Friday, November 28

Happy weekend!

It was a great week (the four days I was healthy enough to be here for), and the countdown is on for the remainder of 2008! Here are a few reminders for our last few weeks together...

• Project H.A.N.D.S. is underway with its House penny drive! Please bring in any loose pennies you have laying around and add them to your house jar in the foyer!

• Science test on Thursday -- review!

• The French DVD should be watched four times a week for 10 minutes a day - please mark down these viewings in the agenda and sign for Mme. Keiser.
  

• Please return any outstanding library books on Monday.

• The Festive Store is on Thursday, December 4th. Be sure to come to school with a large shopping bag with handles for all of your purchases. Cash should be brought to school in a Ziploc bag with your name clearly labeled. The checklist at the bottom of the pale green notice sent home last week should also be in the bag. Thank you!

• Our Scholastic Book Fair is on Thursday, December 11th. We saw a presentation from Mrs. Narwal today about two of her favourite books - Loser by Jerry Spinelli and 39 Clues Book One! Both are excellent books, and would be wonderful considerations at the Book Fair!

• The red notice sent home today details our Secret Santa endeavour. There is a $15 limit to the exchange (no limit on creativity or thoughtfulness), and we will open the secret gifts on Tuesday, December 16th. We brainstormed today what the word "secret" meant, so I'm sure that the surpise won't be spoiled!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Voluntary and Involuntary Muscle Lab

The best way to learn, is to do!

The Science lab about muscle types is a great way to solidify knowledge about involuntary and involuntary muscles (and those muscles that could be classified as both!). This activity can be done in front of a mirror with a timer. Enjoy! We'll share the results tomorrow. The lab is in your Muscle booklet!

The hot pink review sheet is a useful tool to prepare for the test - please practice your note taking skills, cue card strategy and acting out your answers through songs and movements to really understand the material!

Here is that catchy review you performed a few weeks ago!

Spelling quiz tomorrow, and math sets very likely have math homework.

Basketball and Wrestling should come to school with both their uniforms and full P.E. kit.

Thank you!

Homework tonight!

Tonight...

• Last call for Operation Christmas Child (due tomorrow)
• Problem Solving tests must be returned with a signature tomorrow
• Study spelling for a quiz on Thursday
• Science Muscular booklet -- two sheets in the booklet will be completed tonight - Masses of Muscles and The Muscle Mystery
• Math homework (5G math will make corrections on the Elapsed Time Quiz and two-digit multiplication quiz)

See you in the morning in your gorgeous Number Ones and with Photo Retake smiles!

(handsome models)

Taking French to a new level

I love sitting in when Mme. Keiser is teaching French with 5G, and am always impressed with the level of both skill and knowledge. I would love for each and every student to be fully bilingual (so that they may go on to become Prime Minister), and part of that process is fully immersing yourself in the language.

I wandered into Sophia Books downtown over the weekend, and was impressed by the selection of French short stories and novels for children. It is well worth it to explore, and reading a French book or two would be a wonderful New Year's resolution! The store is on West Hastings, and here is the link to their site: http://www.sophiabooks.com/

The library is a wonderful resource for French material, and achieving success in this subject is much like any other endeavor - you will get out of your learning what you are willing to put in!

Here are some interesting websites that may also be of interest to you if you are looking to review foundational concepts or to extend your knowledge:

Basic review: http://www.hello-world.com/French/EN_French.php

Learning French through games: http://fslactivities.ca/kidsplayground/index.html

Learning about Canada (in French!): http://www.museevirtuel.ca/Francais/index_flash.html

Enjoy!

Language Arts class

Hi 5G,

You will need this website to complete our Language Arts lesson today on the laptop cart. Pay careful attention to the Exercise Number on the handout! You will need to click on the red "Interactive Exercise" link for each exercise we complete in class.

http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm

Homework

We had a great day today, and I know that this week will be a fun one. Tonight, students should sort and copy their spelling words on the yellow sheet. That sheet is yours to keep at home for studying throughout the week.

Students can take home their green Science binder and textbook to study with, but it is so important to return it to school each day. Review sheet to follow this week, but in the meantime, here are some websites to explore in addition to the links to your left:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/muscles.html

http://yucky.discovery.com/noflash/body/pg000123.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/10348/

The yellow Problem Solving duotang is coming home tonight to be completed by Monday, December 1 for Ms. Gould. The problem solving test is coming home tonight, so be sure to review that this evening. Reading clues is so important, and practice makes perfect. Please sign the test tonight by Wednesday at the latest -- if our entire class brings it back on time, Ms. Gould promises 5G a class treat. There is a bright red P.S. information package coming home tonight as well, so please read it to gain more knowledge about the program and strategies this year. That is for you to keep!

P.E. in the morning, so students should come in a full tracksuit and bring their uniform to change into -- even if you have floor hockey at lunch.

Thank you!

Spelling

This week, students are learning about the long "e" and long "i" differences in sounds when the letter "y" is present at the end of a word. The study is further divided into parts of speech. This means that the words can be sorted into four categories - verbs (all long "i" sounding words), nouns, adjectives and adverbs (the last three word parts are all long "e" sounds at the end of the word).

Students will be working in class to spell these words correctly, as well as the rules for changing the applicable words into plural and past tense variations. Your help at home is, as always, appreciated. Quiz on Thursday, November 27th.

Long i
verb
try
certify
apply
occupy
rely

Long e
noun
celery
candy
gypsy
quarry
country
cemetery
category
copy

Long e
adjective
happy
pretty
guilty
angry
silly

Long e
adverb
happily
correctly
clearly
safely
horribly
hourly
certainly
sensibly

TGIF

We made it! It is hard to believe that so much of November has passed, and that our December events are approaching so quickly.

Today in Art class, students created beautiful wire sculptures after learning about American artist, Alexander Calder. The final pieces needed to be connected to nature in some way, and be able to stand freely. This exercise in balance was truly an exercise in patience, as some students discovered that wire could be a stubborn material to work with. Dedication and flexibility contributed to excellent final pieces. We are sorry we couldn't wish Matt a Happy Birthday in person today, so I hope he knows we were thinking about him!

Term One report cards are available on PCR tomorrow (Saturday). Term Two is going to be so great, and I have absolutely loved the beginning of our year together.

Looking ahead:

• Monday, November 24th: Operation Christmas Child due
• Tuesday, November 25th: Legacy
• Wednesday, November 26th: 5G runs assembly; Photo retake day
• Wednesday, December 3rd: 5G runs assembly
  
• Thursday, December 4th: Science test -- Skeletal and Muscular body systems
• Monday, December 8th: Saleema Noon presentation
• Thursday, December 11th: 4/5 Christmas concert (please have black dress pants for this event)
• Wednesday, December 17th: 5G runs assembly
  
• Thursday, December 18th: Last day of school - break begins at 3:20 pm!!

Wednesday

It was a really great House Assembly this morning, and our 5G host representative did an amazing job! Two of our students were celebrated for their incredible kindness in front of the entire school, and they deserve to be very proud!

We'll be back to completely hosting assemblies next week, so get your best presenting voices ready!

Tonight, students should study for their spelling quiz tomorrow. Just in case you can't find your words...

• skull
• maxilla
• scapula
• sternum
• rib
• ulna
• radius
• femur
• tibia
• phalanges
• metatarsals
• tarsals
• patella
• metacarpals
• carpals
• sacrum
• pelvis
• vertebrae
• humerus
• xyphoid process
• clavicle
• mandible
• where OR wear
• your OR you’re

The kids have been doing so well at learning where all of these bones are, and learning the correct spelling of these difficult words is part of this process! Write out each word several times, cut out some letters and rearrange them, make a song to help you remember a few of the more difficult ones -- what ever your strategy is, get to it tonight!

Math homework tonight across the board, and students should also be reading a good chapter book. It's always fun to read aloud and practice your fluency and expression so consider that to spice up your nightly reading if you are getting bored.

Enjoy your night!

Tim Horton kindness

I don't know who you are, but you are a good person who understands my love for a good fritter. Thank you very much to the mystery parent/student who delivered this tasty treat on the eve of report cards!

Tuesday, November 18th

Legacy was an amazing success this morning! Thank you so much to everyone who participated this morning, and I am looking forward to another great round tomorrow!

Tonight, students should complete the Bones Package - read the information about Joints and complete the assignment based on that knowledge, and then have some fun completing the other two fun sheets.

Tomorrow is a House Assembly, so students will wear their House t-shirts over their Number One uniform, and pack clothes for Spirit in the afternoon.

5BR Math kids - please get your math test signed!

That's all, folks!

Monday, Monday

Tonight, students should be preparing for the challenging spelling quiz this week (which will actually happen, by the way, because it is scheduled for Thursday and not our busy, busy Friday!) by reviewing the words and creating a poem (or two) using at least 8 of those words! We will publish them in a beautiful way tomorrow, so tonight just focus on getting your ideas down and having them sound great!

Please read for 20 minutes and record the title and author in your agenda.

Please come to school in your P.E. kit with full tracksuit, and pack your uniform to change into.

Our first Legacy morning is tomorrow - it's going to be great!

5G: Greatest Class in the History of Classes

Dear 5G,

You are an amazing class, and I am so proud of you for all of your hard work, creative ideas and exuberant energy this term! You have been incredible to teach, and I know that these last few weeks of 2008 are going to be wonderful!

Love,
Ms. Gretzinger

Enjoy your weekend!

Coats for Kids - Collingwood Charity Drive!

The approaching season is such a wonderful time to think about our lives and all we have been given, and what we can do to spread joy to others - to our families, friends and strangers. Joy is an incredible feeling, and when we are kind towards others it is multiplied exponentially.

There are so many ways to accomplish this goal, and this morning information was shared with me about another such opportunity. A family at our school, the Negus-Stevenson's are asking other families to donate gently used, clean coats and jackets to help children in need in the Vancouver area (downtown and the North Shore) stay warm this winter. For every coat/jacket donated, the Negus-Stevenson Family Trust will donate $25 to a maximum of $10,000 to Collingwood School (wow!). If this drive interests you and your family, bring your coats to the front lobby between now and December 1st!

Thank you!

Track Suits: Fact vs. Fiction

Should kids wear track suits in November when they come to school in P.E. kit (or at any point need to change into their P.E. kit)? Survey says: YES!!

The November weather is often unpredictable, and it is important that students are warm and dry to keep them operating at their very best. Wearing a track suit is an important part of that goal.

Tomorrow, students should come to school in P.E. kit in the morning (along with their track suit bottom and top). Students should pack their uniform to change into. Parents of boys in 5G - if you notice that your son is missing a pair of grey pants, they are in our class Lost & Found - I've shown the boys but no takers so far!)

Thank you for your help in keeping 5G'ers warm, healthy and happy.

Tonight

Hello all,

Underground to Canada novel study projects have been coming together so beautifully, and I am excited to see them in their final form tomorrow, Friday, November 14th. My last plea is to review the criteria of the assignment in the instruction book - it outlines EXACTLY how to achieve marks in each project, and today it became clear that some students have not been referring to the rubric to know the expectations exactly. For example, the Report Card assignment specifically requests details from the novel to support the choice of marks (to be included in detailed comment portion), and yet many students did not include ANY details from the book. Examples are always important!! Thank you for your on-going support and encouragement at home in keeping such detailed logs on the yellow contract. This has greatly helped your child to stay organized and accountable!

Please also return the yellow Better Life coffee forms tomorrow along with any Photo Retake Forms!

Enjoy the sunshine!

Wednesday, November 12th

Hello all,

Hope you enjoyed your long weekend, and that you are ready to rock for our short week together!

5G kicked off our assemblies with a bang - our presenters and hosts were incredible models for the rest of the school, and it will be an exciting process to develop our public speaking and leadership skills over the next few months.

Tonight, students should continue to review for the Math test tomorrow. The novel study project is due on Friday. We will have a large work period tomorrow to devote to the project. Remembrance Day submissions are due tomorrow - please sign the paperwork tonight and return to school in the morning. And lastly, Better Life coffee forms are due on Friday!

Phew!

Good night!

Thursday, November 6th

The presentation by the Vancouver Symphony at the Orpheum this morning was incredible! We journeyed through time to hear pieces of classical music that were truly breathtaking! The children were so well behaved, and certainly made me proud with their maturity.

Tonight, students should study for their spelling test by completing their word search. To continue our study of the human skeleton, students are going on a search-and-find in your household for examples of the two types of joints - hinge and ball-and-socket. Exploring is a much better way to understand than mere memorization!

Please come to school in your P.E. kit tomorrow (with your complete track suit as the weather has now turned much colder!), and pack your uniform to change into.

Good night!

Wednesday, November 5th

Just a few reminders for tonight...

• Number One uniform for the Symphony trip tomorrow morning. We will leave at 9 am, so there is no need to come early.
• There is a Problem Solving assessment in math class today, so students have one extra day of grace if they have not completed their math homework! It is so, so important to be practicing at home in preparation for the upcoming test.
• As it gets colder, please remember to wear track suit bottoms and tops when in P.E. strip. Please label these items with your name to help decrease confusion!
• Coming home tonight is a fun skeleton to build at home! These pieces look best when they are attached in a way that allows movement (so attaching the pieces with pipe cleaner, string or thumb tacks). Making this fun craft together will be a great way to reinforce the vocabulary of this unit, and will be a valuable hands-on resource for home review. In class we are discussing the function of some key bones...What does your skull protect? What does your spine protect? What does your rib cage protect? Food for thought....

Enjoy your night, and I am really excited for the symphony trip in the morning!

If we are to attain real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a war against war, we will have to begin with the children.

Mahatma Gandhi

Tuesday night homework

It ended up being a beautiful autumn day and it is a wonderful season to witness the changes around us. I sat near a girl on the bus this weekend who was discussing her New Year's plans - I was shocked! Thankfully, we are not there yet.

Tonight, the primary focus should be completing math homework and ensuring that basic skills like multi-digit multiplication problems...

5689
x 68

...are mastered, and that long division is beginning to make sense. Practice makes perfect!

Please also sign and return the Government test, read for 20 minutes and be prepared to wear your Number One uniform in the morning with your Spirit wear packed for the afternoon. Most children have completed the Problem Solving package for Ms. Gould, but if this is not yet done please make certain that you have it done for the morning! The more math you do, the more you will succeed!

Enjoy your evening, 5G!

Monday, November 3rd

The IMAX trip was a huge success this morning - The Human Body movie was a wonderful introduction to this fun unit! The Wild Ocean 3D movie was indeed wild - the kids had a great time trying to touch the beautiful dolphins and sharks as they came perilously close to our faces!

It would be a wise idea to continue thinking about skeletons tonight as the information is still fresh. If you are meat eaters, perhaps your dinner preparation could include a look at the bones! There are plenty of interesting websites for children to learn about the human skeleton in fun and interactive way - here is one for you to check out! http://42explore.com/skeleton.htm

Tonight, please review our spelling words for the quiz on Friday. We tried an exciting new form of spelling today - making words! The children received 12 letters and had to construct as many words as possible from those letters. It is a great way to learn about the addition of prefixes and suffixes to words to change meaning. The bonus word was difficult (no one was able to find it!), and the 25 words for this week are primarily from this exercise. 5 of the 25 words are inspired by the upcoming skeletal unit - it is full of challenging vocabulary and it best to get right into it!

Government unit tests are coming home tonight - please review, sign and return. The "Great Canadian" awards are yours to keep - congratulations to 5G for learning so much about Canada in this unit!

Continue the practice of reading a great novel for 20 minutes, please, and record the title and author.

Looking into November

Here is an outline of the month of November, as I know it so far!

• Monday, November 3rd: IMAX trip to see The Human Body and Wild Ocean. Please wear Number One uniform and pack a disposable snack. This will be a great kick-off to our Human Body: Human Skeleton unit.

• Wednesday, November 5th: Remembrance Day assembly. Number One uniform.

• Thursday, November 6th: Vancouver Symphony Trip. Please wear Number One uniform and pack a disposable snack.

• Monday, November 10th and Tuesday, November 11th: NO SCHOOL

• Wednesday, November 12th: 5G's first assembly day! We will be running the next eight assemblies for the school! :)

• Thursday, November 13th: Math test on place value, adding and subtracting with regrouping, multiplying, long division and some problems with money. Start studying now!

• Friday, November 14th: Novel study project due.

• Tuesday, November 18th: LEGACY RECYCLING DROP-OFF 7:30 - 8:30 AM
  

• Wednesday, November 19th: LEGACY RECYCLING DROP-OFF 7:30 - 8:30 AM
  

• Monday, November 24th: Operation Christmas Child due. Please be sure to include the $7 shipping fee - additional donations welcome in Ms. Brown's collection jar!

• Tuesday, November 25th: LEGACY GROUSE MOUNTAIN DROP-OFF 8:00 - 8:30 AM.

• Wednesday, November 26th: Photo retake day - get those fabulous smiles out!
  

October in Review

October was filled with wonderful moments in 5G, and I tried to capture a few of them! Here is a glance back through our second month together...

These things keep getting longer and longer... :)

Hallowe'en!

What a day! We had a wonderful time together, and credit needs to go to the amazing class parents of 5G for contributing their ideas, organization and time to make an incredible party for 5G! The donut eating was wild, the pumpkin relay was hilarious, the touch lab was disgusting (did anyone eat that vomit?!) and the picture frames and cookies were gorgeous.

Click here to see some photos from the day! Turn those speakers up! :)