November 28th, 2016

In Math today, we started to look at our new unit on Whole Numbers. In this unit, students will be working with numbers up to 1 000 000. Today, we discussed the relationship between numbers and worked on expanding our understanding of place value. For example, 

- 10 000 is 10 000 x bigger than 1
- 10 000 is 1000 x bigger than 10
- 10 000 is 100 x bigger than 100
- 10 000 is 10 x bigger than 1000

We used hundreds blocks to help us to see these relationships in greater detail:

- You would need 10 000 ones cubes to build 10 000
- You would need 1000 tens rods to build 10 000
- You would need 100 hundreds flats to build 10 000
- You would need 10 thousands cubes to build 10 000

Using our knowledge of place value, we can start to think about the value of larger numbers. For example, would you rather have one hundred $10 bills or ten $100 bills? Well, one hundred $10 bills would be equal to $1000. Ten $100 bills would also be equal to $1000. Trick question! They are the same amount! 

In Language Arts today we worked on editing and revising entries from our Writer's Notebook as well as our Verb Paragraphs that we wrote last week. Remember, when students edit their work they are looking for:

We are hoping to have both of these paragraphs edited, revised, and published to our blogs by the end of the week. 

In Science today, students shared their device presentations with the class. I was very pleased with how this in-class project turned out. The students worked very hard within their groups to research and build these devices. Student slideshows are available to view on the "Weather Watch" page. We are almost done Weather Watch now! We have one final experiment to complete and then a lesson on Global Warming and we are done! More information will go home at the end of the week about when our unit test will be and what students will need to study. Our next units will be Electricity and Magnetism, and Mechanisms using Electricity. These are two separate units in our Program of Studies, but I always teach them as one longer blended unit. 

In FRIENDS today, students started to discuss positive self-talk. One strategy we discussed today is using mindfulness to help us. When students are feeling stressed, angry, sad, scared, etc. they can focus instead on the positive things that are taking place at that moment. Use your 5 senses. What can you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel that would make you feel happier, calmer, or more relaxed. Then, change your self-talk to reflect this. For example, if you are feeling nervous before a presentation, don't focus on feeling your hands shaking, force yourself to look at a friend who is smiling at you. Focus on their friendly face. Then tell yourself, "My friend is interested in what I have to say." While we can't always help feeling negatively, we can change the way we think. Find a positive thought and share it with yourself. It can be useful to manage those negative feelings and to help us make positive choices. 

Agenda
Language Arts:
- Read 20 minutes
- Book Talk (November 30th)

Math:
- Practice 1x or 2x tables
- pg. 38 #2, 3, 5 (Day 1 - Not Homework)

Health:
- PEAK Basketball (Wednesday)
- FRIENDS Home Activity #3B (Yassmin, Ashton, Dilini)

​Ski Forms - due WEDNESDAY! 
Angel Tree Donations - due December 9th (ask Ms. B for a tag)
Habit 1 (Be Proactive!) Assembly - November 30th @ 1:00 pm (parents welcome)
Tech & Trades Academy- Mondays (3:00-4:00 pm)
Grade 5/6 Guitar Club - Thursdays (2:45-3:45 pm)
CG Recyclers - Day 1 (lunch recess) and Day 4 (lunch)