Happy New Year!
Well as you see, I'm finally updating the blog, so that means that we are finally getting back into the swing of things in 2013!
First of all, I wanted to let you know that I had quite a bit of trouble uploading all the audio files to the Glogster poster (as you probably noticed), so I apologize for that. It wasn't for a lack of trying, I promise you! Unfortunately there seem to be some glitches with that site and I just wasn't able to make it fully functional. I hope it was still a useful tool for at home learning.
Over the past week, we have been creating and learning to read sentences for our word study poster and are now moving to the next phase of the process: paragraph writing. Tomorrow I will be modeling a paragraph I wrote using some of the sentences that the students created and they will continue to work on paragraph with Madame Tessmann as well next week. I have created an online book on Flipsnack that contains the paragraph we will be learning tomorrow as well as all of our sentences and words from this cycle. They are three different books all on the same link (you just have to click "Next" on the bottom of the page to see each book). These can all be downloaded (in pdf format) if you would like a copy for your home use. Here is the link for the Flipsnack online books. We will not be sending home the sentences in card format this cycle (in an effort to save paper), but if you would like a hard copy sent home, please let us know.
A few other things to mention:
- Mme Tessmann sent home information today about this month's Temps de Partage.
- We will be starting our Home Reading Program next week.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Joyeux Noël!
Here are some Christmas songs on Youtube that your child may want to sing during the holidays.
I hope you and your family have a safe and happy holiday!
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année à tous!
(Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!)
Notre arbre de Noël by Matt Maxwell
Le gentil Père Noël by Matt Maxwell
Quand le Père Noël vient me visiter by Suzanne Pinel
Vive le vent (the French version of Jingle Bells)
I hope you and your family have a safe and happy holiday!
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année à tous!
(Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!)
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Santa's workshop
On Wednesday, December 19th, Santa's Workshop (a ‘mini’ store) will be set up in the library for the day. On this day, students will be given a chance to come by and purchase new items for members of their family. The cost of these items range from 25¢ to $4.00. The school is looking for parent volunteers to take shifts helping students pick out gifts and wrap items. Without volunteers this will not be possible. If you are available and interested in volunteering on this day, please call the office to let them know. Please make sure to send money with your child if you would like him or her to participate in this activity.
Also, I am experiencing a few technical difficulties with the interactive poster on Glogster, so please be patient while I work out glitches.
Merci!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Our 2nd word study poster on Glogster!
Hello parents,
Here is the latest word study poster that we are working on in class. We will be sending home the word cards to practice at home very soon - this time without pictures as an added challenge! I have been working on a new online tool that I hope will be helpful for you to support your child's reading practice at home. Below you will find an interactive online poster from Glogster. We have not yet recorded the audio but soon you will be able to click on each word and hear it read aloud to you. In the meantime I thought I would give you all a sneak peak at what's to come.
Also, just a reminder to return the purple Second Step duotang to school by Monday if you have not already done so. We will start our next unit on Empathy next week.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Here is the latest word study poster that we are working on in class. We will be sending home the word cards to practice at home very soon - this time without pictures as an added challenge! I have been working on a new online tool that I hope will be helpful for you to support your child's reading practice at home. Below you will find an interactive online poster from Glogster. We have not yet recorded the audio but soon you will be able to click on each word and hear it read aloud to you. In the meantime I thought I would give you all a sneak peak at what's to come.
Also, just a reminder to return the purple Second Step duotang to school by Monday if you have not already done so. We will start our next unit on Empathy next week.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Friday, November 23, 2012
Le bien-être (Health) information and general update
In health last term, the students learned about the difference between healthy snacks and treats and why it's important to eat healthy snacks on a regular basis and to save treats for special times. It should be noted, however, that because the students eat their snacks during recess time outdoors so I am not always aware of whether or not the children are using what they learned in order to make good choices when it comes time to eat a snack. You can help ensure that your child is making better choices by taking the time at home to reinforce and discuss the importance of healthy eating and by limiting the amount of "treats" that you send to school in your child's lunch.
This term we have been focusing more on the 4 food groups and healthy eating during meal times, which fits in perfectly with our second word study poster of a family eating dinner (more on that later). To date we have learned about 2 food groups: Les fruits et les legumes (Fruits and Vegetables), and Les produits céréaliers (Grain Products) and will continue to learn about the next two groups (Les produits laitiers et les viandes et substituts) over the next few weeks. If you would like more information about Health Canada's daily recommended amount and type of foods for children, visit the Canada Food Guide website. Suggestions on types and amounts of recommended daily physical activity and ideas on how to encourage your child to be more active are also included on this page (scroll to the bottom of the page). I will also add these links to the right hand side of this blog for easy access.
We are also nearly finished our first unit in Second Step (which is all about listening skills) and will begin a new unit on empathy soon.
On a (slightly) related note, the school is currently accepting donations to the food bank (there are two bins located in the front lobby), so feel free to send in non-perishable food with your child next week. We will be accepting donations at the school until Wednesday, November 28th.
On a very unrelated note, I have added more videos to the blog, so feel free to browse the links on the right side of the page with your child. I didn't have a chance to play them all for the children today... so they can have a sneak peek this weekend if they want!
Merci tout le monde for your continued support.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Bonne fin de semaine!
This term we have been focusing more on the 4 food groups and healthy eating during meal times, which fits in perfectly with our second word study poster of a family eating dinner (more on that later). To date we have learned about 2 food groups: Les fruits et les legumes (Fruits and Vegetables), and Les produits céréaliers (Grain Products) and will continue to learn about the next two groups (Les produits laitiers et les viandes et substituts) over the next few weeks. If you would like more information about Health Canada's daily recommended amount and type of foods for children, visit the Canada Food Guide website. Suggestions on types and amounts of recommended daily physical activity and ideas on how to encourage your child to be more active are also included on this page (scroll to the bottom of the page). I will also add these links to the right hand side of this blog for easy access.
We are also nearly finished our first unit in Second Step (which is all about listening skills) and will begin a new unit on empathy soon.
On a (slightly) related note, the school is currently accepting donations to the food bank (there are two bins located in the front lobby), so feel free to send in non-perishable food with your child next week. We will be accepting donations at the school until Wednesday, November 28th.
On a very unrelated note, I have added more videos to the blog, so feel free to browse the links on the right side of the page with your child. I didn't have a chance to play them all for the children today... so they can have a sneak peek this weekend if they want!
Merci tout le monde for your continued support.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Bonne fin de semaine!
Term 1 Report Cards
Your child's first Progress Report is being sent home today, so I know it may be an exciting/nervous evening for parents and students alike.
In order to ensure that this first evaluation is as positive and productive as possible, here are some suggestions on how to approach reading and responding to your child's report card:
1) Set aside a quiet and private time to read through the documents on your own
2) Arrange a quiet and private time to sit down with your child to read the report card together
3) Discuss the evaluation calmly and positively, beginning with your child's areas of strength, including examples of how your child exhibits these behaviours and skills at home
4) Discuss the areas needing further attention in a practical manner, including brainstorming ways t hat these skills can be practiced and reinforced on a regular basis at home and at school
5) Make jot notes together about areas needing further clarification to take with you to the conference next week
The students will be doing a self-evaluation today in class which Mme Tessmann and I will share with you at the conference next week. In our Second Step lessons, we are discussing how differently negative self-talk and positive self-talk affect our decisions and our lives. We encourage you to help your child gain skills in self-evaluation and self-talk by using these progress reports as a stepping stone to increased self-awareness and understanding.
If you have not yet booked a conference time next week, please call the office as soon as possible. Also, please remember that, due to sensitivities in the school community, our school is now a scent-free building, so please refrain from wearing parfumes or colognes when coming to the school.
In order to ensure that this first evaluation is as positive and productive as possible, here are some suggestions on how to approach reading and responding to your child's report card:
1) Set aside a quiet and private time to read through the documents on your own
2) Arrange a quiet and private time to sit down with your child to read the report card together
3) Discuss the evaluation calmly and positively, beginning with your child's areas of strength, including examples of how your child exhibits these behaviours and skills at home
4) Discuss the areas needing further attention in a practical manner, including brainstorming ways t hat these skills can be practiced and reinforced on a regular basis at home and at school
5) Make jot notes together about areas needing further clarification to take with you to the conference next week
The students will be doing a self-evaluation today in class which Mme Tessmann and I will share with you at the conference next week. In our Second Step lessons, we are discussing how differently negative self-talk and positive self-talk affect our decisions and our lives. We encourage you to help your child gain skills in self-evaluation and self-talk by using these progress reports as a stepping stone to increased self-awareness and understanding.
If you have not yet booked a conference time next week, please call the office as soon as possible. Also, please remember that, due to sensitivities in the school community, our school is now a scent-free building, so please refrain from wearing parfumes or colognes when coming to the school.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Word study update
We are almost ready to wrap up our first Word Study unit Dans la salle de classe but I thought I would share with you all the things we have been doing the last few weeks as well as some added materials available now and in the near future for you to support your child at home.
First of all, I have added the sentences our students created to the flipsnack page so that you can print or view the words along with the sentences. That webpage is located here. These documents are available for download in .pdf format if you wish to have a paper copy to work from.
The students had a lot of fun turning their sentence into a "phrase folle" (silly sentence) by changing one word with the help of our cali-partenaires (care partners) in Grade 4/5. We even made a class book out of this activity, which is slowly making its way to the home of each child to share with you for one special night!
On Thursday, the class collaborated with Mme Tessmann to write an amazingly wonderful paragraph to wrap up our unit on the classroom. We will send that home for your child to read with you once the children have had a chance to illustrate their copy. I will also make a point of adding it to that same webpage (linked above) so that you always have a quick and easy point of reference when you are able to find a few moments to work with your child.
Thank you parents, for all of your support at home! We are looking forward to discussing your child's progress with you at 3-way conferences on November 28 or 29th (please contact the office to schedule a time that works for you).
First of all, I have added the sentences our students created to the flipsnack page so that you can print or view the words along with the sentences. That webpage is located here. These documents are available for download in .pdf format if you wish to have a paper copy to work from.
The students had a lot of fun turning their sentence into a "phrase folle" (silly sentence) by changing one word with the help of our cali-partenaires (care partners) in Grade 4/5. We even made a class book out of this activity, which is slowly making its way to the home of each child to share with you for one special night!
On Thursday, the class collaborated with Mme Tessmann to write an amazingly wonderful paragraph to wrap up our unit on the classroom. We will send that home for your child to read with you once the children have had a chance to illustrate their copy. I will also make a point of adding it to that same webpage (linked above) so that you always have a quick and easy point of reference when you are able to find a few moments to work with your child.
Thank you parents, for all of your support at home! We are looking forward to discussing your child's progress with you at 3-way conferences on November 28 or 29th (please contact the office to schedule a time that works for you).
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