Good afternoon!

We started off the day today working on sentence writing and proofreading.  The students have come a long way with this valuable skill which has been great to see!  During language the children worked on picture words, special sounds and identifying double consonants, as well as cursive.  In our IB unit of inquiry today the children completed a review exercise where they had to list things that are representative of each season, and they also worked in groups to write a story from the perspective of a plant, animal or human about what life would be like without the sun.  During math today the children worked on closer and further (grade one) and missing numbers (grade two).  They also went to music and french classes.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, practice weekly spelling words, and cursive page 36 - 37.

Important information:  Due to absences in the class, we did not write the math re-test today as planned.  The math re-test will take place tomorrow at recess instead.

If you would like to purchase any pictures from the original picture day, the form and money needs to be sent in by this Friday, November 18th.

Best regards,

Mrs. Nelson

We had a great day getting back to school after a long weekend away!  The students started off the day copying down their new weekly spelling words and working in their spelling books.  During our IB unit of inquiry we began a discussion about the sun.  We discussed how we use it, why it is so important, and how it is also essential to plants and animals.  The students then worked in groups to see how many uses for the sun they could come up with in a brainstorm.  During math today the children worked on subtraction (grade one) and missing numbers (grade two).  They also watched a movie about the ways that Christmas is celebrated in different countries.  It is hoped that this will help the students become more knowledgeable and open-minded, which are two important IB Learner Profile characteristics.  They also went to french and P.E classes.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, practice weekly spelling words, and spelling workbook pages 42 - 44 (grade one), 38 - 40 (grade two).

Important information:  Tomorrow is the math re-test for those students who missed the test last week, or that scored 84% or lower.

Tomorrow is picture re-take day.  This is available to any children who need to re-take their pictures.

Any families that would like to purchase pictures from the original picture day, must send in the form and the money by this Friday.

Grade One                Grade Two
1. car                        1. rule
2. can                        2. use
3. rug                        3. tune
4. wet                       4. mule
5. will                       5. due
6. cold                      6. true
7. ring                       7. grew
8. ray                        8. few
9. why                       9. you
10. cab                     10. cute

Best regards,

Mrs. Nelson

We had a very busy day today in our classroom!  The students began the day with their weekly spelling tests.  The spelling tests will be coming home with them tonight.  We then moved on to an IB activity where the children drew pictures of themselves, and identified on IB Learner Profile characteristic that they wish to develop this year.  This was a great way for them to create personal goals to keep them focused for the year.  They also continued working on their good copies of their seasons poems.  All children completed their poems in class today, which left them time to present them to each other.  They had a lot of fun listening to each other's poems!  The marked poem assessments will be coming home with them tonight.  In language today the children worked on special sounds, beginning and ending sounds and picture words, as well as their cursive writing.  During math today the children wrote their unit test. I was really impressed with the results I saw!  The marked unit tests will be coming home with them tonight.  They also went to music and french classes today.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, re-write incorrect spelling words ten tiems each, Letters and Sounds page 46 - 47, and cursive page 34 - 35.

Important information:  There is no school tomorrow due to the Remembrance Day holiday. 

I have sent home a great deal of completed work with the students today.  Please make sure to take time to review it with your child over the weekend.  The work does not need to come back to school, as I have made photocopies and recorded the marks already.  These are now for you and your records.

Students who require a math retest (those that scored 84% and lower) may re-write the test on Tuesday, November 15th.

Have a great long weekend,

Mrs. Nelson

We started off the day today with sentence writing.  The children were asked to choose 5 of their weekly spelling words and turn them into sentences for house points.  This was a fun way for the students to practice their spelling words as well as their writing skills.  We then moved on to phonics where the students worked on rhyming words, special sounds and opposites.  During our IB unit of inquiry we went outside to track the temperature and the weather, and then came back in and began working on the good copies of the season poems the children have been creating.  Tomorrow the poems will be presented and assessed.  During math today the children worked on subtracting (grade one) and balancing (grade two).  They also went to drama, P.E and french class.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, practice spelling words for tomorrow's spelling test (no school Friday), Letters and Sounds page 44, and math page 69 - 70 (grade one) 68 - 69 (grade two).

Important information:  Tomorrow we are having our next math unit test.  Please see my blog from Monday which itemizes the material that is going to be covered.

Picture re-take day is taking place Tues, Nov. 15th.

If you are ordering any school photos for your children, the forms and the funds are due by Fri, Nov. 18th.

There is no school on Friday due to the Remembrance Day holiday.

We are having our Subway lunch party tomorrow at first lunch.  Our class won the party by coming in 2nd place in in the pumpkin decorating contest a few weeks ago.  This means your child will not need a full lunch for tomorrow, just the snacks and drinks they need for the day.  There are vegetarian subs coming as well as other varieties.

Best regards,

Mrs. Nelson

Good afternoon,

We started off the day today with reading buddies.  Our class paired up with Miss.Chang's 4/5 class and the children read to their partners and were also read to by their partners.  This was a great way to forge relationships across grade levels.  When we returned to class the children worked on cursive and phonics where they explored special sounds, vowel sounds, and opposites.  In our IB unit of inquiry today we continued exploring seasonal based poems, and the children began writing their own seasons poems.  The rough copies of the seasons poems must be completed for homework tonight.  We did a lot of practice today thinking of seasonal words that rhyme, this is something that can be continued at home to help them practice this skill.  Try having them write some rhyming lines with you tonight at home!  We moved on and began exploring Remembrance Day.  We discussed what the holiday is, why we celebrate it, and why it is such an important holiday.  We also watched a few video clips about the holiday which the students found very interesting.  They also went to music and french class today.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, practice weekly spelling words, Letters and Sounds page 42 - 43, finish rough copy of the seasons poem, and cursive page 32 - 33.

Important information:  This Friday is a holiday.  It is hoped that families will use this day to attend a Remembrance Day celebration at 11:11.

If you are ordering any class photos for your child the form and funds are due by November 18th.

If your child need a picture re-take this is going to happen on November 15th.

We are having a math unit test this Thursday, November 10th.  Please see my posting from yesterday regarding the material that will be covered on the test for both grade levels.

Best regards,

Mrs. Nelson

We had a fun day today in grade 1/2.  We started off the day by recording the new weekly spelling words and working in spelling workbooks where they practiced beginning and ending sounds (grade one) and long I sounds (grade two).  During our IB unit of inquiry today we reviewed what we have learned so far about the seasonal changes that occurs in living things.  We also began reading seasonal poetry and and the students reflected on the poems in their journals.  Tomorrow they are going to begin writing their own seasonal poems, which should be a great way to show the facts they have learned during this line of inquiry.  During math today the children worked on subtraction (grade one) and balancing (grade two).  They also went to french, drama and P.E classes.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, practice weekly spelling words, complete math page 67 (grade two) and complete spelling workbook if necessary.

Important information:  This Friday is a holiday and there will be no school.  I encourage all families to use this holiday to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at 11:11.

If you are ordering school pictures for your child, the forms and funds must be turned in by Friday, November 18th.

If your child requires a picture re-take, this will take place on Tuesday, November 15th.

We will be having a math unit this this Thursday, November 10th for grade one and grade two.  Grade ones will be tested on counting, adding, adding, and subtraction.  Grade twos will be tested on subtraction, number order, addition, and equal/not equal.

Best regards,

Mrs. Nelson

Grade One             Grade Two
1. leg                      1. wide
2. dog                    2. mile
3. pen                     3. line
4. duck                   4. hide
5. nest                     5. fire
6. den                     6. nice
7. rest                     7. fine
8. tuck                    8. mind
9. ink                      9. find
10. rag                   10. behind

Good afternoon! 
We had a great day today in grade 1/2.  We started off the day today with our weekly spelling test.  The marked spelling tests will be coming home with the students tonight.  After spelling the children worked on phonics where they practiced rhyming words, vowels and special sounds.  In our IB unit of inquiry today we reviewed what we learned about migration, hibernation and adaption yesterday and gave examples of each.  We read a story of a busy, little squirrel who was getting ready to hibernate, which was a fun way to see it in action, and students also watched a PowerPoint presentation to visually see each method of preparing for winter.  Using a Bill Nye video the children also further extended their knowledge about the earth's seasons and wrote a reflection on it.  They also went to french and drama today.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, re-write incorrect spelling words ten times each, and Letters and Sounds page 40 - 41.

Important information:  Second Cup coffee order forms have gone home with each child.  The coffee is a great gift idea for the holiday season.  A portion of the proceeds goes towards SJA's IB certification.

I am requesting the all parents check their child's gym sweaters to see if they have accidentally brought home Emerald's sweater.  It will be labeled with her name.  Please send it back to school if this is the case.

Please make sure to regularly check the music, french and drama blogs as well, as they often have important information regarding your children.

The school pictures are coming home with your child tonight.  If you would like to order any photos the order form and money must be sent back to school no later than Friday, November 18th.  Picture re-take day is taking place on  November 15th for those children that require one.

Have a great weekend,

Mrs. Nelson