Math FactsStudents have set a weekly goal for learning their basic facts. They have chosen a fact family (example: the -7s or the x8s) to learn through games at school and by practicing at home. We have suggested that spending a few minutes a day, for example, in the car on the way to an activity, will help students to learn a few new facts each week. Studies show that learning just a few facts at a time leads to greater retention. By the end of grade 3, students should be able to understand and recall their addition facts up to and including 9 + 9 and the related subtraction facts to 18 - 9. They should also understand and recall their multiplication facts to 5 x 5 and the related division facts. Grade 4 students' goal is to recall their addition and subtraction facts as well as the multiplication and related division facts up to and including 7 × 7. Many students are practicing up to 10 for each fact family. Traffic Safety Presentation - March 7Representatives from the Calgary Police Department (Constable Steve) and the Alberta Motor Association (Karen) came to talk to us about traffic safety and taking steps to keep ourselves safe. Important safety information that they reviewed included: Where are safe places to cross the road?
How do you safely cross the road at a flashing pedestrian light?
New understandings have resulted in understanding that looking both ways is not good enough because we don't check around corners or behind us. The last place to look, after all the other places cars might come from, take a last look left because that is the traffic lane is closest. A distracted pedestrian is the most common reason for traffic fatalities of young people - usually they were using their phones or wearing ear buds. Students were reminded that habits they develop now as they are young will continue throughout their lives. Look for the safe gap in traffic Ask, does that car have enough time to stop?
Use the 3P's when crossing the road (after looking and ensuring you have a safe gap)
Students were reminded that they should be educating their parents when they are not being safe! ;-) We watched this commercial, as a reminder, "Heads up, phones down" Jeanette McCurdy's Chicken Commercial Soup Sisters Field TripOn February 28, students in Ms. Montanaro's class went to the Cookbook Company to make soup with an organization called Soup Sisters for needy youths in Calgary. Connecting to our social studies inquiry around quality of life and how kids can make a difference for others, students fundraised and made 190 servings or 3 meals for the Cornerstone Youth Centre. Mr. Messer's class will be going to make soup on Thursday, April 25. Some student reflections about the program follow here: ~ "Cornerstone Youth Centre is an organization that gives children that have trouble in life food, technology, and proper care... We went to the Cookbook Co to give children in need a healthy meal and we made them feel better How could you enjoy anything if you didn't eat?" ~ Robin ~ "Today we went on a field trip and it wasn't like any old field trip and we went there for fun. Today was different." ~ Sophia ~ "We went to Soup Sisters because in social studies we learned about kids making a difference and I think our teachers wanted us to make a difference in kid's lives. Also because it is nice to do something nice for someone in need." ~ Sophia ~ "We went because we are studying quality of life and how we can make a difference for people. So we made soup to help and learn how we can make a difference. We want kids and families to have a good quality of life and food. We wan them to meet their basic needs." ~ Lauren ~ "We went to that club to make a difference. At school we were reading articles of kids who told that kids can't make a difference but the people in our articles were only kids and they made a difference and that encouraged us that not only adults and grownups can make a difference but kids can, too! ~ Carlos ~ "We went because we are talking about human needs in social studies and we want to help kids in need so they have the life and education they need. Also we went to learn how to cook and have fun while being safe, too!" ~ Davis ~ "The Cornerstone Youth Centre is a small little home not in the most friendliest area. What they do is they make healthy food and give it to the kids. Also, they welcome kids in that area to come and make them feel safe and happy." ~ Rylee ~ "I went because I thought that it was going to be fun and as soon as they send the soup to the kids I would think to myself and say I helped kids in need." ~ Allegra ~ " We went to help kids in need and everybody in my class are very lucky and those type of kids are not. So we made soup for them as a healthy dinner." ~ Frances ~ " We went because we have been learning about children making differences in the world. So we wanted to do the same thing by making food for children in need." ~ Jack ~" Since we were studying about kids making a big difference and we wanted a chance to make a big difference ourselves. Then a parent brought up Souper Kids, a program where kids come in to kitchens to cook soup for locations that support kids with their homework, let them come home at lunch time and have the soup that we made, and support them after school." ~ Cole Telus Spark Field Trip - Junior Architects ProgramMr. Messer's class went to the Telus Spark on the morning of February 28 to explore the facility and to participate in the Junior Architects program. As a team, students decided on a structure that might be needed in their community and created their design with PVC pipe. Please read some of the students' reflections about their experiences. Note that some photos only show one part of the student's work.
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AuthorsMrs. Montanaro, Mr. Messer and Mrs. Austman teach grades 3/4 at Elbow Park School in Calgary AB. Archives
April 2017
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