I am back!!  I think everyone will be happy to get back to "normal"!  Students completed their social studies and word wall tests today.  A few students were ready to present their speeches.  I am happy to announce that Holly Marshall and Chandler Burnett will be representing our class at the school competition next week.  Way to go and good luck!!

The remainder of the students need to prepare over this long weekend and be ready to present next week.  We hope to have speeches all completed by next Friday.

A reminder that we go to Theatre Orangeville next Thursday afternoon.  We are also waiting for a few curling and kraft dinner order forms to be returned..... sorry there has been so much paper work lately!  As I have mentioned, February is a busy month for us.

Have a nice weekend!

C.H.

Here is an update to what is happening in Portable 9!  Ms. Sidey has continued to do a fantastic job covering for me in the class.  Students completed a geometry test last week, which will be coming home soon for a signature. We are now working on addition and subtraction, multiplication and division.

 Students are also preparing this week for a social studies test coming up this Friday.  They have had the opportunity to create a crib note, one page front and back with jot notes on the various explorers studied.  This crib note can be used during the test.  If your child has not completed this crib note, please ensure it is complete and at school this Friday.  Their social studies notebook also needs to be complete....title page should be coloured and have various labels added to demonstrate their learning during the unit.

Speeches are nearing completion and students are bringing them home this week to put on cue cards and practice for their oral presentations.  Memorization is not necessary, however students should be very familiar with the content of their speech and should not have to read it word for word.  Please give them suggestions on how to best present their speech, by using suitable expression, tone and volume to engage the listener.  Any student wanting to be considered for the school competition next Thursday, Feb. 3rd needs to be ready to present in class this Friday, or Monday at the very latest.  Those not interested in the school competition, have until next Friday to present in class.

Our next science unit will be on electricity.  Students will be involved in a variety of hands on activities with batteries and bulbs, studying how electricity and simple circuits work.

Thanks to those parents who have returned curling and theatre trip forms. Please return these as soon as possible if you have not already done so. February is going to be a busy month!

 I so appreciated the get well cards and wishes I received from the class last week. I am really looking forward to getting back into the classroom later this week. It will be a challenge as I am still relying on crutches to get around, and the winter weather makes access to the portable less than ideal.  I am so proud of the students and the wonderful things I am hearing from Ms Sidey.  They have really stepped up during this unexpected situation!

Hello Everyone!

I apologize for not posting sooner.  As I am sure you know, I am off right now with an ankle injury.  I am having difficulty with my mobility, but hope to be back at school soon.

Ms. Sidey is doing a fabulous job as my replacement in the classroom.  I understand the students had a great ski day last Friday.  Thanks so much to the parents who were able to join the class for a great day in the snow!  We will  also be curling and going to Theatre Orangeville in February, so look for those forms coming home in backpacks soon.

Students are currently working on their speeches in class.  Most should be completing their rough drafts and be starting to revise and edit with support in class.  Students will bring home good copies of their speeches near the end of this week, or early next week.  They will need to put their speeches, or parts of them, on cue cards and begin to practice their oral presentations.  You can assist them by listening and offering suggestions on such things as tone, expression and volume.  Students should be aiming for speeches around 3 to 5 minutes in length. Dates for class presentations are January 28th to Feb 4th.  The school competition has tentatively been scheduled for Feb. 3rd.

Students are also currently wrapping up units on geometry and social studies and will have unit tests in these subjects next week.  Specific dates will be set soon, so watch for these in the agenda.

I will try to continue updating this blog as new information arises.

Sincerely,

C. Hunter

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing holiday season. The students seem well rested and ready for a busy winter term.  We have begun our unit on geometry.  Students are working on measuring angles using protractors and will be constructing various polygons based on specific measurements.  We will have a few small quizzes during the unit and a unit test within 2 weeks from now.  Specific dates will come home in the agenda.

In social studies, as part of our Explorers unit, we will be doing a simulation, which is like a role play.  Over the next few weeks, students will "become" explorers on a ship headed for the "New World".  They will encounter a variety of situations that, as a group they will have to make decisions on.  These decisions will in turn have certain consequences.  Let's hope everyone is able to "survive" their voyage!

Students should be thinking about possible speech topics that we will be writing over the next several weeks.  Topics should be chosen based on current knowledge students have, as well as a strong interest.  If they are not that interested in a topic, they will have a difficult time making their audience interested in listening to them.  More details will come home in an outline soon.

Thanks to those parents who have volunteered to join us for a day of cross country skiing next Friday, Jan. 14th.  All are welcome!  Please send in your payment which covers your lunch and rental before next Friday.  Also please let me know if you are joining us on the bus or if you are meeting us at Mansfield.  We will leave shortly before 9 a.m. and return in time for buses at the end of the day.

Sincerely,

C. Hunter