Snow Day!

We had a great morning together and were able to exchange gifts with our buddies - 5G made bookmarks with thoughtful acrostic poems to encourage a love for reading in their Grade Two friends.

The snow is really coming down now, though, and the decision to end school early was a good one. The world is breathtakingly beautiful from up here on the mountain, but getting down in the weather is best done earlier rather than later! Hopefully our day tomorrow can still happen, as we have a great church service planned for the morning. I will post it on the blog and send out an e-mail if tomorrow is canceled due to the weather conditions. It will, of course, also be on the school website.

Reminders:

• Please wear Number One uniform in the morning for the service.
• The Hot Lunch forms need to be returned by January 14th.
• Have lots of fun in the snow tonight!

Good night, 5G, and thank you for being so awesome!

The final week

5G was buzzing today in anticipation of the great fun ahead for us all in the next few weeks. The snow at recess made it all even more exciting! The kids have kept their cool, so to speak, and buckled down to begin learning about the Circulatory System (how the heart pumps blood through the body, the difference between veins, arteries and capillaries and what blood is made of). We will not complete this unit until after the break, but learning about it now combined with playing some games over the break will help 5G achieve great success with this challenging material.

Tomorrow is a busy day:

• Boys Wrestling practice at 7:45 am
• P.E. in the morning - everyone must come to school in full P.E. kit and ensure they have outside shoes or boots for recess. Gloves and toques are also a good idea in this cold weather.
• Math test on time, temperature and graphing
• Secret Santa and class party in the afternoon - pack your pajamas!

One last thing -- somewhere in this bunch of 29 cute kids are Ms. Gretzinger and Brad in Grade One. Can you spot us?

The last school weekend of 2008

The snow and cold did not dampen the fun in 5G as we watched one of the plays (well done, Group 1 - you portrayed the meaning of Christmas beautifully!), made bookmarks for our Grade 2 Buddies and just rode the excitement of yesterday's wonderful performance. Pictures of the concert will be included in our quickly approaching December in Review slideshow. Thank you so much for coming last night to be a part of such a beautiful concert - those smiling kids on stage surely made us all proud!

Enjoy your weekend together as we put the finishing touches on the year. The yellow Problem Solving duotang is due on Monday for Ms. Gould, so please make sure that you have completed all of the work! Choir is canceled on Monday, so choir kids - please remember to ask your parents to pick you up at regular dismissal time. There is a math test on Tuesday -- time, temperature and graphing! I am so impressed with your Secret Santa thoughtfulness - I know that Tuesday will be full of surprises and thankfulness.

Thank you, and good night.

Wednesday!

As the term draws to a close, the hearts in 5G are getting lighter! We rehearsed for the performance tomorrow and the kids (and teachers) sounded wonderful. Tomorrow is going to be a fun day, and these reminders may help us:

--Please bring black pants for the performance tomorrow. You may come to school in the black pants, but bring your grey uniform pants to change into so that your costume stays clean for tomorrow night. Students will come to school again at 5:30 pm on Thursday night in the black pants, and the performance is expected to finish at 7:30 pm. Tonight, your homework is to get a good nights sleep to get ready for the day!

- 5G will be making their wish lists for the holidays at the Book Fair tomorrow morning, so feel free to stop by the library while you are at school for the concert!

Good night!

Tuesday, December 9th

What a great day - the kids began their Wonderful, Exciting Book of Christmas Awesomeness (also known as their Christmas booklet), and there are many brain teasers, crossword puzzles and Mad Libs to keep us busy in these next few days. The group Christmas plays are coming together nicely and I am excited to see the final product later in the week (but please remember to only work on the script when your whole group is with you - so don't be working away on tonight by yourself!)

Tonight, please sign and return the Skeletal and Muscular Systems test. Question 19 was the most challenging question for most children, as it required students to put together all of the knowledge they learned over the entire unit. Good quality answers included information from each of the smaller parts we covered - bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, joints and whether or not the action of walking was voluntary (we came up with some gross consequences if walking was, in fact, involuntary!) Please look over this test with your child, and sign on the front.

A few reminders:

• Number One uniform in the morning and Spirit clothes for the afternoon. the forecast is rain, rain and more rain, so pack your full tracksuit in case the P.E. department decides to hold Spirit outside.

• There were TWO indoor recesses today, so if the rain stops it would be a good idea to go outside and play to make sure that you get some fresh air today! Skipping rope and hop scotch are two easy and quick ways to get your heart pumping and your lungs filled with that wonderful west coast air.

Good night!

Monday, Monday

What a day -- we've been busy making Christmas plays, learning a new language (Rebus!) and surfing our way through the pre-holiday madness! It is going to be a really fun week, and there are just a few reminders to be aware of.

• No need for P.E. kit - Gym class will not be held tomorrow because of the K/1 dress rehearsal in the morning. Students - please come in your regular uniform, and be sure to bring sensible outerwear - jackets are a must in December!

• Thursday, December 11th - the big day!! I am really excited to see those adorable 5g faces up on stage on Thursday night - please remember to bring black pants and smiles.

• Tuesday, December 16th - the other big day!! Secret Santa gift exchange and class party.

Enjoy your night!

Homework

Students are likely putting some final touches on their review for the Science test tomorrow. Good luck tomorrow, 5G - I'm sure you'll achieve great success!!

There may be math homework in the sets tonight, as the unit test is on Tuesday, December 16th. Reviewing time in both 12 and 24 hour clock formats and the very tricky elapsed time concept is recommended!

The festive store is tomorrow at 11:15, so please remember your shopping bag and money!

Vancouver Aquarium Sleepover

Coming home with your child tonight is an informational package (with a blue cover) detailing the Vancouver Aquarium sleep over opportunity on Friday, January 30th .This is an optional activity, and comes at additional cost. I went along last year and the experience was tremendously exciting. We spent the evening on a private guided tour of the exhibits and had a delicious and healthy bed time snack before falling asleep to the peaceful sounds of the Beluga whales as the graceful creatures floated past the viewing windows. It was truly breathtaking! Note to parents -- if you are able to join us, then please do, but I recommend bringing a small air mattress to sleep on under your sleeping bag -- the floor nearly did me in last year!

Today

We had loads of fun today building an arm out of popsicle sticks and understanding the relationship between biceps and triceps in movement. The yellow information sheet came home along with the actual arm model for your continued fun!

Tonight, please complete page one of the prefix booklet - looking at the meaning of uni-, bi- and tri- when placed in front of a root word.

Math homework was likely assigned today - in my math set, students should complete both sides of the blue sheet about graphing. Math test on Tuesday, December 16th will cover time (12 and 24 hour clocks), temperature and graphing.

Please come to school in Number One uniforms and pack your Spirit wear (along with a full track suit).

Reminders:
****Festive Store on Thursday, December 4th****
****Scholastic Book Fair on Thursday, December 11th****
****4/5 Choir Performance on the evening of Thursday, December 11th****
****Secret Santa gift exchange on Tuesday, December 16th ****

Thank you!

Homework

The primary focus this week is reviewing for the Science test. Tonight, I encourage students to think about how the skeletal and muscular systems work together to facilitate movement -- how exactly do they achieve this? Your answer would be thorough and have correct language.

Problem Solving homework from Ms. Gould: Finish the two questions in your yellow duotang.

Please read for 20 minutes and be sure to record the information in your agenda.

Enjoy your night!

November in Review

What a month!

The beautiful views of the ocean are actually from our classroom -
just in case you are visiting our blog from another city!

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!