Friday November 29, 2013

Yet another busy day in Room 4!

Today's learning tasks:
- spelling quiz
- French - review of calendar months (oral quiz next THURSDAY on: numbers 1-20, days of the week, months, and greetings)
- volleyball match
- Buddies with Gr. 1 students - composing hibernation sentences
- S.S. - completing "Foothills Region" in our table (using "Zooming In on Alberta's Regions")
- Music - recorder fun on the iPods
- DOJO points review - congratulations to the new "student of the week"
- Reward time: educational games

Homework:
- nightly reading and math facts
- study French for quiz next week

Ask your child:
- how they think they did on their spelling quiz today and how they can achieve 100% accuracy next week
- about our buddy fun
- how they spent their "reward time"
- questions about the novel their are currently enjoying - ask him/her to read a passage to you
- how they earned DOJO points today

Reminders:
- please book an interview online, on the Vista Heights website
OR
- visit the office and book with Mrs. McKie
- earbuds?

Enjoy the weekend with your family - stay warm + dry!

Thursday November 28, 2013

WOW!  What a COOOOOOOL car!  The University of Calgary was here to share the solar car today.

Today's learning tasks:

- review of STELLAR work habits and "student of the week" checklists

- L.A. - used our "creative journal reflection checklist" to ensure all criteria were met

- volleyball game in gym

- music - recorder fun

- S.S. - completed jot notes for Rocky Mountains region

- Solar car presentation

- buddy interviews

- viewing of solar car on the school compound

Ask your child:

- about the solar car

- if they earned a DOJO point for 'stellar' work habits

- what the important thing about the Rocky Mountain region is

- to share something cool they learned about their buddy

Homework:

- nightly reading, math facts and spelling practice (quiz tomorrow)

Reminders:

- bring earbuds

- pita lunch tomorrow

- there is a computer for parent use in the staffroom (please check in at the office for assistance)

- children who have not completed homework have the choice to stay in during noon-hour recess and complete in 'open commons' time

- if you send us your email, we can EMAIL this blog to you instead

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Today's learning tasks:
Goal setting: ClassDojo check-in, and introduction of student checklist for "Student of the Week" recognition (check lists will be sent home at the end of this week)
Math: Grade 3's (place value, skip counting, base-ten review), Grade 4's (3- and 4-digit subtraction)
Physical Education: volleyball
Science: Shadow tag, & partner shadows. We used i-pods to capture images and began to design "My Shadow" tracker charts.

Ask your child:
- what work they intend to share next week for "Student of the Week" recognition
- how they earned DOJO points today
- how can I make change my shadow?
- what object in the playground are we keeping an eye on this week, to see if it's shadow moves?

Homework:
- nightly reading, math facts and spelling practice *new words on the side of the blog (quiz on Friday)

Reminders:
- Friday is Pita Lunch (orders should have been placed already)
- EARBUDS to leave at school?
- The University of Calgary will be presenting the solar car this Thursday (tomorrow) afternoon.  Please sign the release form so your child can be photographed with the car (if you have not already)
- a general use computer is located at Vista Heights school if parents should require access to submit online forms, etc. Please feel free to check-in at the front desk should you need to access this computer. 
- Save the Date! December 5th & 6th we will be hosting parent-teacher conferences. Information about the booking process will be released shortly. 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Today's learning tasks:
Math: Grade 3's (modeling 3-digit numbers using base-ten and place value), Grade 4's (3- and 4-digit addition), 4-steps to solving math word problems
Physical Education: volleyball "bounce" game (Nice to see all our practice and hard work in the gym coming together!)
Music: recorders :)
Science: shadow experimentation

Ask your child:
- how they earned DOJO points today
- how does light travel?
- what objects are out in the playground that cast their own shadows?

Homework:
- nightly reading, math facts and spelling practice *new words on the side of the blog (quiz on Friday)

Reminders:
- Friday is Pita Lunch (orders should have been placed already)
- EARBUDS to leave at school?
- The University of Calgary will be presenting the solar car this Thursday afternoon.  Please sign the release form so your child can be photographed with the car (if you have not already)

Healthy Hunger - Pita Lunch FRIDAY

In our effort to decrease our environmental footprint, we will be using an online ordering process for our next "special lunch" day. Information was sent home today with your child on how to order from www.healthyhunger.ca

Please visit this website for more information and to create a new account for your child.  https://www.healthyhunger.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=27

On our next "special lunch" day we will be having a Pita lunch - November 29 

*A laptop computer is available for use in the school staffroom.  Please check in at the office to use this service.

Monday November 25, 2013

Today's learning tasks:
new spelling lists, "Zooming in on Alberta Regions" (smart board videos of various regions), volleyball match, buddies with the grade ones - logging on and 'hibernation' sentences, French - colours and months, jot notes of Alberta - PARKLANDS region, silent soccer

Ask your child:
- how they earned DOJO points today
- about their new spelling list
- how to say the months of the year en français

Homework:
- nightly reading, math facts and spelling practice *new words on the side of the blog (quiz on Friday)

Reminders:
- Friday is Pita Lunch - last day to order is TOMORROW!!
- EARBUDS to leave at school?
- The University of Calgary will be presenting the solar car this Thursday afternoon.  Please sign the release form so your child can be photographed with the car.
- cream-coloured notice regarding "December Parent/Teacher Conferences"

Healthy Hunger - Pita Lunch FRIDAY

In our effort to decrease our environmental footprint, we will be using an online ordering process for our next "special lunch" day. Information was sent home today with your child on how to order from www.healthyhunger.ca

Please visit this website for more information and to create a new account for your child.  https://www.healthyhunger.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=27

On our next "special lunch" day we will be having a Pita lunch - November 29 

*A laptop computer is available for use in the school staffroom.  Please check in at the office to use this service.

November 21, 2013

GREAT FUN in Room 4 today!

Learning tasks:
- good game of volleyball with our Gr. 3/4 neighbours
- self-assessment: "I am a good reader because..."
- "Zooming in on Alberta's regions" - Grasslands & the Canadian Shield
- Music: new recorder song "looking down"
- Buddy time:  took buddy pics in Photo Booth, attached to email and sent to teacher
        - explored the educational iPod apps with Gr. 1/2 buddy

Ask your child:
- what reading goal they set for themselves
- about taking a picture and sending an email with an attachment
- about the fun apps on the iPods

Homework:
- nightly reading and math facts

Reminders:
- no school tomorrow (System PD Day)
- does your child have a pair of earbuds to leave at school?

Reminder: Healthy Hunger 

Pita Lunch

In our effort to decrease our environmental footprint, we will be using an online ordering process for our next "special lunch" day. Information was sent home today with your child on how to order from www.healthyhunger.ca

Please visit this website for more information and to create a new account for your child.  https://www.healthyhunger.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=27

On our next "special lunch" day we will be having a Pita lunch - November 29 

See you on Monday!
Bonne weekend!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Today's learning tasks:
- Computer/Internet safety dialogue
- Math: skip counting review, order numbers (Grade 3's), estimation (Grade 4's), place value review & expanded form (Grade 3/4)
- Physical Education: Volleyball - serving assessment
- Lock-down simulation
- Science - the path of light & difference in light source

Ask your child:
- how they earned DOJO points today
- what did you think of the "Shadow Theatre" performance (search online for "Shadow Theatre" to see more inspiring performances)?
- what did we do during "lock-down" simulation to ensure a safe school environment?
- How can we help?
We viewed the before and after images of the devastation in the Philippines. Click here to view them http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/typhoon-haiyan-photos-before-after/ Question: What can we do as a class/school to help those who lost their homes and loved ones because of the typhoon?
- Review the "Stuck-On-A-Word Strategy" guide below..


Reminders:
- no school on Friday (PD Day)

Homework:
- brainstorm ideas with your family about ways to help people in the Philippines.
- new spelling, quiz on Thursday
- nightly reading and math facts practice

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

Today's learning tasks:
- Math: Counting and problem solving with coins (Grade 3's), Estimating - sums and differences (Grade 4's)
- Physical Education: Volleyball - serving skills
- Music - recorders
- Science - Introduction to Light (discovering sources of light)

Ask your child:
- how they earned DOJO points today
- what sources of light exist in our world?
- what do do in case of a "lockdown" or "evacuation"
- we took our class picture today! How excited are they to get their pictures?

Reminders:
- no school on Friday (PD Day)
- if you have a flashlight at home that your child can bring to class for our "Light and Shadows" unit, please send it with them.

Homework:
- brainstorm ideas with your family about ways to help people in the Philippines.
- new spelling, quiz on Thursday
- nightly reading and math facts practice

Monday November 18, 2013

Today's learning tasks:  evacuation chat with Mrs. Traquair, volleyball assessment, jot notes on Alberta grasslands - temperature, location, animals, land, emailing with Gr. 1/2 buddies, exploration of Google Maps and Google Earth

Ask your child:
- how they earned DOJO points today
- to show you how to find your home on Google Maps
- what do do in case of a "lockdown" or "evacuation"
- what their email address is - send them a message ;)  we'll be checking our inbox some time this week

Reminders:
- picture retakes TOMORROW (individual and class).  class photos are FREE
- ** bring tomorrow: any pictures that can be found at home of objects that produce LIGHT (from magazines, newspapers, catalogues, from the internet, etc.) If you'd like to draw pictures in advance and bring those in, that also fine**- no school on Friday (PD Day)

Homework:
- brainstorm ideas with your family about ways to help people in the Philippines.
- new spelling, quiz on Thursday
- nightly reading and math facts practice

Friday November 15, 2013

Learning activities: Buddies with Gr. 1 (exploring hibernation websites with Read & Write Gold program), gym (volleyball match), recess, spelling quiz, creative writing sharing, lunch, Social Studies (exploring Alberta regions with Read and Write Gold program, music and reward time.


Ask your child:
- how they think their spelling accuracy was this week?
- how they spent their 'reward time' today
- what book they will enjoy over the weekend
- how they earned DOJO points today

Reminders:
- please bring a personal headset that can be left at school (loonie store has cheap ones)
- your child can attend "open commons" any day of the week to complete homework during the last part of the lunch hour
- please remind your child to bring their recorders back to school if they bring home to practice.  we have music on Tues, Thurs and Friday.

School Photos

-retakes for school photos is on Tuesday November 19^th

-Class pictures will also be taken on Tuesday, November 19^th

-All students will be in the class photo and each student receives a FREE class picture

Thursday November 14, 2013

Learning activities: Creative writing - published paragraph, gym - volleyball, recess, music, desk check,  lunch, Social Studies, Buddies - emailing

Ask your child:
- to show you how to get on to their school email (remind them that their PASSWORD is PRIVATE and not to be shared with ANYONE
- how they earned DOJOs today
- what their email address is (*send them a message!)
- who their Grade 1 or 2 buddy was
- to show you how to view the "Canadian Shield Landscape" website
                       - what is most important about the Canadian Shield?
- to play "Hot Cross Buns" on their recorder for you

Reminders:
- nightly reading, math facts practice and spelling (quiz tomorrow)
- practice recorder

Wed November 13, 2013

WOWEEE!  What a fabulous field trip to the Jack Singer!

Learning Activities: Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra performance "Across Canada", lunch, fire drill, Learning Commons to complete typing,

Ask your child about:
- their favourite part of this morning's performance
-how they earned DOJO points today
- how they plan on achieving 100% accuracy on their Friday spelling quiz

Reminders:
- nightly reading, spelling practice and math facts practice

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Learning Activities:

Math: Grade 3's - counting with money, Grade 4's - estimating sums; Physical Education; Science: noise pollution / hearing loss & impairment; Computers: exploring musical instruments and classical music

Reminders:

- Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra field trip tomorrow! (morning trip only - we'll be back at school by lunch time)

- please make sure to log in to ClassDojo (as per the letter that went home previously) so you can keep track of your child's contributions to a positive learning environment.
- please send me your preferred email address (to wevanderlinden@cbe.ab.ca) if you'd like to be added to our e-updates for the classroom blog post

Homework:

- nightly reading and math facts practice

Ask your child:

- what is proper etiquette (behaviour) for the field trip tomorrow?
- what instruments or sections of the orchestra are the excited to experience tomorrow?
- how they can make good choices to earn DOJOs and bring our "green" levels up this week?
- how they are demonstrating integrity this month

Friday Nov 8, 2013

A fun and busy day for Room 4!

Learning Activities: 

Spelling quiz, Remembrance Day ceremony expectations, recess, Remembrance Day Ceremony, "Integrity" + Remembrance Day Reflection, lunch, "Imagine A Night" creative writing, music, DOJO Check-in, desk re-arrangement.

Reminders:

- no school on Monday (Remembrance Day)

- field trip on Wednesday morning

- when your child participates in a lunch-time club (and normally goes to daycare), please remember to pack a lunch, so your child can stay and participate

Homework:

- finish "Imagine A Night" creative writing

- finish "Integrity Reflection"creative writing
- nightly reading and math facts practice

Ask your child:

- why we don't applaud during Remembrance Day ceremonies
- how they can make good choices to earn DOJOs
- to show you their 2 creative writing assignments
- hw they are demonstrating integrity this month

Thursday November 7, 2013

Today's learning agenda:  Typing of "How am I Peeling" paragraphs, gym - volleyball game, recess, music, lunch, "Integrity" editing and story writing, body break - breathing + stretching, Social Studies - continuation of "Know" and "Want to know" Alberta charts.

All students are working hard for DOJO points - we are having soooo much fun with DOJO!

Ask your child:
-  how they were awarded DOJO points today; did your child have DOJO points taken away?  (We hope not).  If so, ask them why.
- to share their "Integrity" story (blue duotang)
- what they WANT to KNOW about Alberta - we are making a chart in our classroom

Homework:
- class was given 45 minutes to complete the "Integrity" punctuation and story-writing.  This is for HOMEWORK, if NOT completed, due tomorrow.

Reminders:
- spelling quiz tomorrow
- Remembrance Day ceremony - start time: 10:45am, parents welcome,  wear service uniforms and bring poppy donations
- Veteran's Foodbank donations welcome - last day is tomorrow
- several students have not returned the CPO field trip forms - please do so asap *there is NO fee for this fun field trip*
- our class eats lunch first, then they have the option to go outside or go to the Learning Commons to complete homework, engage in online learning activities or play educational games.  If your child is unable to complete a task at home, please encourage and remind them to attend "Open Commons" during the lunch hour.

Wed Nov 6, 2013

Learning activities today:Math, gym, recess, science, lunch, Social Studies, Creative Writing (individual conferences regarding RESPECT paragraph writing), spelling, class novelReminders:- please review all letters/forms that were taken home last night (i.e. Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Field Trip Form, ClassDojo parent form) & return them asap!- students, if you haven't already, try to customize your ClassDojo avatar online tonight- parents, explore your parent account for our ClassDojo (see the invitation your child brought home)
- Veteran's Drive - please bring in any non-perishable donations for the Food Bank this week- nightly learning - reading, math facts and spelling practice (quiz on Friday this week) 
- Remembrance Day Assembly on Friday at 10:45 (parents welcome), wear service uniforms

Ask your child about:- if they have personalized their DOJO avatar
- writing feedback from RESPECT paragraph writing - how can they improve their paragraph writing, next time
- which spelling strategies they prefer to study their spelling words?

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Learning activities today:
- Grade 4's ("Tell them from me surveys") with Mrs. Turk, Math: Skip Counting using number lines / hundred charts (Grade 3), Gym, Music, Math: Sorting Numbers using Venn Diagrams (Grade 4), Introduction to ClassDojo.

Reminders:

- please review all letters/forms that were taken home tonight (i.e. Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Field Trip Form, ClassDojo parent form) & return them asap!

- students, try to customize your ClassDojo avatar online tonight

- parents, explore your parent account for our ClassDojo (see the invitation your child brought home)- Veteran's Drive - please bring in any non-perishable donations for the Food Bank this week
- nightly learning - reading, math facts and spelling practice (quiz on Friday this week) 

Ask your child about:
- ClassDojo and why they are excited to start with it tomorrow

- Our daily class graph (*grade 4's will try this tomorrow)

- November's "Virtue of the Month" - INTEGRITY
- their personal goal(s)

* yesterday's blog....

Monday November 4, 2013

Happy Monday!

Learning activities today:
- class meeting, goal-setting, gym,  recess, spelling, lunch, computers - typing emotion paragraphs, Social Studies

Reminders:
- Veteran's Drive - please bring in any non-perishable donations for the Food Bank this week
- if your child needs any winter  clothing items, ie: jacket, hat, mitts or boots, please let me know
- nightly learning - reading, math facts and spelling practice (quiz on Friday this week)
- don't forget to bring healthy snacks too!

Ask your child about:
- November's "Virtue of the Month" - INTEGRITY
- the beautiful plants we have in our classroom - how will they enhance our learning?
- the Macbook computers in our room
- their personal goal

Monday November 4, 2013

Happy Monday!

Learning activities today:
- class meeting, goal-setting, gym,  recess, spelling, lunch, computers - typing emotion paragraphs, Social Studies

Reminders:
- Veteran's Drive - please bring in any non-perishable donations for the Food Bank this week
- if your child needs any winter  clothing items, ie: jacket, hat, mitts or boots, please let me know
- nightly learning - reading, math facts and spelling practice (quiz on Friday this week)
- don't forget to bring healthy snacks too!

Ask your child about:
- November's "Virtue of the Month" - INTEGRITY
- the beautiful plants we have in our classroom - how will they enhance our learning?
- the Macbook computers in our room
- their personal goal