Thursday, December 19

Messages and Reminders:
Report cards went home today. Please take time to go through them with your child. The report card is yours to keep but the envelope should be signed and returned after the break. Most students also still need to return signed LA and math quizzes. The first day back at school is Monday, January 6.

Morning recap:
This morning after ignite, we either finished colouring our snow globes from Tuesday or we did word work and made as many words as we could out of the letters in WINTER BREAK. During math, we tried some more winter logic puzzles. We visited our buddies and wrote Christmas mad libs . In the few minutes between buddies and gym, we continued working on our math puzzles. After gym, we did a bit of finish up, cleaned up the classroom, and said our room 20 goodbye. 

Have a happy, relaxing, and safe winter break! 

Upcoming important dates:

Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Wednesday, December 18

Messages and Reminders:
Today's LWW quizzes went home. Please sign and return them (and any other quizzes that have not yet been signed and returned). Tomorrow is fun lunch, the last day of school before winter break, the December pillars of care assembly at 12:30, and report card day. There is no school on Friday and winter break goes until January 5.

Morning recap:
This morning we had a whole school carolling assembly. After helping clean up the assembly, we went up to class and wrote our chapter 13-17 LWW quiz. As we finished, we filled out a venn diagram comparing the book and the play. In math, we wrote a fractions mini quiz and then did Mathletics on the laptops or played math games if our laptops weren't working. We then went over the LWW quiz, got them back (they went home to be signed and returned), and started going over the fractions unit test. After gym, we finished going over the fractions test and put a giant stack of papers in our math folders before lunch. 

Upcoming important dates:

Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - pillars of care assembly - 12:30pm
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Tuesday, December 17

Messages and Reminders:
Our LWW chapter 13-17 quiz is tomorrow. Many students still need to have previous math and LA quizzes signed and returned. Please send them back before the break. Tomorrow is red and green or Christmas sweater day (the December school spirit day). Thursday is fun lunch, the last day of school before winter break, the December pillars of care assembly at 12:30, and report card day. There is no school on Friday and winter break goes until January 5.

Morning recap:
This morning after music, we finished up yesterday's math problems together as a class. In language arts, we did our December writing sample. It was a bit different this month. Instead of a picture prompt, the guidelines were to write a bonus chapter for LWW. We talked about how it could be a prologue (something that happened before the story in the book), an extra chapter in the middle of the story, or something that happened after the story (another adventure or the story of what happened when the characters returned to our world). Instead of writing by hand this month, the plan was to type our stories on the laptops, but since the laptops are being updated this week and are super slow, many of us ended up writing by hand anyway. During gym, we played a Christmas version of capture the gold. When we went back up to class, our buddies met us there and we did some guided drawing of a winter snow globe.

Upcoming important dates:
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green or Christmas sweater day

Wednesday, December 18 - LWW chapter 13-17 quiz
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - pillars of care assembly - 12:30pm
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Notes and Reminders

Ms. Winston is still sick and will be away on Monday. Hoping one more day of rest is all I need to be back on Tuesday! Ms. Yu will be there tomorrow and had lovely things to say about our class last Tuesday, so let's make that happen again. A few reminders for the upcoming week:

• Many students still need to have math and LA quizzes signed and returned. Please send them back before the break. 
• We will write a chapter 13-17 LWW quiz on Wednesday. 
• Wednesday is red and green or Christmas sweater day (the December school spirit day).
• Thursday is fun lunch, the last day of school before winter break, the December pillars of care assembly at 12:30, and report card day. 
• There is no school on Friday and winter break goes until January 5.

The plan for tomorrow is to finish LWW (read chapter 16 and 17). After reading, there are chapter questions to answer and a plot map to fill out. Math this week will be focused on problem solving. Students will solve a variety of winter-themed problems and puzzles. In health, students will be nominating each other for this month's pillars of care awards. Ms. Yu will tally the votes with the class and I will go over them on Tuesday and send notes home with the winners.

Upcoming important dates:
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green or Christmas sweater day
Wednesday, December 18 - LWW chapter 13-17 quiz
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - pillars of care assembly - 12:30pm
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Friday, December 13

Messages and Reminders:
Our fractions tests came home today. Please sign and return them for Monday. The Reading... Give It a Shot program officially ended today, but the hockey cards will still be at school if you want to bring your reading logs in next week. Wednesday is red and green or Christmas sweater day (the December school spirit day). Thursday is fun lunch, the last day of school before winter break, the December pillars of care assembly (at 12:30 - notes will go home with our winners next week), and report card day. There is no school on Friday and winter break goes until January 5.

Morning recap:
This morning we began with a quick review and then wrote our fractions unit test. We read silently as we finished. When most people were done math, we all read chapter 15 of LWW either alone or with a partner. After getting our math tests back (it was good news for most of us - they have been sent home for you to look at, sign, and return), we did the chapter 15 questions together as a class. During buddies, we listened to a story about writing letters to Santa and then we wrote letters to BHS Santa with what we hope to do at school in 2020. If we finished our letters early, we did winter activity sheets for some word work and basic fact practice. After saying goodbye to buddies, we cleaned up the classroom and headed down to gym with all the grade sixes.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Upcoming important dates:
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green or Christmas sweater day
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - pillars of care assembly - 12:30pm
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Thursday, December 12

Messages and Reminders:
Our fractions unit test is tomorrow. Study your practice tests from yesterday! The Reading... Give It a Shot program is officially over tomorrow, but the hockey cards will still be at school if you want to bring your reading logs in next week.

Morning recap:
This morning after ignite, we did a 3 question fractions mini-quiz before doing Mathletics on the laptops. A mini-quiz on whatever we've practiced in math that week is always our ticket to getting a laptop, but recently some of us haven't been reading the questions very carefully. We see a fraction and automatically just write an equivalent fraction, even if that isn't what the question is asking us to do. Today we were reminded to slow down and read carefully, and many of us did better. After Mathletics, we finished going over the questions on yesterday's fractions practice unit test. We also did some practice questions together to get better at converting fractions to decimals and percentages. In language arts, we listened to chapter 13 of LWW. We took a break to go to gym and then listened to chapter 14 and did a few of the chapter questions together as a class. We didn't visit the library today since all library books need to be back by tomorrow in order for Mrs. Paolini to go through the collection before winter break. We will resume our weekly library visits in January.

Upcoming important dates:
Friday, December 13 - fractions unit test
Friday, December 13 - last day of the Reading... Give It a Shot program
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green day
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Wednesday, December 11

Messages and Reminders:
We have library tomorrow. Our fractions unit test is on Friday. Today's practice test went home so that we can study...and most of us clearly need to study A LOT! The Reading... Give It a Shot program is going on until Friday, so make sure to return reading logs in exchange for hockey cards.

Morning recap:
This morning was a very test-heavy morning. After music, we did our LWW chapter 7-12 quiz and read as we finished. This has been marked and is coming home for you to sign and return so we know you've seen it. In math, we wrote our fractions practice test. It gave us a better idea of what types of questions to expect on Friday's unit test. It has been marked and is coming home for us to study, but it doesn't need to be signed or returned. Most of us did not do well at all, so we really need to study tonight and tomorrow. After math, had some free time on the iPads before ending the morning at dance in gym with all the grade sixes.

Upcoming important dates:
Friday, December 13 - fractions unit test
Friday, December 13 - last day of the Reading... Give It a Shot program
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green day
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Monday, December 9

Messages and Reminders:
Our LWW chapter 7-12 quiz will likely be on Wednesday. Our fractions unit test is on Friday. The Reading... Give It a Shot program is going on until Friday, so make sure to return reading logs in exchange for hockey cards.

Morning recap:
This morning after ignite we read chapter 11 of LWW and did the chapter questions. As we finished the questions, we did finish up or read to self or someone. In math, we reviewed a whole bunch of fractions concepts. We did a matching activity to find equivalent forms, used the greater than and less than symbols to compare fractions, decimals, and percentages, and placed fractions and decimals on number lines. After gym, we went through the questions together and then began copying a table with more fractions conversions.

Ms. Winston is not feeling well and will likely be away tomorrow. The plan is to get through chapter 12 of LWW so that the quiz can still be on Wednesday. We will also continue with our fraction work.

Upcoming important dates:
Wednesday, December 11 - LWW chapter 7-12 quiz
Friday, December 13 - fractions unit test
Friday, December 13 - last day of the Reading... Give It a Shot program
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green day
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Friday, December 6

Messages and Reminders:
Our LWW chapter 7-12 quiz will likely be on Wednesday. Our fractions unit test is on Friday. The Reading... Give It a Shot program is going on until Friday, so make sure to return reading logs in exchange for hockey cards.

Morning recap:
This morning all grade six students helped put away the equipment and chairs from the winter concert. When we got up to class, we began with read to self or read to someone. During language arts, we listened to chapter 10 of LWW and did the chapter questions together as a class. In math, we did some practice converting improper fractions to mixed numbers. When our buddies came to visit, we did activities that connect to December's pillar of perseverance. Ms. Winston read one of her very favourite books to us. It's called A Perfectly Messed-Up Story and is about a boy who is trying to tell a story but things keep getting in his way. He initially wants to give up but then realizes he can work through the challenges and keep going. After the story, we helped our buddies put some perseverance synonyms in alphabetical order, sorted scenarios into ones that show perseverance and ones that don't, and wrote examples of times when each of us persevered. We also had our lockdown drill in the middle of buddies. We had talked first thing this morning about lockdown expectations and how we needed to set a good example for our little buddies. Most of us did well. After saying goodbye to our buddies, we ended the morning at gym with all the grade sixes.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Upcoming important dates:
Wednesday, December 11 - LWW chapter 7-12 quiz
Friday, December 13 - fractions unit test
Friday, December 13 - last day of the Reading... Give It a Shot program
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green day
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Thursday, December 5

Messages and Reminders:
Our winter concert (with K/4/5) is tonight. Doors open at 6:00 and the concert begins at 6:30. We are going to write a quiz on LWW chapters 7-12 next week, likely on Wednesday (dependent on when we finish the chapters). The Reading... Give It a Shot program is going on until December 13, so make sure to return reading logs in exchange for hockey cards.

Morning recap:
This morning after ignite, we headed downstairs for the grade six winter concert rehearsal. When we got back to class, we wrote a fractions mini-quiz and then did Mathletics on the laptops while getting in the holiday spirit with some Christmas music. Gym was in our classroom today since the gym is set up for the concert, and Mr. Sadowsky had us do Just Dance videos. We ended the morning with library.

Hope to see you all tonight at the winter concert!

Upcoming important dates:
Thursday, December 5 - K/4/5/6 winter concert
Wednesday, December 11 - LWW chapter 7-12 quiz
Friday, December 13 - fractions unit test
Friday, December 13 - last day of the Reading... Give It a Shot program
Wednesday, December 18 - red and green day
Thursday, December 19 - fun lunch
Thursday, December 19 - last day of school - report cards sent home
Friday, December 20 - non-instruction day
December 21 - January 5 - winter break
Monday, January 6 - school resumes

Wednesday, December 4

Messages and Reminders:
Yesterday's LWW and today's computation / basic facts quizzes both went home today for you to look at and sign. Please return them so we know you have seen them. Some of us are volunteering as stage crew at the grade 1/2/3 concert tonight. Our winter concert (with K/4/5) is Thursday evening. Doors open at 6:00 and the concert begins at 6:30. The Reading... Give It a Shot program is going on until December 13, so make sure to return reading logs in exchange for hockey cards.

Morning recap:
This morning we started with our computation / basic facts quiz. As we finished the quiz, we did a critical thinking journal entry for chapters 7 and 8 of LWW. If we finished both tasks, we did read to self until it was time to go help set up for the winter concerts. When we got back to class, we went over yesterday's LWW quiz questions and got our quizzes back. Then we moved onto listening to chapter 9 of LWW. After taking a break to go outside for an icy cold gym class, we did the chapter 9 questions together as a class. During health, we talked about what it looks and feels like to be in the yellow and red zones and then brainstormed strategies we can use to help ourselves move back to the green zone. One of the strategies is deep breathing, so we practiced a few breathing strategies before writing some yellow and red zone strategies on our fortune tellers.

Upcoming important dates:
Wednesday, December 4 - 1/2/3 winter concert
Thursday, December 5 - K/4/5/6 winter concert

Tuesday, December 3

Messages and Reminders:
Our next computation / basic facts quiz is tomorrow. Some of us are volunteering as stage crew at the grade 1/2/3 concert tomorrow evening - you would have received a permission slip on Friday. Our winter concert (with K/4/5) is Thursday evening. Doors open at 6:00 and the concert begins at 6:30. The Reading... Give It a Shot program is going on until December 13, so make sure to return reading logs in exchange for hockey cards.

Morning recap:
This morning we had a double music class to get ready for the winter concert. All the grade sixes were in music from 8:10 to 9:10. When we got back to our classroom, we did our LWW chapter 1-6 quiz. When we were done, we did read to self until everyone was ready to move on. In math, we started by working together to convert between fractions, decimals, percentages, words, and pictures. We learned a trick for going between decimals and percents (move the decimal point two spaces to the right and fill in with zeroes if needed). We then continued practicing converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers. We did some examples as a class, took a break to go to gym, and then did a page of practice questions on our own. If we finished the page of practice questions, we played a new fraction game about mixed numbers and improper fractions.

LWW quizzes have been marked but we haven't seen them yet. We'll go over it tomorrow and then bring it home for you to sign. 8 out of the 16 students who wrote the quiz today got a level 3 or 4 (66% or above).

Upcoming important dates:
Wednesday, December 4 - computation / basic facts quiz
Wednesday, December 4 - 1/2/3 winter concert
Thursday, December 5 - K/4/5/6 winter concert

Monday, December 2

Messages and Reminders:
We are writing a quiz on chapters 1-6 of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe tomorrow. Our next computation / basic facts quiz is on Wednesday. Some of us are volunteering as stage crew at the grade 1/2/3 concert on Wednesday evening - you would have received a permission slip on Friday. Our winter concert (with K/4/5) is Thursday evening. Doors open at 6:00 and the concert begins at 6:30. The Reading... Give It a Shot program is going on until December 13, so make sure to return reading logs in exchange for hockey cards.

Morning recap:
This morning after ignite we caught up on any unfinished work or did read to self. During math, we did a practice basic facts / computation quiz. They were marked and returned to us so that we can bring them home to study for the real thing on Wednesday. When everyone was done the practice quiz, we did a number talk and came up with all the ways we could to represent three and one quarter. In language arts, we continued listening to chapter 8 of LWW. We took a break to go to gym and then did the chapter 8 questions together as a class. We also did a quick review for tomorrow's LWW quiz.

Upcoming important dates:
Tuesday, December 3 - LWW chapter 1-6 quiz
Wednesday, December 4 - computation / basic facts quiz
Wednesday, December 4 - 1/2/3 winter concert
Thursday, December 5 - K/4/5/6 winter concert