Getting into the teaching spirit

We walked in on Morning morning, to find that Snowflake had organized a little lesson for some of our classmate friends.  They were all sitting around her on the back rug as she appeared to be leading a counting lesson.

She also had managed to find a little song book and it was opened to "The First Noel" which was our  final song at the concert last week!  What a clever little elf she is!

The mystery is who this little guy is because no one had ever seen him in the classroom before.  Could Snowflake have invited him back from the North Pole?

Third Week of Advent

I have my camera at school each and every day.  It's one of those things that I need because I never know when something is going to happen that needs to be recorded and maybe even blogged about.  This is Snowflake earlier in the week.  Looks like she was a bit disapproving of the fact that we don't have a Christmas tree up in the classroom, so she dragged out the blocks and created one out of them.

 Then the week took a turn for the worse.  I couldn't find the camera after Tuesday morning.  I looked everywhere but thought I must have left it at home.  Didn't get a photo of Snowflake that day or the next.  I do remember that on Thursday she was in a bucket and she had written a note to ask if she could come to the music rehearsal so she could hear everyone in the class sing.  She even wore a new skirt for the occasion!  The camera wasn't at home and even though we searched the classroom, we couldn't find it!

It wasn't until Friday morning when I mentioned it to the principal that she suggested that maybe someone had put it in the cabinet with the school cameras.  Yes it was there! Hooray!

So I managed to get this one photo of Snowflake hiding among the other toys on Friday.  What you can't tell is that she is way up high.  I would need to stand on a chair to reach her.  The children inferred that she was up so high because she had been touched by a little preschooler the day before.  The good news is that no one in our classroom has touched her, but she might have been trying to play it safe.

This means that I never did get any photos of the darlings on concert night, with their cool shades on, snapping to the beat and singing "Oh there was a little baby, O my Lord!"  It's not often that the Grade 3 students out 'cute' the kindergarten kids, but they did!!!

Look at our stable!  There are some little chicks in there since I took the photo.  I'll total up our generous donations and let you know this week how many animals will be given to needy families through Chalice.

Remember the day that Snowflake hung these ornaments up in our classroom?  We made special snowmen family ornaments with them and they will be coming home this week to remember the gift that Snowflake gave us,

along with this little star that each student made to add to the ambience in the gym for the concert.  I found the idea on tumblr but can't give a specific person credit for the lovely idea.  This too will be coming home this week for your tree.

Remember that on Wednesday we will be travelling by bus to the Ukrainian Village.  I must insist that each student wears snow pants, mittens, a hat, a warm jacket and winter boots as we will be about 40 minutes outside of Sherwood Park.  If the bus were to break down, the students would need to be able to keep warm.  Much of the day will be spent outside enjoying the special treats of being back in time over 100 years ago.  Remember too that the children need a disposable lunch in a paper bag that day.  There will not be any place to store lunch kits or to warm up food.  We will leave before 9:00 a.m. (remember class starts @ 8:43) so please do not be late or your child, sadly, may be left behind. 

Second Week of Advent

What's Snowflake up to today?  That little elf decided that she wanted her name to be up on our word wall!  She even made her own name tag!  Pretty creative!

Does Halloween seem like a long time ago to you?  We read the story "Pumpkin Jack" and found out a pumpkin changes over time.  We decided to look at the process and so we have had our pumpkin in out classroom since Halloween.  Look at how the pumpkin is changing!  We noticed that it is changing both in its shape and texture and that some of the seeds inside sprouted and now are growing leaves.  It's been fun to watch.

Our school's Advent project is to purchase animals through a Catholic charity called Chalice.  We will be requesting that these animals be sent to some of the people in the Philippines that lost their livelihood because of the typhoon.  So far, our school has raised enough money to buy a pair of rabbits, a rooster and two hens, a donkey, a goat and a sheep.  Our class would like to help.  Here's what we are going to do:  On Friday, December 13, the students in the class can wear a Christmas style hat in class for the entire day for the price of $1.00.  It could be a Santa hat, an elf hat, a pair of reindeer antlers, a jiggle bell hat....whatever festive headgear the student would like!  The money raised will go into the fund.  Perhaps we could but some chicks and ducklings?  The cost is $15.00.  Let's give it a go!

See you all on Thursday at the concert.  Students are to be in the classroom @ 6:30.  Our class is wearing black pants or skirts and black tops along with their sunglasses.  They are 'cool'.  After the concert, the students will be back in the classroom.  I will let them exit when I see a familiar adult come into the hallway to pick them up.  Please do not ask them to meet you somewhere.  It will be a tiny bit chaotic with 250 small students and double that in adults, all in the hallway at the same time!  

You are welcome to watch our afternoon performance as well.  I believe it starts at 1:30.

We act for Sandy Hook

One year ago, a tragedy took place that, even today, seems unfathomable.
Our blogging community of educators has committed to performing a random act of kindness on December 14th in honour of our fallen colleagues and the students.  Please consider adding your kindness to the thousands of acts that will be done in memory of Sandy Hook Elementary School.

We will pray for those baby angels.

Multiplying the Fun!

Back a few years ago when I taught Grade 3 before, I would leave the concepts of multiplication and division until May and June to work on.  That frustrated everyone, as the students were preparing for the big provincial achievement exams and the new learning was not solid yet for them to feel comfortable and do their best.  So now, I introduce the concept to them early, in November.....

and nothing gets 'dummied down'...the students are shown the different strategies that can be used to arrive at the product when two factors are multiplied. (Like the use of the correct vocabulary?  It's important that the students understand it, because that is the vocabulary that will be used in algebra in Jr. High...better to start early!)

They know the different properties and can tell you rules such as:

- a number multiplied by zero always has a product of zero.

- a number multiplied by one has a product of that number.

-multiplying by a factor of two is the same as doubling.

-multiplying by a factor of five is the same as counting by fives.

-multiplying by a factor of ten is the same as counting by tens.

The trick is knowing the products so that you don't have to count to figure out the product.

(That is the same as saying....you need to memorize the times tables)

 The students DO need to know their times tables by the end of the school year.  You have all the rest of the school year to work on this.  The students all understand the concept.  They now need to put in the time to know their times tables.  That will be accomplished at home.

Our little Snowflake was so sweet on Thursday.  She sharpened all the pencils in the blunt jar and left every student a nice sharp pencil at their work space.

On Friday, she showed up in this little cupcake outfit.  Turns out that Santa loves to send elves to help children celebrate their birthdays, but they need to write a note to ask for permission for the elf to come for 24 hours.

Here's our little birthday girl!

Assembly for Advent

You would have been so proud of the children on Wednesday!  Both Grade Three classes led the morning assembly and since Sunday was the first day of our new liturgical year, and the first day of Advent, that was the theme of our school wide get together.  The students led the assembly, offering prayer and reading the Word of God.  My grade partner explained the symbolism behind our Advent wreath and I explained to the students about our project, which involves raising money for Chalice, a Catholic charity that serves our Catholic community across the world.  We are hoping to 'fill Jesus' stable' with the animals that would have been there to greet Him when He was born.  These animals will be given to families whose homes and lives were ravaged by the typhoon in the Philippines earlier in the fall.  Please consider donating to our cause.  For more information, please click here:http://www.ccare.ca/animals

The two classes then got together and created their own little Advent wreath to take home to share with their families, hopefully putting it on the supper table as a visible sign of the coming of Our Saviour.

It was a simple enough project, but it challenged some as they had to work with their fine motor skills.  There are a few who could use some practise just tying a simple knot!

The fellowship between the two classes was wonderful, though I don't have permission to show their faces on this blog.

In the end, each child was proud of their accomplishments!

We are grateful to Lacy Rabideau, who shares so many amazing ideas on her blog, CatholicIcing.

  To find her directions, please check here:

Thirty eight individual Advent wreaths ready to send home!

Here's our little girl!  She's been named.  She is Snowflake.  Looks like she is interested in math!  She found the dice and was counting out enough bears to match the pips on the dice.  Glad she's taking in some learning while she's in the classroom!

Special Delivery

The weather outside might be frightful, but the mailman is stilling slogging through the snow to deliver some goodie filled packages to our classroom!

Here's the long, detailed letter from Santa explaining the 'why' and 'how' of the treat he sent inside...

we have an elf to watch over us!  The letter let us know that we must not touch her in case her magic rubs off.  She will fly back to the North Pole each night and let the big guy know how the sweet kiddos in the class did with working hard, listening carefully and filling each other's buckets.  We will be naming her tomorrow!

A second package arrived, this time from Ontario, which is not quite as far away as the North Pole, but definitely a long way off!  It's from an admirer of our blog who follows from afar.  She loves to hear how the students are learning and has sent us books to use when she finds ones that relates to our topics of study.  Isn't she kind?

I gasped when I opened up the package and pulled out the newest Jan Brett book.

I did a happy dance when I opened up the front cover and saw that Jan Brett herself signed our book!  How ever did our friend get that to happen??

As a treat, here's one of the pages from inside the book....when Cinders the chicken sees the invitation to Prince Cockerel's ball.  Can't wait to really delve into this version of the Cinderella story!

 

It is amazing how far reaching the blog is.  I learned during three way conferences, that one family is following a cousin's progress and learning all the way from the Philippines.  Hello to you and keeping following!