It was a busy week in the Grade 5 classroom! We had a flurry of activity – we finished our first Math unit, spent the week learning about the Scientific Method with gummy worms, learned about and participated in the Terry Fox Run, and began learning the French alphabet!
Here are some things coming up over the next week:
Comfort Kits: I have received many comfort kits. If you have not sent your child’s in, please do so as soon as possible.
Class Store: Thursday afternoon we will have our first class store. THANK YOU for all the donations sent – we certainly have enough stuff for Thursday’s shopping spree. We are always accepting donations – feel free to send them in over the next couple of weeks.
Short Week: This week we have a short week – Friday is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Orange Shirt Day: Thursday students can wear orange shirts and they will be participate in a variety of learning activities during the week that are centered around residential schools and their impact on Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Headphones Needed: We have started using our Chromebooks and students will need to have a set of headphones this week. Please send some along if you haven’t already.
Upcoming Dates:
Thursday, Sept 29th – Orange Shirt Day
Friday, Sept 30th – Truth and Reconciliation Day (no school)
Friday, October 7th – Pro D Day
Monday, October 10 – Thanksgiving
Friday, October 14 – Knight’s Day
Friday, October 21st – Pro D Day
Tuesday, October 25th – School Photo Retakes
Wednesday, October 26th – Fall Colour Day
Photos from Gummy Worm Scientific Method Experiment…Enjoy!
I hope you are having a great weekend! I forgot to mention that on Wednesday we will be doing our Terry Fox Run. We are asking students to bring a ‘toonie for Terry’ on Wednesday. All of the funds raised will help further cancer research.
We had a great first full week of school here in the Grade 5 classroom! This class is FULL of amazing kids and I feel so blessed to teach them this year!
Here’s a snapshot of what we did:
Math – we started working on our multiplication facts and also are working on a small pattern unit.
Language Arts – we’ve been learning about Metacognition – thinking about our thinking. When reading, it’s important to decode text & think about what you are reading. The pictures below show students ‘reading’ wordless books – they used thinking stems to help them think and figure out what was happening in the story. We also worked on some spelling strategies, did some vocabulary work as well as a writing assessment
Science & Bible – we put these two subjects together for our first unit on Growth Mindset. This is focused on the way we ‘talk’ to ourselves and view challenges. We spent some time going into the Bible and seeing what God says about us (we are his workmanship, we should not fear, be brave, we are loved, created in the image of God…to name a few) and then made some Growth Mindset promises that we will hopefully take with us this year!
Art – we have been beautifying our classroom this week! Last week we created some cute posters and this week we started self portraits in the style of an artist named Amedeo Modigliani. We will finish those up next week.
Information for you…
Comfort Kits:
Dear Parents/Guardians September 12, 2022 Re: Comfort Kits
As part of Highroad Academy’s emergency management plan, each child will need an individual comfort kit. We need your help to complete these kits.
Comfort Kits:
Label a large Ziploc bag with your child’s name.
Add a family photo. On the back of the photo, please print the child’s name, parent’s contact phone numbers, a secondary contact person’s phone number and care card number. List any allergies, if applicable. (Note: If your child requires an Epi-pen or special medications, it is the parent’s responsibility to supply the office with the required Rx for your child).
In addition to the photo, please include the following in this bag:
Chewing gum
Two peanut-free granola or fruit bars or other non-perishable, high energy snack
Two Band Aids
Small personal item (optional) – for example, cards, toy
Solar foil blanket (Dollar Store)
Rain poncho (Dollar Store)
Small package of tissue
Everything must fit into the Ziploc bag, including the foil blanket and poncho.
Please return your child’s comfort kit to the classroom teacher no later than October 6th, so that we may include it in the class tote. Remember, this small personal kit can make a difference to the well-being of your child in an emergency. If you have any questions, please check with your child’s teacher.
Thank you,
Ian Hancock
Head of Elementary
No School on Monday: School will be closed on Monday as a day of mourning to mark Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
Meet the Teacher on Thursday: Due to school being closed on Monday, meet the teacher will be moved to next Thursday, September 22nd.
Upcoming Dates:
Monday, September 19th – No school
Thursday, Sept 22nd – Parent Welcome Night
Friday, Sept 23rd – Knight’s Day
Thursday, Sept 29th – Orange Shirt Day
Friday, Sept 30th – Truth and Reconciliation Day (no school)
Week one is in the books! It was sooooo lovely to meet this class of amazing students. I am very excited to spend the year teaching them and learning together!
Each week I will send a blog update (usually Fridays or Saturdays) and you’ll notice that they will follow a very similar format. I will often give you a snapshot of what we’ve been up to, let you know of any announcements or upcoming events, add a calendar of the month and I will try my best to add photos for you to enjoy.
Here’s a snapshot of what we did this week:
spent some time getting to know each other through a fun activity using toilet paper
attempted to build a tall tower with minimal materials
discussed our one class rule (respect) and how it can be applied to our classroom
applied for and received their first classroom job
focused our morning devotions on giving our worries and anxieties to God
used candies to demonstrate our Math learning
made some art to beautify our classroom
A Few Announcements & Things Coming Up:
Chromebook Acceptable Use: The IT department is asking each family to fill out an acceptable use policy for the chromebooks we use in our classroom. Please fill this out as soon as possible. http://link.highroadacademy.com/chromebook/
Individual Photos on Tuesday: Tuesday morning our students will be getting individual photos taken. They are scheduled after recess but before PE.
Reading Challenge: We have started a ‘reading challenge’ in our classroom. I have challenged the students to a game of ‘beat the teacher’. Students have until October 10th to read as many chapter books as possible. For this first challenge I have allowed students to read graphic novels and any chapter books of their choosing. On October 10th we will reveal how many books we have completed, and any student who has read more books than I have will win a slurpee! If your child completes a book at home, please put a quick note in their planner or on a piece of paper to verify it’s been read. I am asking students a question about the book to ensure they’ve read it – you are welcome to do the same!
Class Economy Treats: We are starting to collect treats for our classroom store. I have a couple of items purchased but the store is mainly stocked by families. As Halloween treats are out right now, a box of some treat would be very appreciated. Many students go through their toys and find things they don’t use anymore – those make great store items (books, stickers, small stuffies, craft items etc.). Any donations will be greatly appreciated.
September Calendar
Tuesday, Sept 13th – School photos
Friday, Sept 16th – Knight’s Day
Monday, Sept 19th – Parent Welcome Night
Friday, Sept 23rd – Knight’s Day
Thursday, Sept 29th – Orange Shirt Day
Friday, Sept 30th – Truth and Reconciliation Day (no school)
First Week Video…enjoy!
The first day of school we talked about first day of school worries or anxieties. Our verse for the day of Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” We then wrote down things we may be worried about on a piece of paper, prayed over our worries, ripped them up and put them into a jar. We then each took some ‘worry confetti’ and tossed it into the year, claiming a ‘happy school year’.
Welcome to the Grade 5 class blog. I am so excited to be starting a new year with you and look forward to getting to know you and your family.
On the first day of school, a letter will be sent home to parents. It will be one of the last paper newsletters that you will see. All class information, notifications, assignments, important dates, etc will be posted here during the year.
I will subscribe you to the class blog. You will receive an email to confirm the subscription and then every time I make a new post it will come straight to your inbox. I am looking forward to a great year together!
Tomorrow we will be sorting through our school supplies – please send them with your child! =)
I thought I’d share some pictures of my family and our fun summer! Enjoy!
