This week's sight words were "are" and "his" and our focus letter was R.

We have also started to work with the digraphs (when two letters work together to make one sound) ch, th, and sh as well as ck. We have been practicing identifying these digraphs in words that we see in different texts as well as practicing writing words that begin and end with these sounds.

In Science, we learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin through books and videos and completed a small pumpkin booklet. Next week, we will do a pumpkin investigation and make predictions for how many seeds there are in our pumpkin, whether it will float or sink in a tub of water, and do some measuring of our pumpkin. We also started a pumpkin art piece on Thursday which we will complete on Monday.

In Math, we continue to practice counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s and have started to identify even and odd numbers. Here is a link to a catchy song we listened to all about counting by 2s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMQ89agGfrk Definitely worth a listen! :)

This week, the students also worked at identifying and filling in missing numbers on a variety of number lines up to 20. Many students continue to work at ensuring the correct orientation of their numbers. Numbers 3, 5, and 7 often get reversed. We have also started to use number lines to help us solve addition problems with sums up to 15.

Once a week, we work on an Esti-Mystery as a class. These are fantastic estimation challenges created by a fellow named Steve Wyborney that involve number work, the concepts of greater and less than, patterning, and more. See the photo below for an example.

HALLOWEEN at MTS

Halloween is on Thursday, October 31, students in K-4 can wear their costumes to school.  

A reminder to all participants to please leave any weapons or gory accessories that may go with your costume at home.  Costumes must be non-violent in nature (no guns, swords, fake blood). If a mask is part of their Halloween costume, we ask that students not wear the mask at school as it may be disruptive to student learning.  

Please do not send any treats with your child to share due to allergies and other medical concerns. 

Students will be participating in classroom-based Halloween-themed learning activities that are sure to be fun and engaging. 

Upcoming Dates

FRIDAY                     PD Day - NO SCHOOL

October 30                FUN LUNCH - Little Caesars Pizza

November 7              Remembrance Day Assembly - 10:30am

November 8              Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL

November 11-13       FALL Break - NO SCHOOL

November 19            Picture Re-take Day

November 26            Grade 2 Field Trip to Sam Centre (Pynn/Thomson/Olson)

November 27            Grade 2 Field Trip to Sam Centre (Penford/Klasen) ** Make sure to cancel your FUNLUNCH Order

November 27            FUN LUNCH - SUBWAY

November 28            NO SCHOOL FOR KINDERGARTEN

November 29            NO SCHOOL FOR ALL STUDENTS

November 28 & 29    Parent/Teacher Conferences

 Our focus sight words this week were "her" and "by" and our focus letters were E and B.

This week, we began to write simple sentences using the sentence starter "I see...". I showed the students the following picture and they needed to write three sentences using an uppercase letter at the beginning and a period at the end. 

We talked about leaving spaces between words and using lowercase letters. The students referenced classroom posters and listened carefully for the letter sounds in words when completing their sentences.

We have started to work with number lines in Math. Zero the Hero brought us a fun Around the Room activity on Tuesday for our 30th day of school. The students had to look at a partial number line and determine which number was being covered by a pumpkin. We will continue to work with number lines up to 20 next week.

We have been practicing counting by 2s to 20 and by 5s to 50. We have also been working to solve simple word problems using addition. The students have been practicing their listening skills to draw simple pictures to aid in solving these problems. An example would be: I brought 5 cupcakes to my Grandma's birthday party. My cousin brought 4 cupcakes. How many cupcakes did we bring altogether? Practicing problems such as these while you are in the car, in a line-up at a store, or while hanging out at home is a great way to hone your child's skills while still having fun. All your child needs are their fingers to count on!

Our school will be doing a Winter Card fundraiser in the next few weeks. We spent a lot of time this week creating a beautiful winter art piece using paints and Sharpie markers. Here are a few samples of the work:

In Science, we continued to talk about how plants and animals change during Fall and we completed our Fall booklet. Next week, we will begin to learn about a pumpkin's life cycle and will do some investigations with a real pumpkin.

Gym classes have moved back inside now. The students have been working on underhand and overhand throwing with a lot of attention being given to body positioning and accuracy.

A friendly reminder to have your child return their library book by Wednesday each week. Also, there is no school next Friday as it is a Professional Development Day.

Enjoy your weekend! :)

This week's focus sight words were "be" and "for". We worked with the letters G and H.

I sent home a review/practice homework sheet with students who brought back the pink slip from last week indicating that parents wanted these "homework" sheets. If your child did not bring one home today and you would like the work, please email me at jllarmer@cbe.ab.ca and I will add your child's name to the list.

Today we learned about the work of the late artist Keith Haring with our Grade 4 buddies. Mrs. Miller led us in a creative art task based on Keith's style of art. Buddies worked together to create their own Haring-inspired art. The short lines you see indicate movement.

Keith Haring

We continued to work in our Fall booklet this week, writing and drawing pictures of how animals and plants change during this season in preparation for Winter. We looked at a live Grizzly bear webcam located in Alaska. The students loved watching the bears fish in the river for spawning salmon. Here is the link if you'd like to take a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1YoGAxmZtE 

In Math, we continue to learn about the multiple ways numbers can be represented. We have started to represent numbers 1-10 using these different ways in our Math notebooks and daily during our Calendar time. We have also been completing worksheets and playing a variety of partner games to practice this skill.

We have also been doing daily work focused on sounding out and decoding CVC words. Today, the students worked independently to label a group of CVC words. We continue to practice identifying short vowel sounds daily.

Yesterday, we read two books about Thanksgiving and what it means to show gratitude. The children shared one or two things they are grateful for in their Visual Journals. You may want to ask your child to share with you what they wrote about.

And on that note, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving long weekend. I hope you are able to spend some relaxing time enjoying family and friends. I look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Tuesday. :)

 This week our focus letters were U and Y and our new sight words were "me" and "of".

Here is a list of all the sight words we have been working with so far this year: and, to, it, in, is, me, you, the, to, a, of.

The students enjoyed doing a "Write the Room" activity in Literacy this week. They had to find 20 picture cards of 3-letter items and had to do their best to write down the beginning, middle, and end sounds. We have been reviewing the short vowel sounds daily and will continue to do a lot of work with these sounds. For some students, identifying the short vowel sounds is still very challenging, for others it is simple. For those who are just beginning to work with these sounds, I asked that they write the word's initial sound and then try to figure out the middle and end sounds. Here is the vowel poster we reference in our room when practicing the vowel sounds:

We also read a poem about being a good friend and put the poem in our Poems and Songs duotang. We add a new poem or song each week and spend time reading it together and looking for specific words. Here is today's poem should you wish to read it with your child:

In Math, we focused on representing numbers 1- 12 using tally marks. Students worked with popsicle sticks to build tally arrangements and completed a worksheet. We have been practicing counting by 5s to 20 using tally marks daily. Some students continue to work on remembering that the 5th tally lies across to make a group of five. We will continue to work with tallies, ten frames, and dice to represent numbers 1-15 during the next few weeks.

We also did an activity called Which One Doesn't Belong today. It is the third one we've done this year. This is an activity based on keen observations and reasoning abilities. The students must be able to justify their answers. You might be interested to find out which picture your child thinks does not belong. Please remember to ask them to explain their answer to you.

We started working on our Fall booklet this week and focused on signs of Fall as well as the clothing we wear during this season. On Tuesday, we did a short community walk to look for signs of Fall. We noted many fallen leaves, leaves changing colours and drying, Halloween and Fall decorations on homes, and cooler temperatures. We will do another walk around our school field next Monday or Tuesday afternoon to look at the changing larches at the north end of our field and to sketch a Fall tree.

Today, we went outside with our Buddies and learned how to play the ball game Four Square. The Grade 4s taught and coached the Grade 1s on how to play. The students had a great time playing with their older friends and enjoyed the chance to be outside!

Please find two sheets that came home with your child today. One is a partner Math game we played in class last week and the other is an optional Literacy activity.

Picture Day! - Individual student photos will be taken next Wednesday, October 9th.

I hope you all enjoy a great weekend! :)

I enjoyed meeting and speaking with so many of you at Parent-Teacher Conferences. Thank you for taking time to talk with me about your child.

This week we focused on the sight words "me" and "and" and the letters C and K. I sent home a yellow page of homework on Thursday should you wish to review and practice some short vowel "a" work with your child. As I mentioned last week, if your child completes this work and you initial it, I will give them a sticker for each side completed. Some students enjoy decorating their pencil boxes with the fruits of their labour! :)

This week was a busy one as we acknowledged Orange Shirt Day on Monday, participated in the Terry Fox Run on Wednesday, and had our first fire drill of the year on Wednesday afternoon. All three events went very well. 

Our Terry Fox Run was a huge success!

Through the generosity of the community, the school raised $2,025.05

Mr. V says he will keep his promise and wear a tutu on Friday October 4. 

Thank you to everyone who donated and volunteered for this special event.

In Math, we continue to practice number formation, number representation in pictures, tallies, dice, and ten frames as well as basic addition equations. Zero the Hero left us a fun number game called Tug of War Numbers this week to celebrate our 20th day of school. I will send home a copy of this game next week with those students who would like to play it.

Next week, we will begin to work on a Fall booklet. We will be looking at the changes that happen in the natural world during this season and writing down short facts. Depending on the weather, we will go on a 30-minute community walk either Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon to observe some of the Fall changes in our community. 

A friendly reminder that your child's library book needs to be back by Thursday but ideally Wednesday each week so that they can get a new one.

We have not seen our Grade 4 Buddies for two weeks now but we'll get together again next Friday for a shared learning activity.

A note from Mr. van Sluys regarding Gym classes next week:

Mr. van Sluys would like all families to know that for the next two weeks Physical Education will take place outside because the gym is being used for the grade 3/4 Alien Inline Residency.  So please come everyday prepared to get active outside with close toed shoes (i.e. no crocs or sandals), sweaters, jackets, and mitts and toques if needed.  Thank you!

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone back at school next Tuesday. :)

Thanks to everyone who was able to come and see our dance performance today. I think the students loved the opportunity to perform for such a large audience!

This week, we focused on the proper uppercase and lowercase formation and sounds for letters I, N, O, and D. We have been learning how to identify the different letter sounds in consonant, vowel, consonant, words such as: hen, pig, cat, etc. We follow a guided drawing lesson to add pictures to our printing notebooks of things that begin with these letters. The students really enjoy these online lessons. They serve as a great tool for teaching basic drawing techniques. Here is a link to one of the lessons should you be interested in having your child try some at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tHq9o9nFXo

In Math, we have been reviewing and practicing number formation as well as continuing our work with patterns. Students worked in pairs to create 3-part shape, colour, and letter patterns this week. We also work on basic place value (ones and tens), counting to 30, and number representation (tallies and ten frames) during our daily calendar time.

As we continue to learn about our similarities and differences, the students practiced drawing self-portraits this week to express their uniqueness. We will be completing our good copy portraits on Monday; adding colour with oil pastels and paint. You can look forward to seeing these on our bulletin board at Parent-Teacher Conferences next Thursday evening and Friday morning. Please make sure to sign up for a conference time. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you! :)

I sent home a Roll and Write sight word game for the students to play, should you have time and/or desire to do so. We have been working with these words daily during our Shared Reading time. Please have an adult or older sibling (who can read) play this game with your child to ensure accuracy. I suggest playing until all six columns are filled as repetition helps to bind these words to the brain! :) On the flip side of the sheet is a CVC activity. You may want to write the five vowels at the top of the page for your child to reference. If your child completes one or both activities, please initial the sheet and have them bring it back to me so I can give them a sticker. 

Library day is Thursday. If your child did not bring back their book this week, they were unable to take out a new one. Please ensure their book is returned by Wednesday each week. Thank you for your support.

On Monday, we will have an Orange Shirt Day assembly. We will read a related story in class and take time to talk about why this is an important day. Please have your child wear an orange shirt if they have one.

Our Terry Fox Run will be on Wednesday morning. Please ensure your child is wearing appropriate shoes and clothing for running. We will have a short assembly at 9:15 and then will go outside to run for approximately 20 minutes. Toonies for Terry will be collected until Wednesday. Your support is greatly appreciated.

A friendly reminder that there will be NO SCHOOL on Friday due to Parent-Teacher Conferences nor on Monday, September 30th as it is Truth and Reconciliation Day.

We enjoyed our first full week of school! The students are developing more stamina and getting used to the full-day routines of Grade One.  :)

This week, we practiced printing and reviewing words that begin with letters S, T, P and F. We have also added the words "a" and "it" to our high-frequency words. Last week we focused on "is" and "the". The students practiced identifying and reading these words daily in a variety of simple sentences. 

Today, I sent home an optional activity for the children to complete at home to practice simple short vowel "a" words. If your child completes the work, please send it back with your initials on it and I will give them a sticker for their effort.

We started to review simple patterns in Math this week - both AB and ABC patterns. We created movement and sound patterns as a group and identified some patterns in pictures. The students also worked with colour blocks to create as many 3-coloured patterns as they could. We will continue to identify, create, and extend 2, 3, and 4-part patterns next week.

The students enjoyed sharing their All About Me bags with their classmates this week. It was fun to see the special items each child brought in. Thank you for your support with this activity.

On Thursday, we went to the library and each child took out a book which hopefully made it home alright! :) Please help your child ensure their book is returned by Wednesday each week so they can get a new one on Thursday.

We celebrated our 10th day of Grade 1 yesterday with a special activity brought to us secretly by Zero the Hero. "He" visits every ten days of school but we never get to see him - he's sneaky that way! Yesterday, he left pipe cleaners and beads for the students to make a 10-bead bracelet. He will help us to mark each day of school that ends with a zero up to 100 when we will celebrate our 100th day of school.

This morning, we met our Grade 4 Buddies in Mrs. Miller's class and did a fantastic art activity to get to know one another. Please see the photos below and ask your child to tell you about this activity. We will get together every Friday with our Buddies to participate in a variety of learning activities.

Next week, we will participate in a Dance Residency at our school put on by the dance company Sound Kreations. We have four sessions and then a performance on Friday from 10:30 - 11:30. Please ensure your child wears comfortable clothing for these days. Our sessions during the week are from 8:05 - 8:35am. It will be important that the children arrive at school on time to get the most from these sessions. The children will perform on Friday from 10:30 - 11:30am. You are invited to attend!