Tuesday, October 2, 2012

October 2012 Grade 5W Newsletter

English Bay  August 2012 taken by dwu on ip4

Dear Parents,


We are pleased with the progress that students have made in Grade 5 since the beginning of the school year. Some routines are becoming habit and others we continue to work on. Friendships and unity are being built and the atmosphere is one where learning takes place.   Areas needing improvement are less talking during teaching times, faster transitions and paying close attention to instructions.  Students are working hard to follow our class rule to treat everyone with kindness and respect.
Last Friday we have had our first field trip of the year to the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Natural Historic Site in Richmond.  Students learned how different cannery machines processed salmon many years ago.  A big thank you to all the parent-drivers.  



Class Schedule:  As of this week our schedule will generally remain the same. Students will be given a copy of the schedule in their home-school binder by the end of next week.

Homework: Now that we are entering into October, more of the regular homework load will begin. After Thanksgiving, we will begin our weekly spelling dictations with quizzes taking place on Fridays.  Students will also be given regular Math homework and weekly Bible Memork work.

Bear Creek Cross Country Race (TBA in October): This year not all students will be automatically going to Bear Creek. If your child qualified for the run you will receive a permission form and details about the day. On October 11th Grade 5 students will run at VCS to qualify for Bear Creek.
In general, students should be prepared for the weather, whatever that may be. This may mean wearing layers, bringing rain gear, maybe even extra shoes! Their lunches should contain healthy snacks they can eat 45 minutes before it is their turn to race. Excellent behavior is expected throughout the entire day.

Fort Day (Oct. 26): This event allows students to participate in various activities associated with life as a fur trader.  

Field trip to Fort Langley National Historic Site (October 29): Students will have the opportunity to experience what it was like for fur traders to work at Fort Langley during the winter months as we participate in the “Fur Trade to Colony” program.  More details will be provided on the permission form that will be sent home in a couple of weeks.

Class blog:  Please check for weekly updates regarding homework, important dates, field trips, and learning in the Grade 5W class.  The blog may be accessed through our school's website.

What we are doing:

Spelling
The students will have their first spelling list the week after Thanksgiving. They will take be taking a list home every Monday and the test will be on the Friday. They will be two marks given; one for the correct spelling and one for the correct markings. There will also be two sentences dictated to them where they will be marked for punctuation, capitalization and spelling. Five phonograms and a spelling rule will be tested each time as well.

Writing
We are focusing on the ideas component of our writing.  We will be using the Six Traits method with more emphasis on writing catchy beginnings and good endings. We are generating creative, original and focused ideas as we begin our Writer’s Workshop.  At times, students will be asked to share their writing with their parents.

Math
We have been reviewing place value and various ways to represent numbers. We are now working with decimal numbers and fractions.

Social Studies

We will be starting a  BC history unit on Fur Trading and learning about Fort Langley. 
Science

The next chapter of our Forces and Simple Machines unit will focus on the simple machine and how they use force to help us work.

Reading
So far this year we have been applying the Smart Reading strategies to various short stories.  This month we will begin a novel study titled Cariboo Runaway, which is a historical fiction novel that shares an adventure story during the Cariboo Gold Rush (coincides with our Social Studies unit).

Bible
We are focusing on creation in Genesis.  As you are probably already aware, we have already started learning memory verses.

French  and Music
Mrs.Kawa teaches French on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays;  Mr.Kwong teaches Music.on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Physical Education
We have completed our soccer unit and will begin volleyball after Thanksgiving.  We will have PE on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

H.A.C.E.
To begin we reviewed the qualities of a successful student.
Next , we will be moving into building positive relationships and learning about bullying.


Thank you for your involvement in your child's life at school.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any concerns or questions about your child.

In Christ,

Mr.Wu

P.S.  Give thanks for the Lord is good...Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Fall has arrived,...Bear Creek 2011
by dwu
ip4