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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

January 12th, 2014 week with Selimos RAMONA QUIMBY novel study, MATTER unit, FRENCH songs and more

Hello Parents and Students,

Hooray for outdoor recesses!  The kids have been enjoying the outdoors again!

This week, we used our printing books and learned how to cursive write the letters “e and l”.  We also wrote a winter poem in French (photo 1).  Have your child sing it to you.  Feel free to review the 2 letters for handwriting at home.

Emaan did a great job as Star of the Week.  She enjoys picnics with her mom, dad and 2 sisters.  Emaan was born in Toronto.  She celebrates Eid and speaks Urdu.  Her favourite colour is purple and she loves to eat lobster.  In her spare time, she enjoys reading and swimming.

We focused on the calendar for math for a good part of the week.  See photos 4 to 7.  Your child should be able to READ the days of the week and the months of the year.  Here are some questions to ask your child:  How many months are there in one year?  How many days in this month (show them a month on a calendar at home)?  Name the month BEFORE April.  Name the month 2 months AFTER May.  How many days are there in one week?  How many days in two weeks?  If today is Tuesday, January 22nd, what is the day of the week 3 days later?  Which is the second month of the year?  In which month is your birthday?  Which month comes before your birthday?  We played a “Months/calendar” game. 

We also began NON-STANDARD measurement (no rulers) using string, cubes and craft sticks.  See photos 8 to 15. We measured the GINGERBREAD MAN using craft sticks after predicting his length and then we compared our own body lengths to his.

Photos 16 to 20 are from a morning math lesson where we used 2 different units:  cubes and colourful links to measure lengths of different objects.  The children concluded that the larger the object of measurement, the better it is to use a larger unit to measure with.  Example:  Use popsicle sticks to measure the classroom door, rather than cubes.  Cubes will take forever!  The number will be smaller.

I am SUPER EXCITED to begin a novel study of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby, Age 8 with the students.  Librarian, Mrs. Lindstrom, is helping us with this 2 month novel study project, as well!  EXPECTATIONS:  Please encourage and monitor your child’s chapter of reading.  They may read it independently or SHARE THE READING ALOUD with you.  Ask your child questions about the ½ chapter read. The RAMONA envelope and your child’s agenda reminders will help you to keep up with the expectations of the reading assignment and writing projects.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. 

The children enjoyed creating their own dollar bills as part of a Writing Traits assignment today, focusing on organization skills and details.  Imagine if you could design your own paper money.  What would it look like?  Write details about your bill.  What words and numbers are on your bill?  Include pictures, colours when you draw it.

The children drew themselves wearing their winter clothing and labeled their pictures in French.  Here are the links to the music and actions for the new action song “LA NEIGE TOMBE” we danced to and sang, about “la neige” (snow). 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXdnrWeTICk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k9fPOLoaBc

La neige tombe

The Snow is Falling
Chanson enfantine
(French)
Children's Song
(English)

La neige tombe sur mon nez
Oh, oh, oh! J'ai le nez gelé
Frotte, frotte, frotte mon nez
Pour le réchauffer !
Frotte, frotte, frotte, mon nez
Frotte, frotte, frotte ton nez
Pour le réchauffer !

La neige tombe sur mes mains
Oh, oh, oh! J'ai les mains gelées!
Frappe, frappe, frappe, mes mains
Pour les réchauffer !
Frappe, frappe, frappe mes mains
Frappe, frappe, frappe tes mains
Pour les réchauffer !

The snow is falling on my nose
Oh, oh, oh! My nose is frozen
Rub, rub, rub my nose
To warm it!
Rub, rub, rub my nose
Rub, rub, rub your nose
To warm it!

The snow is falling on my hands
Oh, oh, oh! My hands are frozen!
Clap, clap, clap, my hands
To warm them!
Clap, clap, clap my hands
Clap, clap, clap your hands
To warm them!

As well, we had a blast trying a water experiment with the concept of sink vs float for science.  We filled a basin of water and “tested” many items.  The children predicted what would happen to different objects.  See science photos.  At first, the cloth puppet floated and then sank.  The students were surprised.  The rock, scissors and eraser sank.  We discussed why they sank… metals, rubber items sink.  The kids discovered that plastic items like cube a links, Ms. Selimos’s empty water bottle and Ronin’s water bottle filled with some water, floated.  Wooden items like a pencil and popsicle stick floated.  The children “screamed with delight” when I took Brodie’s glasses to test…  His glasses SANK! The glass component was “heavier” than the plastic particles.  Parents, please fill your sink with water and “test” your children at home with a simple game of sink and float using items in your home.  Have fun!


 
  Matter Websites and Games

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/gases.html
Brainpop junior has many videos
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/8_9/solid_liquids.shtml
http://science.k12flash.com/statesofmatter.html
http://science.k12flash.com/statesofmatter.html
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/states_of_matter/molecules.swf
http://www.catie.org.uk/testing_time_index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuE1LePDZ4Yhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuE1LePDZ4Y  EXCELLENT video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuE1LePDZ4Yhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuE1LePDZ4Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfP4lwdehuA   Matter song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33WdI64FiY  Matter song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd0RXHfIKJQ  video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYFAj50c7xM  scientific explanations   



Ms Selimos                                    

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