Dear Parents/Guardians,
I would like to share some of the intended learning for Division 5 this term, although this sometimes does change based on the needs and interests of the students.
The students will be reflecting on their own strengths, passions, personal traits, and things that make them who they are right now as well as person they would like to become. Some of these reflections are being captured in a ‘Becoming The Best Me I Can Be’ write, This is a ‘Little About Me’ speech, and these reflections and talks will lead to growth in the student’s communication and personal/cultural identity competencies, which we will be beginning to journal about. We will also be facilitating the Terry Fox presentation in a school zoom next Friday morning.
We are finishing our first small novel focusing on summarizing as opposed to retelling. Our next guided novel will focus on backing comprehension questions with detail from the story. We will then start a further novel which will also be read aloud and will focus on different types of questions (on the lines, between the lines, and beyond the lines), which will also be read aloud in class.
We are starting our first science inquiries on why things float before moving into factors that affect our local weather. We are starting to conduct experiments which will help us to plan, observe, and theorize like scientists. Our first lessons have been focused on how to make fair test experiments.
Our first art project has been choosing an indigenous spirit crest that represents traits that either students feel they have strength in or that they wish to grow this year. We will be beginning a self portrait painting and we will then continue with different types of paints and then ink.
The first term normally reviews many of the basic math skills before tackling newer concepts. Again, students strengthening their basic math fact recall through games and drills (possibly online) would be beneficial. Khan Academy videos can also be helpful when students need more review of a concept at their own pace.
Although there still might be a few minor adjustments, the students have now been given a weekly schedule that will help us settle more into our routines. Many who receive small group support will begin these groups by the start of October, which will also help their routines.
Thank you for your support in the start up of another year,
M. Nielsen