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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Thurs Oct 31, 2013

Today's learning: class meeting, props and costume preparation, recess, music, spelling quiz, fruits and veggie sharing, lunch, costume parade, seasonal skit performance for Gr. 1 buddies, Halloween history video.

Ask your child about:
- the most unique costume they saw today
- how they think they did on the spelling quiz
- the history of Halloween
- the funniest skit moment

Reminders:
- Life Touch picture orders *last day is MONDAY*
- fruits and veggies with moods/emotions still welcome on Monday
- NO SCHOOL for students tomorrow (Friday)
- weekend reading and math facts practice

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Wed October 30, 2013

Thank you Grade 3 and 4's for welcoming me to your classroom! I'm very happy to now be teaching at Vista Heights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Today's learning: Math: special guest from the Zoo provided an outdoor activity involving patterns in nature and measuring perimeter. Grade 4's organized numbers using Carroll Diagrams, and Grade 3's explored skip counting with money. Science: how does a guitar (string instrument) make sound? We experimented with elastic bands of different widths, and learned to shorten or lengthen the bands to alter pitch.

Ask your child:
- how they are demonstrating respect out on the recess yard?
- about their character - what kind of voice, props and costume will they wear?
- why are they unique? What did they share with the class on Mr. V's first day?

Reminders:
- no school on Friday
- please do not sent children to school wearing their halloween costumes. They can change into costumes in the afternoon. Also, please do not send candy or goodies to school this year.
- Halloween costume parade and skit performances on Thursday afternoon
- *last chance to bring all props and costumes* tomorrow
- Life Touch picture orders

Homework:
- nightly reading, math facts and spelling practice (quiz on Thursday).

Please feel free to provide me with your e-mail address, should you wish to receive e-mail notifications when our blog posts go live. (wevanderlinden@cbe.ab.ca)

Mr. Vanderlinden

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Tues October 29, 2013

Hip-hip-hooray for Mr. Vanderlinden!  Room 4 welcomed our new teacher.

Today's learning: fruit & veggies with mood sharing, seasonal skit rehearsal, recess, music, creative writing (with Mrs. Traquair), lunch and a fun afternoon with Mr. Vanderlinden.

Ask your child:
- about the emotion they wrote about
- about their character - what kind of voice, props and costume will they wear?
- how they are modeling respect for younger students
- about Mr. Vanderlinden's height

Reminders:
- no school on Friday
- Halloween costume parade and skit performances on Thursday afternoon
- *last chance to bring all props and costumes* tomorrow
- Life Touch picture orders

Homework:
- has your child finished their "How am I peeling" paragraph?  (example and criteria attached below)  Ask them to share it with you.
- nightly reading, math facts and spelling practice (quiz on Thursday).




Monday, October 28, 2013

Mon. October 28, 2012

Today's schedule: spelling, skits, gym, recess, veggie sharing, goal-setting, lunch, math and science

Tomorrow we welcome our new teacher, Mr. Vanderlinden!

Nightly reading, math facts and spelling (quiz on Thursday) - *parents please don't forget to sign your child's RED learning log!

Homework
- please remind your child to bring a fruit or veggie with a mood *more sharing and writing tomorrow.
- seasonal skits - bring props and costumes, practice character's lines, performance for our buddies on Thursday afternoon.

Halloween Activities on Thursday - wear costumes in the afternoon only, costume parade at 1:15pm.


Spelling Group A
complete
triangle
hundred
thousand
trial
English
Alberta
celebration
translate
kitchen

Spelling Group B:
blue
small
large
many
letter
postcard
phone
orange
black
scared

Spelling Group C:
monster
halfway
garbage
poem
several
control
athlete
science
French
email

Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday October 25, 2013

Happy Friday everyone!

A great day of learning today in Room 4.
We had a spelling quiz, gym, recess, French, Gr. 1/2 buddies, creative writing and goal-setting.

Ask your child:
- how their spelling accuracy was?
- what the volleying position looks like
- what the task was with their buddy
- how to say "may I please borrow a pencil?" in French.
- what mood and veggie they chose to write about. *this descriptive paragraph is due on Monday.  Please ask your child to share their writing with you and finish up.  They can draw and colour a picture that goes with their writing.

Weekend homework:
Over the weekend, please have your child accompany you to the produce section of a grocery store.  Help them choose a fruit or vegetable that shows an emotion (mad, glad, happy, sad, frustrated, lonely, etc. Students are encouraged to take a picture or bring this fruit/veggie to school on Monday to share with their classmates.  Examples are attached.

Nightly reading and math practice.

On Tuesday we will welcome Mr. Vanderlinden to Room 4!

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Thurs October 24, 2013

A whirlwind day in Room 4 - story-writing, gym, recess, music, more story-writing, RESPECT paragraph writing and a FIRE DRILL.  Ask your child what they should do if the firebell rings and they are somewhere other than our classroom.

Reminders:
Please make sure your child knows an emergency phone number and last name.
Spelling quiz tomorrow.
Last call for recorder orders.
Ask your child about their story - students were given 1.5 hours to write a story.  If it is not complete, it is for homework and due tomorrow (Friday).
Digital Champions Club (Gr. 3) tomorrow at lunch with Mrs. Traquair

A couple students have still not brought their newspaper article to share.  If this is your child, please remind them.  *Tomorrow is the last day.



Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Wed Oct 23, 2013

A busy day, today.  Ask me about my buddy activity.

Reminders:
- nightly spelling practice, quiz on Friday
- last week for logo submissions
- pictures in backpack, orders due Nov. 1
- Gr. 3 students - Digital Champions Club (return the form if you are interested)


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

TUESDAY, OCT. 22

New spelling words are up on the blog!  Please review nightly - spelling test on Friday.  Remember to read every night for at least 10 minutes, and practice spelling and math facts for 5 to 10 minutes a night.

Please remember to bring any school logo submissions.

Last call for recorder money and orders.  Miss McCune is putting in her order on Thursday.

Please test your child to see if he/she knows an emergency phone number.

On a more personal note ... due to unforeseen circumstances I have had to take a leave of absence beginning tomorrow (Wednesday).  Mrs. Traquair is in the process of finding just the right teacher, and will let you know when she has more details.  In the meantime, a substitute teacher will continue the work we have started.  It has been a pleasure getting to know you and your children, and having the privilege of teaching them this fall.  I wish you all the best!  Sincerely, Ms. Smith

Friday, October 18, 2013

Friday October 18,2012

Happy FRIDAY!

Room 4 had a very busy day today!

Ask your child about the French number and spelling quiz.  *French re-test for any students who received 7 or lower - practice makes perrrrrrfect!  We had our first assembly this morning - ask your child about some messages. Constable Dan came to our school for a visit.  He talked to us about S4.  Ask your child to explain what S4 means.  Constable Dan will visit our school throughout the year.

We talked about Internet Safety - "Think Before You Click".  If your child comes across something inappropriate on the internet, at home or at school, they must tell an adult immediately.  This could be mean or bad words, or pictures, bullying, or something that makes them feel uncomfortable. Please review this with your child.

Reminders: Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately when they leave in the mornings (hoodies don't seem to be warm enough).  Red Home Learning - please complete nightly reading and practice math facts this weekend.  Don't forget to sign for the minutes in the red log.  Vista Heights School is interested in developing a school logo.  Please encourage your child to submit any ideas to Mrs. Traquair next week.

No school on Monday - a Professional Development Day for teachers.

Enjoy the weekend with your family.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

This week we have completed many experiments to study sound and hearing.  Please ask your child what materials they found were good at reducing sound.  Please ask your child what we made to amplify sound (make it louder). 

In math we have started studying numbers into the thousands.  The students are learning to represent large numbers with words, base ten blocks, pictures and using expanded form.  Please ask your child about the game he/she played today to compare large numbers.

Monday is a Professional Development Day so there is no school for students.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16

Any school logo creations?

Newspaper article sharing is due on Friday.

Ask me to count to 10 in French.

Nightly reading, math facts practice and spelling (quiz on Friday).

Ask me to show you the online Multiple Intelligences questionnaire.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

TUESDAY, OCT. 15

Newspaper Scavenger Hunt to be shared on Friday, October 15th.  (Ideas in yellow class folder.)

"The Important Thing about Respect" paragraph due Wednesday (tomorrow).  The paragraph should be 2 pages double spaced.

Home Learning - nightly reading, math facts and spelling practice.  Spelling quiz on Friday.

We are going into lice season.  Please remind your child not to share hats, combs, brushes or jackets!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Friday Oct 11, 2013

What fun we had today!  The students all performed in our Thanksgiving plays and did a wonderful job of adding flare to their characters.  Our Grade 1/2 buddies LOVED watching their new friends perform.
Ask your child how to say "May I please go to the bathroom" in French.
RESPECT is the virtue of the month.  Please ask your child how they are modeling respect for themselves, others, our learning space and the earth.
Ask your child to predict their spelling accuracy on the quiz today.

Reminders:
- please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the colder weather ~ the mornings are especially COLD
- please make sure your child is wearing socks each day for hygienic reasons
- please remind your son/daughter to complete their nightly math facts practice, reading and spelling and please sign their red Learning Logs and *return to school EACH DAY*
- Picture Day on *Tuesday* - remember to brush your teeth and hair.

Enjoy the long weekend with family and friends.  We all have so much to be thankful for.
See you on Tuesday.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

THURSDAY, OCT. 10

Reminders:

*  Tomorrow we are doing the skit performance.  Please bring all props and costumes.

*  Spelling quiz tomorrow.

*  Pizza lunch tomorrow.

*  Nightly home learning.

*  "Pick Your Pose"


Below is a note from the music teacher about recorders:
As an important part of the music curriculum, each student in grades 3-6 requires a recorder for their personal use in music class. Recorders are used to reinforce many concepts found in the music curriculum and help to develop students’ ability to read music.
Since recorders can vary in quality, style and size, I will be purchasing a bulk order of good quality recorders. These recorders will be available for you to purchase at a discounted price of $7. If you choose to purchase your own recorder, or have one from a previous school year, please ensure it is a soprano recorder. When the students all use the same recorder it makes teaching and learning more successful for all.
 
Students have two options:
a) Bring in their own recorder. Please bring this into the school as soon as possible. 
b) Purchase a recorder through the school. Please see information letter sent home. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. McCune. 403.777.6000 or semccune@cbe.ab.ca. Thanks!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9

Today the students worked very hard on their math tests!

In science we did an experiment to compare how sound travels through air, water and solids.  Please ask your child which is the best conductor of sound.

In Character we have been reading books that relate to respect.  The students have shared some excellent insights about the importance of respecting "all human beings" regardless of their abilities and/or differences.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

TUESDAY, OCT. 8

Unfortunately the spelling lists were not posted yesterday due to teacher illness.  They will be posted as soon as possible.  Thank you for your understanding.  Please ask your child to continue to work on his/her reading and record it in the red home learning folder.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) the students will have a math test on patterns.

Several students have expressed that they are hungry in the afternoons.  If you think your child would benefit from an extra snack, please send it in his/her lunch, and he/she will have an opportunity to eat it at the end of the day during "Choices".

Monday, October 7, 2013

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7

We have some exciting news!  Our school gym is now open for classes.  The equipment room is still under construction, so there is no access to that space.  Students MUST wear proper footwear in order to participate safely in gym.  If you need to discuss your child's footwear, please call the office at 403-777-6000.

Because the construction on the gym is finished, we have use of the mud room doors!  Starting on Monday, October 7th, grade 3,4,5 and 6 students will enter and exit through the mud room doors.  Grade 1 and 2 students will use the doors closest to their classrooms.  Kindergarten students will use the front doors.  If adults arrive before the bell at 3:10, they need to report to the office before proceeding down the hallways.

Just a reminder that we are having a pizza lunch on Friday, October 11th.  Pizza forms are due tomorrow (Tuesday, October 8th).

Thursday, October 3, 2013

THURSDAY, OCT. 3

Tomorrow there is no school (the teachers have a Professional Development Day).

Home Learning Log:  weekend reading and math facts practice (no spelling).

Ask your child about their first spelling quiz mark.  Please have your child put their spelling corrections on the correct page for homework.

Ask your child to show you a "lion's pose" from yoga.

We had 30 minutes to write a paragraph about "My Favourite Lunch".  Ask your child to share his/her writing with you.  If it was not completed during class time, please ask your child to finish it at home (2 pages, double spaced).  The format is a topic sentence, 3-5 supporting detail sentences and a concluding sentence that restates the topic sentence in a creative way.  The paragraph should include sensory details (touch, taste, smell and sight words).

Enjoy the long weekend!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Tuesday October 1, 2013

Welcome to October!  This month Vista Heights will focus our attention to the virtue of RESPECT.  We will learn to respect ourself, others, our belongings, our surroundings and the earth.  Please talk about respect during your family discussions and encourage your child to share with our class the next day.

Home Learning Logs - Parents, please take a moment to review and sign each of the math facts, spelling and reading pages.  Please encourage your child to complete their home learning each night and sign for their minutes, so we can keep track. *The weekly spelling quiz will be on Thursday this week, as Friday is a Professional Development day and students will not be attending school.

On Thursday, October 3rd there will be a special snack.  Frozen yogurt will be for sale for 50 cents at recess!

Your child has brought home a note about our pizza lunch on October 11th.  Forms are due no later than October 8th.