Happy Holidays and Thank You!

I hope you are all enjoying the holidays, spending time together as families, relaxing, and maybe getting outside to do things.  My power was out for 2 days, and then I was preparing for and celebrating Christmas with my family, so I have not really been near my computer!!!!

I would like to thank you all for the lovely and thoughtful gifts.  It was very much appreciated, and I will enjoy them!  I would also like to thank you for supporting your child's education, and my efforts in the classroom.

I will see you in the New Year!  The first day back is Monday, January 6, 2014.

Ms. Voksepp is back

Our Queen's Teacher Candidate is back! Ms. Voksepp is here until the break.  She will be teaching a measurement unit in Math, and a unit about clothing in French.

We are so lucky to have her here.

Giving Back

Last week we had an assembly about giving back to the world, the community, and the earth. We are collecting loonies and twonies to help the people of the Phillipines recover from the devastation of the recent typhoon.  Students are also asked to bring in non-perishable food items for needy families in our community. The last thing we are doing, is making promises to the earth about how we could  reverse climate changes so tragedies like the typhoon don't happen in future.

We have collected $14 so far, and have a small box of food. It would be wonderful to double that. When students bring in a donation, their name will go up on a special bulletin board.

Thank you for your support.

Wind energy workshop

On November 28, Ann from TERC (a renewable energy organization), visited our classroom to teach the students about using wind as an alternative form of energy.  During the second half of the presentation, students got to build a wind turbine, and were able to generate enough electricity to light a coloured bulb. Students will now be building their own wind turbines in groups during their Science class. They will be using found materials and materials Ann provided. These projects will be entered into a design competition, and we will see them when we go to the Kids' Energy festival later in the year.

Book Presentations

Last week, students finished working on group book presentations.  Students worked together to read a picture book with a meaningful themes, and then present the book to the class in a creative way, showing the characteristics of a narrative (characters, setting, problem, solution, theme).

The class got to hear about 5 books:  Gleam and Glow, The Stamp Collector, The Quiltmaker's Gift, The Lotus Seed, and Painted Words.

Groups worked quite well together, and we saw a puppet show, a tableau presentation, a drama, a comic strip, and a poster.

Ask your child about his/her project.

Interviews

It was wonderful to meet you all last week.  It was a very successful set of interviews, and I know that by working together, we can advance your students' learning.

If you would ever like to meet again, please write a note in your child's agenda, and we will arrange a time.

The full first term reports go out at the beginning of February, but I would certainly contact you before then if I had any concerns.

Remembrance Day

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day.  As part of the observance of that day, the 3 classes that work together (Ms. Bordonaro's, Ms. Kwong's, and Ms. Halliwell's) will be singing a song at the Remembrance Day assembly.  It is called "Peace is Flowing like a River", and its message is that each of us should try to spread peace, love, and hope throughout the world, just as a river spreads its water.

The classes have been doing a wonderful job learning the song, and creating symbols to hold up during the song.

Eid Mubarak!

I hope you all had a lovely celebration with family and friends.  It was a very quiet few days with your children away from the school!

NEWS AROUND ROOM 204

I'm sorry I haven't been updating the blog.  I have had computer issues both at home and at school.  I really hope to have students doing some blog posts, but the school computer is not letting me write onto the blog.  We can see it, but we can't post!!!!

Terry Fox Walk

On Tuesday, October 8, all of the students of Thorncliffe Park walked around the neighbourhood in memory of Terry Fox, and to raise funds for Cancer Research.  Our class enjoyed the lovely weather, and chanted Terry's name as we did our walk.  The students brought in $21 to help the cause.  Thank you!

Queen's Teacher Candidate

On Monday, October 7, we welcomed Ms. Voksepp to our class.  She is with us until October 25, and will return in December for 3 weeks to complete her block.  The students have made her feel very welcome, and it is wonderful to have her in the class.  She will be doing a lot of teaching in the next week.  Ms. Voksepp has also been teaching the students a few words in her language, Estonian.  Ask your children if they remember any of the words and phrases.

Field Trip to the Toronto Botanical Gardens

Last Wednesday, we went on a trip to Edwards Gardens/Toronto Botanical Gardens.  It was a perfect day, with the sun shining, and warm weather.  We did NOT, however, enjoy the pesky wasps!!!!

We had a chance to hike through Edwards Gardens on our own, doing a scavenger hunt, taking photos, and enjoying nature.  The students saw a groundhog, ducks, chipmunks, squirrels, a dragonfly (up close), beautiful plants and flowers, the river with a waterfall and water wheel, and a forest.

Later, we were led by a guide through the teaching gardens where students learned about plants, the food cycle, conserving energy, and ways to help the environment. 

I took many photographs, and will try to post some at a future date.  Ask your child something they learned on that day.

It was quite enjoyable to be out of the classroom, and to get to know each other a little better during a fun, but educational day!

New format

Hi!

I hope everyone is enjoying Grade 5.

You will notice that the blog now has tabs at the top of the page.  Information will be posted on the blog in the appropriate category.

We are having trouble accessing the blog in class, but it is my hope that eventually, students will be posting in the blog as part of our writing programme.

Ask your child about:

. what we did with bins of books
. procedural writing
. narratives
. place value
. fold the line activity

We have an exciting week coming up: a field trip to the Toronto Botanical Gardens on Wednesday!

I'll see you all on Monday!

Ms. Bordonaro

P.S. Parents, don't forget to write to me in your child's agenda if you have concerns, or if you need to talk to me or notify me of something.

Welcome to a new year!

Hello parents and students from Room 204!

Here we are at the beginning of a new school year, and I am excited to be teaching your children in Grade 5.

This is a great place to look up what is going on in class, see what is coming up, and keep on top of homework and assignments!!!!

We have spent the last two weeks getting to know each other, and learning to work together.

Ask your child about:

Name Art
People Bingo
Me Bags
Reading Interviews
Math Scavenger Hunt

This year, I will be teaching your child Language, Math, and French. They have Ms. Halliwell for Science, Ms. Kwong for Social Studies and Art. Their Gym/Health teacher is Mr. Mouratidis, and their Muic/Drama/Dance teacher is Mr. Kerwood.

Students are required to have indoor shoes that are appropriate for gym class, and have NOT been worn outside, to keep AT SCHOOL!

Agendas have been sent home. If you are able, please send $5 to help with the cost. Agendas are a good tool to help your child with organization, and for you to communicate with me; however, I do not sign them or check them daily. If you wish to contact me, write me a note in the agenda, but please make sure to tell your child to show it to me.

Thank you for sending back the beginning of the year forms so quickly. I look forward to working with your children, and having your support of their learning!

Ms. Bordonaro

Welcome to Term 2

Hello families of Portable 13:

We are now a couple of weeks into Term 2, and that means for Grade 5 students, there are only 4 1/2 months left of their time here at Thorncliffe Park P.S.  Exciting and scary at the same time.  We have SO much to do before then!

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

We are finishing up a few things.  In Language, we are working on a Writing Project.  Students chose their favourite/best entry from their Writer's Notebooks, and are turning it into a larger project.  They must write 2 additional pieces of writing in a different text format about the same topic.  For example, if a student chose an entry on homelessness, and it was an opinion piece, they might do a research paper on homelessness, and a letter to the mayor persuading him to do something about homelessness.  All 3 pieces of writing will be revised and edited, and will be published in an interesting way, and be presented to fellow students and their teachers.  THIS WILL BE DUE THE WEEK BEFORE MARCH BREAK (MARCH 7 OR 8)), SO STUDENTS SHOULD BE WORKING ON IT.

Also in Language, students are split into Literature Circle groups, and are reading different mystery novels.  We have discussed the aspects of a mystery, and how their novel fits into that genre.  STUDENTS SHOULD BE READING THEIR ASSIGNED CHAPTERS, AND COMING UP WITH "GOOD" QUESTIONS TO ASK, THAT THEY WILL DISCUSS WITH THEIR GROUP DURING LITERATURE CIRCLES.  (ASK YOUR CHILD WHAT A "GOOD" QUESTION IS!) THERE WILL BE A FINAL ASSIGNMENT ON THEIR NOVEL (SOMETHING CREATIVE) THAT WILL BE DUE IN LATE MARCH.

We just finished up a Geometry unit where we looked at identifying, measuring, and creating angles.  We identified and sorted various triangles, polygons, and 3-dimensional solids according to their attributes, and created triangles, and nets for prisms and pyramids.  THERE IS A UNIT TEST/TASK ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 (this coming Tuesday).

Students turned the biographies they wrote into a glog (an on-line, interactive poster).  They can be accessed from home computers.  Ask your child!

WHAT'S COMING UP

Our Queen's Teacher candidate will be taking over some of the teaching in the next 3 weeks.  He will be doing a Reading/Writing unit on Greek Mythology, and a Math unit on probability.  By the end of these units, students will be writing their own myth, and creating a game where they must discuss all the aspects of probability that they learn.  Probability is part of the data management unit.  We will be doing a lot of games/experiments/explorations IN CLASS.

Students will have anchor charts up on the walls so they know the expectations and success criteria for these assignments, and will get individual copies as well.  There will be more on these assignments closer to the time.

These units MAY be completed by March break, but we may need to finish after March break.

In connection with Social Studies, we have already started looking at aspects of a civilization, and what a civilization needs and wants.  This will lead to a closer study of Ancient Greece as a class, and other ancient civilizations in groups or partners.

REMINDERS

No school Monday, February 18 - Family Day

No school March Break - March 11 - 15

In this wet weather, it is important for students to have shoes that they ONLY wear indoors.  It is also an idea to keep extra socks/clothing in case they get wet.

Also keep an eye out for students writing blog posts as part of our writing programme.

I will blog again when there's more to tell.

Try asking your children every day, "Tell me something new you learned today."  Or "What did you do today in _____________". 

Have a wonderful weekend.  Happy Family Day!

Ms. Bordonaro

Recent Happenings By Safeer

This week was JAMPACKED. Our Queens Faculty of Education teacher candidate, Mr.Barr, came this Monday. Ms. Bordonaro is really excited about this. Mr.Barr is staying up to March Break, so we are on our best behavior. Next, another co-op student from Marc Garneau High School is going to be staying with us until June, so we have double the minds!

On to serious things, we are doing our writer's cafe. What is this? Well I'll tell you!(Or else this wouldn't be fun to read!) We are choosing one of our orginal pieces from our writer's notebook that we think that is our best. Then we re-read, edit, fix, and make it as best as possible! After that we think of two more pieces that relate to our first piece's topic. Finally, we have a little cafe and present to others!  We'll be eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate while sharing our amazing writing!

Well that's all for now.

S.A. - Student blogger