Monday 20 March 2017

March & April Curriculum

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a fun March Break despite the chilly weather! Here's what we will be working on as we welcome the warmer Spring weather!!

Math

We are finishing up our unit on 2D Geometry and will begin the following in 3D Geometry:


  • identify and sort 3D figures by their geometric properties (faces, edges, vertices)
  • construct 3D figures using toothpicks and marshmallows
  • determine the differences between prisms and pyramids
  • solve problems (What am I? riddles) involving 3D figures
Following this unit, we will be drilling multiplication facts and strategies for problem solving. If you would like to help your child get a head start, please begin reviewing the times tables!

Language

Writing:
Before the break, we began working on writing a proper paragraph using a topic sentence, 3 supporting detail sentences, and a concluding sentence. Students are learning to organize their ideas in order to make their writing clear and easy to follow. This week, students will write a 2 (or more for some) paragraph recount of 2 special highlights from their March Break. We will continue to focus on paragraph writing for several weeks, however this will include descriptive, persuasive and procedural paragraphs as well. 

Reading:  
Our reading focus has now shifted from "Learning to Read" to "Reading to Learn". This means that we will focus on answering comprehension questions and work on responding to a variety of texts by going "APE" (Answer, Prove, Extend)! We will work on strategies such as highlighting key words or proof from the text that supports our answer, and then incorporating that proof into our written responses. Students can "extend" their answers by making connections to the text or the proof they provide. Although we will continue to work on all reading strategies, including decoding, fluency, expression etc., this term's reading marks will be more based on student responses to reading.

Oral:
Students presented their "What am I?" inferring poems to the class prior to the break. We all had fun guessing what each other's objects were! 

Social Studies

We will begin our unit on the Early Settlers (Pioneers) this week! Throughout the unit, students will be doing a Webquest inquiry using computers or chrome books to research information. They will also be creating a Lapbook (creative poster project in report format) of their findings! This is a fun unit which includes a field trip to the Simcoe County Museum's Pioneer Village in May! Students will be learning about the following:
  • The Aboriginals / things they taught the early settlers
  • How the early settlers helped / hindered the Aboriginals
  • Where the early settlers originated from
  • How they used natural resources 
  • Aspects of life such as food, housing, transportation, clothing, schools, jobs, entertainment etc.
Visual Arts 

Theme: Spring!

Looking forward to a great final term! 

Mrs. Hale

Skiing and Snowshoeing at Duntroon Highlands!







Valentine's Day Fun!