GRADE 4 - LITERACY

Children in Grade 4 may choose to participate in 1-2 choice learning activities each day in Literacy. Choice activities for literacy include

POETRY - BIO-POEM (15-30)

April is Poetry Month. You can use things from your life and the world around you to create poems.

Create a bio-poem about yourself:

Line 1: First Name...

Line 2: Two adjectives, words describing themselves...

Line 3: Sibling of (brother or sister)...

Line 4: Lover of...

Line 5: Who fears...

Line 6: Who would like to see...

Line 7: Resident of (where you live)...

Line 8: Last name...

Example:

John

Hungry, tired

Sibling of Joey

Lover of movies and pizza

Who fears high places

Who would like to see an NHL game

Resident of Nova Scotia

Smith

THANK YOU NOTE (15-30)

Write a thank you note to a community member who is making a difference inyour community. (grocery store worker, mail carrier etc) or create a thank you signfor your window.

SCAVENGER HUNT (30)

Complete the literacy scavenger hunt by finding objects either indoors or outsidethat:

1) begins with the letter “s”;

2) is a 4 syllable word;

3) rhymes with spring;

4) ends with the consonant blend “st”;

5) can be called by two or more different names;

6) object of your choice. Challenge someone to do the same activity. Compare what you found. Explore indoors or outdoors by creating your own scavenger hunt.

POETRY- ACROSTIC (15-30)

As a follow up to the Scavenger hunt, create an acrostic for one of the found items:

1. Pick an item. 2. Write your word vertically (down, instead of across the page.)

3. Brainstorm words or phrases that describe your idea for each of the letters in the word.

4. Place your words on the lines that begin with the same letters.

Examples:

Toast T- tasty

O- orange marmalade

A- almond butter

S- strawberry jam

T- terrific!

Snow S- softly falling,

N- no two the same,

O- on the trees and houses, making a

W- wonderful winter wonderland

HELPING OTHERS (30)

Create a list of what youcould do to help yourself,your household, friends,

community and the world.Pick one idea and draw apicture of you doing the idea,and/or write a text that describesall the steps that you would need totake, to do the good deed. Do one of thegood deeds listed. Helping others makes usfeel good about ourselves.

Thanks to Elsipogtog Health & Wellness Centre for permission to use their logo.

QUOTATION (15-30)

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” Rosa Parks

What does it mean to be fearful?

Why are people fearful?

What do the words “doing right” mean?

Give examples of “doing right things.”

What does this quotation mean?

Create a piece of advice to share with others.

NATURE WRITING (30)

Spend time in nature or think about spending time in nature.

Think about or notice:

• how our environment changes with the seasons,

• how our environment has changed because of people over time,

• what we can do to protect or help the environment.

Write or draw about your nature thoughts.

Netukulimk, is a Mi’Kmaw concept that represents the use of the natural bountyprovided by the Creator for the self-support and well-being of the individual andthe community. This suggests that we should only take from nature what we needand that we are all responsible for looking after the world. Does this Mi ‘kmaw ideachange your thinking about nature from your first writing about nature?

Share your thoughts with someone.

WRITING (15-30)

Using your advertisement poster from the first flyer, write a letter to convincesomeone that what you are advertising is the best choice.

Remember: Tell your opinion. Give 3 reasons why it is the best. Retell your opinion.

PERFORMANCE (15-30)

Take one of your writing pieces and practice reading it aloud. Perform your writingpiece to another person/your mirror/teddy bear etc. Make eye contact, use expression,gestures/movement, and change how fast/slow or loud/soft you speak to makeyour performance more interesting.

GRADE 5 - LITERACY

Children in Grade 5 may choose to participate in 1-2 choice learning activities eachday in Literacy. Choice activities for literacy include:

SUPER WORD (15-30 MIN)

How many words can you make using the letters below?

Use all the letters to find the mystery word.

a d d i i i l n u v

Challenges: use all the words you make in sentences; try to make sentences using more than one word; tell a story that uses all your words

The super word last week was: encyclopedia.

THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE (20-30 MIN)

Tell the story of your life. Include all the important events. Celebrate being you!

Choices: write a story; create a timeline; make a list and use it to tell your story tosomeone. Extras: add pictures or drawings

HELPING HANDS (20-30 MIN)

As a sign of hope, children in Italy have started creating and hanging pictures ofrainbows in their windows. It’s now happening all over the world as a way to spreadhope and help one another to remain positive.

Prime Minister Trudeau says “.a vabien aller,” or “It’s going to be OK.”

Create a rainbow and post it somewhere people can see it. Maybe in a window.

Make it colourful! You could add words or phrases as a further source of inspiration.

Try some words in French!

MOON POETRY (20-30MIN)

April 7th was a Super Moon known as the “Pink Moon.” In Mi’kmaq culture thereare thirteen moons. The April Moon is called Penatmuiku’s “Egg Laying Moon.”

Why do you think it is called this? A haiku (HIGH coo) is a traditional Japanese poem.

Haiku poems are often about nature. A haiku has 3 short lines that do not rhyme. Thesyllable count (or beats) in each line is an exact number: 5, 7, 5.

Example:

The moon shines brightly (5 beats)

On the gently swaying trees (7 beats)

An owl eats her prey (5 beats)

Think about the moon names above. Use what you know about the moon to writea haiku.

Extra: illustrate your haiku; recite your haiku to someone; create art to reflect yourhaiku; compose a haiku in your head; you will get so good at creating Haiku you cando it anywhere: on a walk, at the dinner table, before you go to sleep!

SHARING CIRCLES (20-30 MIN)

In many cultures around the world, sharing circles are used to help make decisions.

In sharing circles: an item is used for a talking piece; only the person holding the talkingpiece is allowed to speak; everyone gets a turn to speak; all ideas are valued.

In many African cultures, a talking stick is used. In Mi’kmaq culture, an eagle(kitpu) feather, a talking stick or rock is often used as the talking piece. Select or createa talking piece for your family; introduce your talking stick/item to your family members;tell them how to use a talking piece in a sharing circle; tell them what you knowabout the importance of the talking piece and its role.

Use a sharing circle to make a decision. Ideas: what to make for supper; what movieto watch; what game to play.

Circles can also be used for resolving conflict or disagreements. Extra: create directionsfor creating your ‘talking piece’; someone else should be able to follow thesesteps to make your ‘talking piece;’ do this with pictures or with written directions;remember to use connecting words like: first, then, next, finally.

BUILDING A STORY (20-30 MIN)

Write an introduction for a good mystery story. When writing your introduction,remember to think about: how to grab (or hook) the reader’s attention (dialogue, aquestion, a strong statement, etc.); how you can make your audience want to know/read more; how you will organize your ideas in the paragraph.

Consider: talk about your ideas with someone before you begin to write; how youwill organize your thoughts and ideas before writing; what details you can add tomake your writing more interesting. Extra: get feedback from someone to revise yourtext

SONG WRITER (20-30 MIN)

Music is a way for people in every culture to express how they feel or to celebratespecial events or ceremonies. Think of a song that you know by heart, or think ofa children’s song you know. Can you clap the beat of the song? If you have a drum,rattle or other musical instruments athome, take some time during the day toplay and/or sing a song that is special toyou. Follow the tune of a song to createa new song, add your own lyrics. Extra:write your lyrics on paper; sing your songfor someone; add another verse; make a twist, a surprise or a change in the song.

LIVING HISTORY (20-30 MIN)

We are living in a time that will be remembered in history. Be a reporter and capture this story for a newspaper article!

Your community is your audience. Create an attention grabbing headline for the front page of a newspaper. Choices: write the story from your experience now, in the present, or from the future, looking back on this time. Extra: add an illustration highlighting the most important part of the story; add a blurb, or short caption that introduces or highlights an interesting part of your article.

RAIN, RAIN 20-30 MIN)

Brainstorm eight words that come to your mind when you think of rain. Use these words to come up with a free verse poem. Free verse poetry does not need to rhyme and you can have as many lines as you choose. Think, discuss or write about: why rain is important to our environment; the benefits of rain on the environment; how rain affects your mood; your favourite thing to do in the rain and explain why.

Extra: Create a rain gauge. Find an empty can/cup and put it where it can easily catch rain (but not be knocked over). See how much rain you collect in a few days.

Measure it. Were you surprised? If you did catch some rain in your cup, use it to water a plant you have in your house.

SPEAKING UP (15-30 MIN)

Make a deck of cards using paper, cardboard or anything you can write on. Create at least 10 cards using any words you like (you can add to your pile over time). Use your imagination! Some words you could use: Spaghetti; Bears; Camping; Rainbows; Tractors;

Elephants; Isolation.

How to play the game: place the pile of cards on the far side of the room or in another room; walk to the card pile, and select a card; be sure to mix them up so you are surprised; face and look at your audience; time yourself or have someone else do it, for 60 seconds; talk about the word on the card; tell everything you can about the topic

(What do you know, think and wonder?); try to talk for the whole time.

You will get better at this over time!

Extra:

Have someone make words to surprise you and add to your deck of cards.

Take turns with playing the game with other people who live in your house. You can make cards for each other and then mix them together.

GRADE 6 - LITERACY

Children in Grade 6 may choose to participate in 1-2 choice learning activities each day in Literacy. Choice activities for literacy include:

#1 MYSTERY WORD CHALLENGE (15 MINUTES)

Flyer 1 English Mystery Word = relationships (*note: there was an error in the French scrambled letters in Flyer 1)

Using the scrambled letters from the following mystery word:

i y l t e t i c e r c

Try to make as many different words as you can with the letters from the mystery word. How many two, three, four letter… words can you make? Challenge: Can you identify the mystery word? (Answer will be in the next flyer).

You can create your own mystery word challenge for others.

#2 CALM, TENSE, AND RELAX (15 MINUTES)

Think about the word, “tense” and what it means to you. What other words could also describe feeling tense? Talk to someone or write about a time when you felt this way. Calm or relaxed is the opposite of feeling tense. When we feel calm or relaxed, we feel content or we feel at peace. Talk to someone or write about a time when you felt this way. Try the following activity to practice feeling tense and then relaxed to notice more about your body:

Sit comfortably in a chair or lie down on the floor. Take five, long deep breaths (in through your nose, out through your mouth). Now, squeeze your hands to make a tight fist. Squeeze as hard as you can. You might notice that you are holding your breath and that your arms are also tense. Now, let go and relax your arms and your hands. What do you notice about your breath now? Try this tensing-relaxing activity (one body part at a time) with your face, your shoulders, and your feet and legs. Each time, tense the body part tightly for a few breaths, and then let go and relax them.

How did it feel to relax after tensing so tightly? How could this activity help you the next time you are feeling tense?

#3 I AM KIND (15 MINUTES)

Choose a small way to demonstrate kindness to others and commit to doing it.

Think about: how you feel when someone shows kindness towards you; how you feel when you show kindness to someone else

What can you do from your home to show kindness? Here are a few ideas: Write a Thank You note to someone; Write a note giving someone a compliment; Call a friend or relative to check on them and cheer them up; Help with a chore; Send or give a homemade card to someone.

#4 FOUND POETRY (20 MINUTES)

Found poems are poems made from words that are “found” in other forms of print.

Look around your house for different kinds of text: cookbooks, instruction manuals, food labels, flyers, etc. Choose a few words that stand out to you, and turn them into a poem by arranging them in different ways until you are happy with the result.

Eg. Peanut Butter

Smooth and light

Roasted peanuts

corn sugar

oil and salt

25% less fat

No vitamins or calcium

Source of 4 essential

nutrients

Better-for-You

Kraft Canada

Peanut Butter.

Decorate or illustrate your poem if you like.

#5 SCIENCE WRITING: ELECTRICITY (20-30 MINUTES)

Brainstorm a list of at least 20 things that you do each day that use electricity. Brainstorm a list of at least 10 things that you do each day that do not use any electricity. Pretend that you now live in the days before electricity. Write a letter, to someone of your choice, to explain what your day would be like and how it is different from what it is today.

#6 WALK UP SONG (20-30 MINUTES)

MLB baseball players have a walk-up song as the batter comes up to the plate or a pitcher takes the mound. For example, Alex Rodriguez’s song is “Already Home” by A Great Big World. Think of a song that represents you and your identity. Write about why you chose this song. If you can’t think of a song, write one!

#7 PLAY WITH WORDS: ROOM SCRAMBLE (10-15 MINUTES)

Gather others who you are living with in a room (example: living room). Set a timer for 2 or 3 minutes. Write down all the items you can think of found in that specific room (couch, window, rug, lamp, etc). Who wrote the most words? Make it a competition and try this activity in different rooms or even outside in your yard.

#8 TIME CAPSULE (30 MINUTES)

Create an infographic (include pictures, words, sketches, etc.) about yourself in 2020 so that when you are older, you can look back at what you were interested in as a younger child. Some details you could include are: your age; your friends; your favourite TV show/movie/song/book; what's going on in the world; tell your future self how you feel; what you want to be when you grow up; 5 adventures you want to take later in life; draw a picture of your family. Put your infographic and artifacts, if you choose, all together in a cereal box/shoe box/etc. and place it somewhere in your home for you to find later in life.

#9 DEFINING MOMENTS (20-30 MINUTES)

Make a list of small moments in your life that you remember vividly, like it was yesterday. It could be a time you received a special gift, a special time with a family member or friend, a time you learned something, an embarrassing moment, a scary moment, a special holiday or celebration, etc. Once you have several moments listed, select one and tell it in a story, poem, letter or journal entry.

#10 LOOSE PARTS OBSTACLE COURSE (30 MINUTES)

Look around your house or your yard for loose parts materials. Design and map an obstacle course using the parts you find. On your map label the start and finish areas, the four compass points (North, South, East, West), the types of movements that participants can choose to perform (e.g. crab walk, one foot hop, walking backwards, etc.), as well as design a key that describes the symbols written on your map.

Possible Loose Parts Materials: cardboard, newspaper and wrapping paper; pine cones, flowers, sticks, leaves, rocks, wood and acorn; straws, beads, pom poms and cotton wool; sand, shells, sticks and stones; wooden blocks, rolling pins, laundry baskets, hoses, buckets and cups. Pick one movement and write “how to” instructions telling someone else how to perform the skill (e.g. how to do the crab walk).