Happy Holidays & Optional Homework!

With the Winter Holidays coming up, school board policy dictates that we don’t assign formal homework. However, I highly encourage students to spend 10-15 minutes a day reading and reviewing their multiplication facts (up to 9x9), if they don’t have them memorized. Here are a few online games that your child can use to help them practice their basic facts:

http://www.multiplication.com/games

After the break, we will be exploring area of rectangles (where students will need to multiply), reviewing the unit, and ending the week with a unit test on measurement. As usual, I’ll be running the extra math help session on Tuesday after-school. Students can also continue exploring the Hour of Code tutorials.

I hope you and your family with a have a safe and fun Holiday Break!  See you on January 4th, 2016!

Hour of Code 2015

We live in a world surrounded by technology. And we know that whatever field our students choose to go into as adults, their ability to succeed will increasingly hinge on understanding how technology works. But only a tiny fraction of us are learning computer science, and fewer students are studying it than a decade ago.

That’s why our some of the classes at Thorncliffe Park Public School is joining in on the largest education event in history: The Hour of Code. During Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 7-11), our students will be among over 2 million worldwide spending one hour learning the basics. On Friday (11th), students will be introduced to simple concepts in computer science (e.g., what is code, writing instructions, logic, IF...THEN functions) through tutorials featuring characters from Star Wars, Minecraft, Angry Birds, the Madagascar movies, Anna & Elsa from Frozen and other movies and games.

We will only be devoting 1 period (50 minutes) to the event in class. Students who are interested are encouraged to continue exploring the tutorial and “online courses” after the event. You can find more information about the event at www.hourofcode.org/ca. Please feel free to spread the word about the event!

December 7-11, 2015

Reading: Novel Study – City of Ember; Launch, Ch. 1-3
Writing: Essay/Report (Non-fiction) Writing – organizing ideas and making an outline, drafting
Math: Measurement – units & conversion; review of multiplying & dividing by multiples of 10 (e.g. 10, 100, 1000)
Science (Ms. Halliwell): Energy
Social Studies: Government & Citizenship – Syrian Refugee Crisis
French (Ms. Bordonaro): Etre (to be), Adjectives & Numbers
Music/Drama (Mr. Kotyk): TBA
Visual Art: N/A – Hour of Code activities
Phys. Ed (Mr. Mouratidis): Gymnastics

Scholastic Book Order

Unfortunately, our class did not receive the flyers for December's Scholastic Book order.  Here is a PDF file of the flyer, and students have been given a copy of the order form.  Please send the form and money back by Monday, December 7th.


Scholastic (Arrow) Flyer - December

November 30 – December 4,, 2015

Reading: Mysteries – Review & Unit Test
Writing: Essay/Report (Non-fiction) Writing – organizing ideas and making an outline
Math: Data Management – Unit Review & Test this week, Measurement – introduction, selecting units, benchmarks
Science (Ms. Halliwell): Body Systems – Culminating Task, Energy
Social Studies: Government & Citizenship – Rights & Responsibilities
French (Ms. Bordonaro): Adjectives & Numbers
Music/Drama (Mr. Kotyk): TBA
Visual Art: People in Motion: Using Proportions when drawing people
Phys. Ed (Mr. Mouratidis): Gymnastics

November 23-27, 2015

Reading: Mysteries – Guided Reading & finishing the Garage Sale Mystery
Writing: Essay/Report (Non-fiction) Writing – research, note-taking using 2-column jot notes
Math: Data Management – Culminating Task (designing an experiment/survey, collecting data, organizing and displaying data, making conclusions)
Science (Ms. Halliwell): Body Systems
Social Studies: Government & Citizenship – Review Game, Quiz, Rights & Responsibilities
French (Ms. Bordonaro): Adjectives & Numbers
Music/Drama (Mr. Kotyk): TBA
Visual Art: People in Motion: Using Proportions when drawing people
Phys. Ed (Mr. Mouratidis): Basketball

November 16-20, 2015

Reading: Mysteries – using clues to solve a mystery
Writing: Essay/Report (Non-fiction) Writing – generating ideas, introduction to research & note-taking
Math: Data Management – Bar Graph, Histogram, Line Graphs, Quiz this week
Science (Ms. Halliwell): Body Systems
Social Studies: Government & Citizenship – Local/Municipal Government (Toronto’s City Council)
French (Ms. Bordonaro): Adjectives, Numbers, quiz this week
Music/Drama (Mr. Kotyk): TBA
Visual Art: One-Point Perspective – Gallery Art; Using Proportions when drawing people
Phys. Ed (Mr. Mouratidis): Basketball

Statistics

As part of our Data Management unit, students are learning to use mean, median, mode and range to summarize a set of data. Here is a quick review:

Here is a link to the song we sang in class to help us remember:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB_033ID7i8

To calculate the mean, students will need to divide and some students have yet to master long division.  We did a review of long division in class today, but I've told the students that they will not be penalized for not being able to divide, and that they can use calculators for this unit.  However, division is an important skill, and we will be spending several weeks in Term 2 on multiplication and division strategies (including long division).  

We will continue to have our weekly after-school extra help sessions on Tuesdays (3:25-3:40), and any student who need some extra review with statistics or division is encouraged to come.  

November 2-6, 2015

Reading: Mysteries – Characteristics of a Mystery, Elements of a story (Story Map)
Writing: Personal Narratives – Final Piece (editing, revising, publishing)
Math: Data Management – Interpreting Data, Statistics (Mean, Median, Mode, Range)
Science (Ms. Halliwell): Body Systems - Cardiovascular
Social Studies: Government & Citizenship – Current issues & How a Bill becomes Law
French (Ms. Bordonaro): Avoir – To Have
Music/Drama (Mr. Kotyk): TBA
Visual Art: One-Point Perspective – Gallery ARt
Phys. Ed (Mr. Mouratidis): TBA

And we’re back!

Our class blog is up and running again! Check back often for weekly updates (e.g., topics being covered in class will be posted each week), links to resources used in class and other useful information. Alternately, you can subscribe to the blog by entering your email address into the box under “Follow By Email”. By subscribing, you will be sent an email every time there is a new post to this blog and will always be up-to-date with the going-on's with the Friendly Fives in 5F!

September 14-18, 2015

Reading: Reading Responses, Literature Genres
Writing: Time Capsule – letter to future self, Personal Narratives - Introduction
Math: Measurement, Place Value – Introduction, Expanded Form
Science (Ms. Halliwell): Science Careers
Social Studies: N/A
French (Ms. Bordonaro): Introductions & Review
Music/Drama (Mr. Kotyk): TBA
Visual Art: One-Point Perspective, 3D Name Art Project
Phys. Ed (Mr. Mouratidis): TBA

"Me Bag" Presentations

Learning Goal: We are making short presentations (30-60 sec) about ourselves to practice our public speaking and listening skills.

Success Criteria:
As a presenter...
- speak in a clear, loud voice so that audience can hear you
- speak slowly enough for the audience to understand your message
- use 3 objects as visual aid
- message prepared in advance (e.g., practice/rehearse at home, knows what to say)
As the audience...
- listen attentive (not talking to someone else, eyes on speaker, ask relevant questions)

Welcome to our class blog!

Hi parents, guardians and students!

Welcome to our class blog! We've had a great start to our school year and I'm excited about the learning we're going to do this year. To help keep everyone informed, I will be keeping this blog to let parents and guardians know what's going on in our classroom. Each week, you will find the topics being covered in our classes, in addition to that week's Spelling words. I also hope to have "reporters" who will write about the events and activities happening in our class.

I believe that parent involvement and open communication are key to helping students reach their best potential. My hope is that this blog will be one of several channels of communication between families and myself. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to jot a note in the student agenda or give me a call (the school phone number is found on the 1st page of the student agenda).

It has been a pleasure meeting each of your children, and I hope to get chance to meet all the parents/guardians soon too!

Cheers,
Mrs. Kwong