Hello, 5B families!
Thank you, everyone!
We begin with a HUGE THANK YOU for all of your thoughtfulness and generosity in supporting our school’s Warm Winter Clothing Drive, as well as our Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoebox initiative.
The grade 5 classes together raised awareness and funds to purchase enough toys, school supplies and other essentials to fill 26 shoeboxes that are now in transit on the way to be distributed to 26 children in need around the world. We prayed over each donated item and shoebox, imagining the children who would receive these gifts and holding them in our hearts.
It was such a joy to see how this very tangible process of sorting and praying over these gifts opened up our students’ hearts and minds in beautiful ways.
Thank you for sharing your time with us on such a meaningfully experience that linked our Religion curriculum with core competency development (communication and personal and social awareness). If you enjoyed this project, consider participate in it as a family next year directly through the Samaritan’s Purse website.
Math: Function Machines!
Students have extended their learning in our science unit on simple machines to inform their creative design of “function machines” in math class.
This open-ended mathematics task invites students to design a machine that apply a series of operations to an input to get to an output, as you can see with the example of the “Number Cruncher 3000” above.
As a class, students collaborated to transform our bulletin board into a giant function machine that will continue to change every few days, offering a new challenge with each iteration.
Students who finish their math assignments early can keep working on their own new function machines or choose items from the Math Enrichment Bin that offers math puzzles, logic puzzles, math literature, and dice/flash cards/calculators for their own open ended explorations.
Term 1 Math Tests
Your child has now brought home their marked Term 1 math test, along with a pink form to be signed and returned. This test was conducted with an open-ended time frame and students were supported according to their individual needs. The results from this test, combined with in-class observations, group activities, and the many numerous unit quizzes, help inform your child’s Term 1 math grade.
I’m so pleased to celebrate that every single one of our 5B students has shown remarkable growth this term! Thank you for the meaningful support you’ve provided at home to help your child continue learning and improving.
To further support student success, I am offering an optional Term 1 Math Test Rewrite on Thursday, November 21st. This is a firm deadline as I need time to mark and then recalculate and change grades (if warranted) to submit to the office the following week. The rewrite provides an opportunity for students to improve their grade if they have demonstrated growth—the rewrite would not lower a grade.
*To qualify for the rewrite, students must study meaningfully for it at home.* That’s it. But I do mean it. Students and families can decide whether or not to participate in the rewrite based on their individual needs.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, and thank you for promptly returning the signed pink math test forms and tests for our records.
Hallow App for Families!
A wonderful Catholic resource we have enjoyed exploring in Religion class is the Hallow App. We have used it for guiding us in prayer and deepening our reflection upon the Bible stories we explored this term. Our district has purchased licensing so families can use this valuable app at home as well! You can visit the App Store on your home devices now to find and download the Hallow App. Then, students can show you how to login using their school district Google account credentials. We have practiced doing this in class. Enjoy this treasured opportunity to draw upon endless hours of beautifully inspiring content to support social-emotional learning, foster faith and develop cultural and Biblical literacy.
Reminder:
There is no school for students on Friday, Nov. 22nd as it is a professional development day for staff.
Coming soon…
KIDS SHOPPING EVENT: Thurs., Dec. 12th
This annual event is fun and meaningful for students as they get to go shopping (in our school) for Christmas presents for their parents and siblings. (Sorry, they can’t buy for other family members during the first round of buying, even if they live in your house). But on Friday, Dec. 13, after all classes have finished shopping, if there are leftover items, then shopping will be opened up for students to buy gifts for other family members.
*If you have new or used items in good condition that would be good to donate to this “Kids Shopping Event” (things that would make good presents for parents and kids of all ages), please send those donations to school. Thank you so much!
On GRADE 5 shopping day (Thurs. Dec. 12 at 9:30am) your child should bring:
-one or two reusable shopping bags (large, if possible) with a handle
-a list with the names of the family members who they are buying for (ages of the siblings helps the assistant shoppers) Example: Mom, Dad, Bobby (age 3), Suzy (age 10)
–$2 per gift (Gr. 7s are raising money to buy gifts for less fortunate children)
The gifts will be wrapped & tagged by the Gr. 7 elves (that’s why they need the list of names).
Thurs., Nov. 21 – Term 1 assessment deadline. Report card grades and comments will be finalized after this.
Tues., Nov. 26 through to Fri., Nov. 29 – Ms. Poirier is away from school, busy with the task of packing and moving her family home (still in town.). Ms. Poirier will not likely be able to respond to emails or questions during this period. *If your child is going to be absent on any of these days, please direct your email to the school office to inform them. For continuity, we are lucky to have the same substitute each of these four days, Mr. Ruffolo, who has worked with 5B—detailed plans will be left to ensure students have a wonderful week of valuable learning together!
Fri., Nov. 29th – Wear pink accessories in memory of Adaea (info in Nov. 25 newsletter)
Tues., Dec. 3 – Wear FULL uniform, Advent Mass. Grade 5s are supporting Mass by doing readings.
Wed., Dec. 4 – Early dismissal
Fri., Dec. 6th – Kids Night Out (registration deadline is Nov. 29, but space is limited and may fill up before then) See newsletter for details & registration link
Tues., Dec. 10 – Wear civvies during the day for the concert rehearsal) then wear FULL UNIFORM to the Advent Concert at 6:00 pm, St. Andrew’s Cathedral. ALL students are involved.
Wed., Dec. 11 – Pyjama day!
Kids Shopping Event for grade 5 (see details above)
Fri., Dec. 20- Wear Christmas-themed Civvies: red/green clothes; school is dismissed at noon for Christmas vacation
Tiffany Poirier 