Here’s what’s happening in the 3/4 room these days…
Science: We had a wonderful field trip to Gardenscape where we planted some beans, learned about composting, insects and the parts of a plant. A very special thank you to Mrs. Leuschen, Mrs. Cory and Mr. Harder for coming along with us. We are just wrapping up our rocks and minerals unit and will be moving on to predicting weather, next.
ELA: We are just finishing the novel How to Eat Fried Worms. Our approach to this book has been a little different than the other novels studies we’ve done. This time around, each student was assigned on chapter (or two, if they’re short) to develop a presentation on for the class. It’s been really fun to hear each person’s interpretation of a chapter and to have them share their questions and connections!
We continue to focus on the writing process and grammar. We are getting quite good at proof reading – try to stump us! Of course we also continue to develop our phonics and spelling skills as well. Our current reading comprehension strategy is making inferences.
Math: The grade 3s are just beginning a unit on fractions. The 4s are also working on fractions as well as decimals.
Social Studies: We will be beginning a unit on Saskatchewan.
Phys-Ed.: We are developing some badminton skills.
We have also started on some triathlon training. Please watch for more information coming soon as the date is quickly approaching!

Sincerely,
Alana Wilson and the 3/4 Class!

The Kindergarten room has undergone some changes this month! The class had to move upstairs to the art room for three days while our room received a fresh coat of paint. It looks clean and fresh and inspired us to change our room around a bit. We’ve pulled out the dinosaur toys, sorted through our dishes, and brought out more discovery objects. The class has also worked together to create a beautiful Easter bulletin board! The class continues to work on their literacy games (rhyming, recognizing beginning sounds, colour words, month words, reading online stories). During play the students will be asked to write about what they’re doing. This will be very informal and spontaneous. If they create or discover something exciting that day, they will be encouraged to ‘write about it’ in their centre journals. We will be encouraging them to try and spell words on their own and to illustrate the event. In math we are discussing ordinal numbers and when we use them (calendar, competitions). The Kindergarten curriculum encourages student-directed learning. The students were inspired by a skeleton from a Grade 5 Care Partner. We have been discussing what we know about bones and have participated in a bone research session in the library with Ms. Bishop-Moisan. The students came up with their own questions and have done their own research! I am so impressed with the growth and development I have seen in this group of students since the beginning of the year! Thanks to all the Kindergarten families for the work you do at home and the support you give to your child. I am so proud of these children!

If you have a child who will be 5 years of age on or before December 31, 2011, please call the school to register them for the 2011 – 2012 school year.

Parents will be contacted in the Spring regarding our Kindergarten Orientation Day for the upcoming school year.

If you know of friends or neighbours who have Kindergarten age children, please share this information with them.

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, speaking on behalf of the grade 11 class, its Tanner.

In art class, with our good teacher Mr. Graham, the boys are making dioramas. Industrial Arts has us busy as bees drawing plans for our sheds. In Home Ec., they are decorating cakes like “Cake Boss” and soon will be starting international foods. With Mr. Kirk in Media Studies, they are looking at the conventions of media. Mrs. Prakash has taught us Physics and we are finished our projects on different types of Physics in the world. Mr. Anderson has the girls in Gym. They have been playing badminton, floor hockey and pumping iron to get jacked! In History, we are working on projects that we picked from anything that has changed the world. We just wrote a text on complex number in Math. It was very complex. Law has us learning the rules of law with Mrs. Prakash.

We would like to welcome the new student Cody to our class.

Well, in spite of our best efforts, our teachers have managed to keep us busy since the break. We’ve been solving up a storm of equations in mathematics, seeing a storm of romance and deception in Romeo and Juliet, and read about the storms of war and the plight of child soldiers in English. In Social, we finished with the Romans and are studying medieval times. Health has seen us examining the evolution of the tobacco industry. We’ve been skating and curling in Phys. Ed. IA has us welding and putting together engines, while we’ve been studying measurement in Home Ec. (but we really just want to make soup). Science has us studying cells and various forms of reproduction. We’ve been making our own personal Coats of Arms in Art. And finally, we’re looking up various careers on the internet in Careers! Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Special thanks to Kaitlyn and Nickole and the Peanut Gallery.

In Social Studies we are looking at Canadian identity and our knowledge of Canada as if we were immigrants ourselves. In Physical Education we are finishing winter activities at the Skating and Curling Rinks. We start Fitness testing next week! In Math we are working on Probability right now. While in English we finished the novel “The Giver” and we will start some wrap-up activities for it. In Art we are doing some Drama now. In Industrial Arts, we are drafting BIG Isometric drawings. Finally, in Home Ec., we are working finishing our Foods and Food Safety Unit.

Students have been enjoying the warm weather as of late; as a result, they have had the opportunity to venture out to the curling rink and arena in their Phys. Ed. Classes. In ELA, we have just finished reading the book, Dust, and will be completing assignments which explore the elements of the novel. It was quite the entertaining story! In math, we have just written our unit exam in Measurement. Please expect to see your child’s exam shortly. I would ask that you review it, sign it, and return it to the school. In Health, the students continue to explore the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

Winter Carnival activities are taking place on Friday, March 18. This is a day when we can all get together and enjoy each other’s company, engage in some friendly competition, and appreciate the fabulous weather. Please remind your child to dress appropriately as we will be spending most of the day outside.

Interim reports will be mailed out on Thursday, March 17. If you have any questions in regard to your child’s progress, please feel free to contact me at the school at any time. Additionally, Parent-Teacher Interviews are scheduled for next week. Please feel free to contact the school to make an appointment.

The Class is getting ready for their 3 school Bonspiel and will be hosting Dundurn and South Corman Park on Wednesday March 16. Report Cards just went out with the Grade 5’s. Don’t forget to call for an interview time for next week. Grade 5 parents please remember that Mr. Woods-Fehr has been teaching Math to the Grade 5 class and would love to see parents on interview night.