Dear Grade 2/3 Families,
It's hard to believe it, but it's the final month of school! How the year has flown! It has been a terrific year for us all. We worked hard to achieve the Curriculum Expectations and we had a lot of fun in the process. I have seen a lot of growth in these students both academically and socially. They are to be congratulated for their enthusiasm for learning both in and out of the classroom.
This month will be a busy one as we wrap up our school year!
Happy Un-birthday
In June, we will celebrate June birthdays and any summer birthdays (un-birthdays). All birthdays have been marked on their June calendar (attached)
Other important dates in June:
Please note the following dates on the June calendar that has been prepared for you.
Thursday, June 1st: Last day of EQAO testing for Grade 3s
Wednesday, June 7: Together We Rock - John Draper Presentation
Swim to Survive 2:15-3:00
Thursday, June 8th: Scholastic Book Order Due
Friday, June 9th: PA Day -no classes for students
Tuesday, June 13th: IFarm Excursion
Wednesday, June 14th: Swim to Survive 2:15-3:00
PLEASE RETURN ALL LIBRARY BOOKS BY TODAY
Friday, June 16th: Splash Pad - bring bathing suit and towel
Wednesday, June 21st: Swim to Survive 2:15-3:00
Thursday, June 22nd: Happy Birthday, Will!
Walking to Public Library and Hearn's Dairy
Friday, June 23rd: Splash Pad - bring bathing suit and towel
Monday, June 26th: Happy Birthday, Chloe!
Water Play Day
Report Cards go home
Wednesday, June 28th: Splash Pad- bring bathing suit and towel
Thursday, June 29th: LAST DAY OF CLASSES FOR STUDENTS
Friday, June 30th: PA Day for teachers to begin preparations for September
WHAT'S THE SWIM TO SURVIVE SCHOOLS PROGRAM?
The Lifesaving Society aims to have every Grade 3 student in Ontario achieve the 'Swim to Survive Standard' in an effort to prevent accidental drownings. The Society has a Swim to Survive school grant program to help make this happen and so our class (Grade 2 and 3 students) will have the opportunity to participate in this program along with all the other Grade 3 classes from Little Falls.
The Society defines the minimum skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. These are expressed in a skill sequence in the Canadian Swim to Survive standard:
Students will learn how to:
ROLL into deep water
TREAD water for one minute
SWIM 50 metres
Swim to Survive is aimed primarily at children, but people of all ages should be able to perform the Society's Swim to Survive standard.
Please note the days we will be heading to the PRC for this program (Wednesday June 7th, 14th and 21st) and make sure your child has their swimsuit and towel on these days.
Library Books and Home Reading Books
Please note that ALL library books and Home Reading Books/folders must be returned to school on or before Wednesday, June 14th. After this date, our school library will close so that an inventory of our books can be done prior to summer break. I will also stop sending home books in your child's home reading folder. Even though books will not be coming home from school, please continue to read to and with your child. The local Public Library is an excellent resource for books that are appropriate for your child.
Splash Pad Visits
Please make sure you have returned your child's consent form which will allow us to visit the Splash Pad at the Pyramid Centre. There is no cost associated with using the Splash Pad, and we are so close, it would be a shame to miss this opportunity. We are planning to visit the Splash Pad on Friday, June 16th and on Friday, June 23rd and Wednesday, June 28th from approximately 2:15 - 3:00 pm. Please note that the consent reads "use of splash pad for month of June". This way, if we have bad weather, or decide to use the Slash Pad more, we won't need another consent (we would let you know if we decide to go any other days so you will know when to send bathing suit etc.) This consent also gives us some flexibility if we need to adjust our splash time.
On Splash Pad days, you will need to send your child's bathing suit and towel in a separate bag (or have them wear it under their clothes .We will plan to stay at the Splash Pad for about 45 minutes. We will return to school in time to be dismissed at the end of the day. We will NOT change back into clothing once we get back to the school, but we will place the wet towel into the separate bag that you sent it in.
Class Trip to IFarm:
On Tuesday, June 13th, our class (along with the other Grade 3 classes from Little Falls) will travel to the Burns Agriplex Fieldhouse (located directly behind the Stratford Rotary Complex). We will participate in a morning, educational session which will run from 10am – 12pm. Over the course of our 2 hour session, our class will participate in 8 different 15 minute learning stations that will offer a hands on look at the dairy, egg, pork and grain industries, farm safety, butter making, and the Gaylea Heritage Museum .
Please watch for the required consent form to arrive home in your child's planner and return it as soon as possible.
On this date, it is important that you send your child dressed in clothing appropriate for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes (running shoes preferred...NO FLIP FLOPS) as we will be on the move for the whole morning.
Visiting the Public Library and Hearn's Dairy
Normally, Karen Coddington from the Public Library comes to our classroom for a visit. She has come to read us stories and bring us books every month! I thought it would be fun to visit her at the Library for a change, so, on Tuesday, June 27th, we are going to do just that! We will walk to visit Karen at the Public Library! While at the Library, we will enjoy some stories, crafts and activities. We will be taking our lunches with us. After eating our lunch at the library, we will walk up the hill to Hearn's Dairy for either an ice cream cone or a slushie (the kids will be allowed to choose) before heading back to the school! The ice cream is on me! It's my way of saying 'Thanks' for such an amazing year! Please make sure you send back the consent associated with this excursion as soon as possible.
Summer/Water Play Day
Students will be participating in a variety of activities (some involving water) on Monday, June 26th. Please send your child's swimsuit and towel on this day also. (We may get to use the Splash Pad on this date too). This event is planned for the end of the day, so your child will likely come home in their swimsuit this day. Please remember to apply sunscreen to your child's exposed skin prior to sending them to school this day as we will be spending a lot of time outdoors.
Warm Weather Reminders:
With the hot, sunny weather finally upon us, just a reminder that we recommend sending your children to school with a summer hat to provide protection from the sun. Please remember to apply sunscreen to your child for protection, and send extra sunscreen in their backpack if you want them to reapply it later in the day. If you send sunscreen, please have a conversation with your child about how to apply it independently without wasting it or getting it in their eyes.
Last Day Information
As we creep closer to the last day of school, you will notice that your child will begin bringing things home. I will try to send most of their items home prior to the very last day of school, but will need to keep changes of clothing 'just in case'.
Lost and Found
Please take a moment to pop into the school to check out the 'Lost and Found' table if you think your child is missing anything. Any items not claimed will be donated to the Salvation Army!
If I find that we need any last minute special supplies, materials or assistance, we'll let you know!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call or send a note in your child's mailbag.
I would like to wish each of you a safe, enjoyable summer!
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
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May 2017 Newsletter
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It's hard to believe that another month has flown by and that there are only 2 more months remaining in this school year. May and June will be busy for our class as we plan in-school opportunities and excursions/outings to enrich your child's experience here at school. Please check your child's mailbag every night for special consents that may need to be signed and returned so that participation in special events is possible.
Special Dates:
Please refer to your calendar so that you will be aware of these important dates:
Monday, May 1st - Scholastic Book Fair starts and runs all week
-We will be attending the dress rehearsal for "It's a Hit" (Jr. Musical)
Wednesday, May 3rd - Please return any Brush-a-Rama forms if you have participated
Friday, May 5th - Class Photos will be taken today
Saturday, May 6th - Happy Birthday, Jordan
Monday, May 8th - P.A. Day - No Classes for students
Wednesday, May 10th - Wildwood Trip (We are looking for 2 parent volunteers to come with us)!
Thursday, May 11th - Jump Rope for Heart Event
(During the middle block - all students will be involved in special skipping rotations)
Friday, May 12th - Grade 3-6 will enjoy a Motivational Speaker arranged by our Me to We team
Sunday, May 14th - Happy Birthday James! Happy Mother's Day to all the special ladies in our lives!
Monday, May 15th - Discovery Western 'Maker Workshop' - all day!
- Scholastic Book Order Due
Tuesday, May 16th - Yoga Workshop (9:20 - 10:05)
Thursday, May 18th - Carnival Fundraiser Tonight (see school newsletter for more info)
Monday, May 22nd - Victoria Day - No classes
Wednesday, May 24th - EQAO for Grade 3s
Thursday, May 25th - EQAO for Grade 3s
Friday, May 26th - EQAO for Grade 3s
Tuesday, May 30th- EQAO for Grade 3s
Wednesday, May 31st - EQAO for Grade 3s
Thursday, June 1st - EQAO for Grade 3s
Learning This Month:
Language:
We will continue to practice recording answers to questions about stories/poems using information from the text and our own knowledge. I will also continue to expose students to EQAO reading and writing sample questions so that they are familiar with the kind of questions that appear on the test. While looking at these questions, we will discuss the best way to 'show what we know' when answering independently by comparing our responses to the 'Exemplars' which show examples of different responses and the marks they received.
Math:
We will explore fractions using a variety of materials. We will be learning/reviewing fractional names, dividing whole objects into parts and also seeing fractions of a set/group of objects. We will be discovering the relationship between the number of fractional parts and the size of those parts and compare fractional parts.
Solving problems by showing our thinking in pictures, numbers and words will continue and will again involve revisiting of concepts that have been covered in class from all strands of math (number sense, geometry, patterning, data management, measurement). Students will have the opportunity to see/try/discuss more sample EQAO questions so they become familiar with the style of questions that they may encounter.
Note: Grade 2 students also have the opportunity to see/practice these problems. They are given the opportunity to work independently or with a partner so they can support on another!
Science and Social Studies:
In April, we ended up spending a lot of time on our Social Studies Unit - Living and Working in Ontario. Our visits to the Museum were quite informative and gave us the knowledge we needed to adequately compare our community to others in Ontario. We will continue exploring features of different communities in Ontario this month. We still have much to do to complete our 'Simple Machines/Forces' Unit. This unit will culminate by having students design a 'box car'. We will need 10 Kleenex boxes for this activity as we will be working with a partner. If you have one, please send it in for us!
Wildwood Trip:
Please note that our next trip to Wildwood Conservation Area is on Wednesday, May 3rd!
Please sign and return the consent form as soon as possible.
Note: The cost of this excursion is normally $17.00 per person, but we have been able to use some P.I. A. funding to offset the cost of this trip.
The cost of the trip will now only be $7.00 per student. Please send this money with the consent if you are able.
Please watch the weather forecast for the day to determine how your child should dress. It is generally a bit cooler in the forest and we will be outdoors for most of the day, so please consider an outfit that will be comfortable for the conditions. Running shoes (if it is dry) or rubber boots (if it is wet) are essential. NO flip flops or open toe sandals as there are twigs and roots that can hurt feet. Let's hope for some great weather.
If you would like to help supervise on this excursion, please let us know by writing a note in your child's planner. There is no cost for chaperones on this trip, but you will need to provide your own transportation to and from Wildwood. I would ideally love to have at least 2 parents along to help with small group activities.
We are looking forward to this wonderful, outdoor learning opportunity.
School Cash Online
School Cash Online is a new payment option instead of sending cash or cheques for School payments. Registration is simple in 3 easy steps by going to the website at
avonmaitland.schoolcashonline.com/
1. Create your Profile – Click Get Started today
2. Confirm your Email – Check your inbox for an email confirmation link
3. Add A Student – Fill in the required fields for each child (the student number can be found on a report card)
If you would still prefer to send in money for class trips please keep in mind that we need exact change.
Also, if you are planning to volunteer please make sure you have a valid Vulnerable Sector Check on file in the office. This process may take a few weeks to complete so we advise you to do this sooner rather than later. Your police check will be valid for 2 years pending no offences have occurred. You must have a valid check on file to participate as a volunteer on any class trip!
Discovery Western Workshop
On Monday, May 15th, our class will have the opportunity to enjoy a Science Workshop put on by 'Discovery Western'. Thank you again to our P.I.A. Group for providing funds for this experience. Our workshop is considered a 'cross-curricular' workshop. It is called the 'Maker Workshop'. The maker movement is taking the classroom by storm and this workshop offers a taste of what you can do in your classroom. Students will use Ozobots, littleBits and their imaginations to complete a variety of mini challenges.
Yoga Workshop
Our classroom will have the opportunity to experience an "Element-Based" Yoga in the classroom workshop on Tuesday, May 16th with Shannon Rose Scott. Shannon Rose Scott is a passionate yoga teacher who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise into the room. Her educational background in Theatre and the Expressive Arts bring an element of creative play to the yogic experience. During the workshop, students will learn to recognize 5 possible emotional needs based on the elements of nature and they will learn yoga tools to address each specific need. (Note this workshop was originally scheduled in November but had to be postponed so we are thankful that they were able to do this before the end of the school year).
We would like to thank the Foundation for Education for this amazing opportunity.
School Carnival - Thursday, May 18th
Please mark your calendars so that you won't miss our annual school carnival which is always a big hit with the kids!
We are still looking for volunteers to help the event run smoothly.
EQAO
Grades 3 and 6 EQAO testing will take place from May 24th, 25th, 26th, 30th, 31st and June 1st. We ask that you please do not book appointments for your children during this time for students in Grades 3 and 6.
Healthy Children:
Just a short reminder about the importance of nutritious food, routine and sleep to a developing child. Sometimes, children need to be told by their parents their sleep requirements and a bedtime routine should be set up so children get enough rest. Studies have shown that young children need 10 to 10 1/2 hours of sleep per night to be at their best the next day. This can be especially difficult to manage at this time of year when children tend to stay up longer in the evenings to enjoy the outside or participate in extra curricular activities like soccer or baseball. Please be health conscious on your child's behalf and have a bedtime routine that meets these goals. You would be surprised how much this can impact their success in school the next day!
If we find that we need any special supplies, materials or assistance, we'll let you know!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call or send a note in your child's mailbag.
Have a marvelous month of May!
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
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April Newsletter
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Spring has finally sprung! With it, comes the muddy weather and the need to dress your child according to the ever-changing weather conditions. Please try to help your child choose clothing that is appropriate for the temperature/weather each day. Talk to them about their clothing choices and explain why you are asking them to wear certain clothes. Dressing appropriately will help us all stay comfortable and healthy.
If you have not already done so, please make sure you return your child's spare clothing bag to school as some students took them home at March break! This is a good time to make sure that whatever is in the bag still fits your child and insure that there is a good variety of 'weather appropriate' clothing in the bag.
This month we will continue to work towards the achievement of several curriculum expectations inside and outside of the classroom. Some of the concepts we plan to work on include:
Language: We will look at some different kinds of poetry and try writing some poems of our own this month. We will practice recording answers to questions about stories/poems using information from the text and our own knowledge. We will also continue to look closely at characters we are reading about to find evidence from the text which proves certain character attributes. I will also continue to expose students to EQAO reading and writing sample questions so that they are familiar with the kind of questions that appear on the test. While looking at these questions, we will discuss the best way to 'show what we know' when answering independently.
Math: We did a lot of work in March on Multiplication and Division. Please continue to practice these facts at home (Grade 2 up to 6X6, Grade 3 up to 7X7). This month, we need to go back to complete some work on probability. We also need to practice measuring Area and Perimeter using non-standard (Gr. 2) and standard units like cm, m (Gr. 3). We will review the names of 3D solids and sort them according to geometric attributes (faces, edges, verticies). Solving problems by showing our thinking in pictures, numbers and words will be practiced and will involve revisiting of concepts that have been covered in class from all strands of math (number sense, geometry, patterning, data management, measurement). Students will have the opportunity to see/try/discuss more sample EQAO questions so they become familiar with the style of questions that they may encounter.
Science: We will continue our unit on Simple Machines and Forces.
Social Studies: We will continue investigating different countries by using books and iPads to find and locate key information about the people and animals that live there, things to see and do there (landforms, famous attractions) and other fun facts (population, climate). Ultimately, we want to try to compare other countries/places to our own country/community! Additionally, as part of our "Living and Working in Ontario" unit (Gr. 3), we will participate in three more excursions to our local museum for programming that supports the expectations in this area.
Re: Museum Excursions in April:
Last week you received a consent form outlining 3 excursions we will make to the St. Marys Museum for programming that supports our Grade 2 and 3 Social Studies curriculum. We are planning to be at the Museum for the mornings of April 6th, 13th and 18th.
If you would like to join us on one of these mornings, you are most welcome, but you MUST have a current 'OPP Vulnerable Sector Check' completed and delivered to our main office at the school.
We plan to leave for our walks to the museum at 9:00 am and return in time to eat at first nutrition break-10:55 a.m. (weather permitting of course).
The cost of this program is $6.00 (3X$2.00). Please return the $6.00 with your signed consent form or if you have signed up for school cash online, the $6.00 can be paid that way.
Kiwanis Festival:
By now, you have received special consent forms which will allow your child to travel to Stratford on Wednesday, April 12th (Grade 3 Choir which involves our whole class) and Thursday, April 13th (Primary Choir...for those who joined) to sing at the Kiwanis Festival. Please sign and return this form as soon as possible. There is no cost associated with this excursion. Exact times for departure and return are noted on the actual consent form!
Mrs. Stern has asked that students wear dark bottoms and a light coloured top with NO writing or designs on it. No jeans please!
Earth Day:
Earth Day will be celebrated at Little Falls on Friday, April 21st.
In honour of Earth Day, we will be doing a class "Litterless Lunch Week Challenge" to raise awareness about the amount of garbage we produce and promote cutting down on litter in our daily lunches. Our class "Litterless Lunch Challenge starts on Monday, April 17th. We are hoping that all students in our class will participate. What you need to do is pretty simple. Try to pack your lunch in re-usable containers or choose items that do not involve a lot of packaging. Each day, we will bring in our lunch bag and ask students to count each item in their lunch that they will have to throw out or recycle. We will keep a tally of the number of pieces of garbage we generate and celebrate our results at the end of the four day week!
On Friday, April 21st, our class will also participate in a community 'clean up' where we will collect garbage that we see laying around. Please send gardening gloves or rubber gloves for your child to wear on this date as they pick up garbage. We will also participate in a "Lights Out" hour to show our respect for Earth and help to conserve energy.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call or send a note in your child's mailbag!
Have an AMAZING April!
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
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March 2017 Newsletter
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Well, we have made it to March! It is hard to believe how time moves so quickly. March is a short month as we will be off for March Break. If you are lucky enough to head South for warmer weather I ask that you please bring back some sun! If you're not heading anywhere warm, please join me in hoping that spring makes an early appearance! Here is a glimpse at some of the things we will be working on in March.
Language - We will continue to spend time writing about our reading.
*We will continue to look more closely at characters in a story and infer character traits based on the actions of a character in the story.
*We will continue to practice making predictions and looking for evidence in a story to support our predictions and/or answer questions about stories.
*We will read and compare different versions of the same story (fairy tales).
*We will continue to practice writing our own stories that include characters, setting, events, problems and solutions.
*Students will be reminded to check their own writing for capitals, periods, word wall words etc.
Math -
*We will continue to practice problem solving that involves different math strands/concepts.
*Addition and subtraction of 2 digit numbers (Gr. 2) and 3 digit numbers(Gr. 3) will be practiced regularly.
* We will explore probability - fair/unfair spinners, predicting the outcome of games (likely, unlikely, certain, impossible)
*We will explore fractions of a whole (especially related to spinners)
*We will look at the properties of 3D solids.
Science - We will be begin working on our Simple Machines Unit (Gr. 2) and investigating forces that cause movement (Gr. 3).
Social Studies - We will begin to gather and organize information and data about different communities’/countries locations, climate, and physical features, and the ways of life of people in these communities/countries. To do this, we will use atlases, globes, print, digital or interactive maps to determine location; find photographs in magazines or on the Internet that provide information on people’s food, shelter, and/or clothing etc.
Report Card Envelopes/Slips/Student Work Samples:
Thank you to all parents who have returned report card envelopes and signed slips indicating that the report was received. These signed slips are put into your child's Ontario Student Record so it is important that they are returned. I appreciate the time that many of you took to write comments about your child's learning on these slips. It really is a great way to show your child that you value the work they are doing at school. Thank you also for taking the time to look through your child's work and celebrating all that they have learned/done. We will begin assembling new work samples and will send another sampling of student work at the end of the school year.
Spare Clothing Check:
Spring is just around the corner and with it comes the slushy, muddy weather. Unfortunately, at this time of year, a lot of children come in from recess wet. Sitting in wet clothing is uncomfortable and not conducive to learning. Please remember to send several pairs of dry socks in your child's backpack and a change of pants and underwear so that they have clothing to change into if they do get wet. Many times, parents assume that they have clothes here, but have forgotten that wet things have come home and the spare set has been used. Sometimes, the items in a child's spare clothing bag have been there so long unused that they no longer fit. If you are unsure about what is in your child's 'change of clothing bag and would like to simply add or change what's in the bag, please send the clothing in your child's mailbag with a short note to indicate what the clothes are for. Thanks!
Heathy Lunches:
Meals have a significant impact on your child's ability to function well at school. For this reason, as teachers, we support and promote healthy eating both at snack and at nutrition break times. If your child is reaching for a sweet treat, we ask them to find and eat a healthy food (thumbs up food) out of their lunch box first, such as an apple, vegetable, yogurt, cheese, sandwich etc. We ask you to help promote these healthy choices by ensuring that your child's lunch always includes some healthy items. Talk to your child about their lunch to see how they feel about the things you are sending and the amount of lunch you are packing. Invite them to help you pack their lunch so they can appreciate what a big job it is. Keep up the good work!
Student Illness Rule:
If your child has been sick or had diarrhea during the night, please do not send them to school the following morning! Although the child may feel better first thing in the morning, often they haven’t fully recovered and feel ill again shortly after they arrive at school. As well, the child still may be contagious and pass the ‘bug’ on to other children in the school.
Lost and Found:
Please make an effort to come to the school and take a look through the lost and found box. There is getting to be quite a collection of unclaimed items. Most times, your child is unaware that they are even missing something or simply doesn't recognize an item as belonging to them. Other times, several students own the same item and are unsure who it actually belongs to, so will not claim it. We keep the lost and found for a reasonable length of time, but unclaimed items will be eventually be donated to the Salvation Army.
March Break:
Just a reminder that March Break is scheduled from Monday, March 13th to Friday, March 17th.
Blog:
If you have not visited our classroom blog in a while, please remember to check it out with your child. Viewing the blog is a great way to spark conversation about the amazing things we are learning. The blog address is on a label in your child's planner. Simply visit gradetwothreeatlittlefalls.blogspot.com for information about what we have been up to in our room!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call or send a note in your child's mailbag!
Have a marvelous month!
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
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February 2017 Newsletter
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I cannot believe how quickly the month of January went by. It must be true that "time flies when you're having fun". We've certainly been busy in our classroom and the students in this class continue to surprise and amaze me with the things they say, create,read, write, explore and discover.
This month, in Language we will continue to enhance our understanding of things we read by asking questions before, during and after reading. We will practice answering questions that have answers that can be easily found in the text and will also practice answering 'thick questions' which require the reader to think, use knowledge from their schema and look for evidence in the text while reading. We will also continue making connections between different texts. We will be writing our own stories by inventing and describing characters, settings and problems/solutions. Self evaluation and peer evaluation of writing (for writing conventions - spelling, punctuation etc.)will also be encouraged. Persuasive writing (option writing) will also be practiced.
In Math, we will be explore probability and fractions. Problem solving and application of knowledge using a variety of math skills (time/money/number sense) will also be practiced. Subtraction will be a focus.
In Science, we will continue our study of Strong and Stable Structures by participating in activities to collaboratively construct objects using a variety of materials.
In Social Studies, we will talk about the traditions/celebrations surrounding Valentine's Day and delve deeper into our study of 'Settler Times' (which we began in December). We will compare ways of life among the First Nations groups in Canada around the beginning of the nineteenth century, and describe some of the changes between that era and the present day.
In Art, we will continue to explore elements of shape, color and texture as we create art projects which allow us to use a mixture of art materials and techniques. Math/fractional concepts will be integrated into our creative process this month.
IMPORTANT FEBRUARY NOTES:
River Valley Tubing Excursion:
On Monday, February13, our class will join several other classes from Little Falls for a day of tubing! Thank you to everyone who has already returned their signed consent and the money for this excursion. Thank you also to Peyton's mom for volunteering to accompany us. We would be happy to have another parent or two on this trip, so if you are able to come, please let me know as soon as possible. Parent volunteers will be required to pay admission and will have to find their own transportation to/from River Valley.
On this date, our bus will leave Little Falls at 9:30 am and will return at 3:00 pm.
Please help your child to dress appropriately on this date. We will be outside for most of the day, so dressing warmly (layers) is recommended. Your child will need snow pants, winter coat, warm boots, hat, neck warmer and 2 pairs of mittens (one for the morning and one for the afternoon).
All students are required to wear a helmet. Bringing a helmet from home is easiest but you can rent a helmet for an additional charge if necessary. Please let me know if renting a helmet is your intention. I am not sure of the cost for helmet rental at this time, but can inquire if necessary.
On this day, your child should still plan to bring a lunch/snacks/drinks of some kind. They can bring money to purchase snacks/lunch/drinks, but I am told that the line-ups can be long and that usually students find it better to have their regular lunch so they can quickly eat and get back to the fun of tubing without the long wait! Let's hope for some great snowy weather to help make this day a success!
Valentine Exchange:
As you may have guessed, we will be exchanging Valentines this month. I have attached a class list (and included the names in this section of the newsletter) so that you can make sure to make a Valentine for every child in our class. Please send in Valentines whenever you have them finished and we can begin the job of sorting them into our special Valentine bags. Our class will celebrate on Tuesday, February 14th. If you would like to send a special treat for the class, please let me know of your intentions so that we can co-ordinate with other parents. This way we won't end up with too many sugary sweets! Healthy 'special treats' would also be welcomed!
Valentine's Day Class List
Vaughn Noah
Brody Javi
Macklin Gavin
Jordan Tristan
Travis Peyton
Owen Daniel
Jorja Savannah
James Hannah
Chloe Mrs. Stacey
Report Cards:
Student report cards will be arriving home on Friday, February 17th. Please make sure to read/discuss the report with your child and take a few minutes to record comments on the bottom of the report. Return the signed comment slip and the report envelope to school as soon as possible. Comment slips are placed into your child's OSR and report envelopes will be re-used for June reports.
Wildwood Trip:
On Wednesday, February 22nd, our class will be visiting Wildwood Conservation Area to observe the seasonal changes that have occurred since our last visit. The cost of this trip is usually $17.00 per student but we have received some funding to off-set the cost.(exact cost will be noted on the consent) Consent forms for this trip will arrive home soon so watch your mailbag for this. Please return signed consents with the money indicated on the consent as soon as possible. We are able to accommodate as many volunteers as we wish on this trip, so if you want to come along and experience the forest with your child on this day, please let me know. The more the merrier! (No extra cost to parents who wish to come...just plan to provide your own transportation to and from Wildwood as we won't have room on the bus). Having at least 1 parent on this date will allow for a more successful experience. Please consider helping us on this date.
Skating:
We never did make it skating in January. We do hope to go skating in February and March. Please watch your mailbag for the appropriate consent form.
Please consider helping to tie/untie skates and/or assist students on and off the ice during our skating excursions. The children really enjoy these outings and are so proud of their growing ability to skate around on the ice.
Please note that we are planning to skate again on :
Friday, February 24th from 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Friday, March 3rd from 9:00-10:00 a.m.
If you are available to help, please let me know in your planner! You can either meet us in the front hall of the school or in the lobby of the pyramid center on this date! Thanks in advance for your help!
Blog:
Don't forget to check out our classroom blog to find out more about what we're up to in the classroom and to see pictures of us involved in our learning. In case you have forgotten, you can access our blog by visiting: gradetwothreeatlittlefalls.blogspot.com
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call or send a note in your child's mailbag.
Have a Fabulous February!
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
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January 2017 Newsletter
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Happy New Year to everyone and welcome back! I hope you had a fun but restful holiday and that you are ready to get back to school. I am looking forward to re-establishing our rules and routines and learning together both inside and outside of the classroom.
This month, in Language, we will review the importance of activating our schemas prior to reading and using schema to understand and make meaningful connections to things we are reading (text to self, text to text, text to world connections). We will also continue doing daily 'word work' (ie. high frequency words, word families, blends, vowels/vowel teams and some expository report writing (state topic, 3 facts, concluding sentence).
In Math, we will continue to practice addition and subtraction of 2 digit numbers using various strategies (standard algorithm, hundred chart, number splitting, open number line) and applying these skills to solve word problems. Students will be counting and creating money amounts was well as discussing concepts related to money such as wants,needs, saving, borrowing, lending etc.. If time permits, we may also look at Probability (using mathematical language) by playing simple games.
Properties of liquids and solids (Gr. 2) and strong stable structures (Gr. 3) will be investigated in Science.
Please watch your child's mailbag for a consent form and information about the dates we are hoping to go skating in January. When dates have been finalized and the consents are sent home, please remember to sign and return the form as soon as possible.
Note that there are no cost associated with skating as our P.I.A. (Parents in Action) have made funds available for us to use for skating.
On skating days, we have ice booked from 9:05 - 10:05 am. We will be leaving for the rink immediately after attendance has been taken on these dates.
Please note that Parent Volunteers would be appreciated on ALL skating days.
If you are available to help tie/untie skates or assist on/off the ice, we would be grateful!
Please simply send us a note saying which day(s) you are able to attend and whether you are able to help with skates, on the ice or both!
We have a small group of inexperienced skaters who require 1:1 help, so if your child can already skate and you are willing to help another child learn how, we really could use your help!
Other Reminders:
Extra Clothing:
Please make sure your child has a change of clothing here at school. If you are unsure what is in your child's bag, please write a note in your child's planner and I can remind them to bring it home for you to check/re-stock.
Remember to send extra socks and mittens for your child as they tend to need multiple pairs of each at this time of year. Please also check your child's backpack for wet socks and mittens and send a fresh change the next day. The students don't always tell us when they have changed their socks or we don't always get a chance to write a note asking for another pair of dry socks to replace ones they have used. Thanks for your help with this.
Library Books:
PLEASE check the calendar and help your child remember to bring back their library book on or before the Library Exchange day. Students are often disappointed when they cannot get a new book and they really are still dependent on us to help them to remember to put these things into their mailbag/backpack on time.
Illness:
We are at that time of year when many students are coming down with colds and flu. We have students at our school who are medically fragile and exposure to germs may cause them to become very ill. If your child has experienced vomiting or diarrhea due to illness, the Health Unit states that the student must remain at home for 24 hours after the most recent episode. Please keep this in mind when you are deciding if you should send your child to school.
Watch your child's mailbag for more information about our school-wide Cuddle up and Read Literacy Day Activities.
Note that this Friday, January 13th is a PJ day for our class so your child is welcome to wear their pajamas to school on this date and bring their favorite stuffed animal along with them.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Thanks for your support.
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
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December 2016
Dear Parents,
The Holiday Season is upon us and Grade 2/3 will be an increasingly busy place. Even though I know that the month will fly by, I have a lot planned and hope we'll fit it all in!
This month, in Language, we will enjoy opportunities to listen to a novel by Laura Ingalls Wilder called "Little House in the Big Wood". We will be paying close attention to story structure (character, setting, problems, solution), answering comprehension questions about the text and practicing our visualization skills. Reading this novel will give us a glimpse into the lives of the early settlers. We will also work on persuasive writing as we write letters to Santa and we will also continue to write stories/recounts about things that happen in our own lives. Students will be encouraged to take even more responsibility for editing their writing for spacing, neatness, word wall words, capitals and punctuation. We will continue to practice using oral language to share our own family holiday traditions/memories with each other. In Math, we will explore measurement by using standard thermometers to explore and describe changes in temperature. We will continue to look at 2D shapes (which we didn't get to in November) and work on subtraction. In Social Studies, we will continue our study of Celebrations to include Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza. We will also continue learning about who the settlers were and what life was like for them long ago. Shape and colour will be explored in Art.
Check the Weather:
The arrival of snow is imminent. When it arrives, it brings with it the need for warmer outdoor clothing. Labeling your child’s boots, hats, mitts, coat, etc. is very important. The children do not always recognize/claim their own lost clothing, especially when there may be identical items owned by multiple students. (You would be surprised how many students wear identical black snowpants)!
When there is snow on the ground, we still go outside for recess. Please provide appropriate outerwear EVERY day. All children love to make snow angels etc. and doing so in regular pants, rather than in snow pants, makes for a very “damp” rest of the day. Snow pants are a MUST! Please also consider sending a 2nd pair of mittens for the 2nd recess as it is not always possible to dry mittens between recesses and wet mittens mean cold fingers.
Changing clothes is also sometimes necessary if a student gets wet at recess from puddles/snow. Thank you to all the parents who have replenished your child's supply of extra clothing with clothing more suitable for the cold weather. If you would like me to add some warmer clothes to your child’s ’Spare Clothing Bag’, please feel free to send things in the mailbag and I will add it to the bag in their cubbie! Several pairs of socks in your child’s bag are also a good idea as often little feet get wet from stepping in melted show puddles in the hallway or from playing in the snow.
Skating:
Thank you to parents who have offered to help tie skates or supervise on the ice for our first skating session. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the extra hands and eyes at the PRC! I simply cannot tie 17 pairs of skates alone. We get on the ice so much quicker with your help! We have three skating dates scheduled before the holidays and would be grateful for parents who can help tie skates or assist our students on the ice. Please let me know if you are available to help on Wednesday, December 7th, 14th or 21st at 9:00 a.m. Thanks in advance for considering this.
Holiday Activities:
We have many holiday activities planned this month in our classroom. We will be participating in a series of 'Pioneer/Settler Activities' with Mrs. Weber, Mrs. Mahaffy, Mrs. Silcox and myself to enhance our Social Studies Unit. We will participate in a 'Winter/Fire Safety' presentation and enjoy whole school events like the "Toonie Theater" (movie in the gym) and Carol singing. The last week before the holidays will be extra fun with special 'holiday theme' days each day. See your calendar/student planner for details about when to dress up like a holiday character, wear a holiday hat, wear a Christmas sweater or socks, wear red/green or wear pjs to school. We will also enjoy Mrs. Stacey's favourite classroom tradition - decorating mini gingerbread houses!
Walking Excursion to St. Marys D.C.V. I. :
Last year we were invited to attend a Holiday Band Performance at St. Marys D.C.V.I. We are hoping that will happen again this year but do not yet know the date. Please watch your child's mailbag for a consent form regarding this event. We will send it as soon as we have confirmed the date. On this date, we will be walking to D.C.V.I. with several other classes from Little Falls to enjoy the sounds of some Holiday music. Most likely, we will be leaving our school shortly after morning announcements in order to arrive at D.C.V.I. in time to remove our coats and take our seats. The concert usually begins at 9:30 a.m. We will return to Little Falls immediately following the concert.
There is NO cost associated with this excursion.
Holiday Book Order:
All December book orders must be placed by Friday, December 9th so that the books can be ordered and arrive to our classroom before the Christmas holidays. If any parent is wishing to purchase books for a gift, please send the book order and cheque in a sealed envelope. Also, include a note that indicates that the books are Christmas gifts and we will contact you when the order arrives at school or hand it to you directly (concealed in an enclosed bag) when you come to collect your child at home time.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please send a note, or call the school and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
I wish you and your entire family a happy and safe Holiday Season and all the best in the year 2017!
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
November 2016
Grade 2/3 Newsletter
Dear Parents,
I expect that the month of November will bring colder weather and probably, with it, the wearing of snowsuits, boots, mittens, etc. It is very helpful if you would label all pieces of your child’s outerwear. I know the weather at this time of year can be very unpredictable, but please have a conversation with your child about the importance of wearing the warm things that you send to school. Please also encourage your child to be independent when dressing themselves in their winter clothing at home.
This month will be another busy one in our classroom. In Language, we will continue to practice monitoring our reading for meaning and being a 'word solver' by using a variety of strategies and thinking about what makes sense. We have been talking a lot about the value and importance of describing words and will practice 'visualizing' the things we are reading about as we pay attention to these describing words. We will also continue to write using a variety of forms during Writer's Workshop (lists, letters, narratives, recounts, non-fiction writing-writing about the ways animals and plants adapt. In Math, we will continue to explore numbers, adding and subtracting using efficient strategies, number lines and the 100 chart. We will discuss the properties of 2D shapes and compose/decompose 2D shapes. In Social Studies, we will learn about maps and globes. Mapping skills we will discuss include: pictorial symbols, legends/keys, cardinal directions. We will look at maps of our class/school, community maps, maps of Canada and maps from other interesting places. Remembrance Day Celebrations will also be discussed as part of our on-going investigation into 'Traditions and Celebrations'. In Visual Art, we will continue to explore a variety of art tools and materials to create art. We will specifically explore colour and texture. Students will be encouraged to think more critically about their art and discuss things they like or would like to improve about their artwork.
Other important information:
Progress Reports:
Your child's progress report card will be coming home on Tuesday, November 1st. Your child will get a check mark indicating that they are progressing with difficulty, well or very well. During report card interviews, we will discuss plans to target specific strengths and weaknesses. We will continue to work together to help your child succeed. A note explaining more about this first report card will be sent with your child's report! . Hopefully the information sent with the report will help you understand your child's progress and his/her report card
Parent/Teacher Interviews:
Please note that Interviews will be conducted on the evening of Thursday, November 3rd or during the morning of Friday, November 4th. I strongly encourage parents to make the attempt to touch base with me at this time. It's a good opportunity for you to ask questions about your child's development and for me to make suggestions about how you can support your child's particular learning needs at home.
Spare Clothing Bags:
Now that the colder weather has arrived, it is more important than ever to make sure that your child has a set of spare clothing that is suitable for the weather. If you are unsure about what is in your child's spare clothing bag and want us to send it home so you can re-stock it....just send us a note and we'll help you out! If you simply want to send more clothes for the spare clothes bag in your child cubbie, please make sure you send us a note in the mailbag telling us to add them to your child's things. At this time of year, several pairs of extra socks are always good to have on hand!
Toronto Zoo - Great Lakes Program
Our class is one of several classes at Little Falls that will participate in a workshop on Tuesday, November 3rd. This workshop is called " The Toronto Zoos' Great Lakes Outreach Program" and it is a FREE, curriculum-based education program that encourages students, educators and families to "Keep our Great Lakes Great" while learning about five local fish species at risk:
Atlantic salmon Lake Ontario population (extirpated)
Redside dace (endangered)
Eastern sand darter (threatened)
American eel (endangered)
Lake sturgeon (threatened)
Through these examples, the presentations emphasize the importance of water and maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems for both animal and human use. Outreach presentations are tied to the Life Systems strand of the Ontario Science Curriculum.
Students will learn:
*The Great Lakes are facing many threats from pollution to invasive species, and even global warming. *Many species of animals and plants call the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes watersheds home. *Humans rely on the lakes as a source of clean, drinkable water and as a recreational destination.
*The threats to the Great Lakes are causing immediate problems and should they continue this valuable resource may be lost!
We are looking forward to this amazing opportunity.
Yoga Workshop
Our classroom will have the opportunity to experience an "Element-Based" Yoga in the classroom workshop on Wednesday, November 9th with Shannon Rose Scott. Shannon Rose Scott is a passionate yoga teacher who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise into the room. Her educational background in Theatre and the Expressive Arts bring an element of creative play to the yogic experience. During the workshop, students will learn to recognize 5 possible emotional needs based on the elements of nature and they will learn yoga tools to address each specific need.
We would like to thank the Foundation for Education for this amazing opportunity.
Museum Excursions:
Please watch your child's mailbag for specific information and a consent form which will arrive home soon outlining 3 excursions we will make to the St. Marys Museum for programming that supports our Grade 2 and 3 Social Studies curriculum. We are planning to be at the Museum for the mornings of November 10, 17 and 24th.
If you would like to join us on one of these mornings, you are most welcome, but you MUST have a current 'OPP Vulnerable Sector Check' completed and delivered to our main office at the school.
We plan to leave for our walks to the museum at 9:00 am and return in time to eat at first nutrition break-10:55 a.m. (weather permitting of course).
Blog:
If for some reason, you are having trouble viewing the blog, please let me know. Remember, you can view the blog anytime by simply visiting gradetwothreeatlittlefalls.blogspot.com. Viewing the blog will give you the opportunity to see the amazing learning that has been happening in our classroom and will help you start conversations with your child about the things they are doing here at school.
Home Reading Books (Reading with/by your child):
**Reminder**: Your child will be choosing their own books for their reading folder. Please honor their choice. Don’t worry if the book is too easy or too hard for them. There is merit in both situations. Easy books build confidence and allow students to practice fluency and expression in their reading. Harder books offer an opportunity to look for new words or try new reading strategies. Just have fun with this! Thank you to everyone who has been encouraging nightly reading at home. The best way to improve reading is to simply practice! Remember to talk about what your child has been reading. Ask about the characters, setting, events and solution at the end.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support in the education of your child.
Sincerely,
Susan Stacey
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October 2016 Newsletter
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The children in our classroom have settled in nicely. Routines, rules and expectations were a major focus in September and will be reinforced throughout October. This month, we will continue to review and/or introduce new reading strategies and remind students to ask themselves if the words they are saying when reading look right, sound right and make sense. Activating our prior knowledge before reading and checking for understanding during reading will also be encouraged. We each have our own mini word wall and will be reminded to use this tool to spell frequently used words correctly. We will also continue to review letter and vowel sounds so that 'bubblegum spelling' will include as many letters as possible. We will be writing to describe things we have learned about in science and will respond in writing to read alouds. Writing personal narratives (stories about things that have happened to us in real life will also be a focus. In Math, we will continued to explore number concepts (skip counting, representing, numbers to 100 and we will start/review combining numbers to practicing basic addition facts/strategies. We will use a variety of materials to create repeating pattern. In Science, we will continue our study of different kinds of animals by discussing features/characteristics of fish, mammals, birds, amphibians and the reptile animal groups . We will, of course, discuss Thanksgiving and Halloween as part of our ongoing investigation into Traditions and Celebrations and learn about different map features in Social Studies.
Meet the Teacher Night:
Thank you to all of you who were able to come out on Thursday, Sept. 22. I enjoyed meeting/seeing everyone and look forward to a great year together.
Stone Soup:
We have been talking about cooperation, collaboration and working together towards a common goal. With that in mind, and with Thanksgiving approaching, I can't think of a better time to read 'Stone Soup' because in the story, the villagers have to work together to make a wonderful soup. Like the story, all students in our class are asked to bring something to contribute to our soup. We will put all of our ingredients together and cook the soup on Friday, October 7th. We will eat our soup during one of our Nutrition Breaks (depending on how long it takes for the veggies and noodles in our soup to soften!)
Please watch your child's mailbag for a special paper about this event which asks you for a specific ingredient. The highlighted ingredient is what your child is assigned to bring. Please send in ingredients on either Thursday, October 6th or Friday, October 7th.
Wildwood Trip:
On Monday, October 17th, our class will be visiting Wildwood Conservation Area .While there, we will observe the seasonal changes in plants, do some plant/tree identification and participate in soil studies. Consents for this trip should be in your child’s mailbag in the next day or so. The cost of this trip is $17.00 per student. Please return signed consents with $17.00 as soon as possible. We are able to accommodate as many volunteers as we wish on this trip, so if you want to come along and experience the forest with your child on this day, please let me know. The more the merrier! (No extra cost to parents who wish to come...just plan to provide your own transportation to and from Wildwood as we won't have room on the bus).
Orange and Black Day:
On Monday, Oct. 31st, we will be celebrating Hallowe'en by having Orange and Black Day. Your child may participate by coming to school that day wearing some orange and/or black. (Note: Do not send your child to school wearing face makeup, dressed in or with a Hallowe'en costume as this is not in keeping with the intent of our school-wide Orange and Black Day celebration). More information about the school-wide ‘Penny Carnival’ activities being planned for this day will come home soon, so watch your child's mailbag for this information.
Breakfast and Balanced Day Lunches:
Thanks to all the parents who have worked so hard to encourage their child to eat a good breakfast before school so that they arrive ready to learn. Thank you also for packing your child's lunch in a way that helps them know what to eat first and what to keep until later in the day. Your children are getting re-accustomed to their school eating schedule. Please have a conversation with your child about the amount of foods being packed. We have had many students lately who run out of things to eat during 2nd Nutrition Break but are still hungry. The amount that students eat can vary from day to day and I know as a parent it can be hard to judge how much to send in the lunch bag. Some days, your child may simply be expending more energy and need extra fuel (food), sometimes they might be growing and eating more, some days they might not feel hungry. Talk to your child about their lunch. Toss in an extra snack or 2 if your child is indicating that they are needing more to eat. Keep up the good work everyone.
Community Walks:
Thank you for returning your child's consent to go on 'Community Walks'. I hope I will be able to schedule our first walk off school property soon! I will let you know this date as soon as possible. Normally, walk dates will be put on our class calendar, but this month, I will send a special notice once I have decided when we will be venturing off site. Thanks for your understanding!
Home Reading Program
The purpose of a Home Reading Program is for families to foster an interest in books and reading.
If you complete the log page and return the book in your child’s folder on their next school day, we will try to exchange it for another book right away. If however, you just don’t have time, don’t worry or rush through it. Just keep your child’s folder/book at home so you can enjoy the book when you are able. Please also remember that keeping a book for multiple nights is just fine. Re-reading a text more than once is always a good way to practice fluency and sometimes, students develop a deeper understanding of a text upon reading it a second or third time. Thanks for your help with this program. Please note that I am encouraging students to select their own book for their Home Reading Folder. This means they may choose a book that is too easy for them, too hard for them, or JUST RIGHT. Talk about the choice they made. It’s okay to choose a book that’s too easy. Easy books build confidence. It’s also okay to choose a book that is too hard from time to time. This gives you an opportunity to talk about more advanced vocabulary or a reading strategy that you used while you read the book to them. Listening to you do the reading from time to time also has value. Whatever their choice……..have fun with it. Foster an interest and love of reading!
Ziploc/Mailbags:
Thank you so much for being so diligent at sending mailbags and planners to school every day! I cannot over-stress the importance of ensuring that the mailbag is returned daily and any information in it perused by you daily. Most information will be sent home in letter format, but as we move through the school year, students will be asked to take on more responsibility for recording important dates etc. in their planners themselves. Please continue to send any messages for me in your student's planner. Right now, we check all planners (in case students forget to relay the message of a note) but try to remind your child that there is an important note and ask them to take responsibility for showing it to me.
Blog Update:
You should also be able to access the blog by using the following address: gradetwoatlittlefalls.blogspot.com.
The blog will let you know what we have been doing in the classroom and the skills that we are developing. Pictures of the children ‘at work’ will be shared regularly. Looking at the blog with your child will be a great way to get them talking about what is happening at school. If for some reason you did not receive your invitation, please let me know, and I will try to re-enter the information or simply do a google search using the address above. You may wish to check your 'spam' in case your email provider has placed the blog invitation there.
Spare Clothing Bags:
If you have not already done so, please make sure that your child has a set of spare clothing that is suitable for the weather here at school. Extra clothing bags were sent home on the first day of school. If you are unsure about what is in your child's spare clothing bag and want us to send it home so you can re-stock it....just send us a note and I'll help you out! If you simply want to send more clothes for the spare clothes bag in your child cubbie, please make sure you send me a note in the mailbag telling me to add them to your child's things. At this time of year, it is hard to predict the temperature, so a variety of items suitable for all weather conditions is a good idea.
Other things you can do to support your child’s learning at home:
Talk to your child:
Ask specific questions about their day, what they are proud of, things they made, their favourite games,things etc.
Have them retell in their own words the events of a story or TV program they read/watched, or events from their day (watch to see if they tell these events in the correct/logical sequence)
Read TO your child: (books that they would be unable to read on their own)
Try to establish a regular reading time and read daily
Make sure that your child can see the book easily
Before you start, read the title, look at the cover and wonder together what the story will be about. If it is an old favourite, ask your child to pretell the story for you.
Find reasons to write:
Write lists, notes, letters whenever the opportunity arises.
Practice spelling our 'word wall words'/spelling words when you see them come home in your child's planner.
Practice Math Concepts:
Play and talk about the math games that come home in our Math folder.
Practice basic math facts (facts that add to 18) by playing dice games etc.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask.
You can always send me a note, phone the school (519-284-3615) or even email susan.stacey@ed.amdsb.ca and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Have a marvelous month!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Stacey
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September 6, 2016
Dear Families,
Welcome to Mrs. Stacey's Grade 2/3 classroom. I hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable summer and that the children are looking forward to the beginning of our new school year. September is always a busy month. We will be spending the first few weeks getting to know each other and will focus on co-constructing/developing a common understanding of the routines, roles and responsibilities within our class and school. Some of the skills/concepts we hope to touch on this month are outlined below. (Note: some of these may change depending on the needs and interests that the students display in the first few days and weeks!)
Language: Students will be choosing ‘just right books’ for their independent reading bags, we will participate in shared reading, partner reading and independent reading. Review and/or explicit teaching of the things that good readers do (decoding strategies, comprehension strategies) will occur daily. We will also review/learn some of the basic writing conventions, write about ourselves, make simple lists and begin sharing/responding to different picture books both orally and in pictures/writing.
Math: We will be exploring/reviewing numbers, patterning and data management skills.
Science: We will begin work on some of the expectations from the Grade 2 'Growth and Change in Animals' unit and the Grade 3 'Growth and Change in Plants' unit. We will start by identifying and describing major physical characteristics of different types of animals (e.g., insects, mammals, reptiles). We will examine and compare the parts of plants and the function of each part. We will also begin looking at the ways both plants and animals adapt to survive. We are hoping to get the opportunity to investigate the life cycle of a butterfly/moth and observe and compare the changes in their appearance as they go through a complete life cycle.
Social Studies: We will begin working on mapping skills by learning to recognize and use symbols, colour, legends/key and cardinal directions on a map. We will look at the globe, map of Canada, Ontario and our local community maps. Students will have the opportunity to make their own maps using key features.
Art: We will be creating name art and self portraits.
Learning Skills:
Throughout the year, we will be learning about each of the key learning skills: Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative and Self Regulation. As a group, we will talk about what these skills look like and discuss how we can demonstrate growth in this area.
Grade 2/3 Homework Expectations
Starting shortly, your child will begin bringing home various things (homework) that you can do together at home to support their learning. Below are some examples of homework tasks that your child may be asked to do from time to time.
Home Reading: Each student is encouraged to read at home every night. Our 'Home Reading Program' allows students to take home a book from our classroom. Students are required to keep track of the Title and number of pages read each night. Student Reading Logs will be checked each day. More details about the reading program will be sent home soon.
Math: Students will periodically bring home a math game/activity for you to do together. The type of activity will vary depending on the concepts being practiced.
Projects: There will be times where special assignments will be sent home. These may be related to our Science or Social Studies topic or allow for your child to practice their oral communication skills with a specific focus in mind. These will be given with plenty of notice and will be spaced appropriately with all subject requirements in mind. Written expectations will be sent home with any ’special’ assignments as well as a due date. Your child is responsible for making sure this work arrives home and back to school at the appropriate times.
Catching Up after Absence: If your child is absent, a folder will be placed on their desk and any work they miss will be placed in the folder. Upon their return, they may have some work to catch up on at home. This work will come home in the ‘absent student folder’ so you will know why they are completing this extra homework. Please always help your child catch up as quickly as possible and return the folder with the completed work as soon as you are able.
Entry/Exit Procedures
During the month of September, students arrive at school in varying stages of readiness. Please remember to foster their independence and self reliance by allowing/teaching your child to be responsible for getting themselves to/from our classroom and unpacking/packing their backpacks, removing/putting on outdoor clothing etc. The students will gather outside the school (as they would at recess) both before and after school, so this is the logical place to leave them in the mornings and pick them up after school. If your child is having trouble getting ’back into the swing of things’ in the mornings, you may assist your child to meet and greet their friends on the black top area outside the school and then once settled, say goodbye. NEVER leave your child unattended in the hall or classroom at the start of a school day. NEVER leave your child on the playground before 8:40 am as there is no teacher supervision prior to this time. If for some reason, you need to come into the school before/after the entry/dismissal bell, you MUST sign in at the office.
Backpacks
It is important for the children to carry a back- pack to school each day. Your child’s backpack should be large enough to carry items such as a library book, lunch box/bag, personal belongings, mailbag etc. back and forth to home/school. Encourage your child to practice packing and zipping up their own backpack at home so they can feel proud of their independence at school.
Name Labels
Please put your child's name on ALL items of clothing and other materials that they brings to school. Many children have the same shoes, coats, hats, sweaters and backpacks. When we hold up lost articles, the children rarely claim them as their own, so our lost and found just continues to grow over the year. If at any time an item goes missing, please send a note to school and we will do our best to locate it. Please also remember to check our Lost and Found on a regular basis for your missing items.
Mail Bag/Newsletters
I will be giving each child a ziploc/plastic freezer bag in which we will be putting all notes and newsletters, school work, etc. Please return this bag to school everyday! Please use this bag to send their planner, messages, food/trip money, etc. to school. Encourage your child to be responsible for notes and other items going to and from school. Let them know if you have sent a note with them and tell them it is important for the teacher to have it. Let your child unpack and pack their own bags and deliver any messages or work to you at the end of the day.
Throughout the coming year, your child will be bringing home a monthly newsletter and calendar that reflects on our units of study, special days and activities for our classroom. Please encourage your child to check the calendar regularly to help them remember important dates and have items returned on time. I would suggest you post it in a spot where it can be easily referred to.
Planners
Each student will be given a 'day planner' to help them keep track of daily homework or special events/projects. Students are expected to have it at school EVERY day. Please check your child's planner each night to assist them in learning good homework habits. The planner is also a good place to attach notes between teacher/parent. Students will check their planners each morning and pass any messages that you have written on to me.
Sending Money
When sending money, please enclose it in an envelope or smaller baggie with a note that clearly indicates what the money is for. Loose money in a mailbag tends to get lost as students carry it from their backpack in the morning.
Change of Clothes
Sometimes accidents happen and your child may require a change of clothing. It is very helpful if you always have a spare set of clothes for emergency purposes. Your child has brought home an ’Extra Clothing’ bag. Please fill the bag with the required items and return it to school as soon as possible. The extra clothes will be kept in your child’s cubbie so they are handy if/when they are ever needed. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of spare clothes to lend out, so without a change in their cubbie it would become necessary to phone you in the event of an emergency. Sending ’extras’ is an easier option! Thanks for your co-operation.
Required Materials
Students will be given pencil crayons, crayons, glue stick, scissors and pencils at the beginning of the school year. We also have markers to share in our classroom. It is their responsibility to keep track of the belongings they are given and store them neatly in their desk basket when they are not in use. If we find that we are in need of any new materials as the year progresses, I will send home a note.
Snacks/Lunch
Providing a nutritious lunch and snack will allow your child to think better and learn to the best of their ability. Students are asked to bring healthy choice snacks/lunches to meet their nutritional needs. Our schedule includes two breaks when students will be able to eat their snack/lunch however, school balanced day lunches can be difficult for students to adjust to (especially in September). Usually, I notice that many children are hungry in the mornings and find it a long time to wait for our first nutrition break. Some spend too much time socializing during a nutrition break and need reminders to use the time to actually eat! Please encourage your child to eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school as it is a long time until our first nutrition break (10:55 am). Try to pack your child's lunch in a way that helps them know what to eat first and what to keep until later in the day. Label items with number #1 for first break and #2 for second break or divide your child’s lunch bag in half so children know to eat one part at each break. Your child will get accustomed to our eating schedule. Be patient while they adjust to eating in a group and making their own choices.
Food Allergies
Food preparation and sampling will occasionally play a part in your child's learning experiences. If your child is allergic to any kind of food, please bring the allergy to my attention immediately.
Nut-safe School
Please note that we have children with peanut allergies in some of our classes at Little Falls. Due to the severity of this type of allergy, our school makes every effort to be nut-safe. Therefore, please do not send peanut butter sandwiches or anything with nuts or “may contain traces of nuts” in it to school. If you are sending a Soy Butter or No-nut Butter sandwich, please attach a happy face or a note indicating that the sandwich is safe. These products look and smell like peanut butter and it’s always helpful for the lunch duty teacher to know that the sandwich is safe rather than thinking that it is unsafe. Thanks for your help and understanding in this regard.
Phys-ed Classes/Shoes
The children will participate in daily physical activity while at school. They will need running shoes for these kinds of activities. Ideally, we would like each child bring a pair of running shoes that may be left at school so that they always have a pair of clean, appropriate shoes for physical activity and indoor use. Having BOTH indoor and outdoor shoes is important at all times of the year. We would like to keep mud and grass out of our classroom as we will often work in groups on the floor. These extra shoes may be kept at school in your child's cubbie in the hallway outside of our classroom. Please label your child‘s second pair of shoes.
Note: Indoor and Outdoor boots/shoes are put on and taken off several times every day. Children need to be able to get them on and off independently. Velcro or slip on footwear is the best for quick changes, unless your child already knows how to tie their own laces.
Water
Water bottles from home can be kept on the corner of desks UNLESS they become a distraction or are misused. Please make sure these bottles are clearly labelled with your child's name. All bottles must go home each night to be washed and refilled.
Milk/Pizza/Food Days
These may be ordered by completing a food order form which should arrive home soon. Please watch for this order sheet in your child‘s mailbag. Please remember to attach the food money to the form in either an envelope or small sandwich bag so that it does not get separated from your order form. Thanks!
Book Orders
Each month, I will be sending home a Scholastic Book Club order form, from which you may order and purchase books for your child. The books are usually quite good. However, participation is VOLUNTARY. You are under no obligation to buy. Should you choose to place an order, please return the order part of the form, with your money (preferably by cheque made out to Scholastic Canada Ltd.) by the due date stamped on the order form. Please send this back to school in your child's Mail Bag.
Recess
Please note that we go outside twice every day for our recesses (weather permitting). Please dress your child appropriately, according to the weather conditions so that they can enjoy their outside time.
Library
Our class will be going to the library for book exchange on a weekly basis. Library exchange dates will be noted on the classroom calendar. Please check your calendar and try to help your child return their book to school by that day so that they are able to get a new book each time we visit the library. Students are usually quite disappointed when they are unable to get a new book, and they really are reliant on you to help them remember to return books on time.
Meet the Teacher BBQ Night
Please note that the date for our 'Meet the Teacher BBQ' is Thursday, September 22nd from 5:00 to 7:00pm. . The evening is an opportunity for you to pop in and out, giving your child a chance to introduce you to their teachers and to show you their classroom. More information about this special evening will be included in the school newsletter.
Parent Volunteers
If you would like to help our class from time to time, please let me know. Volunteers are often needed on 'out of school excursions' or to help us complete more complex projects in the classroom. All volunteers must have a current 'criminal background check'. For questions about this, please contact the office.
If at any time you have a question, comment or concern about our classroom or your child , please feel free to call me at the school (519-284-3615), send me an email susan.stacey@ed.amdsb.ca or write a note in the planner. Communication between home and school is very important for a successful year.
I look forward to working with you and your child this school year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Susan Stacey
