Dresser drawers

We focused on making sure our writing is clear for our reader today during our 25 minute silent write!  One way to make sure our writing is clear is to group ideas together.  So we visualized our dresser drawers in our bedrooms.  They are meant to keep our clothes organized.  If we had to put our clothes into one box mayhem would insue.  It's the same with our writing.  The drawers of our dresser are like the paragraphs of our writing.  Real drawers help us to organize our clothes, invisible drawers help us organize writing. Paragraphs.  Since we are writing about our families we decided that a good organizational tool would be a paragraph for each person.  So we wrote and wrote this morning 4 to 5 interesting sentences about our family.  In multiple paragraphs.  It's exhausting really.

Read 20/10
Pillars of Care assembly tomorrow at 8:15
No school Monday

Math Homework

Some of us have math homework.  Please ask your little learner if they have subtraction of 3 digit math homework.  We answered questions using subtraction and then sorted those questions into ones that required us to borrow, ones that had zero's in them and ones where there was no need to stop.  Homework due tomorrow please.

For Pink Shirt day today we read The Invisible Boy - a classic tale of friendship, belonging and the power of being recognized.  We talked about what the story might mean for our classroom and we had a great discussion.  I wish you had been here.  Students then wrote to me about someone in our classroom who might feel invisible some times and how they could make that person feel seen, heard and loved.  So proud of the little learners in this classroom.  They nailed this.  We all now have a secret mission to look for the invisible and give them opportunities to be included, make friendships and feel like they belong.

Pillars of Care assembly Friday @ 8:15 in our gym!
No school Monday

FAST

Ask your little learner about the acronym FAST - we had a presentation today from the Heart and Stroke Foundation who were promoting their fund raiser Jump Rope For Heart, but they also taught us this quick reminder to help someone in need during a stroke.  (FAST stands for Face, Arms, Speech and Time)

Pink Shirt Day tomorrow - we talked about the bully, the bullied and the bystander today.  All three are important components.  Also important to note that bullying means a targeted and repeated behaviour.  Being looked at funny one time is not a situation of bullying.

Pillars of Care assembly Friday at 8:15 am
Read 20/10

Instrument Creation

In a backpack near you are the instructions for a musical instrument project that is due Thursday March 19.  Please be assured you are not to go out and buy anything just support your little learner with a trip to the public library to look for books or search the internet together to find ideas.  We have already built a pan flute in the classroom so that instrument is not a choice.  The marking rubric is included with the instructions.  Have fun.  Be creative.

Wednesday is Pink Shirt Day in Canada - please wear pink in support of our no bullys allowed approach.

We continue to review regrouping of multi -digit numbers.  Today we sorted questions that required regrouping and questions that did not require regrouping to be sure we understand the notion of 'more on the floor go next door.'

Jump Rope for Heart assembly tomorrow morning in support of the Heart and Stroke.  Information will come home tomorrow.

Viola Desmond

We met Viola Desmond today.  Viola Desmond is on the new Canadian $10.00 bill.  She worked to change civil rights in Canada.  Her biography is well written and had this classroom captivated.  As we read more and more biographies we are meeting some very interesting people!!

More practise is required for subtraction of bigger numbers (up to 1000) . Today we worked with our table groups to use an algorithm and regroup.  This is hard work for all of us.  Any opportunity you have to give your little learner practise questions would be helpful and then have them explain the steps they are taking.

Read 20/10
Fun lunch tomorrow

Regrouping

Using base 10 blocks we reviewed subtraction of larger numbers this morning.  We built numbers on the hundreds mat and then used blocks to build numbers such as 73.  Then we had to take away 18.  This requires little learners to go into the tens column and take a whole ten over into the ones place and regroup (change that 10s rod into 10 ones blocks).  This is REALLY difficult for us.  All of us.  To see that we can't have a small number such as 3 and take away 8 is hard.  Little learners want to change the numbers around and make it be 8-3.  We need to have the ability to build numbers and regroup under our belts before we can begin to understand an algorithm.  Our work will continue tomorrow.

Ask your child about Ruby Bridges.  We read her biography today and then started to write her a letter of encouragement and hope.  We are telling Ruby all about Beddington and what she could expect if she went to school with us!  While writing this letter we will focus on indenting our paragraphs, writing topic sentences and including 4 or 5 supporting sentences.

We started to build pan flutes in science to show our understanding of pitch.  Please watch for a notice coming home about building a musical instrument at home.

We were in the library today so everyone has new books for reading tonight.  Read 20/10

Reminders

Ask your little learner about their experience with Elev8 lacrosse today. 

Reminders:

• Fun lunch Thursday Feb. 20 on-line order Subway
• Recorder orders due in for music
• Coffee with the principal tomorrow 7:45 to 8:45
• No school Thursday and Friday for Teacher's Convention
• Monday February 17 is Family Day

Read 20/10 we were in the library today for book exchange and everyone has a new book.

Somebody Loves You!

Valentine's Day is on our minds and in our hearts!!  We read, 'Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch' and were swept away by how one little valentine could change a person's whole being.  Little learners are now making a tree map graphic organizer about themselves.  I love that I can/am/have

Children are welcome to bring Valentine cards to school on Wednesday - at our morning meeting today we discussed a Valentine card for everyone or no one - it is a choice there are no expectations. 

No school Thursday or Friday this week and Monday next.

See you tonight!

Math night from 6 - 8 pm tonight.
All the grade 3's will be in room 12 and 13 to play games.

See you then!!

Henna

In a back pack near you is a little notice regarding having henna decorated on our hands.  Your student needs to have the slip signed and returned in order to participate.  Henna is often used at wedding ceremonies in India.  We only have one artist who will see students through the month of February.

Ask your little learner about the worry doll they have pinned to their shirt.  This is from our in-service today from Teacher's Pet.  Please ask your learner about the four centres they participated in this morning.  Thank you to our volunteers who helped out!!  We can't run programs like this without your support.

Math night Thursday Feb. 6 6 - 8 pm

Teacher's Pet

Tomorrow we will discover what life is like in Peru.  Teacher's Pet will be here to lead us through centres and we will each have a worry doll to bring home.  Please make sure you have sent forms and $10.00 to cover costs.  We will have snack early to accommodate the instructor.

Math night Thursday Feb. 6 come and see our MART around multiplication!!

Read 20/10