April 2025

April 25th, 2025

It’s great to be back at school and learning alongside the students again! This week was both busy and productive, filled with engaging activities, meaningful discussions, and lots of progress across all subjects. I can hardly believe that we are already at the last Friday of April! Here's a look at what we've been up to! 

Language

This week in Language, we explored the art of persuasive writing. Students began by using a graphic organizer to identify their opinion and support it with strong reasons. Topics included thought-provoking questions like whether students should wear uniforms to school and if perfect attendance should be rewarded.

Using their organizers, students wrote short persuasive paragraphs aimed at convincing others of their point of view. Below are a couple of the introductory paragraphs students formulated. On Friday, we worked together on a guided writing activity that introduced sentence starters to help students structure their arguments effectively. This helpful resource has been added to Google Classroom so students can refer to it as we continue developing our persuasive writing skills.

Math

This week in Math, students focused on solving word problems involving multiplication and division. We learned a clear, step-by-step method to approach these problems with confidence:

1. Understand the problem

2. Identify what is being asked

3. Formulate an equation using a variable

4. Solve the equation

5. Use the inverse operation to check the work

6. Write a sentence to answer the question

Students practiced applying this method to a variety of real-world problems and are becoming more confident in their problem-solving skills. Next week, we’re excited to begin our unit on fractions.

Social Studies

With the upcoming federal election, students in 5A have been diving into Canadian politics! This week, they were tasked with creating infographics that highlight key elements of each of the five major political parties. Through research and discussion, students are gaining a better understanding of party platforms and what each one represents.

Next week, as Canadians head to the polls, we will be holding our own classroom vote. We’ll compare our results to both local and national outcomes, sparking meaningful conversations about democracy, representation, and civic engagement.

The Arts

This week in Dance, we learned about the elements of dance, and what better way to celebrate than with the Spring Fling on Friday! The school dance gave students a fun opportunity to explore movement while considering key concepts we learned in class.

We focused on the five elements of dance:

Body – Our instrument of movement, exploring shapes like curved, angular, symmetrical, and how we move using locomotor and non-locomotor actions.

Energy – The force behind our movements, from light and sustained to strong and sudden.

Relationship – How our movements relate to others, whether dancing with a partner, in a group, or connecting parts of our own bodies.

Space – The area in which we move, learning how to use levels, directions, and pathways.

Time – Moving with rhythm and tempo, whether to the beat of the music or the rhythm of our own breath and emotion.

Building on this learning, students were also tasked with creating their original dance, using the five elements. In the coming days, they will analyze their choreography and identify how each element is present in their performance. It’s been wonderful to see their creativity shine through movement!

Physical Education

This week, we celebrated Earth Day by getting outside and enjoying some fresh air during Phys Ed! Students had a great time playing Capture the Flag in teams, where strategy, teamwork, and a bit of friendly rivalry led to shifting alliances and creative plays as everyone tried to find the best path to victory.

We also returned to a larger game of Bench Ball, which brought lots of energy and excitement to the gym. With the weather warming up, we’re looking forward to spending even more time outdoors, staying active and engaging in team sports together.

The Wrap-Up

As I mentioned, it’s been a busy and productive week in our classroom! Looking ahead, we’re excited for the Book Fair next week. On Wednesday, students will have the opportunity to visit and purchase books at the end of the day. Track and Field tryouts also continue for interested students—good luck to everyone participating!

Have a wonderful and restful weekend!

April 18th, 2025

It was great to be back with the class today! We had a busy and productive day.

In Language, we wrapped up our book talks. Students will have time next week to revisit their work and make any improvements or changes they’d like.

In Math, we reviewed division, and students worked through a fun and challenging long division breakout activity.

For Art, we began exploring digital mosaics, a new creative project that we will continue working on next week.

We also had an assembly to review expectations for behaviour and to set a positive tone for the rest of the term.

Looking ahead to next week, in Social Studies, we will be focusing on the upcoming federal election, helping students understand the different party platforms and how elections work in Canada.

Have a wonderful long weekend! I’ll see you again on Tuesday. 😊

April 11th, 2025

I was away again this week, but I'm really hoping to be back working with the students very soon. In the meantime, I’ve prepared assignments to help them continue their learning, supported by occasional teachers.

Here’s a look at what they’ve been working on this week:

Language  

This week in Language, the students have been diving deep into their book talks through a variety of activities. From thoughtful reading responses to dynamic vocabulary building, they’re not only understanding the texts—they’re making meaningful connections across stories and ideas.

One highlight has been the use of Venn diagrams to compare their current novels with books they've previously read. It’s been exciting to read the insightful comparisons about themes, characters, and even writing styles. The goal of this type of activity is to help students think critically and see reading as an ongoing journey rather than just one book at a time.

Next week is the final week for book talks! Although I'm disappointed that I haven't been there to read the texts with them, I know that they continue to work on deepening their understanding of complex themes from different perspectives. Students are preparing to share their final reflections on their chosen novels next week. I can’t wait to hear their reviews and see how their perspectives have grown throughout this reading experience. 

Math

This week in Math, our students have been making the important shift from multiplication to division. We’ve been exploring the connection between the two operations, helping students see division as the inverse of multiplication. This foundational understanding is key as we move into more complex problem-solving.

Students have also begun learning how to do long division—a big step that requires patience, practice, and a strong grasp of place value. They’re doing a great job tackling this new skill and building confidence with each attempt.

Next week, we’ll focus solely on division, diving deeper into the partial quotient method. This strategy offers another way to think about division and gives students a flexible tool for approaching different types of problems.

All of this work—understanding operations, learning new strategies, and practicing step-by-step thinking—is laying the groundwork for solving multi-step problems. I'm excited to see students continue to grow as mathematicians!

Science

In Science, groups put the finishing touches on their life-sized models of the human body. Each model includes detailed information about a variety of organs and body systems, showcasing both creativity and a growing understanding of human anatomy.

Some groups have taken their learning a step further by researching diseases and conditions that can occur when these systems aren't functioning optimally. 

French

We wrapped up Manie Musicale this week with an exciting finale—Dr. Yaro was crowned the winner! Students had a blast listening to and voting for their favourite songs throughout the tournament, all while expanding their French vocabulary and listening skills in a fun, musical way.

This month, we’re thrilled to have Mme. Kaminker supporting our French learning. She joined us on Monday, and students are already off to a great start with her! We’re looking forward to more engaging lessons and language exploration in the weeks ahead.

The Wrap-Up

Thank you so much for your continued understanding during my absence—I truly appreciate your support. Please know I’m doing my best to ensure continuity of learning for all students and look forward to being back with the class very soon.

To those celebrating, I wish you a joyful and meaningful Passover. 

Just a reminder that there will be no school next Friday, April 18th for Good Friday, as well as the following Monday, April 21st for Easter Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

April 4th, 2025

Sadly, I was away again this week, but the students in 5A were still hard at work in my absence! Here's a quick look at what was assigned for the week:

Language  

Book talks continued with a reading response, where students shared their thoughts on the books they've been diving into. They also focused on prefixes and suffixes, expanding our vocabulary as they explored new words in the books. To wrap it all up, students created animation reflections using Adobe Express, bringing their thoughts and creativity together in a unique way.

Math

In Math, they kicked off our multiplication unit. The students started by reviewing multiplication facts and worked on completing a multiplication chart to support their learning throughout the week. They also learned two strategies for tackling multi-digit multiplication: the traditional algorithm and the box method. Next week they will learn the lattice method before diving into division its connection to multiplication. 

Social Studies

This week, we dove into the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Students explored the rights and responsibilities that we have as Canadians, sparking some great discussions about the importance of these freedoms in our daily lives.

Science

In science, the students are getting closer to completing their life-sized model of the human body! They’ve been hard at work researching different organs and body systems. It’s been so exciting to see hear of their progress!

French

Manie Musicale is still going strong, and we’re getting close to the end! Mme. Lichter has been visiting to share reveal videos with the class, and students are comparing their predictions to the official brackets. The anticipation is building as they get ready to vote for the final match this week. The excitement is palpable!

The Arts

In art, students worked on creating optical illusion pieces. I can’t wait to see the finished artwork when I return!

The Wrap-Up

Next week, the learning continues! Stay tuned for more updates, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing work the students have been doing.