Updated: May 3rd

What we are currently learning is highlighted in blue.

Reading

1. How to choose a 'just right' book.

2. Making predictions based on background knowledge, the title, cover, and by looking at the pictures.

3. Making Connections with a focus on 'text-to-self' connections.

4. Summarizing

Writing

1. Journals (Who, What, When, Why, Where)

2. When to use capitals (e.g., Proper Nouns, the beginning of a sentence, etc.) and periods.

3. Putting finger spaces between words.

4. Writing paragraphs with a topic sentence.

Friendly Letters

The students just started to learn about friendly letters!  The students learned the format of a friendly letter, and they are now writing a letter to their best friend, telling him/why why he/she is so special to them. When we are finished, the students will be mailing or giving their letter to their friend!

The students also wrote a letter to a celebrity!  We will be learning how to write the address on the front of an envelope.  The students are encouraged to mail their letters when they take take them home!

Narratives

We have been learning about the features of fiction texts (e.g., stories have a beginning, middle, and end).  We learned that the characters, setting, and problem are introduced at the beginning of a story.  During the 'rising action', the problem gets worse and more complicated.  At the climax of the story, the problem is usually solved.  The ending of the story explains what happens after the problem has been solved, and it sometimes ties back to the beginning of the story.

We will soon be planning our first narrative on a 'story mountain' template.

Persuasive Writing

We are learning how to write a persuasive argument.  The students will write me a letter, trying to convince me to buy a specific board game for the class.  I will model how to write a persuasive letter, and then they will have an opportunity to write me a letter.  I will be buying one board game for the class.  I will present the game to the class, and read the letter that convinced me to buy it.

Next, I will be asking the students to write Ms. Lang a letter.  In their letter, they are going to try to persuade Ms. Lang to get something for the school that will benefit all the students.  

Last, the students will be asked to write a persuasive speech about a topic of their choice.  They will be asked to present it to the class.  More information coming soon!

Research Reports

The students will be learning how to write a research report.  They will be researching an animal or insect that lives in the soil. They will learn how to research using safe TDSB digital tools, how to make jot notes, how to organize their information, and how to draft a report.

Number Sense

Place Value

Will have been learning how to model a number using base ten blocks in more than one way.  We have also started to learn how to regroup (e.g., 12 tens = 100 and 20).

We are also learning how to order numbers, how to write numbers in expanded form (e.g., 325 = 300 + 20 + 5), and how to solve math problems (e.g., finding a 'mystery number' based on clues that I give them).

Examples: 

I am thinking of a three-digit number.  The sum of the digits is 9.  It is an even number.  It is between 330 and 350.  What could the number be?  Answer: 342

My number has 1 hundred, 12 tens, and 11 ones.  What is my number?  Answer: 231 (2 hundreds, 3 tens, and 1 one).

Ordering Numbers

We have been learning how to order numbers from least to greatest, and greatest to least.

Addition and Subtraction

We are learning how to add and subtract 3-digit numbers with regrouping.

Rounding Numbers

We also learned how to round numbers to the nearest ten and to the nearest hundred.

Patterns

To start this unit, we reviewed some new math words that they learned last year (e.g., repeating, attribute, etc.).  We discussed how patterns are used in our everyday lives (e.g., designs on clothes and carpets, patterns in calendars, etc.).  

We recently learned about repeating geometric patterns and patterns in calendars.  We also learned about number patterns.  

Data Management

We have now started our unit on Data Management.  The students learned how to sort data using Tree Diagrams, Venn Diagrams, and a Carroll Diagrams.  Over the past week, we have been learning how to display data using pictographs and bar graphs.  We have also been learning how to analyze and draw conclusions from the data. 

Measurement

We have now started our unit on measurement.  The students are learning how to estimate, measure, and compare the perimeters of polygons.  They will also draw polygons with a given perimeter. The students will also learn the relationships between millimetres, centimetres, metres, and kilometres, and use these benchmarks to estimate and measure lengths. 

Telling Time: We are currently learning how to tell time to the nearest second.  When we are finished this short unit, we will be moving on to multiplication/division.

Here is a link to an interactive clock that the students can use at home to practise telling time to the nearest second.

Multiplication

For this unit, students should be able to recall and demonstrate multiplication facts of 2, 5 and 10, and related division facts.  Although not required, the ability to recall other multiplication facts up to 10x10 would be extremely helpful.

The students will also learn how to represent the multiplication of numbers up to 10x10, and division up to 100 divided by 10, using a variety of tools and/or drawings (e.g., arrays). 

The students will also learn how to solve problems including multiplication and division.

I included some flash cards below so your child can practise the multiplication facts at home.  If you do not have a printer at home, please let me know and I will print them for you.

3-D Solids

The students have been learning how to identify 3-D solids based on their base (e.g., triangular based pyramid).  We have been learning about the properties of 3-D solids (e.g., number of faces, edges, and vertices), and we have constructed some 3-D solids from nets.  We have also identified some 3-D solids and shapes in buildings.  

Algebra

We are learning how variables are used and how we use them in various contexts. We are currently learning that variables can be used to represent an unknown quantity with a symbol or letter.

For example: 

• • 8 + □ = 16

  • 🔺 × 3 = 15

  • n + 6 = 20 − 5

We will also learn how to determine whether given sets of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division expressions are equivalent or not (e.g., 4 x 3 = 6 x 2)

Probability

Coming soon!

We just started our unit on Social Studies.  The students are currently learning about the Alonquin.  We are learning about their way of life with a focus on shelter, roles of men, women, and children, their daily life (e.g. diet, clothing, etc.).  

Here is a link to a website that I created on the Algonquin.  Visuals, videos, and audio files of me reading the notes, are all provided for the students.  I will continue to provide online notes for Social Studies and Science this year.

We also learned about the Huron Wendat, and we learned how they relied on one another (e.g., trading for food).   

We are currently learning about why people moved here from Europe.  We are learning where they came from, where they settled, and why they settled in these regions. We will also learn about how they impacted the indigenous communities in positive and negative ways (e.g., residential schools, overhunting, etc.).

We will also learn about the various roles of indigenous women, men and children. When finished, we will learn about the roles of the settlers, and how they were the same and how they were different.

Lots more to come!

Strong and Stable Structures

In Science, we learned about strong and stable structures.  We started this unit by looking at structures all around us, including natural structures.  

We are now learning about the science around structures (e.g., How do we make buildings, towers, and bridges that are stable and strong?).  

The students recently made some paper bridges.  Using only six pieces of paper and masking tape, they had to make a bridge that would support a heavy load.  They learned how we can modify materials to make them stronger (e.g., twisting paper, using triangulation, making an arch, etc.). After one attempt, they tried to make another bridge that was even better and stronger.  Their bridges are posted on our website!  You can check them out by clicking here.

The students also created strong cube structures out of straws.  The students were challenged to use what they learned in class to make their structures strong AND stable.  Their structures were tested to see if they could hold a heavy load (e.g., several heavy books) without collapsing.  Check out their structures under the Science tab!

Forces (Magnetism and Static Electricity)

Over the past week, we have been learning about forces.  We learned that a force is a push or a pull. Using spring scales, we conducted experiments to determine the force required to lift small objects.  We learned that we measure force using Newtons. 

We also learned about friction. We dragged different objects across different surfaces to determine the amount of force required.  The students discovered that more force was required to drag items across rough surfaces (e.g., sandpaper). 

We also learned about magnets. We discovered that the same poles of magnets repel and that opposite poles attract.  We discovered that magnets will attract metals that contain iron. Through experimentation, we also learned that if we rub a metal that contains iron with a magnet, that metal can temporarily become magnetized!

We also learned about static electricity.  We conducted some fun experiments to create static electric charges with combs and balloons!

Soils and Plants 

Check out our plant journal!  Our class grew some bush peas and some radishes. By doing so, we learned what plants need to grow (e.g., space, sunlight, air, water, soil). We also learned the plant life cycle, and the purpose of the different parts of a plant (e.g., roots hold the plant firmly in place and absorb nutrients and water from the soil). The nutrients travel up the stem to the leaves. The leaves use oxygen and sunlight to produce food.

We also learned about where the nutrients in the soil come from (e.g., castings from worm, decaying plants and animals, etc.), and how water and oxygen get to the roots (e.g., the worms make tunnels allowing water and air to get in. They also drag down decaying leaves, etc.).  Mor information coming soon!

We are currently learning about folk art!  They they will be using a variety of lines (e.g., curved, jagged, pointy, straight, etc.) and bright colours to create an imaginary world.  

The students will also use a variety of materials and techniques to respond to design challenges!  Using a combination of crayons, oil pastels, paint, and materials of various textures (e.g., found materials), they will create an animal of their choice.  This is in response to a book we read called 'Stand Like a Cedar'.

Coming soon!