April 12 - 17

Learning Intentions

• Grade 3: 

• I can demonstrate respectful and safe practices during observations of plants and animals in local environments

• I can discuss First Nations, Métis, and Inuit connection with environments and their knowledge of and relationships with plants and animals

• Grade 4:

• I can demonstrate respect when interacting with plants and animals in local environments

• I can relate the sensory organs of animals to their survival 

A big thank you to our volunteers for making the Aggie Days trip a success. It was a big day of exploring, learning, and cheering. The rodeo was a highlight, as were the newborn piglets. Aggie Days allowed us to transfer our knowledge of local plants and animals to a new setting. We were fortunate enough to have a visit from Sandra Manyfeathers this week as well, where she shared a game that expanded our knowledge of local animals and languages. Students have been busy working on their habitats and using their imaginations to design and build their dioramas. This week students conducted research, designed their plan, and began to build. They were very engaged as they brought their creations to life. 

Learning Intentions

• Grade 3:

• I can explain the evolution of Francophone communities in Alberta

• I can explore stories about symbols of diverse communities in Alberta

• Grade 4:

• I can model the fur trade’s system of exchange.

• I can discuss interactions between First Nations, Métis, and Europeans that occurred as part of the fur trade.

• I can identify the contributions made by a woman, or a group of women, to the fur trade.

A lot of fun was had during Grade 3 and Grade 4 Social Studies this week. The Grade 3s continued to engage with learning about different communities, including the Francophone community, as they explored the diversity that makes Alberta. They were invited to visit the ‘Cultural Artifact’ museum in Grade ½ and showed respectful leadership as they explored the ways the Grade ½ students are diverse and special Albertans. 

This week the Grade 4s continued learning about the fur trade. We modeled what we learned and got to experience it first hand through playing the “Fur Trade Game”. Students were divided into groups of First Nations or Europeans and then into teams. By rolling the dice they got the goods they would carry in their canoe. Then they met at trading posts where they tried to get the most valuable goods for the best deal from each other. After two rounds of trading they calculated how well they did during the trading season! They learned that if they weren't able to trade all of their own goods during the season it had no value to them at the end of the game. It was great to see their negotiation skills and teamwork!

Learning Intentions:

• Grade 3

• Apply tactics in a variety of physical activity contexts. 

• Participate in physical activities that increase in complexity.

• Apply movement elements when engaging in physical activity. 

• Demonstrate directional movement in physical activity. 

• Experiment with effort in a variety of movement contexts. 

• Explore opportunities to contribute to teamwork. 

• Grade 4

• Participate in a variety of physical activities that develop various components of physical fitness. 

• Practise offensive and defensive strategies and tactics in a variety of physical activities. 

• Apply strategies and tactics that capitalize on the strengths of individuals and groups.

• Practise strategies and tactics in a variety of roles.

• Perform elements of movement when receiving, sending, and retaining an object using various parts of the body and equipment.

• Manipulate movement elements to improve efficiency, accuracy, and control.

• Demonstrate effective teamwork strategies during physical activity. 

• Experience a variety of roles and responsibilities that support team performance. 

This week we wrapped up our floor hockey unit! I am incredibly proud of the whole class for giving 110% effort no matter their prior experience in the sport. Over half of the class enthusiastically volunteered to give goalie a try, they were so brave and made some beautiful saves. Take a look at the amazing action from this week!

Reminders and Important Dates

• TRS is collecting Food Bank donations next week

• Thursday is our library exchange day

April 6 -10

 Learning Intentions:

Grade 3: 

• I can recognize families of related multiplication and division number facts.

• I can solve problems, using multiplication and division in sharing or grouping situations

• I can recall multiplication number facts, with factors to 10, and related vision facts

Grade 4:

• I can multiply and divide 3-digit natural numbers by 1-digit natural numbers using personal strategies

• I can divide and express a quotient with or without a remainder

It was a full week of mathematics learning as we continued to grow our understanding of multiplication and division. Grade 3s have been practicing basic facts through math games. Grade 4s made a lot of progress in their repertoire of personal strategies when multiplying and dividing, including using the area model, distributive property, repeated addition, and lattice method. When dividing larger numbers, we learned to use the box method. We will continue to practice these methods next week. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves with larger numbers when they are confident with a certain strategy. 

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3: 

• I can identify local First Nations languages. 

• I can explore stories about symbols of diverse communities in Alberta. 

• I can explore the history of distinct Metis culture. 

Grade 4: 

• I can discuss interactions between First Nations, Metis, and Europeans that occurred as a part of the fur trade.

• I can model the fur trade’s system of exchange.

Thank you to Grade 3 families for taking time to go over the form with your student. We explored the guiding question this week of “Who are Albertans and how do we all belong?” Students brainstormed all of the different groups they could think, and we began learning about the importance of symbols. We will continue this journey next week as we learn from each other and ways we all make up Albertans. 

This week in Social Studies the Grade 4s learned about the fur trade, coureur de bois and voyageurs! We learned why the furs were in demand, how they were exchanged and how integral Indigenous people and their skills were to the survival of Europeans, their settlements and their economy.

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3:

• I can investigate and discuss how plants and animals respond to stimuli in their environments in order to survive

• I can explore food chains in local environments

Grade 4: 

• I can discuss how plants respond to sensory stimuli 

• I can relate the external structures of plants to their functions

• I can find and classify examples of local plants and animals based on appearance, habitat, and structures

Our living systems units have been a fun way to get prepared for Aggie Days next week. We are investigating the ways animals and plants interact with each other, and the ways their specific structures help to survive. Grade 4s learned what makes an organism and tried to classify local living things in a variety of ways. Grade 3s have been sorting and classifying producers and consumers as we learn about food chains. On Friday we went on a walk around the field to observe local organisms. We were able to find many plants and different species of birds that are local to our area! Next week we will begin our specific research project in preparation for our dioramas. We are still after all sorts of cardboard and boxes. Thank you!

Ways to continue the learning at home:

• Play “Salute” with your student to practice basic multiplication and division facts.

• Ask you student to share their favourite personal strategy for multiplication and division.

• Go for a walk and take note of how organisms are using their structures to survive.

 As we move into spring, we marked the Spring Equinox by engaging with a video from Saa’kokoto (Elder Randy Bottle). We learned that as the land and seasons change, and the world around us is filled with a fresh sense of newness, we too can make some goals and take time to listen to the teachings around us. As a class, we will continue exploring and learning more after the break. This week, we loved the Mission Impossible challenge in PE, and the fact that it was so beautiful out! We began examining the structures of a paragraph and crafting some thoughtful and convincing paragraphs of our own. 

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3: 

• Compose a product, using equal groups of objects.

• Model a quotient by partitioning a quantity into equal groups or groups of a certain size, with or without remainders.

• Visualize and model products and quotients as arrays.

• Recognize interpretations of multiplication and division in various contexts.

• Solve problems, using multiplication and division in sharing or grouping situations.

Grade 4:

• Recall and apply multiplication number facts, with factors to 12, and related division number facts.

• Multiply and divide 3-digit  natural numbers by 1-digit natural numbers, using personal strategies.

We have made a lot of progress in our conceptual understanding of multiplication and division this week. Grade 3s have been trying out strategies to multiply and divide, including drawing arrays and representing problems with repeated addition and subtraction. They went on an array hunt around the classroom and noticed that arrays are all around us! Grade 4s learned three multiplication strategies they can use when multiplying 3 digit numbers: repeated addition, distributive property and the lattice method. 

 Learning Intentions:

• Grade 3:

• I can engage in dialogue to express and understand messages.

• I can participate as a respectful member of an audience.

• Grade 4:

• I can contribute respectfully to a variety of interactions that involve listening and speaking.

• I can project my voice appropriately for the audience and situation. 

• I can participate as a respectful member of an audience.

We worked hard to finish our science research projects this week! When we return students will get the opportunity to share their poster or slideshow in small groups to teach others what they learned about their natural disaster or sphere.

Our mystery plants have grown so well in Room 9! Your child was sent home with their mystery plant on Thursday. We revealed what their plant actually was, ask them what they are growing!

Important Dates and Reminders:

• March 21-29- Spring Break

• March 30- Classes Resume

• April 3- No School

• April 6-10- Sounds Kreations Dance Residency

• April 16- Grade ¾ Field Trip to Aggie Days (please email Ms. Aida if you would like to volunteer!)

• April 30- Spring Dance

March 9 -13

Thank you for taking the time to come to Student-Led Conferences this afternoon. Between last week and this week, it was great to see students share their learning with you. We had a busy week of learning and celebrating, as we attended the Book Fair, and progressed our skills in gymnastics. We began the week learning about International Women’s Day and creating some art and writing about the amazing and inspirational women in our lives!

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3: 

• Compose a product, using equal groups of objects.

• Model a quotient by partitioning a quantity into equal groups or groups of a certain size, with or without remainders.

• Visualize and model products and quotients as arrays.

• Recognize interpretations of multiplication and division in various contexts.

• Solve problems, using multiplication and division in sharing or grouping situations.

• Investigate multiplication by 0. 

Grade 4:

• Describe the factors of a number within 100.

• Determine the first five multiples of a given number within 100.

• Recall and apply multiplication number facts, with factors to 12, and related division number facts.

The Grade 3 students have been working very hard on multiplication and division, representing their understanding in a multitude of ways. They have continued to use pictures to show equal groups and represent fact families. The students have also been working hard to decipher word problems, using specific vocabulary to infer the operation required to complete the problem. I salute their hard work and am highly impressed by their desire to take risks and be open-minded in their learning! Next week, students will complete a mid-point check-in to assess their learning. We will complete a review activity prior to this check-in. 

The Grade 4 students have been working equally hard, and have used their multiplication and division expertise to explore factors. We began by reviewing the relationship between multiplication and division and expressing this using our math vocabulary. We have been discussing various strategies to find factors of numbers, such as recalling multiplication rules, using a multiplication table, and creating factor rainbows. Next, we will be diving into prime and composite numbers and finding the greatest common factor (GCF) between two numbers. We will continue our learning into next week and begin exploring strategies for multi-digit multiplication and division.

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3:

• Describe how natural events change Earth’s surface.

Grade 4: 

• Make connections between human activity and Earth’s systems.

• Analyze the interconnectedness of Earth’s systems.

Students are working hard researching their chosen natural disaster/Earth sphere. Many students have been creating their own Google Slides, creating appropriate titles, adding relevant information, and enriching their learning with visuals. Others are representing their learning with scientific posters. We will be wrapping up this project at the end of next week. 

Ways to Continue Learning at Home:

• Have your Grade 3 student model multiplication and division as repeated addition

• Have your Grade 4 students list the factors of a given number.

• Here are some useful links to practice basic multiplication facts:

• Multiplication Times Table - 10 x10 for Grade 3 and 12 x 12 for Grade 4

• Multiplication Tables Quiz

• Fix the Equation

• Speed Math Challenge

Reminders:

• Next week is Spirit Week at TRS!

• Monday: Crazy hair/make-up and TRS Spirit Wear

• Tuesday: Anything But A Backpack Day

• Wednesday: I’ve Been to The Doctor Day (injury day)

• Thursday: PJ and Stuffy Day

• We are heading to Aggie Days on April 16. Please send forms back as soon as possible. We are looking for 10 parent volunteers. Please contact Ms. Aida if you are interested and available to volunteer.

• Friday, March 20th - PD, No School

• March 23rd - 27th - Spring Break, No School