Embedded Files
Hello happy 4A families!! – It’s been a great month in 4A! We’ve been reviewing and practising classroom & school expectations & procedures and we’ve been sharing and connecting through community circle talks, books, and games. Kindness, how we learn, respect for self, respect for others, and respect for our environment (and stuff) have been at the forefront.
You can help at home by: reviewing the information in the agenda about school expectations and procedures (front of agenda) as well as device and Nutrition Break expectations.
Curriculum-wise - Look where we're at:
Reading:
Shared Reading – we’ve begun our reading this year with reviewing good reading strategies like: making/adjusting (and justifying) predictions, connections, reading with expression,, visualizing… and we practise these through picture books, short fiction stories, news articles, and (soon) our first chapter book read aloud.
Up Next: Using our Senses, asking questions, summarizing, inferring…
Independent Reading – students are asked to keep a library book at their desks so that they always have reading material (my library is also always open) during lulls or our Independent Reading times. Library Book Exchange should happen 2 every 10 days (librarian/coverage pending - when we are short supply teachers, Library, LST, and French are the first to be pulled from their regular schedule - FYI).
You can help with reading by:
- have students read daily
- read with and to them. Use many expressions and have them try too.
- make logical predictions and adjust predictions as you read and gather information. Use the text features to justify predictions…. From the title, I predict… From the cover picture, I think…
- visualizing. Read something descriptive to your child. Have them picture it in their head or draw it!
- summarizing – ask beginning (who, where, when), middle (what, problem), end (why, how, solution), and overall-moral questions
- discuss author’s purpose - Why did the author write this (use PIE - P=persuade, I=inform, E=entertain)?
- making connections to yourself, to other books, to other media, and to life/world experiences
- looking for messages (synthesize (pull together) understandings) – Ask “what does this mean” (big picture/overall) questions like: What are we supposed to learn from this?
- inferring - read between the lines - what's the message behind the words?? What does the author want you to know – but doesn’t specifically say? You can infer emotions and events too - example: the girl is described as having her head down after she struck out, what do you think she’s feeling? The day after the big french test, the boy got off the bus smiling and waving a paper at his parents - what do you think he’s smiling about?
- Ask questions! Before, during, and after reading! Use the question words and dig deep behind the words!
Writing:
We've begun writing with “IDEAS” - how to generate, where to look for further inspirations....
And, we write lists, passages, reflections, and personal narratives often! Syllables and Words are a school focus this year and we’ve been working hard on Closed syllables to start (as well as some compound words, prefix/base words/suffixes), and there/ their/ they're!
UP NEXT: Procedural writing (instructions), fiction writing, parts of speech, types of sentences, paragraphing, open syllables
You can help with writing by:
-Looking for words together – they can be interesting, unique, new, or subject related words – work to find the sounds (not syllables) and talk about how the mouth forms for the different sounds. Next, work on syllables - what does this word CHUNK sound like - break words into syllables by placing your hand under your chin and saying the word. Every time your jaw drops, it’s a new syllable.
- look for closed syllables (they have a short vowel and end in a consonant) - up next: open syllables
-writing together, listening to things your child has written, proofreading and editing these writings together! (you can write letters, paragraphs, passages, opinions, poems, stories…)
-making lists of mis-spelled words, looking up the correct spellings (and definitions), and talk about if these words can be spelled by their sounds or if they are ‘heart’ words – ones they will have to learn by ‘heart’
- both writing AND following instructions! If possible, back or build something from instructions! And, discuss - How are the instructions organized? What do you do first? second? What ingredients/material are needed? Are they clear instructions? What could have made them better?
- Ask questions! Talk! Share! When interesting words come up, discuss them!
Media: Posters, T-shirts, logos, slogans
You can help at home by:
-looking for logos and t-shirt designs and discussing what they look they and ‘say’ about the company
-looking at ‘sayings’ on t-shirts (people on tv shows, movies…) and trying to figure out what they could say about the people that choose to wear them
- discussing media you see on television or hear on the radio.
- read and discuss pamphlets, flyers, other information that comes in the mail.
- point out and discuss signs that you see when driving! They're everywhere! What kind of text features do they use to get attention and help you to read it?
- Look for Text Features (titles, pictures, captions, text boxes…) and how do these get your attention?
Oral/Visual Communications: We've begun with communication skills like projecting your voice, body language while presenting, and adding emotion/drama too.
Students have participated in class readings of Shel Silverstein’s poems and completed a “Me in a Nutshell” presentation! Individual poetry presentations continue, as well as more whole class/ small group fluency work and some chants are up soon too! Group Work is just beginning but is a BIG part of O/V too!
You can help at home by:
- reading out loud together. Have fun with it! Use fun voices! Work on enunciating, adding emotion, and projecting.
-discuss good group work skills. What does your child do well? What do they need to work on? What do we NEED to do when working in groups?
-talk about how to listen well, how/when to talk in different situations.
Math: We began with some of the TVDSB First 10 Days of Math, Representing Numbers, Saying big numbers, comparing numbers, counting by tenths, ways to pay, and began fractions - PHEW!
Our Number Talks - focused on Adding - have been going exceptionally well! We are adding in a variety of strategies and (mostly) remembering to carry over!
And, we have begun progressing through the new Scope and Sequence TVDSB has put out for each grade - there's lots of Number Sense to start then a small scattering of data management, financial literacy and reviewing multiplying facts.
You can help at home by:
- practicing addition AND subtraction questions using a variety of strategies to solve
- Review MATH FACTS! (addition, subtraction, multiplication/division facts). This makes EVERYTHING else in math SO MUCH easier! Play WAR games with CARDS using addition, subtraction, or multiplying!
- Add, Subtract, figure out missing numbers! - review place value
- Round numbers when shopping, add totals and determine change
- practise telling time (soon!)
-talk about money - ways you pay for things and how you make those decisions - why cash over credit? When a cheque over cash? Paying online - how do you do it?
- compare numbers, say/write big numbers, count money! - draw numbers in base ten blocks
- Ask questions (What did you do in Math today? What did you learn? What do you need to work on? How are you going to work on this? What did you like/not like about Math today? ...)
Social Studies: Canada
I think we have the Provinces and Territories down, but we’ve just begun with Capital Cities and will need more review. Students have each begun their own slideshow presentations on a Province or Territory!
You can help at home by:
singing songs about Canada! Reviewing provinces/territories and capital cities! Discuss places that you’ve travelled and things you’ve seen there - any landmarks (natural or manmade?)
If possible - travel! Here, there, everywhere - not only in Canada, but worldwide! Compare and discuss - this develops appreciation for the world AND our Country!
Science: Rocks and Minerals
We began with the three types and making own own!
You can help at home by:
-Looking at different rocks at home (and maybe rock formations/ images you see in the world)
-Discuss Environmental news
-GO on a rock hunt! Sort them! Talk about them! Look them up!
Physical Education, Dance, QDPA, and Health: Cooperative games, centres for throwing/catching a variety of objects, dance, soccer skills, some ‘exercise’ hunts, and safety.
You can help at home by:
- Encouraging physical activity. Do something physically active together. Discuss the importance of physical activity.
- Discuss safety routines at home. What would you do at home in case of a fire? Tornado? Strangers?
- Discuss safety online too – chat rooms, games with others, online manners…
- Ask questions (What did you do in gym or QDPA today? What did you play at recess today? Did you get your heart rate up (Ms. Barber says the only winners are those that get their heart rates up!)? Did you drink enough water today? Pack lunches together and discuss the healthy parts and food groups?) UP NEXT: BRAVE and anti-bullying, more dancing, and basketball
Art: I love, love, love Art! Hopefully our Name Creatures made it home safely! We’ve investigated lines all around us, created lots of LINE art and now we’re into shapes! Then some texture and Fall-inspired art too!
Dance - Ms Barber loves to dance and move! We have lots of Ms. Barber says movement warm-ups! Ask about our Friday Song and Just Dance Dancing!
Up next: Mini- routines, a warm-up dance ball, a spooky dance routine (beginnings, middles, ends, levels, and the dramatic pause and some monstery-moves!)
Music: With Ms. Wade and Library with Mrs. Woodruff both twice every 10 days.
French: Daily with Mrs. Buckle!
*REMINDERS*
IF students walk or bike (or scoot!) often, one note for the year to the office will do.
-If students are away or getting picked up, please enter it into attendance. (FYI: When students return from being away, there will be a “While you were away” folder on their desk. If we don’t get to it during the week, Ketchup and Pickles time on Fridays gives them some time to sort items into appropriate duo-tangs/folders.)
-Planner payment as soon as possible, please.
- Hot Food days are Tuesdays and Thursdays and ordering is done online. IF there are problems, please let Parent Council know.
-Indoor shoes are a mandatory safety item. Indoor shoes should be good for moving! Shoes must be on feet at all times. And, it is almost time for indoor/outdoor shoe time - if you haven't yet.
-Sick kids can't learn. Please stay home if ill.
In final thoughts:
It’s been SUCH a GREAT start to the school year! We have a fantastic bunch in 4A!
I have REALLY appreciated ALL of the notes, emails, calls, support, and positive thoughts sent my way. Thanks for doing your best at home as I try my best at school! You're an AWESOME bunch of parents to work with! Thanks for getting through all that back to school paperwork too! September is a BUSY time but hopefully we’ve settled into some good routines for learning.
HUGE thanks for all the Kleenex that came in! Oh, 4A is in need of forks and spoons – If you’re out and about and see some please think of us.
THANKSGIVING is coming fast and the Dorchester Fair! After that, Hallowe’en! (Yes, PEANUT-FREE treats are permitted - I’ll ask about costumes/Black&Orange day and let you know! But, treats MUST say peanut-free. TIA)
Cross Country Race - Oct 2
Terry Fox (here) - Oct 9
Bus Safety Assembly - Oct 22
Picture Retake Day - Monday Nov 10
PHEW!
OK, be well!
With continued heart-felt joy,
K. Barber
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