Room 54

We did our Thank You Friday sharing circle to begin the day. Everyone who was here had something to be thankful for. Rafay got quite a few thank yous for making our new student Prisha feel welcomed and helped her out a lot. We are sad to hear that he is going to a new school next week. We have Monday with him so at least one more day. After this we began observing First Nation artifacts. There many objects displayed on the tables and students had to choose one at a time an artifact to focus on. The students were to sketch the object in their visual journals and respond to questions using their senses and any background knowledge they have. Making connections and using clues to make inferences were also very important for this activity. Today was our extra gym day and we played the new game Hoola Hut. We continued with the artifact observation after this to the end of the day. Reminders: - conference bookings open today

For Thinking Thursday this morning, the class worked on solving equations where there was an unknown on one side. We looked at how to solve these kinds of questions and found that there are 2 or 3 different ways. After this we worked on our stories again, getting them typed up and edited. The class was given a checklist to follow to make sure they had important information. We went to gym and then had some personal reading time. In the afternoon the class listened to 2 more episodes of 6 minutes. We had a discussion about why things were happening and what we thought was going on. Keeping the students honest about engaging in the story and having an opinion or being curious with a question. After this we re-visited the unknown equations from the morning. We reviewed the different strategies and counting on was the most visual using a number line. Some students were able to show that subtracting was a more efficient way to solve for an unknown number. For example: N + 56 = 234 startin

For Word Problem Wednesday the class solved a pattern word problem. Making a chart was a great help to solve because it showed a visible number pattern from which to find the rule. After this we looked at a new type of problem involving unknowns. We used a mobile as our balance system and had to work with the values given in order to find the missing values. The trick was to make sure the mobile stayed balanced. There was lots of mental math going on. The questions today were pretty easy and obvious but they will get more challenging. The class had music and gym and then worked on typing their stories.  After an indoor lunch because it was too cold to be outside, the class listened to 6 minutes and then read personally for a short time. Then the class worked on a practice page of addition questions so they didn't forget the process. We had a quick movement break then discussed and learned about the different Native Treaties that Canada has made with the many different First Natio

Our morning math was proving a pattern rule was either true or false. Communicating the reason why a rule was false was the important lesson out of this activity. The class had music then library to switch or re-new books. When back in the classroom the students worked on locating and colouring the different patterns they saw in the multiplication table. This chart we be available to use at all times during math as a reference for the basic facts. In gym there was a guest teacher. Once back in the room we tried to complete the colouring for the background.  In the afternoon, the class listened to 6 minutes and then responded to a question about this episode in their challenge books. Then the class took the rest of the afternoon to work on their map of Canada puzzle pieces. Putting the pieces together in the correct order was a challenge for some of them. The maritimes out east was the most challenging to put together, even with a map to follow.  Reminders: - Use MYCBE account to s

This morning for Mental Monday the class worked on solving rule machines that contained unknown values. Students needed to figure out the rule for each machine according to the pattern seen in the input and output numbers. Some rules were more obvious than others and some rules were two steps. The class couldn't figure out one machine rule, but could figure out the unknown numbers. This took longer than expected so then worked on typing the era stories and revising what was assessed according to the comments made. This work took the class until lunch. In the afternoon, the class listened to 6 minutes and then wrote in their challenge books to respond to the question of what concert would they want to go to and why. After this the class worked on putting a map of Canada together out of provinces. They had to cut the pieces and put them in the correct order. These pieces had the major cities on them in the correct locations. This work took to the end of the day and the class still

Our morning math for Thinking Thursday was using a pattern chart to find the rule for the problem. Then using that rule solve questions. Then we shifted gears and learned the area or box method of multiplying 2 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers. This is an easy way to break down multiplying large numbers into smaller more manageable numbers. After some practice, most students were able to solve equations using this method. This work took us to gym where the students played a game of bench ball. We read more from our novel Refugee after this. In the afternoon the class heard another episode of 6 Minutes then worked on a picture sort of images of different environments and ecosystems. Students worked in their table groups and had to communicate their ideas of what categories to create for the images, as well as support their ideas with reasons why an image should belong in a certain category. There were many common categories, as well as some unique categories for each of the images. Th

We started the day with Word Problem Wednesday and it was a problem that involved an unknown in the question and not the answer. Some of the class figured out how to solve it very quickly, and others took more time, and some were really challenged. The class went to music and gym and then had a special presentation given by Inside Education. The presentation was about electricity and where it comes from. Did you know that there are 8 ways to make electricity? There are 4 ways that are renewable and 4 ways that are non-renewable. Do you know the biggest way Alberta makes electricity? Ask your child all these questions and learn from them. After lunch the class listened to two more episodes of 6 Minutes. Then students worked on finishing the Pine Beetle questions and continued their backgrounds for the 'Say Something' poster. Reminders: - Friday is a PD day - tomorrow is special lunch if ordered

Morning math consisted was True or False questions to prove. Showing the proof was important. The class had music and then we continued with more multiplication math. Today we played a game that required rolling a die two times to get the numbers used and then representing those numbers as a multiplication fact in equal groups, writing it as '____groups of ____', showing the array (the correct one), writing it as repeated addition, and then as the multiplication equation with answer. The goal was to be the first player to 100 by adding the products of their rolls together. After this the class began working on a coloured background using creative designs and lots of colours that will be used for a "Say Something" poster throughout the year. The morning also included gym, the beep test. In the afternoon, the class listened to the next episode of 6 minutes as soon as they came in. Then students finished their maps of Canada and turned them in. After a short go noodle

This morning was mental Monday and we practiced adding large numbers using a strategy that we could do in our heads. Some students still found a solution using the traditional algorithm, but it was not nearly as efficient. For example: 2 375 + 1998 is easier to add 2 375 + 2 000 then subtract 2 from the answer. After this the class continued typing their era stories and sharing it with their teacher. They will have feedback given and then continue writing to improve their writing. Then we began math and finding out what the students knew about multiplication. They completed a Frayer model information page in their notebooks and then we discussed why 4 x 2 = 8. As a class we proved this equation many ways so that it made sense. Multiplication is our next concept and it is important to practice the basic facts as much as possible. There are many websites that have math games that practice all the different operations.   https://www.coolmath4kids.com/  is one to check out. In the afte

Thank You Friday started our day off in the right direction. Then we spent most of the day at the pond. While there we used our hearing listen carefully for any sound we heard when sitting in our nature nook. The whole class was very good at being quiet and listening to the sounds that surrounded them. All the sounds were recorded in their visual journals. We did two soundscapes while at the pond to see if there was a difference in what was heard at each the location. Once back in class we reviewed what was heard and made a class chart. We compared the different sounds and put them into categories of natural and man-made, or sounds that we would not expect to hear at a natural wetland ecosystem. It was found that there were more non-natural sounds at the Bridlewood Pond. The most prevalent sound was the noise from the vehicles on the road, which made it difficult to hear the quieter natural sounds like squirrels or birds chirping. A question was posed: How does this sound pollution aff

The morning began with a Thinking Thursday puzzle. It is pasted below. As a class, we went over the rules for each factory and figured out the missing numbers. The third factory was a challenge for figuring out the rule that related the input number to the output number. Can you figure out how the numbers go in as a number and come out as a different number? We continued working on the era stories and it is to the point where everyone will now have to begin typing. This took to snack and gym time. When back in the classroom there was a math check-in reviewing subtraction and addition. In the afternoon, the class listened to the next episode of 6 minutes and then responded to a question about it. This checked to see who is listening and paying attention. After a quick break outside to take advantage of the weather, the class completed a reading comprehension. Today's Canadian Reader was all about the Mountain Pine Beetle and what some of the trees in the forest are doing to d

Word Problem Wednesday this morning was fairly straight forward. It was subtraction word problem, which everyone was able to complete successfully. The class went to music and gym and then worked on their era stories when they came back. It was large amount of time given after snack because we want more students to be finishing up the rough copy and beginning on the typing as soon as possible. In the afternoon we continued listening to the story started yesterday told in 6 minute episodes. Today we listened to the first episode again because we didn't finish it yesterday and then listened to the 2nd episode too. After this the class finished their self-reflection and goal making regarding citizenship, character and personal development in learning. We had a fresh air break and then worked on practicing subtracting for a quiz tomorrow. Based on what was completed today, almost everyone is able to solve a subtraction equation successfully. Some students found errors in their own wo

Welcome back to a new week. True or False Tuesday started us off on the right foot to get our brains working again after a long weekend. The class had music and then worked on subtraction practice. Today students could use any strategy, even the new exploding dots method taught today, to solve straight up subtraction problems. It was encouraged to perform a double check to make sure the answer was correct. The class worked on math until gym and then we read from Refugee.  After lunch we continued the section of reading then responded to a question about the book. Both Mahmoud and Josef's family were told that they would have to wait until tomorrow to get what they desperately wanted, which was to get on a boat to freedom, or get off a boat to freedom. How this would make them feel was the question. After working on this, we discussed Citizenship, Character in Learning and Personal Growth through Learning. After explaining and discussing what each of these learning areas are and h

Today was a very memorable day. There were some very nice thank-yous during our Thank You Friday circle and then we worked on some art to go along with the Remembrance Day haiku poems we made. Then the school honoured Remembrance Day with a very touching assembly. There were lots of students with special parts including some of our class reciting their haiku poem along with some other grade 4/5s. The Div II choir sang two songs and Ms. Sleno and Ms. King's class sang the Flander's Field song. A few grade 6's shared their letters, which were very deep and the school was addressed by a sergeant from the military. Please have a memorable Monday November 11, as we all remember those who sacrificed so much for us. Reminders: - No school Monday - see you Tuesday

The class interpreted a bar graph for their Thinking Thursday morning math. Today's graph was a lesson in being able to read bars and scales accurately even if the bar does not match up to a number on the scale perfectly. Some estimation is needed. Then we had the 5 poem readers read their poems to the class so they had practice with pauses and volume for a larger group. The poems sound pretty good! After this the class worked on a math challenge that really stumped all of them. As a class we discussed the instructions and read them carefully. Each student was to write down every attempt or strategy they had that they used to try and solve the problem. It was important that they include all their attempts because showing their thinking even if it was the incorrect solution was important. The class had gym and then worked on trying to figure out the challenge until lunch. In the afternoon the question to respond to was a moral or ethical question. What would you do if you found a

Morning math was solving a word problem. Today the problem could have been solved in a number of different ways. Repeated addition, repeated subtraction and even division if they were feeling confident. Music and gym followed and then the class worked on revising their haiku poem and self assessing, or if they wanted to make a new poem and self assess the new one. The students who are going to share their haiku poem at the Remembrance Day assembly practiced reciting their poem with effective pauses and clear volume. In the afternoon the challenge book question was reflecting on how they are good students. It was a very personal and reflective entry. After this the class worked on completing a map of Canada by using the cut out labels to paste onto a map. Students were to glue on the names of all ten provinces, 3 territories, all the capital cities, including the capital of Canada, labelling the salt water oceans that border Canada, and labelling the 5 Great Lakes. This activity took

True or False Tuesday started the day and most students were able to show their proof whether the statements were true or not. The class went to music and then was introduced to a new subtraction strategy. This strategy was taught by a couple of classmates since it is a strategy they really like to use. It is an exploding dots method that can be found at:   https://www.explodingdots.org/station/I4S10   This video uses antidots to show how the subtraction works, but in class we jumped to the number method using the negative symbol to show when there was trouble. We will continue to practice this new strategy along with the traditional method. This is another method to subtract, but is not the only one to use. Each student is encouraged to use the strategy that they understand most, but it is expected to at least give each strategy a try and maybe find a new or different understanding of subtraction. After math we had gym and then made a page in our visual journals for the 3 differen

Welcome to a new month! We began with some mental math Monday questions to get our brains back into thinking. Then we used a program called doppelme to create a small avatar of ourselves. These avatars will be used in the class as references to show opinions and perspectives of big questions for the rest of the year. These will be on a wall along a sliding scale and can be moved to show a difference or growth of a certain view point. After this we created the November calendar in our visual journals. To end the morning we read the book A Poppy is to Remember and began writing another haiku about Remembrance Day.  In the afternoon the challenge book question was why is Remembrance Day important and why is there 2 minutes of silence at 11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month? Then the class worked on writing their Era stories about going back in time to the First Nations, Settlers and of course the Modern time periods. Students are comparing how each type of people lived and used the l