Have a Wonderful Winter Break

Wishing everyone a relaxing and enjoyable Winter Break.  See everyone back at school on January 7, 2020.
Looking forward to seeing those at Parent Teacher Conferences today and tomorrow.  

We also make a Winter Break promise together as a class before we left.  Ask your child what promises they have made so that we start 2020 off with a BANG!!

Enjoy your Winter Break! - Ms G

Half Day Tomorrow

Wooweee...  The day just flew by!

Don't forget it's a half day tomorrow with early dismissal.  
I look forward to meeting with many of you tomorrow and Friday for Parent-Teacher Conferences.  There is still many openings on Friday if you are looking to book a time.

Thank you to everyone who has sent in their Field Trip forms.  Just a few forms left to collect!  

Almost Have all Those Field Trip Forms!

UGLY SWEATER DAY TOMORROW 

FIELD TRIP FORMS!
Thank you to everyone who has returned their field trip forms and $10 money.  This is greatly appreciated as we wish to have this out of the way before Winter Break.  Please return your form ASAP!

LEARNING COMMONS books
Our learning common still has many overdue books so please help your child with returning or renewing their library books before the Xmas break. 

Here are a couple highlights from the day:
In Social Studies we discussed the weather in Winter, Summer and Fall in the prairies.  We drew a picture about each season in our visual journals - Grace T
Today we watched the band from Dr. Martha Cohen School today and some songs that we had to guess and they played Uptown Funk it Up - Jade

Return Your Field Trip Forms

Thank you to those who returned their Field trip form for January's trip to Ralph Klein park.  Please return by this THURSDAY!

Report Cards are going home today.

Here are a few highlights from the day:
In our assembly today we sang caroling songs - Hugo
Today in math we worked on a math problem about lining up.  It was a pattern problem and we had to find out what the pattern was and add on to continue the pattern.  Ask me what the pattern was and see if I can represent the pattern in another way - Muhammad
In computers I read a book called How Zebra's Got Their Stripes - Grace D

We're Going on a Field Trip in JANUARY

Field Trip forms are going home!  
We are so excited that in January we will be going to Ralph Klein Park.  This will be a 2 day field trip! Please note that our class is being split into two groups and your child will be in the Monday/Tuesday group or the Wednesday/Thursday group.  Please pay close attention to what dates are on your child's form and keep the white information sheet at home so can refer back to it when necessary as the field trip gets closer.  We would like to have all forms back by Thursday PLEASE so that we are organized and ready to go in the new year.  If you are interested in volunteering on one or both of your child's days, please email me to let me know.  You will need to have updated volunteer clearance through the school.  algardner@cbe.ab.ca 

Don't forget to book your Parent Teacher Conference for next Thursday or Friday.  Thank you to those who already have!  

Choir Performance!

Here are some highlights from our Thursday:
In our assembly the grade 4 and grade 3 choir sang some songs to us - Hugo
Today during the performance we heard Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Henri
In music we listened to Little Drummer Boy and the choir sang it too! - Grace D
In music we practised some of the songs that we were going to sing with the choir in the assembly.  Then we got to pick our own choice of Christmas songs and Ms Lysak played them for us on the computer - Grace T
Also in music we sang Frosty the Snowman - Jade
In Phys Ed we played Revenge Tag for warm up and then we played Bench Ball.  Ms Gardner saved us many times!!! - Cayden and Ms G

In Social Studies we started discussing some special land features of the prairies.  We learned about coulees.  They are so cool.  
Here's a fun video you can check out again!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrtLQljT9GI

Boat Building Extravaganza

This afternoon was our final building of our boats.  It was very successful for many partners this afternoon.  Here is what we have to say about our boat building:
My boat did everything it was expected to do expect propel through the water - Aiden R
I realized that a propeller like the engine is hard to make by yourself but if you can make one, it can be very successful in making your boat move forward.  Muhammad
I learned that if you add too much plasticine to your boat, your boat could tip over - Grace D
I learned that when you are done making your boat you need to check to make sure it doesn't have any holes - Cassia
I discovered that if you try to make it with 3 motors it will not work and we should have just picked 1 motor for our boat - Grace T
When I was testing my boat it was sort of floating and sinking because there was too much cardboard attached to it - Zoie 

Boat Building Tomorrow

We are set and ready to do our final boat building with our partner.  Today we reviewed and thought about what we had learned through all or our different experiments about boats and buoyancy and then met with our partner to draw our designs.  Tomorrow will be building day!  If some special materials are required, please bring them!

Here are some highlights from the day:
In Phys Ed we played a game called Tree Tag - Thandi 
In Daily 5, I exchanged my books and Vanessa gave me the book, Doors in the Air - Jade

Boat Building Designs Next Week

Don't forget - Our final designs for boat building is happening next week, so be sure to look for any special materials you will need to build the ultimate boat that will:
float
carry a load
be stable
be waterproof
and propel itself forward through the water 
Ask your child if they are thinking of any special materials they will need for their boat! 

Highlights from our Friday:
Today in art we started a picture of a grain elevator for our prairie landscape.  We used pencils to sketch - Henri
We had computers and I was reading Goldilocks and the Other 3 Bears - Jade 
Today in Phys Ed we played Catch Me if you Can and our partners were kicking our balls to each other.  - Aiden R

Warm Feet for the Street Tonight

Book orders! Due Next Thursday Dec 12.
Books make great gifts for Christmas.  And Ms. Gardner is great at helping keep secrets!  

Highlights from our day:
Today in Phys Ed Mr. Murphy was our Phys Ed teacher and we played Everybody's It tag - Easton
In music we sang Christmas Songs - Brooklyn
In Science we tested a popsicle stick, an eraser and an eraser sank because all the molecules are squished up together - Grace D
In Daily 5 I read the book Doors in the Air - Vanessa

In Social Studies, we looked more about Mounties and created a mountie page in our visual journals and labelled a picture of the different parts of their uniform.
Here is a very funny and silly video about mounties.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-h_FKaAc2k

Here are some Science videos about density that we watched today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dyCe1GPagE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBMMPlYbmbA

See those who are coming tonight for Warm Feet for the Street 

Mountie kit receipts going home. Thank you to those who paid.  Please pay ASAP 

Thinking About Upcoming Boat Building!

Boat building supplies: We are getting ready to plan our final design for our boats, which we will be building next week.  Through our various experiments, we have noticed that we might need some special supplies in order for us to be most successful.  
If your child requires something specific or special to be successful with their boat building (example:  clean plastic water bottles, styrofoam) now is the time to start looking for the perfect materials for building.  

We watch a video about different ways to create propulsion and then looked at different boat designs and the positives and negatives about each of these designs.
We are also thinking about how we could use one of these designs for boats that will have propulsion in our own boat designs next week.  Here is the video if you want to check it out and take another look again.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qncATegYpeM

There are still many who have not sent in their $2 for the Fort Calgary Mountie kit that we enjoyed last week.  Please send in ASAP. 

Woooweee Tuesday!

In Science today, we focused on building a cargo boat that would be able to hold and carry a load.  Here is what we noticed:
I noticed that it matters how you balance the load in your boat.  I put too much weight on one side and it started to sink, so then I added weight to the other side and it stopped sinking - Muhammad
My boat floated because I added one layer and edges and it was successful - Zoie
I noticed that lots of the tiny boats were not successful and the larger boats were more successful at hold a load.  Boats with walls were also good for carrying a load - Easton

In writing, we started a new focus around poetry.  Today we planned and brainstormed ideas for our first 6-room Image poem.  We brainstormed ideas based on this photo. 
Many friends were away today sick.  If you are feeling up to it, you could discuss this picture together and come up with some ideas, or even write down some ideas for your brainstorm.  Some student samples are included.  

Hello December!

Welcome December!

WARM FEET FOR THE STREET - This Thursday Evening 6pm
The Grade 3 students are still collecting items to make sure we can stuff 350 socks.

They requested the following items are still needed.
- shaving cream
- shampoo
- conditioner
- facial soap
- dental floss
- gum
- lip balm

Thank you to those families who already contributed to this worthy cause.

Here are some of the highlights from the day:
In writing we worked on comparing the East Coast and the Arctic and what makes each of them special.  We also wrote about some of their similarities between these two places - Jade
In Science we tried to make a piece of tin foil sink.  We also are thinking about how to make a cargo ship that will carry a load for our next experiment - Grace T
In math we made two teams with points and one had less and one had more points.  Then our friend had to compare the points and decide which of our teams won and how they knew.  This was to work on comparing numbers - Muhammad 

More Mountie Artifacts

It was another busy Friday morning!

We looked at more of the mountie artifacts and then got a chance to take a closer look at all of the artifacts.  It was great to wear our white gloves and get to touch and inspect these very interesting artifacts up close.
Ask your child:  What was their favourite artifact?  What was it used for?
What was their favourite part of their mountie experience over yesterday and today.
Thank you to those who have paid for their child to experience the mountie kit.  If you have not paid yet, please do so ASAP.  $2 please

Thank you for everyone who continues to send in donations for Warm Feet for the Street.  We are still needing more donations to reach our goal of stuffing over 200 socks next Thursday.

A few kiddos have overdue library books.  Please return or renew them next week.

Stay warm and have a great weekend.  

Do You Wanna Be a Mountie?

Today we were Mounties!  We got to explore the Fort Calgary Mountie kit and learn some very interesting things about the past on the Prairies.
Here are some of the highlights from our work with this very special kit today:
We got to wear the special coats and look closely at some of the artifacts.  Check us out below! - Zoie
My table got Sam Browne Belt and we found two little hooks inside and it was used for holding bullets and was made out of leather - Grace D

Thank you to those who have already sent in their $2 for the rental of this kit.  If you have not paid yet, please do so by paying online or by sending in $2 with your child.  

 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

Heading to the Prairies

Here are some highlights from the day:
In Phys Ed we played Elephant ball to practise our striking skills - Jade
In Daily 5 we finished our book exchange and everyone exchanged their book - Grace T
In Social Studies we have left the East Coast and travelled WEST to the Prairies. - Aykut
We had indoor recess and we did a video called Get Fit for lunch recess in the gym - Grace D
In math we measured stuff around the classroom with paperclip, 10 cube blocks and a marker and we were searching for things that were of different sizes. - Zoie
In math we did a problem with comparing numbers with an orange team and a green team and we had to compare their scores and decide which team won.  The orange team won because it had 19 cubes and the green team had 15 cubes.  - Easton 

Class photos going home today.  

Warm Feet for the Street Donations Needed

Please help out and support our Warm Feet for the Street by bringing in donations.  Anything helps this great cause.  

Here are the highlights from the day:
In science we tested and tried to make a ball of plasticine float.  Ask your child if they got to test the plasticine and if they were successful it making it float.  What made it work or not work? - Jade
In Phys Ed we played a new game by standing in a circle and we had to try to toss a ball up into the air and try to make it land and we were working on our striking skill and we also played another game to try and strike a ball to another person - Grace T
In math we worked with balance scales and used dot cards to make the scale equal or not equal.  Then we wrote an equation.  Ask your child to show you an example of an equation that shows equality and inequality.- Henri

Float or Sink??

Today was another busy day!!  

In Science, we tested the buoyancy of different items.  Ask your child about the items and what each of them did:
ball of plasticine
styrofoam
pencil
eraser
paperclip
lego
cork

Ask your child if they can tell you what each of the following means:  sink, float, buoyancy

Picture orders going home with those who ordered!

NO SCHOOL TOMORROW

No School Tomorrow!

Thank you to everyone who returned their OVERDUE books from the Learning Commons this week.  I still feel that there are many students who have overdue books, so please help your child find these and return them for NEXT week.

Here are the highlights from the day:
In Phy Ed we played Fire and Ice - Easton
In writing, we worked on our East Coast Animal stories.  I was in Author's Chair and I wrote, "I would teach my bald babies how to glide" Grace D
In Music we had a substitute and we read the book Pete the Cat and his Magical Sunglasses and we played a game with for boomwackers - Grace T
In Social Studies we learned more about the land of the East Coast and other another section to our page about Nova Scotia in our Visual Journals - Jade.

Here is a video about the Halifax Explosion which was part of the novel, Halifax Explodes!, that we read together.  We had many questions and many asked to see the video again, so here it is, if you want to check it out and discuss some more.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw-FbwmzPKo

Jersey Day Tomorrow

Get in the Grey Cup Spirit of the City!  Wear a Jersey tomorrow of your favourite team or a team you are a part of for Jersey Day!
Don't forget - It's fun lunch too!

Our boat stability experimenting continued today with a cork boat.  We added a sail to see if that helped make it more stable, and then a keel.  A keel is a weight at the bottom of the boat.  Some of us were successful at making our boats very stable today.  

We also finished up our lighthouse art!  Wow!  Check out these beautiful finished pieces of art work.  We have some very talented and artistic artists in our room.