APOLOGIES! I completed the February calendar and sent it home without first proofreading it. I forgot to include family day, and no, our library day wasn’t changed! It will continue to be Thursdays. I will send home a revised calendar.

Here’s what’s happening in class these days:

French

We are studying FAIRY TALES. First, we have been reading traditional fairy tales. Later in the unit, we will challenge traditional fairy tales and read ‘fractured’ fairy tales where the author has significantly changed or modernized the traditional version. The unit is an opportunity to challenge gender stereotypes and appreciate diversity. We also learn a lot from the lessons in these tales. Lastly, students will write their own fractured fairy tale!

Drama

Children will develop their dramatic skills by acting out fairy tales, presenting scripts, engaging in drama activities, and participating in the “Concours des arts oratoires” (public speaking) later this term.

Science

We are studying CHANGE, and in particular, the physical and chemical changes of matter. How many ways can we change a piece of paper? Can we reverse the change? We have reviewed the states of solids, liquids and gases, and learned about how molecules move. The opening of the Big Little Science Centre has been delayed, so they will come to us to lead some experiments.

Show & Tell will be a Science Experiment!  Each student can do a SIMPLE science experiment at home where a CHANGE is observed. Then, the student can either do a demonstration in front of the class, bring in the results to share, bring in photos or other visuals to share what he/she observed and learned, or make a video. Try to determine if a physical or a chemical change was observed. We will be sharing these in February and in March. Look for your child’s day on the calendar!

Talent Show

Grade 7 students are organizing a talent show. Auditions will be February 10-17. Children must sign up for auditions this week, then will receive their audition day and time. All materials including cued music must be ready for the audition.  If your child signs up for an audition, he or she should practice and be ready to share his or her talent on his/her assigned day. The talent show will be the Friday before Spring Break.

Material for School

PLEASE make sure that your child has indoor shoes for school as we often work on our classroom floor. Wet, muddy floors are no good for a workspace. PLEASE label snowpants, coats, hats and mittens.

Pink Shirt Day

Students are encouraged to wear pink on Feb. 26th to support anti-bullying.

Health

We will be learning about hygiene this term. For example, how can we keep ourselves clean and healthy? How can we take responsibility for our hygiene?

This week is literacy week, “Débranche et joue!”.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, is read my t-shirt day.

There is daily trivia at school and there will be opportunities for extra play time, so come dressed for the weather in case of extra-long recess!

On Friday, we will have a school-wide pyjama day. Children can also bring in board games to play in class. Friday evening, there is a family games night in the gym.

Unplug and play leaflets went home. Your child can fill it out daily, and bring it next week by Wednesday, Feb. 5th for a chance to win a prize.

Enjoy your family fun time this week!

It’s been a wintery week at school with many new things happening this new year.

Home Reading

Children are encouraged to read in French daily in order to support their developing language skills. Children receive prizes when they have travelled to special spots in Canada, and we have added new home reading books into circulation. As students’ skills progress, many students are able to read longer stories and simple chapter books. There are lots of pictures in these books to support learning, and more advanced vocabulary so that students can add new words to their repertoire.

A huge thank-you to the parents who helped cover these books so they can last longer in the hands of young readers!

Math

We are working with numbers to 100. Please be aware that we have not been “borrowing” or “carrying” as many adults do when adding and subtracting two-digit numbers. Our focus is on applying strategies that students already have to larger numbers, and on understanding the concepts of addition and subtraction. In order to solve mathematical questions we:

• use base ten blocks (tens and ones)
• use a number line
• use a 100 chart
• add or subtract to the nearest ten; then go on from there as students have mastered ways to make ten

If your child is reviewing or correcting work, please encourage your child to use one of the above strategies that makes sense to them. If you wish to show your child how to borrow or carry, be aware that this may be a brand new idea as we have not yet discussed this in class.

Look for math sheets coming home in your child’s agenda today.

Winter Clothing

Today students went outside for two 15 minute recesses. Most children have warm clothes, but please check in with your child tonight. Some children had no tuques or mittens. Tuques covering the ears and mittens rather than gloves tend to be warm choices this week. Also, a scarf, neck tube or balaclava may also help your child stay warm outside. Check in with your child to see if he or she was warm enough today and pack any extra items needed in your child’s back pack tonight.

50 Points!

Tomorrow children may wear pyjamas, and bring a small reasonably-sized stuffy and/or blanket to class. Board games and card games are also welcome. If any parent would like to bring in a snack to share, feel free to add to our festivities. Children have worked hard speaking French, using perseverance,  being kind, being honest and following routines in order to earn these points.

Welcome back! The snow is here and more is in the forecast. Most students came to school equipped with snow pants, snow boots, mitts and toques. A reminder to label your child’s outerwear. If you have not sent your child to school with snow pants, please do because the sleds are out. Today we had fun sliding on crazy carpets, and we would like to have more fun outside.

In class, we have started a science unit about matter. Matter is all around us, and we are exploring matter in the states of solid, liquid and gas. We will focus on physical and chemical changes of matter as the unit progresses.

In math, our focus this week is on subtraction. Over the next two weeks, we will reinforce subtracting from 20 and focus on strategies of working with numbers up to 100.

In French, our focus is on winter vocabulary. Today we read the lyrics of the song Bonjour l’hiver which you can find by clicking the “songs” tab on this blog. We are reading winter books and continuing our focus on whether words are masculine or feminine. 

Later this week, we will have our first experiences this year with tablets and in the computer lab. If your child does not yet have headphones at school, please send some in by Thursday.

Since lockers were cleaned out before the holidays, please send back to school: indoor shoes, a water bottle in good condition and your child’s empty report card envelope. Thank-you! The January calendar was sent home. Please note that we will be skating on January 23rd and welcome parent support on that day.