Mrs. Payne’s Class Newsletter 2020
Reading Strategies: Character Studies
We are starting our next Reading Unit called Character Studies and are excited to be reading Because of Winn Dixie. We will be learning that good readers notice how a new character talks and acts and gets to know a character as a friend. We will learn to follow a character’s journey and eventually be comparing and contrasting characters across books.
Writing Strategies: Changing the World/Opinion Writing Unit continues. We’ve worked on finding and solving problems both large and small to express our opinions. We will continue with this type of writing for February reinforcing the OREO format: Opinion, Reasons, Examples, Opinion (restated)/brave bold thesis statements/ consider your audience.
Math: We’ve worked very hard on double- and triple-digit addition with and without regrouping, estimating and rounding, and fact families! We continue weekly practise of basic facts and are starting multiplication! In Grade 3 kids need to know their times tables facts to 5X5. We are learning that if we can skip count, we can learn our facts quickly! We will learn the parts of a multiplication equation including the terms product and factors and will talk about the identity property which tells us that any number times 1 is just itself!
Science: Looking at Lethbridge Project! We are becoming Engineers for our Building With a Variety of Materials unit. We were lucky to have had Abby Slovak, Land Development Manager for the City of Lethbridge come to our school to talk about some of the inspiration, criteria, costs, and constraints of building in Lethbridge followed this week by Jessie Potrie, the architect who helped design Coalbanks Elementary. He presented some inspiring designs and shared some 3D models of his work to get the kids excited about their own building projects. The kids did their surveys this week to find out what type of building is most needed on the west side. The surveys helped them narrow down their choices and they now know their number one building choice. There will be a letter coming home soon asking for materials to build the final project. We will be drawing up blueprints in the next 2-3 weeks and construction will be underway soon!
You may have heard the exciting news that our class has received 65 rainbow trout eggs from the Bow Habitat Station in Calgary. We have had 63 of them hatch to the Alevin stage just last week. The kids are doing a great job of recording temperatures and checking our aquarium each day. We will get to start feeding them soon and are anxiously awaiting the next stage in the life cycle which is the fry stage. Our class got to participate in a webinar that explained how and where the eggs came from and the kids got to interact with the speaker and ask questions and see other classrooms who are sharing this journey with us! It's been a fun project so far, can't wait til they are big enough to release into the wild!
Social: Traditions and Celebrations in all 4 countries continues! We are in the midst of creating some Peruvian Llama art pieces and learned a ton about India over the past few weeks. We know that Diwali is a popular celebration in India and we created some traditional henna hand art which is often used at weddings and other special days. The kids are creating PowerPoints about their learning to review and solidify all the traditions and celebrations we have learned about.
7 Sacred Teachings: Honesty
Skating Fieldtrip: Thanks to those who have already volunteered to supervise at the ATB arena for skating on Feb. 13th on the bus 1:00-2:15. We are in need of a few more supervisors so please return the bottom of the included form if you are able to help out, or email/Dojo me! Thanks so much!
Important Dates to Remember in February!
Feb 1- Feed The Bug begins! Please send in non-perishable items to donate
Feb 5- Winter Walk 1:15 around the school grounds
Feb 10- Arby's hot lunch order deadline
Feb 13 – Skating to ATB 1:00 on busses return at 2:15/ Valentine’s Class Party
Feb 14- Dress Your Best day! Happy Valentines!
Feb 18-21 No School- Reading Week & Teacher’s Convention
Thanks to our volunteers who are sending treats for our Valentines Day Party on the afternoon of Feb. 13th.
Dane McMillan is sending a veggie tray with dip
Everett Bergsma is sending paper plates and drink boxes for 18 students.
Eden Green cheese and crackers
Bennett Schipper fruit tray with dip.
Mrs. Payne’s Valentines Day Class List
Bella Woodruff
Walker Sexton
Bailey Chabbay
Georgia Olsen