October 30/07

Dear parents,

If you haven’t already heard, I thought I might let everyone know that Wednesday afternoon October 31, we will be having our first class party. For this party the girls are in charge of organising food, entertainment, decorations, and clean-up. The boys will organize one of the parties in the “distant” future. If you are one of the parents preparing food for the class please be aware that one of our students has a nut allergy. We also need to make an effort to bring healthy snacks as an alternative to chocolates. Students will be dressing up for the afternoon only, unless they are reading to Early Years students in the morning. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at gswintak@pembinatrails.ca or call 489-0799.

Mr. Swintak

October 18/07

In Math we are nearing the end of our patterning unit and students will have a summative evaluation starting next week. The patterning criteria are linked to word document. Click on the word patterning to see what they are learning.

In ELA students are preparing a friendly letter in their reading journals for their parents and would like their parents to respond back to them. The students are trying to keep their N.O.S.E. in a good story and are wanting to share their thoughts. Click to find out more.

Students are nearing the end of their Diversity of Living Things and will soon be doing an independent research project. They have been practicing their summarizing as part of learning how to research. In the next couple of weeks we will be starting a project on endangered species. More information to soon be posted.

October11/07

In Math we have been learning about patterns that repeat and grow. Some of the essential targets are learning how to recognize, build, and extend patterns. We are also learning how to communicate our learning. Students are learning that once they find a rule, they can predict the pattern.

1. Building the next term/model
2. Making a T chart and/or
3. Graphing data will all help to find the rule

The slides below are some of the examples we have been using on the SMART board.

In Science we have been learning research and experimental skills. The students researched and summarized information about Tenebrio Molitors (alias "the mealworm"). However, they are not worms, rather they are anthropods.

In ELA we are continuing to revise the content of our stories. We are trying to use powerful words and phrase to enhance our writing such as adjectives and adverbs. We are also trying to use dialogue to draw our audiences closer into the action of the story, to create mood and setting and to develop the characters. In our Home Reading Program we are also trying to notice how the words and phrases develop the story elements. We encourage parents to continue to focus their discussions, when reading with their child, on similar goals.

I encourage parents to continue reading with their child, to practice some of the interactive math games they are learning and to review daily what they are learning.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at gswintak@pembinatrails .ca.