Ms Elder's Grade 4/5 Class

The Grade 4 students are completing an assignment called " The Me to Be ". The instructions and hand out are posted in the Google Classroom for reference.  Grade 4s, this is a reminder that you may want to ask your parents for help remembering back to what you were like in Grade 1. You may also want to gather materials to bring in for your collage.  We will be working on them Monday . Please come prepared to work on your collage then. I'll have glue, scissors, and paper ready. :)     Grade 5 students have a crossword puzzle for homework that must be completed WITH a trusted adult. This is to help build their support network for who they can ask Puberty-related questions to. This homework is due Friday, June 17 . 

French: I can learn vocabulary for things around the house Students, this is a reminder that you will have your last French Quiz on Wednesday. You are expected to know the House vocabulary we've been practicing in class. The Quiz will be a simple matching test. Below is the picture of the vocabulary you need to be comfortable with, in case you'd like to practice.  You will not need to know whether the items are masculine or feminine for the quiz.

Grade 5 Math: I can use probability vocabulary to describe the likelihood of events; I can design an experiment to match a given probability We've had fun over the past couple of weeks playing games and discussing probability in Math. We've learned how to use the words: certain, likely, possible, unlikely, and impossible as a mathematician would. We've also designed spinners and marble experiments.  Next week, Grade 5 students only will have a short quiz to assess their understanding. There are games posted on the Google Classroom that students can play if they feel they need to prepare at home.

We started our Puberty classes today and have started discussing the Body , Relationship , and Thought changes that occur during puberty.  We will be doing the Grade 4 content as a whole class, then I will work with the small group of Grade 5 students in June to do their program while the Grade 4's work on a health project.  Grade 4's took home a homework assignment today called Ask An Adult . It is due Wednesday, June 1 .  If you have any questions, please let me know.  Parents, lessons are available for preview at:  https://teachingsexualhealth.ca/.   Students, a great website to check out if you have questions is:  https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/puberty.html . Or, you can ask questions in class or to your trusted adult. 

Students, this is a friendly reminder that you will have a Geometry Quiz on Tuesday, May 24 .  Grade 4's , you need to be prepared to: Identify similar and congruent shapes Identify lines of symmetry Draw lines of symmetry Complete the other half of symmetrical shapes Grade 5's , you need to be prepared to:  Draw and/or label sets of parallel, perpendicular, and intersecting lines Draw and/or label vertical and horizontal lines Name and/or sort the shapes we have practiced in class according to attributes (ex: square, rectangle, triangle, rhombus, parallelogram, trapezoid) If you are looking for ways to practice, try the activities on Mathletics, or practice creating Venn diagrams at home (l ike we did in class - click here to view our blog entry ). Here's Hazel's game she suggested in class, Grade 4's:  https://www.abcya.com/games/symmetree-symmetry

Students, this is a reminder that you will have a Chemistry Quiz on Wednesday next week. Today, you took home this outline sheet. It is optional if you would like to practice or review your vocabulary so that you feel prepared. I would also recommend looking through the Lesson Slides and links posted in the Google Classroom under "Classwork" -> "Science". Quiz Date: Wednesday, April 27 I Can Statements:  I can recognize and give examples of the three states of matter.  I can understand the difference between a reversible and irreversible change. I can explain the difference between a homogeneous and heterogeneous mixture. I can apply an understanding of separating mixtures to solve a problem. I can explain what a solution is and how to separate one.  I can describe surface tension. I can describe how to identify a physical and chemical change. 

Hello Students, This is a reminder that you have a Multiplication Quiz on Thursday this week. As we talked about in class, you need to be prepared to:  Represent a multiplication equation as a picture (by drawing groups) or an array (rows and columns) Write a number equation to match a given picture or array Describe multiplication using math language, such as:  3 x 7 = three groups of seven Multiplication is making groups When multiplying whole numbers, your answer gets bigger In the equation 7 x 8 = 56, 7 and 8 are called factors , 56 is called the product You can switch the factors and the product will still be the same Describe strategies for solving or checking your equations up to 9 x 9 (like the multiplication posters we made in class) Solve multiplication word problems (by showing an appropriate picture, number equation, and sentence answer) Create a multiplication word problem If you are looking for ways to practice, I suggest re-reading our blog entry from our Mu...

Students: Remember to bring your planning sheets back to school on Monday, along with any materials from home you need.  Parents: Please review the Parent Note I sent home last week. (It's posted on the Google Classroom if you can't find it). :)

Science: I can test designs and make changes to improve them; I can develop skills for problem-solving and teamwork Personal Development Through Learning: I can engage in learning with confidence and persistence  As a culminating project for our Simple Machines unit of study, we are creating our own model Amusement Park!!!  Each of us is designing our own ride that uses simple machines. We are allowed to use our imaginations to create something that wouldn't necessarily work in real life. To prepare for this, we have:  Learned the names of and explored all of the different machines ( lever, wheel, pulley, gear, incline plane, wedge, screw ) Learned how to test different designs and materials (ex: wheelies, catapults, pulleys) Practiced persevering even when it was tricky (ex: wheelies, catapults, pulleys) Shown that we can use simple machines to solve problems (ex: simple machines quiz) Watched videos of Rube Goldberg machines for inspiration (Wonderpark, OK GO, Baking Im...

Help us explore Simple Machines by bringing in toilet paper rolls and empty cereal or cracker boxes.  We'll be building devices next Friday. Thanks!

Students, this is a reminder that you will have a Graphing Quiz on Monday, December 13 . Here's what you'll need to know how to do for the quiz:  Grade 4's Read and interpret a single bar graph with a many-to-one scale (ex: where the scale on the y axis goes up by 2's or 5's or another number) Read and interpret a pictograph with a many-to-one key (ex: where one picture of a can = 10 cans in real life) Explain why a many-to-one scale may be used, instead of one-to-one Create and label a single bar graph with a many-to-one scale, using the criteria practiced in class (see below) Create and label a pictograph Grade 5's Read and interpret a double bar graph  Explain the difference between first and second-hand data and when we would use each Create and label a double bar graph, following the criteria we used in class (see below) If you're looking for some extra practice on these topics, I suggest playing on Mathletics.

Students, this is a reminder of your homework due Tuesday .  Please think and decide on a topic for your Take Action letter. Your idea needs to relate to our Science topics so far this year (Plants, Wetlands). Some ideas include:  Endangered plant protection Endangered animal protection Clean water for all Canadians Wetland protection act We will do a planning sheet and write the letter in class. All you need to do is decide on your topic/who you want to write your letter to. If you have any questions, please send me an email. ~ Ms Elder

French: I can learn vocabulary relating to clothing; I can speak in French with more accurate pronunciation 

We did it! We finished the book. :) Students, this is a friendly reminder that you may want to think over the weekend about your Wonder Letter that you'll start writing on Monday. You need to choose :  Which character you want to write to Which precept (quote, words to live by) you want to gift them Remember, you can choose to make up your own precept, or use a quote you've heard. If you're using a quote you've heard, please include the name of the person who said it. If you're not sure, you can Google It or write "Unknown."  You can choose to connect a precept with a character because you think they lived by it, or because you think they need to live by it (*cough cough*...Julian). We'll start writing on Monday! :) ~ Ms Elder  

Science: I can explain what a food chain is and create my own example; I can explain why wetlands are important and how we can protect them. Art: I can explore a variety of media. Reminder: Homework due Monday, November 15 Students need to decide the animals that they'd like to have in their food chain. All animals must be found in a wetland ecosystem, and students should double-check online to make sure their food chain is accurate (ex: that beavers do eat trees).  They need to write down their list of animals on a piece of paper and bring it to school Monday so that they are ready to create their artwork.  The artwork will be based off of this link (click here) . It is a fun and creative way to express food chain understanding.  I posted lots of links and resources in our Google Classroom to help with this assignment.  If you have questions, please email me. ~ Ms Elder

Hi Parents, We are discussing Remembrance Day and who a veteran is in preparation for Remembrance Day and the assembly next week. I encourage you to talk with your child about this topic and share any family connections that you know of who served for Canada. If your child would like to tell the class about a family member and which war they were involved in, they are welcome to do a short presentation (this is completely optional). Feel free to send me any photos they'd like to project on the Smartboard, such as a photo of a family member in uniform or of earned medals.  A reminder that Remembrance Day is next Thursday, November 11 and there is no school that day. A second reminder that students are encouraged to wear plain white, red, or black tomorrow for filming of their song in Music for the assembly. If you have any questions, please let me know. Erin

Hi Parents and Guardians, This is a quick note to let you know that students will have a quiz on Friday, October 22 to check in on their Area skills for Math. Here are the concepts they should be prepared to demonstrate:  - recognize and explain that area is measured in square units - count the area of a given shape and record the answer in proper units (ex: cm2) - draw shapes to match a given area - demonstrate that different rectangles can have the same area by constructing - use mathematical vocabulary when explaining understanding Key Vocabulary Words: area, measure, square units, calculate, total If students are wishing to have some extra practice, they can l isten to this song and sing along (click here) ,  watch this video (click here) , or play the games I posted on our Google Classroom. This quiz will only be one way that I'm assessing student understanding of Area. They are also in the midst of creating a Zoo design to show their understanding. If you have any quest...

Over the past few weeks, we have been exploring concepts relating to Light and Shadows. Students will have their first quiz of the year on Wednesday, October 6. In class, we have reviewed all of the material that will be on the quiz. Here is what students will be assessed on:  - be aware that the sun can damage your eyes and provide ways to keep your eyes safe from the sun - explain that light travels in a straight line unless reflected (bounced) or refracted (bent) - describe changes to shadows depending on the angle of the light source (ex: shadows on the pavement) - describe how shadows change based on if the object is opaque or transparent; classify objects as opaque , translucent , or transparent - explain that light can be broken into the colours of the rainbow through refraction (ex: with a prism) Key vocabulary is highlighted. To prepare, students can share experiments we tried in class with their families at home. Teaching someone else a concept is always a great way...

Hi Parents and Guardians, Just a quick note to let you know that students will be bringing home their assessments today from the Simile Poems. If you're looking to review the expectations for this assignment, click here .  As a class, this work was very well-done. Students captured the spirit of the books, explored similes, and refined their skills of found art. Here are some student samples to celebrate.  If you have questions or concerns about your child's marks/feedback, please reach out to me by email. 

Writing: I can write using descriptive language and literary devices (similes); I can write using a variety of sentence starters. Art: I can use found objects to represent ideas; I can follow model artists. Students are exploring literary techniques including descriptive language and similes. We are following a model author and artist, Hanoch Piven. We listened to two of his stories for examples:  (click here) My Best Friend is as Sharp as a Pencil (click here) My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks Students have brainstormed a list of 4-5 similes for one family member they'd like to write about. They have also listed the items they need to bring in from home on Tuesday to complete the artwork. A few students did not finish their similes, so they have taken their work home to complete.  Before Tuesday, please: Read your child's similes with them. You can ask them to explain what a simile is Make sure they have completed 4-5 similes for one family member Help them find their item...