Lochside Division 16

June 20

Over the past several weeks, our class was busy creating Human Body System posters using recycled materials. The results were both creative and informative! Students had the chance to present their posters to their classmates, which led to great discussions full of questions, answers, and explanations. It was a wonderful way to wrap up our human body unit and highlight all the learning that’s been happening.

A big thank you to all the families who came in for our informal open house. It was so nice to have you in the classroom to see the Human Body posters, along with the Monster lapbooks and essays that the students have worked so hard on. Your support means a lot to all of us.

I also want to recognize the amazing students who participated in the Lochside Talent Show—whether they performed on stage or helped MC the event. Their energy, creativity, and courage helped make the show a fun and memorable experience for everyone.

A few other recent highlights include:

*An amazing day at UVic for the track meet!

*Playing Lacrosse, Speed and California Kickball in gym

*Reader's theatre presentations (This class has become an amazing group of presenters!)

*Playing The Bone Game for National Indigenous Peoples Week

I can't believe we are coming up to our final days of school next week!  Please remember that our year end assembly is on Tuesday followed by our hike up Mt. Doug/Pkols on Wednesday.  

June 6

What a week we had!  To start, our field trip to the Imax and museum were a huge success.  Students enjoyed the amazing film called Elephants: Giants of the Desert.  It was both heartwarming and educational.  The museum visit was excellent as well!  Displays such as Old Town and The Natural History section were a huge hit.  Additionally, there were displays related to music as well as traditional fashion from India and much more!  A huge thank you to Francisca, Anika and Taylor for joining us and making this trip a success!

Speaking of volunteering, thank you to everyone who contributed to our ELL potluck lunch.  This was truly a gift to our school community!  Students also enjoyed an excellent, interactive lesson with Science Ventures.  They learned all about how living things in nature use their incredible senses to navigate during migration.  Ask your child how different creatures use sight, smell, or the earth's magnetic field to find their way!

Some other highlights of the week include:

*Completing our Monster projects

*Continued work on the human body projects

*Track practice.  Students participating in the track day at UVic should have a relay team

*Jump Rope for Heart activities 

Thank you for your continued support as well enter a busy final stretch of the school year.  Please stay tuned for important dates and activities and add these to your calendar to ensure your child doesn't miss out.  Next week we have our Maturation Talks by a public health nurse on Wednesday, June 11th, as well as Track on June 12th for those who are participating.

May 30

Dear division 16 families,

Students had an amazing day at Camp Imadene last week!  Lucky for us, the weather cooperated and allowed everyone to enjoy everything from Turbo Carts to the various water activities.  Not only was it a great opportunity for active learning but it  was also an excellent way for students to connect and enjoy themselves as we near the end of the school year.  I'm sure that many students will think of their day at camp as one of the highlights of their time in elementary school!

We've had a busy week of work on two big projects.  

In literacy, students have created lapbooks of a personally designed monster.  These creations include fact sheets, pictures brochures and more.  Additionally students have written amazing persuasive essays on their monsters that set out to convince their reader why their monster is top notch!  Through this process, students have worked on drafting, self editing and creating a final copy.  This has been a great writing project that has drawn on skills learned throughout the year as well as introduced students to essay writing.

Our other big project has been in science.  Now that the facts and body system paragraphs are complete, each group has started to assemble their models from recycled materials.  Watching each group discuss, design, refine, and create has been a sight to behold!  It's amazing to see what ideas unfold when creative minds put their heads together and when a project is more open-ended to allow for that.

Some other highlights of late include:

*Trail walk to Outerbridge park

*Adding and subtracting decimals in grade 4 math

*Read aloud with division 17

P.S. Thank you to everyone who has had anything to do with staff appreciation week!  I've felt so fortunate to have all of the amazing treats, coffee, and delicious lunch!

P.S.S. Please ensure your child's field trip permission form is in by Monday!  Thank you to everyone who volunteered to join us:)

May 9

Students have started work on some exciting new units!

In Literacy, the class is creating a fold-out booklet featuring a monster of their own design. After developing creative artifacts about their creatures, students will write a persuasive essay explaining what makes their monster great. We will be drawing on previous lessons about paragraph structure and applying self-editing strategies to support this major writing task.

In Science, we’ve launched a unit on the human body. After learning a basic overview of the body’s major systems, students were placed into groups to become experts on one specific system. They will be researching and typing up information on their system’s purpose, key parts, interesting facts, and more. The final project will be a model of their assigned body system, made from recycled materials and displayed on a trifold poster board.

Please check in with your child about their project topic. Any help gathering materials for their model would be greatly appreciated! You can view examples from a previous year on our class website. Please start sending materials in next week. Once complete, students will present their projects to classmates as part of our shared learning.

Some other recent highlights include:

• Poetry writing with Mrs. Boss

• Speed Ball in gym (indoors and outdoors)

• Fractions in Grade 4 math and area in Grade 5 math

• Learning about digital citizenship and online safety with Mrs. Molloy 

April 25

Our pickle ball paddles are complete!  After cutting, sanding, painting and clear coating; each student has created a usable work of art.  We've been able to put the finished products into action with games of Pickleball, Keep Up, and Wall Pass.  After this unit, the paddles will be sent home for students to continue using and as a nice reminder of the project.

Another big area of focus this week has been government.  Students have researched local candidates and engaged in great class discussions on current issues.  They've watched Q & A by leadership candidates in response to student questions around the country.  Each student also wrote a paragraph about key issues that are important to them and what the leadership candidates plan to do to address those concerns,  You can read these by looking at your child's google classroom account.  Students also practiced the democratic process by partaking in the student vote today.  The votes from participating Canadian students around the country will be tallied next week and we will be able to compare and discuss how these related to the results of the actual election.  It's great to see the high level of student engagement in this election!

Some other highlights of the week include:

*Grade 4's completed their unit on division with a quiz and started a unit on fractions and decimals.

*Grade 5's completed a unit on time and have started learning about measurement

*Cross-country practice

*Persuasive writing unit in literacy

*Celebrated Earth Day with a great presentation by some Lochside Students

*Started our Human Body Unit in science

April 11

Students have been hard at work sanding and designing their pickleball paddles this week, and they’re coming along beautifully! After painting, the next step will be applying a clear protective finish—then they’ll be ready for action. It’s been wonderful to see the class safely and effectively use a variety of tools while learning hands-on skills.

Another major focus this week has been completing and presenting the Spring Break Slideshows. I’ve been so impressed with the creativity, effort, and enthusiasm students have brought to both their slideshows and presentations. With all the practice we've had this year, many students have noticeably improved in areas such as eye contact, pacing, and speaking clearly and confidently. Some have even gone the extra mile to engage their audience by asking thoughtful questions or bringing in related artifacts to enhance their presentations. We’ll be wrapping up the final few next week.

Other highlights from the week include:

• Finishing our class read-aloud of The Tale of Despereaux

• Working on long division in Grade 4 math

• Watching a live performance by the Royal Oak Middle School band

• Enjoying a creative storytelling session with Anne Glover

• Sharing our Immigration and diversity projects with other intermediate students while adding details to the students passports to learn more about Canadian immigration

A quick reminder: Monday is class picture day!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

April 4

Welcome Back!

We had a wonderful first week back after spring break! Students began with a fun and creative Google Slides activity, which they will be presenting next week. Each student is responsible for creating a slideshow with at least five slides highlighting their spring break experiences. They were encouraged to include personal photos to make their presentations more meaningful, but they also had the option to use the Google Classroom search tool for images. The slideshows are due on Monday, and students are welcome to work on them over the weekend to add any final touches. Parents are also welcome to assist if needed.

Tool Cart Adventures!

We’re excited to have launched our tool cart project this week! After a safety orientation and demonstration, students began working on their very own Pickleball paddles. About half the class has finished cutting out their paddle shapes, and the rest will complete this step next week. Up next: sanding, designing, and applying a finish coat. We can’t wait to see the final products!

Immigration & Diversity Unit Finale

Thank you to all families who have returned their child’s immigration poster—my apologies for any confusion about sending them home early! The intermediate team has planned a final culminating activity to wrap up our Immigration and Diversity unit. Students will participate in a "passport activity," where they’ll share their research, ask questions, and learn from each other in a peer-teaching format. If your child has not yet brought their poster back to school, please ensure it comes with them on Monday so they can fully take part in this engaging experience.

March 12

Check out these incredible Immigration and Diversity poster projects! This has been our biggest area of focus this term, and these projects showcase the hard work, creativity, and dedication of every student in Division 16. Each poster represents a deep dive into the push and pull factors, contributions, hardships, and traditions of different cultures, reflecting the amazing effort put in by the entire class. We are so proud of their accomplishments—great job, Division 16! 

Feb. 28

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well!

Students have been working diligently on their final projects for our Immigration and Diversity unit. While they are at various stages of completion, those who have not yet finished their paragraph drafts are encouraged to work on them over the weekend. For students who are well on their way, we have begun brainstorming creative ways to extend their projects. Some exciting ideas so far include comics featuring key facts, additional illustrated visuals, and even video presentations with bonus information!

I truly appreciate the support many of you have provided by reviewing your child’s work. As you continue to assist, please focus on spelling and grammar while ensuring that their unique voice and writing style remain intact.

We look forward to showcasing these wonderful projects at our Lochside Literacy Fair on March 12th, where you’ll have the opportunity to see their hard work on display!

Highlights from Our Week:

🔹 Badminton in Gym: Students have been practicing underhand and backhand techniques, as well as serving.
🔹 Math Focus (Grade 4): We introduced multiplication with regrouping, a new and challenging concept for many. We’ll continue reinforcing these skills next week.
🔹 Creative Expression: Students have been selecting and drawing images to complement their projects.
🔹 Read-Aloud: We are deeply engaged in The Tale of Despereaux, and the excitement is building with every chapter!

Thank you for your continued support! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Feb. 21

We have had a great couple of weeks in division 16!  Our skating field trip last week was a real hit where many students stepped outside of their comfort zones while practicing a new skill.  Valentines day was also a huge hit!  Students designed their own creative bags and enjoyed giving their classmates little gifts or kind cards.

This week, our class has worked hard on their Immigration and Diversity projects. Students have started typing up their paragraphs for their posters, focusing on key topics like Push/Pull Factors, Hardships, Contributions, Celebrations/Traditions, and more.

As we move forward, I encourage you to check in with your child over the weekend to see how their research is coming along. There are helpful resources available in our Google Classroom, along with a document where students have been drafting their work.

Additionally, please make sure your child brings their poster board to school on Monday, as we will begin assembling and gluing materials onto their posters.

I’ve also heard that some students have been doing extra research at home—this is wonderful! Thank you for your support in helping them put together a thoughtful and well-researched project.

Some other highlights of the week include:

*Starting a badminton unit in gym

*Working on capitalization in literacy, including when writing titles.

*spelling units

Feb. 7

Dear division 16 families,

Despite the excitement of the snow we were able to complete a lot this week!

Students have been working hard on their double entry journals and most students have completed eight or more detailed entries based on their reading material.  Students also participated in their second book club meeting today and the conversations in our room were both thoughtful and engaging.  Students will be encouraged to continue reading from the school Immigration and Diversity collection in the coming weeks, however, we will be shifting our focus to a research project culminating with a poster presentation.

Some other highlights this week include:

*Fun in the snow!

*Finishing up art projects.  Please check out the great paper plate weaving we did on the class website.

*Beep test in gym.  Students gave it their all and ran some very impressive times.

Division in math.  Grade 4 students have learned strategies to divide including: skip counting, fact families, reverse multiplication and repeated subtraction.  Ask your child what their favourite strategy is.

***Please note that our skating field trip to Panorama is on Monday!  Please ensure that your child comes to school in warm comfortable clothes including gloves.  If they are bringing their own skates and helmets please send them along as well.

Thank you for your continued support!

Jan. 31

I hope this message finds you well!

Students participated in their first book talks this week and had the opportunity to discuss their immigration and diversity books.  It was great to hear discussions about common themes, challenges new immigrants face as well as reasons people move and migrate.  Students were able to use their double entry journals to help guide their discussions.  These are coming along well although I'm encouraging students to ensure that their "Thinking" portion contains deep questions, connections and thoughts.

Students also completed a beautiful art piece called, "Cherry Blossom Ming Vase" along with a discussion of Chinese New Year.  This was a multistep activity that the class really delved into.

Some other highlights of the week include:

*Basketball.  We worked on some defensive drills this week

*Author visit.  Jeff Chiba joined us via Zoom and spoke with children about art, internment camps and what it's like to be an author.  Students even worked on their own "Blended Animals" in the style of Jeff Chiba.  

*Division unit in math 4

Have a great weekend.  Brace yourself for some snow...maybe!

Jan. 24

The highlight of our week was definitely welcoming our new student Ing from Thailand!  It has been great to see how kind and supportive all members of the class have been as she learns to navigate her new school environment.  Ing's timing couldn't be more perfect as it lines up with our immigration unit in social studies!  On that note, students are well underway with their double entry journals.  Some students are choosing to read and respond to a number of picture books while others have chosen to read a chapter book with an immigration and diversity related theme.  I'm encouraging students to fill in at least one journal entry page for each picture book they read and multiple sheets for chapter books.  I've had a look at student work so far and written some suggestions for them to consider in their journals.  Please ask your child if they are on track (have completed 3 or more entries so far) or if they need to catch up.  

Some other highlights of the week include:

*Grade 4 math.  Students learned strategies for facts from 1-10 and completed a short quiz.

*Basketball in gym.  Students who signed up for intramurals have gotten started as well.

*Art.  Students are working on a painting/weaving fusion project.

*Buddy reading

*Family Literacy Day!

Jan. 17

Division 16 had another fantastic week of learning! To launch our double-entry journals, intermediate students gathered in the gym for an engaging book trailer presentation featuring a variety of novels and picture books. Each of these books explores themes of immigration and diversity. Students were then invited to choose their top picks and dive into reading, while using their double-entry journals to capture meaningful quotes on one side and their reflections—such as questions, connections, and insights—on the other.  You might see some of these books make their way home as students are encouraged to read as many titles as they want. The class has embraced this activity enthusiastically and is off to a strong start!

Building on the themes of immigration and diversity, students have also been presenting cultural artifacts to their classmates, sharing their family histories and exploring fascinating connections. This meaningful exercise has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the richness of our diverse community! After each presentation, we identified the origin countries on a world map, with students marking and coloring these locations on their own maps. I am deeply impressed by the quality of the presentations and the courage shown by students as they confidently shared their stories with the class.

Some other highlights of the week include:

*Playing the 3 on 2 continuous drill in basketball.  Also working on passing, dribbling and shooting skills.

*Learning multiplication strategies in math.  Ask your child to share their favourite.

*Learning about making inferences as a reading strategy

*Read aloud with division 17

Jan. 10

Happy New Year!

We've had a great first week of school in 2025.  We started off with a goal setting activity around S.M.A.R.T. Goals.  These are goals that are: specific, measurable, Achievable, relevant, and aimed to do so in a given timeframe.  Many of these were school related, however, some students are hoping to improve in some of their favourite sports or with things like, "meeting new friends."  Students also enjoyed making a winter scene in fine arts and got right back into the swing of things with new spelling activities.  Just a reminder that we will be participating in spelling as time permits but not doing a weekly quiz.  Please feel free to do a quiz with your child at home if you'd like!

In math, both grade four and five students have started units in multiplication.  This includes learning strategies to solve basic facts before we get into multidigit equations. *Just a reminder that the grade five board games are due on Monday.

By now you've probably heard that we are beginning a unit on immigration and diversity in social studies. We start off with a cultural artifact activity (parent letter sent home on Wednesday).  Students will be sharing their items next week with a short description of their artifact as well as how it connects to their family history.  Next students will start literature study circles.  This involves reading great books containing a variety of immigration stories and recording thoughts into a journal.  Students will also meet with other intermediate students to discuss these books and how they relate to our curricular themes of:

- Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies.   

- Immigration and multiculturalism continue to shape Canadian society and identity.

Finally, students will complete a research project related to immigration in Canada on a poster to display their findings.

Have a great weekend!

Dec. 20

Dear division 16 families,

Wow, what a fantastic term it’s been! I just want to take a moment to reflect on all the amazing work and growth I’ve seen in our class. It’s been such a rewarding journey, and I’m so proud of everything your children have accomplished.

One of the highlights for me has been the dragon projects. The creativity, effort, and attention to detail that went into the posters and papier-mâché creations were incredible. These projects were a great way for the students to let their imaginations shine, and the results were amazing! A big thank you to everyone who stopped by the classroom to check them out—it meant so much to the class!

Another standout moment was the winter concert. From learning the songs to practicing their stage presence, students poured so much energy and heart into their performances. Seeing them up on stage, confident and excited, was such a proud moment for all of us!

Over the term, I’ve also seen so much growth in their learning. Whether it was solving tricky math problems, exploring new science concepts, or diving into creative writing, your children tackled it all with curiosity and determination. It’s been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they faced challenges head-on.

Most of all, I’ve loved seeing how kind and supportive they’ve been to one another. Friendships have blossomed, small acts of kindness have made a big difference, and the sense of community in our class has really grown. It’s such a great reminder that school isn’t just about academics—it’s also about building relationships and growing together.

Thank you for all your support this term and for trusting me to be part of your child’s learning journey. Also, thank you all for your incredibly generous gifts! I am truly touched by the thoughtfulness and care that went into each one. Your kindness and generosity mean so much to me, and I feel incredibly fortunate to work with such supportive families.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with laughter, love, and time to relax with family.

Looking forward to what’s next in the new year!

Dec. 13

This week, I’ve been truly impressed by the hard work and dedication the students have demonstrated across several areas.

Our dragon poster projects are a standout example of their creativity and commitment. These posters reflect the incredible effort and enthusiasm students have poured into our unit, and they are nearly complete! We are excited to invite families to visit the classroom to view the posters and our papier-mâché dragons immediately following our winter concert on Wednesday, December 18th (approximately 2:30 PM). If you’re able, please stop by to see the amazing work the students have done!

Speaking of the winter concert, students have been working tirelessly on their performances. From blocking sessions to multiple singing rehearsals, they’ve shown remarkable determination, adaptability, and focus. I’ve been particularly impressed with their ability to take feedback and improve their skills. You’re in for a fantastic show next Wednesday!

Other highlights of the week include:

• Crafting wreaths with our little buddies

• Subtraction with regrouping in Grade 4 math

• Finalizing Grade 5 math board games

• Exciting European handball games in gym

• Playing a lively Canadian trivia Kahoot!

Additionally, Grade 4 families should have received your child’s FSA booklets along with an assessment sheet. Please note that the marks in the FSA may not align completely with what we've seen in the classroom or what will appear on the report card. This is partly because the FSA uses a three-point scale, while School District 63 uses a four-point scale. Report card grades take into account a broader range of learning, including daily assignments, projects, participation, and teacher observations.

Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement. I hope you have a wonderful weekend as we head into the final week of school in 2024!

Dec. 6

The dragons are complete!  Students are very proud of their creations which are now displayed around the classroom.  This has been a great opportunity to participate in the design process for some real "hands-on" learning.

Additionally, the class is nearing the completion of the text portion of our Dragon Posters.  Next week, we will be assembling these including titles, paragraphs and accompanying artifacts.  This has been an engaging writing activity as it connects to their papier mâché creations.  I'm hoping to invite parents/families in after school to view the posters+dragons either next Friday or early the following week.  Stay tuned for this date!

Some other highlights of late include:

*Playing European Handball in gym.  Ask your child how the 3 vs 2 continuous drill works!

*Reading Strategies!  Students are learning about "visualizing" to understand text better.

*Subtraction.  Grade 4 students have been learning mental math strategies for subtraction questions.

*Math game boards.  Grade 5 students are creating game boards to practice math equations!

*Buddies!  Students met their younger buddies from Mrs. Erickson's class.

p.s. I forgot to hand out the wreath making templates to students today!  If possible, please print this and complete at home.  If you don't have a printer, please send in a piece of cardboard about the size of a standard piece of paper on Monday. 

Nov. 22

Students are working hard on their dragon projects as we move through the many steps towards completion.  As a compliment to the hands on portion of this project, students have started a literacy poster project.  The goal will be for students to complete a five paragraph assignment that describes their dragon in detail.  They will complete paragraphs on everything from habitat to the dragon's origin story.  Additionally, students will create two or more artifacts such as a life cycle or map to add further detail to their poster.  The planning and typing will be done on the google classroom in order to keep everything organized, editable and accessible at home.  Please ensure that your child has finished their first two paragraphs by Monday.

Some other highlights of the week include:

*The soccer jamboree for those who participated

*Playing the game "Speed" in gym.  Ask your child to describe it to you!

*Solutions and solubility tasks

*Addition with regrouping in math 4 (please check to see if your child is up to date with their Mathletics homework)

*Solutions and solubility Kahoot!

Nov. 15

I'd like to start by thanking everyone who was able to make it in for a parent/teacher conference.  These meetings were productive and meaningful in many ways.  It was great to hear the insights that only a parent can know and to brainstorm areas for continued focus going forward.  As I mentioned to at least one of you, I find these meetings can be equally, if not more impactful than the report cards!

Students have delved into our applied skills and design projects, or more specifically, the paper mâché dragons!  After all of the prep work that went into forming the dragons shapes, students have now started covering their blanks with the glue, water, newspaper mix.  Working with this medium has caused many students to adapt their designs to allow for more flexibility.  It has also been a huge practice in patience as smaller pieces of newspaper allow for a much better finish but that takes much longer.  Students will cover their dragons at least twice with the mix before painting and adding finishing touches.

Another big theme last week was our solutions and solubility unit where students made slime to compare and contrast solutions versus mixtures.  Terms like dissolve, evaporate, solutes and solvents were discussed in detail.  Ask your child if they can define each of these terms!

Some other recent highlights include:

*our Remembrance Day assembly

*cursive name art

*Risk in gym.  Ask your child how to play!

*Morning Mystery solve in English

*spelling

*trail walk

Nov. 1

I hope you're all recovering from the Halloween fun and chaos!  Student's enjoyed a number of activities at school including the costume parade, designing a class pumpkin and our first science experiment.  We've started a unit on solutions and solubility with yesterdays activity being around mixtures.  Students were given a random assortment of goodies with the tasks of separating and sorting the parts of their mixture.  Students were able to define mixtures as two or more substances combined but that can be divided into their separate parts as well.  We will be looking at solutions next among other topics.

Another big theme this week was starting our applied design and skills task of creating a paper mâché dragon.  Students will use a blank made up of wood and wire as the base for their own creations.  Their first step was to come up with a design plan based on the blank that will have personal touches and ideas.  These designs will likely be adapted and refined over the course of this project as student ideas evolve or limitations based on materials and construction are realized.  The class is excited to get started on this assignment!

Some other highlights of the week include:

*grade 4 place value quiz.  Next up is addition!

*floor hockey in gym

*learning about Diwali with an activity in the google classroom

*starting mixtures & solutions booklets in science

*designing, voting on, and creating a class pumpkin

I'm looking forward to our conferences next week!  Please ensure that you've recorded your time slot into your calendars. 

Oct. 24

It was great to be back in the class with your amazing children this week as we picked up where we left off!  I enjoyed reading over students letters addressed to me in their Book of Thoughts' and learned about the amazing things they did with Mr. Bowers and Mrs. Coutre.  Some of the highlights expressed here were the field trip to the fire hall, the student vote and the rugby clinic put on by Claremont students.  

This week we got right back on track with our paragraph writing unit as students wrote about a food that they just don't like.  Students were additionally introduced to the google classroom in order to type up their paragraph drafts.  This will be a great tool for future tasks as it allows for editing, teacher feedback and the addition of supplementary materials.

In math, grade four students are working towards the end of our place value unit with comparing, ordering and rounding.  There will be a quiz on this unit next week and students are encouraged to practice the standard, expanded and written forms of numbers.  Grade fives are moving onto their multidigit addition unit with Mr. O a little sooner as grade fours had FSA's to complete.

The Card Project: The children's art is online and we are ready to launch the fundraiser! Families can see their child's art online at www.TheCardProject.ca with the school's access code: LX62 The priority order deadline is Sunday November 3. Please don't wait for the sample cards. The sample cards will be ready by November 12. Parents should order now with the access code. The final order deadline is Sunday November 17.

Finally, I've posted more pictures on our class website from some of the amazing things we've been up to.  Some of these include:

*our field trip to the Parliament buildings

*transformations in math

*directed draw dragons

*scientific observation sketches

P.S. Please send in a roll of masking or painters tape with your child on Monday if you have not already done so.  We will be starting an applied skills project early in the week.

Oct. 4

This week we put our spelling and Paragraph of the Week activities on hold to make way for other tasks.  Grade four students have been busy with their FSA's and we also took the opportunity to work on a reading comprehension activity.  Students have worked hard on these learning tasks!

In social studies, students began to learn about government with an eye-opening activity.  The class was divided into groups with the tasks of creating the tallest tower possible with a deck of cards and some modeling clay.  The twist was that each group had to follow set instructions that reflected a political ideology.  For example, one group had a single leader with no input from others which was meant to reflect a dictatorship.  Another group had a mutually agreed upon leader with each member working on a particular job.  Decision making was shared.  This was meant to reflect democracy.  Although not an exact reflection it was a great way to start a discussion around different political systems; and which seem the most/least fair to people.

Next Wednesday we will be on our way to the Parliament buildings to continue learning about this unit in a real world environment!  A former Lochside teacher, Mrs. Coutre, along with two parent volunteers will be joining us to ensure that everything goes smoothly and students have ample supervision.  Having done this trip in the past, I know that students will enjoy seeing and hearing about the politics and some interesting history of BC.

Some other highlights of the week:

*Place value in math.  Grade four students worked on using base ten blocks to read numbers as well as using the written form

*Mini soccer games in gym

*municipal vs provincial vs federal government responsibilities sort game

*"Who Am I?" Kahoot game.  Ask your child if they knew who David Eby was!

*Koi fish directed draw

*Started pumpkin art

Sept. 27

We had another great week of learning in division 16!  A big focus was on writing.  We worked on paragraph format with a multi-step activity.  This included brainstorming, writing supporting details, generating topic/closing sentences and finally putting it all together.  I have been very impressed with the writing skills as well as the willingness to take feedback and improve or revise work.  Students also worked on a letter that shared some of the things we now do for reconciliation including: Orange Shirt Day, history lessons in school and more.  Students also finished off with the Book of Thoughts journals so all have certainly strengthened their writing muscles this week!

Some other highlights of the week include:

*learning about the standard and written form of numbers in gr. 4 math

*Four Corner Soccer as well as mini games in gym

*Spelling activities on homophones

*Our first fire drill of the year

*Our first trail walk

***You may have noticed more unfinished jobs that require completion coming home.  Please ensure that you check your child's or our online agenda to make sure that they are meeting deadlines.  This is a great practice in responsibility!  

I hope you all enjoy the long weekend (Monday is a holiday) and I look forward to seeing students on Tuesday.