It's a busy time of year for everyone and we are trying to tie up loose ends before the holidays!
The grade 5s are almost done their presentations on the human body. They have been fantastic so far, and I'm so impressed with the models they have built! After our last 4 presentations, students will complete a self-evaluation on this independent project.
Our grade 6s have completed their project and evaluation and I will get their work and evaluations back to them before the end of next week. In the meantime, we are doing a little introduction to our next unit: FLIGHT!
In math, we have covered the expectations for the first half of the patterning strand. We have looked at numerical patterns, including recursive, shrinking and growing. We have learned to extend a pattern, and find and explain a pattern rule using correct mathematical language. We have also looked at geometrical patterns based on number of figures, perimeter and area. Finally, we learned to use a type of "entry/exit machine" to create patterns and write them up in a table of values. We will do a review on Monday and Tuesday, but no pre-test coming home this time. I will return an in-class assignment that we did today and if students feel on Monday or Tuesday that they need extra practice at home, they can ask me to copy a particularly difficult question from their text to bring home and work through. I am happy to do this if they ask me. We will have a quiz on Wednesday.
Our financial literacy workshops with Anna have come to a close. Please ask your student for a final update on how their character did in terms of net worth, as well as their family and professional life. In our session last week, we learned about bank accounts, which included the different types, fees, and interest rates. The kids brainstormed a financial literacy-ish gift that we could give Anna, since she has been so great and we have learned so much over the past 8 weeks.
In French, I have finally sent home the rubric for the first large writing project we did - our personal stories. Please sign and return these. We are now excited to plan and write another narrative, but this time, a work of fiction. We have already started planning! This project will give us an opportunity to improve our writing mark as it is generally the same process and expectations, so we can directly apply the feedback from our personal stories.
We have used our computer periods to watch some French videos and answer some listening questions on them. It's fun, and a challenge, to understand French speakers with different accents, and through these videos, we also get a window into life in different French-speaking communities.
TOMORROW is our trip to the Aquarium. I sent home a little reminder about what to bring and what I expect. I know it will be a super fun day! Please be on time for school!!
Finally, I know at this time of year, students often like to get a gift for their teachers. While this is very kind, it is not necessary. If you do feel compelled to give me a gift, consider something that our class can use. Paper towels, kleenex, art supplies, pencils, erasers and drawing paper, for example, are items we go through quickly and which I often spend my own money on. Gifting our class these items is as much a gift for me as it is for the class and we all get to benefit. Many thanks!
Take care, Tamara