Well done reflecting on the strategies you use when reading today! Share with a family member the brain activity we did in class today. Do they use any different reading strategies?

Homework: Please continue to read every night for your book reviews, and keep working on your keyboarding skills!

Remember to bring at least 1/2 cup of dried beans or seeds for art on Wednesday.  

Thank you very much to all the parents and students that attended our Outdoor School Kamp Kiwanis meeting last night.  We are very excited to have this learning opportunity!

Well done on another wonderful week of learning! Thank you for your leadership and hard work making our Terry Fox Run a success. Have a terrific weekend!

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

A special thank you for all the students that shared their paragraphs on their characters of courage over the announcements this week.  It takes courage to speak in front of the whole school! Thank you for donating your Coins for Courage to support Terry Fox and cancer research this week! Reminder that tomorrow is our Terry Fox Run at 9:30. Please wear comfortable clothes, running shoes, bring a water bottle and a positive attitude!

Homework:  Keep typing so you can challenge the test.  We have already had some students that were able to type 26 words per minute in the final test.

Reminder: Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting is tonight at 6:30.  We hope to see all parents.  This will be an excellent opportunity to gather information about Kamp Kiwanis and ask any questions that you may have.  We attend Outdoor School from November 12 - November 15, 2013.

We have been discussing some very important safety rules when using electricity. Look around your house to see where electricity is being used safely.

Homework: Please keep reading for a new book review.  You will be expected to complete a book review for every book that you finish reading.

Reminder: Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting is on Thursday, September 26 at 6:30.  We hope to see all parents.  This will be an excellent opportunity to gather information about Kamp Kiwanis and ask any questions that you may have.  We attend Outdoor School from November 12 - November 15, 2013.

Coins for Courage – Terry Fox Run

-we will hold our annual Terry Fox Run on Friday, September 27^th @ 9:30 am

-we are asking students to donate change for Cancer Research

-donations will be collected each morning

-donations are voluntary

-all students will participate in the Run 

You were fabulous teachers and students today when we were working with large numbers. It takes confidence and courage to teach others what you know.  It was a "hair raising" experience with our science experiment today about static electricity.  Be sure to share your ideas with a family member about how electricity works.

Homework: Do you know what is the largest number named and how many place value positions it has? See if you can find out. Be ready to share tomorrow in class. Please teach your parents or another family member how to read large numbers by playing a game of Face Off.

Reminder: Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting is on Thursday, September 26 at 6:30.  We hope to see all parents.  This will be an excellent opportunity to gather information about Kamp Kiwanis and ask any questions that you may have.  We attend Outdoor School from November 12 - November 15, 2013.

Coins for Courage – Terry Fox Run

-we will hold our annual Terry Fox Run on Friday, September 27^th @ 9:30 am

-we are asking students to donate change for Cancer Research

-donations will be collected each morning

-donations are voluntary

-all students will participate in the Run 

What a pleasure it was for Ms. Makowski and Mrs. Calvert to meet your parents! We are very excited to share your learning journey with the adults that know you the best.

Homework: Please practice reading and writing large numbers.  Grade 5's are expected to know numbers to one million and Grade 6's more than millions. We have included a new math link to assist you with your practice.  Remember to keep typing until you are finished all 16 lessons and come and challenge the test.

Ms. Makowski's Math class - reminder questions 2-7 on page 45 of the textbook are due tomorrow!

Reminder: Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting is on Thursday, September 26 at 6:30.  We hope to see all parents.  This will be an excellent opportunity to gather information about Kamp Kiwanis and ask any questions that you may have.  We attend Outdoor School from November 12 - November 15, 2013.

Coins for Courage – Terry Fox Run

-we will hold our annual Terry Fox Run on Friday, September 27^th @ 9:30 am

-we are asking students to donate change for Cancer Research

-donations will be collected each morning

-donations are voluntary

-all students will participate in the Run 

You should celebrate another AMAZING week of learning!

Homework: Be sure to share with your parents what you think is your best learning smart and explain how this can help all of your new learning. Ask your parents if they agree with you and see if they know what is their learning smart.

Reminder: We look forward to meeting your parents this evening and tomorrow morning. See you on Monday, September 23 to continue our learning adventure together.

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."
  ~Winston Churchill  

You should be very proud of the work that you are doing on your persuasive writing about courageous people. Your courage metaphors are very creative!

Reminder: Please ask your parents to book a Parent-Teacher Conference, either Thursday evening from 4:00 - 8:00, or Friday morning from 8:00 - 1:00.
There is no school on Friday, because of interviews.

Homework: Think about your life and how you use electricity.  What would your life be like without electricity?  Be ready to share your ideas tomorrow. Please continue to sharpen up your keyboarding skills!

Students in Ms. Makowski's Math class - please think about your reference for 1 million, and be prepared to share with the class tomorrow!

Reminder: School Council is tonight at 6:30! Please ask your parents to attend!

Please ask me about joining Youth Council or the Vista Heights Girls Group.

Homework: Please continue to work on your typing skills! Once you have completed lesson 16, you can challenge a typing test!

Great job on writing persuasive paragraphs today! Mrs. Calvert and Ms. Makowski feel inspired by the courageous people you chose to write about. 

Reminder: Please tell your parents that School Council is holding the first meeting Tuesday, September 17^th at 6:30 pm at Vista Heights School

                                -PLEASE ask your parents to attend

                                -Agenda items:  SUTP book sales, Executive Positions available, Updates from the principal and teachers, Wish List from the school and more

Be sure to remind your parents to book a Parent -Teacher interview this week by going to: https://vistaheights.schoolsoft.ca/login.jsf 
Our first interview time this year is very important, as it will give your parents a chance to share information and discuss goals which will guide our learning adventure together. 

Homework: Let's work on improving our typing skills! Please access the Keyboarding Link posted on the blog. Select Tutorials, Keyboarding Tutorials, Lessons, and then select Lesson 1. Please work on completing these lessons throughout the week. Be sure you can pass each lesson with 15 words/minute or more.  Be sure to use home row finger positions. When you have completed lesson 16 you can challenge a typing test to show your skills to your teacher!

Thank you for all your hard work this week! Great job showing leadership in our Virtues Activity Day. Have a fantastic weekend!

Reminder: Please tell you parents that School Council is holding the first meeting Tuesday, September 17^th at 6:30 pm at Vista Heights School

                                -PLEASE ask your parents to attend

                                -Agenda items:  SUTP book sales, Executive Positions available, Updates from the principal and teachers, Wish List from the school and more

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." Nelson Mandela

Our Virtue Activity Day is tomorrow morning! Be prepared to be outside all morning. Please wear a hat and bring a water bottle.

Homework: Find 5 big numbers around your home (this could be from a newspaper or a computer, etc.). Email your Math teacher what those numbers were used for.

Reminder: Information about Parent-Teacher Interviews coming home today.  Interviews are next week on Thursday, September 19 from 4:00 - 8:00 and Friday, September 20 from 8:00 - 1:00. Please book your interview when you are able to attend.  We look forward to seeing all of our Grade 5/6 parents.

Our grade 5/6 community has been asked to demonstrate leadership and courage when working with our grade 1/2 buddy classes. Tell a family member the work we did with our buddy classes this week.

Homework:

• Think of our class discussion on courage. Reflect on one person you think demonstrates courage.  Be prepared to support your thinking with why or how they show courage.

Reminder:

• Please give the notice package handed out today to your parents. 

We have been reflecting on virtues and character traits in class! Please ask a member of your family what your character traits are, and what virtue you are the best at. Be prepared to share with the class!

Homework:

• Please continue reading for our book reviews - deadline to have your first book complete is Friday September 13. Our first book reviews will be written next week.

Welcome to our second week back at school - we hope to have ignited your love of learning (LOL)!

Our grade 5/6 community is beginning to settle into our school routines this week, including regrouping for Math! Try quizzing your parents or a sibling on the 10 test we did today - did you have any of the same answers?

Reminder: Our Virtues Activity Day is on Friday September 13.

Homework: Please continue reading for our book reviews - deadline to have your first book complete is Friday September 13. Our first book reviews will be written next week.

Wow - great job on our first week back to school!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Reminder: The September Newsletter is being sent home today with the oldest student. Please give this to your parents!


"There are no strangers here, only friends we have not met." Anonymous

Thanks for another fabulous day, of great learning and thinking! Please take some time to reflect on our discussion about rights and responsibilities, and your contributions in our classroom.

Reminder:
1. Your "I Can Time Capsule" will be shared with the class tomorrow morning. Be prepared to discuss your creation, including the 10 items / pictures you may have added and how they represent you.

2. Please give the Student Demographic Report to your parents and ask them to make any changes needed and return it to school

Day 2 of our learning journey has come and gone! Think back to our discussion on the Vista Heights School Handbook. Your task is to share important information from the Vista Heights School Handbook with your parents. Please bring any questions you may have to school tomorrow.

Reminder: Go to the Math Link posted on the blog, and try 3 different activities.

Welcome Grade 5/6 Leaders of Learning (LOL)!

Our names are Mrs. Calvert and Ms. Makowski and we are excited to be your teacher team this year. We are looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate our learning successes together! New to Vista Heights this year, along with our school goal to be environmentally aware, we will be using a daily grade 5/6 blog instead of agendas. It is your responsibility to check our blog daily at home, and inform your parents/guardians of important information and events happening at our school. The blog will also post your homework assignments and project deadlines.

For your first homework assignment, please email your teacher 3 things that you noticed about our blog.

Reminder: Back to school information packages were sent home today. Please give these to your parents, and return completed forms to school.

Thanks for a wonderful first day!