Thursday night homework

Pink Shirt Day was a huge success! We saw some great skits and heard some powerful writing about the symbolism behind letting your actions speak louder than your words during this event. Mr. Hatch came by to take some photos and he even had a few moments to hear Min Jee's wonderful essay.

5G had a science quiz today, and this very likely highlighted the areas students still need to study. Not many students have been taking advantage of Study Hall to further their understanding. I will remind you that it is your responsibility to learn. Use the resources that are available to you!

Homework:

• Math (5G should complete Thousandths page and "Decimals are different"). We had a short quiz today reviewing basic fraction skills. Be sure to share your results at home!
  
• Come in P.E kit and bring proper uniform.
  
• Return Library books.
• Bring recorders.
• Review for Poetry (test on Monday).
• Review for Science (test on Wednesday). Tonight, why not focus on the two methods of digestion. Aim to understand!
• Be happy!

Good night, 5G!
Feel better soon, Scott!

Public Speaking Celebration AND Lucky Stiff - all in one day!

Wow - what a day! 5G was superbly behaved all day, and I am so proud to be their teacher!

Tonight, students will complete pages 31 and 32 in their Digestive System orange booklet. We began this together as a class today, and this should provide a useful review for a top secret pop quiz tomorrow.

We are celebrating Pink Shirt Day tomorrow! The pink shirts will be handed out to each student tomorrow morning, so that we present a united front to stand up against bullying. The power of solidarity is astounding, and I know that this symbolic event will be a great moment in our on-going journey of development. Check an upcoming issue of the North Shore News to see the shining faces of Grade 5! Reminder - students can wear civvies on the bottom tomorrow.

There is a Problem Solving quiz tomorrow, and to fully prepare for this, students should complete the package for Ms. Gould. This package is also due tomorrow!

We celebrated the achievements of our Silver medal winners today - Sofia, Zakia and Mikayla! Congratulations, ladies!

Thank you, 5G! Have a great evening!

Tuesday night reminders

Hello all,

The Boys and Girls Basketball teams were away at the CAIS celebration today, so 5G was running at a pretty low number! We spent some time reviewing number sense by playing some increasingly difficult number games (and in the process we reviewed some geometry vocabulary and the concept of digital roots). Fraction Bingo capped off a fun math-filled day.

Homework tonight:

• Come in sharp Number One uniform. Spirit is canceled tomorrow, so your bags should be lighter!
• Quiz yourself by labeling the diagrams you have (the yellow booklet). Aim for comprehension - so be able to explain the path of the important substance (food or air) through the body! Practicing this will ensure that you can accurately label and understand any diagram, rather than just memorizing the order!
• Complete your Problem Solving package for Ms. Gould by Thursday. You have a Problem Solving quiz on Thursday!
  
• Invest some time reviewing fractions if that unit was a challenge for you. Choose one skill to focus on each night (converting improper fractions to mixed numbers, simplifying answers, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions). You can make up the two or three terms you need to practice. Learning takes patience and perseverance, 5G, so aim for success and practice away until these skills become natural. It is possible that it may take months for you to fully master these fractions skills, and that is okay! Rome wasn't built in a day.
  
• Watch the Habs beat the Canucks (Ha ha, that one was for you, Victor!)
  

Good night, 5G! Keep smiling!

Thursday

Hello everyone,

I am so happy to be the teacher of such a great group of people! It has been an amazing week - the speeches on Monday, our Digestion System plays today (were you the stomach, the liver, the small intestine or the large intestine?) and the Parent-Teacher Interviews tonight have all been fantastic!

I hope that Jay is feeling better soon, and that Dylan and Quinten enjoy the interior. We'll miss you three boys tomorrow!

Here are a few reminders for tonight:

• Math: 5G should complete the Hundredths page in the "Delightful Decimal" booklet
• Science: Respiratory review sheet - practice your fill-in-the-blank skills!
• Jump Rope for Heart tomorrow - bring pledge forms
• Be dressed in P.E. kit
• Bring Number One uniform for Judging 1:30 - 3:00
• Bring $5 or $10 for Australian Relief Fund tomorrow
• Music: written Recorder quiz tomorrow

Thank you!

Wednesday

What a beautiful day!

Here are a few helpful reminders for 5G tonight:

• Early dismissal on Thursday, February 20th -- Grade 5 is dismissed at 1:55 pm. Bus children will go to daycare until the regular bus to Morven departure time.
• Page 4. 2 in the Orange Digestion booklet should be completed tonight for homework.
• Speech judging is on Friday, so students should be practicing every night. Focus on great eye contact in the mirror, the intonation of your voice and strength of delivery.

Good night!

Tuesday

Good morning, 5G!

I would like to post a few reminders, as I will be away today:

• 5G math set homework: Ensure that pages 222-225 are complete in your Jump book. (Two of those pages should have been completed in class today).
• Complete Page 5 in your orange Digestive System booklet. The information you need to complete this is found on Page 4.
• Please come in proper Number One uniform in the morning, with your House shirt for the House Assembly in the morning. Pack Spirit wear for the afternoon.
• Be working away on your Jump Rope for Heart pledges - the envelope is due on Friday, February 20th!
• Friday, February 20th is Ivanhoe Grammar Relief Day in honour of the tragedy of the terrible fires in Australia. On this day, students are asked to bring in either a $5 or $10 bill that will be sent to one of our fellow Round Square schools, Ivanhoe Grammar.
  

Enjoy your day, and I am looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday morning!

Monday, Monday

Thank you so much for your support today in our Speech Celebration. The students of 5G blew me away with their amazing delivery, confident voices and command of timing. Their hard work certainly shone through today, and I am excited for Friday!

Tonight for homework, students should complete the K section of the KWL chart in the orange Digestion booklet. The Respiratory and Digestion test will be held on Friday, February 27th. 5G has the Respiratory component nailed, and I am confident that they will succeed!

The blue Poetry booklet also came home tonight, so that students can begin reviewing for their Poetry test on Thursday, February 26th. It is imperative that students understand the meaning of various poetic devices, including smilies, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia and hyperbole.

After you have read a good novel for 20 minutes your homework is complete!

Thank you again for such wonderful work today - I'm off to the swim meet tomorrow, so I'll see you on Wednesday (House Assembly day!)

The end of the Respiration unit is near!

We have had a great time learning about the process of respiration and the path of air through the body. Bill Nye the Science Guy's movie was informative and we will cap it all off tomorrow by building a model of the lungs with a plastic water bottle. Please bring in any extra small bottles! Thank you! This will really drive home the role of the diaphragm in breathing.

The focus of tonight should be preparing for the Math test and practicing Speeches. 5G is excited to host our parents on Monday, February 16th at 1:45 pm!

In our quest for organization, everyone did a fabulous job of filling in their month overviews in their agendas. 5G - keep on track by referring to it often!

We will have a small Valentine's Day celebration tomorrow afternoon. I ask that if you chose to bring in Valentine's Day, that you include everyone! Ms. Gretzinger is preparing a special (tasty) treat for everyone tomorrow! We will also celebrate by making posters for the upcoming "Pink Shirt Day" on Thursday, February 26th. Details will follow, but for now, here are some links for you to learn more about this exciting event!

http://www.pinkshirtday.ca/

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/18/pink-tshirts-students.html

Wednesday, February 11th

Winter is back, but hopefully not for long! We are going to build a model of a lung tomorrow, so it would be great if students could bring in small plastic water bottles for our Science block in the afternoon. I'll bring in some extras, as well!

The Math test on Friday is quickly approaching, so I recommend that students spend some time reviewing by practicing a few questions of each operation, varying between whole numbers, mixed numbers and improper fractions for a challenge!

Enjoy your evening!

Tuesday!

It was a very busy day today, and it's great to be back. We celebrated Pirooz's and Quinten's birthday today - they both had their special day on Sunday! Tonight for homework:

• 5G Math - complete page 97 in your Multiplication and Division booklet
• Science - complete the page describing the path of air through the body. We are really getting into the unit now, and it is important that students understand the vocabulary and process of the Respiratory System.
• Come in a sharp Number One uniform, and bring proper Spirit wear
• Speeches are all on cue cards now, and fully memorized. Work on incredible delivery!

Have a great evening - see you in the morning!

Friday!

What a beautiful day! I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe long weekend that is filled with many moments of laughter, relaxation and love.

There are a few pressing academic events coming up, so while I hope you enjoy your break, I also hope that you spend some time reviewing addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions (that includes knowing how to handle mixed numbers, improper fractions and whole numbers!). Twenty minutes a day of review will help you immensely for your test!

It is imperative that you practice your speech, and thankfully you can do that anywhere (driving up to Whistler, on a lovely walk through your neighbourhood or even in the bath!). I am so excited to hear the final product next week!

Enjoy your weekend, 5G, and thank you for such a wonderful week together!

Thursday

We had a great day today - the fresh spring-like air really filled up our lungs today (as our diaphragm contracted and expanded our rib cage to allow our lungs to fill with air, right 5G?!). We are really in the full swing of our Respiratory unit now, and our heart rate lab today was really informative!

Here are a few reminders for tonight:

• Get Circulatory test signed, and return.
• Any Math set homework (multiplication time!)
• Problem Solving is due for Ms. Gould tomorrow
• Music homework is due on Tuesday
  
• Come in P.E. kit, and bring your uniform!
• Enjoy a good novel for 20 minutes or so
  

Speeches are really coming along, and I am so excited for the children to showcase their speeches. It is so important to practice speaking in front of a mirror, maintaining strong eye contact (that means memorization!) and speaking with wonderful intonation, emphasis and flow. Smiling when you speak will help your speech sound lively and interesting. Let the speech flow, and don't be afraid to have some fun!

See you in the morning! :)

Monday

Happy Monday!

The flu is making its rounds through the school, so it is very important to get a great sleep, eat healthy foods, drink lots of water and to wash hands frequently! 5G is a great class, and I want you all to be healthy!

For homework tonight, students will complete "Activity Two" in the Respiratory System booklet Labeling a Diagram of the lungs. Please use the answers from "Activity One" to help you complete this. This is going to be a fun and easy unit, connecting the ideas we learned in the Circulatory System to the actual process of acquiring oxygen through the lungs. It is important to review the new knowledge often to ensure success in the unit.

Tomorrow, students will come to school in their P.E. kit, bring recorders, pack their uniform and also bring an old shirt for the Pig Heart Dissection (!!) at 11:00 am. Parents - interested in joining? Come on in!

Problem Solving will be due on Friday, February 6th. Students who have missed today due to illness or the basketball game are still responsible for completing this work!

Today, 5G was very lucky to listen to a presentation from Grade 6 students Safir and Zoe. These model students outlined for the class what they can expect from the transition to Morven. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask me as we go through the year.

Have a wonderful and healthy night! Ms. Gretzinger's brothers, sister and nephew are here from Ontario - woo hoo!