Coming Up!

Field Trip - Royal Winter Agriculture Fair

• November 7th - permission forms are due - thank you!
• Lots of parents have volunteered and thank you! I will send home details this week.

Halloween

• Costume Chaos on Wednesday. Costumes are welcome but not necessary. 
• Snacks are welcome - not too much, please! Sugar is hard to contain in the classroom! 

Photo Retake Day

• November 7th

Remembrance Day Assembly

• November 9th

Report Cards

• Go home, November 13th

Pizza Lunch

• November 21st

I will post this week about our open-concept classroom and Chromebooks.

Let's have a great week together! 

Week of Oct 22 - 26

Hi all

Homework
Homework has gone home today and is due on Thursday. Thank you for working on their Social Studies spelling words for last week. The kids ROCKED them. [Which parents learned how to spell Indigenous?!]

A reminder that the concept is for students to do a little each night. Some kids are telling me that they do it all on one night - not a great idea. Please do a little every night. Absolute maximum is 10 to 15 minutes per night of practising of something. If there is teaching then please do not do it - that is not your job and that is very frustrating for everyone after school hours or at night.

I respect that every student is different and some parents DO like to teach (bless you!) but if it gets to the "tired and frustration level," then it's a good idea to stop. Please keep me in the loop.

Here's what TDSB says:

3.6. Grades 1 to 6 
There is a strong connection between reading to or with elementary children every day in English or in one’s first language and student achievement. As a result, homework assigned in the early grades shall more often take the form of reading, playing a variety of games, having discussions and interactive activities such as building and cooking with the family. In the late Primary and Junior grades, effective homework may begin to take the form of independent work. In both cases, homework assigned for completion, practice, preparation or extension should be clearly articulated and differentiated to reflect the unique needs of the child.

[My note: There is a special place in heaven (and my heart) for any parent who cooks with their kid during the week! Some ideas for homework: building, creating, colouring, board games, cards.]

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair - thanks to those who have volunteered. We have room for 2 parents on the bus but you are still welcome to join us. You would need to make your own way down and we will meet you there.  Let me know. I will let parents know who the volunteers are, this week.
Please return permission forms asap. Payment is online.

Clairlea Reads Book Club - thank you for signing up! I would love ALL OUR GRADE 4s and parents or a family member to sign up. This is a great chance to read and discuss a super book with your kids. I have extra permission forms if you have misplaced yours.

Halloween Howl Community Event
This Friday, October 26 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Halloween Costume Chaos is Wednesday, October 31st.  
Costumes are always fun and welcome but they are not essential. Wear what you are comfortable with. If your costume has any accessories that are used to restrain, threaten, hurt or frighten, please keep the accessory at home. 

Looking forward to a great week with Dream Team 206.

Quick Post

Hi there
Lots of paperwork went home today:

• permission form for Royal Agricultural Winter Fair; Looking for parent volunteers;
• individual class pictures - there are a few more envelopes to come and if they're not here tomorrow, I'll ask the office to check into it;
• whole class pictures go home tomorrow - just saw them in my mailbox tonight
• Clairlea Reads parent / student book club. This is our second Clairlea Reads and I understand that last year's was a great success. Sure hoping all our Grade 4's (with an adult!) will sign up. because of mr. terupt is a great book!
• Fall Howl map and details about this exciting up and coming event! A yearly tradition! 

Homework

• How was it? A number of kids thought it was too hard! Yikes!
• Feel free to drop me a line about your thoughts! I don't want kids or parents stressed out about homework!!

Thanks

Ms V

Week of 15th - 19th

Upcoming Field Trip

Field Trip to the Royal Winter Fair on Thursday, November 8th. Permission forms will go home this week. Parent Volunteers are needed. Please send me an email or write in your child's agenda. carol.vincent@tdsb.on.ca

Housekeeping - For your Calendars

• Cross-country East Finals - only important for those students in our class who have moved on to the east finals - October 18th 
• Pizza Lunch - Cash Online - October 24th 
• Fall Howl School Event (in the evening) - October 26th
• Spirit Day - Costume Chaos - October 31st

Junior Book Club - Clairlea Reads

We are busy planning for our 2nd Annual Clairlea Reads Junior Book Club. I understand last year's Junior Book Club was a great success and I'm excited to be part of this year's club! 

• Information will go home this week. I would love all of our Grade 4's and parents in Room 206 to be active participants! 

Homework, Agenda and Water Bottle Reminders

• I have ordered large plastic bags for students to carry their homework duotangs and homework language books. Most of the Grade 3s have them - I've ordered more and they should be here in the next couple weeks for the balance of the class. Please could you ensure that both homework books and the bag are returned weekly. 
• Please remind kids to put their agendas and water bottles in their backpacks each night. I'm teaching students that it is their responsibility to pack them, not yours. A reminder might help. Thank you!

Looking forward to a busy and fun week in Room 206! 

International Day of the Girl

Today is International Day of the Girl.

We talked and shared what we understood that to mean. Why might girls feel they are not as valued as boys? What do we know about how girls are treated in some parts of the world? Do girls in our class feel they have less power than boys? What professional sports teams do we have in Toronto that celebrate athletic abilities of women? What can we ALL do together to ensure that girls feel valued and respected?

We watched two videos to help steer our conversations. Links are provided for you to view, too.

Plan International Canada. Because I am a Girl.
https://youtu.be/GCFeGDXuLHI

Always - Do we Limit Girls?
https://youtu.be/VhB3l1gCz2E

Our boys posted messages to our girls. 

Our girls posted messages to each other.

These messages will stay up as reminders of who we are as a class.

Tuesday, October 9

Welcome back! I hope you all had an excellent Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Housekeeping

• Wednesday, October 10 (tomorrow) is Pizza Lunch.
• There is no cross country tomorrow - Wednesday. 
• Thursday is cross-country track meet. Ms Callahan has posted the names of students who have been invited to attend on the Athletics Bulletin Board outside the gym. In addition, she is having a meeting at recess tomorrow. I believe the following from our class are invited to attend: Evangeline, Evalyn, Ishaan and Ewan and Gage. I will check the Athletics Board tomorrow and make sure students attend her recess meeting. 
• Thursday and Friday (periods 1 & 2 each day) is Gifted Testing for our Grade 3's.

Homework

Math and Spelling - Homework duotangs and homework language books have gone home.

This is a short but busy week! Let's also enjoy the wonderful weather! 

Busy Week!

Reminder that there is no school on Friday or Monday. 

See you all Tuesday!

Housekeeping

1. The office has informed me that our records show there are a couple of outstanding Agenda payments. If you have not yet paid for your child's agenda, please do so using the online cashless system. Thank you! 

2. Snack starts next week. Apparently we have switched snack providers and so all systems are go on Tuesday of next week. 

In Class

We've had a busy week in Room 206.  Reading assessments (DRA and BURT word assessments for Grade 3 and CASI for Grade 4) and end of September Math assessments have been ongoing. 

Homework

Yikes - missed the boat on that last page of the camel article! Thanks to those who struggled through!

Spelling

Based on the BURT word assessments and Running Records, I have put the students in groups for spelling words. Expect to see those words in the homework. Please practice throughout the week. 

Multiplication Tables

• I offered Math Mad Minute Multiplication this morning - only for those who wish to participate! The Mad Minute approach is strictly for fun and we do have a competitive bunch in 206 that like to compete with themselves and each other. There is no pressure to do the Mad Minute - strictly for fun! And it's a good way to make memorization of multiplication tables a little light. Being able to quickly recall times tables is a very useful skill. But I don't want tears!!! This will continue next week if kids still want it. 
• Next week: Grade 3's - 3x tables; Grade 4's - 4x tables. 
• Please use the plastic covered multiplication tables in their homework duotangs. 

In-class Reading Plan

Beginning next week:

• Running records for each student on an ongoing basis. This helps me identify where the reading struggles are and allows me to zoom in and focus on short and intensive support. I'm hoping you can help with word work, at home. 
• Guided Reading - every day. Small group approach to reading is an excellent teaching strategy to keep readers moving ahead with decoding and comprehension. 
• I know most kids are reading at home, most nights. If I can get some smaller levelled reading books in my class, I will send them home as support. Thank you for all you do!

Math Support Group

• I'm offering this after school - until about 4:15pm - a couple days per week. Details to follow.

These two wonderful humans are our "Respect" award recipients for September.
Democratically voted by every student in our class - and the votes were bang on!
Excellent choices! 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

cv

 

Picture Day this Wednesday!

Wednesday, October 3rd (this Wednesday!) is picture day!
Bring your best smile!