Sudoku

Sudoku is math FUN that helps us see patterns.

We learn that when a PATTERN has missing information we can often discover the missing information.

LIFE often has patterns and missing information.

That is the beauty of math !

We learn more about the patterns of ourselves and the world.

So practice  SUDOKU and get better at life !

Allen S.

Day recipe, multiplication involving 10s & 100s, Eric Clapton and Fable Film Formulator machines

H got to help out serving in the Kitchen.  She did a great Job

We began the day with multiplication using 10's.  Starting with 2x10   then 20 x 1, then 10 x 20.  Then 2 x 9, then 2 x 90, then 20 x 90.  The concept goes from the known to the unknown, expanding on the same principle.  The principle is when you multiply by 10 you just forget the 0(s), do the multiplication then add back the 0's.  20 x 4 is thought of as 2 x 4 plus the 0.  8 and add back the 0 = 80.  By the end most of the students in the class managed to do the following questions 2 x 90, 5 x 80, 5x70 and 60 x 50 .  The students said those are too easy.. So I changed 5 x 70 to 50 x 70.  They said that was too easy, all you have to do is multiply 5 x 7 and add two 0's.   So i changed it to 50 x 700. They said that was too easy, all you have to do is multiply 5 x 7 and add three 0's.   So i changed it to 500 x 700. They said that was too easy, all you have to do is multiply 5 x 7 and add 4 0's.   I asked them if there was any number of 0's I could add to make it hard.  They said no.  They learned the rule.....

Great day Recipes

After math they wrote a recipe on the perfect day.  Last week they wrote a recipe for friendship.  I wanted to continue with the learning they got from writing a recipe last week .  They had to remember what to include in a recipe, (ingredients, amounts and cooking procedure) then apply it to what would make the perfect day then finish off by adding a picture.  

After Recess the students worked in groups to make a fable for one of the areas in ROCKS (respect, organization, courtesy, kindness, safety).  Mr. Stokes worked with the students to create a new fable to go with a school rule, 'look before you push a door open'.  The students then chose a school rule associated with ROCKS and began to write their own fable.  The fables are going to be drawn out on film stock to be presented as a movie.

After lunch the students not in choir listened to and did a one page report on Eric Clapton who became known as "the guitar god", as he impressed the whole English music scene with his amazing guitar playing. 

After Choir the students had more time to make their Fable Film Formulator machines, to present their Fables.  They worked on their Formulator machines and a story board for their Fable movie.  We took a break to do another activity in our 'so you want to be chief challenge.'  Today's challenge was very challenging as it involved candy.  Ask your child about it...  We did get the whole thing on film.  Our reality show will be hilarious when we wrap it all up.

See you all tomorrow and remember think like a chief.... you never know when the contest will be taking place.

Bug Art, Multiplication, and Kindness

Bug Art made from the mirror image of their handwritten name

This morning students wrote their Science Quiz on Sound, then finished their Bug Art made from their handwritten name. Their art is creative and imaginative, and they look great!

In Math, we practised 3 digit x 1 digit questions together on the board and independently before correcting them together. Students shared their answers on the board and explained how they calculated their answers.

Multiplication practise

From recess until lunch the students' activities and assignments had a kindness and respect theme. Our school is focussing on respect this month. February 27 is Pink Day for anti-bullying, and everyone can benefit from reminders on what respect is and how to be respectful towards others.
First, I led them through an exercise where they scrunched up a piece of paper (as fast and as small as they could in 30 seconds, to make it fun), then flattened and smoothed it out as well as they could in 30 seconds. Then they analyzed their paper's condition and said sorry to their paper. We talked about how even though you said sorry, the scars on the paper remain. The folds, scrunches, and marks on the paper are like how unkind and disrespectful words make us feel and even if someone says sorry, those scars sometimes still remain.

Scrunching up their papers

To focus on the positive, I set up a shiny box on my desk. It is the Gotcha box and I'll label it the next day I teach our class. Whenever I or anyone in the class sees a classmate doing something kind for someone else, we can write about it on a piece of paper and put it into the box. At the end of my teaching days, we'll pull some of the papers out of the box and read them aloud.

New Reading and Math groups with Ms. Smith started today. Some students work with her in a small group on reading and math skills, to supplement what is done in the classroom.

While the Reading group was with Ms. Smith, the remaining students read a fantastic book called Zen Shorts by Jon Muth. The book has layers of meaning about kindness and respect, and the students completed an activity about what they took away from the book. (We also have the sequel to Zen Shorts, called Zen Ghosts, in our classroom).

Mr. Wilson taught the class this afternoon.

See you next Monday and, to borrow Ellen's phrase, Be Kind to One Another.

Mrs. S

Sound Experiments, Spiderwick, and X Tricks

Reminder: Please return your Sip Smart record sheets to Mrs. S. The nursing students who presented to us are coming back next week.

This morning students wrote Spelling Pre-Test 17 and then started Math. We talked about tricks for answering multiplication questions that are x0, x1, x2, x4, x5, x9, and x10. Mr. Wilson has covered some of this with the students but after each student wrote about what they know for each of those x tables, they filled in their missing strategies with ones we brainstormed on the board together. We refered to these "tricks" (strategies) during multiplication practise today. Students chose between an easier page of practise (2 digit x 1 digit) and a harder page (3 digit x 1 digit).
I read aloud from Spiderwick Chronicles while students finished their overdue Science Title Pages or played with playdoh. Before lunch, in Science, we also learned about how our ears hear and tried several experiments that taught us how our ears are different than animals with large ears, how the shape of our ears helps us hear, and what happens when our ears are covered in different ways. Students were very curious about how we hear and many offered insightful observations about ear wax, ear infections, and why our ears pop at higher elevations.

Valentine Art with Warm and Cool Colours

We had a fantastic morning and students were very engaged, respectful, and interested in what we learned about.
This afternoon was a library book exchange, silent reading, and the start of some handwriting bug art. Students handwrote their name, copied its mirror image, and made it into a bug. Some added wings, legs, bulging eyes, etc. The results are very creative and I look forward to seeing the finished results tomorrow.
We ended the day with Benchball for Gym.


Mrs. S

Sudoku, Heart Animals, Stuffy Parade,Games, Valentine contests and snacks, Music and P.E.

 Notice:

No School Tomorrow February 15th Pro-D day

 We began the day continuing with the 4x4 Sudoku.  Doing puzzles like Sudoku help keep the brain sharp and develop strategies that can help with learning in all areas especially in science and math.  Mr. Stokes started with the traditional form of Sudoku, using numbers then introduced letters in place of numbers.  A instead of 1, B instead of 2, C instead of 3, and D instead of 4.  Strangely enough many students found this form simpler.  As M said, I am used more used to working with letters than numbers.   Most students agreed but several of the better math students said both were the same.  The students took turns working at the blackboard using images from the document camera and explaining how they found their answers.

The Stuffy Parade

 The students had brought a Stuffy for Valentines day.  So we began with a Stuffy parade followed by the students having to draw then make their stuffed animal out of different colored construction paper using only heart shapes.  The task was really a challenging visualization and math problem and many of the students did a fantastic job.  

 

After recess the students had time to finish up making their Valentine mail bags and finish off any work needed to get into the party.   All students finished their work and so the Valentine planning committee took over and held several contests with candy prizes.  The best decorated Valentine Bag, the best friendship recipe, the best heart animal etc.  The decorated Valentine Bags

The Four finalists, by student vote in the Valentine Bag contest.

The Winner of the Valentine Bag Contest

A special award had to be given to this brilliant bag decorated with a working gumball machine.

After lunch the students passed out their Valentines and gave out their treats.   We shared and ate the treats brought in by the many students.  Thank you so much everyone.  It is greatly appreciated and enjoyed by everyone.  This was followed by Music where the students played musical games, learned how to play a new song on the xylophone and on the recorder.  We were then going to have a  P.E. period but the Valentine planning committee wanted to extend the sharing and talking time to have time to read all the Valentines and eat the treats.   We had time for one or two stop dance contests and a Gangum style dance off won by Seth and Julia, with Seth taking the grand prize.  Thanks everyone I really enjoyed the day.

By the end of the day We had our fill of Candy....

The # 9, Sudoku, a Recipe for Friendship, Valentine bags, and Assembly

Notice:
Parent Fundraiser forms: Easter Chocolates went home today.

Tomorrow is RED, WHITE AND  PINK DAY for Valentines day
Our class can bring in a stuffy as well.

We began the day talking about the number nine.  How is is special.  How most of them are nine, nine in sports and games as well as learning tricks to doing the nine times tables.  The students started a one page report on the number nine. 


After Math Mr. Stokes taught the students how to do 4x4 Sudoku  which was followed up by him setting up the M.E. writing assignment.  Making a recipe for Friendship.  Then picked ingredients like laughter, loyalty etc. and mixed it with sunshine and play before cooking it in good times and bad times.   I will post two or three of them tomorrow as the students finish them off.  As the students finished their work they decorated Valentine bags for tomorrow. 

After recess the students worked on finishing off the two one page reports from before recess then worked to wrap up their buffalo reports which are now displayed in the upper hallway. 

After lunch those students not in choir listened to and did a one page report on the band Kansas.  This was followed by Party planning, finishing off any undone work before heading off to the Assembly.  The students were well behaved in the assembly and listened to primary classes singing and presenting friendship songs.  We ended the day with a quick clean up.

Valentine planning committee

Tomorrow is red, white and pink day and we will have a variety of activities planned around Friendship and Valentines day.  See you all tomorrow and don't forget your Stuffy.

Mr. Allen Stokes

   Hello, this is Allen Stokes.  Mrs Burley and Mr. Wilson have agreed to allow me to do a practicum, or practice teaching in your class.  I am doing my 5th year at Vancouver Island University.  In Korea and Taiwan I taught mostly English as a foreign language for ten years. 

  I love teaching and learning.  Humour, creativity and care are my favourite attributes.

  Tillicum Elementary School is a good school and I look forward to learning and teaching for the two weeks and then later five weeks.  My wife Theresa, used to teach here and she has many wonderful stories of working here.  When you see me around the school, say hello.