Merry Christmas!

Hello,

Thanks so much to everyone that was able to attend our singing and dancing performances this morning! The kids were very proud to show off their skills.

Before our performances, we were practising and sharing our performances with the other Grade 3 classes.

This afternoon, we made a craft, which I won't describe, in case any students are planning to give their crafts to their parents as a gift.

Finally, we finished up our work on our Christmas-themed Venn Diagrams, tally charts and pictographs. We also had some DPA Just Dance time to end the day.

Any of the spelling or Math work from this week that wasn't finished can be completed over the holidays. Otherwise, the students should be spending time with their families over the holidays, reading each day for at least 15-20 minutes, and if they could share at least one exciting thing they did over the holidays, in a post on Kidblog, that would be great!

Thanks so much for all of the generous gifts and kind notes! I look forward to seeing many of you at the movies next Wednesday!

Merry Christmas!

Mr, Skinner

Tickets and Christmas Cards Heading Home Today

Hello,

All of the students who submitted a written request for movie tickets received them today, inside a Christmas card. Please let me know if you did not receive your tickets, otherwise, I look forward to seeing many of you next Wednesday morning. One student was not here today and I will give him his tickets and card when he returns to school tomorrow. Any students who are not attending the movie, will receive their Christmas card tomorrow as well.

This morning, we continued to work on making our own Venn Diagrams, tally charts and pictographs, based on Christmas-related questions. We will finish this work tomorrow. So far in this unit, I have handed out five activity sheets. If the students complete this work tonight, I will correct it over the holiday. If needed, students can finish this work over the Christmas break and I will correct it when we get back in January.

Next, we had an Advent Liturgy and discussion with all of the Grade 3 students in the learning commons. Then we practised "Can't Stop These Shoes" with Mrs. Zulpo's class.

A final reminder, that if you want to see a great performance by the Grade 3 students, we will be singing "Can't Stop These Shoes" in the learning commons with Mrs. Zulpo's class and dancing to "Jingle Bell Rock" in the gym with all of the Grade Threes this Friday. The performances will begin at 11 a.m. and we hope that many of you can make it.

Lastly, this afternoon, we watched and participated in the news show. Many students showcased their talents, including members of our class who participated with the choir. Everyone involved did a great job.

Also, I wanted to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who brought in such generous gifts and kind notes. They were not at all necessary, but much appreciated. Thanks so much!

Have a great night!

Mr. Skinner

Christmas Venn Diagrams, Tally Charts and Pictographs

Hello,

This morning, we worked on our Venn diagram, tally chart and pictograph activity sheets, to prepare for an activity we started this afternoon. In groups of 3, we created Christmas-themed questions that we will ask the members of the class tomorrow, then display the responses. One question will be displayed as a Venn Diagram and the other question will be displayed as a tally chart and a pictograph.

The activity sheets for Venn Diagrams and tally charts are to be completed for homework tonight.

In Language, we finished and posted our Bedtime persuasive paragraphs and worked on our spelling sentences. Some students also started writing narrative stories that involve helping Santa when he is in trouble. If the bedtime paragraph was not completed in class, it should be finished for homework.

This afternoon, the Grade One students did a wonderful job of presenting this week's Advent liturgy. A reminder, that if you want to see a great performance by the Grade 3 students, we will be singing "Can't Stop These Shoes" in the learning commons with Mrs. Zulpo's class and dancing to "Jingle Bell Rock" in the gym with all of the Grade Threes this Friday. The performances will begin at 11 a.m. and we hope that many of you can make it.

 I am now off to the movie theatre to make my final purchases. I will be buying 11 more tickets for the shows. It looks like we will have a great turnout for this event next Wednesday! I'm really looking forward to it!

Have a great night.

Mr. Skinner

Movie Update

Hello,

I just got back from Landmark Theatres and they were very helpful.

Based on the written requests I have received so far, I bought the following tickets.

10 tickets for Star Wars at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

3 tickets for the Peanuts Movie at 11:05 a.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

10 tickets for Alvin and the Chipmunks at 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

The good news is that I asked the staff to check the availability and there are still lots of seats available in all of the theatres, so I can buy as many tickets as your family needs tomorrow night.

Just send in your written request in your child's agenda, with the movie and number of tickets and I will purchase the the remainder of the tickets tomorrow. Don't worry if you can't commit by tomorrow. You can still join us on the day of the show and I will pay for your child's ticket that day. My only worry is that the tickets might sell out.

Some parents have already sent in the money for the additional tickets ($7 per ticket) and that is much appreciated.

If everyone could send in the payments for the additional tickets by Friday, I will send each family's tickets home, in an envelope, with a Christmas card from me.

Have a wonderful evening.

Mr. Skinner

A Good Response So Far

Hello,

I have received a good response today for the holiday movie trip. So far I have written requests for 10 tickets for Alvin and Chipmunks, 5 tickets for Star Wars and 3 tickets for the Peanuts movie.

I also have requests for 10 more tickets for Star Wars, but those have not been confirmed in writing. I am waiting on confirmation from 9 students regarding their possible attendance and how many tickets are required. If everyone could let me know if they intend to participate and need me to purchase tickets for them it would be much appreciated!

Once I have secured the tickets (hopefully today and tomorrow) I will then ask you to pay me for the additional tickets purchased for each family by the end of the week.

I will be heading to Landmark this afternoon to discuss the options for buying group tickets. Thanks for your participation and cooperation.

In Math today, we started to work on data management, focusing on sorting data and Venn diagrams. The double sided sheet dealing with recording and sorting data is for homework tonight.

In Language, the students worked on Kidblog to post their persuasive paragraph discussing whether students should have set bedtimes. If this was not finished, it needs to be completed tonight, or in class tomorrow morning, at the latest.

This afternoon, we visited the learning commons and learned how to search for and take books out, using the computers. We also practised for Friday's performance, singing "Can't Stop These Shoes" with Mrs. Zulpo's class in the learning commons.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner

Math Measurement and a possible Christmas Holiday Event

Hello,

This morning, the students completed their Math Measurement tests. They worked very hard on this task (12 multiple choice questions and 2 short answer questions). I will return their work within the next few days, for review.

In Language, we worked on our Kidblog posts - after today, each student should have their "Acts of Kindess" and "Gettting to School" persuasive paragraphs completed and posted. If these posts are not finished, they should be completed for homework.

We also listed 10 Christmas-themed words that we find difficult to spell for this week's spelling sentences. This week's words are: Christmas, stockings, presents, reindeer, hot chocolate, calendar, Santa Claus, Advent Candle, ornament and lights, with a bonus word of Hanukkah. The students should also continue their daily reading, for 15-20 minutes each day.

This afternoon we completed our work with the hoppers in Science and continued to discuss our use of forces in the school.

Finally, I had an idea for something I would like to do for the kids, as an early Christmas present, if there is enough interest.

I would like to go to Landmark Theatres for the 11:00 am movie on Wednesday, December 23, 2015, and I would like you to join me!

I will pay for one ticket for each of my students. For supervision purposes, I would ask that each child has an adult with them at the show, either with each child coming with a parent, who will purchase their own ticket; or if you choose to organize a group of kids, one adult supervising the group of students they bring to the theatre.

I am planning on attending "The Force Awakens" but I see that the rating is not yet listed, and not all students will want to see this movie, so I would be happy to purchase tickets for students to watch "The Good Dinosaur", "The Peanuts Movie" or the "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movie.

I understand that it is the holiday season and not everyone will be available to attend. Please let me know, in your child's agenda, if you would be interested in attending.

I will need to know which movie you would like to attend and how many tickets you will need. Then I will go to Landmark after school on Tuesday and ask about the process of buying tickets for a large group in advance.

I will purchase the tickets in advance, then ask you to reimburse me for any adult tickets (or for other children you want to bring as well). I will be buying tickets for morning shows on standard screens, so all tickets will cost $7.00 each.

Again, if it doesn't work out, it's not a problem. I just thought this would be a fun way to get our wonderful group together for a fun event during the holidays.

Have a great evening!

Mr. Skinner

Hour of Code

Hello,

We had an amazing day today! First, the students worked on some programming games for the Hour of Code.

The students used their coding skills to solve games involving Star Wars, Frozen, Minecraft and more. The students are welcome to continue coding, by following the link below.

https://code.org/learn

Next, we worked on our hoppers for Science. The students will be bringing their hoppers home to show their families how they work.

In the gym, we continued to practise our "Jingle Bell Rock" dance and we played "Bucketball". The kids still find it pretty funny to throw a rubber chicken around during a cooperative game.

Finally, we practised "Can't Stop These Shoes" and reviewed the key concepts and answered sample questions for the Measurement unit evaluation on Monday. I will share the information in a Google Doc for the students for their review.

Also, if you're interested in giving your input, the School Board is asking when parents would like to have Christmas holidays next year. The options are:

1) Dec. 17, 2016 - Jan. 1, 2017

2) Dec. 24, 2016 - Jan. 8, 2017

Feel free to fill out the survey below.

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs106/1101405363414/archive/1123082619181.html

Have a great weekend!

Mr. Skinner

Math Games and Blogging

Hello,

This morning we reviewed the concepts of capacity, mass and temperature. We did some work on the white boards, reviewed questions from our activity sheets and played some games to test our skills.

Tonight, the students are encouraged to review and edit their responses for these activity sheets and to practice their skills by playing the games on the links below (use of an English accent is optional).

Temperature Game

Capacity Game

Mass Game

I will be evaluating the students' understanding of the unit on Monday, so we will be reviewing various measurement tasks from the unit over the next few days.

In Language, it is now official, we are all bloggers! The students were very excited to use Kidblog today and make their first posts. The expectation is that each student will make one post (acts of kindness or persuasive paragraph about getting to school) and one comment. If this was not completed in class, it is to be completed for homework. I will be editing the posts and approving the comments.

In Science, we discussed in groups how forces are either a push or a pull, and then we listed some forces that we use in our daily lives in school. In the gym, we used many forces while playing an exciting game of bucket ball (It's a fun game involving a rubber chicken. I encourage you to ask your child how it is played)!

Have a great night.

Mr. Skinner

An Introduction to Kidblog

Hello,

This morning, we attempted to make our first post on our kidblog. However, we continued to have network problems.

The connection eventually improved, I took them through a tour of the site on the Smartboard and some students were able to make their first posts.

Tonight, the students are invited to click on the link below, explore the site, and make their first post. If any student runs into any difficulty, I will help them log in and post tomorrow morning.

https://kidblog.org/class/mr-skinners-class/login

In Math, we continued to explore problem solving questions involving perimeter and capacity (finding missing values for both) and then we went to the gym to practice our "Jingle Bell Rock" dance with all of the Grade 3 students. All members of our class are doing a great job of picking up the steps.

We will be singing "Can't Stop These Shoes" in the learning commons with Mrs. Zulpo's class and performing to "Jingle Bell Rock in the gym with all of the Grade Threes on Friday, December 18, 2015. The performances will start at 11 am and we hope that many of you can make it.

Can't Stop These Shoes

Jingle Bell Rock

Finally, this afternoon, we exchanged our books in the learning commons and attended the Advent Mass in the gym with Father Shepherd. The students were very respectful and well behaved.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner

Better Late than Never

Hello,

Sorry for the delayed post tonight, but I was doing some marking and preparation at school and we were having network issues, so I could not get online.

So, I'm home now, my daughter is asleep (or at least in bed), and I am ready to post about our day.

This morning, we started our new Science unit with a discussion on Forces. We watched a series of very cool videos that included a tug of war with an elephant and an exploding watermelon.

Mystery Science - Forces

In Math, we worked with partners to solve a series of perimeter questions involving rectangles and irregular shapes.

In Language, we tried to take our list of acts of kindness and add detail to them, explaining how our acts helped other people. Our goal was to type these pieces on Google Drive, for use on Kidblog, but we ran into problems with our network issues, so the students were asked to add these details to their original lists in their journals.

Finally, some students got started on this week's spelling sentences. This week's words are:

won't
new
then
except
knew
usually
especially
probably
friendly
myself

Have a great night.

Mr. Skinner

A Message from the Kingdom Club

Good morning. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

I will be doing my regular blog post later in the day, but first, I wanted to share a message from the Kingdom Club:

Once again at St. Anne our Angel Tree Project is ready to go for this Christmas Season. Every year, families at St. Anne are asked to select an Angel from our tree to purchase a gift for a child who may not otherwise get one. Please write a note in your child’s agenda to let their teacher know to send them to get an angel off the tree.  Their angel will be pink for girls, or blue for boys, and the age of the child will be written on the back. Please purchase a gift for the child and return it to the school by Wednesday, December 9th. Gifts will then be delivered to the students before the Christmas holiday. Thank you in advance for making a child’s Christmas one that they will not forget!

Great Discussions

Hello,

At long last, we had our final Science structure centre visits and discussions. The students were very engaged and asked some great questions. We had an informative discussion as a class afterwards that took most of the morning. To end our morning, we had a quick practice of "Can't Stop These Shoes." I was impressed to see that some of the students already had the words memorized.

In Math, we finished our work on perimeter and explored the relationships between units of measurement, when it comes to capacity (ml and L) and weight (g and kg). The students should continue to work on these tasks at home tonight. The perimeter and mass sheets are to be completed for homework.

In Language, the students had an opportunity to work on the tasks due tomorrow (acts of kindness, spelling sentences and overdue reading responses) and ask me for some help and feedback in order to improve their work.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner

Learning Our Dance

Hello,

This morning, we started to learn our dance for "Jingle Bell Rock" in gym class. We will be performing the dance and singing "Can't Stop These Shoes" on the last day before the Christmas holidays and we will be inviting parents to attend.

Jingle Bell Rock

In Math, we worked with partners to create rectangles and other interesting polygons on chart paper and calculated their perimeters. Tomorrow we will challenge others to calculate the perimeters of our shapes.

In Language, we finished up our work on our getting to school persuasive paragraphs and continued to improve our answers for our reading response questions. Everyone should now have the answers for "Two Chains" and the "Inline Skating Lesson" completed, as well as the persuasive paragraphs. If they are not finished, they should be worked on for homework. The spelling sentences and the 10 acts of kindness in their journals needs to be finished for Friday.

Finally, in Science, we finished up our work structures. The students completed their written descriptions of their structures and will now be participating in some very interesting centre presentations and discussions in the morning, as pairs will take turns presenting their work and exploring the ideas of others at their centres.

Also, the school photos are being sent home today. I hope you enjoy them. Everyone looks great!

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Wonderful Singers

Hello,

This morning we finished reviewing our comparisons of cm, m and km, as well as calculating perimeter. We had some great discussions and cleared up a few misunderstandings. Now, we will be looking at capacity and temperature.

In Language, we continued to work on our reading responses, outlining all the parts needed in a response and highlighting those parts in their answers. For homework, the students can work on this week's spelling sentences and write down their ten acts of kindness in their journals.

In Science, we put the finishing touches on our structures. Some of the groups needed a little more time to organize their thinking, so we will have our group discussion tomorrow. At the end of the day, we also exchanged our books in the Learning Commons.

Finally, we worked very well as a group, sitting quietly during our lockdown practice, and showing great enthusiasm while practising our "Can't Stop These Shoes" song. I was very proud of the students' ability to work together to successfully complete these tasks.

Have a great day.

Mr. Skinner

Thanks for the Generous Donations

Hello,

It was a very comfy and cozy day at St. Anne School today, as many students wore their PJ's. Thanks to all who gave money or new PJ's to help others. Your efforts and support are much appreciated.

This morning, we started the day with an Advent liturgy. The students were well behaved and reflected on the true meaning of Christmas.

Next, the students finished up their work on their group structures. We will be organizing our final thoughts tomorrow and engaging in a group discussion about the big ideas of the unit.

In Math, we took some time to review the concepts the students worked on with the supply teachers last week, sharing our strategies for comparing km, m and cm, and calculating perimeter.

In Language, we wrote about some of the acts of kindness we have accomplished and decided as a group that we needed until the end of the week to accomplish our goal of 10 acts each. We also looked at some of the answers the students wrote for their reading responses for the "Inline Skating Lesson" and "Two Chains" texts. We discussed the importance of including detail and explaining your thinking in your responses.

http://www.eqao.com/en/assessments/primary-division/assessment-docs/3e-Lang1-2014.pdf

http://www.eqao.com/en/assessments/primary-division/assessment-docs/3e-Lang1-Rdg-SG-2014.pdf

We will be working on our new spelling sentences tomorrow. This week's 14 words are:

1. wouldn't 2. everything 3. terrible 4. hidden 5. trouble 6. anyone 7. about 8. what 9. can't 10. no 11. really 12. don't 13. know 14. everybody

Finally. Mrs. Zulpo's class joined us for the last 20 minutes of the day to watch and practice the song we will be singing together at Christmas time. Get ready to hear a lot of this song in the near future!

Can't Stop These Shoes

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Wear your PJs on Monday!

Hello again,

I wanted to share this note from the Kingdom Club.

At St. Anne we are going to have a pyjama day on Monday, November 30, 2015. On Monday, we would like students to wear their favourite pyjamas and please bring in a donation or a brand new pair of children’s sized pajamas to support the Pyjama Patrol Project. Students can wear pajamas, slippers, and bring in a stuffed animal if they wish. We hope everyone can participate and enjoy wearing their PJ’s to school!

Summer vs. Winter Persuasive Paragraphs

Hello,

Here are our slides for our seasonal persuasive paragraphs, comparing summer and winter. We collaborated in the editing process and used Google drawings for our designs. This is our final product, after peer editing of a written version and teacher editing of the typed version. I shared this work as part of my tech workshop presentation today and the teachers were very impressed with the students' work.

Today, the students started the process again, indicating their preference for getting to school. They are now comparing walking to school and getting a drive.

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Three Days in One Post

Hello,

Sorry that I missed posting yesterday. This week is very busy with various workshops I am attending and my schedule has been thrown off.

I have attended workshops on EQAO and leadership, and I will be presenting at a Learning Connections technology workshop tomorrow.

In Science, we have finished our plans for our final structures and we have started the construction process. The plan is to work on them tomorrow and finish building them on Friday. Then we will share our learning and discuss the key concepts from the unit, to show our understanding.

In Math, the students should be finishing their work on ordering and assigning units (cm, m, km) and completing p. 119-120 for homework. Tomorrow, the students will begin to explore perimeter, working on measuring the outside of various shapes and objects.

In Language, the students are finishing up their work for digital citizenship and the sentences, or story, for spelling. Both tasks should be finished for Friday, when I am back in the classroom.

Next, the students will be writing another persuasive paragraph about whether they prefer walking to school, or getting a drive. The students are reminded to include an introduction, three points with explanations and a conclusion.

Upon finishing this writing task, the students will read "The Inline Skating Lesson" and answer multiple choice and short answer questions, where they will use examples and explain their thinking, in their orange language duotangs.

I look forward to being back for the full day on Friday. Have a great night.

Mr. Skinner

Making a Positive Digital Footprint

Hello,

This morning we finished our discussions about our paper skyscrapers, talking about what made them strong and stable or how they could be improved. Next, we worked in groups of three or four to plan our final structures and show how much we have learned from the start of the unit.

In Math, we took some time to discuss measurement skills and clear up any misconceptions students might have about estimating and where to start measuring on a ruler. Tomorrow, we will look at kilometres and how to decide whether an object should be measured using cm, m or km.

In gym, we went outside for a spirited game of soccer baseball, which allowed for everyone to have a chance to hit the ball and enjoy the experience.

Finally, in Language, I gave feedback to various students about their spelling sentences and stories, and improvements they could make this week, when working with the following words:

recycle
discover
before
enough
first
journal
beautiful
let's
hopeless
write
right
our
are

The students also started to work on a task for leaving a positive digital footprint. Some students are making internet safety posters using Google slides. Other students chose to make bitstrip comics about being a good digital citizen and a final group of students will be making blog posts about the things they have learned from the unit and how they will apply this information to their daily lives. We will work on this task throughout the week.

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

PD Day on Friday

Hello,

First, a reminder that tomorrow is a PD day, so there will be no classes taught. Instead, the teachers will be participating in professional development workshops and the students will be staying home for the day.

Over the last two days, we have continued to work on digital citizenship. We looked at how to search for things safely on the internet and how to be aware of the many advertisements we will encounter online. We also explored how social media can be used to make a positive impact and explored the idea of 10 acts of kindness. We set a goal for each member of our class to perform 10 acts of kindness by the end of the month. In December, we will be using kid blog to document the work that we did to help others. This morning, the entire school went outside to stand up to bullying and recite the St. Anne students pledge. It was great to see the enthusiasm shared by all of the students.

In Science, we completed our work on our paper skyscrapers, tested their strength and stability and shared what we learned with the class through discussions and presentations. It was interesting to see how many books some of the structures could hold, and when they would finally collapse.

In Math, we are continuing to look at estimation and measurement of objects using cm and m. I have collected the math books to correct over the weekend. In Language, the students finished their sentences and stories for the 13 words I posted at the start of the week. I will be looking at this work over the weekend as well.

Have a great weekend.

Mr. Skinner

Learning about our Digital Footprint with the Cyberpigs

Hello,

This morning we had a great discussion about our digital footprint and the ways we should interact with others online. The students learned how they should not share personal information or passwords with others online.

The students had a lot of fun playing a game involving the cyberpigs and wanted me to post the link, so they could play the game and share it with their parents.

http://mediasmarts.ca/sites/mediasmarts/files/games/privacy_playground/flash/privacy_playground_en/start.html

In Math, we practised using a ruler and measuring items in cm. The students were given two double sided activity sheets to work on, while I had individual conferences with students about their patterning tests. The students will be bringing home the test tonight. They should complete both sheets for homework. I will send rulers home with the students, if they need them.

In Science, we finished our paper skyscrapers. We will share our work with the class on Wednesday and continue to plan for the building of our final structures for this unit. The goal is for the students to use the terms we went over in our unit review, to explain their building choices and why or why not their structure works effectively.

Finally, the students worked on their sentences or stories for the vocabulary words provided to them yesterday. Then we went to the Learning Commons to exchange our books.

If you are interested in purchasing new St. Anne clothing, an order form is coming home today.

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Exploring Measurement

Hello,

Today, in Math, we began to explore measurement. The students had to take a series of measurements of items in the classroom and decide if it was best to measure the item using mm, cm and m. In our groups, we discussed how to properly use a ruler. Tomorrow, we will be sharing our measurements with the class and test their accuracy. I had one student return from two days of illness today and complete the test, so I will return it to everyone tomorrow.

In Religion, we began our Samaritans on the Digital Road - digital citizenship lessons, where we discuss how we should treat others, in person and online, and the digital footprint that is left by our actions on social media. It is a wonderful unit designed by members of our Board.

https://sites.google.com/a/ocsb.ca/ocsb-digital-citizenship/

In Language, we put the finishing touches on our persuasive paragraphs - summer vs. winter, completing our editing with our peers and teacher. We also began to use a new series of words that we will aim to incorporate into our daily writing and vocabulary.

The students are to use the following words this week:

two
too
to
laughed
community
exciting
countries
city
when
they're
there
their 
went

The students have two options for how they would like to use these words in their spelling notebooks.

They can make a sentence for each of these words, or they can create a story that accurately uses all of these words in the story.

The choice is up to the students and I will be collecting their completed work at the end of the week.

In Science, the students have been doing some amazing work. Last Friday, they worked in small groups to review the key concepts of the unit, then they used this knowledge to help teach the Grade one students in Mrs. Truchon's class more about structures, when they worked together to use a variety of materials to create structures. Today, the students continued to work on their paper skyscrapers, adding more paper pillars and cardboard to ensure they are strong and stable. Our goal is to wrap up this activity tomorrow and start to build a final structure that incorporates all of the key concepts we learned throughout the unit.

Have a great evening.

Mr. Skinner

Wrapping up our Pattern Work

Hello,

This morning, the students worked very hard on their Math patterning tests. My goal is to have the evaluated tests back to the students by Monday, at the latest.

When the students finished their work, they went on the chromebooks and used Dreambox. Some students have expressed a desire for more of a challenge, so I have raised the level of difficulty for the activities. I have encouraged the students to let me know if the tasks are too easy or too hard, so that I can continue to adjust the levels for individual students.

In Science, we continued to work on our skyscrapers. If possible, the students are encouraged to bring in cardboard to use on their structure. We also had a discussion about the common themes for the Grade 1 and Grade 3 work on structures, as we will be working with Mrs. Truchon's Grade 1 class tomorrow afternoon, helping to guide them through a variety of tasks involving the building of structures. The students will be bringing in a list of structure vocabulary words to the class to help guide the Grade Ones through the task.

Finally, in Language, we continued to work on the Google slides for our seasonal persuasive writing. I have been editing the work with the students to give suggestions for including more detail in their written work. When the slides are finished, they will be posted on the blog for parents to read and enjoy.

It was great to see so many of you yesterday at the interviews. Thank you for your great feedback, questions and suggestions. I look forward to working with you to ensure the success of your child throughout the year.

Have a great night.

Mr. Skinner

Remembrance Day

Hello,

We have been completing some patterning review questions in our Math notebooks, yesterday and today. The students can use this work to help them study for tomorrow's test.

In Religion, we had a great discussion about Remembrance Day yesterday, discussing the concepts of peace, sacrifice and giving thanks. We watched some videos to spur discussion about the importance of Remembrance Day. Today, we attended the school's Remembrance Day ceremony. The students showed great respect to our veterans.

Bell Commercial - Poppy

Bell Commercial - Calling Grandpa

A Pittance of Time

Ask your child about the messages in these videos. I was very impressed with their responses and overall level of understanding.

In Language, we finished our discussion about the "Neighbourhood Niggles" persuasive texts. Now, we are taking the feedback from our peers and typing a second draft of our seasonal persuasive paragraph - winter vs. summer - in Google slides, which can easily be shared with the entire class.

After finishing our Remembrance Day art and pastel Fall art, we put our work up on display in the hallway.

Have a good day. I look forward to seeing all of the parents who signed up for interviews, in the gym this afternoon and evening!

Mr. Skinner

Peer Editing and Discussing Persuasive Texts

Hello,

This morning we worked with partners to edit our persuasive texts about summer and winter. Each group read the two pieces they had written, came to a consensus regarding the level of the text, and discussed suggestions for improvement.

https://twitter.com/MrSkinnerocsb/status/663736601957265408

https://twitter.com/MrSkinnerocsb/status/663736929343643648


Next, we read more "Neighbourhood Niggles", a series of texts about issues that arise in a neighbourhood. As a group, we discussed which sides of the various arguments we agreed with and what made the texts effective when it came to persuading someone.

In Math, the students worked on the white boards to create and answer patterning questions with a partner, and continued to hone their math skills on Dreambox, while I discussed strategies for solving patterning questions with various students, to help them prepare for our next evaluation task, which will take place on Thursday.

Daily reading and preparing for Thursday's Patterning Math test should be the focus for homework activities this week.

Finally, in Science, we continued to work on our paper skyscrapers. The students are reminded to bring in cardboard, to help provide extra stability to their structure.

There will be students bringing poppies to the classroom on Tuesday and Wednesday. The students are invited to bring money to make a donation.

Have a great evening.

Mr. Skinner

Cupcakes and Best Wishes

Hello,

This afternoon, the students presented their information about their chosen saints. The students found some very interesting information.

Next, we read a variety of persuasive texts, to look at common characteristics, and we wished a classmate the best at her new school.

We are sad to see this student go, but we were also very appreciative of the cupcakes she brought in and shared with the class.

In the morning, the students took some time to finish their saint research and they completed some more patterning work, including a problem solving question that asked how many handshakes would take place between seven people. The students also continued to work on their fall pastel art.

Finally, we finished the last of the monster description presentations and had a very spirited game of bench ball, where the girls and boys battled to a tie after three games. Luckily, with everyone winning, we could all celebrate with the cupcakes in the afternoon!

There is no homework, but the students are encouraged to continue to work on their math and reading skills, on Raz Kids and Dreambox, or using other tools of their choice.

Have a great weekend.

Mr. Skinner

Fall Pastel Art

Hello,

Today we continued to work on patterning in Math, as I challenged the students with a problem involving subtraction, but by amounts increasing by three each time. The students made great progress, but some will need a little bit of time tomorrow to finish solving the problem.

In Art, we created Fall scenes with pastels. I will post some of the work tomorrow, once most of the students have finished their work. They have created a beautiful collection of reds, yellows and oranges.

In Religion, we continued to work on our saint presentations. Most groups made great progress and are ready to present their information on Friday. A few students will be getting a few details online tonight, to finish their work.

In Language, we continued to present our monster descriptions and give and receive feedback. I did some editing with students and then we shared the work with the class, so they could see the steps we need to take to successfully complete the editing process. Tomorrow, we will be doing some peer editing, using sticky notes, with our summer vs. winter persuasive paragraphs that we wrote earlier in the week.

We also started to read a collection of persuasive pieces, relating to solving issues in a neighbourhood, which we will continue to read tomorrow.

For homework, the students need to return their progress report forms and envelopes, complete their saint presentations and continue to work on Dreambox and Raz Kids, for a total of 30 - 40 minutes.

Thanks to everyone who returned the progress report forms and signed up for interviews, by following the process online. I look forward to meeting with you.

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Progress Reports

Hello,

The students are bringing home their progress reports today. Please review them with your children and follow the instructions included in the envelope to sign up for interviews next week.

This morning we solved a patterning question involving using toothpicks to make triangles. The first triangle used three toothpicks and every triangle after that one required two toothpicks. The students had to draw the design for four, five and six triangles and find the number of toothpicks needed to build 10 triangles.

Next, we went to the gym to continue to work on our volleyball skills, volleying in groups of three.

In Language, the students presented their monsters and received feedback from their peers and teacher with regard to how they could improve their work. Next, we looked at the short answer questions for the "Underwater Apartment" to examine the differences between the levelled responses. We discussed the kinds of detail we could include to improve our answers.

Finally, in Religion, we began to research a saint of our choice to present to the class on Friday.

The students are using http://www.loyolapress.com/saints-stories-for-kids.htm to answer the following questions:

The saint's name
Where they are from?
When they lived?
Why are they a saint?
Is anything named after them?
Are there any connections you can make to their experiences?
Why did you choose this saint?

We are working on this presentation in Google Drive, so the students can collaborate on this task.

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Pattern Problem Solving

Hello,

This morning we continued to work on developing our understanding of patterns. We answered a variety of questions on the white boards, reviewing concepts we have examined throughout the unit.

Then, in pairs, we solved the following problems in our Math Enquiry books:

Mr. Skinner is buying bags of marshmallows at the Super Store. For every 3 bags he buys, he gets 1 for free. How many bags will he need to buy to get 4 free bags?

Calya walked her dog every third day in October. She started this job on October 5th. On which days of the month did she walk her dog? How many total days did she walk her dog?

In Language, we discussed how we could improve Level 3 writing to Level 4 writing, using the examples we looked at yesterday, that compared winter and summer. Then we discussed how we could use Bump It Up Walls to improve the quality of our writing. Next, we examined the multiple choice questions for the "Underwater Apartment" reading selection that the students read last week. Tomorrow, we will discuss the short answer questions they completed for this selection.

In the afternoon, we had outdoor gym, where the students had a choice to play running games or work on their gross motor skills on the play structure.

Finally, we went to the learning commons to read and to exchange our books.

The proofs for the school photos will be coming home today with the students. The order forms need to be returned by November 9, 2015.

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Comparing seasons

Hello,

This morning we started the day by talking about our Halloween weekends. The students had some interesting and scary stories to share.

Next, worked in pairs to solve the following problem:

Jackson wants to collect more Pokemon cards. He already has 34 cards and he buys six more each week. How many weeks does it take Jackson to collect a total of 88 cards? Please show your work.

Once we discussed and solved the problem. The students completed a worksheet that involved making patterns with squares. Any student who did not finish the double-sided sheet should complete it for homework.

In Language, we began to examine persuasive writing techniques. We talked about how the writer needs to include an introduction, three main points, with reasons or examples, and a conclusion.

Today, we wrote about whether we prefer summer or winter. Once the students completed the task, they were shown some examples I created with a group of Grade 3 teachers. The students were asked to identify the leveled work, from level 1 to level 4. Ask your child to identify the correct level and explain the reasons why.

LEVEL -

I prefer winter to summer because it is more fun. First, I live close to a community centre and I can play hockey on the outdoor rink everyday during the winter. Second, I go skiing with my family each weekend during the winter and we get great exercise on the hill. Lastly, you can get hurt during the summer from sunburns and bug bites. I prefer winter.

LEVEL -

I prefer summer because there’s more fun things to do and you won’t get cold. If you stay out in the cold too long you might get frostbite and get hurt, so winter is no fun.

LEVEL -

I prefer summer because I don’t like the cold.

LEVEL -

I prefer winter because it brings our community together. In Ottawa, we can meet up with our friends and get exercise skating on the Rideau Canal. We can even take a break from skating to share a delicious Beaver Tail as a snack. Another winter activity that brings us together is cheering on the Ottawa Senators. Each winter, we can go to the Canadian Tire Centre to cheer on our hockey heroes. Finally, we can enjoy  the beauty of nature together, by going on nature walks, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. With so many fun things to do in winter, it’s easy to see why we prefer the chilly days to the summer’s heat in Ottawa.

In the afternoon, we continued to work on our paper pillars for our construction projects. Then we talked about All Saints Day and explored information about some of the saints we know. Finally, in Art, we finished up our work on our Remembrance Day pieces.

Don't forget to bring in your popcorn orders.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner

Construction Paper Skyscrapers

Hello,

After two days attending Board workshops, I was very happy to be back in the classroom today.

We started the day by finishing our city models and presentations, explaining to the class our design choices and any special features their structures would require.

Then, we followed an example of procedural writing to build the frames for skyscrapers out of construction paper.

In Math, we continued to explore growing and shrinking patterns. The two double-sided activity sheets Mr. O handed out yesterday should be completed for homework.

Finally, in Art, we continued to work on our Remembrance Day art that focused on displaying our understanding of background and foreground.

Don't forget to keep reading, on Raz Kids, or a book of your choice.

Have a wonderful day.

Mr. Skinner

My Buddy Padlets

Hello,

This morning we continued to work on our city plans for our structures unit in Science. The students have created some interesting and complex plans. On Thursday the groups will explain the reasons behind their design choices, describe any special features that will be required for their structures and how those structures would be suited for the environment they are building in (city of their choice).

Science group work in PJs

In Math, we continued to work on patterns, exploring how we could display our data using t-tables and bar graphs. The students answered a variety of questions in class and will need to finish the two double-sided t-table activity sheets that I gave the students on Friday, for homework.

In Art, we continued to work on our Remembrance Day art, using pencils and pencil crayons to show an image that represents Remembrance Day, while also displaying an understanding of background and foreground.

Finally, in Language, while we enjoyed some of the leftover marshmallows from Friday, we read a story called "My Buddy" that looks at the friendship a boy has with his dog.

Friday's Treat - Democracy in Action

After reading the story, we had a great discussion about  friendship, helping others and I answered questions the students had about Muscular Dystrophy.

Tomorrow morning, we will work on the following Padlets to make predictions, summarize the key points, and make connections to the story.

http://padlet.com/craig_skinner/buddypredictions

http://padlet.com/craig_skinner/buddysummary

http://padlet.com/craig_skinner/buddyconnections

Don't forget to wear your hats tomorrow!

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Spirit Week

Hello,

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend!

A quick reminder that this week is Spirit Week at St. Anne School. The students are invited to dress up for our spirit days and to bring donations for the United Way, in support of the Catholic Education Fund.

The schedule for Spirit Week is:

Monday - PJ Day
Tuesday - Hat Day
Wednesday - Sens Day
Thursday - School Colours (Blue and White)

Students can bring in a donation each day that they choose to participate, or one donation for all of the days.

I'm looking forward to wearing some comfy PJ's tomorrow and I hope the students are too.

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Planning our Cities

Hello,

This morning, we worked in groups of 3 or 4 and started our plans for the cities we will build on the SmartBoard, as part of our Structures unit.

In Language, we continued to work on our Monster descriptions, as the first draft is due tomorrow. We were also reading on Raz Kids. The students are encouraged to read for 15-30 minutes on Raz Kids tonight.

In Math, we continued to work on patterns. Our focus today was on identifying the core (the part that repeats in a pattern). Most students finished p. 20-21 in class, but it is for homework if it was not completed.

Don't forget that tomorrow is picture day, so the students should be ready to smile in the morning!

Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

We have a Winner!

Hello,

At long last, I have the results of our snack election. On Friday, I will be bringing in Marshmallows. The boys from the victorious group described a complex Marshmallow reindeer treat that they would like to try. We decided that I would bring in marshmallows for the class on Friday, then we would try to create the reindeer treats together in class, when we are closer to Christmas.

In Math, we have been working on patterning, looking at changing attributes and repeating patterns. The students should have the three double sided sheets, that were handed out yesterday, completed. If they are not done, they are to be finished for homework.

In Language, we are continuing to work on our Monster description. We will finish our rough draft in class tomorrow. We also began to explore Raz Kids today. The students should continue to work on their reading, using this wonderful online resource.

https://www.kidsa-z.com/main/Login

If you are asked to log in, I am cskinner2. Select your student name and enter the student password (initials). This is a great resource to use for daily reading.

In Religion, we decorated our kite, which symbolizes how our dreams will soar throughout the year.

In Science, we finished our work with the interactive structure lessons on the SmartBoard.

Finally, a reminder that our picture day is Friday, for students Grades 3 to 6. The younger students (K-2) will have their photos on Thursday.
   
Have a good night.

Mr. Skinner

Happy Election Day!

Hello,

This morning we started by discussing the election process today and it was a great way to connect to my life, as my Dad was working at St. Anne as a Scrutineer for the election.

In Math, I held individual conferences with each student, to go over the results of the test from last week and allow them to explain their thinking. Most students will be bringing home their test to get it signed by a parent. Please review the test with your child, sign the test and return it to me. Thanks. If I didn't get a chance to conference with a student today, I will meet with them tomorrow and then they will bring their test home.

While I was conferencing, the students finished up their work on increasing and decreasing patterns from last week. Then, we discussed attributes that can change in a pattern, such as size, colour and shape. We completed some sample patterns, then the students created a variety of patterns, which will be displayed in the classroom. Each student made four different patterns.

In Language, we finished our monster drawings and worked on Google Drive to type our first draft of our Monster descriptions. Students also had the option to write their descriptions in their journals.

Finally, this afternoon, the students had presentations on which snack they would like me to bring in for them on Friday, so that we could have our own vote and demonstrate democracy in action.

The results of the vote will be revealed tomorrow.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner

A Job Well Done

Hello,

This morning, we completed our first Math evaluation task and the students worked very hard to complete ten multiple choice questions and two short answer questions. I will have them marked and returned to the students on Monday morning. Our next unit will explore patterning.

After the test, we continued to work on our Monster drawings and descriptions, using all five of our senses to describe the creature in descriptive paragraphs.

Next, we finished editing our recount with our partners and submitted all of the bitstrips for class viewing.

This afternoon, we wrapped our class discussion on Thanksgiving in Religion, and continued to explore strength and stability in Science, through activities on the SmartBoard and class discussion.

There is no new homework tonight, but students are asked to make sure their recounts and bitstrips are ready for final review this weekend.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner

Descriptive Paragraphs and Monster Art

Hello,

In Math we have been reviewing our unit to prepare for Thursday's evaluation. The students worked in partners to create questions and quiz one another. We also worked on the whiteboards on a variety of questions and the students had a chance to ask any questions about concepts they were having difficulty understanding. The only homework for tonight is to review the Math activities from this unit to prepare for the evaluation activity.

In Language, we finished typing our recount paragraphs and we have been peer editing with a partner, to check for spelling and grammar errors, and giving suggestions to add more detail in certain areas of the text. The students took turns working on the chromebooks to complete this task and then wrote sentences in their Language duotangs, using a variety of Word Wall Words. I will post a full list of the new words we have been using tomorrow.

In Religion, we shared some of our experiences from the weekend and discussed the many things for which we are truly thankful.

Finally, for our next Art activity, we are describing a monster, or creature, who knocks on our door on Halloween. Our goal is to use all of our five senses and vivid detail. Next, we are drawing a picture of the monster, based on the description. It is a fun, and sometimes gross, assignment.

Have a great day.

Mr. Skinner

A Reminder to Study

Hello,

This has been a busy day and night for me, so I will post a more complete blog entry tomorrow, detailing today and tomorrow, but for now, a reminder to review our Math activity sheets for Thursday's evaluation task.

Also, most students were able to finish typing their recount today. Now, they will do some editing work with a partner on the chrome books. If anyone has not finished their bitstrip comic, it should be completed at home, or at recess, under my supervision.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello,

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving with their family and friends.

The main focus of this weekend was family, so don't worry if the students didn't get to any homework. We will make sure everything gets completed this week.

In Math, we will be reviewing our first unit this week, getting ready for the unit evaluation task on Thursday. If the students review the work we have completed in our Math duotangs, they will be well prepared.

In Language, the students were asked to have their bitstrip comic and good copy of their personal recount completed by the end of the day Thursday. If they didn't get a chance to finish up these tasks this weekend, I will work with the students at lunch tomorrow, to get this finished.

Have a good evening and Go Jays Go!

Mr. Skinner

Thanksgiving Prayers

Hello,

This morning we continued to work on rounding to the nearest ten and rounding to the nearest hundred. The students should have completed the two double-sided activity sheets on these topics. If they are not finished, they should be completed for homework.

In Religion, we wrote Thanksgiving prayers and made art inspired by our written work. We are completing this task at school and the students will be bringing their work home before the weekend. Several of the students said they were excited to share their prayers at their family Thanksgiving dinners.

In Language, I showed the students how to use Google Read and Write to read portions of a text, and we continued to work on our recounts and bitstrips, which are due at the end of the day tomorrow.

Finally, in the gym, we worked on our throwing and catching skills and played a spirited game of Bench Ball.

Tomorrow is the final day for the food drive, so be sure to bring in your cans if you can.

Sorry that this is a little bit late. I had planned on posting it right after school, but my daughter lost her first tooth and had to tell me all about this very important news! Thanks for your understanding.

Have a great night

Mr. Skinner

Using Google Read and Write

Hello,

This morning we started the day with a discussion about Thanksgiving and why we are having a canned food drive at this time of year. The students shared some interesting insights and had a good grasp of why we needed to help those in need.

Next, we continued to work on rounding in Math. We finished our work on rounding to the nearest ten, then we began to work on rounding the nearest hundred. We discussed the different strategies we could use when rounding to the nearest ten, compared to rounding to the nearest hundred.

In Language, we used the chromebooks to work on our recounts. Our goal is to have a typed or written good copy of our most recent recount and a 3 to 6 frame bitstrip comic to illustrate the recount, by the end of Thursday.

Some students were working on their comic on bitstrips, which they will share with me and I will edit, while others started to type their good copy of their recount on Google Drive. The students who were typing were introduced to the Read and Write extension, which can read back text to the student and even has a word prediction function, while they are typing (just click on the crystal ball in the tab). The students should have access to this program at home as well, as long as they are signed into their  Google Account. The students are welcome to continue to work on these tasks at home as well.

Finally, we finished up our discussions on suspension bridges in Science and we took out new books from the Learning Commons.

Have a wonderful evening.

Mr. Skinner

Rounding to the Nearest Ten

Hello,

This morning we started the day by changing our seating plan. I get the students to move each month, so they get the experience of working with different people.

Next, we explored the concept of rounding the nearest ten, using number lines. After solving a variety of problems on the SmartBoard and the whiteboards, explaining the possible range of numbers, and whether we should round up or down, the students worked on a rounding activity sheet. It is not for homework. I collected the work at the end of the block, to see how the students are doing and I will return it to them on Tuesday, so they can continue to work on it.

In Language, we worked on making personal connections the story "Dad's Pasta" through group discussion. Then we worked with our first set of Word Wall Words. We started by trying to spell them, then reviewed the common errors students often make when spelling these words. Finally, we made sentences using as many of the words as we could and reviewed the spelling and grammar rules that needed to be applied to these sentences. I posted these sentences to my Twitter account.

This week's words are:

they
said
have
because
again
could
favourite
into

In Science, we continued to look at structures, with a focus on foundations and bridges. Ask your kids about the suspension bridge in Tacoma, Washington. It was a pretty poorly constructed bridge from the 1940s and the students were very interested in it.

Finally, a student who recently had a birthday, brought in a red camera Shopkin today and it was lost this morning. If anyone finds it, please return it to me as soon as possible, Thanks.

Have a great night.

Mr Skinner

Bench Ball and Bitstrips

Hello,

This morning, we played a great game of bench ball in the morning. The students worked well together to achieve their goal of having their bench filled with players.

They also completed their construction paper mosaics, representing communities they are involved in. They turned out really well. I will post some pictures on my Twitter account later in the day.

In Math, we finished our work on addition and regrouping. I will be marking the work that was handed into me over the weekend. Then the students worked on the chromebooks, completing activities on dreambox, or creating the comic strips for their recounts on Bitstrips.

Finally, in Language, we continued to read about Terry Fox and to work on making connections, with the stories the students selected to read on Thursday. Next, I introduced our schedule for Word Wall Words. Each week, starting on Monday, I will be posting a new set of word wall words, that we will use in our writing activities. Look on the blog, at the start of each week, for the new set of words.

Don't forget to bring in your cans for the Food Drive!

Have a great weekend.

Mr. Skinner

Talking About Terry Fox

Hello,

This morning, we discussed our regrouping questions, involving dollars, dimes and pennies. We discussed the ways we reached our solutions for those questions. Next, we continued to work on our regrouping, using base ten blocks and two-digit addition. Many students worked ahead last night and finished both of the double-sided worksheets on these topics. I will be collecting the student workbooks tomorrow, to correct over the weekend. I will give some class time to work on this task tomorrow, but it would be a good idea to work on this Math tonight, to ensure everything is completed by lunch tomorrow.

In Language, we watched a video about Terry Fox and I started to read a book to the class, telling his story. We discussed the themes of his story - Courage, strength, dedication - and the types of personal connections we could make to the story. We will continue to read the story on Friday, making more connections as we go.

Then the students read a selection of levelled stories. Some read "The Cat's Diary", others read "Dad's Pasta" and a final group read "The Family Tree". Once they finished reading the text, each student was asked to write down one to two text to self connections, related to the theme of the text. We will be sharing these connections in class tomorrow. Each student should have one to share with a partner, or with the group.

Finally, we wrote our conclusions for our recount draft, then we continued our discussion on the communities we are members of, in Religion, and created mosaic art pieces with construction paper to represent our involvement in one of these communities.

Have a great evening.

Mr. Skinner

Regrouping and Adding

Hello,

This morning, in Math, we continued to work on regrouping numbers, examining the relationship between ones, tens and hundreds, as well as dollars, dimes and pennies (no longer used, but the same relationship as ones, tens and hundreds, so still useful). Then we looked at adding two digit numbers and regrouping. We examined how you can start at the ones or the tens and the different steps needed for each strategy.

   1
   45
+ 18
______  

   63

or 40 + 10 = 50 and 5 + 8 = 13, then 50 + 13 = 63

The students are expected to complete advanced regrouping (p. 58) for homework.

In Language, we continued to work on our recounts, adding our second and third main points and examples to the paragraph. Then we added more frames to our recount comic strips on the bitstrips site.

http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/login/

Next, in Science, we looked at how different shapes can be used to create patterns in construction and looked at the history of the pyramids.

Finally, in the gym we played an exciting game of "Ship Ahoy", a cooperative game which involves listening, running, fitness activities and teamwork skills.

Have a good evening.

Mr. Skinner