CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE

Dear Parents and Guardians,
A few notes for this busy week. We are having a PJ day on Thursday, so we encourage all students to wear their pajamas. Make sure if it is a cold day, they have layers underneath the PJs. Our class will be painting in the afternoon on Wednesday, so wear clothing that is able to get a bit messy. We are painting glass ornaments.
Term 2 homework began last week. Your child should be bringing home a duotang filled with math, grammar and reading comprehension (coloured pages). Many parents have not yet signed the bright yellow divider in the Homework Duotang that explains the changes. Please check and see if you have signed. If it is missing, request a second sheet in the agenda.
Lastly, we are having a small Christmas party in the class on Friday, last block. If you are able to send any treats or Christmas goodies, please do! It is always so fun to have a selection of holiday treats while we listen to stories in front of our little 'fireplace'. Thanks! Merry Christmas!

News

It's been a long time since the last post! A reminder that Report Cards are coming home on December 1st. Please sign and return the last page as soon as possible and return it in the envelope so that we can reuse them and help out our environment.

Math tests are coming home on Monday. Please keep them in the black "test" duotang, so that all tests/quizzes/work to be signed are kept together. Corrections are to be done on the corrections page, not on the actual test.

In language,we are working on descriptive narrative writing. Students are creating and describing settings and characters with focus on word choices and higher level adjectives.

Keep working on multiplication tables using the Monster Math website link on this site.


----Monty

Agendas

It is an endless frustration that many parents do not check agendas at night. Please initial the agenda every night so home and school are in touch. Many notes are going unsigned, and extra unfinished classwork that is sent home to be finished is left undone. Grade 4 students should be responsible enough to remember to show mom or dad every night and get a signature on extra notes written in the agenda. Thank you.

HALLOWEEN FUN

We are having a small Halloween Party in class on Friday October 30th, last block of the day. Please feel free to send in any treats, goodies, cupcakes, cookies for that day. Monty will be providing juices and cups. Until further notice, the school policy of wearing Orange and Black as Halloween Spirit colours is still in place. Do not wear a costume to school. Wigs are acceptable as long as they are not shared. Thanks! It will be fun!!

Math Tests

Math Tests are being returned to students on Monday October 26th in a special black TEST DUOTANG. Please ensure you sign the test, keep it in the duotang and have your child do all the corrections on the matching pages fastened in with the test. Notes at the top of the test will show areas of review that are needed or concepts that were not mastered.

Commercials

Our commercials are coming along very well. We should be wrapping up filming by next week and sending home any props that students brought in. We are filming one group a day, weather permitting. Let's hope for more sun!

---Monty

Field Trip

We are planning on a field trip this term to a bog, swamp or marsh ecosystem. Please stay tuned for more information. We are also inviting Scientists In Schools into our classroom to dissect real owl pellets. More information will come in the next few weeks. We will be asking for volunteers for both in the upcoming month. Fun!

TV COMMERCIALS!!

Our class is using modern media to help bring non-fiction articles to life! After extensive study of Burn's Bog (located in Vancouver BC), in our class readers, we are making TV commercials to publicise this unique ecosystem. Students are filming their commercials in class over the next two weeks. They need to include tourism information about the bog, in addition to making it entertaining. They are assessed on team work skills, creativity, and inclusion of environmental facts. Your child may be asking to bring props to school for filming. Please note, filming will be done over 2 weeks, and it is essential that props remain at school.

Test Study Guide

A study guide will be coming home this week to allow students to prepare for our Number Sense Unit Math test. The guide will include sample questions, as well as outline the material to be covered on the test. Please review it with your child and encourage quiet studying of this sheet at home. Students are also allowed to bring home their green math notebooks/workbooks, as they write daily math notes and definitions off the board. This book should stay in their schoolbags as it is used daily in class. The test date will be Tuesday, October 13th, just after Thanksgiving, in order to allow for lots of study time.

Miss Sturgeon away

Miss. Sturgeon has been away all week sick with a very bad flu. She hopes to be back on Monday and hopes everyone is healthy and handwashing frequently. There was no homework duotang for this past week.

-----Monty

Teacher Tube Videos

Please Note: Last year's Teacher Tube Videos have moved locations. I need to reset them. They are mainly the Math and Science videos. They will be fixed shortly.

----Monty

Focus this week

This week our focus is on Place Value up to 10 000. We are also working on Greater Than >, Less Than <, and comparing and ordering numbers. Homework in the duotang reflects this. Our science is spending time with Habitats and Animal Communities.

Reminder- Send in Milk Orders and any unsigned Office Admin sheets regarding addresses and contact numbers!


-----Monty

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Welcome back to our new 2009-2010 school year!
The first few weeks always features lots of newsletters, milk programs and schedules coming home. Check your child's mailbag often. Homework consists of a dark teal coloured duotang that comes home every Monday night. It is due back by Friday.

Time Capsule projects are due today. Lates will be accepted.

Program night is September 15th at 6:30pm in the gym.

Math Test Monday!

Study those fractions and decimals well. The test is based on what is on your Study Guide (that was sent home on Wednesday). Please check with you son/daughter if they did not bring it home. Study well!!!

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

We are starting out mini film in class! Filming begins on Monday. Please sign the filming release form so that Monty and I know that your child is allowed to be videotaped. If time allows, we will show our film to the school. FUN!!

----Miss. Sturgeon

Kidsrock Films: Lights! Camera! Action!

Our class is creating a short film to bring the media curriculum alive. Students have signed up for jobs: Script Writing, Storyboard artists, Acting, Filming, Costume Design....all part of Miss. Sturgeon's tiny 'company' Kidsrock Films (kids making media in the classroom).

Stay tuned for more information. Look for contracts and a media release form in the agendas next week for permission to have your child act in our film.

Times Tables

Keep playing on our Monster Math times tables site when you are at home. This will help you with all areas of math, especially equivalent fractions, reducing fractions, word problem solving, long division, patterning, algebra and graphing. STUDY HARD!

CHEO Teddy Bear Contest

Hello all! Don't forget to decorate a teddy bear that you have at home and bring it in by Thursday! We are having a contest that will be judged at our school by Max Keeping on Friday May 29th!!! He will be selecting the best bear at our Teddy Bear's Picnic Assembly and lunch. If you have CHEO t-shirts, please wear them to our assembly on Friday. Get decorating! Your bear can look as if he was helped at CHEO and all bandaged up, or it can be a creative costume of your design. Have fun!!

------Monty

Busy Week Coming Up!

Hello Parents!
We have Education Week coming up next week. It is going to be busy. We have an Open House, a Salamandar Theater presentation, School Yard Cleaning, Music Monday singing, Masses, Assemblies...you name it, we have it!! Check your child's agenda to see what's on. Refer to the school newsletter for times.

Nine Times table quiz is tomorrow! Study well at home. Use the links as always on this site or use flash cards.

Data Management study guide comes home tomorrow. Make sure your child has it in their agenda. Test date is Friday May 8th.


---Monty

News

Education Week is coming up. Parents, stay tuned for the happenings at the school and Open House time!

9 Times table test this week, as well as a study guide coming home for a Data Management test. Check your child's agenda regularly, as I hope you always do! :)

Robodome was a great success. All students were able to create and program their robots to perfrom specific tasks. They learned a lot about robotics! Good Job class!!

Robodome Day 1

We have completed Day 1 at the Robodome and it was a great success! Students worked very well in their groups programming a NXT robot.  Miss. Sturgeon was proud. Day 2 is tomorrow...don't be late! Bus departs at 9:05.

-----Miss. Sturgeon

ROBODOME IS HERE!

FIELD TRIP!!! On Monday and Tuesday we are lucky enough to go to the ROBODOME all day. Bus leaves at 9:05 from the school. Make sure you are not late for school those two days!!

Don't forget you last day for permission slips is TOMORROW (Friday)!!

It will be an incredible experience!!


---Monty

ROBODOME!

Students will be receiving information shortly about our two day class trip to the ROBODOME! The dates are in late April. FUN!!!

STUDY THOSE TIMES TABLES!

Students who have not yet memorized their times tables are encouraged to KEEP PRACTICING AT HOME! Use Monty's Monster Math Link every night! Many students are having problems with long division because of those times tables.

STUDY!!!

We begin Friday Times Tables Tests again after Easter!!

POSTERS!

Monty is very excited about the Persuasive Writing posters that the class is creating. Their Persusive Writing is sounding incredible! Lots of great topics about Puppy Mills, Smoking, Animal Abuse, Photoshopped Models and Self-Esteem! Wow! Good job researching your projects class!!! Monty hopes to have volunteers to read their essays at a school assembly.

-----Monty

Persuasive Reseach Project Help!

Stay tuned to our site! Monty has been busy looking up lots of sites good for your research projects about everything from Cosmetic Animal Testing, to No Puppy Mills, to Child Labour and Please Stop Smoking! There will be lots of sites to choose from so keep logging on!

-----Monty and Miss Sturgeon

Skating Tomorrow and other news

Don't forget skating at 1:00 tomorrow in French block! Bring your helmet and skates.

Plus we have a Spirit Assembly first block tomorrow, and Wednesday is Buddy Day.

Friday is our 4 x table test. Study well. Use the Monster website link! Write them out, make cue cards, look at them, find patterns! Memorize!!

Your Persuasive Essay Assignment comes home. Look for it in your child's backpack!



-----Monty

Classroom Update

Wow! Lots going on!
1. Ash Wednesday Mass in the morning at 10:15, as well as our class participating in a special BOOMWHACKER workshop later that afternoon.
2. POWER 4 BONES mission this week: At least ONE minute of jumping, skipping, running or dancing. Check the Power 4 Bones website to score in the Move Your Bones Competition. There will be more prizes!

Congrats to J., A. and T. who won our first round of prizes last week for their high scores in the Feed Your Bones Challenge.

3. Three Times Table Dictee on Friday. Memorize those tables! Check the Math is Fun website for help.

4. Boys Handball Tournament on Friday.

PIG PEN WINNERS

Farmer Joe has selected three winning pig pen designs based on cost, creativity, space for the pig to exercise and eat, as well as calculation accuracy on the worksheet. He also read everyones submissions as to why they should win (Persuasive writing!!). Joe even looked at the photos taken in the gym from the 'actual size' building competition. Take a peek at the bulletin board in class tomorrow and read Joe's full letter to our class. Here are the winners, for those of you who are SO CURIOUS!! First letters of names only. Hmmmm....can you figure it out??

First Place- J.
Second Place- J. and J.
Third Place- C, B, B and C.



------OINK OINK!

POWER 4 BONES!!

Our class has been selected by Agent Bones from the planet Ca4 to help save his calcium deficient planet! What makes bones strong?? Help him every week! Use your secret Earth Agent badge and log onto www.power4bones.com

Test Study Guide

Our Math test study guide came home today. We spent lots of class time filling out every question. Ask your child about it if it did not make it home. I found several in desks and near coathooks after school today. :(
Please help your child study by providing a quiet workspace and some guidance if they need it. Test questions are chosen predominantly from the guide (which is based on the curriculum). Good Luck!

TEST INFO

There will be a math unit test on Tuesday, Feb. 17th. Follow the study guide that will be coming home this Wednesday. Perimeter and area will be covered, as well as concepts from 3D geometry (vertices, edges, faces, naming solids). "Can you remember?" extra questions from the previous linking unit will include angles and protractor use, to keep those skill sharp!

Farmer Indecisive

Farmer Joe is still trying to decide which Pig Pens should be the final three winners. He saw all the design plans AND loved the photos from the competition in the gym. He is also reviewing the student worksheets and their supporting reasons as to why their pig pen deserves to win. Joe has narrowed it down to his favourite 6, based on area and perimeter accuracy, cost, space for the pig and 'clean-ability'! Winners will be announced by Friday. Good luck!

Valentines Coming Up!

Monty wants to tell everyone that if they bring Valentines, to bring one for everyone in the class so no one gets left out. He also wants to say that: "anyone who wants to bring Valentine treats can bring them on Friday!" Yippee!
----Monty

Pig Pen Contest Thursday

Our class will be doing real life-size 24 square tile (area) pig pen outlines in the gym based on their graph paper designs. Using our knowledge of fencing costs at Home Depot, we will also be judging for the cheapest pig pen when we have to consider fencing the perimeter.

BOOMERANG LUNCH

Thank you to all those students who are trying so hard to be environmentally friendly. Our earth really does need your help. We cannot recycle milk cartons here at the school, so keep taking them home and putting them in your blue box. Every bit counts. Go Boomerang!!!

Miss. Sturgeon has added an Organic Waste Bin to the back of the class, for orange peels, apple cores and banana peels. Feel free to place organic waste to be composted in the bin.

Reminder: Unit Test on Geometric Solids, Perimeter and Area

Yikes! Our end of unit test will be coming up very soon...around the second week in February! Stay tuned for a study guide which will be sent home. It will outline all the items students need to study and review for the test so there are no surprises. Good Luck. Study well.
------Monty

PIG PEN CONTEST

Our class has begun learning all about perimeter and area.

Remember:

Perimeter is AROUND the object or shape, like a fence. To calculate you add the outside measurements!! P = Side + Side + Side + Side

Area is the INSIDE surface of the object or shape, like grass or flooring. To calculate you multiply length x width. A = L x W

CONTEST:
Students are working to create a pig pen for our resident pig, Percy.
They are creating a pig pen with only 24 square tiles and can be creative with any style or shape they wish. However, it must be appropriate for a PIG. The pen must be able to be kept clean (not too many tiny corners). Percy the Pig needs a place for sleeping and eating, so factor that in as well!
Students will be building their final chosen pig pen on the floor of the gym, actual size to find out what our pig enjoys best!
So have fun and THINK!
----Monty

Monty has decided that the students are doing very well with their reading comprehension as they dive into their Book Club novels.

Newsflash!

Monty's Book Club for Literacy has begun!