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