Week 8

This week we had an expert from Green Calgary give us a presentation about landfills. We learned that the garbage in our landfills are compacted and that it takes a really long time for garbage to decompose. Once the garbage is compacted there is no more room for oxygen which means that decomposers like worms, bacteria, insects, fungi and microorganisms are not able to break down the waste.

We were given the challenge to build a model of a landfill. We had to protect the ground water underneath the landfill from the leachate that might seep in. Leachate a harmful liquid that is made from the mixing of garbage and rainwater. If leachate gets into our ground water it can contaminate it. Some of our models were successful and some were not so successful, but we kept trying and showed our Growth Mindset.

In Science, we went to our assigned classrooms and collected their recycling, compost and garbage. Today we sorted through what we had gathered and wrote down our observations. We will be using the data we collected to determine the next steps in our WM inquiry.

In Social Studies, we continued learning about Alberta. We have been working on a map of Alberta to understand the boundaries of the different regions. The six regions of Alberta are Canadian Shield, Foothills, Rocky Mountains, Grassland, Boreal Forest, and Parkland.

In Math, we started addition. We showed our understanding using the base ten blocks strategy.

We have been working on writing. We have been practicing how to write a strong sentence using the 4 Strong S's. The four Strong S's are Specific, Sensory Words, Strong Verbs and Show vs. Tell. 

Next Week's Spelling Pattern:

R-Controlled Vowels - Bossy R! 

When the letter r follows a vowel, the vowel is usually forced to change its sound. That’s why we call it the “Bossy R.” In most small words with one vowel in the middle, that vowel has a short vowel sound as in the words bad, hen, sit, fox, and fun. 

The sound of the vowel changes if we replace the last letter of each of these words with the letter r: 

Fat changes to far

Cat changes to car

Hen changes to her

Sit changes to sir

Fox changes to for

Fun changes to fur. 

Reminders:

In-line Skating - Please return the signed blue form for in-line skating by Thursday November 1st. We will be starting our first session on Friday November 2nd. Please have your child bring their helmet to school if they have one. 

Halloween - This year at Panorama Hills School students will be allowed to dress up for Halloween. This will take place in the afternoon only on October 31st. If you choose to partake in this activity, please ensure your child has a costume that can be worn under, or easily put on over their clothes. Because of the high volume of children changing all at once, they won't be able to use the bathrooms to change into their costumes. Wearing a costume is optional. Your child may wear orange or black clothes, Panorama Hills School spirit wear, or their regular clothes. 

Winter Weather Clothes - Please remember to have children bring snow pants and boots during the colder, wet season. The field can get very wet as snow melts. Extra socks in their backpack would be great as well. 

Week 7

In Science, we visited classrooms and conducted wms surveys. We collected information about each classroom's wms. We asked each class about the number of compost, garbage and recycling bins they had; how many students put compost in the compost bin; how many students put scrap paper in the recycling bin; and how many students put drink containers in the recycling. We then compiled all of our data into a data chart. We will use this information to help us improve the school's waste management systems. 

In Math, we reviewed how to represent numbers to 10 000 in different ways. We had an assessment on Thursday to show our understanding of representing numbers and will now be moving onto addition and subtraction strategies.

**If you would like to continue helping your child with number sense at home, ask him/her to show you how to represent a 3 digit or 4 digit number using a place value chart, base ten block pictures, word form, expanded form and a number line. You may also ask them to show you how to draw and use a number line to round numbers to the nearest ten/hundred or thousand.**

In Social Studies, we started a glossary which includes words we might not understand in our Social Studies textbook. This will help us learn the words in our textbook so that we can understand what we are reading.

This week we joined Ms. Lobel's class to listen to Ms. Paull read us a book called "What is Peace?". We had a discussion about what peace means in our world and society. Then we wrote down what peace means to each of us.

Today we had an assembly and were given a cardboard challenge! It is inspired by Caine's Arcade. We will need cardboard, such as boxes, cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, etc.

Next Week's Spelling Pattern:

Middle and Ending Consonant Blends

This week we focused on consonant blends that come at the beginning of words. Next week we will focus on consonant blends that come at the middle and end of words. 

A consonant blend is 2 or more consonants that come together in a word. Their sounds blend together, but each sound is heard. For example:

sk as in risk 

ld as in cold

pt as in crept

Practice words will be:

sound dusk​ refund​  cold​  skunk​  absent  blended unfold   

Reminders:

Cardboard Challenge - We are collecting Cardboard for our Cardboard Challenge. Donations of boxes, cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, etc…. Donations are being collected in the Grand Hall behind the blue partition.

No School - On Friday, October 26th teachers are having a professional learning day, so there is no school for children.

Halloween - This year at Panorama Hills School students will be allowed to dress up for Halloween. This will take place in the afternoon only on October 31st. If you choose to partake in this activity, please ensure your child has a costume that can be worn under, or easily put on over their clothes. Because of the high volume of children changing all at once, they won't be able to use the bathrooms to change into their costumes. Wearing a costume is optional. Your child may wear orange or black clothes, Panorama Hills School spirit wear, or their regular clothes. 

Winter Weather Clothes - Please remember to have children bring snow pants and boots during the colder, wet season. The field can get very wet as snow melts. Extra socks in their backpack would be great as well. 

Week 6

In math, we have been rounding to the nearest 10. We started rounding numbers to the nearest 100 and will continue working on this next week.

This week, the Military Museum shared their artifacts with the Grade 4 classrooms. We were able to see helmets, food, footwear, a cloth poster to warn civilians about landmines, clothes for different environments, doll made from yarn, and mess tins for shaving and cooking/eating.  

 

In social studies, we started learning about Alberta's symbols. We made our own Google slides about Alberta. We created slides for Symbols of Alberta. On each, we posted a photo and wrote a caption.

In science, we received an email from Ms. Paull asking us to look at the waste management systems in the different classrooms. We generated ideas about how we could collect data and all agreed that a survey would help us collect this information. We will be visiting classrooms and conducting surveys next week.

Next Week's Spelling Pattern:

Consonant Blends

A consonant blend is 2 or more consonants that come together in a word. Their sounds blend together, but each sound is heard. For example:

gl as in glove

dr as in dream

str as in straight

scr as in screen 

Practice words will be:

protect      front        craft      scared      trace    splinter     screech     spaces     stuff      greedy

Weekly Reminders:

Scholastic Book Order - Please return any scholastic book orders on Friday, October 19th.

Picture Day - The children's individual photos will be taken on Thursday, October 18th. 

No School - On Friday, October 26th teachers are having a professional learning day, so there is no school for children.

Halloween - This year at Panorama Hills School students will be allowed to dress up for Halloween. This will take place in the afternoon only on October 31st. If you choose to partake in this activity, please ensure your child has a costume that can be worn under, or easily put on over their clothes. Because of the high volume of children changing all at once, they won't be able to use the bathrooms to change into their costumes. Wearing a costume is optional. Your child may wear orange or black clothes, Panorama Hills School spirit wear, or their regular clothes. 

Winter Weather Clothes - Please remember to have children bring snow pants and boots during the colder, wet season. The field can get very wet as snow melts. Extra socks in their backpack would be great as well. 

Grade 4 Assembly

The Grade 4 Assembly is tomorrow at 10:00am. The grade fours will be presenting in an assembly about empathy for the school. Parents are invited to come and watch! 

Week 5

We have been preparing our for our upcoming assembly on Friday, October 12th. We have been working hard on planning empathy skits and will start filming next week. Please practice the song "Walk a Mile" which we will be singing for our assembly.

In math, we have been rounding to the nearest 10 with numbers from 0-100 and 100-1000. We will eventually work with numbers from 1000-10000. We also learned about the difference between numbers, numerals and digits. Please see the video below.

In science, we researched our waste wonders and worked on collaboratively posting them on Google slides.

In social studies, we continued learning about Alberta. We used our Alberta video notes to describe what we noticed on the flag of Alberta. 

https://tinyurl.com/kxm3lvd

This week we had children's author, Cathy Beveridge visit our classroom and teach us about "The S's of Strong Writing". As writers it is important to help the reader create a picture in their and have strong feelings when they are reading our writing. We might ask ourselves "Is my writing strong?", "Does it make a picture in my head?", "What does it make me feel?"

The S’s of Strong Writing 

Specific

Sensory words

Strong Verbs

Show vs. Tell (proof)

5. 
   

   

   A sample of student's strong sentences.

   

   Another sample of student's strong sentences.

This week we continued sharing our personal artifacts. We continued to work on our presentation and audience skills. 

Next Week's Spelling Pattern:Soft g and soft c. 

The letter g has a hard sound, as in 'gift' and a soft sound, as in 'strange'.

The letter c has a hard sounds, as in 'cactus' and a soft sound, as in 'celery'. 

Often the c and g makes a soft sound when followed by 'e', 'i' or 'y'. 

Practice words will be:

edge, gentle, baggage, gerbil, energy, stage, strange

circle, center, cement, price, decide, celery, force

Weekly Reminders:

Grade 4 Assembly - On Friday, October 12th at 10:00am the grade fours will be presenting in an assembly about empathy for the school. Parents are invited to come and watch! 

Thanksgiving Long Weekend - There will be no school for students on Friday, October 5th and Monday, October 8th.

The Military Museum - On Tuesday, October 9th The Military Museum will be sharing their historic artifacts in the STEM Room with our class. We will continue to share our artifacts next week.

Winter Weather Clothes - Please remember to have children bring snow pants and boots during the colder, wet season. The field can get very wet as snow melts. Extra socks in their backpack would be great as well. 

Homework: Practice for Long Vowel Dictation tomorrow

The students will be having their Long Vowel Sound Dictation tomorrow, October 4th. They have been asked to bring home their Linguistic booklets to practice their dictations with their families. For more practice, students can continue creating extra practice sentences using words from their spelling pattern lists. 

Remember to highlight words with long vowel sounds and underline the spelling patterns in these words. I will be looking to see if you can recognize words with the long vowel sounds and if you can identify the spelling pattern used in these words. See the example below.

The boat has arrived.

**Remember bring their booklets 

back to school for tomorrow**