Monday, January 31, 2011

Tomorrow - author SIGMUND BROUWER will be paying us a visit. Books will be available for purchase for $5.00 each. Check out his site: http://www.sigmundbrouwer.com/kids/ Oral Book Report - students will be presenting their oral book reports on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Today was our Character Education assembly, hiliting the trait of Optimism. Ask your child how it went. Today in math, we started working on capacity. Here is a fun website to help practice: http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/liquidvolume/liquidvolume.html http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/47798 Have a good night.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Today in math we continued working on finding area in square centimetres. Here are a couple of sites. http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/ComparisonEstimator/ A great one for practicing area http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/ShapeExplorer/ Grade 3s started a new unit in science today - Stability. Here is a nice intro to structures. http://www.yesmag.ca/focus/structures/structures.html Have a good night.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Snowshoe Fun

We are planning to go outside for a little snowshoeing during Phys. Ed. class. Make sure to ask your child how things went. Reminder - Monday is a PD day, no school for the kiddies. Wrap Orders - due Feb. 1st In math, we are exploring the concept of area. Here are a couple of sites for practice. http://ejad.best.vwh.net/java/patterns/patterns_j.shtml http://www.mathsnet.net/shape/ks2meaa3.html Probably the best site of the three for practicing area in square units: http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/AreaExplorer/ Have a great weekend! Go Packers!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Fantastical Creatures

Today, the MacLaren Art Gallery brought their Van Go program to our classroom. A link to their brochure is below. We participated in the "Fantastical Creatures" class described on page 2. Students created their mythical creatures from modelling clay. The results are fantastic, and I know everyone is eager to show off their creation! Depending on the humidity in the classroom, the sculptures should be ready to go home on Friday. If not, then Monday. Apparently, the best thing for them is to put a thin layer of white glue on them. It will dry clear and offer protection.
Please remember to send the $5 to help cover the cost of this great experience. Thanks to those who have already done so.
Note home - Wrap order forms for February went home yesterday. They are due Feb. 1st.
PD Day - remember that Monday is a PD day, no school for the kiddies. A note on pictures published on the web - This is the first time I have put pictures on the blog. Please know that I make every effort to avoid putting anything that might in some way identify a student. In other words, no pictures of students will appear on this blog, or names for that matter.
Have a good night.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Here are a couple of sites to practice using thermometers http://www.ies.co.jp/math/java/geo/therm/therm.html http://www.mathsisfun.com/measure/thermometer.html Van Go payment - please remember the $5 is due for the Van Go art class tomorrow.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Due Date - remember the Health assignment on food choices in other countries is due Tuesday, Jan. 18th. Note home to be returned - the MacLaren Museum is doing an inservice with students on the 19th. The cost is $5.00 for a half day. Book orders - book orders are due Tues. Jan. 18th Reminder to bring - bring your favourite book in for our oral book report assignment Reminder - students are to read for 15 min. each night and record it in their reading log. Pizza - Monday is pizza day. In math, we continue to work on telling the time on digital and analog clocks, as well as measuring elapsed time. Here is a great site for both kinds of clocks that I posted earlier. http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/classclock/clockres.html A calculator for finding the difference between two times. http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/timetables/index.htm Today, we had our spirit assembly which is always a good way to end our week. Remember that next Friday is sports apparel day. Have a good weekend.

Forces Websites

Here are some websites to help follow up on our Grade 3 Forces unit. Friction http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/physical_processes/friction/play.shtml Forces and Movement http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/forces_movement.shtml Magnets http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources/parkworldplot/flash/concepts/magneticforces.htm The Lunar Lander (thrust is a push)

http://www.adha.org/kidstuff/games/lunar/lunar.htm

Gravity, speed, friction - the ROLLER COASTER

http://www.funderstanding.com/coaster

What Force?

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/identify_forces/eng/Introduction/act1.swf

All About Forces

http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources/parkworldplot/flash/concepts/allaboutforces.htm

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Health Assignment - Students are reminded that if they cannot find someone from another country to interview, they are welcome to find out where they own family came from before arriving in Canada and to research those food choices. E.g., if your family originally came from Finland, students can find out what the traditional food choices are there. Oral Book Report - Students are reminded to bring a favourite book that they have already read for their oral book report. No due date has been set for that project. Spirit Days - Friday is our spirit assembly, so students should wear their den colours. Also, the 21st is ":Sports Day", so students should wear their sports apparel. VanGo - the Maclaren Art Gallery are sending their wonderful Van Go team to our school for a half day art experience on the 19th. A note home with details and cost will be coming soon. PD Day - There is a PD day on Mon. Jan. 24th. No school for students, but plenty for the teachers. Hope you like the new look, have a good night.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Quiz - Students will have a quiz on linear measurement tomorrow (Wed.), including perimeter. Due Date/Note home - The health assignment, handed out last week and further discussed today, is due next Tuesday, Jan. 18th. Please see the note that went home. In health today, we continued to discuss food and how following Canada's food guide helps us with our healthy lifestyles. Here is a cool site that gives information on just about every piece of produce you can think of. So, if you're iinterested in finding out more about the kumquat, this is the place. http://www.produceoasis.com/Alpha_Folder/Alpha.html Here are some recipes, including some for those with medical conditions such as diabetes and lactose intolerance. http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html In math, we finished our discussion of perimeter and started working on another kind of measurement, time. Time takes (no pun intended) time to grasp fully,. Please take every opportunity you can to quiz your child on what time it is, particularly with analog clocks. Here are some practice sites. http://shodor.org/interactivate/activities/ClockWise/ A little game to see how fast you can set 5 clocks http://resources.oswego.org/games/StopTheClock/sthecR.html Probably the best site for exploring analog clocks, and a little feature that allows you to switch over to digital. http://resources.oswego.org/games/ClassClock/clockres.html Have a good night.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Notes home: the annual READ A THON information sheet Book orders - the first book orders of the year went home today and are due Tues. Jan. 18th. Today, in math we worked on estimating, measuring and recording perimeter. Perimeter is the distance around the outside of an object. Here are some practice sites. Build a spaceship with a perimeter of 8 units and watch it blastoff with aliens aboard!! Try to get as many passengers as possible. http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/perimeterarea/perimeterarea.html Build a box, estimate the perimeter, then check your answer! http://mste.illinois.edu/activity/boxperim/#simulation Use rubber bands to make shapes with wild perimeters http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_281_g_2_t_4.html?open=activities&from=search.html?qt=geoboard In literacy, persuasive writing and making connections are still the order of the day. Today we worked on trying to persuade our parents why we should set our own bedtimes. We still need some work on these, although it sounds like everyone had big plans about what they would do with their extra time. In grade three Science, we continue to look at forces, including static electricity. Try this experiment at home: http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/simple-science-static-magic-706989/ Here is a very fun game using thrust (push) to help land a spaceship on the surface of the moon. http://www.adha.org/kidstuff/games/lunar/lunar.htm Have a good night.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Today in math we studied kilometres. We counted how many giant steps it would take to cross the gym floor. Then, by skip counting with our calculators, we discovered how many trips across the gym we would have to make to travel approximately 1km. Here are some sites to practice using linear metric units. http://www.aaamath.com/B/mea69x10.htm http://www.aaamath.com/mea69-compare-meter-number.html In literacy, we continue to talk about persuasive writing. Here is a website that helps teach students how companies market their products in a way that interests children. They can create their own cereal box!! Coco We continued on with our music program today as well, learning a couple of new songs. Ask your child to sing "Magic Penny" and "Animal Fair" for you. Have a good night!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Reminder - read for 15 min. each night and record in the reading log. Today in literacy we worked in groups on creating reasons for and against the opinion that summer is the best season. Also, we heard the first chapter from one of my favourite books, "Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang" by Mordecai Richler. I can't believe this, but I read that book for the first time about 30 years ago. Where did that time go? In math, we finished a couple of activities we started yesterday on metres, centimetres, and millimetres. In grade 3 Social Studies, we started creating posters that would persuade tourists to come to Stayner. Students spent a lot of time thinking about what makes their community so great. Have a good night.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Notes Home - January newsletter to youngest/only who do not receive this electronically - notice of public meeting regarding ARC for this area - a note to youngest/only regading dental health screening later this month Parent Signtaure - some students have returned their math test to me with a parent signature. If your child has not, please review their test with them, then initial. In literacy today we talked further about making connections in our reading, listening to a story about a bad day called, "A Difficult Day" by Eugenie Fernandes. It was easy for all of us to think about bad days we have had. In writing we are working on persuasive writing. We listened to the old classic "Little Red Riding Hood". Each student was then assigned a character in the story, and had to come up with reasons why their character was the one most important to the narrative. Groups of Woodsman, Granny, Red Riding Hood, and the Big Bad Wolf were formed. Each student was given time to justify their inclusion in the narrative. At the end, each group voted for the character thought to be least important to be eliminated, a la Survivor. Poor Granny was voted out a number of times. Here is a link to Fairy Tales, like the story of Red Riding Hood and some nursery rhymes and songs. http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/ In math, after working with decimetres yesterday, we worked with millimetres, centimetres, and metres. Here is a neat site to help with converting: Converting This one helps practice measuring with centimetres (ignore the inches links) Centimetres In Health, we are exploring the foods of other countries. Students were given an assignment where they were asked to interview someone they know that came from another country and ask them about foods specific to their country or culture. Please note, some students may be unable to find a person from another country to interview. In this case, please research another country or culture, perhaps where your family orignally came from before emigrating to Canada. Have a good night.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Welcome Back

Happy new year!! I was glad to see that everyone made it through the break safe and sound. I hope your holiday was enjoyable. Reminders - chicken snack wrap orders were due today To be Signed - math tests went home today. Please take the time to review and initial them with your child. Character Trait - The character trait for January is Optimism. In English, we started a unit on making connections to what we are reading. There are three general types of connections: text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world. In writing, we started a unit on persuasive essays. Your child will take a position on an issue, why you shouldn't smoke for example, and give reasons to support their opinion. Today in math we started a unit on measurement. There are many topics we will be exploring, such as time, temperature, area, and perimeter. We started today with linear measurement (cm, mm, m, km, etc.). For tonight, here are a couple of websites on symmetry http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/shapes/symmetryrev1.shtml http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/elab2004/gr4/19.html Have a good night.