Math Tests

Math tests have been sent home today! Everyone did very well! Please review, sign and send them back to school for your child's assessment folder.
I encourage the boys and girls to continue practicing their basic facts and addition and subtraction of three digits at least once a week.

Math Unit Three

Today we wrote our math test and are ready to move on to our next math unit which is Geometry and Spatial Sense. In this unit students will:

- describe, compare and sort shapes and figures according to different attributes
- learn about parallel lines
- learn about congruency
- build models of a solid from a net

Math Test Tomorrow

Tomorrow the boys and girls will write the unit test for addition and subtraction. On Friday practice tests were sent home for study purposes. I encourage the boys and girls to go over these again tonight!

It's here...

I think cold and flu season is officially amongst us. We had a chat about coughing in our arms and lots of hand cleaning. I will be washing down desks at the end of each day too to help minimize the spread of germs.

Math Centres

Today we practiced our number sense skills at various math centres. Not only was it fun but it helped us review and practice for our upcoming test. I will post various problems from now until Tuesday that the boys and girls can practice at home. Tonight's practice page is great math test prep too!

Progress Reports

This evening the boys and girls will be bringing home their progress reports. Please review this document with your child and complete and return page three to school with the envelope.
I ask that the boys and girls have a good understanding of their strengths and next steps as we will work on completing report card reflections over the next few days.

Pic Collage

Today we explored an iPad app called "Pic Collage." We will be using this app to create media posters for health. I am excited about replacing "traditional" cut and paste activities with this technology.

Making Meaningful Connections

Our Reading Block focus is on making meaningful connections to the texts we read. Good readers connect to the big ideas / lessons is the story rather than the small details. For example: connecting with the way a character felt after being teased versus connecting to the idea that you too have a red sweater like the main character gives a reader a deeper understanding of the author’s message. These deeper connections help us better understand the texts we read, and therefore, make us better readers! I encourage the boys and girls to try and make meaningful connections when doing their nightly reading at home!

Types of Connections we Make:
- Text-To-Self
- Text-To-Text
- Text-To-World
- Text-To-Faith

Math Test

We will have a math test on Tuesday November 24.

It will cover:

- addition and subtraction of up to three digits using the different strategies learned
- mental math
- find the missing number
- related facts
- estimation
- word problems (it is important that the students can identify whether they should add or subtract)

The boys and girls will bring home their books this week to practice and review at home.

World Diabetes Day

Tomorrow in support of World Diabetes the school will be wearing blue. Let's wear blur for this brave little girl and kids alike!

Email Addresses!

If moms or dads could write their email address in their child's agenda that would be helpful! Now and again I have a picture or sunshine note I would like to share and an email is sometimes a quick way to do it!

Thank you!

Remembrance Day

Our Remembrance Day liturgy today was beautiful. Thank you to everyone who was able to come and join us in our celebration.
After the liturgy Second-Lieutenant Ted Bergen came back to our classroom. He explained his role in the Canadian Armed Forces and let us pass around some of his tools and equipment (such as his gps system, helmet and gloves). The boys and girls loved this authentic learning experience!

Typing Practice

Today most of the boys and girls had a chance to practice their typing skills by typing a few sentences about why they wear a poppy.
I encourage the boys and girls to get on to a program like Microsoft Word once or twice a week at home in order to get comfortable with the keyboard and word documents. I tell the boys and girls that "chicken pecking" on the keyboard is fine. We do not need to do the "old school" way of typing... especially since a lot of the typing we do now a days in the "real world" will be on phones and tablets.

Mental Math

Mental math is math you do inside your head. We have been working on our mental math skills in the classroom. The boy and girls should practice mental math at home. Once they solve the answer they should be able to show or articulate what they did to solve.

For example:

28 + 36 = 64

I turned 28 into 30 by giving two of the ones from 36. That gave me 30 + 34.
30 + 30 is 60. Plus 4 more ones is 64.

POTW Presentation

This week the boys and girls will present the poem of the week. I have sent home the rubric I will be using to assess the presentation. It is inside their POTW duotang behind this weeks poem.
I encourage the boys and girls to memorize the poem. If they cannot, they can use cue cards, but should not strictly be reading from these. Our presentations will take place on Friday. We will not be having a POTW quiz this week.

Remembrance Day

The Grade Three classes are facilitating the Remembrance Day service / liturgy on Wednesday. It will take place at 10:30 in the gym. Please join us if you can! 
Remembrance Day is a day I hold close to my heart. My younger brother Kyle (or "Uncle Kyle" as the kiddies in my class have been referring to him as) is in the Canadian Armed Forces. He is stationed in CFB Edmonton, Alberta. It is weeks like this one that I am prouder than ever of him, but miss him like crazy all at the same time.
Below is a picture of his locker at work. He has our grandfather's tags from World War Two... how special!

Some Facts

Here are a few facts about Type One Diabetes:

- there is no known cause
- it is NOT caused from eating too much sugar
- it can not be prevented
- the pancreas makes no insulin at all
- there is no cure

Addition and Subtraction

We have been learning a number of different ways to add and subtract over the last few days. Today we worked a lot with "traditional algorithms." We were using two digit numbers both with and without regrouping. This is a review of Grade Two expectations. This year, the boys and girls are required to do these algorithms with three digit numbers.
I encourage the kiddies to do some two digit practice at home over the next few days to help build their confidence in preparation for three digit numbers.
Below is what I mean by "traditional algorithms."

Because of Winn Dixie

Last Wednesday we (finally) finished reading our class novel "There's a Boy in the Girls Bathroom." I have been reading this book to my kiddies now for six years and I think I actually love it more and more each time I read it. It is such a rich text with many complex yet loveable characters. I think that as a class we would all agree that we really connected emotionally to Bradley Chalkers. It was almost like he was the 21st kid in our class! We were sad to end our journey with him but very excited to begin our next novel.

On Thursday we began "Because of Winn Dixie." This is another fantastic story with so much to love! I can tell that the kiddies are all already hooked and excited to listen to this story unfold. Have a mentioned that I love reading and the magic it brings to the classroom... it's priceless! 

Social Studies

Last week we began our first unit in Social Studies. For the first part of the year we learn about First Nation Communities and Early Settlers (pioneers). We spend from now until around Christmas learning just about the First Nations. The kiddies are thrilled and very enthusiastic for this unit. A lot of the learning will be inquiry based. I think everyone will really enjoy this unit and lots of great learning will take place!   

Diabetes Awareness Month

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.

Eight months ago, our oldest daughter Ashleigh (4 years old) was diagnosed with type one diabetes. Throughout the month of November I am going to share some diabetes facts and education with the kiddies at school. There are many myths and misunderstandings around this disease. It is my mission to educate and raise awareness. Knowledge is power! I will post facts to the blog and pictures of our brave little girl.
Below is a link to our story which also includes some basic information about type one diabetes.

Ashleigh's Story