Report Cards

Report cards will be distributed at the end of the day on Wednesday. If your child will be absent on Wednesday, they will receive their report card on Thursday. If you know that your child will be away Wednesday and Thursday, please let us know and we will arrange to have it available at the office for pickup along with all of your child's school things (notebooks, duotangs, etc.).

Thank you for your cooperation!

Scholastic Reminder

This is just a reminder that several students have still not cashed in their certificate for a book that were given as a Christmas gift. Like I've been telling the students, these can only be used this year and they are a gift certificate (like one from any story) that takes $4.99 off the price of a book (or the book is free if it is $4.99 or less). These are NOT replaceable (like any other gift certificate).

If your child still has their certificate, tomorrow is the last day to submit them and we will have to cross our fingers that the order arrives before next Thursday (the last day of school).

Thanks!

Golf Trip

So it looks like Mother Nature is on our side! There is only a 40% chance of showers now for tomorrow morning which means our Golf Trip is on for tomorrow! Here are a few important things to remember.

1. Please ensure that your child is at school ON TIME tomorrow since we will be taking attendance and then leaving right away. 
2. Please ensure your child brings water, snacks, a lunch, sunscreen, and a hat for tomorrow since we will be outside ALL day. Also, please ensure your child wears running shoes, since it is a long walk, and is dressed appropriately (must meet school dress code and no jeans).
3. A note to all Parent Volunteers: Thank you again for offering to join us on this trip! You will be required to walk with us (both ways) tomorrow in order to help with ratios. So, please ensure you are also well prepared for the day (see #2 above). Thank you again! :)

Math Help (Algebra)

This past week I received several notes with concerns about algebra. Like I told the students, we have been doing algebra for over a month as part of other strands. For example, when we were focussing on area and perimeter, I would give students the area of a figure and the length and then I would ask "What is the width?" This is algebra but I have just recently given it a name :) 

A worksheet that I sent home as homework this past week had some challenging questions on it. I told students when I handed it out that some questions on the sheet were ABOVE grade level and that they should give them a try. I did not expect them to be able to solve all of those ones but this is how we can work towards a level 4 (which is above expectations).

If you would like to do more algebra practice at home, here are some links that you may find useful. As well, before school ends, I will be updating this blog with games and links (to worksheets, etc.) which will be available over the summer. I will not be taking the blog down so if you wish to play some educational games over the summer you can still access them if you wish.

New Game:

Equation Maze

Websites to get worksheets:

http://www.math-aids.com/Algebra/Algebra_1/Equations/One_Step_Integers.html

http://www.math-drills.com/algebra.shtml

**Please note that there is no way to choose on these websites if there are negative numbers or not. At the Grade 5 level, we do not deal with negative numbers but it is an awesome challenge for students who have already grasped this concept.

*We have also reviewed that some worksheets may write things differently. 

For example if the equation wants you to multiply they may write it in 2 different ways.

1. 2a = 6 (a = 3)
2. 2 x a = 6 (a = 3)

We have talked about the fact that #1 is the better way to write it since this will help to limit confusion especially if we use the letter x instead of a.

If the equation wants you to divide, they may also write it in 2 different ways.

1. (as a fraction) b/5 = 4 (b = 20)
2. b ÷ 5 = 4 (b = 20)

We have talked about the fact that #1 is the same as saying "b divided by 5 equals 4" just like #2 but it's another way of writing it.

Please check back later today to see if we will be doing our Golf Trip tomorrow or on Wednesday! Mrs. Haime and I will be making the decision at some point this afternoon or early evening.

Thank you!!!

Thank you to all of the parents who participated in our "Student for a Day" trial! Based on the feedback from parents and students, I think it is definitely something that I will offer again next year. Thank you again for your support!

Grade 5 Field Trip

Permission forms for our Grade 5 field trip went home today. We will be walking to the Kevin Haime Golf Centre on Monday, June 15 (Rain Date: Wednesday, June 17). We are able to do this trip because of the activity fees paid at the beginning of the year. Completed forms are due back no later than Tuesday, June 9. (Completed forms consist of the bottom portion of the first page and the entire second page.)

A copy of both forms has been placed in your child's Google Drive (in the "Homeroom" folder) so that they can be access from home. The second form can also be completed electronically, printed, signed, and returned.

Please check back soon for other important upcoming dates.