June 22 - 26

 Hello Families!

Room 9 had a wonderful last week of school enjoying being all together and of course a few last surprises. We reflected on our favourite memories from the year and ended up brainstorming for over 40 minutes!! We also estimated how many thank you notes were in the thank you prize bin still that hadn't been drawn and all of our guesses were all way off. There was 345 thank you notes! That's 345 times this year I saw a student doing something incredible! 

After a whole year of promising we would do clay together as a class we finally got the chance! They were so excited and got to make whatever they wanted, they were so creative and got the hang of it very quickly. I also taught the class how to make beaded fish. It isn't easy to do and takes a lot of patience and concentration but was a perfect way to symbolize our year and our class pets! On the last day of school students got their clay and beaded fish back and made into a keychain to remember our amazing year by!

Students got to do something we aren't supposed to... talk behind each others back! We got to go around to everyone and write a compliment or a thank you to finish up the year. At the end they got to see what everyone said behind their back!

And finally, on the last day I revealed the final surprise I had been working on over past few weeks. Back in September we started our ripped paper mountain art that we used for the art card project. The art was a very special project because of how incredible they turned out but also because we found out later that the mountain formation in our new school logo was inspired by our art! What an amazing legacy they get to leave behind when they eventually graduate from our school! 

After we finished the project we had tons of leftover streaky painted paper. It was too beautiful to recycle so I held on to it not knowing quite yet what I was keeping it for. But finally I came up with an idea! I revealed it without telling them what I used to make it and their reactions were amazing as they began to recognize their art within the art piece! The art will live in my classroom and remind the students that they will always be a part of this wonderful little community in Room 9 and that they are always welcome here!

It has been such an outstanding year with this amazing group of students! It was very hard to say goodbye but I hope all of you have a great summer and I'm looking forward to seeing you in the fall!

June 15 - 19

Room 9 had a great week of learning and creativity! Students had a blast participating in golf lessons with Mr. Mike, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to learn from his expertise and enthusiasm. In the classroom, students finished their Book in a Bag projects and began practicing their presentation skills. Students also got the chance to play new math board games to tie together math skills learned across the school year!

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3:

• I can identify important characters, settings, and events in a story.

• I can explain the main problem and solution in a story.

• I can share my ideas and opinions about a book using examples from the text.

• I can create visual representations that help communicate my understanding of a text.

• I can present my ideas clearly to an audience using appropriate speaking skills.

Grade 4:

• I can summarize a text by identifying important ideas, events, and themes.

• I can explain how characters, settings, and events contribute to a story.

• I can support my opinions about a book with evidence and examples from the text.

• I can create visual and written responses that demonstrate my understanding of a text.

• I can communicate my ideas effectively through oral presentations and discussions.

This week, students finished working on their Book in a Bag projects. They have designed cover art that represents an important event, character, or idea from their chosen book while ensuring they included the book title and author. They finished their summary paragraphs, made a plasticine object that represents the book, a paragraph explaining their object and finally a book review. Finally, they typed it out and finished putting together their bags. Today they practiced presenting their project to get ready for oral presentations next week!

Reminders and Upcoming Dates:

• June 24th: Grade 6 Farewell

• June 25th: Sports Day and report cards are live.

• June 26th: Last Day of Classes.

June 8 - 12

Students in Grade 3 and 4 have been busy this week. They started a new project to share about their favourite book of the year, and they continued to learn about the importance of measurement. 

We also made a very exciting discovery in the fish tank on Monday... one of our snails laid eggs! We learned it is called a "clutch" and it can contain up to 200 eggs. There is a possibility they won't hatch but if they do, they take between 2-4 weeks, so students are hopeful they will get to see baby snails before the end of the school year!

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3:

• I can relate millimeters, centimeters, and meters.

• I can justify the choices of unit to measure length.

• I can measure lengths of straight lines and curves.

• I can recognize length in metric units.

• I can identify referents for a centimeter and a meter.

• I can estimate length by comparing to a benchmark or visualizing a referent for a centimeter or meter.

Grade 4: 

• I can model area by dragging a length.

• I can compare non-standard units that tile to non-standard units that do not tile.

• I can measure area with non-standard units and standard units by tiling.

• I can measure area using standard units like square centimetres.

• I can model the area of rectangles using arrays of square units.

• I can find the area of a rectangle by multiplying its side lengths. I can solve problems involving the area of rectangles.

• I can estimate the area of a shape using a referent for a square centimetre.

• I can estimate area by rearranging or combining parts of the shape.

Grade 3 students have been working on measuring items around the classroom with non-standard units, close approximations, and standard units. They began converting lengths between metric units like mm, cm and m. Next week, students look at imperial units and calculating perimeter and then will complete a check-in to wrap up the unit.

Grade 4 students have been solving area problems using standard units and multiplication. We discussed the formula for area (A = b x h) and students worked through a variety of problems, including estimating with referents (finger tips)  and benchmarks (unit cubes). Grade 4 students will be completing their measurement check-in next week.

Learning Intentions:

Grade 3:

• I can identify important characters, settings, and events in a story.

• I can explain the main problem and solution in a story.

• I can share my ideas and opinions about a book using examples from the text.

• I can create visual representations that help communicate my understanding of a text.

• I can present my ideas clearly to an audience using appropriate speaking skills.

Grade 4:

• I can summarize a text by identifying important ideas, events, and themes.

• I can explain how characters, settings, and events contribute to a story.

• I can support my opinions about a book with evidence and examples from the text.

• I can create visual and written responses that demonstrate my understanding of a text.

• I can communicate my ideas effectively through oral presentations and discussions.

This week, students began working on their exciting "Book in a Bag" project! The focus has been on strengthening their paragraph writing skills as they plan and write a detailed book summary, explain the significance of an object or symbol connected to their story, and begin crafting a book review. Students have been challenged to support their ideas with details and examples from the text while organizing their writing clearly for their audience. Next week, students will bring their projects to life by decorating their book bags and creating their objects or symbols. Students will later be sharing their projects in an oral presentation.

Reminders and Upcoming Dates:

• Please return all library books on Monday. Thank you!

• June 25th: Sports Day and report cards are live.

• June 26th: Last Day of Classes.

June 1 - 5

 Learning Intentions:

Grade 3:

• I can express time of day in relation to one 24-hour cycle

• I can describe time of day as a.m. or p.m. relative to 12-hour cycles of day and night.

• I can relate minutes past the hour to minutes until the next hour.

Grade 4:

• I can solve problems including duration. 

• I can convert between hours, minutes, and seconds.

• I can relate durations of 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, and 45 minutes to fractions of a circle.

Students worked hard this week as they engaged in problem solving involving time and fractions of an hour. They worked diligently to review and showed their learning in a check-in on Friday.

Important Dates and Reminders:

• June 12 is the final day to return library books. Please support your student in checking the house!

• June 11- World Cup Day- wear your favourite soccer jersey

• June 25- Sports Day

• June 26- Last Day of Classes

• June 8- Grade 4 students will begin Human Sexuality. There is an alternate activity for those without signed consent.

Have a wonderful weekend!

May 25 - 29

This week in Grade ¾, our 3D flower art projects wrapped up and made for a beautiful display at the Volunteer Tea. Students also continued working their way through their coding learning.

Learning Intentions:

• Grade 3: 

• I can tell time using analog and digital clocks.

• I can investigate relationships between seconds, minutes, and hours, using an analog clock

• Grade 4:

• I can determine duration in minutes, using a clock.

• I can apply addition and subtraction strategies to the calculation of duration.

• I can express time of day, using fractions.

Students have been working hard on reading analog and digital clocks and relating time to our daily routines. This is a great opportunity to practice at home this weekend, being sure to properly differentiate between the hour and minute hand on a clock, and practice calculating duration of weekend activities, and investigating elapsed time.

This week, students in Grade 3 and Grade 4 continued their Social Studies learning in their respective classes. Grade 3s wrapped up their projects to share and celebrate the learning from our big question- Who are Albertans. Their pennants are now hanging in the school to share with others. Next, we investigated the idea of how Albertans live together in a good way. Students came up with some great “wonder” statements to share their thinking, and we will use these to guide our next learning into decision making and responsibilities within different levels of government. Grade 4s continued their learning about the Great Migration. 

Upcoming Dates:

• June 12- World Cup Day- wear your favourite soccer jersey

• June 25- Sports Day

• June 26- Last Day of Classes

May 18 - 22

 Learning Intentions:

• Grade 3:

• I can compare fractions to benchmarks of 0, half, and one whole.

• I can compare different fractions of the same whole that have the same numerator and different denominators.

• I can compare different fractions of the same whole that have the same denominator.

• Grade 4:

• I can compare percentages within 100%.

• I can relate fractions and equivalent decimal numbers to their positions on the number line.

• I can express the fraction, decimal, and percentage representations of the same part-whole relationship.

In mathematics this week we wrapped up our fractions unit. Take a look at the fractions test that was sent home today. Grade 3 students did a great job comparing and ordering of fractions, with the same denominator, same numerator and different wholes. Grade 4 students did a great job finding the greatest common factor in order to simplify a fraction. Hey also learned that fractions, decimals and percentages can all represent parts of a whole number.

Important Dates and Reminders:

May 28 - 10:30am Volunteer Tea

June 25 - Sports Day

Please remember to dress for the weather- we are taking our learning outside often.

May 11 - 14

The short week flew by because we were so busy learning and working on projects. This week our class started practicing jump rope for the upcoming Jump Rope for Heart event! Students stayed active while learning about the importance of keeping their hearts and bodies healthy. Everyone had fun trying different jump rope tricks, challenges, and games while building their coordination and endurance. It was great to see so much energy, teamwork, and perseverance in the gym! 

Learning Intentions:

• Grade 3:

• I can model fractions of a whole quantity.

• I can name a given fraction.

• I can identify the numerator and denominator of a fraction in various representations.

• I can express the relationship between two fractions of the same whole, using <, >, or =

• Grade 4:

• I can model equivalent fractions by partitioning a whole in multiple ways.

• I can determine fractions equivalent to a given fraction.

• I can relate the position of equivalent fractions on the number line.

• I can identify fractions in which the numerator and denominator have a common factor.

• I can simplify a given fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by a common factor.

• I can express a fraction in simplest form.

• I can compare and order fractions.

Students shifted their mathematician brains to fractions this week, and it was great to see how the hard work they put into multiplication and division transferred to fractions. This was especially true of Grade 4 students who used these important skills to simplify fractions by finding the greatest common factor. Students explored the ways that fraction circles, fraction bars, and number lines can help them to find equivalent fractions. We will continue with this learning next week.

In Social Studies Grade 3s are working on their final project related to our inquiry of “Who are Albertans?” They are showing their understanding with a short research and art project about different groups of Albertans. 

Important Dates and Reminders:

• May 15 and May 18- No school for students 

• May 28- Volunteer Tea

• June 25- Sports Day