I thought I would send the weekly update a day early since we have so many things happening during this next week!

Christmas Concert Information:  On Monday evening the concert begins at 6:30 pm.  All doors to the gym and foyer will open at 5:45.  I will be at the portable at 6:00 so you are welcome to send your child to the classroom between 6:00 – 6:15.  After the concert is over all students will be returning to the portable and will wait there to be picked up.

Christmas Concert dress:  students can wear their favourite Christmas outfit or they can wear regular street wear adding winter items such as toques, scarf, vest, winter boots etc.

Social Studies Quiz:  Next Wednesday students will be having a Canada Map quiz.  A study guide has been sent home today and we would appreciate you helping your child prepare for this quiz.

Ski Trip Registration:  There is one week left to register for the ski trip!  Please head over to Mr. Hancock’s blog to register!  http://mrhclassblog.edublogs.org/

Class Christmas Lunch & White Elephant Gift Exchange –  Next Wednesday, December 18th we will have our class lunch and white elephant gift exchange.  We ask that each child bring a wrapped $5 gift for our gift exchange as well as a lunch item to share with the class.  Below I have written a class list as well as the item that I would like your child to bring.

Ruben– 300 grams lunch meat                     Jesse – small veggies & dip

Grace – 300 grams lunch meat                     Caleb – small fruit platter

Payton – 300 grams lunch meat                   Barnabas – 300 grams lunch meat

Zyana – dessert for 10                                Calleigh – 1 dozen buns, sliced

Mya– 1 dozen buns, sliced                           Zachary  – sliced cheese

Riley– sliced cheese                                    Jeriel – 1 litre pop or juice

Jackson– 1 litre pop or juice                         Evelyn – 1 dozen buns, sliced

Owen– 1 litre pop or juice                             Liam– 1 bag chips

Michael– 1 bag chips                                     Josh – 1 bag chips

Mrs. Riley– dessert for 10                              Kamali – 1 bag chips

Lavinia – 300 grams of lunch meat                Arianna – 1 bag of chips

Nora – dessert for 10                                      Dyllan – 1 dozen buns, sliced

Rebecca – small fruit platter                           Katlin – small veggies & dip

Mrs. G  – plates, napkins, cups, condiments, chips

We are Planet Protectors!!!  We have been busy learning about garbage, waste and a whole lot more!  Yesterday afternoon we watched a CBC Marketplace piece that explored how large grocery stores throw out huge amounts of food each week!  We have also been learning how we as families throw out about $700 worth of food a year!  Yikes!  We then decided to see how our intermediate department fares in terms of wasting perfectly good food!  Each table group took a different classes garbage bins and sorted through the garbage.  What we found was shocking!  We found a variety of uneaten goods – from cookies, fruit, sandwiches, sealed snacks and yogurts.  The class was appalled…and for good reason!  We talked about how ‘knowledge is power’ and how we, as a class of Grade 5’s, can create change!  We brainstormed ideas and came up with a plan:

• have a bake sale to raise money to purchase compost bins
• educate our department on the waste we create
• teach them how to use compost bins in their classrooms
• maintain the compost bins via our school garden compost bin

This is the project that we will be documenting and submitting for the Science World Green Games.  If we win the games then we will receive an overnight at Science World as our prize!  Yesterday was an AMAZING afternoon – for me as a teacher and for the students.  There was authentic learning taking place and the class was so passionate about taking action and making a difference in our school community!  I am excited to see where this journey will take us!

Here is the link to the video if you would like to watch it.  There were some ‘commercial breaks’ – just be aware in case some content is questionable.  https://youtu.be/QLqkV8cP4xs

Thursday Movie Afternoon & Early Dismissal:  Just a reminder that next Thursday afternoon we are watching “The Star” in the chapel as an intermediate department.  Students can bring their pillows/comfy blankets as well as snacks to eat during the movie.  Students will be dismissed right after the primary Christmas Concert, which will end at approx. 2pm.