Line Delight

Today we had Art and it was awesome because I like Art and we got to do pictures, and we had to do two lines with markers. - Gal

Today we got to do Art, and we even got to make art with just two lines. You can make lots of stuff with just two lines. - Dylan

After lunch we started Art and traced some pictures on the SmartBoard to show the different lines on the pictures. - Jenna

In Art today I made a snowman out of triangles. - Michael

Art was amazing because it's cool that you can do things with just two lines. - Erika

In Art class this afternoon, we were examining lines - how there are lines everywhere, especially when we are looking at pictures. We looked at a couple of images on the SmartBoard, and then used the virtual markers to trace the 'lines' in the picture. After we were done, I moved the original image away, so that only the lines we traced were left. The students were amazed at how you could definitely see the structure of each image in the lines we had drawn. After this, I challenged the students to create four designs, using only two lines, using the following criteria:

1. The lines drawn with a black marker could be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
2. Both lines had to travel in the same direction.
3. The lines did not need to be parallel. One line could be curved, and the other bent.

The students then added colour to their designs, and mounted them onto black construction paper. The students aren't all quite done yet, but I was very impressed with their work. When these pieces are all finished, I'll upload them to our Artsonia account, and post the link on our blog so that you can view them. Here is a sneak preview:

WSO

Today we went to Westview School to watch the symphony, and it was awesome. We got to hear lots of songs by Beethoven, Bach, and Angry Birds. - Dylan

I got to see lots of my friends from hockey and soccer at Westview, and the symphony orchestra was good. - Logan

One of the songs that the symphony did I recognized from a movie. - Braylin

When we heard Angry Birds, it was great. I heard the squawk from the Angry Birds, and the oink from the green pig. - Alexandra

At the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, I liked when they played the C minor song. - Michael

The WSO did a scale, and the violin had a very high note (only one dude can do it) and Paul did the low note on the double bass. - Kurt

One of the songs we had to clap our hands to. When we were clapping our hands, it was from the movie 'Titanic'. - Marie

I went up and they told me to ask the orchestra a question - the question was "From what age did you start playing?" I was talking on this microphone, and my friend was there. - Gal



Blogging criteria

We got back into the lab today to talk more about blogging, and do do some blogging as well (see the pictures below). We talked again about blogging expectations, and how I won't be publishing the students' posts unless the meet the criteria that we talked about (which can be found here). I strongly encourage you to check out the students' blogs here).

As a side note, no matter how good the blogs being written tonight are, I won't be able to get around to publishing them until later in the week, as I'm off to see Rush (my favourite band ever!) in concert! Have a good night!

Studying a habitat

In Science, we are currently studying Habitats and Communities. At Radisson School, we are very lucky in that we have a fantastic habitat to study, which is located a short walk from the school: the Transcona Bioreserve. The former industrial site was turned into a bioreserve years ago for people in the area to enjoy. It contains trails, and is home to numerous plant and animal species (you can find more information on the bioreserve here), making it a great spot for some scientific observations and field notes, related to what we are studying. Below are some photos of the students at work...

Our class is AWESOME!

This has been a bit of a wacky week at work for me. Between being off work (after I injured my back) for a day and a half, and having three afternoons filled with meetings, I don't think I've ever been out of the classroom as much in one week as I have this week. I really don't like being out of the class that much - it's hard work to plan for a sub, and you really have to juggle your day around to make sure that the things you need to be around for in the classroom happen during the part of the day that you're there for (not to mention the 'teachable moments' that you end up missing). However, sometimes you end up with 'the perfect storm', and you just have to deal with it. No matter if I'm sick or at meetings, I'm always wondering in the back of my mind how the students are doing in my absence. Well, here are some of the comments that the three substitute teachers that have worked in Room 18 to this point in the week (I still have more meetings!) left for me:

"Thank you for the great afternoon! The kids are a really nice group. They all worked hard..."
"It was so great to be back in the school! I would love to come back to your class anytime... a great afternoon!"
"Today was awesome! :) This is a great group of kids - they work very well and are hard working! I had a really good time with them - thanks again!"

You can't imagine, as a teacher, how it lifts your spirits when you come back to work after being away, and the first thing you see on your desk is a wonderful note left by the substitute about your class. It makes it so much easier when you do need to be away from the class - one less thing to worry about! I am so lucky to be teaching this group of students, and I am so proud of them - way to go, Room 18!

Multiplication problem solving

Today in Math, the students worked on some multiplication word problems, in order to help them review some of the learning they did last year. I was very impressed with how well the groups were able to draw a diagram for each problem, as well as come up with a number sentence and a word sentence that answered the question - I needed to barely help any groups at all!

Also, the class earned their 20th marble today, which earns them a Mystery Motivator. To get the Mystery Motivator, the class has to earn 20 marbles - they can earn the marbles for things like being really quiet out in the hall for their bathroom/water break, working quietly and/or cooperatively in class, or when another teacher compliments the class on what a great job they're doing elsewhere in the school. The class has no idea what the Mystery Motivator is until the 20th marble is earned, at which time the surprise is revealed to them. The first Mystery Motivator was that the class will watch a movie tomorrow - way to go, room 18!

Open House tomorrow!

I just wanted to post a quick reminder to the caregivers of my students that tomorrow is Radisson's Open House, which runs from 5:30-7:00. Come and join us for a barbecue, and then stick around to meet me and to see your child's classroom. See you there!

Francais! Fantastique!

We went outside for gym. We had fun in French. - Kyra
Jade handed out real shark teeth to the whole class from a beach where she found them. - Alexandra
Today we learned French. - Hailey M.
We got shark teeth from Jade today, and my shark tooth had red on it. - Michael
Today we learned lots of new words in French that we didn't know, and we got to do Choir for the first time in Grade 4. - Dylan
It was almost the most awesome day ever - it was the first day of French class. There was a magic line we crossed, and we couldn't talk English or Russian or any other language except French after we crossed it. - Gal
Today (and French) was 'tres bien et fantastique' (that means 'very good' and 'fantastic' in English, just in case you don't know French). - Braylin

Today was a big day, as we began studying French. The students were excited, as (unless they were in a combined Grade 3/4 classroom last year) this is the first year they get to study French in school. It was exciting (or nerve-wracking!) for me as well, as I've only ever taught French once before (a few years back, when I taught a combined Grade 3/4 class). I was really excited to start using the AIM program that I learned about last year, as I was getting ready to make the switch from Grade 3. The AIM program is unique in that every word/phrase you teach the students has an accompanying gesture that goes with it, making it easier for the students to remember these words and what they mean... not to mention it makes it a lot more fun! The students had a blast (they wanted me to add extra French to the schedule today, after we had our first class!), and it was also a lot of fun for me to teach it. If you want to know more about the program, you can check out the website here. Ask your children to show you 'their moves' when you see them - I think you'll be quite impressed!

Time Capsules

Oops... I guess the students aren't the only one who are getting back into routines - I planned on posting to our blog yesterday, but totally forgot to, and didn't remember until I got back to work this morning! Oh, well... I'll get back into the swing of things eventually!

Yesterday, the students started working on their Time Capsules. They wrote down some of their favourites (i.e. food, music, etc.) on a sheet, and traced their hands and feet. Today, they measured their heights, and did some writing about their summer. We're creating these Time Capsules now, and will put them away until June - it should be neat to see what remains the same and what changes!

We also started Social Studies today - the students were studying the globes and maps, trying to find Canada, and describe its location, relative to other countries, continents, and oceans.

The first day of Grade 4!

Hello again! After a fantastic summer (that seemed to go by so quickly... as usual!), it's great to be back for another year in Room 18 at Radisson School! Things are going to be a little different for me this year, as after years of teaching Grade 3, I've 'graduated' to Grade 4! A lot of the routines and activities will be similar to what we did last year (with higher, Grade 4 expectations, of course!), but lots of things will be different. However, on the other hand, I was able to retain about two-thirds of the students I had in my class last year... which is great, as I was fortunate to have such a great group of Grade 3's! We have a couple of new faces to our school who have joined our class this year, as well as six students who were a part of the Grade 3/4 class at Radisson last year. All in all, it looks like another wonderful group of students to spend the next (nearly) 200 school days with, so I'm really looking forward to it!

We hope that you come back and visit our blog often this year, to see what goes on in our classroom on a daily (almost) basis. Here are some initial thoughts from the students of Room 18 (with one more student to join us tomorrow), on this first day of the 2012/13 school year:

Today at Radisson in Room 18, we got to decorate our own book bins for Daily 5 in our class. - Joey
We got new desks and new people in our class. - Alexandra
Today we got new pencil boxes with crayons and pencil crayons and pencils. - Michael
On the first day of Grade 4, we got to do a welcome and a welcome assembly - it was so fun! We also got to have Phys. Ed. on the first day. - Dylan
We got to decorate our big book bins, and I drew Plankton from Sponge Bob on mine. - Mikayla
Today we got to do a really fun Math game on the SmartBoard. - Jade
We're back!!! - Braylin
It's so, so awesome that we got to colour our own book bins, and me and Kurt scribbled all over ours. - Logan
In Gym, we got new Frisbees and they had toads on them, and they have chickens on them, and they have lobsters. - Lexi
Today in Gym, there was Frisbees and footballs, and I played with Kyra with the frisbee and the football. - Marie
I was really nervous to go back to school, and we got two new people in our class. - Ava
It was nice seeing everyone again! - Jacell
I am so happy to see my friends again! - Cameron
Today in Phys. Ed. we got to play with the Frisbees, and I played with Marie, and we only caught twice before, and then we played with the football, and then we had to go out for recess. - Kyra
In Phys. Ed. today, I played with Lexi with the Frisbee and the football. - Jenna
I played in the gym with my friend Michael, and scribbled all over my book bin. - Kurt
I had an awesome day! - Erika
In gym, me and Denisse were playing with the Frisbee, and I kept throwing it to her and she kept catching it. It was really fun! - Hailey M.
That was a really exciting day. I'm still scared to get a needle! - Gal
I am new to this school this year, and I was shy, but I made some great friends. - Denisse