Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Done until January
- Art Club: Done until January
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 

Don't forget that tomorrow is Warm and Cozy Day! Wear your pajamas, bring some blankets and pillows and prepare to get comfy before our winter break. We will be carolling in the gym at 9:00 am (parents welcome) and then watching "The Polar Express" as a school starting at 1:15 pm. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Done until January
- Art Club: Done until January
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Spirit Week: Warm and Cozy Day

Don't forget that your Book Talk is tomorrow.

I can't wait to hear some amazing book recommendations from all of you. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Done until January
- Art Club: Done until January
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Spirit Week: Door Decorating Contest Judging

I only have one update for tonight. 

The paint dried.

I hung it all up.

IT LOOKS AMAZING!

Grade 4/5 is the best! 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Done until January
- Art Club: Done until January
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Spirit Week: Tuesday - Secret Santa Exchange, Student vs. Teacher Volleyball

Please see the following email in regards to our upcoming Spirit Week:

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Science:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Wrapping/Scrapbook Paper

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Done until January
- Art Club: Done until January
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Spirit Week: Monday- Holiday Dress Up Day

Please see the following email from Mr. Thorne in regards to our Christmas Concert this evening:
​

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Math:
- Grade 4: pgs. 23-24
- Grade 5: pg. 59 #6-8

Science:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Wrapping/Scrapbook Paper

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Done until January
- Art Club: Done until January
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Winter Concert, December 14th
- Fri-yay Popcorn, Friday (bring $2) 

Good evening,

Today in Math, our Grade 4 students continued to practice adding 3-digit numbers. Today we also practiced using base-ten blocks to model adding larger numbers together. We also reviewed the right-to-left and left-to-right strategies that we learned yesterday. Remember, students should choose the strategy that makes the most sense to them. Grade 4 students, don't forget that there is a page for you to practice at home. Just visit "Gr 4," "Math," "Whole Numbers," to access extra workbooks, games, and videos on this unit. 

Our Grade 5 students have moved on to estimating differences. Remember, the difference is the answer to a subtraction question. Students are still using the following estimation strategies learned at the beginning of our unit: compatible numbers, front-end estimation, and compensation. Students will be using all three of these strategies throughout the year, each time we work on a new operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) we will review these strategies. Remember, there are lots of resources under "Gr 5," "Math," "Whole Numbers." Students can access extra games, workbooks and review using some of the instructional videos we use in class.  

Today we learned more about the parts of a friendly letter. We now know that a friendly letter needs:

- a heading
- a salutation (greeting)
- an indent to indicate the beginning of the body paragraphs
- detailed body paragraphs (include full sentences)
- a closing statement
- a signature

We also learned about how to properly capitalize and punctuate different sections of the friendly letter:
​

Today we put into practice what we have been learning by writing to our penpals in Sexsmith, Alberta. We are so excited to be writing to Mrs. Willis' Grade 4 class this year. We can't wait to learn more about these students and their community. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Math:
- Grade 4: pgs. 21-22
- Grade 5: pg. 58 #1-4

Science:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Wrapping/Scrapbook Paper

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Done until January
- Art Club: Done until January
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Winter Concert, December 14th
- Fri-yay Popcorn, Friday (bring $2) 

Good afternoon,

Today in Math, our Grade 5 students reviewed adding larger numbers. This is a concept that students have worked on in other years, however, many of our Grade 5 students are struggling to properly add larger numbers. Mainly, students are not properly lining up their place value places. It is important that students slow down and make sure that all the ones places are lined up, all the tens places are lined up, etc. Check out the video below: 
​

We will be moving on to subtraction next, so make sure you are practicing Grade 5. 

Our Grade 4 students are also working on multi-digit addition. Today we focused on two main strategies that students can use. The first is adding from right to left, as seen in the above video. This is the strategy that most students are familiar with either from previous years, parents, etc. 

In this strategy, students line up their place value places. The begin by adding the ones place. In the example above, students would add 3 + 1 + 2 = 6. They would then add the tens place. In the example above, students would add 8 + 2 + 2 = 12. Since 12 is too large for the answer place (number 10 and up are too big!), we keep the 2 and carry the 1 to the next place value place - the hundreds place. They would then add the hundreds place. In the example above, students would add 3 + 4 + 1 = 8 + 1 = 9. We have to add the extra one that we carried, remember! So the sum to 383 + 421 + 122 would be 926. You can watch the above video for more examples of this strategy. 

You can also add from left to right. This strategy requires carefully considering each place value place you are using:

In this above example, students begin by adding the thousands place (from left to right). Students would add 4000 + 3000 = 7000. Next students move on to add the hundreds place. Students would add 300 + 200 = 500. Next students move on to add the tens place. Students would add 50 + 10 = 60. Finally, students would add the ones place. Students would ad 7 + 2 = 9. Finally, students need to add the partial sums together to get the final sum. Students would add 7000 + 5000 + 60 + 9 = 7569. 

Remember Grade 4's, you are free to use the strategy that works best for you. If you prefer to add from right to left, add from right to left. If you prefer to add from left to right, add from left to right. Just make sure that whatever strategy you use, you carefully line up your place value places. 

We started to decorate our door for our annual door decorating contest today. We are using recyclables (thank you parents for any donations). We are working on an Arctic theme for our door. We are inspired by some of the artwork created by Inuit artists in Cape Dorset, Nunavut. You can see some examples of traditional Inuit artwork in the following video: 
​

​I am excited to see what our finished product looks like and to share it with all of you. Students are off to a great start and we have some great things underway already. 

In Language Arts today, we started to look at letter writing. Specifically, today we talked about the differences between writing a business letter and a friendly letter. Many of these differences have to do with the different purposes and audiences of these letters. For example, you might write a business letter to the head of a company when applying for a job. You might write a friendly letter to a close friend to invite them to dinner. The different purposes and audiences of these intended letters mean that we have to make some changes to the form of the letters we write. 
​

​We will be getting to practice writing friendly letters in more detail this week, as we are going to begin writing to our penpals from Sexsmith, Alberta. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Math:
- Grade 4: pgs. 19-20
- Grade 5: pg. 51 #4, 5

Science:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Wrapping/Scrapbook Paper

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Done until January
- Guitar Club: Thursdays until 4:15 pm 
- Art Club: Wednesdays until 4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Winter Concert, December 14th
- Fri-yay Popcorn, Friday (bring $2) 

We had a wonderful time at Vista Ridge today skiing and snowboarding. Thank you parent volunteers! We had a record number of parents out with us today and we LOVED it. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Science:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Wrapping/Scrapbook Paper

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Done until January
- Choir: Tuesdays until 4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Thursdays until 4:15 pm 
- Art Club: Wednesdays until 4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
​- Winter Concert, December 14th

Thank you all so much for your kindness and patience this week, as well as the get well messages I received. I really appreciated it. 

You should all be incredibly proud of your students for the amount of work that they accomplished each day and their attitudes and hard work throughout the week. It can be difficult having a substitute teacher for one day, but your students made it through three days this week. Each day they got their work done and I couldn't be prouder of their efforts to stay upbeat and positive despite changes to our routines and schedules. They are amazing! 

Next week is a fresh start. I can't wait to get to work on the door decorating contest and performing for the Winter Concert. See you all on Monday! 

Don't forget that Monday is our first ski day! Just a few reminders about this trip. First, snowboarding will not be taught until Grade 6, unless students are experienced (level II or III) snowboarders with their own equipment. Lessons are mandatory for all students on ski days regardless of skill level or ability. We will leave school at 9:00 am and return by 3:00 pm. Students will need to bring their own bagged lunch or money to purchase lunch at the hill. Please note that students are strongly encouraged to bring their own bagged lunch. Students are given the same amount of time for lunch that they receive at school (20-30 mins); if there are long lines at the canteen, etc. it can be difficult for students to purchase and eat their entire lunch in the allotted time, and we don't want any students to risk going hungry. Especially when they are getting so much excercise. It is best to pack snacks to bring with us, and then students can use their own judgement as to whether or not they would like or are able to purchase food. Students bringing their own equipment for skiing or snowboarding, can bring it directly to the Christina Gordon entrance on the morning of December 7th, where transportation will be arranged. The school is not responsible for lost or damaged equipment. Students are reminded to dress for the weather (jacket, hat, mittens, snowpants). If skiing is cancelled due to weather, all attempts will be made to reschedule. If you are a parent chaperone for this trip, we do recommend driving yourself to the hill if possible. You are welcome to meet us at school and follow us or meet us at the ski hill around 9:30 am. Space on the bus is limited because we have four classes attending this trip. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (Dec. 20th)

Science:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Wrapping/Scrapbook Paper

Other:
- Tech & Trades: Mondays until 4:15 pm
- Choir: Tuesdays until 4:15 pm
- Guitar Club: Thursdays until 4:15 pm 
- Art Club: Wednesdays until 4:15 pm
- CG Recyclers: Day 2, Lunch/Recess
- Chess Club: Day 3, Lunch Recess
- Hot Lunches, order at christinagordon.hotlunches.net 
- Ski Trip, December 11th
​- Winter Concert, December 14th