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Thank you to everyone who remembered to wear blue or green today for Bell's Let's Talk Day. During Health today the students and I took time out of our day for guided meditation. In our class, we actually begin each day with a mindfulness activity. This is a daily practice for us. However, these are usually very short. Some days we need a little bit more. Remember, most of our guided meditations are available on our Grade 4 or Grade 5 Health page. There is a mindfulness playlist. Try them out at home when you need to find a moment of calm or come back to the present moment. I keep promising students I will add our daily practices to this playlist but I haven't recorded them yet, sorry!

Thank you, also, to everyone who came prepared to give their Book Talk today. I love Book Talk days! It is so amazing listening to students talk about what they have been reading. You come away with a list of books that you would like to read next. I especially love seeing students trade or loan books to one another after Book Talk. Keep it up Grade 4 and Grade 5. You are amazing. We will have one more Book Talk in February before moving on to Book Clubs in March.

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Spelling Test (February 1st)

Math:
- Multiplication Fact Practice (8x, 9x)
- Grade 4:
- Grade 5:

Science:
- Classroom Science Fair (March 7th)
- School Science Fair (March 14th)

Health:
- PEAK (Wednesday)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Grades 4-6, Mondays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Choir: Grades 3/4, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Grades 5/6, Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Girls Basketball: Grades 5/6, Mondays/Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Boys Basketball: Grades 5/6, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Cooking Club: Grades 3/4, Mondays, 3:15-4:00 pm
- Sharpen the Saw Club: Grades 5/6, Wednesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Grades 4-6, Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Grades 4-6, Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net
- Reward Day: Snow Painting, Thursday, February 1st

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Please see the following email from Mr. Thorne in regards to our upcoming Three Way Conferences:

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Wow! We have just passed the halfway point in the school year. This letter is to advise
you of our upcoming Three Way Conferences.

GRADES 1-6
Feb. 7th from 5-8 pm
Feb. 8th from 4-7 pm

KINDERGARTEN
Feb. 20th from 4-7 pm
Feb. 21st from 4-7 pm

You are encouraged to go online and set up appointments with your children’s teachers. Report Cards will be sent home in March.

We believe that early communication with parents and children to discuss the child’s progress is vital, which is why we set up these meetings, usually mid-term. In doing so, parents and child have a discussion prior to the Report Card going home. This allows changes to be made if necessary, to ensure the child’s success. This is a more proactive approach than reacting to the Report Card.

In the case of Grades 1-6 students, just before the Three Way Conferences you will receive a brief progress report for your child (not to be confused with the Report Cards coming home later). This will be helpful to guide discussion at the Three Way Conferences.

We believe there is much benefit in both the parent and child sitting down and having these discussions, which is why we have Three Way Conferences involving all parents, student, and teacher, instead of the traditional Parent-Teacher Interviews. Please bring your child to these Three Way Conferences. For a number of reasons, including the fact that the Term 1 Three Way Conferences were later in Kindergarten than Grades 1-6, our Kindergarten Three Way Conferences are being held at a later time once again this term, on Feb. 20th and 21st.

To book appointments for Kindergarten or Grades 1-6, please go to our school website or follow this link: http://christinagordon.fmpsdschools.ca/view.php?action=signin

If you haven’t already set up an account, you will be asked to do so at that time.

- Rick Thorne, Principal

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (due January 31st)
- Spelling Test (February 1st)

Math:
- Multiplication Fact Practice (8x, 9x)
- Grade 4: pg. 34 #1-2, pg. 35 #1, pgs. 36-37
- Grade 5: pg. 90 #1-3, 5

Science:
- Classroom Science Fair (March 7th)
- School Science Fair (March 14th)

Health:
- PEAK (Wednesday)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Grades 4-6, Mondays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Choir: Grades 3/4, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Grades 5/6, Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Girls Basketball: Grades 5/6, Mondays/Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Boys Basketball: Grades 5/6, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Cooking Club: Grades 3/4, Mondays, 3:15-4:00 pm
- Sharpen the Saw Club: Grades 5/6, Wednesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Grades 4-6, Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Grades 4-6, Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net
- Reward Day: Snow Painting, Wednesday, January 30th
- Bell Let's Talk Day: January 31st (Wear Blue or Green)

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Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (due January 31st)
- Spelling Test (February 1st)

Math:
- Multiplication Fact Practice (8x, 9x)
- Grade 4: pg. 84 #1-5
- Grade 5: pgs. 86-97 #1-6, 8, 10-11

Science:
- Classroom Science Fair (March 7th)
- School Science Fair (March 14th)

Health:
- PEAK (Wednesday)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Grades 4-6, Mondays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Choir: Grades 3/4, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Grades 5/6, Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Girls Basketball: Grades 5/6, Mondays/Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Boys Basketball: Grades 5/6, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Cooking Club: Grades 3/4, Mondays, 3:15-4:00 pm
- Sharpen the Saw Club: Grades 5/6, Wednesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Grades 4-6, Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Grades 4-6, Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net
- Reward Day: Snow Painting, Tuesday, January 30th
- Bell Let's Talk Day: January 31st (Wear Blue or Green)

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In Math today, students practiced and had their weekly quiz on multiplication facts. Today our focus was on the 2x and 4x tables. Next week... 8x and 9x! So start practicing this weekend if you can. The Grade 4 students have started a new unit, Multiplication and Division Facts. We have started this unit by exploring doubling as a multiplication strategy. The Grade 5 students are working on their Multiplying and Dividing Whole Numbers unit. Yesterday and today we practiced using estimation to find products to solve problems. We will continue to practice the above lessons next week.

In Social Studies, students have been working daily on our ongoing regions projects. However, we have also been "investigating" the regions of Alberta more closely. We s started our Geography unit by looking at the provinces and territories of Canada closely. Now we are focusing in on Alberta. Students have been watching a new video each class and asked to use their knowledge of Alberta's geography to infer which region of Alberta the video features. Students are becoming better at using their knowledge of Geography to accurately infer which region we are examining. Students are also asked to look for: natural resources, landforms, bodies of water, and climate information from each video. You can see the videos we have studied on our Grade 4 Geography page. Don't forget, our Canada videos are still posted under Grade 5 Geography.

Unfortunately, we were unable to go snow painting today due to the weather. We will reschedule our Reward Day for Monday. Have a great weekend everyone!

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (due January 31st)
- Spelling Test (February 1st)

Math:
- Multiplication Fact Practice (8x, 9x)
- Grade 4:
- Grade 5:

Science:
- Classroom Science Fair (March 7th)
- School Science Fair (March 14th)

Health:
- PEAK (Wednesday)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Grades 4-6, Mondays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Choir: Grades 3/4, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Grades 5/6, Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Girls Basketball: Grades 5/6, Mondays/Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Boys Basketball: Grades 5/6, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Cooking Club: Grades 3/4, Mondays, 3:15-4:00 pm
- Sharpen the Saw Club: Grades 5/6, Wednesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Grades 4-6, Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Grades 4-6, Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net
- Reward Day: Snow Painting, Monday, January 29th
- Bell Let's Talk Day: January 31st (Wear Blue or Green)

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You are invited to Christina Gordon’s Annual Family Literacy Night What is your Superpower?

Who: All Christina Gordon Students and Their Families
What: Celebrating Family Literacy!
When: Thursday January 25, 2018 from 5:30-7:00 pm
Where: Christina Gordon School Gymnasium and Atrium

We hope you will join us in promoting family literacy at our Super Readers event. We are encouraging all families to come dressed up as their favourite superhero and show off their love of reading. We will be hosting several interactive reading opportunities. There will be a photo booth, crafts, physical activities, healthy snacks and fun door prizes! What is your superpower?

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (due January 31st)
- Spelling Test (February 1st)

Math:
- Multiplication Fact Practice (2x, 4x)
- Grade 4: pgs. 32-33
- Grade 5: pg. 86 #1-3

Science:
- Classroom Science Fair (March 7th)
- School Science Fair (March 14th)

Health:
- PEAK (Friday)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Grades 4-6, Mondays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Choir: Grades 3/4, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Grades 5/6, Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Girls Basketball: Grades 5/6, Mondays/Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Boys Basketball: Grades 5/6, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Cooking Club: Grades 3/4, Mondays, 3:15-4:00 pm
- Sharpen the Saw Club: Grades 5/6, Wednesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Grades 4-6, Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Grades 4-6, Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net
- Family Literacy Night: January 25th, 5:30-7:00 pm
- Book Swap: January 25th
- Reward Day: Snow Painting, January 26th
- Bell Let's Talk Day: January 31st (Wear Blue or Green)

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Thank you to all of our Grade 4 students for all their hard work getting ready for their Math test. We spent time today allowing students to work through the test at their own pace. Afterwards, students worked on assigned work in Mathletics and then this afternoon, in Language Arts.

Thank you to all of our Grade 5 students for being so patient and kind today. It isn't easy to work from your seat quietly while another grade is writing a test. The Grade 4's did it for us last week and I was so proud that the Grade 5 reciprocated this week. Like the Grade 4's, Grade 5 students worked on assigned Mathletics work and then work in Language Arts.

In Language Arts today, students were focused on finishing to type a paragraph that we have been working on. I am really excited that we are going to be publishing these paragraphs so that they can be shared with others, through our classroom website. Stay tuned for students' Google Sites where they will be creating a writing portfolio to share their work throughout the year. It will take us a while to get up and running, but I can't wait to see students finished work.

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (due January 31st)
- Spelling Test (February 1st)

Math:
- Multiplication Fact Practice (2x, 4x)
- Grade 4:
- Grade 5:

Science:
- Classroom Science Fair (March 7th)
- School Science Fair (March 14th)

Health:
- PEAK (Friday)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Grades 4-6, Mondays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Choir: Grades 3/4, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Grades 5/6, Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Girls Basketball: Grades 5/6, Mondays/Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Boys Basketball: Grades 5/6, Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- Cooking Club: Grades 3/4, Mondays, 3:15-4:00 pm
- Sharpen the Saw Club: Grades 5/6, Wednesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Grades 4-6, Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Grades 4-6, Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net
- Family Literacy Night: January 25th, 5:30-7:00 pm
- Book Swap: January 25th
- Reward Day: Snow Painting, January 26th
- Bell Let's Talk Day: January 31st (Wear Blue or Green)

0 Comments

Please see the email below in regards to some upcoming events and activities taking place at Christina Gordon Public School:

Good afternoon,

Just a few updates on events and activities taking place at school. First, within the past week or so you should have received in the mail a survey from Alberta Education. We strongly encourage all parents to complete this survey. While we understand that completing surveys is not everyone's favourite thing to do, this particular survey is very important to help us provide the best education we can for your child(ren) at Christina Gordon Public School. It should only take a few minutes to complete. Sadly, there is not an online version of the survey, so the survey must be completed and mailed back to Alberta Education. Each year Alberta Education does a ‘check-up’ of the education system through the Accountability Pillar. This provides an opportunity for Alberta Education and school authorities to ensure that we are equipping students for success. The Accountability Pillar uses a set of 16 indicators. Data on these indicators consists of surveys of students, parents, and teachers on various aspects of education quality, student outcomes such as dropout and high school completion rates, and provincial assessments of student learning. In February, students and all teachers will be completing their surveys online at school. All surveys are anonymous and ask questions about experiences with your school. In addition to English and French, the parent survey is available in Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic, Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Urdu. Your participation in the survey is extremely important as it helps provide important information on the quality of education your child is receiving, so we encourage you to return your survey promptly. Survey results will be available to us at the school and district level in May, 2018. This information, which will be shared with the public, is very important in assisting us to develop our School Growth Plan, to continuously improve education at Christina Gordon Public School. If you have misplaced this survey, please contact the office as soon as possible so that they can make arrangements to have a second survey delivered to you.

Second, a remind that this Thursday is our annual Family Literacy Night. All Christina Gordon students and their families are welcome to attend. We will be celebrating family literacy, this year with a superhero theme. Family Literacy Night is Thursday, January 25th from 5:30-7:00 pm in the Christina Gordon gymnasium and atrium. We hope you will join us in promoting family literacy at our Super Readers event. We are encouraging all families to come dressed up as their favourite superhero and show off their love of reading. We will be hosting several interactive reading opportunities. There will be a photo booth, crafts, physical activities, healthy snacks, and fun door prizes! What is your superpower?

Third, as part of Family Literacy Night, we will be hosting a Book Swap. Bring a book... take a book! It’s as easy as that! At our Family Literacy Night on Thursday, January 25th, we will have Book Swap tables set up in the atrium. Feel free to bring in any gently used, school appropriate books (ECDP to Grade 6) that your family may be finished with. Then you can pick out some new books to take home and enjoy! The swap will be book for book. Bring 5 books... take 5 books. Book donations are also welcome. We hope to see you there!

Finally, the students have earned over 100 points on our classroom reward board. As such, we will be having a classroom reward day this Friday, January 26th. The students have selected snow painting as their reward. We will be going outside and using food colouring and water, decorating some of the snow around Christina Gordon. We are in need of some containers to make this possible. Plastic water bottles, reusable water bottles that can be squeezed, ketchup, mustard, shampoo, etc. any plastic bottle that can be refilled and then squeezed would be appropriate for this activity. Please send in any containers you have (the more we have, the more colours we can create) and make sure that your student comes prepared to be outside on Friday.

Thank you so much everyone. As always, let me know if there are questions or concerns in regards to any of the above,

- Ashley Barrington, Grade 4/5 Teacher