Did you know that yeast is a living micro-organism that blows bubbles of carbon dioxide to make the holes in bread?) The students also made butter by shaking 35% whipping cream until the butterfat separated out. The class discussed what it means to be thankful and wrote in their journals what they are thankful for in their lives. The children used this information to create thankful cards for their families. We even shared our feast with Mrs. Farrelly and Mrs. Schneider!

On Thursday afternoon, the children participated in the school-wide Cardboard Challenge. Using only a cardboard box, cardboard tube, masking tape, scissors and markers, the students created all kinds of things from movie theatres to telescopes to robot arms!

Books read aloud this week:

Follow the Line Around the World by Laura Ljungkvist
Thanksgiving Day by Jessica Morrison
Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth
When I Get Older - The story of Wavin' Flag by K'naan