Pumpkin Week

This sure is going to be an exciting week for us! Please read through all of the details carefully.

This week in math the Grade 3s are beginning to explore the number 100.  Here is a picture of us getting an idea of what 100 books look like.

The Grade 2s are working on equality.  Here's an example:

Nut Safe Policy - just a reminder that all foods/treats/snacks sent to school for snack and lunch should be completely free of nut warnings and, of course, nuts.

Today we starting learning the Scientific Method so that we can conduct a simple experiment to see what the needs of plants really are.  Here are the healthy plants before starting the experiments.

The grade 2s completed a parts of the face collage in French class.  Aren't they great?

Pumpkin Day (aka Halloween)
On Thursday students can bring a costume to school that they will put on after lunch.  The costume should be 'friendly', i.e. no weapons, blood/gore, evil/scary costumes.  They will have an opportunity to parade through the school to see all of the fabulous costumes.  We will be having a Surprise Pumpkin Day activity following the parade. 

I have added a tab to the top of our blog page that contains a link to other teacher pages.  You will find the new French tab there.  That's where the Grade 3 information can be found.

This week:
Wednesday: Winnipeg Police Presentation on Bullying
Thursday: Pumpkin Day
Friday: November
Saturday: Christmas Craft Sale and Coffee House

Another 4 day week

This past week was an exciting one.  Even with just four days we were able to accomplish a lot!  Below are pictures from out Science experiments.  We separated soil layers to see what soil is really made of.  We took a close look at root systems, and stems.  We were able to clearly see the tubes running through celery stems. 

The Grade 2s have been working on learning the names of fruits and vegetables during French class.  This week we added parts of the face to create our own citrouille.

This week I am beginning Word Work groups.  This year we will be using the Words Their Way program to study spelling.  This program works a little differently than the traditional spelling lists you have previously seen.  Each child will receive a baggie with a word sort in it.  The homework is to practice the sort each day.  The baggie needs to stay in the homework folder so that we can use it at school each day as well.

Last week we started using the Listen to Reading centre.  If your child does not yet have earphones you will want to get them a pair.

Our school is participating in a sweater drive that CLWR is working on for Syrian refuges.  They are asking for new or gently used men's, women's and children's sweaters.  The drop box is outside the Kindergarten classroom and the deadline to make donations is this week Thursday.

Reminders:
Wednesday - Hot Dog Day
Friday - no classes
Monday (28) - Scholastic Due

4 day week

God's Blessings!  It's so great to be back after a holiday weekend and a time to refresh and relax.

Last week the highlight of our learning (according to the students of course) was our investigation of soil types.  We have begun a study of Soil and Plants in science class.  Thanks to everyone that has sent in fine specimens of soil for us!  The clay filled soil was a favourite...

We also worked hard at learning to coach a reading partner during Read to Someone.  I will email the reading coach document to you so that you can refer to the same strategies taught in class when you're reading at home.

French - the grade 2s are working on fruits and vegetables.  We connected the topic to Thanksgiving this past week.

Reminders this week:
Friday - hot dog orders are due

Thanksgiving

This year is sure flying by quickly.  We are well into October and have a couple of units completed.  This past week you will have seen the work from our Prayer unit come home, as well as the first Social Studies unit.  This week you will see the first completed math units come home as well.

Completed units mean new units!  In Grade 2 math students will be working with numbers up to 100.  This involves some new concepts and new ways to build and understand numbers.  Grade 3s are working with numbers up to 1000.  An understanding of our base ten system is crucial at this point.

We will toggle between Social Studies and Science throughout the year.  We are going to jump into a Science unit this week.

Now that I have had a chance to spend time working one on one with each student I have a better idea of the reading and writing abilities and needs in the classroom.  We have been working hard to learn the various rotation parts of the Daily 5.  This week I will begin focused work groups for both reading and spelling.  You may see new items coming home as homework.

Last week a letter from Pastor went home about the CLWR school wide project we are working on.  Our class has been selected to put together We Care kits during the month of January.  Please refer to the list from pastor of items to keep an eye out for until then.  I will send further information in the new year.

Reminders:
Monday, October 14 - Thanksgiving, no school