Happy Thanksgiving, Division 6 families! This is a great time to reflect on what we are grateful for. We are so grateful to have your child in our class and your support! Thank you for taking the time to watch the video, read the blog post, or both! Your time and investment in your child’s education is very much appreciated.

CLICK HERE to watch the video update for last week.

Sorry, I forgot to mention in the video that students are encouraged to memorize some personal information. Their “test” will be on Wed. October 13. We will be using O365 regularly so it is most efficient with their time to memorize their email address (which is also their login ID) and password. It is also important at this age to know their address and parents’ phone numbers. The other piece of information to memorize is our class code for Epic Books. On this website, they will have access to thousands of high-quality books from 7am to 3pm.  Please help them practice and memorize. Thank you!

We are writers.

This week, we learned about our Writing Thought Process. This is something I created and have presented on a number of times. Click on the image to view the PDF. Writing is a process that takes time and effort. I wanted them to understand that actual writing time is likely only 20% of the time they spend. The other time is on pre-writing (like talking or brainstorming ideas), re-reading and reflecting what they wrote and carefully considering what they should write next (helps with the flow of ideas), and regularly revising as they continue writing. This is a constant cycle of thinking, writing, reading what’s written already, reflecting on clarity and what to say next and how to make writing better, and then thinking some more before writing more. It is in this process they can dive deeper and deeper into thoughts and ideas. I call it “magnifying glass” writing to add details, explanations, and reasons to support what they are expressing in writing.

Here are a couple of heart maps we started our first week together! Thank you to Pilar and Ellis who were willing to share! These are things that are near and dear to our hearts that we can write about because we know a lot about it!

 

We are Mathematicians in Grade 5 but Grade 4’s are more than welcome to use these strategies too!

This past week, we furthered our understanding of place value: every place has a value, comparing and ordering numbers to the hundred thousands place, and expanded notation.

For increasing our math facts fluency, we continued to practice using our random numbers sheet. Please create one at home to use as practice. The strategy introduced this past week was +2 and -2. Rather than have our minds calculate +2 and -2, I want them seeing this addition strategy as counting up by 2’s (+2) and counting down by 2’s (-2). This makes their calculations much quicker and with greater accuracy. Please CLICK HERE to watch the video on this strategy and check out the Mathematicians Play page for last week’s +1 and -1 strategy along with other games to play at home. Make it fun! Have a friendly competition with your child!

This week, I was introduced to a fun way to practice our math facts. I am SO excited to play with them this week!

We are passionate about Passion Projects!

Students were so looking forward to learning more about passion projects. Click here to watch our introductory video. They brought home an information sheet along with their brainstorm sheet. This week, please spend some time talking through different possibilities. Click here to view the information that was sent home.

Sorry, the information below was not mentioned in the video:

Digital Forms

You should have received an email last week from the office informing you that all beginning of the year information and permission forms are now completed online. On Wednesday, your child’s Personal Education Number (PEN) was sent home. You will need this to complete the forms. If you did not receive the email, did not receive the PEN, or are having any issues, please contact the office.

FSAs – Grade 4s only

Next week, we will be starting the Foundation Skills Assessments with the Grade 4s in Mr. Anchor’s class. Your child will participate in the FSAs unless you send back the opt-out form from the BCTF sent home Wednesday. If you do wish to opt your child out, please return the form on Tuesday, October 12. Thank you.

Looking ahead

Picture Day will be on Thursday, October 14.

We will be learning more about Digital Citizenship. These lessons are very important to develop an understanding of our digital presence, footprint, and how we navigate in any digital space that allows us to stay safe and be true to ourselves.

We will be using FreshGrade Connect as our e-Portfolio. After we have a couple of entries, you will be invited to view your child’s work including reflections and have the ability to comment. More information will be shared at a later date that will guide you in providing positive and effective feedback for your child’s continual growth.

I added all parent emails to receive notification when there is a new post. Should it be sufficient for your family for one parent to receive, please feel free to unsubscribe. If in the future you do not receive weekly notification of blog posts, please check your Junk folder or reach out. In the past, sometimes parents have accidentally unsubcribed. I can quickly add you back!

It always makes us feel extra happy when we see a comment from parents on any of our posts! Thank you!

We are grateful for your continued support at home!

Sincerely, Ms. Chan and Mrs. Paulich