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Classroom Newsletter Updates
Classroom Newsletter Updates
March/April
Good afternoon 5G parents!
In English…. We have finished our read aloud called ‘Because of Mr. Terupt’ by Rob Buyea. This book has taught many important life lessons and continued to keep the entire class enthralled! Our next project in English will be creating a piece of explanatory writing. They will be putting their research skills to use once again but this time in pairs or in small groups. Together they will come up with a question such as ‘how do tornados work’, 'why do bees buzz’ or ‘why does Saturn have rings and what are they made of?’. After collecting good sources of information over time and keeping a strong list of jot notes, they will then create an essay explaining their findings.
In French Student’s had chosen one of the 12 body systems to research. They have worked hard to document important information pertaining to their system and have now gathered notes to create their project. Projects will vary, with students creating Google slides including a source page. Each project requires a written component and a creative/ artistic piece, which could include anything from a model representation, to a trivia game on connected facts. Students have been keeping due dates in mind for each step, and the days are also written on our board. In March, we will have small group presentations which went very well and allowed students to display their hard work while practicing their presentation skills. Our next project will center on Manie Musical, a French music competition where different artists compete for the most popular song. The winner is voted in by classes all around the world. We have been listening to the music in our classroom and putting in our vote throughout the competition. Soon we will complete an art project centering around this competition that will require the students to learn more about the artists and song lyrics.
We have continued alternating between a weekly Dictée test and French spelling words. Please continue to make sure your child reviews these at home throughout the week. We have been diligently working on proper verb conjugation. Recently the students have reviewed Faire, Aimer and Finir in both présent and passé composé. We will continue on to various other verbs before finishing the year looking at Imparfait.
In Math....We have just completed our time with N2 Use estimation strategies including: front-end rounding; compensation; compatible numbers in problem solving contexts and will be moving on to 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication and long division.
For Art… Later this week we will be creating colourful Easter bunnies to add a splash of colour to our walls. Our next piece of art will pop up spring flowers that will decorate the walls in our classroom!
Reminders:
· Students should be reading for 20 minutes a night. They should alternate between French and English throughout the week.
Upcoming dates:
April 3rd- Good Friday no school
April 6th- Easter Monday no school
April 10th- PD- no school
April 14th- water school field trip (leaving the school as soon as the bus arrives in the morning) Reminder to not order lunches that day and to send a bag lunch that doesn’t require a microwave. Permission slips have been sent home! Please send them back as soon as possible.
Have a great week!
Mme. Mary Ellen Tonita
January/February
Good afternoon 5G parents!
We have made it to the middle of the school year, and things are as busy and productive as ever in 5G! Here's what's been happening in our classroom so far this January.
In English…. We have started a new read aloud called ‘Because of Mr. Terupt’ by Rob Buyea. This book follows the year of a grade five classroom with their teacher, Mr. Terupt. Many real-life issues are addressed in this heartwarming story. So far it is a hit! The class is completing regular journal responses and we will continue to review what a well-rounded answer looks like using R.A.P, which stands for:
R- Restate the question
A- Answer the question
P- Prove you are right
We continue to have weekly spelling tests taking place on Friday. Students continue to copy their words into their agenda so they can be reviewed at home.
Recently the students have started doing small projects where they are to select a novel from home or the library that they will read independently in class for two designated blocks. They are then asked to write a three paragraph letter to their teacher. They were given several topics for the paragraphs including: give a summary of the book you are reading, explain how you connect with the specific scenes or characters, and who would you recommend this book to. I have responded to each student and we will soon be doing another letter on a different book, however this time the letters will be addressed to a classmate. We will attempt to improve the qualities of our letters based on the feedback provided.
In French...We have continued alternating between a weekly dictée test and French spelling words. In school we do exercises to strengthen their connection and understanding of both the French spelling words and the dictée sentences that include these words. If it is a Spelling word week, the words will be written into their agenda and if it is a dictée week the sentences will be glued into their agenda for review at home.
Upon returning from the holiday break students have finished up their last piece of persuasive writing. We have learned proper sentence starters for stating your opinion and following up with your reasonings including the following:
À mon avis
D'après moi
Pour moi
Selon moi
J'ai l'impression que
Personnellement
En ce qui me concern
Recently we have been working on ‘la marche a suivre’ writing (procedural). They have already learned this form of writing in English and we are working to have the skills transferred to French.
We continue to do a wide range of activities to learn our verbs. We will be continuing to have routine check-ins and quizzes this term. Further review at home is always helpful.
In Science…Students have been introduced to the 12 body systems and have been exploring their functions. Students will be selecting one of the systems that they are most interested in and will be expected to research and answer questions to familiarize themselves better with the system. The end goal will be a project that will consist of a written component as well an artistic representation. These projects will be presented to the class. The expectation is that these projects are worked at during school hours and not at home.
In Math....Recently we have moved on from working on N10- Compare and order decimals (to thousandths), by using: benchmarks; place value; equivalent decimals. N11- Demonstrate an understanding of addition and subtraction of decimals up to the thousandths.
For Art... Upon our arrival we created snowmen light catchers for our classroom window. They are beautiful and celebrate the winter season.
Reminders:
· Students should continue to work on solidifying their math facts at home. Knowing these facts will be beneficial for when the foundational outcome focus is 2-digits by 2-digit multiplication and also for long division.
· The Journal de lecture reading log continues to remain as weekly homework, with 20 minutes a night (2 nights French and 2 nights English). They are passed in on Fridays with a signature.
Have a wonderful weekend!
December
Good afternoon 5G parents!
To begin I would like to express a heartfelt thank you to the parents for the lovely Christmas gifts and warm wishes. I feel so grateful for your kindness and support this holiday season.
In English....we finished our second read aloud called ‘Number the Stars’ by Lois Lowry. This story is very captivating, and had the students asking to hear more each day. Spelling tests were completed prior to the holidays. Students continued to review their words in class and completed various word work activities for practice. We finished our work on recount writing and began working on procedural writing. In groups, they wrote a piece on how to take care of a plant and then in partners, they wrote a piece centered on ‘how to make a delicious hot chocolate’! Additionally, they were working in small groups to create a holiday narrative. Each group member had access to the document and they had to work collaboratively to create the story. They finished the month by sharing their writing pieces with their classmates before the well deserved holiday break!
In French.... Over the last few weeks, the students continued to work on persuasive writing, and have been working on their last piece on choosing a destination for a family vacation and convincing their family that this was the best choice. As the holiday season started, they were introduced to ‘La marche a suivre’ for procedural French writing. They completed a group writing on how to build a gingerbread house and will revisit this form of writing in the New Year. When we return from the holiday break, we will also continue with our focus on conjugating verbs in the présent and passé composé. We will work on transferring the skills learned for their dictée into their writing. We have been alternating between French spelling tests (orthographe) and ‘Dictée zéro faute’, where students are given sentences to memorize for proper punctuation and spelling- this will continue. Students should review their dictée or French spelling words at home throughout the week.
In Math.... Currently we are working on N3, a focus on mental math strategies for multiplying such as annexing then adding zero; halving and doubling; and using the distributive property. We are also reviewing N7 and N9 demonstrating and understanding of fractions by using concrete and pictorial representations to create equivalent fractions, and comparing fractions with like and unlike denominators. We finished the month with relating decimals to fractions and vice versa.
For Art... Our class dove into the world of Christmas crafts. They decorated their own little cardstock gingerbread houses, produced mixed media red cardinal birds, and light catching window Christmas trees.
Upcoming dates:
5 First Instructional Day for students, 2026
November
Hello 5G parents!
Here's what's been happening in our classroom so far this November!
In English...We have been working on recount writing. Currently they are working on the planner for recounting a memorable time in their lives. Students have gathered memories from their past and will be creating written pieces re-telling their familiar life events. Giving detail surrounding the significance of this life event and what made it an exceptional experience. They must ensure that the recount is completed in chronological order.
We have finished our first read aloud, Shiloh and the students have really enjoyed this book! We are moving onto our second read aloud called ‘Number The Stars’ by Lois Lowry. This story is a work of historical fiction about the escape of a Jewish family, the Rosens, from Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II. The story centers on ten year old Annemarie Johansen, who lives with her mother, father, and sister Kirsti in Copenhagen in 1943. The students will become very invested in this story and will be very moved by the events that will take place. After each chapter, the class will continue answering questions independently in their Journal Response scribbler. Each day as we move through November, we will speak about the wars and reflect on what we are thankful for. We will also be taking the opportunity to write Remembrance Day poems, after learning the history around the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae. Spelling tests and word work have been going fairly well. Just a reminder that there is a spelling test every Friday and that students write their words into their agendas. Some lists may require more studying at home.
In French....last month they worked to complete a narrative piece of Halloween writing. We have also been working on several verbs in the present and passé composé. Retaining these conjugations requires much review and practice and it helps to review them at home as well as in the classroom. We will continue to revisit these verbs throughout the entire school year. Just a reminder that in French, the class alternates between doing a French spelling test and a dictée. A dictée is made up of sentences that they take home- just like their French spelling words- to practice writing them out. They are printed on paper and glued into their agenda for homework review. These dictations are read aloud and students are to write what they hear for testing. As November rolls through, we will be working on’ Les lettres pour convaicre’ (persuasive letter). Students have created a letter on what they consider the best food in the world and what season they feel is the best. Finally they are finishing with a scenario where their family has won an all expenses paid vacation from Air Canada and they must select a destination for their family while backing up their decision with three supported reasons. They will be continuing to finish this last piece in the month of December.
In Math.... We are continuing with Pr2- Solve problems involving single variable, one- step equations with whole number coefficients and whole number solutions. Soon we will be moving on to N3/ N4 Mental math strategies. *Please continue to review multiplication facts with your child, as this will help with other outcomes this year.
For Art... our class will be completing a class set of light catching poppies for Remembrance Day! The class will have a great time making them and they will be placed on our windows.
Reminders:
Please ensure your child is taking a moment to review their French spelling words, dictée, and English list words. A reminder that they should be completing 20 mins of reading a night (2 nights English/ 2 nights French)
Our book fair visit is
Our book fair visit is
Tuesday October 21st!
Tuesday October 21st!
Welcome!
Welcome!
October
Hello 5G parents!
Here's what's been happening in our classroom so far this October!
In English.... we are working to complete our second assignment, where we examine what types of word choice create a fantastic description. Together we studied the burger entries for the local Burger Love competition and noted eye catching and mouth watering phrases used by restaurants to captivate and encourage community members to try their entry! The students were then given the task of making point form notes about what they found enticing. These were then turned into a rough copy for their very own Burger Love descriptions. Students were asked to review their work then pass them on to me for a final look. For the good copy they will fill out a Burger Love poster, complete with a hand drawn illustration, their description, as well as the name of the restaurant the burger is sold at. They have been loving the experience and have worked hard on this assignment. They are very proud of their descriptions so far and will be happy to see them posted on the walls in 5G! The next assignment we will be working on is a recount piece of writing.
Spelling tests and word work have been going fairly well! Just a reminder that there is a spelling test every Friday and that students are required to write their words into their agendas for further practice at home. We have been working our way through our first read aloud -Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and should be finishing it up by the end of the month. This book has been well loved by our group this year, as it contains many important life lessons delivered in a touching story about a boy and his dog. The next book we will be reading together will begin at the start of November and will fit in nicely with our Remembrance Day theme.
In French....last month they spent time writing ‘les petits moments’ (small moment) with plenty of detail. In the last week we have switched over to work on a Halloween fictional story. We had many class discussions to brainstorm stories and characters. We will be using a graphic organizer to plan out such things as where and when their story is taking place, who is our main character/ secondary characters and how our narrative will roll out in chronological order. We have also continued working on verbs in the present and passé composé. We will continue to revisit these verbs throughout the entire school year. Last week the students were introduced to dictée. These are sentences that they take home just like their French spelling words and practice by writing them out. These dictations are read aloud and students are to write what they hear for testing. Typically every two weeks they will have a dictée test instead of their french spelling word test. (Just a note that students are also asked to copy their French words or glue a dictée paragraph into their agendas, for review throughout the week as homework.)
In French we have also started guided reading in small groups with leveled books. These sessions have been going well and the students have enjoyed their opportunities to come to the back table and read with their peers. During these sessions we are practicing proper pronunciation, attention to punctuation, learning new vocabulary and expressing our comprehension of the texts we read. Although these sessions are great and make an impact, students are also expected to be reading at home to increase their literacy skills. The class is reminded daily to make sure they take a book home in French two nights of the week and in English two nights of the week for required reading. They are encouraged to read out loud and self- correct when mistakes are made.
In Math.... We are finishing in up N1 (Represent and describe numbers to 1 000 000). We will soon be working on: N8- Describe and represent decimals (Tenths, Hundredths, thousandths) concretely, pictorially and symbolically and RR1- determine the pattern rule to make predictions about subsequent elements. Pr2- Solve problems involving single variable, one- step equations with whole number coefficients and whole number solutions. . Reminder: Please practice multiplication math facts at home.
For Art...This Wednesday our class will be having a fun afternoon creating our own artistic versions of turkeys for Thanksgiving. They will be put together with a variety of materials and will be displayed on one of the back walls.
Reminders:
Please ensure your child is taking a moment to review their French dictée or French spelling words and English list words and completing 20 mins of reading a night!
Upcoming dates:
October 10th- Pd (no classes)
October 16th- School photo retakes
October 13th- Thanksgiving (no classes)
October 31st- Halloween Costumes are permitted (no toy weapons or masks)
November 6th and 8th and 7th PEITF (no classes)
November 10th- Pd (no classes)
November 11th- Remembrance day (no classes)
Have a wonderful day!
Mme. Tonita
Welcome!
Welcome!
September
Hello 5G parents!
Welcome to our 5G Blog! Here is what we have been up to in our classroom!
In English…The students have completed their first assignment (a Newspaper all about themselves). These newspapers will be hung around the walls of our classroom and will showcase the many valuable members of our classroom. Our next focus has been to work on recognizing and adding good detail and description to our writing. We have been working on changing up the adjectives we use so that our pieces become more interesting.
Another key change that will be taking place in English will be the addition of weekly Spelling words. Each week, students will be working on a list of 20- 25 words that they write into their agenda to look over at home. Throughout the week students will do word work to familiarize themselves better so that they are ready for the test which will take place each Friday. Finally, we have begun our first read aloud of the year, Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. The class has been very captivated by this heart-warming tale. The students will often be completing a response on a few questions concerning what we read that day.
In French.... We have been learning about ‘les petits moments’ (small moments). Students are learning to create small pieces of writing that describe what took place during a particular moment in their day. They are focusing on a small seed from the entire watermelon as our mini lesson explains. Putting a moment under a microscope and using good detail to describe it. They have been encouraged to add lots of detail, to make their writing as interesting as possible! We have also started reviewing the basic verbs and later they will be tested on the verbs ‘avoir’ and ‘ être’ in the present followed by passé composé. They will be working hard independently and in pairs to review these verbs. They will also be encouraged to write these in their agenda for extra review at home, if necessary. At this point, all students should also have a French and English book to read. At home, they should read two days in English and two days in French. We have also started up a spelling program in french and we will be alternating between dictée tests and spelling tests as the weeks continue. If it is a dictée week the small paragraphs will be glued into their agenda and if it is a spelling words week they will also be written in their agenda. Finally, last week we read a mentor text which is a story called “Qui va bercer Zoé’. In this story an old man named Méo Lebel, loses his wife and with that, his interest in daily life. While failing to thrive, he is visited by his neighbour Claudine, who encourages him to get up and go to work with her at the hospital. Here he meets a baby called Zoé. Initially, he wants nothing to do with the baby and refuses to console her while she cries. Upon his third visit to the hospital, he discovers that Zoé was prematurely delivered because her parents were in a car accident. They are okay, however because they are dealing with their own injuries, they are unable to be around their newborn as often as they would like and she is left to be looked after by overworked nurses. As the story continues Méo has a dream where sees his late wife rocking and soothing the baby. Following the dream, Méo starts his day differently. His depressive state has vanished, and he is motivated and excited to go to the hospital once again. This time he slowly makes the decision to pick the baby up and rock her. Méo and Zoé are both calmed and soothed by this action. This precious fictional story examines real life problems and was absolutely loved by the students in our class. They routinely would ask when we would be reading the story.
In Math.... we have been working on review and have started up N1 (Represent and describe numbers to 1 000 000). In 5G, we have been playing many games to help lock down their multiplication facts. Normally we expect to see a lag between the proficiency from the previous grade level skills and the new grade level when coming back from summer. Many students require a little bit more practice with their math facts. At home we encourage parents to quiz their child or play math facts-based games. Flash cards are usually available at the Dollar Store/ Walmart or Staples to help.
For Art...We will soon be completing a class set of intricate multi-pattern pumpkins. They are always beautiful and colourful and will be displayed under the names of each student on our back wall. There will be more art coming soon!
Reminders
Reminder that the Journal de lecture will be due every Friday morning, filled out by the students with one parent signature. (You can sign anywhere on the completed week)
If a student is not able to finish an assignment within the given time limit and the class is moving on, the project will be sent home for completion.
Upcoming dates
October 10th- Pd (no classes)
October 13th Thanksgiving Day (no classes)
October 16th Retakes for pictures
October 20th- 24th book fall book fair.
Have a wonderful week!
Mme. Mary Ellen Tonita
Welcome!
Welcome!
September
September 4th, 2025
Dear Parents,
Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful summer. My name is Mary Ellen Tonita and I am ecstatic to be your child’s homeroom teacher this year. I look forward to working with and getting to know your child, while helping them achieve their potential.
Your child has received a student agenda, which is designed to help them be organized and gain independence. This agenda is also an effective tool for parent- teacher communication.
The students will be assigned nightly readings of 20 minutes, which will be logged in a ‘Journal de Lecture’ every evening during the school week, except Friday. Students will have the option to choose which evenings they read two nights in English and two nights in French. At the end of the week, students will submit their ‘Journal de Lecture’ to be checked for completion and for a parent signature. Students will have regular spelling tests and Dictée tests. Reminders to study their words should be copied off the homework board and be written in their agenda. Other homework will be kept to a minimum- occasionally class projects may need to be sent home for completion if students are not able to complete them within the given time period in class.
Monthly newsletters will be available to update parents on current class learnings, as well as to inform you of any important dates that the school may have coming up. These newsletters will be uploaded to a Google site, which will be reachable from the Stratford Elementary webpage. The Google site is located under Staff Blogs. Click ‘Mme. Tonita’ to be taken to our Google site! We have a wonderful group in 5G this year and I’m looking forward to spending the school year with your child!
Lastly, Monday September 15th at 5:15- 5:30pm, we are having a meet the teacher evening. There is no obligation to attend but if you’re available, feel free to stop by and say hello.
If you have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached by email at:
Mejgallant@edu.pe.ca
Sincerely
Mme. Mary Ellen Tonita
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