Substitute in... here are some photo's

 I was away today... Mrs Schneider, my last years partner, was in for me.... here are some pictures

Take care everyone.... see you tomorrow... ...

The students are gearing up for trading posts (stores) by making crafts....

Reading, Self evaluations, fractured addition and long houses,

We began the day reading then moved onto working on a 4 page self evaluation, report card on themselves.  You will enjoy it when it comes home with the report cards next Thursday.  The assignment took 40 minutes after recess before all the students were finished.  It is not easy thinking about yourself.  I thought the students did a fine job of self reflection.

After the self reflection we moved onto math and did similar math questions as we studied yesterday.  Fractured adding as I call it.  Students are given addition questions with blanks where they have to figure out the numbers that go in the blanks.  They are like a pre-algebra like problems. 

In the afternoon we went to the computer lab and the students worked in Power Point to make a show for their choice of Marine animal from the sea-quarium selection.  The students liked the project and spent quite a long time focused and working. 

Computers was followed by Music with Mrs. Awalt.  After music the students continued working on work they had to complete from the last few days.  Most worked on finishing their Long House projects and mini one page reports.

Well done everyone.... study your spelling and see you tomorrow.

Reading, Marine Teams, the father of New France, Wagner, Long houses and P.E.

We began the day with a 'Show and Tell' T brought in a hand painted rain stick and some art she did with her mom the night before.  This was followed by reading.



 Reading is an important skill in which children should participate in and practice on a regular basis. Ms. K and I assign levelled reading tests and at times we give the students free choice.  At times students can be (and at times should be) left to choose their own reading and writing topics.

After reading Ms. K came into class and we introduced the Super Awesome Marine Teams to study, and become experts in creatures in our amazing marine tank near the office.  We talked about forming teams, we also showed them a sample of the type of project they are going to complete on another blog which we will link to this one.  It is great to have Ms. K available for one period as week where we can team teach together.  Ms. K is an amazing resource for information on the Sea aquarium and adds a lot of personal love and energy to the topic which also really makes the students excited about the Marine aquarium.  In the first 10 minutes I learned 3 things I did not know and even earned a respect for sea slugs

Ms. K telling using the internet to share information with us

After Recess, for our famous person study, we picked the father of Quebec (New France)  Samuel de Champlain We talked about how Canada is a dual country (French, English) and how it shapes us as a Nation.

Students with their finished Champlain one page reports

For math the students worked on complicated addition problems.  These involved addition where parts of the questions are given and part of the questions are blank.  The format alone threw off some students, however, most people managed to work through at least a few of the questions.  It challenged their addition skills by making sure the students, instead of working like robots through questions had to think every step.  It is trickier than it looks.  The students worked in groups as they talk math and strategy and help each other when they need help.  Two minds being bigger than one.

Students were allowed to use a calculator... It didn't really help but they felt better with one... ha ha

After Lunch, the students not in choir, listened to, and did a one page report on  Richard Wagner a German born composer best known for his operas.  

After choir the students worked on finishing up their Long House Dioramas and one page reports.  We talked about how, because of the access to year-round food, the coastal First Nations were able to build year around large permanent settlements.  

We ended the day with a short Gym period because the students worked so hard on their socials projects.   See you all tomorrow... Mr. W

P.s. I will put up the pictures later when I am home... 

Reading, Seal group projects, Remembrance day assembly, computers and music

 Notices:
Mrs. K's wallet went missing from the classroom while the class was at the awards assembly yesterday, if you hear anything let us know please.

The Wed Express school newsletter went home today as well as a few other notices.

One is for our Poinsettia fund raiser.  A very good deal and a great present.

Spelling Test Tomorrow

We began the day, as we begin most days, with reading at interest or grade level.  This was followed up by a group project on the seal, the main food staple for the Inuit.  Group projects teach cooperation as well, students can use their skills to help others in the group.  The better artists draw, the best writers write etc.  The project time was interrupted as many students had to be pulled out to practice for the Remembrance day solemn assembly (choir, color guard).

After recess the students continued with their seal project for about 15 minutes before the class headed down to the gym for the Remembrance day Assembly.

 The students were very respectful, quiet and focused during the Remembrance day assembly which went until just before lunch.

After Lunch 4 students had show and tell, S showed her many patches and badges, she had brought her uniform with her badges in to be a part of our Remembrance day honor color guard.

K brought in a parachute he had made.  He dressed up sharp, he was not part of the color guard, however he did add to the specialness and seriousness of the event, well done K.

 D showed up a moulted turtle shell.  Very interesting and he got asked many questions by the class.

 S showed the sweat shirt he got in Vancouver where he competed in BMX biking as part of a Victoria team. 

After show and tell we went to the computer lab where the students worked on a power point presentation on the same topic as the morning group work.  Seals and the Inuit.  This was followed by music where the students sing, play games and learn how to read music.  Many in our class are becoming very good at it as we get two music periods a week as I teach the technology.  We ended the day, after music, back in the computer lab to finish up their Power Point projects.  By the end of the year the students will be masters of Word and Power point which they will need to do projects in middle and high school.

We then cleaned up and headed home... Well done everyone ... I have a sub in as I am trying to shake a lingering cold... We have one of our regular subs so all should go well... work your best and don't forget to study your spelling.  take care Mr. W

Reading, Remembrance day thoughts, Math, Choir, How Canada got it's name and an assembly

Notices: 

Remembrance day Assembly tomorrow after recess, starting 10 45 ish. 

(cubs, cadets, guides, brownies etc. please bring along your uniforms and join the Honor guard)

Check your child's bag several notices are coming home tomorrow.  One of the big ones is a poinsettia fundraising sale.  The prices are very reasonable and the poinsettias are great quality.  Please help support the parent group in it's fundraising efforts as it benefits your children directly.

We began the day with silent reading, then after about 30 minutes we went up to the computer lab and the students drew and wrote a statement on Remembrance day to be used in the Remembrance day slideshow tomorrow after recess around 1045.  Remembrance day is Monday, but as Mrs. Awalt, who runs the choir and much of the sacredness of the Remembrance day assembly does not work on Fridays so we are having our Remembrance day Assembly tomorrow.

After recess the students wrote about Remembrance day trying to answer  4  questions.  1. What is Remembrance day? 2. How do we celebrate Remembrance day?   3.  What do the poppies represent? and 4. Why is peace important? 

About 40 minutes later the students worked on a mixture of addition and subtraction questions until just before lunch.

After lunch those students not in choir read about and listened to the music of Enigma.  Enigma is a German new age band formed in 1990.  Their haunting sounds are very relaxing and meditative.

After Choir we talked about how Canada got it's name.  Jaques Cartier is credited with spreading the name Canada.  It is believed that the name Canada might be based on two First Nations words one Kanata a word for village, or Kan atta a word for sacred place.  We also talked about how Greenland (a land of ice) and Iceland (a very green Island) got their names.   The students worked to complete a one page report on the topic.

After that we went to a recognition assembly (even divisions: we are odd) where the grade ones performed Canada in my pocket and short videos of the soccer and cross country teams were honored.   Thanks Ms. Edwards, Mr. D, Mrs. Smith and the others who gave of their time and energy to provide practice, training and organized a competition. 

We then cleaned up and the students went home.  Please remember to send your children in any uniforms they might have for our honor guard procession for Remembrance day. (cubs, cadets, guides, brownies etc)

technical problem solved!!!

Yeah.... technical problems solved at school do doing the blog. Stay tuned.....

Writing their own Book.

 

 Three or four classes in our school are taking part in a write your own book project through a community program called Story Time or something like that. They guide the students through activities to help them visualize and create interesting writing.

An example of what happened during the presentation is as follows:

The students were asked to close their eyes and visualize their character somewhere their character might be.  The students were guided through a visualization to smell, taste, see, feel and touch.  The time of day, the season,  also had an effect on what the students sensed.  If the students said it was loud, one of the authors would guide the students with questions like why was it loud, was it people noise, city noises or animal noises.

After character and setting they began the introduction. They talked about a strong Introduction.  An introduction interesting, exciting…

They suggested the students start by introducing  their character.  Or something about their setting.  They then had the students begin their story with a question.  Have you ever been trapped in a bakery.  Hook your reader

1 character (Billy thought he was the toughest student in the school. All the scared kids in the school did too.  All, that is, except one. 

2 setting (Billy woke up surrounded by books.  Not  friendly books full of cute pictures, but large dusty books written in an strange ancient language.  But what was the strangest thing of all, was that Billy had never owned or even read a book from cover to cover in his whole life.

3 question.  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have your own elephant.

The students were given clay to mold their character to help them write a more detailed description.

The students then wrote their first couple of sentences.  

All the students were successful in getting ideas to paper, even if one of the authors had to scribe it for them.  Great Job everyone