April 27 2015 week with Ms. Selimos

Hello Parents and Students,

I hope everyone has a chance to look at his/her child’s agenda tonight re:  up and coming trips and activities.  Again, the Grant Road Office is highly encouraging that parents use PARENT PORTAL to pay for children’s trips, fees, activities, on-line. 

Enjoy the photos enclosed from last Friday’s CAREER DAY.  The kids had so much fun dressing up!

This week, we created paragraphs in our journals re:  Circle of Courage Independence goal for Term III.  For language arts we continue to read stories about nutrition.  We read “What Did You Put In Your Pocket?” and created a tune, as we read it.  The children created exact nouns, interpreting the story in their own words.  On Wednesday we read, Split Pea Soup by James Marshall and did a writing activity about likes and dislikes.   For Writing Traits, we focused on exact nouns (choosing the right word for what you want to say). 

Here are some links to explore with your child re:  weather study.  This is our NEW SCIENCE unit.

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/climate-weather-sci   Real examples of weather

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Li59FFilYQ   Stormy Weather fiction story

http://fox2now.com/2014/05/15/weather-and-kids-how-to-keep-children-calm-before-and-during-a-storm/    News story to keep kids, adults calm re:  storms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dxbC4-nlEc   Weather rap song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Lig67t2xg     Seasons song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UckUHeWXD0  Weather trends during different seasons video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hwLi3smwM   Season Adventure with Shawn and Team (8 min.)

REMINDERS:

1.        Reading Logs due Thursday, April 30^th

2.       Send donations re:  Nepal this week.

3.       Bake sale for Nepal fund on Monday.  Send 50 cents to $2.00 if you would like your child to purchase a treat.

4.       See MAY calendar in your child’s agenda on Thursday.

5.       Aazan is STAR OF THE WEEK on Monday, May 4^th.

6.        Grade 2 MATH:  Parents, sign and return binder with Unit 6 geometry unit.  LAST UNIT of math for GRADE 2 is: Data Analysis

We are enjoying extra time on the playground in the sunshine this week!  We have been eating our lunches and going outside to play from 12:15 to 12:45.  Love this weather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ms. Selimos

April 20, 2015 week with Ms. Selimos

Hello Parents and Students,

Mathematically, we constructed 3 – D solids out of clay and labeled them with attributes.  Thanks to Imogen’s mom for helping with this activity. We are now working on analyzing the FACES of objects/solids.  For example:  What is a Kleenex box?  Rectangular prism.  How many faces does it have?  6   What are the shapes (2-D) of the faces?  Rectangles and squares.  Play this solid game at home with your child using real items.  EXAMPLES:  yogurt container, cereal box, ice cream pail, etc.

Language arts activities this week were of stories based on food/nutrition.  We read REGGIE ALONE and focused on reading fluency and expression.  The writing component focus was:  sequencing (first, then, next, after) and answering questions (comprehension). We read PORRIDGE FOR EVERYONE and focused on adjectives and contractions.

Our phonics letter of the week was Ll. 

For French we played the HAMBURGER BATTLESHIP GAME in class. The children LOVED this activity!   I sent the activity home for you to play in French with your child.  Bonne chance = Good luck J See photo as well.

Sabah was our amazing STAR OF THE WEEK.  Sabah arrived to Canada from Libya last spring and joined us for Grade 2, speaking no English.  We are very proud of her efforts with language acquisition!  She is in Grade 3 now and is the oldest of 4 siblings.  She is a great helper at home to her mom and dad.  She is very helpful; washing dishes, making her bed, holding the baby, etc. as the “big sister.”  Sabah enjoys singing, dancing, riding her bike and playing with her 2 dogs.  Her neighbours are wonderful people who she refers to as her Canadian grandpa and grandma and they often help her with her studies. 

We completed our 2 week unit on maps for SOCIAL STUDIES.  We went outside and drew symbols of landmarks north, east, south and west of the school.  The kids Vocabulary included: compass rose, directions, north, south, east, west, continents, oceans, community, map symbols, legend.  Please use the following links with your child to reinforce MAPS. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeeLivQH7Ok  Cardinal Directions (north, south, east, west)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRYSSNq5GSc       Maps,  an intro. for kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj1veZY5hrY          Navigation song PBS kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IpdjyD_uPo         Maps and cardinal directions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLrxbbP31NA         Maps and globes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QlJn_iMeAg        How to read a map song

This week I have been administering the DNA (Diagnostic Numeracy Assessment) to the Grade 2s.  This involves testing of equality and number facts.  I administered the test in early fall, as well.

DATES TO NOTE:

1.     On the afternoon of WEDNESDAY, MAY 27^th, I will be taking the 2/3 class with the Gr. 3 class to Regina Police Service Showcase at the Brandt Center in the afternoon.  The trip is FREE.  We only need to pay for the bus cost of $1.20 / student.  I will be looking for parents to join us!

2.   READING LOGS DUE  on THURSDAY, APRIL 30^TH.

3.  «AAZAN IS STAR OF WEEK MAY 4^TH«

April 13, 2015 week with Ms. Selimos

Greetings Parents and Students,

I hope everyone enjoyed the Spring Break.  Please remember to send a water bottle to school for your child.  I have many thirsty children, especially after recess breaks.

We began the week with an awesome trip to the ROYAL SASKATCHEWAN MUSEUM on Monday afternoon.  We followed up on Tuesday with a language arts writing project.  Each child created a brochure including information about the following:  bus ride, First Nations Gallery, legend (Bee Stinger), toys and games and the Paleo Pit.  Expectations for this writing lesson included:  factual sentences with capitals and periods, illustrations including First Nations and animal content, and drawings to support their sentences.  Legible printing was reinforced. We used walking dictionaries and inventive spelling.

Mathematically, we reviewed 2-D shapes (triangle, square, rectangle, circle) this week.  Vocabulary included:  corners (vertices, straight/curved lines).  We played some riddle games, used geo-boards and elastics to create shapes,  and mid-week,  we made models of shapes using straws and play dough.

We have engaged in concrete math activities this week for our geometry unit.  The kids loved using the solids (cones, cylinders, spheres, rectangular prisms, cubes) to create structures.  They were introduced to geo-boards and elastics, in order to create shapes (2-D) before the break.  On Monday we made shapes (triangles, squares, rectangles) using straws and play dough.  New vocabulary included:  corners=vertices, line segment, sides, curved lines, length and width. 

Ask your child questions about the solids/objects poster.  Example:  How many vertices does a cone have?  Does it stack?  What shape it its face? Which object has exactly 6 faces that look the same? Cube…  The Grade 2s will be making our own solids using clay on Friday.  We will display them in the egg cartons.

Another language arts focus this week was:  rhyming, after reading the story, THE HUNGRY THING.  They had a blast creating their own HUNGRY THING MONSTER.  We also studied adjectives for Writing Traits, which carried into THE HUNGRY THING story. 

We received MAIL this week.  We finished our Urdu lessons before the break and received a Certificate of Achievement Award from Saskatchewan Organization for Heritage Languages (SOHL).

For French, we enjoyed creating Garfield cartoons about Garfield’s favourite hobby, eating!  The children practiced reading their cartoon strips to each other.

Sabah will be our Star of the Week on April 20^th.   We are looking forward to her presentation. 

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Ms. Selimos

March 23rd, 2015 week with Selimos

Greetings Parents and Students,

From snow to sunshine to end the week! I am looking forward to seeing you at the Celebration of Learning sessions after school Thursday and Friday morning.

This week for health, we have focused on AIMING FOR 4 when eating.  We continue to discuss the 4 food groups.  Your child knows that at his/her age he/she needs:  5 or more fruits/veggies and grains (“high 5”) and 2 to 3 dairy and meat and alternatives (“peace out” – 2 fingers symbol).  We have been reading and analyzing food labels.  We have discussed healthy snacking. One task was to create a healthy snack using 2 “superpower” foods. Another task was to draw and label a plate based on their Tuesday lunches. Was it balanced?  Did they aim for 4 food groups?  See photos 5550 and 5551.  Which meal has ALL 4 food groups?  What is missing? Check out some of the following sites with your child this weekend.

Song:  Put a Little Sunshine in Your Mouth

http://www.nourishinteractive.com/blog/327-catchy-tune-and-video-teaches-kids-about-nutrition

Five Food Groups – F& V – fibre, vitamin c (digestion in good shape, fights illness);  Meats & Alternatives (bodies’ building blocks – builds muscles); Breads and Cereals – (energy like batteries); Dairy -(strong bones and teeth).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRwupxDOZn0

 Healthy Teeth and Nutrition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eepc72Gxdtc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGlbe5Q_JTA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YN3isYMnPg

Food Groups Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cORkrfqK10s

Snack guide

https://shawglobalnews.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/snack-bar-infographic.jpg  

Bill Nye –Nutrition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFKsxYuflJA

 Nutrition Education – Food Groups and what they provide you – energy etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFKsxYuflJA

Food Groups and Rockin Tonight – Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaLvxVnn8Yg

Superdooperfoodalicious – song – food groups

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEhhPlR4lQI

Food Group Fun Game - action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqs9XWy-FM8

Healthy Food Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ60zhvMlGk

Last Friday, we ended the week celebrating Ramona Quimby novel study by watching the video.  We enjoyed eating healthy green snacks for St. Patrick’s Day, on that day as well.

Please send your child’s GRADE 2 MATH BINDER to school next week.  Be sure to look at Unit 5, +/- to 100.  We are moving on to GEOMETRIC SHAPES AND SOLIDS next.

We had 2 Urdu lessons this week, in which we learned how to draw and recognize the remaining letters of the alphabet.  We are now able to count to 10! 

For French, we played HOLLYWOOD SQUARES (X & 0s) incorporating fruit and vegetable vocabulary.

Keithan was our Star of the Week.  He enjoys spending time with his older sister, his parents and his 2 cats and dog.  He loves to play hockey, especially goalie. He went to the Monster Truck Show and his mom has been teaching him how to ski. This year, he dressed up as Spider man for Halloween.

On Wednesday, we had guest, Steve, from the Outdoor Education Department come to teach us about survival in the wilderness if you get lost. MAKE SURE TO READ THE BROCHURE CAREFULLY and to discuss with your child.  Ask your child to explain the photos of the aluminum foil imprint, shoe rubbings and orange garbage bag.

Mon. MARCH 30^th (Day 3)   «NANA IS STAR OF THE WEEK«

Welcome SOHL (SK Organization Heritage Languages) Urdu teacher, Hina Momin for Lesson #8 (LAST LESSON).

                                     

Tues. 31^st (Day 4)                       Library Exchange and READING LOGS DUE

Thurs. April 2^nd (Day 1)     

University of Regina ECS 100 students, Tayah Rutzki and Keigan Duczek, will be working with us in our Grade 2/3 classroom.  LAST VISIT.

Send your child to school wearing BLUE for Autism Day.

       NO SCHOOL FROM FRIDAY, APRIL 3^RD TO 12^TH INCLUSIVE.

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Mon. April 13^th (Day 2) Trip by bus to Royal SK Museum in p.m.  

 «SABAH IS STAR OF WEEK APRIL 20^TH«

March 16 week with Ms. Selimos

H   Hello Parents and Students,

We are just a few days away from Term II Report Cards.  Please remember to go to Power School for easy access re: your child’s daily learning.  Parents, you may KEEP all contents in your child’s report card envelope, which you will receive on Friday.

By mid next week, we will be wrapping up Grade 2, 2 digit addition and subtraction strategies to 100.  Please continue to practice math questions at home with your child.  Our next unit involves geometry, 2 –D shapes and 3-D objects. 

Our phonics letter of the week was Kk.  The children brainstormed 20 “k” words as a class.  We discussed many of the non – examples they thought might work such as:  canoe, cookies, coconut, etc. The Grade 3s came up with one of their math words, kilometer.  The class remembered one of their PWIM words, kindling, from our Boggy Creek adventure.

Our final 2 writing projects for Chapter 9, Rainy Day Sunday, of Ramona novel study involved creating a list of personal chores your child does at home and also  drawing a photo of his/her favorite restaurant and explaining what he/she would like to eat when dining there.  The Ramona writing projects will be available for you to read at the Celebration of Learning Sessions next week.

Our new unit of focus is NUTRITION.  We are studying the 4 food groups, portions, healthy eating and snacking and making good food choices. The children are enjoying the POWER TO PLAY DVD and CD series we are integrating into the lessons. The students each created their own “Superhero” with power snacks and super powers this past week.  We also had a “competition” with Mrs. Pankewich’s class to see how many fruits and vegetables we could list in ONE MINUTE.  We compared our charts and researched some fruits and veggies the children were unfamiliar with, such as:  star fruit, dragon fruit, pomegranate, bok-choy, and more.  On Tuesday, we had special guests, Sherry Joa, Megan and Jaylynn from the School of Nursing.  They led us through a lesson, where we discussed the 4 food groups, played a sorting game, sang some songs and then participated in a Bingo activity.

For French, our focus this March is also food (la nourriture).  We made “Je Suis Une Pizza” books this week and learned some new fruit and vegetable vocabulary through songs, rhymes, drama.

We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th with Mrs. Pankewich’s class in the afternoon.  The children wore shamrock necklaces.  We read some books about St. Patrick and leprechauns.  Check out the following videos:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA-YGKN7k_o

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

We made pot of gold containers on the 17^th to use during the “Ramona, St. Patrick’s Day, green celebration” on Friday afternoon.  I attended the Pats Game vs Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday evening and unfortunately, we lost 4-1.

NEXT WEEK:

« KEITHAN IS STAR OF WEEK MARCH 23^RD«

WINTER CARNIVAL ON THURS. 26^TH P.M.: suggested donation of $2.00 / child. Grade 7/8 students will lead them through outdoor play stations, as well as a warm-up station for hot chocolate.  Kids should dress for an afternoon of outdoor winter fun, with ski pants, mitts, toques, boots, rain boots, and lots of warm layers.

Thurs. Celebration of Learning Sessions: Please come with your child for your Celebration Session any time from 3:45 to 6:30 p.m.

Fri. 27^th (Day 2)          Fri. Celebration of Learning Sessions for some families this morning. Please come with your child for your Celebration Session any time from 8:15 to 11:30 a.m.  There is NO REGULAR SCHOOL Friday.

  «ANANDA IS STAR OF WEEK MARCH 30^TH«

March 9 2015 week with Ms. Selimos

Greetings Parents and Students,

Thank you very much to Louise and Fred, from the Outdoor Ed. Department, who took us to Boggy Creek Valley on Tuesday, for our Winter Field Study trip.  What an AWESOME day!  The sun was shining, and we discovered that temperatures at BCV by mid-afternoon were about 10 degrees Celsius with our thermometers!  Unbelievable!  The children truly enjoyed hiking through the “woods”, observing animal tracks, scats and learning about the beaver dam.  Fred showed the class a white-tailed deer antler.  In groups of 8, the children partook in 3 different science experiments; coloured paint and snow, thermometer study and “mouse” activity using film canisters filled with water.  Please have your child explain the results of each science inquiry.  We gathered tinder, kindling and fuel to create a teepee shape collection of wood, before starting the 2 fires using lint and a flint.  The children had the opportunity to try to create “sparks” using the flint, under adult supervision.  They respected the fire and carefully tried to roast their hotdogs and marshmallows with caution.  Following lunch cleanup and a bathroom break, Leader Louise explained the OWL & MOUSE game to the class and we had a blast playing the game a number of times.  Next, we hiked along the creek and discovered some quinzees (snow shelters). The children went inside them.  Finally, we found a hill which we climbed over and over and slid down.  Terry, the bus driver entertained us with his awesome tunes on the bus ride back to school.  The children enjoyed singing along.  A few did manage to fall asleep.  Haha!  HUGE thanks to parents; Asma, Jen, Katy and Andrea for joining us on our adventure!

We enjoyed making bannock last Wednesday, before the long weekend for the 2/3.  I hope you have had an opportunity to make it at home with your child. It is an easy, quick, delicious recipe with minimal ingredients.

We will be wrapping up Ramona next week.  The children have spent a few class periods working on their assigned chapter for the puppetry.  In small groups, they created the dialogue and have been practicing their performances using class puppets.

Urdu lessons are progressing nicely.  The children learned how to count to 5 (ek, do, tin, char, panch) and the names of some fruit with Ms. Hina.  As well, for French, the children are learning family vocabulary (mom, dad, brother, sister, baby, etc.)

Please check out the following link based on Mrs. Beckel’s Monday health lesson to the class:  Kids and recycling boy Curiosity Quest Goes Green

                        www.youtube.com/watch?v+fKCuqTYyBcM

1.  On Tuesday your child brought home a COUPON booklet for our Grant Road fundraiser.  Each booklet is $25 each if you are interested in purchasing or selling to family and friends.  Return unsold books to school asap.   

2.  Return blue file folder with your child’s work samples to school by Friday.

3.  ________________________________ has my permission to go with Ms. Selimos and Mrs. Pankewich’s Grade 2 classrooms by bus to the ROYAL SK. MUSEUM on Monday, April 13^th p.m. to view the First Nations Gallery as part of the Family Life program.  We will leave by bus shortly after lunch and return in time for the 3:30 p.m. dismissal.

____ YES, I have had a recent criminal record check and would like to volunteer.

____ YES, I have enclosed the $2.25 bus cost/museum fee. Bus = $1.25, RMS = $1.00

____ I choose to pay the $2.25 fees on-line (Parent Portal)                                                           _________________________                                                               Parent’s signature

March 2, 2015 week Bannock Making and More

Bonjour Parents and Students,

On Friday, we studied the Treaty 4 Flag, Saskatchewan Flag, Canada Flag and Metis Flag. Ask your child to tell you which symbols are on each of these 4 flags. Have your child tell you the colours of each flag, as well. 

Listen to this popular song about Canada with your child: This Land is Your Land   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSjMuKh1Wpo

Check out the following link about Regina and the raising of the Treaty Flag in 2011 at Regina’s City Hall.    http://cjme.com/story/photosvideo-treaty-4-flag-raising-reginas-city-hall/27445

Ramona writing activities this week included cartoon drawing and speech bubbles.  The children did a GREAT job illustrating their work and using capitals and punctuation.  In addition, they each wrote a personal letter to Ramona, who was sick and at home.  You will be able to see your child’s writing pieces displayed in the hallway when you come for the CELEBRATION OF LEARNING STATIONS in late March.  Today’s Ramona lesson and Monday’s will entail writing a puppet theatre dialogue which they will present in pairs next week.  

We continued with Urdu lessons with Miss Hina Momin on Tuesday.  We reviewed the first 12 letters, wrote a pop quiz and then continued on with the 6 following letters.

A fun French activity on Tuesday was cartooning, this time about Garfield and John and the ‘lil Jinx cartoons.  The children used their winter vocabulary and we created sentences on the whiteboard for them to use.  They really enjoyed this!

Mathematically, we have used ten rods and units, ten frames, lining up numbers in columns, 100 charts with skip counting by 10s and 1s.  For example:  28 +47 using a 100 chart . . . Find 28 on the 100 chart and count down the column by 10s… 28 +10+10+10+10+10 (so down 4 hops) and over 7 more.  Your child should be able to show you.   I continue to reinforce and to review expanding of numbers… 28 is the same as 20 + 8 and 47 is the same as 40 + 7… Then you group the tens together for easy addition and the ones.  I can demonstrate more at the Celebration of Learning Stations coming up in late March.

We have used the hundred chart to skip count forwards and backwards.  We have used place value mats (ten rods and units) and we have demonstrated “traditional” borrowing for subtraction.  Please practice these strategies at home with your child. See the photos.

BANNOCK/GALLETTE making experience will occur this afternoon.  We will begin today’s lesson with the story STORM AT BATOCHE, by Maxine Trottier, followed by the cooking activity.  Yesterday, the children wrote the recipe in their journals.  We hope you have a chance to make this delicious bannock at home with your child. 

As well, kindly send back your choice of CELEBRATION OF LEARNING  times as soon as possible. I did receive most on time, today.  Your child will receive his/her Term II Report Card on Friday, March 20^th.  The Celebration Stations will occur on the 26^th (evening) and the 27^th (morning) at the designated time of YOUR CHOICE.

This week we welcome Aazan (Gr. 3) and Alexandra (Gr. 2) to our classroom.

Our next Star of the Week (March 23^rd) will be Keithan.  Nana is the Star of the Week (March 30^th) following Keithan.

We WILL be going to BOGGY CREEK VALLEY on Tuesday, March 10^th, weather permitting.  Remember to dress in LAYERS!  Bring extra mittens and socks.  Bring a bottle of water and a hot dog to cook over an open fire.  

I am still looking for PARENT VOLUNTEERS.  Please email me or write in your child’s agenda.  I NEED HELP!

REMINDER:  GRADE 3s swim on Monday, March 9^th & Wednesday, March 11^th.

Ms. Selimos