As we go into the weekend...

It has been another great week in 5G!

We are in the discussion stage of the Science Fair project that will be done predominately in class (with the exception of the experiment itself and creating the poster board - but all of the writing, in accordance with the Scientific Method, will be done in class). I will go through each child's question next week, ensuring that it successfully fulfills the three features of strong Science Fair questions:

• Is the language clear?
• Does it test only ONE variable?
• Is the idea feasible for a student to carry out with limited parental guidance?

We have worked through these ideas in class this week (and edited many examples of questions to fit in with the guidelines), and I will sit with each child individually next week to fine tune the direction of their project. Creating three possible questions of study will be homework for the evening of Monday, February 4th.

**The package for this project that will come home with your child on Monday night is very comprehensive, and the expectation is that by spreading the work load over approximately eight weeks, any stress for both child and parent will be alleviated!**

The Math test has been postponed until Friday, February 8th to ensure that every student fully understands the abstract and difficult concept of fractions. In addition to your child's math set class, we are reinforcing the learning objectives as a homeroom class each day.

I strive to cultivate a class community that is peaceful and respectful, and this week we have been doing work in the area of patience and gentleness (both within ourselves and with our classmates). Our study into several written works by author Jon Muth sparked interesting connections for the class between the significance of the moon in his writing and his clear message for balance and peace in the way we live our lives. Muth often uses bamboo in his illustrations, which the class concluded was a symbol of strength and resilience. From these lessons, I have picked up a paper moon and some bamboo for the classroom to serve as visual reminders of these great books and their important message.

Enjoy your weekend!

Snow Day!

Hello everyone! I hope that you all enjoyed your snow day. As beautiful as the snow is, I do hope it lets up so that we can be back at school in the morning.

Please note that tomorrow is a House Assembly, meaning that students should come to school wearing the Number One uniform with a house t-shirt over their blue sweater. We will end our day with Spirit, so students will need to bring their P.E. kits, including the full track suit to travel home.

Thank you!

Friday, January 25th Update

Homework:

• Sign Science test and return on Monday. The class did so well on this Digestion and Respiration Test with an impressive 80% average.
  
• From the Music Department: finish in-class assignment using www.musictheory.net. This is due on Tuesday.
  
• Scholastic book order forms due on Tuesday.
  
• Final copy of speech due on Monday so we can begin transferring ideas onto cue cards and memorizing speeches.

Enjoy your weekend!

Where we are academically

5G has been busy in the classroom with many new units. I would like to provide just a brief overview of where we are in the curriculum so that everyone at home feels in the loop!

Language Arts: We are deep in the heart of our poetry unit and each day the quality of poems the class is developing is amazing. I have been focusing on characteristics of interesting writing and the class is responding with vivid description and feeling in their writing pieces. We will continue this unit throughout the next few weeks, working towards our goal of publishing a class anthology of our best poems and creative writing.

This main unit is complemented by our focus on Public Speaking, the different skills of reading (if you are not familiar with Adrienne Gear and Brain Power, please feel free to talk with me about the program) and spelling will begin again next week.

Science: We have just begun a new unit on Environmental Resources. We began working through a lab exploring the effects of oil spills in the environment (the remaining twelve students will complete the lab on Thursday) and we will continue investigating the relationship between human development and our delicate ecosystem over the next few weeks. This is a great topic with many important implications in our daily lives and the choices we make with regard to consumption and waste practices. We are all excited to learn more.

Math: Fraction fun...the students are hard at work learning about fractions and how to manipulate them. The test across the classes is set for Friday, February 1st and it is never too early to begin to review! I am available to answer any questions your child may have in this area.

Additionally, the class is working on building a strong and supportive class community. We all agree that kindness and patience are important foundations upon which to build our community. When we brainstormed ways to further develop this idea, the class brilliantly thought of having pot luck lunches, choosing a favourite book and reading it to a classmate and taking time to talk with someone they are not already friends with (just to name a few - come on in and see our community board to learn more about their ideas!). This is just the beginning of what I know will be a great year for the class as we grow together.

As always, I thank you for your support (and for raising such good kids...)

A glimpse into 5G

We are off to a great start in 5G! Here are some images of our first week together:

On this beautiful Friday afternoon, some students gather around the couch for a photo.



Here are some students posing in front of our first community art project. Each student had one small piece of a painting by Canadian artist Norval Morrisseau. When we constructed the final product, the effect of each smaller piece's individuality made a stunning overall representation of Morrisseau's work.

Public Speaking Update

The excitement of public speaking is upon us, and the following dates will be useful in organizing our time...

This week: Continue editing speeches, aiming to create an interesting speech that falls within the time limits. Class time will be given for this process but home support is appreciated.

Monday, January 28th: Final drafts of speech to be handed in. This gives us ample time to memorize the speech and effectively use cue cards. Class time will be given.

Thursday, February 14th: Parent party! You are cordially invited to 5G from 1:30-3:00 to preview the hard work our students have put in to deliver such high quality speeches. Refreshments will be served, and we look forward to hosting such a supportive group of parents in our happy class community. Please R.S.V.P. numbers by Thursday, February 7th so we may organize the space accordingly. Thank you!

Friday, February 15th: In-class judging. At the point, we celebrate each students' accomplishment in facing this daunting task. Three students will go on to the next round (held on Thursday, January 21st)