Day 39

Hello Parents!
We have been busy bees at Burnt Elm. We have been working hard at learning and at making the world a better place.  We were great supporters of the Me to We intiative "Out in the Cold".  We collected many items to help keep the homeless warm this winter.  Our class has many students in the Me to We group.

 Our Me to We Group

All our donations!

In Language we are coming close to the end of Loser and the journey of Donald Zinkoff. Ask your child what has happened in the last few chapters.  Ask them how they think it will end.

We will be beginning our Literacy Centres next week.  These centers will consist of various literacy activities that the students need to work on (grammar, reading comprehension, 100 word challenge writing, writing forms etc.)

In Math we have finished our work on place value and rounding and are beginning to work on patterning.  Students will be set up on Sumdog hopefully by the end of the month.  This web based program will help them practice many skills that we learn in class.  

In Social Studies Students are diving further into their pressing problems.  Today they learned a few facts about their chosen topic with a partner.  Students are welcome to research into their topics at home to learn more about them.  We will be doing a step by step inquiry this term. This will help prepare them for a more independent inquiry next term.

Students are practicing for the remembrance day assembly. Each class will be preparing something special for the assembly and the whole group will be singing some songs.  Parents are all welcome to observe Remembrance Day with us in the blue gym on November 11 at 10:00.  More details will follow soon.

 Halloween is this Friday.  If your child is wearing a costume please ensure there are no masks or weapons brought to school.  Face painting is allowed.  The Peel Board has decided that treats may not be brought in by students this year.  Teachers will provide some treats.  There will be a Halloween dance on this day.  Should your child not be permitted to participate in the dance please sign and return the form that went home today by Friday.  Thank you!

That's all for now! Take Care!

Day 30

Hello Parents,
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend! Students have had a good couple days back.  We have read a critical chapter in our novel "Loser" today.  Ask you child about what happened. Their homework is to reflect on the chapter in their writing journals in anyway they wish. They can share their thoughts or feelings about what happened.

Students have been woking in math partners on a rounding problem over the past 2 days.  They have been learning how to guess and check their answers using estimation.  This will assist them when adding large numbers in their head. We will be wrapping up our lessons on rounding and adding larger numbers and will be moving onto patterning concepts soon.

We've got our groups picked for our pressing problems in social studies and students will begin answering our overarching question for the unit. This question asks how citizens and governments can work together to help solve problems facing our community, province and country.  Students will be looking through the lens of different social and environmental problems but with the same question in mind. For homework this evening,students have to research democracy and what that means as well as what other systems of government exist in the world (ex. dictatorship, monarchy etc.)

Students have Mrs. Jamieson for Science.  They have been learning and experimenting with forces on structures. Ask them about what experiments they have been doing in class.

Thank you to Sharon's family for the donation to Out in the Cold.  We are looking forward to many more donations this week! Keep them coming.  Students brought home a flyer tonight discussing this initiatve by Me to We.
Have a great night!

Day 28

Hello Parents!
I'm sorry it has been a few days since I posted.  Life sure has been busy lately! I hope you are all well and have been enjoying this crisp autumn weather!
In math we have been continuing our discussions around place value and have begun rounding numbers to hundreds and thousands and ten thousands.  Students are learning to check their addition and subtraction of large numbers by rounding first to get approximate answers.  The Formula Friday that is coming home today will help them practice that skill.
In Language we are continuing to read the novel Loser together and have had many rich discussions around this text.  The children seem very interested in the life of Donald Zinkoff.  They are ploting the events on a plot diagram leading to the climax of the story.
In writing students continue to take part in the 100 word challenge each week.  They are posting thier stories to kidblog and now have learned how to post them to the 100wc website.  Have them read their latest story to you about losing your sight and then regaining it.
Today we reflected on things we were thankful for.  Students created leaf poems about the things they are thankful for.  Hopefully they have brought them home and will share them with you over the weekend-possibly at your thanksgiving dinner :)

Students have chosen their topic for the pressing problem they are going to be investigating in Social Studies.  Ask your child what topic they have chosen for their inquiry.

Today students helped their buddies to make a thanksgiving craft.  Here are some pictures of them being great role models and helpers!

Many of the students have joined Me to We.  The group's first fundraiser is starting next week. It is called OUT IN THE COLD.  This is a great organization that provides winter clothing (hats, scarves, mitts, ear muffs etc.) and sleeping bags and blankets to the homeless.  Donations will be accepted starting next week.  Please help support this great program if you have extra winter items around the house.

Genius Hour has begun!

Our first official Genius Hour happened today!  Students were very prepared with all their materials and got straight to work! It's great to see them so excited to work on thier passion projects.  Ask your child what they accomplished during Genius Hour today!

That's all for now!  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Long Weekend! :)