Parent portal

Welcome Students and Parents of 6C!

I’m excited and pleased to be your child’s teacher this school year. 

Upon arrival on Thursday, after 8:05 am, returning grade six students will make their way directly up to their class.  For new students traveling on the bus or getting dropped off, find an adult on supervision to guide you in the right direction.  We are in room 318 on the top floor. 

The classroom sink can be used for bottle refill, so please ensure that your child packs a water bottle among their other items (indoor shoes, lunch, snack,etc…).  The book(s) your child is/are currently reading will also come in handy those first few days for silent reading.

Also on that first day, the students will be sent home with an information package for your review.  Please note that most of the documents require your signature and the office has asked that the forms remain stapled together in their original order.  Kindly return the forms at your earliest convenience.

Basic school supplies will be provided; however, purchasing headphones, I recommend cheap, and a Bescherelle (L'art de conjuguer) is recommended as useful tools for both at school and home this year.  They will get lots of use!

Pickup is common on the first day of school.  If your child is either walking or getting picked up, kindly include a note to avoid any confusion. 

Check out the class website for future information and posted updates.  In ways, it currently reflects last year but it will be updated in the first few weeks of school when photo consent forms are returned.

I look forward to meeting the students tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Bryan Bradley

Eliot River Elementary School

bpbradley@edu.pe.ca

Homework is posted online.  It should be visible above.   You can also use the following link to stay updated on what's being posted: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=Y181aXYzOHNwaWhlMTNua2IzOWhoNmtqOGdvb0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t

Homework summary:

French and English reading - we rotate between French and English weeks with the students reading daily at home.  This is first nature for some while more laborious for others.  We have a classroom library, a school library, and a local public library.  The students have access to lots of reading and are encouraged to be reading regularly at both home and school.

There is a verb of the week that the students are expected to conjugate in the past (passé composé et imparfait), present, and future (futur simple).  They are tested on said verb each Thursday.  At first, we will ease into it but after 'avoir' and 'être', we pick up speed.  Since the assigned verbs are posted in advance, those who require extra review time have the luxury of getting an early start.  There are some games posted in the Student Portal to help with at home review.

Spelling tests will be on most English reading weeks when there is school on a Friday.  The list will be reviewed on a Monday or a Tuesday and the test will take place on that Friday.  The amount of necessary review required varies by the individual. 

Math finish work.  Math not completed in class is assigned for homework.  Again, the amount of work sent home will vary by the individual and how class time was used.  Don't speak French?  There's access to the English version of the math book in pdf format.  Simply click on the math book tab above to gain access.

Dear Families,

I hope this message finds you well. It has been a pleasure getting to know your child over the last week and a bit. Last night, it was equally nice meeting parents at Meet the Teacher.

Here's what we will be working on in the coming weeks:

In English, we will focus on writing strategies to craft a memoir. Students have been asked to think about a significant memory from their lives that they will eventually turn into a story. We will engage in various writing practices to apply the strategies taught, which will also enhance their French writing in realistic fiction.

In French, students will be developing a realistic fiction piece. They will utilize strategies aimed at bringing their writing to life through vivid descriptions. Just yesterday, we explored how to describe the emotion of anger, emphasizing the "Show, Don't Tell" technique to create more impactful writing. I'm very pleased with their efforts on our first grammar test—well done, 6C!

In math, we have been working on reading large numbers, reinforcing basic operations from grade five, and understanding place value. This will continue to be our focus for the next week or so.  Some students have committed to extra practice of their multiplication facts at home.  Having confidence in this area will serve them well with future grade six outcomes.  

On a side note, the students learned some of the basics for chess.  Every Friday morning, we'll get out the boards and have some fun.

Thank you for your support, and I look forward to an exciting year together!

Regards,

Bryan Bradley

Dear Families,

I wanted to share some updates on what we’ve been working on in class.

In math, the students completed a second basic operations test on Friday, which reviewed material from grade 5. The corrected tests were sent home, and students were asked to show you their results—no need to sign and return them; the fridge is a great place for them! Over the next two weeks, we will have two more such tests focused on bringing their skills up to grade level. This was a wonderful opportunity to discuss fixed and growth mindsets. The next test is scheduled for Friday. Additionally, we are exploring big and large numbers in math and we have moved on to positive and negative integers.

In French, students have been working on inferring emotions in their writing. We discussed how to express emotions non-verbally, encouraging them to describe feelings rather than simply stating them. They also wrote about what they want me to know about them, incorporating our learning about emotions and plurals. Also, I'm pleased to report that they achieved a 94% class average on their most recent verb test—great job!

In English, we have been practicing new writing strategies, particularly focusing on using dialogue effectively. Recently, we learned about dialogue tags and will soon delve into using them to convey emotion.

Dear Families,

I wanted to share some updates on what we’ve been working on in class.

In French, we used narrative techniques to plan our realistic fiction stories and explored how to depict character emotions through a curve that illustrates their journey. Over the past weeks, we've focused on essential writing skills, including paragraphing, dialogue, and using dialogue tags to convey emotion. We analyzed mentor texts, including past students' work, to see these strategies in action. Our anchor charts and interactive board help keep these concepts at the forefront as students work diligently to enhance their writing.

In science, we are learning about space.

In English, we recently completed the rough draft of our memoirs. Although some students are still finalizing their drafts beyond the deadline, I am thrilled to see their commitment to improvement. We are now in the editing phase, emphasizing paragraph structure and addressing run-on sentences. It's exciting to witness students actively seeking feedback and making thoughtful revisions to their work.

In math, students tackled their fraction test, a challenging concept this year. I've noticed a positive shift in their approach to learning, with some advocating for additional practice and staying after class to reinforce what we've covered. We're now gearing up to dive into percentages and ratios.

Thank you again for your support. It’s rewarding to see our students grow and excel!

Best regards,

Bryan

Here are a few parent prompts for the supper table:

-I hear that you filmed yourself in French, what's that about?

-How do you feel you did on the fraction test?  How did you prepare for the quiz?

-I hear that your grammar test results are always emailed to you, may I have a look in your gmail?

-How's the class doing on the battery challenge?

- How do you say Pownal in 6C?  Why?

-I hear your teacher has an irrational fear of sharks.  What's that about?

- How did you like Hatchet?  What about Najma dans les étoiles?

Dear Families,

I wanted to share a brief update on our focus in French class.

As you know, there's a real focus on verb conjugation. The goal behind this is to write and speak with increased precision and accuracy using the past, present, and future tenses. 

Students have been recording themselves talking about what they did over the weekends. This is helpful because I hear details I wouldn’t get in a class conversation. Takeaways from these recordings are that we are mixing up our tenses, we are inserting too much English into our French, and we need to work on our past participles (j'ai boire vs. j'ai bu).

Based on these takeaways, we created a common error list and a list of things to avoid. This has also guided my teaching. Presently, we are learning when to use the passé composé and when to use imparfait (both are past tenses). To enhance vocabulary, students are learning specific temporal markers for both of these tenses.

For tomorrow's recording, students will explain how the phones of the past differ from the phones of the present. In doing so, they will need to use the imperfect and the temporal markers provided to them (for example: while, when I was, often, every day). If you could have a short conversation with your child about phones of the past—party lines, rotary phones, etc.—that would be very helpful to them.

Thank you again for your support.

Subject: Postcards, Solar System Dioramas, and Decimal Practice

Dear Families,

This week students will redesign the cover of our French read‑aloud book as a postcard and send their artwork to another school. Kindly send a postage stamp with your child by next Monday so we can mail their work. We will also be receiving postcards from the partner school over the next few weeks.

In French science, we are learning about the solar system. Each student has been assigned a planet and will create a diorama showing how they would colonize that planet. They will research survival challenges and design creative solutions. Please send a shoebox with your child for the last week, December 15th - 19th, so they can finish their project.

In math, we are working on multiplying and dividing decimal numbers. We began today with estimation to build number sense and will move into procedural practice this week.

Thank you again for your help.

Dear Families,

Thank you for your ongoing support — a quick update on what we’re doing in class:

We have completed our postcards; please check them out on the Student Work page. The weather doesn’t look promising for walking them to the post office tomorrow — the students and I don’t like those winds. They feel we should try again next week and I agree. Since many students have never mailed a letter, this will be a valuable learning opportunity. I will give you a heads-up as we get closer to that day. Thank you to those who sent in extra stamps — some were put to use.

The students have researched their planets and will now create dioramas showing how to colonize their planet and overcome its dangers. Most shoeboxes have arrived, so we can start as early as tomorrow. I will provide modeling clay, paint, string, colored paper, and similar supplies. Students were asked to think about any additional materials they might bring in to bring their designs to life (i.e. Lego); some are drawing up plans to help visualize their projects. We also reviewed examples from previous years in class.

A big thank you to one of our scientific parents who donated petri dishes — you can see the first picture on the Student Work page. We are learning about the Tree of Life and how each branch is interconnected. Soon we’ll begin a research project now that students have chosen an animal to focus on. This project will emphasize behavioral adaptations and structural features that help each animal survive in its habitat and will span much of the term.

In math, we continue to focus on estimating and multiplying decimal numbers greater and smaller than 1.

Next week, the learning continues in a fun, relaxed approach.

Thank you again for your support.

Thank you for your continued support — the countdown is on: there are 4 school days left before Christmas vacation.

Over the next few days our main academic goal is to complete our integrated French language arts and science diorama project. The paint, modeling clay, even sparkles (yikes!) are out. We are hard at it and expect to finish before the vacation.

We are working this project around Junior Achievement. A volunteer from Investco is teaching the students about money management and budgeting with the goal of helping them learn how to start a business.

Regarding bacteria growth, the students were curious to see the changes that took place over the extended weekend.  There's an updated picture for your viewing pleasure on the  Student Work section of this website (the link is at the top right of this page).  I heard a lot of, "Gross!" this morning.

A few logistical notes: some grade six classes are scheduled to go to Westwood for book buddies, but we will not have the luxury of time for that this week. However, the students and I have planned some special activities over the next few days (this is also posted on Google Calendar):

• PJ Day tomorrow

• Mario Kart tournament on Thursday and Friday

• The movie Home Alone 2 on Thursday (students may bring a small snack if they wish)

• Mailing their postcards on Friday — departure time is approximately 9:45 AM (weather permitting)

• Chrome fun, Reindeer Games, school read aloud, and bingo on Friday

Thank you again for your support and for helping make these last days of the 2025 school year meaningful and fun for the students.  

Warmest wishes for the holiday season,

Bryan

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! A big shoutout to the students who have truly excelled in their grammar tests. What was once a challenging area at the start of the year has now become a strength. They are recognizing patterns, making test review much easier. To celebrate their success, they enjoyed an ice cream party before Christmas. Well done, students! Please note that they are asked to email you their results following each test written on Thursday.

Here's what's happening in 6C:

French: Last Friday, 6C hosted grades 5 and 6 FI students to showcase our solar system projects. Students chose a planet, conducted research, and created innovative colonization plans. The showcase was a success, and feedback from teachers was positive. Students were asked to take home their infographics and dioramas to present their work to you. Photos of their creations can be found in the Student Work section of this site. We have now moved on to book clubs. Over the next few days, we'll focus on our read-aloud, The War That Saved My Life, as we prepare for our French book club unit. Today, we analyzed a character from the book, described them, and used details (their actions, dialogue, thoughts) to support our answers. We're taking quotes to support our understanding of the author's intent, characters, and their motivations. We'll explore themes, compare characters, and more.

English: We are well into our Diversity of Life research project. Today's lesson will focus on the importance of using multiple sources (parable of the blind men and the elephant—they can elaborate more after school). Soon, we'll move on to the writing phase, which promises to be a lot of fun. The enthusiasm for this project is contagious, and I hope it continues into the presentation phase. In a few weeks, you'll likely see them practicing their presentations at home.

Math: We are still working on multiplying and dividing decimals and will be tested on this at the end of the week or the beginning of next.

The forecast for this Friday's trip to Orwell Corner looks favorable. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for spending a large portion of the day outdoors. Note that lunch orders will not be delivered to Orwell; instead, they will be available when we return to school (2 pmish). Please ensure your child brings a packed lunch that day.

Student-led conferences - This term, 6C will host student-led conferences where students present their learning to parents during Parent Teacher Conferences. While I will be there to support, the responsibility is on the students to showcase their learning, fostering a greater sense of ownership. This shift empowers students to engage more deeply with their education.

To prepare, we are organizing learning portfolios. Recent math tests on multiplication and division will be included in these portfolios, so they won't be sent home as usual. We'll review the tests in class to allow students to learn from their mistakes.

Students know their results and are encouraged to share them with you. If you'd like to review the test with your child, please let me know, and I'll send it home. Kindly ensure it is returned for proper filing.

Book clubs - We've initiated book clubs earlier than planned to accommodate a student teacher starting on February 9th. To create a more authentic experience, students have the option to bring snacks (no nuts) for their groups. This is purely optional, with no expectations or pressure involved, recognizing how busy everyone is.  How are the clubs going?  Day 1 provided us with the opportunity to grow.  How did the students respond on Day 2?  They knocked it out of the park.  Well done students!

Math - we're getting warmed up to order of operations.

Integrated science and language arts unit (Diversity of Life) - Writing can sometimes flow effortlessly, while at other times it may not. The students have been using their English class to work on their Diversity of Life reports. I provide them with a general writing schedule each day. For some, class time is productive, while others may find it less so. Yesterday, we agreed on a specific milestone to reach by the end of the day, with the possibility of finishing up as homework. They were advised not to feel overwhelmed by this and future guidelines. It's important to stay organized, and if they find themselve behind by the end of the week, they will have the weekend to catch up. The daily plan will be discussed with the students to ensure that expectations remain reasonable.  How's it going?  Exceptionally well!

Hello!

I’d like to welcome our student teacher, Priya, to 6C. She’ll be with us for five weeks while she completes her teacher training at UPEI. Priya previously worked as a French monitor and is already a familiar, friendly face around the school.

English — Today we co-constructed the presentation criteria for the Diversity of Life projects, discussing clear expectations for presenting and what good (and not-so-good) presentations look like. This week we’ll finish slideshows and prepare index cards. I expect we’ll begin presentations on Friday of next week, so you may see your child practicing at home.

Math — A test on angles is scheduled for Thursday. The students are eager to take it this week and preferred not to postpone.

French — Tomorrow I will collect the good copies of their book reports. Today we selected new books for the second round of book clubs.

Thanks again for your support.

Subject: Student-Led Conferences — Information and Options

Thank you for your support this term. We will be hosting student-led conferences where your child will guide the discussion and showcase the work they've accomplished throughout the term.

Please consider the following important details:

• Schedule your interview online as you would for any interview.  I will join you during your scheduled time for approximately 15 minutes.  Thereafter, I'll move to another scheduled interview within the class.

• Conferences may take longer than the normal 15 minutes; please plan to arrive early and/or stay late.  

• So... multiple interviews will occur simultaneously, so expect other interviews to be going on at the same time.

Example:

Jimmy, who is a fictitious student, scheduled an interview online for 5 pm.  I will join Jimmy and his parents/parent from 5-5:15.  Jimmy; however, arrives at 4:45, which is early, and jumps right into his interview with his parents/parent without me present.

Patty, who is also a fictitious student, scheduled an online interview for 4:45 pm.  I will join Patty and her parents/parent from 4:45-5:00.  Jimmy's interview is overlapping Patty's, because he came early, which is fine.  I'm with Patty and company while Jimmy gets started.  Both interviews are going on at the same time, in the same room.  I eventually, at 5 pm, join up with Jimmy and jump in wherever he's at.

If this format does not fit your schedule or if you prefer a more private setting, feel free to contact me, and we can arrange a time that better suits your family's needs.

Why?

"Student-led conferences enhance student accountability, confidence, and engagement by allowing learners to take charge of their academic progress and present their work to parents. These meetings improve communication, strengthen the parent-teacher-student relationship, and promote a growth mindset by emphasizing reflection rather than just grades."