Classroom Notes - March 2019

Spring is here? There is still a lot of snow and ice in our school yard and the temperature has been very inconsistent. Please be aware that the temperature greatly affects the condition of our school yard. Each year, our yard is always wet, muddy and filled with large puddles. Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately each day for these changing conditions. It is still a good idea to pack extra socks, mitts, hats etc. in your child's bag, just in case.

Lenten calendars - Many students enjoy donating to our school-wide Lenten project by following the calendar that went home before the March Break. Thank you to all parents/students who will be donating their money later in April to support our social justice initiative.

Pasta Day and Bingo - Just a reminder that we will have another Pasta Day on Friday, March 29th. If you have ordered pasta, please remember to send a fork in your child's lunch bag to help reduce waste at our school. Also, we will have our second Bingo Day on Friday, March 29th. All money raised from bingo will allocated to our school-wide Lenten initiative. Thanks again for your generosity and assistance!

Rocks and Rings (Curling Lessons) - On Thursday, April 4th, our grade 3 class will participate in the Rocks and Rings curling program. This activity will be exciting learning and practice for our students. This activity will be held in our gym, not off school property.

Garden Tower Project - We have zucchini growing! The zucchini is still small, but growing very fast. If everything turns out, our class hopes to make zucchini bread/muffins and sell them to raise money for our Lenten initiative. Information and pictures to follow...

Good Friday and Easter Monday - These Holy days in our Catholic calendar will be Friday, April 19th and Monday, April 22nd. There is no school on these days.

Always Learning in Grade 3...

In Math, our students are learning about measuring the area and perimeter of various shapes. In area, we are learning to determine the area of shapes that have half squares/units. We have completed a unit in Geometry and students finished a summative test which will go home this week. Please sign and return the assessment. Next, we will focus on location and movement in Geometry by learning about flips, turns and rotations, as well as movement on a grid. We are continuing to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using various strategies and word problems.

In Writing, gr. 3's are very busy writing adventure stories. We read and looked at the picture book "Jumanji" as a guide to write a successful adventure story. In this writing activity, students are focusing on a big problem, followed by a series of dangerous/exciting events that their main character must overcome. In terms of success criteria, students need to use a variety of punctuation (periods, commas, quotation marks, etc.), adjectives and action verbs. 

In Science, we have started a new unit called "Soils in the Environment." We will learn about soil composition, types of soils, composting and the importance of soil on society and the environment. 

In Religion, we have been discussing the many symbols of Lent, as well as our personal Lenten journey during this important time in our Catholic calendar. On Ash Wednesday, students received their ashes in the symbol of the cross during our school liturgy. We have talked about sin, prayer and forgiveness and they have a deeper meaning/reflection during Lent. As we get closer to Easter, we will focus on scripture as we anticipate the death and resurrection of Christ.

In the Arts, students have been creating a butterfly using symmetry and pointillism as a technique. Next, we will focus our learning of Music in the arts.

Now that the March Break is over, the school will become increasingly busier as we get closer to the end of the school year. That being said, I will be sending home some information about EQAO in the near future. Grade 3's will complete this provincial assessment during the last week of May and the first week of June. Students have been preparing for this assessment and we will continue to focus our learning on curriculum being covered and strategies to ensure success for all. We take a positive approach to this assessment and students will more than ready when the testing begins.

Thank you for your continued support!

Mr. Blais

Classroom Notes - January 2019

Valentine's Day Basket - Thank you to everyone who has generously donated to our class basket. If you have not yet donated an item and plan to do so, please bring in your chosen items as soon as possible. The Valentine's Day dance is a popular event at our school and all classroom baskets will be raffled off during this evening. On behalf of the St. Gregory team, thank you for your assistance and I hope that you are planning to attend. Good luck!

Classroom Garden Towers Program -  At St. Gregory, we are very lucky to have two indoor garden towers for students to learn about plants and a variety of recipes. We have worked collaboratively to make a plan to grow plants to assist others in our community. We will be growing carrots and zucchini and our students are interested in making carrot cake, carrot muffins and zucchini bread. We will be having some raffles at our school and perhaps a small bake sale. Our class has been researching charities in our community to donate to and we will make a decision shortly. More information will follow in the upcoming weeks regarding this project.

Zorbits - A letter went home this week outlining the Zorbits math app for student use at home. Our Board has purchased licencing for this app and it replaces Dreambox. Also, students have their login information glued into the front of their agenda. Zorbits is a excellent app for students to use at home for extra homework practice.

Report Cards - Term 1 report cards will be sent home on February 13th. Our learning skills focus for this term will be initiative and self-regulation. Please be advised that there will be no official sign-up for interviews. I will call those parents who I wish to meet with and schedule a time either before or after school. 

PD Day - Our next PD Day will be Friday, February 15th. There is no school for students on this day.

Always Learning in Grade 3...

In Math, we have just started a unit in Geometry and we will continue to learn about 2D shapes and 3D figures over the next few weeks. Students will build on their knowledge of geometric shapes and learn about right angles, angles less than/greater than a right angle, parallel sides and symmetry. A focus on the attributes of 2D shapes and 3D figures will also assist students during a variety of sorting activities. We are also learning about different strategies for multiplication and division.

In Language, we have been learning about and practicing how to write an organized paragraph. Students are continuing to practice reading comprehension strategies as well responding fully to short answer reading questions. Next, we will focus on persuasive paragraph and letter writing.

In Science, we have conducted a few experiments on strength and stability in our unit "Strong and Stable Structures." We have been learning about different types of materials as well as how shape and design make a structure strong and stable. Students know the similarities and differences between man-made and natural structures. Next, we will learn about struts and ties.

In Family Life, we will focus on the last two topics in unit 2: "Sisters and Brothers" and "What is a Friend?" In Religion, we will focus on several of the teachings and miracles of Jesus as we anticipate the upcoming Lenten season. We we learn about ways in which we can spread the Good News.

Thank you for your continued support!

Mr. Blais

Classroom Notes - November 2018

Wet Weather is Here! - It has been a very wet November so far and we have seen everything from heavy rain, to significant snowfall. Many students have been coming in from recess with very wet socks and other wet clothing items. As previously mentioned, all students need an extra pair of socks, mitts, hats, etc. that they can store in a ziplock bag in their backpack. Also, all students need to have a pair of indoor shoes that remain at school at all times so they walk safely throughout the school, be prepared for a fire drill and participate in gym activities. If your child attends EDP either in the morning, afternoon, or both, please have a plan in place with your child to ensure that his or her shoes are returned to the classroom each day. Please continue to label all clothing items. Our lost and found box is located at the front lobby of the school and it is recommended that you take a look once and a while if your child has misplaced some of their belongings. Thank you for your assistance!

White Elephant Sale - As mentioned in our weekly memo, St. Gregory has a White Elephant Sale in which students will be given an opportunity to purchase Christmas presents for family members. Our White Elephant Sale will be Wednesday, December 12th. You can continue to donate unwanted items to the school at any time leading up to the activity. This event is very exciting for all students!

Advent Mass - Our school will be walking to St. Maurice Parish on Tuesday, December 11th to celebrate Advent Mass. All parents/family members are invited to attend.

United Way Campaign - Thank you to all parents who contributed to our United Way funding drive, especially through our gum and pajama day. Very much appreciated!

Parents Guide to Mathematics - Very useful information for parents in this short document. You can view it at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/parent_guide_math_en.pdf

Always Learning in Grade 3...

In Math, students have completed a money assessment and it will be sent home to be signed next week. Presently, we have started a unit in Data Management. Our students are learning to create appropriate survey questions, complete a survey to determine data and represent the data in bar/pictographs. An important focus in grade three is reading and comparing data in different types of graphs.

In Writing, we are about to begin an exciting winter narrative. We are learning to use quotation marks to integrate dialogue in our writing. Also, we are learning about contractions and students will need to include a variety of contractions in their winter narrative. In Reading, our grade 3's are learning to respond to a variety of reading comprehension questions using the T.A.P.E. strategy (Think, Answer, Proof, Extension). We will practice this strategy throughout the year in preparation for EQAO. In Media Literacy, students will create their own product and design a poster using specific advertising techniques to target their audience.

In Science, students have started to present their natural forces projects. Once again, thank you for your assistance at home for this take-home project. I know that all students have learned many facts about their chosen natural force and that they were very engaged in this learning activity. I will display all projects at the school and they will be returned home in the near future. Next week, I will be sending home Science duotangs so grade 3's can review material for a short quiz. We will begin our next strand in Science (Structures) very shortly.

As we approach the Advent season in our Catholic calendar, will will focus our attention to the importance of symbols and scripture as we await the birth of Jesus. In Visual Arts, we will be using pastels to create a stained-glass effect to create an Advent wreath.

With Christmas approaching, the school will a very busy place. Please continue to read the weekly memos in order to be up-to-date with all the upcoming activities. If you have any questions, please write me a note in your child's agenda.

Thank you for your continued support!

Mr. Blais

Classroom Notes - October 2018

Charity Fundraising at St. Gregory's - On behalf of St. Gregory staff, I want to thank all parents who generously donated to all of our recent fundraising activities. From our Terry Fox Run, our United Way campaign and "We Scare Hunger, " our students are truly demonstrating and experiencing Catholic social teaching. Thank your for your support!

Swim to Survive - We have completed all three of our swimming lessons. Thank you for preparing your child each Friday with their swimming items. I know that all students had a great time. Also, thank you to all volunteers who came out to the Minto Recreation Centre to assist our class. 

Colder Weather Approaching - Just a reminder that all children go outside most days, so it is important that students are prepared for changes in weather. With the wet and cold weather approaching, it is recommended that your child keeps an extra pair of socks, mitts, etc. in their backpack in case their clothing gets wet during the day. Please label all clothing items.

Remembrance Day Liturgy - Our Remembrance Day liturgy will be Monday, November 12th. All family members are welcome to join us in the gym. Please read the weekly memo for more information.

Progress Reports - Progress reports will be sent home on Thursday, November 1. Our learning skills focus for this reporting period will be responsibility and organization. Progress report interviews will be held on Thursday, November 15th. Please ensure that you are reading the online weekly memos for interview booking instructions. At this time, teacher/parent interviews are limited to 10 minutes.

Lottery Calendars - If you are not using any of your lottery calendars, please return them to school if you haven't done so already. All calendars are numbered and recorded and must be returned.

PD Day - Our next PD Day will be Friday, November 16th. No school for students.

Always Learning in Grade 3...

In Math, our class has just completed a patterning assessment. Tests will be sent home next week. Please sign and return math tests after you receive them next week. We have started a unit on money. Grade 3's are learning to represent, add and subtract money amounts to $10. Counting coins at home is recommended since students need practice to develop their confidence with adding, subtracting and skip counting with coins/bills. 

In Reading, we are continuing to work on the "making connections" comprehension skill. Next, our focus will be "visualization." We are learning about text features in both fiction and non-fiction texts. In Writing, students have completed their "Haunted House For Sale" narrative. With a focus on narrative writing, students are beginning to organize and create a personal narrative based on a special memory. In this task, we will focus on using quotation marks.

Instructions for our natural forces take-home project was just sent home. Natural forces is a very exciting topic for students and I know that they will be engaged in this activity. If you have any questions, please write me a note in your child's agenda. We will continue working on the forces strand at school. Our next Science unit will be structures.

In Religion, we have been focussing on prayer. We just had our first Rosary Apostolate with volunteers from St. Maurice Parish. In Family Life, we have learned that we are all unique, but have similar likes, as well as dislikes. 

In Visual Arts, our class is finishing up their representation of autumn leaves with a focus on movement, colour, space and patterning. Amazing work!

Please continue to look at class activities on our Twitter page. I do not post pictures everyday, but try to highlight some of our learning.

Thank you for you continued support!

Mr. Blais

Classroom Notes - September 2018

BBQ/Open House - Thank you to all parents who were able to attend our school bbq and open house. It was a pleasure to meet you! The new school year is always exciting for all; it is a pleasure to work with your child this year. Please do not hesitate to write me a note if you have any questions throughout the year.

Dressing for the Weather - Just a friendly reminder that all children should be dressed appropriately for the weather each day. All students go out for recess most days. Please keep in mind that our school yard is notorious for getting muddy on rainy days. It is recommended that you label all clothing/backpacks etc. since many students have similar items. When you label all items, it makes it easier to return lost clothing and eliminates any confusion. Our school lost and found box is located in the front lobby. Each year, the box is full of lost items, so please remind your child to ask an adult if they can look in our lost and found if need be. Students must have a pair of indoor shoes that remain at the school at all times.

Opening School/Thanksgiving Mass - Our first Mass of the year will be on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 10:00. All parents/family members are welcome to celebrate with us. We will be walking to St. Maurice as a school community, so please ensure that your child's permission form is returned by Monday, October 1, 2018.

Student Portal - All students have access to many apps and their Google account through the student portal on our Board website. The student portal provides students with additional learning opportunities through a variety of apps. To access the student portal, you will first have to go to our Board website: www.ocsb.ca  Next, select student portal. Students will be asked to type their email and password. Student email and passwords are located at the front of the agenda on a white label. Once logged in, students can access the apps.

Reading at Home and Raz-Kids - Students in grade 3 need to read a minimum of 20 minutes each day to ensure that they are acquiring appropriate vocabulary and reading levels. It is recommended that students read a variety of texts, not just their favourite book. That being said, I think very highly of the Raz-Kids program. When students complement their favourite books with the Raz-Kids program, their reading and comprehension abilities improve drastically. I have adjusted your child's reading level according to their ability on the Raz-Kids program. When choosing texts at home, please ensure that it is a "just right" book. If children are reading books above their reading level, their fluency and confidence will be affected.

Swim to Survive - All grade 3's will participate in the Swim to Survive program. A detailed letter about the program, requirements and permission forms will be sent home the first week of October. Our class will have 3 swimming lessons at the Minto Recreation Centre in Barrhaven (Friday, October 12, Friday, October 19 and Friday October 26). I will require a few volunteers for this activity. If you would like to volunteer, please complete and submit a vulnerable police check (online is faster) before the given dates.

PD Day - Please note that Friday, October 5, 2018 is a PD Day. There is no school for students.

Always Learning in Grade 3...

Our class has been very busy in Math. Presently, we are working on counting, patterning and addition.We are learning to count forwards by a variety of numbers to 1000. By taking a problem-solving approach, we are learning about growing/shrinking patterns using addition/subtraction. We have started learning about mental math strategies through number talks. A growth mindset approach to mathematics - as well as all subjects - is reinforced throughout the day. Our students are taught that everyone can do math! We learn from our mistakes, show effort and demonstrate grit!

In Reading, we are focussing on the "making connections" reading strategy. We are looking at some text features in personal narratives and fictional stories. In Writing, students are using adjectives in their descriptive paragraphs to bump up their work. We are focussing on main idea.

Our first strand in Science is "Forces Causing Movement." We are learning about gravity, magnetism, electrostatic, friction and muscular force. We know that a force is a push or a pull and that force can stop, change the speed and/or the direction of an object.

In Religion/Family Life, we are learning what it means to be a Catholic community. Additionally, we are completing our "Samaritans on the Digital Road" lessons. These lessons integrate scripture to teach our students about making positive choices online. Our first unit in Family Life is called "Created and Loved by God." 

In Visual Arts, we have been discussing warm and cool colours. We will be experimenting with the colour white to mix different shades of warm/cool colours for a desired effect. Next, we will integrate math (pattering) with art to create a picture that represents falling leaves. 

Thank you for you continued support!

Mr. Blais

Classroom Notes – May 2018

Education Week/Open House – Thank you to all of our parents/family members who came to many of our planned activities during Education Week: open house, school Mass, Book Fair and/or any other activities. It was a busy week! It was another great experience for all to celebrate Catholic education and our distinctiveness together. It was equally amazing to witness our students playing a few of our Math games with you. Although we have many Math games to play, our students use these activities to reinforce essential concepts in a fun and positive manner.

EQAO – An important letter went home last week regarding this assessment. Just a reminder that our grade 3 class will be completing the assessment on the following days:

• Wednesday, May 23, 2018 (Math)
• Thursday, May 24, 2018 (Language)
• Friday, May 25, 2018 (Math)
• Wednesday, May 30, 2018 (Language)
• Thursday, May 31, 2018 (Language)
• Friday, June 1, 2018 (Language)

It is essential that all students are present on these days and that all students arrive to school on time since we will begin the assessment promptly. As mentioned in the letter, students should eat a big breakfast and have a good night's sleep. Our grade 3's are well-prepared for this assessment. Our students have a growth mindset approach to this test and we have practised and applied strategies to build confidence and ensure success for all. I know that our students are confident, resilient and they will do their best. Results from EQAO testing will be sent home early into the next school year.

Finally some sun and warmer weather! Just a reminder that students go outside for recess – and sometimes gym – on most days. It is recommended that students are prepared for the weather by being dressed appropriately. Many parents apply sunscreen to their child before school on hot days and students can bring extra sunscreen to apply on their own later in the day if needed. No aerosol cans/sprays please! Hats are always recommended. All students still require one pair of indoor and outdoor shoes.

No homework during EQAO – Students will not be receiving regular homework during the next two weeks because of this assessment. Our grade 3's will be working hard over the next two weeks, so it is better if they are well-rested during this period in the school year.

End of year field trip! - A letter will be sent home in the upcoming weeks that will outline our field trip. Our field trip is scheduled for June 20^th.

Always Learning in Grade 3...

In Math, we have covered, practised and reviewed many important concepts in preparation for EQAO. We have learned how the equal sign relates to the concept of equality (algebra), as well as strategies to determine missing numbers in an equation using addition and subtraction (e.g. 5 + 10 = 20 - ___ ). We learned about transformations (translations/slides, reflections/flips and rotations/turns). We have discussed Mass & Capacity and how to convert kilograms/grams and litres/millilitres. Our students have learned about different types of fractions, as well as strategies for division. Over the next few weeks, we will have a few short math assessments in anticipation of the final report card in June. After EQAO, we will have several fun math tasks, including the use of our school OZObots and an activity in which students create their own math game.

In Language, students have been reading a variety of poems and learning about the characteristics of poetry (i.e. lines, stanzas, speaker, etc.). In Media Literacy, students will design their own box for their math board game and use advertising techniques to promote their game to their determined audience.

In Science, we will complete our last strand on “Plants.” This week, our students will learn about the process of germination by growing their own bean plant. We will discuss the basic needs of plants, as well as the major parts of a plant.

In Health, students have learned about the 4 Food Groups and the importance of healthy living/eating habits. Our grade 3's will create a detailed poster to demonstrate their learning of healthy eating habits. In Music, we will learn to sing a few songs in unison, as well as sing a round as a whole group.

I hope that everyone had a memorable Victoria Day long weekend! It will be a very busy finish to the end of the year, so please keep up-to-date by reading school weekly memos and checking student agendas for upcoming activities. Thanks again for your continued support!

Mr. Blais

Classroom Notes - April 2018

Easter Mass rescheduled - Father Tim needed to reschedule our school Easter Mass and our next school Mass will be on Tuesday, May 01 at St Maurice's Parish. All parents/guardians are welcome to celebrate with us.

Education Week - All schools in our Board will celebrate Catholic education from May 7-11. Please check the weekly memo for all activities during this busy week. There are lots of fun events each day including the Book Fair, water walk and our St. Gregory open house, just to name a few. During the open house, our grade three class will be demonstrating their math skills through math games. Hope that you can join us and participate!

EQAO - All grade 3 and grade 6 students will complete the EQAO assessment during the last week of May and the first week of June. Our students have been preparing for this assessment to the best of their ability. A note will be sent home in May outlining the testing schedule and essential preparation at home.

PD Day - There is a PD Day on Friday, April 27th. There is no school for students.

Always Learning in Grade 3...

In Math, students have completed their area and perimeter robots. As well, our class completed an area and perimeter assessment that will be sent home to be signed shortly. Currently we have been working on a number of concepts including multiplication, division and fractions through a variety of activities. Next, we will be learning about reflections, translations and rotations, as well as movement on a grid.

In Language, our class learned to write adventure stories by creating a big problem, a series of dangerous/exciting events and an interesting solution. We were engaged in this writing task by reading "Jumanji" for read aloud. Students were given specific success criteria for this task. Our class really enjoyed this type of narrative writing and we will display our amazing stories on our bulletin board during Education Week. In anticipation of EQAO, we will continue to practice using reading/writing strategies to prepare for the assessment.

In Science, we are continuing our unit on "Soils." Currently, students are learning about the types of soils (sand, silt, clay, loam). We will go outside into our courtyard to conduct an experiment on the different layers of soil, as well investigating the living things that we might find inside the soil within our school yard.

In Family Life, we are learning that families have commitments and that making decisions requires careful thought.

In Health, we have been learning about good, healthy living habits. Currently, we are investigating the four food groups and how to integrate several items from several of these groups into breakfast and snacks. Students will be creating a poster to outline their learning of good overall health.

Thank you for your continued support!

Mr. Blais