This Week in 5/6R

Math:  We are working on area and perimeter this week, and will be delving deeper into these concepts. We will also be looking closely at estimating and how to do that before actually calculating a measure.

Area and Perimeter Practice Site

Reading:  We have been looking at finding the main idea in a text recently, specifically in poetry.  We are also looking for different literary devices in writing (hyperbole, simile, personification, metaphor, symbolism).  We are also working on how to correctly write a reader response journal more closely.

Writing:  We are writing our own poetry, and will be putting on a "poetry slam" and orally reciting our poems for each other.  We are focusing on editing our work

Social Studies:  The Grade 5s are working on a poster of a current politician, which is due Monday, and the 6s have just completed a brochure about human rights.

Religion:  We are delving deeper into the meaning behind the Beatitudes this week.

Dance:  We danced to "The Patty-Cake Polka" on Tuesday and the kids were absolutely adorable!  This week we begin to work on our own dance for the Christmas Concert.

Notes:

The Christmas Concert is coming up and our class will be performing "Mary's Boy Child."  The kids can find the link to the song HERE if they would like to practice at home.  We will be holding an afternoon and evening performance.  Details to follow.

Homework:  I don't give much homework but if a student has not completed work in class or has a due date for an assignment, they are expected to adhere to the specified due date.  Some students are not using their agendas regularly.  Please discuss this with your child and ask to see their agendas nightly.

This Week on 5/6R

Math:  We will have our unit test on Patterning on Monday, and will then move onto Measurement.  In this unit we will convert different units of measure and calculate area and perimeter.

Literacy:  We are continuing to analyze poetry in both guided reading and whole class instruction.  Last week we looked at the deeper meaning of In Flanders Field and A Canadian Moment.  We will be looking at a few more poems this week, and locating literary devices in the poems.  We also continue to write our own poetry and discuss where to split our writing into paragraphs.

Religion:  We are finishing up prayers and presentations, and beginning a new set of lessons this week based on preparing for the Advent Season.

Social Studies:  We continue to look at the different roles of government and Canada's role in foreign trade.

Dance:  We will look at different types of dances and discuss creating our own.

Notes:  We hep our kick off houseleague assembly on Thursday and our theme this year is courage.  The students made posters to decorate the gym.

Thanks to all of the parents that came for parent-teacher interviews.  If you did not come for a meeting, please feel free to call me any time for a phone interview or we can reschedule another day.

This Week in 5/6

This week we were lucky enough to spearhead the Remembrance Day assembly for our school, along with the Grade 1/2 class.  Our students were extremely reverent, everyone was so respectful throughout.  The kids were so professional and everyone learned their parts and performed with excellence. 

We also honoured our treasured volunteer, Miss Nancy, who goes above and beyond to provide for our students!  25 years dedicated and still going!

This week we send home progress reports on Monday, and parent-teacher interviews are Wednesday.  Looking forward to meeting and chatting with you!  Please return the form indicating the best time for an interview and I will do my best to accommodate you!

This Friday is a PD day as well.

Math:  We will be working on finishing up our patterning unit this week, and expect to have a test on Monday.  The kids seem to be feeling comfortable with finding the pattern rule, making a table of values, graphing the pattern, and finding the "nth" term.  

Reading:  We are reading a variety of Remembrance Day poetry this week and breaking down the deeper meaning.  We will be identifying the stanzas and defining what a stanza is.  In guided reading we will be looking at literary devices (similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, etc)

Writing:  We will be writing out own poetry, and using some of those literary devices that we learn in guided reading.

Social Studies:  The grade 6s are looking at human rights and Canada's role in ensuring those rights are not hindered, and the grade 5s are analyzing levels of government.

Dance:  We will begin looking at different types of dances.

This Week in 5/6

Math:  We are beginning a new unit this month in Patterning.  This is the most difficult unit for the kids usually, so if you could ask to see the learning goals posted in your child's work book that would be helpful.  The gist of it is can kids figure out and continue patterns involving two steps?  EX:  2. 5, 11, 23, The pattern rule is start at 2.  Multiply by 2 and add 1 each time. 

Literacy:  We have finished up our unit on Narrative Writing.  We are now working on further identifying when and where to start new paragraphs, and analyzing and writing poetry.  We will also look at media this month with a focus on overt and implied messages.

Social Studies:  We begin looking at different levels of government and trading with other nations this month. 

Phys-Ed:  We will begin to learn the basics of volleyball and continue working out cardiovascularly.

Dance:  We will begin to look at different forms of dance this month.

Notes:  Grade 6s will be heading to Central Park Athletics on Monday at 11 to check out their different sports academies.  I will hang back with the grade 5s while Mr. Bell brings all of the 6s.

Our class along with Ms. Daragon's class will be putting on a short Remembrance Day assembly on Friday at 10:30.  Please feel free to join us as we show our appreciation to our veterans and troops. 

Progress Reports go home on Monday, November 12th.  Parent-Teacher interviews are on Wed, the 14th.  Your child will come home with a sheet where you can request an interview or I have requested one with you.  Please return ASAP for scheduling purposes. 

Check out the links below to work on patterning at home with your kids:

Interactive Patterning Activities

Another One!

Tiling the Plane and a Math Starter

We tried a new Math Starter today.
I gave each child two dominoes.  I asked them to find the sum of each domino, find the difference and the product. Some even went the extra mile and divided them. They used wipe boards to do this.
We then played music and had the kids mill about. From there they found partners and swapped dominoes.
They seemed to enjoy it!

We then worked on "tiling the plane" with pattern blocks.