May 2025

May 30th, 2025

As we wrap up the final week of May, the school year is quickly coming to a close. It’s been a busy and productive time in our classroom, with the projects I mentioned last week progressing beautifully. Students have been working diligently to submit their final pieces.

Yesterday was especially exciting as we got to celebrate the amazing talents in our class during the Dublin Heights Junior Talent Show—it was incredible to see so much creativity and skill on display!

Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to:

Language

This week in Language, students took a deeper dive into a podcast project inspired by The Big Fib! After listening to a couple of episodes, students were tasked with creating their versions, complete with a real expert and a "fibber."

To kick things off, students formed their groups and selected roles—some took on the challenge of being the expert, while others embraced the creativity of being the fibber. Each group chose a unique topic to explore, ranging from Fortnite to animals, and began researching facts to support their roles. The experts focused on gathering accurate, detailed information, while the fibbers had fun coming up with believable (but totally made-up) answers.

Students also collaborated to write engaging and informative scripts, incorporating both facts and fiction in a fun and convincing way.

Next week, we’ll take things to the next level by exploring the recording tools available in Adobe Express. Students will begin piecing together their podcast episodes, bringing all their hard work to life with audio!

Stay tuned—there’s lots of creative energy flowing, and we can’t wait to hear the final results!

Math

In Math, we’ve been wrapping up our unit on transformations—and what a hands-on week it’s been! Students have been focusing on reflections, completing their name symmetry projects while exploring how shapes change when flipped across a line of symmetry.

We also spent time working on rotations using tracing paper to help students visualize how figures move around a point. These interactive strategies helped bring the concepts to life!

To cap off the week, students participated in a fun breakout challenge where they had to identify a variety of transformations, including translations, rotations, and reflections. It was a great way to reinforce their learning and put their knowledge to the test in an engaging format.

As we head into next week, a reminder that our unit quiz will be on Monday. Students are encouraged to review the concepts we've covered and take advantage of the Additional Practice posted in Google Classroom over the past couple of weeks to strengthen their skills in identifying and describing different transformations.

Dance

This week, students wrapped up their "Dance from Around the World" projects, showcasing a wide variety of cultural dance traditions. From traditional folk dances to modern global styles, students explored the history, music, and meaning behind each dance form.

Projects have been submitted, and it’s clear that a lot of thought and creativity went into the research and presentations. Next week, students who would like to share their work with classmates will have the opportunity to do so, either with the whole class or in small groups.

We’re looking forward to celebrating the diversity of dance and learning from one another!

Science and Social Studies

Students have been hard at work on their Science and Social Studies projects, and it’s been great to see their passion and creativity shine through!

In Social Studies, many students have shared thoughtful action plans and persuasive letters addressing important social and environmental issues. Topics like environmental protection and healthcare have sparked strong interest.

Meanwhile, in Science, students continue developing their websites, showcasing their research and understanding of various social and environmental impacts on the human body. The projects are coming along well, and we’re excited to see the final results!

It’s been a productive week, and we’re looking forward to more great work ahead as both of these projects come to an end. 

Health

This week in Health, students explored the anatomy of people with penises and people with vaginas, learning about the changes that happen during puberty. We also covered menstruation and took time to answer age-appropriate questions inspired by our Venn Diagram activity.

Next week, we’ll focus on managing the emotional and interpersonal stresses that can come with puberty. To support this, students will participate in a role-play activity designed to practice healthy ways to cope with stress.

Physical Education 

In Phys. Ed., students continued to build their skills in 3 Ball, refining their strategies and their aim. Today, we took things up a notch with the introduction of a new game, 2 Ball!

With more rules and new elements to consider, 2 Ball proved to be a fast-paced and action-packed challenge. A lot was going on, but students rose to the occasion, showing great focus, energy, and adaptability.

The Wrap-Up

Thank you to everyone who placed book orders through Scholastic. Books are expected to arrive sometime next week, and I’ll hand them out as soon as they come in.

A quick reminder that next week will be a shorter one due to the PA Day on Friday. We’re also looking forward to our final character assembly of the year, coming up soon. I will keep families posted on the date once it has been scheduled. 

Have a great weekend!

May 23rd, 2025

Winter seemed to have made a surprise return this week with cooler temperatures and plenty of rain, but that didn’t slow down our learning! We brought our desks back together into one large group, just like at the start of the year, as we continued to collaborate and grow as a classroom community. Students in grades 5 to 8 also had the opportunity to participate in an informative safety session led by Toronto Police Services. Here's what else we were up to this week: 

Math

In Math, we explored transformations with a focus on identifying points on a grid, translations, and reflections. Through hands-on activities, students deepened their understanding of how shapes move and flip across a coordinate plane.

We ended the week with a creative activity that combined reflections and grid points using the letters of our names—an engaging way to connect math with personal expression. The learning doesn’t stop here—next week, we’ll continue building on these skills with new challenges and fun applications.

Physical Education

This week in Physical Education, students enjoyed some energetic games of bench ball and 3-ball. Bench ball helped everyone work on teamwork, quick thinking, and passing skills, while 3-ball challenged students to stay active and improve their coordination with fast-paced ball movement. It’s been great to see so much enthusiasm and sportsmanship in every game. Looking forward to more fun and fitness next week!

Science, Science, and Dance

It's project time for these subject areas!

In Social Studies, students are creating action plans and writing persuasive letters to raise awareness about social and environmental issues they are passionate about. In Science, they’re investigating how social and environmental factors, human activities, and technology affect human health, and showcasing their findings through unpublished websites. We're also celebrating global culture through our Dances from Around the World project, where students are learning about traditional dances along with their historical and sociocultural contexts, all through movement and exploration.

All projects are due next week, and students will continue to have class time to research, collaborate, and put the finishing touches on their work. I'm looking forward to seeing the final results!

Wrap-Up

Thanks for staying connected with our classroom through these updates! 

Just a quick reminder that Scholastic book orders are due by May 28th—don’t miss out on the chance to pick up some great reads. 

Also, additional practice materials will continue to be posted in Google Classroom through June 11th to support learning at home. 

Keep up the great work, and feel free to reach out with any questions! Have a wonderful weekend. 

May 16th, 2025

It’s hard to believe we’re already in mid-May! The goose eggs in the courtyard have finally hatched, and this week, we were lucky to catch glimpses of the fluffy goslings exploring their new world. 

In class, we’re wrapping up our current units and diving into our final ones as the school year winds down. 

Here's what we’ve been up to this week:

Language

This week, we wrapped up our first round of debates and have already started preparing for new topics like, "Could technology replace teachers?" and "Should violent video games be banned?" Some students presented their debates today, and we’ll continue with the rest next week.

Next week, students will also be doing a DIBELS reading test. This is the same test they did in the fall, and it will help show how much progress they’ve made in reading over the year. I'm excited to see how far everyone has come!

Math

In Math, we’ve been working on connecting fractions, decimals, and percentages. Students completed a quiz to wrap up this unit and have now started a new unit on transformations. This week, we briefly discussed translations, reflections, and rotations prior to students completing a readiness task to see what they already know. 

Just a reminder: Additional Practice is available in Google Classroom and will continue to be posted until June 11th. Each week, Math problems are inlcuded and are designed to reinforce what we’ve been learning in class.

Science

In our latest project, students are investigating how social, environmental, and technological factors affect human health. They’ll choose one factor—like pollution, lifestyle, or technology—and explore its impact on well-being. The goal is to create a plan that shows how technology can enhance the benefits of this factor or reduce its negative effects.

For instance, if a student examines air pollution, they might look at how pollutants harm health and then explore technologies like air purifiers or cleaner energy to mitigate those risks.

To present their findings, students will use an unpublished Google Site, learning to communicate their ideas through a new tool. This project not only encourages critical thinking about health and technology but also helps them develop important digital communication skills.

This project is due on June 5th and I'm excited to see their innovative solutions and how they’ll share their work with the class!

Social Studies

In Social Studies, students are continuing to develop action plans and letters focused on a social or environmental issue they’re passionate about. After researching their topics, they’re now outlining steps to make a difference and writing letters to local leaders to advocate for change.

This project encourages students to use their voices to influence their communities and practice persuasive writing skills. 

Health

We’ve officially kicked off our unit on human development and sexual health! Students began by reflecting on what they already know about puberty and shared their thoughts in small groups. They learned about the role of the pituitary gland and hormones in the body, and how puberty can happen at different times for different people, which is completely normal.

We also covered some of the changes that occur in the bodies of people with penises and people with vaginas. Next week, we’ll be diving into topics like menstruation and spermatogenesis. Although there was some discomfort and uncertainty on the part of students about the new learning, we’ve had a great start. Next week, we’ll be diving into topics like menstruation and spermatogenesis. 

Dance

This week, most groups presented their dances and shared their analysis based on the elements of dance, reflecting on how they used body, energy, space, time, and relationships in their routines. 

Next, students are starting an exciting new project on cultural dance from around the world. They’ll explore a type of dance, focusing on its sociocultural and/or historical context, and then share an example of that dance through a creative medium. 

Physical Education

This week in Physical Education, students had the chance for some free play, as soccer baseball wasn’t the sport of choice. Some groups played soccer, others enjoyed catch or volleyball, while a few had fun on the playscape. 

We also introduced a new game, 3 Ball, with the occasional teacher. It was a great mix of activities, giving everyone the chance to explore different sports and have fun!

The Wrap-Up

Next week will be a short one, as there is no school on Monday due to the holiday. 

Scholastic flyers were sent home today. To beat the pre-summer rush, orders are due by Wednesday, May 28th. Families can also order online using our classroom code - RC186231. 

Wishing everyone a safe and wonderful long weekend!

May 9th, 202

It’s been another fantastic week of learning and growth in our classroom! Students have been engaged in a variety of meaningful activities across subjects, showing curiosity, creativity, and collaboration in all they do. As part of our continued learning around Jewish and Asian Heritage Months, we explored Scrolling Spadina and watched videos highlighting different parts of Asia and the incredible contributions of individuals making an impact both here in Canada and around the world.

A special shout-out goes to two of our students who have taken on leadership roles by reading the daily announcements and creating a thoughtful presentation for Jewish Heritage Month, which they shared with their peers this week. Their initiative and dedication are truly inspiring!

Language

This week in Language, our focus was on debates! Students worked hard to prepare their opening position statements and thoughtfully considered questions to challenge their opponents. We've had two engaging debates so far, covering a variety of thought-provoking topics, with the remaining groups set to present next week.

It’s been exciting to see students making strong connections between their persuasive writing skills and the work they’re doing in Social Studies, where they’re advocating for change on important local, provincial, and national issues. Their voices are growing stronger, and their arguments more compelling—great work, everyone!

Math

This week in Math, we continued to deepen our understanding of improper fractions and mixed numbers, learning how to convert between the two while playing a fun and interactive game to reinforce our understanding. Students also practiced ordering and comparing fractions using number lines and the cross multiplication method—a helpful strategy that made tricky comparisons much easier to tackle.

On Thursday, students played a fun game of Fractions Action! helping them to get some practice solving problems involving the addition and subtraction of fractions with like denominators. To wrap up the week, we challenged ourselves with a breakout activity focused on adding and subtracting fractions. It was a great way to apply our new skills in a fun, team-based format. Everyone showed great focus and determination—well done, mathematicians!

Social Studies

In Social Studies this week, students began an exciting inquiry project focused on identifying a problem of local, provincial, or national significance. From environmental concerns to social justice issues, students chose topics they are passionate about and began developing thoughtful action plans. As part of their investigation, they explored what steps are already being taken to address these issues and considered what more can be done.

To take their learning a step further, students are now drafting letters to government officials, seeking support and proposing ideas to help bring about positive change. Seeing their growing awareness and commitment to becoming active, informed citizens has been inspiring.

Physical Education

This week in Physical Education, students had a blast playing a remixed version of Freedom Catcher that got everyone moving and thinking on their feet. We also took advantage of the nice weather with a refreshing community walk. We wrapped up the week with a new tag game called Oyster Shell. This week was lots of fun and great teamwork all around!

As the weather continues warming up, we’ll head outside more often to enjoy the fresh air and boost our daily physical activity. It’s a great time to stay active, have fun, and build healthy habits together.

Dance

It was great to see the students bust a move this week in dance! Some groups had the opportunity to present their choreographed routines, showcasing creativity, coordination, and teamwork. In addition to performing, students submitted a written analysis of their dance, reflecting on how they incorporated the elements of dance into their movement.

Next week, we’ll be shifting our focus to cultural dances. Students will begin exploring a variety of traditional dance forms from around the world, learning about their historical roots and sociocultural significance. We’re looking forward to broadening our understanding of dance as a powerful form of cultural expression.

Science

This week, students proudly put the finishing touches on their life-sized human body projects! It was incredible to see the detail, creativity, and understanding each student brought to this hands-on activity. From the circulatory system to the digestive tract, each body reflected the hard work and collaboration that went into learning about how our systems work together.

Next week, we’ll be shifting our focus to analyzing how social, environmental, and technological factors influence human health. Students will explore topics like access to clean water, the impact of screen time, and how our surroundings can affect our overall well-being. We’re excited to continue building on our knowledge of the human body in new and meaningful ways!

The Wrap-Up

The learning continues next week! Flyers for the yearbook and ice cream purchased have been uploaded to Google Classroom and are also attached below. Please be sure to review them and keep track of the deadlines.

Additionally, a notice was sent home to families regarding our upcoming Human Development and Sexual Health unit, which will begin on May 15th. Forms to opt out were included and must be signed and returned by May 14th, 2025. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your continued support of our classroom community. Have a wonderful weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone next week!

May 2nd, 2025

As we step into a new month full of sunshine, growth, and fresh energy, we’re excited to share what we've been up to this week. From hands-on activities to thoughtful discussions, we’ve kept busy learning and exploring together.

Language

We’re continuing our work with persuasive writing this week, sharpening our skills in making strong arguments and expressing our opinions clearly. Students explored a wide range of topics—from banning homework and shorter school weeks to rewards for good grades and the impact of social media.

On Friday, we took things a step further and were introduced to debates! Students are now busy preparing their positions on some very hot topics — get ready for passionate arguments, clever rebuttals, and lots of critical thinking.

We can’t wait to see the sparks fly (in a respectful way, of course)!

Math

This week, we launched our new Math unit on fractions! We kicked things off with a readiness task to see what students already know and where we can grow. From there, we explored equivalent fractions and learned how to simplify fractions to their lowest terms.

Today, we took it a step further by diving into improper fractions and mixed numbers by playing a game. The students are doing a great job tackling these new concepts!

For anyone wanting to deepen their understanding, there are extra practice problems posted in the Additional Practice section of Google Classroom. 

Coding

Today, students jumped into the Minecraft Hour of Code: The Show Must Go On! Using MakeCode blocks, they tackled a series of coding challenges — all with a creative twist focused on the Arts. From lighting up stages to helping characters find their way, students used problem-solving and logic to bring the performance to life.

It was an engaging way to blend technology and creativity, and a fun reminder that code can be a powerful tool for expression!

Social Studies

In Social Studies this week, students continued working on their political party infographics, diving deeper into party platforms and what each group stands for. We also had a chance to compare our classroom vote results with the actual outcomes of both our local election and the national vote for Prime Minister.

Our discussions sparked thoughtful conversations about the kind of change we hope to see — from improvements in healthcare to investments in education. It’s been exciting to see students connect what they’re learning to real-world issues that matter to them!

Physical Education

This week in Phys Ed, students had a blast playing soccer baseball, a fun twist on two classic sports that got everyone moving and working as a team. We also introduced a brand new game called Freedom Catcher — a fast-paced mix of tag and catch that kept everyone on their toes!

It’s been a great week of energy, laughter, and teamwork outside and in the gym!

The Arts

This week in Dance, students continued working on their short choreography pieces, bringing creativity and collaboration to the floor. Today, we took time to analyze our dances using the elements of dance — body, space, time, energy, and relationship — to reflect on what’s working well and where we can grow.

Everyone is getting ready for presentations next week — we can’t wait to see each group’s unique performance come to life!

The Wrap-Up

As we settle into May, our classroom is buzzing with new learning and meaningful reflection. This month marks both Jewish Heritage Month and Asian Heritage Month, and we've begun exploring the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of these communities. Some students have taken the lead by preparing informative slideshows and announcements, helping us all learn and grow together.

Today students got the opportunity to meet Mr. Aghazadeh-Naeni who will be teaching French for the remainder of the school year. 

Below is a flyer for sales of the yearbook which can be purchased through School Cash Online. Please note the deadline of May 12th, 2025. 

Also below is a flyer for ice cream sales which can be purchased through School Cash Online. Please note the deadline of May 26th, 2025.

With the weather warming up, we’re also taking advantage of the sunshine and will be doing some learning outdoors when we can — a great way to enjoy spring while staying engaged.

Looking forward to more learning, reflection, and fresh air as May continues! Have a wonderful weekend.