This Week at School

We are learning how to count money.

Here are different ways we made 15 cents.

We are practising the songs, the instruments and the dance moves for the winter concert.  

We learned the Pokemon game during gym class. It is really fun.

(Written and photographed by the students.)

Winter has arrived!

Please make sure that your child comes to school with all of his/her warm clothing every day.   The students go out for recess daily.
Thanks!

                         

Reading With Your Child

Questions to ask your child while reading fiction text

Who is the main character?

What was the setting?

What was the problem in the story and how was it solved?

What do you predict will happen next in the story?

Why do you think the author chose the title for the story?

Do you like the title of the story? Why or why not?

Can you think of a different title for the story?

Which character from the story would you choose to be your friend? Why?

What part of the story was the most exciting? Why?

Did you like the end? Why or why not?

Questions to ask your child while reading nonfiction text

What is the main idea of the text?

What did you learn from reading the text?

Are there any words that you do not know what they mean?

What are some new words that you learned?

Do you have any questions after reading this?

Were there any important features (charts, diagrams, pictures) that were important?

Where could you find more information about this topic?

Did you like this text? Why or why not?

Information about Reading

What is Fluency?

Fluency is the ability to read smoothly and automatically, with expression and attention to punctuation.

                  Pace = the speed in which you read

• The goal is to read at a “just right” pace
• Reading not too fast and not too slow

Phrasing = Chunking the words together into meaningful phrases

• Reading in phrases and not reading words one.word.at.a.time.

Samantha drove to the store

and bought some bread.

Intonation (Expression) = Reading with feeling in your voice

• Changing your voice to match a character
• Reading like you would speak (and not like a robot!)

• Moving your voice up and down

Punctuation = Reading with attention to punctuation

• Stopping at periods   .  .   .
• Taking breaths at commas    ,  ,  ,
• Making your voice go up for question marks  ? ? ?
• Showing excitement for exclamation points  ! ! !
• Using “quotation marks” to change voice for characters.

3 Visits from our artist, Mme Alexander

Mme Alexander is an Aboriginal artist with The Teaching Integrated Arts program.
During her first visit to our classroom, the students explored a variety of artifacts she brought in and they listened to her interesting stories.
 




During her second visit, she taught the students about the Medicine Wheel.  They learned about the importance of the circle and the colors; red, yellow, black and white in the Aboriginal culture. The students made a Medicine Wheel with construction paper.  In the centre, they drew their families.
 





During Mme Alexander's third visit, we made a Medicine Wheel using metal rings. They wrapped the rings with leather and added yellow, red, black and white beads.

 

Smarties Graphing Activity

The students had to sort the Smarties by color then graph the amount of each.

Spider Cookies

Spider cookies
We made spider cookies using vanilla wafers, icing, shoestring licorice and Smarties. They were yummy!!

Halloween

Our class photo

Important Dates - November

NOVEMBER

  1 - Early Dismissal
  2 -  Library day
  9 - Book orders are due
     -Remembrance Day assembly at 10:15 a.m. in the gym. Everyone is welcome.
10 - Admin/Inservice  -  No school
11 - Remembrance Day -  No school
15 - Early Dismissal
21 - Library Day
23 - Report cards go home
24 - Conferences after school
25 -  Conferences - No school
29 - Library Day

Terry Fox Run

On September 30th, we had our school's annual Terry Fox Run.  The students were given a sticker to write the name of the person they were running for.

Here are a few pictures.