Hello Class!
You have been working so hard naming fractions, creating fractions, and comparing fractions. How about a little fraction fun?
Try out these sites in the link at the right:
Cyberchase
Fraction Flags
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/fractionflags/ffthirds.html
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/equivalentfractions/index.html
Each site has games that help you to name, recognize and create fractions, and the site will tell you if your work is correct.
Have fun!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Mini-Project: Drummondville and Our School
Hello Families,
This week, following up on the work we started with Ricky Raccoon, we will be continuing a mini-project on Drummondville and D.E.S.. In our project, we are trying to answer 2 main questions:
What is special about Drummondville?
What is special about our school?
This project is allowing me to assess the research and teamwork skills the students possess. Different students will have different foci, and we will work together to complete the overall project as a Voicethread (you can see this using the Ricky link under "Learning Sites") and perhaps as an iMovie or podcast depending on how the work unfolds.
Also, a family asked for information about Magazine subscriptions for their children. I have added some links in the parent section to some magazines the kids really enjoy. Maybe just in time for Christmas ;)
Have a great week,
Kathy
This week, following up on the work we started with Ricky Raccoon, we will be continuing a mini-project on Drummondville and D.E.S.. In our project, we are trying to answer 2 main questions:
What is special about Drummondville?
What is special about our school?
This project is allowing me to assess the research and teamwork skills the students possess. Different students will have different foci, and we will work together to complete the overall project as a Voicethread (you can see this using the Ricky link under "Learning Sites") and perhaps as an iMovie or podcast depending on how the work unfolds.
Also, a family asked for information about Magazine subscriptions for their children. I have added some links in the parent section to some magazines the kids really enjoy. Maybe just in time for Christmas ;)
Have a great week,
Kathy
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
RICKY RACCOON IS HERE!
Today our class welcomed Ricky Raccoon, a puppet that is travelling around the province visiting English schools. We have him for 3 days.
In those three days, we need to put together a part of Ricky's project. We must share information about our school and our town.
What should we say?
Tonight I am changing the homework. Please talk about what makes our school special, and why our town is a great place.
Please write your ideas in your yellow exercise book. We need to work on this right away, since Ricky leaves Friday!
Let's see what we can put together!
In those three days, we need to put together a part of Ricky's project. We must share information about our school and our town.
What should we say?
Tonight I am changing the homework. Please talk about what makes our school special, and why our town is a great place.
Please write your ideas in your yellow exercise book. We need to work on this right away, since Ricky leaves Friday!
Let's see what we can put together!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
October 21st: Update + games
Hello Families,
Things are rolling along, and with the students I am putting together a list of what we expect to see in their writing. Look for it in the coming days, and next week they will have to polish a text they wrote using the criteria we establish.
As well, students have a new response assignment this week, responding to the poem "Something Told the Wild Geese." You should see them use their dictionaries for this assignment.
I spoke recently with the mother of one of the students about using board games and card games to practice math skills and different strategies. A couple of games I find very good are:
Blokus (visual spatial strategies, planning skills)
Tock (calcualtion practice, planning, teamwork)
Labyrithne (visual spatial skills, planning)
Zoologic (visual, process of elimintation, working backwards)
Crazy 8 (planning, assessing multiple criteria)
Guess Who (looking for criteria, asking questions, eliminating information guess and test)
Puzzles (visual organization, sorting, classifying, working backwards, elimination, guess and test, looking for patterns...)
Many games can be found all over town, but the mother of a former student of mine works in the children's section of Renaud-Bray, and she is wonderful about finding games that stimulate and are fun to play. I don"t know if she would appreciate my mentioning her on the blog, but ask me and I will tell you who to look for.
Which games do you play with your kids? Let's build this list together.
Have a great week,
Kathy
Things are rolling along, and with the students I am putting together a list of what we expect to see in their writing. Look for it in the coming days, and next week they will have to polish a text they wrote using the criteria we establish.
As well, students have a new response assignment this week, responding to the poem "Something Told the Wild Geese." You should see them use their dictionaries for this assignment.
I spoke recently with the mother of one of the students about using board games and card games to practice math skills and different strategies. A couple of games I find very good are:
Blokus (visual spatial strategies, planning skills)
Tock (calcualtion practice, planning, teamwork)
Labyrithne (visual spatial skills, planning)
Zoologic (visual, process of elimintation, working backwards)
Crazy 8 (planning, assessing multiple criteria)
Guess Who (looking for criteria, asking questions, eliminating information guess and test)
Puzzles (visual organization, sorting, classifying, working backwards, elimination, guess and test, looking for patterns...)
Many games can be found all over town, but the mother of a former student of mine works in the children's section of Renaud-Bray, and she is wonderful about finding games that stimulate and are fun to play. I don"t know if she would appreciate my mentioning her on the blog, but ask me and I will tell you who to look for.
Which games do you play with your kids? Let's build this list together.
Have a great week,
Kathy
Monday, October 6, 2008
Happy Monday!
Hello Families,
I had a great day with the students. We had to work on the Ministry Math exam, but apart from that we had a great discussion about a favorite book of mine, 'Whose Mouse are You?' by Robert Kraus, and we worked on grammar and text response using the book as a springboard. It was interesting to hear the students express their ideas and to share opinions with each other.
This week there are a few particular things I want to call you attention to:
*Interim Reports went home today - they need to be signed and sent back to school
*Cross-Country Run will take place Wednesday for students involved. I will accompany them to the race, and we will have a supply teacher for those who stay behind.
*Thursday the nurse from the CSSS (former CLSC) will be giving the students a 2-hour first aid course.
* There have been cases of lice in the school. Please tie up long hair to help prevent lice spreading.
* Back to school time is now over, but it is a good time of year to have your child's eyes checked. Exams are free for children under 12 years,and recommended for all, particularly if one or both parents wear glasses. At this age it is important to keep track of this, especially if your child complains of headaches.
As always, please ensure that your child reads every night, adn you can keep track of homework using the link on the right.
All my best to you! Have a wonderful week,
Kathy Napier
I had a great day with the students. We had to work on the Ministry Math exam, but apart from that we had a great discussion about a favorite book of mine, 'Whose Mouse are You?' by Robert Kraus, and we worked on grammar and text response using the book as a springboard. It was interesting to hear the students express their ideas and to share opinions with each other.
This week there are a few particular things I want to call you attention to:
*Interim Reports went home today - they need to be signed and sent back to school
*Cross-Country Run will take place Wednesday for students involved. I will accompany them to the race, and we will have a supply teacher for those who stay behind.
*Thursday the nurse from the CSSS (former CLSC) will be giving the students a 2-hour first aid course.
* There have been cases of lice in the school. Please tie up long hair to help prevent lice spreading.
* Back to school time is now over, but it is a good time of year to have your child's eyes checked. Exams are free for children under 12 years,and recommended for all, particularly if one or both parents wear glasses. At this age it is important to keep track of this, especially if your child complains of headaches.
As always, please ensure that your child reads every night, adn you can keep track of homework using the link on the right.
All my best to you! Have a wonderful week,
Kathy Napier
Monday, September 29, 2008
Ministry of Education Math Exam
This morning the students began the end of cycle 2 math exam created by the Ministry of Education. I received this test last week and was asked to give it as soon as possible.
This exam consists of 6 "short" questions - 15-45 minutes each, and one "long" question which is explored over 4 days.
This exam is intended to measure what students learned in cycle 2. Therefore there is no need to study or review, since we want to know what the students remember and assimilated from the grade 3 and 4 program.
Please help your child stay relaxed about the exam, and keep in mind that the data about student performance is used to help improve instruction. Each student's performance gives us an idea of what they know and what they need to improve, but it is not the only evaluation I will do. The exam is marked by teams of teachers from many different schools at a later date.
Since we are doing so much math in class, I am not assigning homework this week. I am not allowed to preview questions or assign work that will invalidate the test results, so please do not ask for reinforcement at home for now. I will be able to review and remediate after the test is complete.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Best,
Kathy Napier
Note: the instructions on what happens to the tests vary from year to year, but in general we are allowed to share the results and then must file the tests. Last time I gave the test (2 years ago) we put them in the portfolio. Right now I don't know when they will be 'officially' corrected - that is, by a team of teachers who do not correct their own student's exams, and therefore are unbiased. I'll keep you informed!
K
This exam consists of 6 "short" questions - 15-45 minutes each, and one "long" question which is explored over 4 days.
This exam is intended to measure what students learned in cycle 2. Therefore there is no need to study or review, since we want to know what the students remember and assimilated from the grade 3 and 4 program.
Please help your child stay relaxed about the exam, and keep in mind that the data about student performance is used to help improve instruction. Each student's performance gives us an idea of what they know and what they need to improve, but it is not the only evaluation I will do. The exam is marked by teams of teachers from many different schools at a later date.
Since we are doing so much math in class, I am not assigning homework this week. I am not allowed to preview questions or assign work that will invalidate the test results, so please do not ask for reinforcement at home for now. I will be able to review and remediate after the test is complete.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Best,
Kathy Napier
Note: the instructions on what happens to the tests vary from year to year, but in general we are allowed to share the results and then must file the tests. Last time I gave the test (2 years ago) we put them in the portfolio. Right now I don't know when they will be 'officially' corrected - that is, by a team of teachers who do not correct their own student's exams, and therefore are unbiased. I'll keep you informed!
K
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Computers!
The students were very happy to see their computers today, and the laptops are all in and charging. However, it is important to know that this year the school and parents have to pay for damages that were covered under warrenty before. We'll need to be more careful than ever!
Yesterday I was in Montreal at a LEARN Quebec workshop on collaboration and technology. The idea is to connect teachers and students through technology and to explore the ways in which such connections can improve student learning. I am involved for the year, and hope to share my projects as well as be involved with other teachers and what they are doing in their classes. I'll keep you posted.
it is important for you to know that the ibooks will be coming home form time to time, but only when there is an assignment stduents need to complete. There are many other "low tech" activities students of their age should be engaged in, and will all the "screen time" our kids have it is important to make sure that we use the computer in novel ways, and not just as a word processor. When we use it, it is as a learning tool and to do something we cannot do as well in another medium.
What do you think, as parents? How do you feel about homework on the laptops? You can leave comments here.
Yesterday I was in Montreal at a LEARN Quebec workshop on collaboration and technology. The idea is to connect teachers and students through technology and to explore the ways in which such connections can improve student learning. I am involved for the year, and hope to share my projects as well as be involved with other teachers and what they are doing in their classes. I'll keep you posted.
it is important for you to know that the ibooks will be coming home form time to time, but only when there is an assignment stduents need to complete. There are many other "low tech" activities students of their age should be engaged in, and will all the "screen time" our kids have it is important to make sure that we use the computer in novel ways, and not just as a word processor. When we use it, it is as a learning tool and to do something we cannot do as well in another medium.
What do you think, as parents? How do you feel about homework on the laptops? You can leave comments here.
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