January 31st

*NOTE - yesterday the class photo's were distributed...also, a permission form for Escarpment Outdoor Adventures (similar to Junglesport in years past) went home...please get it signed and returned ASAP...

A good day so far.

The kids walked in this morning surprised to see the desks in a different arrangement...even though it isn't February yet.  I was just getting a flavour for the new set up...we'll be picking spots tomorrow.

Period 1 and 2 we talked about learning skills and the importance of getting into class each morning quickly, and packing up at the end of the day in a timely manner.

Then we read a little bit of the book "Yellow Submarine".  It was a little 'out there' for most, and I think as a class, we prefer the song to the book.

Then the kids had some independent/guided reading time.

After that we continued to work on our persuasive letter to Mrs. Wigle about starting a coding club.  We used this graphic organizer to help us with our thoughts:

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/persuasion_map/

Period 3 we started off writing.  I'm happy to say we've got 3 more students signed up to publish their first stories!

Then we played this game after discussing the difference between similar and congruent.  

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/geometry/shapeshoot/SSCongruentSimilar.htm

Period 4 Mrs. Smith came in to teach science.

Period 5 Mrs. Djonovich will be teaching music.

Period 6 we're going to be doing a massive desk clean out in anticipation for tomorrow's switch. Then we'll spend the rest of the time playing either guitar or finishing up our art work (depending on how bad my headache is!!!).

Tuesday January 30th

It's so hard to blog on Tuesday, because I have to do it so early...

FYI - class photo's finally arrived, coming home today.

Period 1 we finished up some unfinished work for red light.  Then we did some independent/guided reading.  We had just enough time before Mrs. Smith arrived to record this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tz0dn6cw9jeeaXxIbs-38TV26EzY_Zu0/view?usp=sharing

Period 2 Mrs. Smith is teaching health.

Period 3 we're going to be doing a quick assessment on 2D shapes - I feel as though most of the class has got this.

Period 4 we've got the computers and we'll be doing some more geometry questions on math prodigy.

Period 5 and 6 we have art.  We're going to watch this video about 'leap years'

http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/how-does-leap-year-work-vox

 and attempt this sort of artwork/rose doodles:

:https://artprojectsforkids.org/how-to-draw-circle-roses/

January 29th

Happy Monday.  Remember, this is a short week (Friday is a PD day)

Period 1 we finished up artwork for Red Light.  We read a couple of picture books, Fiona and the Dark and I Wanna Iguana.  Then we had our weekend round up.
After that we did some independent/guided reading.
Period 2 we worked on some persuasive writing.  We brainstormed as a class what we could ask Mrs. Wigle and Mrs. Markham for.

Period 3 we did a number talk, focusing on when to use decomposition vs. counting up.  Then we had library.
Period 4 Mrs. Smith is teaching Social Studies.

Period 5 we have the computers and we're going to try and finish all of our unfinished google classroom activities.
Period 6 we'll try to record 'Yellow Submarine' and spend the rest of the period finishing up (or a little free time for those early finisher's).

January 26th

It's time for the brief Friday blog...

Period 1 we explored quadrilateral's on the Geoboards for red light.  Then we read a chapter from The Witches.  The kids are now reading independently.
Period 2 we're going to be doing some writing.  Today we're going to start looking a little more closely at persuasive writing.

Period 3 we are going to do math...continuing to examine the properties of 2D shapes.  We'll try these sheets:

https://www.math-salamanders.com/image-files/3rd-grade-math-practice-2d-shape-properties-1.gif

https://www.math-salamanders.com/image-files/free-3rd-grade-math-2d-shape-properties-2.gif

Period 4 we have gym.

Period 5 we're going to do some shared reading, and finish up our art from Tuesday.
Period 6 we have the computers and we're going to practise taking screen shots and using the 'virtual geoboards' at this website:

https://www.mathlearningcenter.org/web-apps/geoboard/

Have a great weekend everyone.

January 25th

Another good day almost in the books!

Period 1 and 2 we did our reader's/writer's workshop.  Today we continued to focus on writing from other people/objects perspective.

Period 3 we had gym.
Period 4 we looked a little closer at the properties and names of 2D shapes.  Focusing on length of sides, angles and pairs of parallel sides.

Period 5 Mrs. Chamberlain is in for Mrs. Smith.
Period 6 we're going to finish up our math and work on our rotational symmetry art from Tuesday.

January 24th

So far, so good...I think.

I just arrived at school.  My supply teacher from this morning had great things to say about the kids in the class.  Always nice to hear.

Period 1 and 2 he read the kids the story of Two Bad Ants, focusing on perspective.  Then the kids had some independent reading.  Then they did some writing (focusing again on perspective).  I think they may even have done some shared reading as well (Yellow Submarine).

Period 3 the kids did math...focusing again on the names and properties of 2D shapes.  They played this game first:

https://www.mathplayground.com/matching_shapes.html

Then did these two sheets (I don't think the second link will open without a membership):

https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/shapes/match-shapes-names1.pdf

https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/geometry/polygons-2_TZFNF.pdf?up=1466611200

It seems like most of the kids are getting it!

Period 4 the kids have Mrs. Smith for Social Studies.

Period 5 is music.

Period 6 we're going to have a quick discussion about 'marketing' and 'advertising' after watching this cool video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3Bd3HUMkyU

Then we'll work on finishing up  our rotational symmetry art from yesterday.

January 23rd

I apologize...Today's post is going to be super short.  I am away tomorrow morning at a workshop, so I need to make supply plans.

This morning the kids had Language and Social Studies.  We have math and a 'comic drawing' workshop this afternoon.  To the end the day we'll be doing some rotational symmetry art...hopefully!

January 22nd

Happy rainy Monday!

Only half way done today, but so far so good.

Period 1 and 2 had our weekend round up, read aloud and had our reader's /writer's workshop.  We did some shared reading, and performed our best version of Yellow Submarine yet...I wish I recorded it.

Period 3 we had an assembly put on by Burlington Hydro.
Period 4 Mrs. Smith is teaching Social Studies.

Period 5 we're going to Library.
Period 6 we have the computers...hopefully finishing our Ideal Day party invitations!

Friday January 19th

It's Friday...I have 2 minutes.

Period 1 and 2, lots of reading and writing.

Period 3 we designed our own Ideal Party invitations in Google Classroom.

Period 4 we had gym.

Period 5 and 6 we're going to finish up our aboriginal dot art.

Have great weekends.

January 18th 2018

Another good day..almost in the books.

Here is what we did.

Period 1 we did the Problem of the Week for Red Light...Some of the kids had a difficult time 'justifying' their solutions.  It led to a great discussion.
Then we read aloud and had some independent reading.

Period 2 we talked about 'revising' our writing, and we all took a turn at revising a boring sentence.  Unfortunately we didn't have time to write today!

Period 3 we played some Star Wars inspired games in gym.

Period 4 we practised some more elapsed time.  Most of us didn't finish...but this is the sheet we tried:

http://www.commoncoresheets.com/Math/Time/Finding%20Elapsed%20Time%20with%20a%20Numberline/English/1.pdf

Period 5 Mrs. Smith is teaching Social Studies.

Period 6 we have the computers and will be doing some time questions on Math prodigy.

January 17th

Another Good Day in the books...almost.

Period 1 we made Maanit birthday cards for Red Light.  Then we read aloud a chapter of The Witches.  The kids are absolutely hooked on this one!  Then we had some time for independent reading.

Period 2 we had our writer's workshop, today's mini lesson really focused on 'revising'. As a class we revised my story about buying a new guitar.

Period 3 we had math.  We discussed elapsed time.  We watched this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6uSv5bw-Lw

Then we did some examples at the smartboard.  

Then attempted this worksheet: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19K4y69ln2lhCZjP0cOQO0GvjKx2m4oUq/view?usp=sharing
MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO PRACTISE THIS CONCEPT AT HOME AS MANY OF THE KIDS STRUGGLED.

Period 4 Mrs. Smith is teaching Social Studies.
Period 5 Mrs. Djonovich is teaching Music.
Period 6 I am hoping to review the G and D chords...and then spend the rest of the time finishing up math.

January 16th

It's Tuesday...which means I'm blogging period 2, my only chance. 

Here is how the day has gone so far:
Period 1 -we finished up redlight library work on The Banana Leaf Ball book.  Then we read aloud some of The Witches.  Then the kids had some independent reading.
Period 2 - Mrs. Smith is teaching Social Studies.

Here is how the rest of the day is suppose to go:
Period 3 -Writer's workshop -mini lesson focusing on drafting/re-writing
Period 4 -We're going to continue working on telling the time -and drawing the hands on analogue clocks.  Tomorrow I'm hoping we can begin calculating elapsed time.

Period 5 and 6 we're going to do some aboriginal dot art.  Thank goodness Mrs. Perks is crafty and willing to help out with this one.  I'll be showing the kids this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL6XL7tSAJg -video

January 15th

So far so good today!

Period 1 we began with a Tale of Despereaux activity.  Then we had our weekend round up.
Period 2 we started our new read aloud - The Witches, by Roald Dahl.  We did some shared reading to Yellow Submarine and ended the period with reader's writer's workshop.

Period 3 we had library.
Period 4 Mrs. Smith is teaching Science.

Period 5 we have computers where we're going to use Pixton to retell The Tale of Despereaux.
Period 6 we're going to finish our work from the library, and hopefully have enough time to practise switching between the G and D chord on guitar as we're going to try learning to play Yellow Submarine...

Friday January 12th

Here is what happened today:

Period 1 we read Scaredy Squirrel Goes To The Beach and had some independent reading. 
Period 2 we worked on our Writer's workshop, today's mini lesson focused on writing effective leads.
Period 3 we worked on Google Classroom, closely examining the Tale of Desperaux trailer.
Period 4 we have gym, we're finishing up our circuits from yesterday.
Period 5 and 6 we're going to watch The Tale of Desperaux...to celebrate finishing the book.

Have great weekends!

January 11th

Another great day almost in the books!

Here is what we did today:

For a majority of period 1, we finished up the pastel work on our Laurel Busch inspired cats.  Then we finished up A Tale of Desperaux, the book.  So good! 
Period 2 we started off with a little shared reading of 'Yellow Submarine' by the Beatles.  Then the kids went on their own for some 'independent reading'.   After that, we broke our record for 'I have, Who has' time game.  We shaved an entire minute and 3 seconds off yesterday's time!

Period 3 we had gym and did centres/circuits to work on all sorts of locomotion skills. 
Period 4 we finally got around to finishing those worksheets:

Draw hands

Write time

Some of the early finishers had some time to play these games:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/maths/telling_the_time/play/ 1short

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/maths/shape_space/time/play/ 2 long

Period 5 Mrs. Smith is teaching social studies.
Period 6 we're going to do the 'painting step' for our Laurel Busch creations.

January 10th

Another great day in the books!

I didn't get a lot of sleep last night because my own kids were sick...I was a bit worried about today, but this class is so amazing, it turned out to be a great day!

Period 1 we made belated birthday cards for Tianna.  Then we read a couple of chapters from A Tale of Desperaux...it's getting so good.  I'm sad we'll probably finish it tomorrow.  Then we had some independent reading time.

Period 2 we watched Scaredy Squirrel read aloud on Youtube...focusing on the author's style and use of TIME!  Then we played a game in math of I Have, Who Has?.  Tomorrow we'll try to break our record.  Then we made 'time cootie catchers'.  We didn't have time to get to those worksheets from yesterday either.

Period 3 we had our writer's workshop.  Today's mini lesson focused on 'writing about a pebble, not pebbles'.  Here is a link to lesson I showed the kids: http://msmcclure.com/?page_id=6226

Period 4 Mrs. Smith is currently teaching social studies.

Period 5 Mrs. Djonovich is teaching music.

Period 6 we're going to do some go noodle, show off Maanit's coded games and finish up our Laurel Busch art.

January 9th

It's Tuesday, which means I'm blogging period 2 and have to be clairvoyant.

Period 1 we designed our own seating arrangements for Red Light.  Then we read aloud and did some independent reading.
Period 2 Mrs. Smith taught social studies.

Period 3 we're going to work on our Writer's workshop.  Today's focus will be editing with a partner.
Period 4 we're going to do some math...specifically telling the time using the minute hands. We'll play these games and do the following worksheets.

Games:

http://coolsciencelab.com/stop_the_clock_easy.html

http://mrnussbaum.com/clockworks/

Worksheets:

Draw hands

Write time

Period 5 and 6 we'll do some art.  We'll begin by relaxing with a little 'go noodle' activity.  Then we'll look at the artwork of Laurel Burch.
video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ6Je19_POQ

Should be a great day.

January 8th 2018

Happy New Year to everyone!

It feels good to be back.

Today we began with a longer than usual 'weekend round up' because of the extended break.  Then we did a quick version of 'walking' before the great seating swap of 2018.  After that we made 3 New Year's resolutions (1 academic, 1 personal and 1 health-related).  The remainder of the period we read or wrote.

Period 3 we did a number talk focusing on 'friendly numbers' then we went to the library.
Period 4 Mrs. Smith taught the kids.

Period 5 we're going to set up accounts on Pixton and explore the comic building software.
Period 6 we're going to have a quick circle talking about our goals for the new year, and the fresh clean slate we've all been given.  Then hopefully have enough time for some free time at the end.