Last post until the New Year!

I hope you enjoy the next two weeks of well deserved holidays with your family. In case there are moments of "I'm bored" by your child, I have listed a few things your child can do which would serve as a review. 

• Know how to spell all the w.w.w. 
• Find words that rhyme with the www (spelling patterns)
• Spell the days of the week (half our class doesn't know how to spell Wednesday)
• Spell the months of the year (many get the French and English spelling mixed up)
• Practise adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers
• Look around your environment and identify 3D solids
• Review what you know about telling time on an analogue clock  (doing this when we come back)
• Observe the daily temperature and notice what changes when it changes by a few degrees
• Go on Raz Kids (remember your log ins are attached to the back of your agenda
• Learn a new prayer (your agenda is filled with traditional prayers)
• Count money amounts

The list is endless.......but most importantly...relax, spend time with your family and have a very Merry Christmas.

Hello everyone,
Even with a snow day to start off the week, our class still managed to accomplish a lot this past week.

In Math, we finished off our unit on Geometry by filling Santa's sacks with 3D solids. Each student wrote clues on the outside of the sack to encourage others to guess what 3D solid was inside the sack. (Thanks to Mrs. G for this engaging activity!) Try to guess or better yet, get your child to tell you what the solid is based on the clues.

In Language, we started our unit on PROCEDURAL WRITING. We reviewed what the class already knew from previous years and we will build upon that.

We looked more closely at how diagrams (a non-fiction text feature) assist the reader to better understand a step in the procedure. The students built a paper airplane by looking at a set of instructions that had few words but plenty of diagrams to help them.
Of course, we all had to test them out!

A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER.......

• Tuesday is pizza lunch for all those who ordered the special lunch.
• Thursday you are all invited to the St. Rita Christmas Concert. This event will take place at 12:30pm in the gym. WE ARE THE SECOND CLASS TO PRESENT IN THE LINE UP SO DON'T BE LATE OR YOU MIGHT MISS US!
• Please see last blog post for a list of Spirit Week days for the week on Dec. 19th-23rd.

Hello Everyone,
Just a reminder of what is planned for next week!

Hello everyone,
We had a jam packed week. Take a look at the photos to see what we've been up to.

In Math, our class was busy building 3D solids by looking at faces, edges and vertices.

In Language, we have been applying what we already know about Non-Fiction Text Features. The students have been very successful using these features to make more connections to the text that is being read.

In Science, we have moved on to our second unit called Forces and Movement. We were introduced to the unit by a Scientists in School workshop.

We even had time for drama! Ask your child what a prop is and what I did with the checkered tablecloth during drama?

 A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER..........

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK IS THE LAST HOMEWORK GOING HOME IN 2016. IT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE USUAL AND YOUR CHILD WILL NEED YOUR HELP TO FILL IT OUT.

• Monday @ 12:45pm is St. Rita's Week #3 Advent Liturgy.
• Tuesday is Pizza lunch for those who ordered it.
• Wednesday is the day the Charities Committee was hoping to have all the food (non-refrigerated milk) for the Christmas hampers. Thanks to all of you who have already donated. Wednesday is also the day to bring in the wrapped gifts for the angel tree if you decided to take an angel.

Hello Everyone,
A new liturgical year has begun. A D V E N T

In Math, our class has been exploring the differences between prisms and pyramids. Faces, edges and vertices are words that have been added to our math vocabulary.

Here in Art, the students learned about the "resist" technique. Its amazing how creative the students were with a roll of painter's tape, water colours and some salt.

St Rita is holding its 4th Annual White Elephant Sale on Friday December 9th. All proceeds will be going to CHEO and Children at Risk. We ask that you please bring in items to donate beginning on December 7th and 8th.

Examples of items that you may donate are: toys, books, household items (frames, mugs, tea towel, costume jewelry etc), holiday decor. Please NO clothing. Grade 6 students have visited the classes with examples of what can be sold so please also speak with your children. All items will be sold for between 25¢ - $3.00, most under $1.00. We will also have items up for raffle. Raffle tickets will be 25¢ each.

This is an excellent opportunity for students to buy gifts for family and friends! Thank you for your generosity.

                                           

           

St. Rita School is proud to announce its continued involvement in the Angel Tree initiative.  The angels on the tree support students from our school as well as students from St. Michael’s School. If your family is interested in participating in this worthy cause, please instruct your child to take an angel off the tree. The angels are organized by gender and age for those who already have a special gift in mind. We ask that the gifts be returned back to the school by Wednesday December 14th. Please wrap the gift and return the angel with the gift. Thank you for your support during this blessed Christmas season.  

 Our class is responsible for the collection of non-refrigerated milk such as soy milk and almond milk. If you can donate, please remember it is due to the school by Wednesday December 14th so the hampers can be assembled and distributed to those who families who are currently in need.

*Subway lunch on Tuesday for those who ordered the special lunch.
*Tuesday is Scientists in School all afternoon. Volunteers are still needed. Please consider volunteering from 11:50- to 2:50pm
*Thursday we are being bussed to St. Augustine's Church for our Advent mass.
* Friday is the White Elephant Sale. Please see information above.

Hello Everyone,

 Many schools have been asked to be a part of the Ottawa 2017 campaign. Our class was asked to write postcards encouraging other Canadians to want to visit Ottawa.  If you have a person in mind where your want your child's postcard to go, please give your child the complete address or write it in the agenda. We will be sure to address his/her postcard to that address. This needs to be done by Wednesday.

 In Math, we are finishing up subtracting 3 digit numbers and are moving to word problems. Most children know at least 1 process to subtract BUT make many mistakes on the mental one digit math. Ex. still guessing that 12-9 = something rather than having that fact established in their head. Please continue to practise these basic facts in order to improve his/her accuracy.

 We are also concluding our Geometry unit by exploring 3D geometry. The focus in grade 3 is how to identify prisms and pyramids by name and how each is constructed (faces, edges, vertices).

 In Language, our descriptive writing unit is coming to an end. Here, we took a paragraph and discussed what could be done to make it better. Pay particular attention to the 4 points on the bottom of the first anchor chart.

Notice the chances made from the first anchor chart to this one.

It's not all work, work, work! Here are the students in gym enjoying a game of modified volleyball. Yes! You are seeing right! Our class played with 4 beach balls. What a blast!
A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER....
Send in the complete address if you know of someone who would get a kick out of your child's postcard inviting them to Ottawa 150.
We are in need of more kleenex in our class. Much appreciated if you could spare a box.
Consider doing a house clean up in anticipation of the St. Rita White Elephant Sale on December 9th. More details to follow. 

Hello Everyone,
We are wrapping up our unit on descriptive writing. As you can see, your child created an acrostic poem using the letters of their name as the beginning of a simile to describe themselves.

Next, each child had to create a trophy for another student describing the attributes they like best about that student using adjectives (See where I am going with this-descriptive writing!).

We had a blast at the dance-a-thon. Thanks to the St. Rita Parent Council for organizing this.

A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER..........
Please check and sign your child's homework duotang for recent math assessments on 2D Geometry
Monday is the last day to order St. Rita Spirit Wear on Cash On Line 
Tuesday is pizza lunch for those who ordered.
Wednesday is photo re-take day.
Thursday is a practice bus evacuation activity for the whole school. 
Friday is a Save the Bees presentation first block. Ask your child about this!

Hello Everyone,
Our class was very respectful during the Remembrance Day Service held in the gym today to honour past and present peacekeepers.

In Math the students seem to have a good grasp on the concept of symmetry.

Our learning goal for the Number Sense strand is to understand at least one strategy to add 3 digit numbers together. Re-grouping seemed to be the most popular strategy the students used when they completed their own work.

Our class practised using the CUBES strategy which they were already exposed to to solve word problems involving the addition of 3 digit numbers.

A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER..........

• Pizza lunch for those who ordered it on Tuesday.
• Library books are always due by Tuesday.
• Lockdown practice on Tuesday this week
• Thursday November 17th is the school dance-a-thon. Our class goes 2nd block.
• Friday November 18th is a PD DAY. There is no school.

Hello Everyone,
In Language, we continue to work on descriptive writing. The students have been busy writing acrostic poems about themselves using similes. Here is a sneak peek.

In Math, we are finishing up our unit on 2D Geometry by exploring the topics of SYMMETRY and whether shapes are CONGRUENT.

In Science, the students watched a brief educational video from Bill Nye the Science Guy. After that we explored how STRUTS and TIES help provide strength to a structure.

A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER.........

• Progress reports went home last week. Please sign and return the envelope
• Parent teacher interviews are Thursday November 10th. An interview invitation went home on Thursday. Please return it to school indicating if the time on Thursday November 10th works for you are if we should meet another time at your convenience.
• Pizza Day this Tuesday for those who ordered the special lunch.
• Remembrance Day Service at 10:15 am in the gym. All are welcome.  

       Are you looking for an awesome

Christmas gift idea?

A special memento for all !

T-shirt, Long sleeve shirt, Hoodie or Zipped hoodie

St Rita School Spirit Wear

available on Cash Online

from November 1 to 21 only

LAST DAY TO ORDER : Monday, November 21

NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED

 Click here to register or sign into your account and pay Cash Online.

Items ordered will be made available for pick-up the week of December 12th.

H  A P P Y     H A LL O W E E N 

Let's start with Language this week. We have been looking at some examples of descriptive text.The students created their "mental picture" of the text presented to them. You can see the top photo left lots to the reader's imagination and many interpreted the text based on connections they already had.  The second photo had much more descriptive text. You can see how most children VISUALIZED the image the author was trying to convey.

We also dug deeper into the meaning of similes and how a writer can use a comparison of two things to paint a clearer picture for the reader.

In Math, we continue to look at 2D Geometry by exploring different ATTRIBUTES of a polygon (side lengths, set of parallel lines and what type of angles are inside the polygon). 

 Once the class understood the concepts, we consolidated our learning by building polygons on the geoboards and discussing the attributes. As you can see by the middle photo, our math ideas continued into the lunch block!

In Science, the class looked at the definition of TENSION and COMPRESSION and connected it back to our unit on structures. See if they can explain how the cables on a bridge help a bridge to be stable.

On a sad note....we have already received 3 red tickets for recycling contamination. Please take any opportunity you can to explain what goes where so we can try our best to not get anymore tickets.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

SCHOOL SPIRIT WEEK - Oct. 31st - Nov. 4th

Students will be encouraged to bring in a donation to participate in each day of Spirit Week.  The class with the most donations (one primary and one junior) will have a “Digital Day” as a reward.  During “Digital Day” the students will have one block of iPads, chromebooks, iPods for fun activities.

Monday Oct. 31st - Halloween Colours Day (Black, Orange, Purple)

Tired Tuesday Nov. 1st - Everyone will be tired from Halloween, so… Pyjama Day! You may also bring in 1 peanut free Halloween treat. PROGRESS REPORTS COMING HOME THIS DAY. SUBWAY SPECIAL LUNCH FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ORDERED IT. ALL SAINTS LITURGY TODAY AT 9:00 AM IN THE GYM.

Wacky Wednesday Nov. 2nd - wear wacky hair today to show your school spirit.

Virtue Assembly at 10:15 am in the gym.

Twin/Triplet Thursday Nov. 3rd - get together with your friends and dress alike.  

Fun Friday Nov. 4th- Chew gum for 2 blocks today.  The SJ club will also have a candy sale in the Learning Commons at lunch.  Each SJ club member will bring in a fraction of their NUT FREE Halloween Candy to sell for .25 to the other students in the school.  We can invite the students with $ down a couple classes at a time.

We will ask the teachers to count the donations collected, and on Monday we will announce the winners of Digital Day.  Individual winning classroom teachers can decide when and how the reward will be given. All proceeds will be given for Social Justice support.

Hello everyone!
We did loads of learning this week.
In Math, we moved on to Geometry. We reviewed and connected to what we already had in our schema and started adding more to our understanding of POLYGONS.

In Language, we began exploring DESCRIPTIVE text. First, we question what makes a good descriptive writing piece. Then, we will have a chance to do some shared and guided writing before the students are asked to do some paragraphs independently. Stay tuned!

We started a partnership with one of the Kindergarten classes at St. Rita. Our class had a chance to read with a buddy on a rainy Friday morning.

I encourage you to continue to see and sign your child's spelling book. It comes home every Monday with your child's homework book and is expected back to school on Friday along with the completed homework. The photo below is an example of the many clues I give the students while they are writing the test. I encourage them to "read the room" as one of the strategies that can be used to figure out how to spell an unknown word. This was for sentence # 4. Check out your child's book.....and don't forget to sign the book and encourage your child to bring it back to school. My pet peeve is when a student tries to blame a parent for not doing this. I tell the students it is his/her RESPONSIBILITY for getting this easy task accomplished! 

In Science, the class did another experiment in class. We explored what GRAVITY was all about. We applied this concept to how THE centre of gravity changes depending on where the load of a structure was.  Ask your child about what would happen if you filled only the top of a new bookshelf with heavy books and left the bottom of the bookshelf empty? Would it be stable or would it likely fall over if something caused it to move? 

A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER.....

Pizza Tuesdays:

November 8, 15, 22, 29

December 13, 20

January 17, 24, 31

February 14, 21, 28

Subway Tuesdays:

November 1

December 6

January 10

February 7

The Social Justice Club is having a Jack-o-lantern raffle on Friday Oct. 28th                                                          The tickets will be sold Wednesday, Thursday and Friday  for 25 cents each.  All proceeds are going to CHEO.

SCHOOL SPIRIT WEEK - Oct. 31st - Nov. 4th

Students will be encouraged to bring in a donation to participate in each day of Spirit Week.  The class with the most donations (one primary and one junior) will have a “Digital Day” as a reward.  During “Digital Day” the students will have one block of iPads, chromebooks, iPods for fun activities.

Monday Oct. 31st - Halloween Colours Day (Black, Orange, Purple)

Tired Tuesday Nov. 1st - Everyone will be tired from Halloween, so… Pyjama Day! You may also bring in 1 peanut free Halloween treat.

Wacky Wednesday Nov. 2nd - wear wacky hair today to show your school spirit.

Twin/Triplet Thursday Nov. 3rd - get together with your friends and dress alike.  

Fun Friday Nov. 4th- Chew gum for 2 blocks today.  The SJ club will also have a candy sale in the Learning Commons at lunch.  Each SJ club member will bring in a fraction of their NUT FREE Halloween Candy to sell for .25 to the other students in the school.  We can invite the students with $ down a couple classes at a time.