February 23rd Blog Update

Hi Parents

As we delve into our Social Studies unit on Local Community we are taking a close look at maps. I spoke with students today at school so your child may have already asked you about this, but I am looking for a copy of a map of some of the places you may have visited with your children such as Sherway Mall, Wonderland, the Toronto Zoo, Science Centre, ROM, etc. 

If you would be willing to lend me these maps for the next few weeks I would appreciate it.

Thank you

Ms. Guenther

February 18th Blog Update

Parents, here are a few things to know and note as we finish out the month of February:

1. This Friday, February 19th, 2016 (tomorrow) is Dance Day at Rosethorn. Our dance session is from 9:10-9:50am in the gym. Please have your child dress comfortably to be able to move and dance freely.

2.Trip forms are due tomorrow or Monday is necessary. Thank you to all those parents who were prompt in getting me the form and money today, I appreciate that. Please note this payment includes the cost of the parent volunteers joining us. These volunteers are: Dino Basic (Luka's dad), Ornela Bardhosh (Mia's mom), Marianne Galberg (Sophie's mom), and Jill Zandvliet Grimm (Keagan's mom). Please note that a preparation checklist will be sent home next week so that you may have your child ready for this trip.

3. Next Wednesday February 24th is our Kiwanis competition/ concert. Children are asked to be dressed in black bottoms and a white top. This day is also Pink Day in support of stopping bullying. As I am encouraging the children to wear pink in support of this cause, please pack them something to change into for the afternoon or pink accessories will do as well.

4. Another note about homework. Please know all homework is strictly extra work. I do not mark the work they do at home. If it is for Show and tell I am marking the presentation and oral skills only not the creation or work. Please ensure your child is using pencil on all their work so if mistakes are made they can make the edits required. Also I do wish for the majority of work to be done independently unless otherwise noted, however instructions can be read together and parents should review the work the child has done and discuss corrections or ask questions about their child's work. Please remember the poem should be read by your child to an adult or older sibling without assistance as we work on and read through these poems every day of the week. Encourage your child to use their reading strategies such as sounding out, breaking up the word, rereading, etc.

That is all for this week! Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

          Ms. Guenther

February 10th - Important February Updates

February has started off fabulously! 

I am beginning to hear the students use their measurement vocabulary within the classroom. 

We took a day to go around the school measuring the kindness chains in all classrooms comparing their lengths. The students were able to determine and choose how to measure the chains: 1. a standard tool, 2. a non-standard tool, and 3. by counting the links in each chain. I wish I had remembered to take pictures because it was a great way to put our measurement skills to real use. I will remember next month when we check on them again.

We have begun our next Social Studies unit:  

People and Environments: The Local Community and the students seem very aware of the people, jobs and services they can find within their local community. They have shown a great interest in why they will need to get jobs, as well.

We have been finding ways to use all the editing skills we focussed on throughout out first term, especially through our story writing. We have been practising picking apart the details of a story such as main character, supporting characters, setting, problem, and solution. We have been working on what it means to sequence a story (to understand the order things happen in) and we are beginning to look at how to answer the 5 W’s when writing a story: Who, what, where, when, why and How? We are currently working on creating our own sequencing books; look for those to come home in the future. These will be the topics we continue to cover over the next five weeks, up until March Break.

Some things to know/ remember:

·        

      Our spelling test this week will be on Thursday as Friday is a P.A. Day so please ensure spelling folders are returned Thursday morning.

·        I did forget to send home Shared Reading folders on Friday, I apologize, so I will send last week’s poem and this week’s poem home Thursday which means it will be double the homework for the long weekend.

·         

      Report Cards went home yesterday. Please review my comments with your child, have them set and fill out a goal for improvement, sign the envelope and return it to school. 

      For those parents who have not set an interview time but after reviewing the report card wish to, please send me a note in your child’s agenda and we can arrange a time next week to meet or a time to chat on the phone and discuss their report card. Remember a  grade ‘B’ means they are working and comprehending at grade level, ‘C’ means they are working hard to achieve a grade one level and an ‘A’ is above grade one level. Also know that I look at each student’s individual progress and I am, at this point in the school year, very happy with each student’s progress.

·       Just a reminder that this Wednesday February 10^th all 100^th Day projects were due completed at school. I will store them in the classroom until our museum day next week.

·         

      Also next week on Tuesday we will be having our Friendship Party! I know the students have been working hard to keep their secret friend identity a secret....it will all be over soon. Please remember to wrap the gift your child has created for the secret friend. Then put the wrapped gift in a bag so that when they carry it in the morning no one will be able to see what it looks like. I would like to thank the Gearty, the Podolski, the Ali, and the Qoraliu families for offering to provide treats as well as the Galberg family for providing plates and napkins  for the party.

·        Note that next Friday February 19^th will be Dance Day. Please remember to dress your child comfortable enough to have fun dancing as we will have the use of the full gym. Also check the Friday Flash if you are able to volunteer, I know they were looking for more help.

·        I have had many questions about Kiwanis. Ms. Cattell takes all the permission forms, throws the names of all that have volunteered for supervision into a hat and pulls a few names. She will contact you if your name is chosen. However, even if your name is not chosen you are more than welcome to drive yourself to the competition to watch your child perform. I am sure your child will welcome the support. I have heard that some children are nervous; please do your best to encourage them to try performing. If they are really that nervous they can sit with me in the audience and watch, but we would really like to see them all up on stage.  I am still waiting on a few forms, I need these returned asap. I know my class has been getting rave reviews on their singing at the end of each music class so I am excited to hear them sing.

·        Lastly, Monday February 29^th we will be taking a trip to the Living Arts Centre to engage in a full day of art fun. Permission forms will be going out either by the end of this week or early next week. Please ensure you fill out the form, provide the fee either in cash or by cheque, and return the form next day. Our parent volunteers for this excursion will be Dino Basic, Ornela Bardhosh, Marianne Galberg, and Jill Zandvliet Grimm. Thank you to all those who volunteered, I wish we could take you all. But do not worry....there are many more fun events to come before the end of the school year.

Have a great week everyone and I will be seeing some of you in interviews later on this week!

February 2, 2016 - Listening in the Classroom

Parents! 

The last few weeks we have been having a lot of issues with students constantly talking. I take this as a sign of them having fun, however it has created a pattern where every time we  transition it becomes a socializing time. This is making it hard to move from one activity to another. 

This is not an issue with all children and it breaks my heart to always have to stop, bring it up, discuss it and waste the time of those students who are quietly transitioning and ready to move on. 

Please just have a quick discussion with your child about listening more carefully to instructions and about using their recess and extra time for socializing with their peers to make it fair for everyone.

Thank you so much for your support,

Ms. Guenther

Fresh February

Happy Week Everyone!

Here is our first February Blog Update. There are going to be some changes and some fun things happening this month so please mark them down to remember.

Note #1: As you may see some fun homework assignments this month to keep the children talking about measurement please remind your child to use pencil on their work, especially on our weekly Spelling and Poem activities.

Note #2: I made a mistake on our February class calendar so please make this correction for me. Camden’s birthday is on the 25^th not the 5^th. We have many birthdays this month and I have already overheard the students discussing what will be happening.

Note #3: A reminder that our Friendship Party is on the afternoon of Tuesday February 16^th 2016. I have kindly had many parents offer treats, but I have chosen 4 families and am aware of the treat they are bringing. Remember you may also send valentines cards and small treats for your child to hand out to their friends on that day. Thank you for all the offers! Any extra treats will go into Valentine’s bags and be sent home to eat.

Note #4: New Scholastic flyers have gone home today. The orders for February’s flyers are due Thursday, February 11^th, 2016. This way Mrs. Ali can put the order in over the long weekend and we will have our items delivered before the end of the month.

Note#5: I am looking to book an Art-filled trip to the Living Arts Centre for the end of February. I will be sending further details home, hopefully next week. I am hoping to get Monday, February 29^th as a date so if you want to join us on the trip I will require 5 parents. Just email Marianne Galberg, our classroom rep, and she will give me a list of parents interested and I will choose based first on if anyone who has not had a turn to help out in the classroom offers and second on first come first serve basis.

Note #6: New Snuggle Up Program

Thanks to such hard work by Room 4 students and such patience and care from parents I have observed some great improvements in the students reading abilities over the last month.  Starting Monday our Snuggle Up Program will be changing to reflect these new reading levels. In our classroom we have reading groups and students have been choosing their reading materials each day according to the group they are in and the books that fit their reading level. Recently I have made changes to the books they may select, hopefully to provide a more challenging experience. Now we will have new recording sheets to go along with these reading experiences and I am asking that parents be paying close attention to certain reading aspects and skills to help further improvement. Please set aside 5-15 minutes each evening to sit down and read with your child and give them pointers and advice on how to improve these aspects of their reading.

Have a great week!

Ms. Guenther