First off are some nuts and bolts to make sure everyone is on the same page. First, a letter about international day went home on Thursday and needs to be completed and returned to me by next Tuesday. International Day is October 12th and I have to all the students into proper groups for the annual parade. Then on Friday the letter and packing slip for camp went home. Just a reminder that we are at camp from October 9 to October 10. I have also included copies of these letters with this post. Next week on Friday is the annual Terry Fox Run with one big change for high AQI days. If the AQI is too high for the run to take place then the event is cancelled and we will do a short history in the classroom. It will not be transferred to the dome as it has been in past years. Please keep this in mind if you are planning on attending. The time for the ES is 8:30-9:45 am if the run is a go. It will be in the stadium on the west side of the campus. Heres hoping that the weather and AQI are all in our favor.
This week we have spent some time looking at how we are good global citizens. One of the topics that came up in class discussions is kindness. We have spent some time learning about this, reading about people in this category and also looking at videos that show people doing acts of kindness. We have also looked at projects that have been successful in other countries as people try to be better global citizens. The class has started a fast attempt at what we could do to make ourselves better global citizens. Next week we will also complete our final project which is an in depth look at someone who has demonstrated the values and beliefs of being a good global citizen.
We are at the end of our first writing unit on personal narratives. The class is busy publishing these pieces and finishing all the revisions and edits. I will have these assessed and out to them shortly after the October break. Overall, I am quite pleased with the outcomes of these pieces. I am really working with the students to improve the quality of the writing they do without increasing the quantity. I do require them to revise and edit with three other people, twice in the process before something is published. This is to make sure that others that read the writing understand it.
Our math unit is also coming to a close. This week was all about division of decimals by whole numbers. The idea was to show scholars how the division algorithm actually work and give them lots of chances to practice it. One thing that students were not aware of is what actually happened when you bright down the next number - which is regrouping. We also looked at why this all works without changing the actual question given. The final assessment for this unit will most likely be on Wednesday of next week.
I am in the process of completing the first report card on student as a learner. I believe these go out to you about the middle of October and then it will be the first Parent-Teacher conferences. Please remember that if you ever want to ask questions about your student, I am more than willing to set up a time to meet with you.
It is now a long weekend so I wish all of you a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival weekend.
