We learned...
*how to escape the school safely when the fire alarm rings
*about growing patterns
*about Room 7's Leaders of the Week

Ask Me About...
*our first fire drill
*our grade 3 game of Capture the Chicken on Tuesday
*our letter writing to our pen pals in Clay Center, Kansas, USA
*sketching our giant sunflowers

The Terry Fox Run is Friday, September 28th at 11:30am. Please dress for the weather as this event will be taking place outside. If you would like to make a donation, please bring a Toonie for Terry. If you could also wear your red Maple Ridge t-shirts on that day that would be appreciated.

Scholastic Book Order due Thursday, October 11th.

Photo Orders due Monday, October 1, 2018

Today we took the bus down to Telus Spark. It was a very fun day. We went outside and enjoyed the humungous, enjoyable, shiny side. It was silver like a star. Today we made different types of sounds that tested our ears.

"I enjoyed using the hot glue gun to try and make a cube for my brother" - Sofija

"I enjoyed the nail bed because it felt cool." - Vukasin

"I liked hearing about how to make sound softer or louder." - Aila

"Today I liked drinking out of the toilet." - Daniel

"I loved dressing up the mannequins." - Camryn

"I enjoyed taking pictures in the photo booth." - Marrissa

"I liked climbing the wooden structure and also playing on the spinner." - Anirudh

"I loved playing at the jungle Jim playground." - Avery

"I liked dancing on the dance stage." - Rishitha

Please stay tuned for photos of our adventures!!!!

Thank you for all parents who attended Parent/Teacher Conferences Thursday evening and Friday morning. It was a real treat meeting you all again and speaking about how your child has transitioned into their grade 3 year. I appreciate all the feedback that you provided. If you have further questions and/or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

What learning took place this week?

We were extremely lucky to have had an audiologist visit our classroom and speak about her profession. She provided information on the basic anatomy of the human hear and how sound travels from the exterior environment to the brain. She took use through a slider demonstration and reviewed a chart outlining how well various animals in the world can hear. The students were very engaged and asked ‘good’ questions. The majority of students were keen to compare the human hearing structure to that of an animal of their choice...this could guide one of our initial inquiry projects.

The students initially selected Fortunately, the Milk as our book for the Global Read Aloud. Unfortunately I had a difficult time seeking out another class that was reading the same book. So after a discussion with the class, we decided to read A Boy Called Bat. This project will start October 1st. Stay tuned for more details on how we will connect with other classrooms and the location of such classes. This is a teacher read aloud but if your child would like to follow along with us with their own copy of the book, please don’t hesitate to purchase one.  

Students were introduced to the morning challenge this week. For the most part this challenge will focus on math skill development. Students will have the opportunity to complete the task independently on Monday. From Tuesday to Thursday, they are encouraged to select a different partner to work alongside. This provides them with the chance to work with and listen to the strategies of others. On Friday, we will look at the various solutions and strategies together as a whole. We also started looking at patterns in math and seeking out the meaning, examples, and non-examples. We will focus our attention on growing patterns, and how scientists/mathematicians use patterns on a daily basis.

The unveiling of the iLab was a definitely a highlight of the week. On Thursday morning, students had the opportunity to explore this new space in the school. Mrs. Ramsey, our school AP, has worked tirelessly on this project since the end of the previously school. Please thank her for all her hard work if you cross her path. Students will head down next week for an orientation of the space and how to sign out books. Please ask your child their feelings on the iLab.

We have our first field study on Monday, September 24th to TELUS Spark. Please have your child wear their red Maple Ridge t-shirt that they received last week. We will be departing the school at 9:15am and arriving back around 2:30pm. There is no need to drop your child off earlier in the morning.

Ask Me About...

*our new iLab

*the profession of audiology

*our drama experience on Tuesday

*our Rights and Responsibility contract

Upcoming Events:

*Monday, September 24th - Field Study to TELUS Spark

*Friday, September 28th - Terry Fox Run

  FUN Snack

*Monday, October 1st - Global Read Aloud Kick-Off

*Friday, October 5th - Non-Instructional Day (No SChool)

Enjoy this first weekend of fall with family and friends.

Take care,

Teresa Giffen

Today we learned...
*about our new songs in Music
*about the structure of the ear
*the names of the parts of the ear
*how to fold our accordion ear

Ask Me About...
*the ear we constructed
*our pattern work in Math
*our assembly song in Music
*our new student teacher (who is here every Wednesday morning for 10 weeks)
*our community scavenger hunt
*our reflection on our audiologist

Thank you for returning all the field study forms for TELUS Spark. The students and I are very excited about our first trip out of the school.

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Thursday, September 20th is an early dismissal day. The dismissal bell for the day will ring at 12:30pm.

No School Friday, September 21st due to Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Please read over the fee agreement form that went home with your child today.

Today we learned...

*about audiology
*a game about a chicken in Music
*about creating a bar graph in Math
*the We Are Going to be Friends song in Music

Ask me about...

*my tree painting
*what book our class choose for the Global Read Aloud
*the song we learned in Music
*my free choice writing

Tomorrow afternoon we are going on another community walk. Dress appropriately.

Would anyone like to volunteer for the field study in a week to TELUS Spark?

Learning in Action

Weekly Update - September 14th

Our first full week of school for the 2018-2019 year is now in the books, and what an exciting week it was on so many accounts. Each Monday and Wednesday, the students will assist me in completing the blog entry. However, as I mentioned last week, I will be writing a more lengthy reflection of the week on Friday.

What learning took place this week?

The students worked on understanding the concept of YET this week. We read a picture book titled Giraffes Can’t Dance and discussed what skills (inside and outside the school setting) that each student had not mastered YET. Each and every student discussed openly what they couldn’t do YET and agreed that sharing with others was positive, and that we can all help each other change our can’t statements into can. We will continue to work on this concept throughout the school year. If you do hear your son/daughter say that can’t do something, be sure to add the YET to the end of that statement.

All students in the globe have the right to be safe, to be happy, and to learn. We reviewed exactly what a right means and then brainstormed several ideas on how we can ensure the student’s rights of Room 7 are met. The students have agreed to this such contract and will place their signature on the contract to show anyone who enters the classroom that they will behave in an appropriate manner to ensure everyone is safe, happy, and learns. Please check this contract out when you come next week for conferences.

Students did an amazing job brainstorming as many onomatopoeias in a two day period.  This learning task was the kick-off to our Hearing and Sound unit of study. The second part of this task was to assign emotions to each example to determine if the sound is considered to be pleasant or unpleasant. We also viewed a short video which tested the age of the student’s hearing. I have included the website below if you would like to check out how old your ears are?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcbppCX6Rk

I have registered our class for the Global Read Aloud. This initiative will begin on October 1st. Each class that registers selects a book from the short list provided and then connects with other classes, around the world, that are reading the same book. We can connect with as many classes in the world or just one, whichever our class decides together. We discussed the opportunity as a class on Thursday and then started further discussions on which book choice would be the most suitable for our class, not necessarily your favourite.  Each student completed a classroom survey and bar graph to represent the data they have collected. Please stayed tuned for more information on this wonderful global experience.

https://theglobalreadaloud.com

We will be heading out for our first field study on Monday, September 24th to TELUS Spark. Please contact me as soon as possible if you are able to volunteer that day. Thank you to those families who have already brought back the permission forms. These are due back at the school by Wednesday, September 19th.

Ask Me About…

*my web on onomatopoeias

*my book interest for the Global Read Aloud

*our classroom Rights and Responsibilities

*the importance of Read to Someone

Upcoming Events

*Monday, September 17th - Audiologist Speaker (classroom visit)

*Thursday, September 20th - Early Dismissal at 12:30pm

    Parent/Teacher Conferences at 3:30-7:30pm

*Friday, September 21st - No School

Parent/Teacher Conferences at 8:00-12:00pm

*Monday, September 24th - TELUS Spark Field Study (all day)

Stay warm this weekend and I look forward to meeting with you all on either Thursday or Friday. If you require additional assistance with an interpreter at the conferences next week, please let me know as soon as possible.

Take care,

Teresa Giffen

I learned....

*about onomatopoeia
*more about Rocks and Minerals
*about the 3 rights of all humans (right to be safe, happy, and to learn)

Ask me about...

*our close-up observations of Rocks and Minerals
*our Gym class with Room 6
*our Music class today
*our community walk

Please read over the purple form that was sent home with your son/daughter today. This form outlines   the benefits of a community walk field study and which locations are within walking distance. Please contact myself or Mr. Emery (school principal) with any further questions or concerns.

The grade 3 students are headed to the TELUS Spark Science Centre on Monday, September 24th. Please review the information sent home today. If you could return the completed permission form to Mrs. Giffen by Wednesday, September 19th it would be greatly appreciated. We are still looking for 3 volunteers. If you have completed the necessary paperwork and are free to join us, please contact me as soon as possible.

Today I learned...

*a little about Rocks and Minerals
*how to Read 2 Someone
*how to play Simon Says with the drums
*how to play Race to 100 in Math

Ask me about...

*the introductory video on Rocks and Minerals
*my Math Inventory
*my Picture Day

Room 7 is seeking a guest speaker who is a geologist. Please let Mrs. Giffen know of anyone who would be interested in coming to our class to present about Rocks and Minerals.

Weekly Update - September 7th

Thank you for making this first week of school so special and equally exciting. I could not be more pleased with the start up of the year and very much look forward to what the days, weeks, and months bring to the students of Room 7. I would like to invite you to check your email on Friday afternoons, as I will be sending out a weekly learning update to all parents/guardians. This will be a reflection of the past week but also a reminder of upcoming events. I will also be posting this update on our classroom blog.

What learning took place this week?

During this week, the students were involved in several team building tasks. These tasks are designed to engage students in an engineering task, with the distinct purpose of developing their communication and collaboration skills. Students were asked to build the tallest tower with just tape and straws that would be stable enough to hold a tennis ball. We had seven creative and unique towers with several of them designed to in fact hold a tennis ball for a period of time. We took the opportunity to discuss what collaboration both looks like and sounds like. We will be working on these skills on a regular basis as students will undertake design tasks in varying groups.

Students and I also spoke about the importance of Read to Self time of the day. We spoke about the reasons why we read and how this purpose will change from one task to another. We had students role play what Read to Self looks like and sounds like, and we once again practiced these skills. Building stamina in this particular area will be another focus over the next several weeks. The students will be introduced to Shared Reading next week.

The art of brainstorming was also a focus for Room 7 this week. We discussed as a whole the importance of doing so and how this helps us see the perspectives of others. We generated a short list of ways in which we can brainstorm and the proceeded to complete our first attempt around one unit of study in Science: Hearing and Sound. The students brainstormed their questions, wonders, curiosities and personal connections to the topic. I could not be more proud of the work they did with this desk, especially at the beginning of the school year.

This is just a few highlights of the week. I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and I look forward to seeing you all on Monday. Please do not hesitate to email me at anytime with questions/concerns. (tdgiffen@cbe.ab.ca)

Ask Me About

*our Welcome Back Assembly

*what we did in our first Music class

*our time in the natural space

Upcoming Events

Monday, September 10th - Photo Day

Thursday, September 20th - Early Dismissal

   Parent/Teacher Conferences at 3:30-7:30pm

Friday, September 21st - Parent Teacher Conferences at 8:00-12:00pm

Monday, September 24th - TELUS Spark Field Study

Take care,

Teresa Giffen

Upcoming Events

We look forward to seeing you at the Ice Cream Social on Thursday, September 6th from 5:00-7:00pm.

Wednesday, September 5th

Today we learned...

*how to build a structure with straws and tape in order to hold a tennis ball
*the 3 Ways to Read a Book
*how to collaborate with each other
*the importance of brainstorming

Ask me about..

*my Tree Glyph Art project
*my team's straw structure
*my Hearing and Sound brainstorming session