Learning is a blast!

We had a lot of fun in science this week. Thanks to some helpful families (and a thrifty friend), I was able to secure enough film canisters for us to build rockets this week. First students had to design a rocket with a cone-shaped top and three triangular shapes at the base. Then we went outside on Wednesday afternoon to launch our rockets. We used Alka-Seltzer tablets which were dropped into about a centimetre of water. Once we snapped the lids on tight, students set up the rocket on the ground and stood back to watch.

We will be having a science quiz on Thursday. Students will be expected to know the names of the eight planets and special facts about them. In addition, I will be checking their knowledge of the sun and moon. I will send home their science duotangs for home study on Wednesday.

Our guided reading groups are well under way. We have four different groups - each is reading a different book (The Catcher's Mask, A Pocketful of Fur, School Trip and Charlie). Depending on the group, we are focusing on different word-solving and comprehension strategies. Word-solving strategies would be using little words in bigger words or word patterns to read unknown words. Comprehension strategies would be predicting, making connections, questioning, inferring, monitoring, and visualizing. These groups currently meet once a week.

In addition to guided reading, we have our independent reading time (D.E.A.R.). I have been checking in with students to see what types of books they are reading. They are learning to select books which are at a 'just-right' level, meaning they can read most of the words and they understand what they are reading. They are also encouraged to read in many different genres. I use this time to conference with students, help them make book selections, as well as listen to them read. Every Friday, we have browsing day. That is the day for students to select new books for their book box to read the following week. Recently we have added book recommendations once a week. Students can sign up to give a book talk to the class and recommend a book for other students to read.

We have three students in our class who have signed up to try out the Khan Academy. This site is free and has potential for students at all levels of math - struggling, at grade level, and advanced. I have been exploring it myself and have noticed that there is a big jump between Addition 1 and Addition 3. Please note that students may go back to a previous exercise to practice further. To sign up, you will need a Google or Facebook account. If you wish to add me as a coach, I will then be able to see which exercises your child has completed and encourage them to try new exercises or repeat if needed. My coach ID is thefriesenfiles@gmail.com.

We have a math quiz coming up on Wednesday. Grade 3 students are expected to be able to solve 3-digit addition problems where regrouping is required (ones to tens, or tens to hundreds). Grade 4 students should know how to solve 4-digit problems.

Other things to note:

• we finally have a new projector for our SMARTboard 
• collections for the Food Bank are beginning - we are trying to fill one box as a class in 2 days
• our class will not be performing in the Winter Concert on Dec. 13 - only those students participating in choir will need to attend
• new spelling lists are available on Spelling City