November 18 - 22

Hello Parents/Guardians! 

Please make sure to read the entire blog as there are some important reminders we include each week.  

W.O.W (Words of the Week) Words: 

1. all
2. there
3. out
4. be
5. have

Weekly Highlights:

• We had a wonderful presentation by Teachers Pet all about Social Studies and our world this week.  Thank you to our volunteers for making this activity possible!  The students had an amazing time and are looking forward to exploring these topics over the next few weeks.   The students were introduced to a variety of topics at 4 different stations:
• Groups: Students created a puzzle piece that represented themselves and what they like to do.  They then created other puzzle pieces related to different groups that they belong to such as: dance, swim, chinese school, girl guides. These puzzle pieces will be glued into their journals.
• Citizenship: Students were introduced to the difference between a want and a need and sorted items based on whether it was something they wanted or something they needed to survive.  (E.g. A vacation is a want and water is a need).  Students were also introduced to the vocabulary words rights and responsibilities.  A right is something you are entitled to or allowed to have or do and a responsibility is something that you must do or an action you need to take, like your job. (E.g. You have the right to play with toys and you have the responsibility to clean them up when you are done playing).
• Urban and Rural and Landmarks: There are different types of communities: urban and rural.  Urban communities are cities and rural communities are in the country.  They sorted items into whether they would be found in a rural or urban community.  (E.g lots of wide open space and crops would be rural, tall buildings would be urban.  Students also learned about how landmarks help us (eg. if you see the Calgary Tower you know you are in Calgary).
• Decision Making: How do groups make decisions and solve problems when they all want different things.  Students learned about different ways to solve problems such as: black shoe black shoe, rock-paper-scissors, and voting.  Each group had the chance to put on a puppet show demonstrating one of the ways to solve problems. 
• In Math, we continued to work on more and less than a given number.  We practiced counting groups of objects and  introduced the students to base ten blocks: ones blocks & tens blocks (sticks).  Students practiced building different numbers with their ones and tens blocks, identifying how many tens and ones a given number has, and understanding that the 1 in the teen numbers represents 1 group of 10.  For example, 14- The 1 is not 1 it is a group of 10 and 4 more.  We also worked on using the counting on strategy to figure out how many.  If we know that there are 10 pencils in a container and there are 4 more outside the container we can count on from 10 to get the total.  We also practiced subitizing ten and some more.  For example, students would look at a full ten frame (10) and then some dots underneath and have to quickly tell how many in all.  Rather than counting all the dots in the ten frame they know there are already ten and to just count the extra dots.
• We ended the week with a school wide PJ Day!  It was fun to see all our friends in their fun sleepwear!

Reminders:

Student Led Conferences:

Student Led Conferences will be open for booking using your mycbe account on Friday November 15th at 4pm.  When attending these conferences you must bring your child with you.  These conferences are not a sit down conference with your child’s teacher but rather a chance for your child to share their learning with you.  Student Led Conferences will be on Thursday November 21 4:30-8pm and Friday November 22 8:30-1:30pm.  When you arrive for your conference there is no need to knock, you may just enter the classroom.  There will be multiple families in the classroom for each time slot.

Evening of Gathering and Giving:

On November 28^th, our school will be hosting a night of gathering and giving for our communities. This evening event will consist of an official unveiling of a mural painted in our school by Ryan Jason Allen Willert. As well as performances by Jess McMann doing a Pow Wow Mash-up. A component of the evening will consist of parents and students working at various stations throughout the school. The stations will consist of helping the food bank pack birthday packages, designing hamper boxes, creating kindness rocks, designing placemats for Veterans and making cards for those in need who use Meals on Wheels.

If you would like to donate to this night, below is a list of donations we are looking for. Please only send NEW, UNUSED items:

-       Birthday Cake Mix

-       Candles

-       Paper Plates

-       Napkins

-       Cups (plastic/paper)

-       Colouring Books

-       Ribbon

-       Stickers

If you are able to donate any of the materials listed here, please send them with your child to school any time before November 28^th.

Paying Fees online:

When paying fees online it is best to use a computer because many parents are having issues viewing the website correctly from their cell phones.  If you have tried from a computer and are still having issues please contact the office.   

Cold Weather:

As the weather is becoming colder it is extremely important that your child is dressed properly for the weather each day. This includes hats, mitts, snow pants, boots and a winter coat. Many students have been showing up underdressed for the cold temperatures. As per the CBE Cold Weather Guidelines students will be outside for recess unless the temperature is below -20℃ (with wind chill).  As we are working towards building independence in all of the students, your child should be able to independently dress themselves.  This includes putting on snow pants, mittens, and zipping up their own zippers.  Please practice these skills at home so that your child can do this quickly at school.  

Raz-Kids:

Raz-Kids is a great way for your child to practice reading everyday.  They can listen to the book, read the book, and then answer a comprehension quiz.  Your child’s Raz-Kids login card was glued into the front of their communication book.  You can download the app for free and it can easily be used on an ipad, computer, or cell phone. 

Communication Books:

Please ensure that you are checking your child’s communication book for messages each day.  Please initial any notes written by the teacher to indicate that you have read the message. 

Ask Me About:

1. READ using Raz-Kids, READ your home reading, and READ your library book!!
2. How do groups make decisions? (vote, black shoe black shoe, short straw, rock paper scissors, taking turns)
3. What landmarks tell me I am near my house? 
4. How many more than 10?

1. 15 is a group of 10 and ________more.
2. 12 is a group of 10 and _______ more.
3. 16 is a group of 10 and ________ more.
4. 18 is a group of 10 and _________more.
5. 23 is 2 groups of 10 and _________ more.