Igloo's, wolves in sheeps clothing, Hobbits and Peter Pan

Notices: 

New Piscies forms went home.  This is a great opportunity for children to have a sports and a musical experience.  The musical African Drumming will be taught which will lead to a large performance.

New scholastic forms went home today

Thank you for those that sent in the Gorge Burnside after school forms.

The reward for the lost eraser has jumped to $17

 We began the day with a continuation of the Igloo designing we started at the end of the day yesterday.  Today I let them finish their design as they thought it should be built.  We then talked about and examined how the blocks are fitted and tapered to build the igloo with a cap piece of ice to finish the ingenious structure off.

The way people think an Igloo is constructed

The way an Igloo is actually constructed

This was followed by math where we looked the type of questions the students were going to face on the FSA testing.  The test deals with math basics in an applied form.  This type of question involves problem solving, planning and understanding as well as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  The simple question. Using Canadian coins, how many ways can you make exactly 26¢.  An understanding of Canadian coins and their values is the basic knowledge.  How to combine this knowledge and create all the various combinations of coins is the test.  A combination of Dime Dime Nickle Penny = Penny Nickle Dime Dime.  It was interesting watching all the various approaches the students used to correctly solve the problem.

After recess we began with reading then carried on with our telling and a retelling of the Aesop's Fables. Today's fable was "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" with the moral "things are not always what they seem."  I began by showing the students the picture and having them guess what they thought was happening.  What things belong in the picture?  What things do not belong in the picture? 

After Lunch the students went to choir.  Those students not in choir listened to and did a one page report on Conway Twitty.  One of the students suggested this musician and brought in the CD for us to study and enjoy/.  Thanks A.

We finished the afternoon by finishing off the Hobbit and beginning a new novel Peter Pan.  We consulted about how we liked the last two lines of the Hobbit and then consulted about the first line of Peter Pan.  Comparing both for suspense and interest.  The students made some very good observations and lots of good vocabulary was discusses. 

Last line of the Hobbit

"The evening was closing in, and the cloaked figure (Gandalf) quickly vanished into the twilight.  The hobbit did not see him again for a long time."

First line of Peter Pan

"Everyone, except for one person, has to grow up."

Reading, Music and How to build an Igloo

Notices: 

After school program forms went home today.  They are first come first serve for programs after school on Monday, Wed, and Friday.  Monday Lego club.  Wednesday community exploration of parks, beaches etc. Friday games in the gym.  Please see the form for times and more information.

Welcome back all.  It was great to see all the students again after the break.  At the start of the year they look so young, fragile and little.  Now they look so old and sophisticated and old.  We began the afternoon with reading followed by music.  After music we had Socials.  The students worked by themselves listing what they think the steps are to building an igloo.  They were to list the steps and draw four steps from the beginning to the finished igloo.   After about 15 minutes I gave them blue paper, white strips of paper and a circle maker.  They worked with a partner to cut and shape the white paper strips to make the igloo in two dimension.  The pieces cannot overlap.  The problem they will encounter is that they have to trim the pieces in order to make them fit, which is how a real igloo is made with all the blocks the same length but different shape tapering to the final block which is like the key stone in Roman and Greek arches.  Tomorrow I will give them the actual steps and show a video on how to shape the snow blocks to make an igloo. 

Everyone was focused and working hard.  Great job everyone and see you tomorrow.

Word Problems, Rainbows, and Fairy Tales

Notice: Science Test on Light on Mon., Jan. 14

Math quiz on Subtraction on Tues., Jan. 15

Thank you Mr. W for uploading the photos for us!

In Math we corrected yesterday's math homework, then worked on subtraction word problems with a partner. Awesome job to all of those students who took their math home yesterday and finished it for homework.

In Science we made rainbows with prisms, and drew a rainbow with the full spectrum of colours and labeled it with the acyrnom ROY G BIV to help everyone remember the colour order.

In Novel Study we listened to 2 chapters read aloud while colouring the rainbows.
In Langauge Arts, we continued with our story writing unit by reading classic fairy tales with a partner and, as a class, brainstorming characteristics of traditional fairy tales. We ended the morning by reading The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. Next week we'll read more fractured fairy tales with modern twists before the students write their own modern fairy tale. Students are really excited about this unit and are enthusiastic about writing their own tale next week.
Mrs. S.

2013

Congratulations E. for having your artwork published in the Times Colonist!

Welcome to 2013!
We had a good day. It started off quite chatty but students soon settled in.
Students practised handwriting, learned about compound words and brainstormed examples, and reviewed and practised subtraction with borrowing.
After recess we read a chapter in Survival, used sticky notes to mark passages they had questions about ("What are they going to eat now that Will took the food the group had saved?"), and wrote about 6 possible solutions to one of their questions.
Before lunch, students who wanted to share about their winter break did. About 3/4 of the class shared in front of the class. Well done!! It takes courage to speak in front of the class.
We focussed on speaker and audience skills, and each speaker was allowed 3 questions or compliments ("I like the way you spoke clearly") from classmates. I use the questions and compliments format to encourage interest in other students and kindness, rather than audience members telling a story about what the speaker's sharing reminded them of. It works very well. Over the break, students did and saw a variety of things, and a few students brought in objects to show to the class.
After lunch was Library, Silent Reading, and 20 min of catch-up time (Math, Novel Study), before playing Benchball in Gym at the end of the day.
See you tomorrow!
Mrs. S

Notice: An important envelope from the Greater Victoria Teachers Association with information about FSAs went home with each student today. Please take the time to read it.

Recommended Book For January

On The Run series by Gordon Korman

Book 1: Chasing the Falconers

This adventure series is about a brother and sister whose parents are convicted of a crime they didn’t do. Aidan and Meg Falconer know their parents are innocent and they gather evidence to prove their parents didn’t do the crime. Aidan is cautious and wants to follow the rules, while Meg loves to take chances and believes everything will work out. Despite their different ways of looking at situations, they help each other. Along the way, they are also helped by strangers; chased by animals, strangers, and police; and creatively use their resources to help prove their parents are innocent. This series is in our school’s library.

I rate this action-thriller book 5 stars out of 5.  

Mrs. S

M's artwork was in the Times Colonist

Congratulations M for having your artwork chosen by the Times Colonist and published in the newspaper.

See you next week!

Mrs. S

Constructing a Winter Scene, and a tea party without the tea

 We started the day with our Weekly spelling test of Seasonal Words.  This was followed by the usual Calvin and Hobbes with Calvin against the Snow Goons.  We then prepared for and worked with our little grade 1 buddies to make the best scenes out of a small gingerbread man, three small bunny cookies, a tree cookie a couple of graham crackers, marshmallows, icing and lots of sprinkles.... it was a fun day playing games, building things and eating way too much sugary things.  Oh yeah we also took time to clean our desks and prepare the class for the winter break. 
 

Paying the cover charge at the door ... I have to get back some of the money they made with their trading posts

 Entrance fee $10.00   (minus $5 if they brought a treat, minus one for each of the following... if they wore their pj's, wore slippers, brought a stuffy or wore a hat)  Some paid 10 some paid as little at $2... it was fun and entertaining and was over way too fast... kind of like this first term... Take care everyone... I wish you all the very best of the season.... see you all next year... Mr. W

Passing out the treats

Playing Werewolves

The Winning Entry....