March Newsletter

Dear Parents, 

Well, here we are, approaching the March Break.  If any of you are travelling, have fun and stay safe.  For those of you who are staying here, enjoy your week as there are many wonderful things to do here in Ottawa! 

Math

We are wrapping up our Multiplication and Division Unit, however, I encourage you to please continue practising these skills at home with your child as they are very important to know as they move on in Math.  The Multiplication and Division Strategies that the children were taught in class are the following:

Multiplication Strategies: Grouping, Repeated Addition, Skip Counting, Arrays and Doubling/Halving.

Division Strategies: Equal Grouping, Repeated Subtraction, Skip Counting Backwards and Arrays

You can access everything we have taught the students about multiplication and division (and more) using this link to our Hapara workspace for the unit: http://j.mp/2VbXBn1

Please continue to have your child work on memorization of the times tables up to seven.  

Next we will be covering our 2-D and 3-D Geometry Units. The expectations are as follows: 

– use a reference tool to identify right angles and to describe angles as greater than, equal to, or less than a right angle 

– compare various angles, using concrete materials and pictorial representations, and describe angles as bigger than, smaller than, or about the same as other angles 

– identify and compare various polygons and sort them by their geometric properties 

– solve problems requiring the greatest or least number of two-dimensional shapes needed to compose a larger shape in a variety of ways 

- explain the relationships between different types of quadrilaterals 

– identify and describe the two-dimensional shapes that can be found in a three-dimensional figure 

– compare and sort prisms and pyramids by geometric properties 

– describe and name prisms and pyramids by the shape of their base 

– construct rectangular prisms and describe geometric properties of the prisms 

– identify congruent two-dimensional shapes by manipulating and matching concrete materials 

– complete and describe designs and pictures of images that have a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line of symmetry 

– describe movement from one location to another using a grid map– identify flips, slides, and turns, through investigation using concrete materials and physical motion, and name flips, slides, and turns as reflections, translations, and rotations 

Language

We continue to work on Persuasive Writing and when this is completed, we will move on to Narrative Writing.  The children are also learning to self-edit and reflect on their written pieces.  This means following the checklists for various pieces of writing and ensuring that all features are included in their own piece.  If they discover that they are missing something, they are encouraged to add it into their final copy before it is corrected by the teacher.  

When your child reads at home, please continue to ask him/her to retell the story with as much detail as possible, ensuring that they include the features of a Narrative text: characters, setting, problem, sequence of events, and the solution.  Ask them questions about the story to see if they are actually understanding what is taking place.  Often children can read lots of words, but this does not always mean that they are comprehending what they are reading. In class, we are using a tool called a Go Map to help students organize their thinking around the elements of stories. Encourage your child to share what a Go Map is and how it helps them. 

This term we will continue to read a variety of texts.  The children are expected to answer comprehension questions, while making sure that they use enough detail from the story and their own thoughts to display comprehension of what was read.  A major focus this term will be the Main Idea of a text.  I often ask the children why the author wrote the story.  Was there a purpose or a lesson to be learned?

Science

In Science, we will continue to explore Forces. Our next unit will be Soils.

Religion

As you know, the Lenten Season will soon be upon us and this is a very special time for Catholics.  We will be talking a lot about Jesus, His life, His death and His resurrection.  Your child may come home with a lot of questions.  Please try to have regular conversations with your child about Jesus’ journey.  The children will all write down something that they would like to do over the forty days of Lent.  

Important Dates for March

Wednesday, March 6th: Ash Wednesday - Lent Begins!

Monday, March 11th-Friday, March 15th: March Break! 

Please continue to look at your child’s agenda and the classroom twitter feed (@MrPouliot) daily. 

Thank you all for your support so far this year! 

Mr. Pouliot

February Newsletter

Dear Parents,

It is hard to believe that we have been back at school for almost month since the Christmas break.  We are already back into the groove of school and the children will soon be working hard on assessments and check-ins due to the fact that report cards are coming out later this month!  Thank you all for joining us at our Christmas Concert. I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed it.

Math

We have wrapped up our Data Management unit and will begin our Multiplication, Division and Fractions unit next.  The curriculum expectations that we will be looking at are: 

– relate multiplication of one-digit numbers and division by one-digit divisors to real life situations, using a variety of tools and strategies (e.g., place objects in equal groups, use arrays, write repeated addition or subtraction sentences) (Sample problem: Give a real-life example of when you might need to know that 3 groups of 2 is 3 x 2.);

– multiply to 7 x 7 and divide to 49 ÷ 7, using a variety of mental strategies (e.g., doubles, doubles plus another set, skip counting).

– divide whole objects and sets of objects into equal parts, and identify the parts using fractional names (e.g., one half; three thirds; two fourths or two quarters), without using numbers in standard fractional notation

Please work on memorization of the times tables up to seven at home with your child while we work on developing a knowledge for the strategies at school. I recently gave students their PIN numbers for a program called “Xtramath”. This is an excellent way to learn basic facts. It starts with addition, however, and then moves on to the other operations when addition has been perfected.   

Language 

We are working on Persuasive Writing.  The children have been writing persuasive paragraphs. We will be discussing the features of Narrative Writing next (characters, problem,  setting, sequence of events and a solution). 

The children have been reading and answering questions on what they have read to display their understanding of the story.  When your child reads at home,  please ask them to retell the story with as much detail as possible, and assuring that they include the features of Narrative writing listed above.  Ask them questions about the story to see if they are actually understanding what is taking place.  Often children can read lots of words, but this does not always mean that they are comprehending what they are reading.  

A big part of the grade on their report card for "reading" will be based on how they answer comprehension questions in writing.  Please note that if their reading grade is lower than expected, it is not because they cannot read or comprehend at grade level.  In Grade 3, they are learning how to  display their comprehension in writing, using detail from the text and their own thinking, and a portion of the grade depends on how they are doing with regard to this.  I will be sending home their assessment folders soon, so please review some of the reading assessments we have done in class to get an idea of what your child’s mark may look like. 

Science 

We have finished our Strong and Stable Structures Unit and are now exploring Forces.  

Learning Skills

The learning skills that we will focus on for this term's report card are Organizational and Independent Working skills.  Some of the expectations for each listed below.  The children will soon be bringing home a list of expectations for these skills.  They will mark down how they feel they are doing and I have done the same.  When this sheet comes home, please sign it and send it back to school.  Thank you.   I will comment on the other learning skills on the report card as well if I feel it is necessary to do so.

Organization:

-devises and follows a plan and process for completing work and tasks

-establishes priorities and manages to complete tasks and achieve goals

-identifies, gathers, evaluates, and uses information, technology, and

resources to complete tasks   

-comes to school prepared for the day

-can quickly find the tools needed to begin his/her work promptly and due to these work habits is able to produce and complete all required assignments 

Independent Work:

-uses time efficiently when completing an assignment by staying focused on the task at hand

-completes work on his/her own, using available 

resources such as anchor charts, checklists and teacher feedback

-shows an understanding of the concepts studied and applies them in different contexts

-works well without supervision, demonstrating learning skills that help him/her to solve problems independently

-listens well and is not distracted by surroundings

-independently monitors, assesses, and revises plans to complete tasks and meet goals

-uses class time appropriately to complete tasks

-follows instructions with minimal supervision

Valentine’s Day

We will celebrate Valentine’s Day here at school.  Again, I will bring in treats that are nut free. If you would like to send in treats that day, please ensure that they are store bought and have a nut free label.  If you do not want your child to have treats, please let me know in advance.  We will hand out Valentine’s Day cards. If your child would like to participate, please have them make a card for all of the children in the class.  Thanks!

Litterless Lunches

We have begun our Litterless Lunch program at school.  We ask that on Wednesdays, children have a lunch in which they have no wrappers to throw out into the garbage.  Plastic containers that they can bring home is a great idea to help promote this campaign.  We could win a prize as well because there will be students coming by the classrooms to survey!

Important Dates for February 

Wednesday, February 14: Valentine's Day

Thursday, February 13: Report Cards go home

Friday, February 15: PD Day

Monday, February 18: Family Day (no school)

Wednesday, February 20: Gatineau Park

Reminders

With the cold weather that we have been having, I ask that the children wear their snow pants at all recesses and after school to go home.  If you decide that your child does not need to wear them, please send me a note.  Thanks!

Thank you for your support this year so far! Please remember to check our Twitter feed (@MrPouliot) regularly to see a peek into our class. 

Happy Valentine’s Day!