Hello Parents!

Lots of new and exciting things have been happening in our classroom! It’s kind of like a fresh new start for everyone!

Today we finally got into our new Unit of Inquiry topic, Matter! Since I was able to get my hands on a TV this morning, we watched a few introductory videos, including Bill Nye (which the students were pretty happy about). As students were watching these videos, they were also filling in a worksheet on solids, liquids, and gases. This was a great way for them to pick up key concepts, so they will have some background knowledge when we start discussing it in more detail. Students were given a blank piece of paper for their title page, which was assigned for homework. They also have a basic worksheet to fill out, where they must fill in the blanks using the words from the word bank (at the bottom of the page). I have also given them a few other print outs of useful information they can refer to throughout this unit, as well as a list of questions that we will be covering (focusing on one question per day). These papers will be kept in their UOI duotangs, and should not be removed until our unit is finished.

Tomorrow we will be starting on our new math unit, which is Unit 5: Data Management. This unit will tie in nicely with out UOI unit, as we will be interpreting and displaying data as we learn about various aspects of Matter. It’s all about making connections through inquiry!

I handed back the Unit 4 math tests (on decimals) today-  they should be signed and returned. After talking to a few students, as well as running it by a few teachers, I have decided to change a few marks on some students’ tests. The reason for this is because there appears to be a discrepancy between the way the previous teacher taught some lessons, and the way I have taught some lessons. With that being said, I will be reviewing the marking scheme again, and will giving students the mark for a few questions they might have gotten wrong. Going forward, students are reminded that when it says to “Estimate each sum or difference,” they should be ROUNDING TO THE NEAREST WHOLE NUMBER AND THEN SOLVING THE EQUATION. They should be rounding to the nearest whole number, unless the question indicates to round to the nearest tenths, hundredths, etc. I have specified that in class numerous times; however, some students may have gotten confused based on being told something different prior to me teaching. My apologies for the mix up, and I can ensure you that this will not happen again, since I will be their teacher for the rest of the school year. Again, we are starting a new unit, so it’s a new start going forward. Just to clarify, the marks from the Unit 4 math test will NOT be going towards the next report card. It will however include Unit 5 (Data Management), which we will be starting from the beginning tomorrow.

Just a few things before I go:

1.       Students must complete a title page and the fill-in-the-blank worksheet for homework. Both of these items are related to our new Unit of Inquiry (Matter).

2.       Students must read Chapter 12 in their novel study book (Percy Jackson).

3.       Please sign your child’s unit 4 math test, and make sure they bring it back to school tomorrow.

4.       We have our lesson 13 spelling test on Friday, December 2^nd!

5.       The students have a FRENCH test on Friday, December 2^nd!

6.       The MYP’s bake sale has been extended to tomorrow!

7.       The Science Fair boards and projects can be taken home! Poster Boards left in the classroom by Friday, December 2^nd will be thrown out. So please claim them!

8.       The Art Reach Workshop will be on Friday, December 2^nd, from 12pm-2pm. Students who are on my list have made a note of it in their agenda. Please remember to bring in an old t-shirt to wear on top of your uniform.

9.       Our class will be singing, “Santa Claus is coming to town,” at the Christmas concert this year. We will be making time to practice soon! (Get your singing voices ready!) We will also be deciding on what to wear, and the props we should use. I will keep you all posted!

10.   The grade 3 classes are organizing a food and toy drive, and are asking for non-perishable food items, as well as new toys/ books. We will be collecting them from November 30th until December 21^st. This time of year can be difficult for many families, so let’s try to help out those who need it!

11.   Please remember to look over the “Secret Santa” gift exchange form I sent home with your child. If you would not like you child to participate, please send me an email, or write a note in their agenda. If it’s okay for your child to participate, please have them fill out the form, and bring it back to school by TOMORROW. We will be drawing names at the end of this week. The price limit will be $10, and we will distribute gifts on our last day of school (Thursday, December 22^nd).

If you have any questions or comments, please send me an email! I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

Hello Parents!

After Gym today, the students wrote their Unit 4 (Decimals) math test. Based on how quick most of the students were done, I think it went well! After recess the students had Music, and then we worked on our UOI. Students completed the last part on their “K-W-L” chart for Ancient Civilizations/ Ancient Egyptians, and began filling out a new “K-W-L” chart for the new UOI topic (Matter). If this wasn’t completed in class, the students were assigned it for homework. The first two parts on the new chart is to be completed independently, as it will help to see how much your children know prior to being taught about it.

After French, (as a class,) we talked about the “Secret Santa,” gift game, and went over key rules. I sent a form home with each child- please read over it, and if it’s okay for your child to participate, please have them fill out the bottom half and bring it back to school by THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1^st. Again, participation is not mandatory, so don’t feel obligated to allow your child to partake in this activity.

Just a few things before I go:

1.       Tomorrow is CASUAL DAY!!

2.       Students must INDEPENDENTLY complete their “K-W-L” chart on Ancient Civilization/ Ancient Egyptians, as well as their “K-W-L” chart for Matter.

3.       Students were assigned P#53-56 in their Spelling Workbooks (both the red and blue book). Some students were able to start/ finish this work if they completed their math test early.

4.       Students must read Chapter 11 in their novel study book (Percy Jackson).

5.       Please sign your child’s spelling test, if you haven’t done so already.

6.       Parent-Teacher interview forms are due on TOMORROW! ^.

7.       The students have a FRENCH test on Friday, December 2^nd!

8.       The Science Fair boards and projects can be taken home! Poster Boards left in the classroom by Friday, December 2^nd will be thrown out. So please claim them!

9.       The Art Reach Workshop will be on Friday, December 2^nd, from 12pm-2pm. Students who are on my list have made a note of it in their agenda. Please remember to bring in an old t-shirt to wear on top of your uniform.

10.   Our class will be singing, “Santa Claus is coming to town,” at the Christmas concert this year. We will be making time to practice soon! (Get your singing voices ready!) We will also be deciding on what to wear, and the props we should use. I will keep you all posted!

11.   There has been suspected cases of lice at St. Jude’s Academy. I have sent home information about it on Monday, so please make sure you read over the whole thing.

12.   The MYP hosted a bake sale today, and they will do it again tomorrow. If you’re able to, you can send some change with your child, so they can purchase some yummy treats! With our test and everything going on today, we all forgot to check it out, but I will make a note for us to go tomorrow!

13.   The grade 3 classes are organizing a food and toy drive, and are asking for non-perishable food items, as well as new toys/ books. We will be collecting them from November 30th until December 21^st. This time of year can be difficult for many families, so let’s try to help out those who need it!

14.   Lastly, please remember to look over the “Secret Santa” gift exchange form I sent home with your child. If you would not like you child to participate, please send me an email, or write a note in their agenda. If it’s okay for your child to participate, please have them fill out the form, and bring it back to school by THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1^st. We will be drawing names at the end of this week. The price limit will be $10, and we will distribute gifts on our last day of school (Thursday, December 22^nd).

If you have any questions or comments, please send me an email! I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

Hello parents!

I must start off with how impressed I was with all of the UOI presentations today! The artifacts and poster boards looked wonderful, and each group’s descriptive explanation of their Ancient Civilization was very informative. I think we all learned many interesting facts about life back then, as well as how it has contributed to our lives today. I will be posted pictures later tonight!
These presentations ran longer than expected, and with the unexpected practice fire alarm, we were unable to squeeze in our math review. Although this may seem unsettling, I do not feel worried, as the test we will have tomorrow is quite easy. I have asked the students to take home their math textbook, as well as their workbook, so they can practice questions we have learned about. Since we take up the answers to their math homework as a whole class, they should have the correct answers in their book (if they have gotten them wrong). By reviewing this, it will give them the opportunity to reflect on questions they may have gotten incorrect the first time, and can try them again. The students should look over all of the lessons covered in unit 4 (decimals).

After our math test tomorrow, we will be tying up loose ends with their Ancient Civilizations unit, and I will be handing back their marked rubrics for their project/ presentation. I will be available to speak with any students who have questions about their marks (although I highly doubt they will be disappointed, since they all did quite well). Once that is finished, we will begin our new UOI lesson on the topic of…. MATTER! This will be a good one, since I will be running the show from the beginning, rather than being tossed in mid-unit. We will have lots of experiments and fun inquiry based opportunities! Can you tell I’m excited about it?! I hope your children are just as excited as I am!

Just a few things before I go:

1.       Tomorrow is our Math test!! (Unit 4- Decimals).

2.       Students must read Chapter 10 in their novel study book (Percy Jackson).

3.       Please sign your child’s spelling test.

4.       Parent-Teacher interview forms are due on Wednesday, November 30^th.

5.       The students have a FRENCH test on Friday, December 2^nd!

6.       The Science Fair boards and projects can be taken home! Poster Boards left in the classroom by Friday, December 2^nd will be thrown out. So please claim them!

7.       The Art Reach Workshop will be on Friday, December 2^nd, from 12pm-2pm. Students who are on my list have made a note of it in their agenda.

8.       Our class will be singing, “Santa Claus is coming to town,” at the Christmas concert this year. We will be making time to practice soon! (Get your singing voices ready!) We will also be deciding on what to wear, and the props we should use. I will keep you all posted!

9.       There has been suspected cases of lice at St. Jude’s Academy. I have sent home information about it- please make sure you read over the whole thing.

10.   The MYP will be hosting a bake sale tomorrow and Wednesday! If you’re able to, you can send some change with your child, so they can purchase some yummy treats!

11.   The grade 3 classes are organizing a food and toy drive, and are asking for non-perishable food items, as well as new toys/ books. We will be collecting them from November 30th until December 21^st. This time of year can be difficult for many families, so let’s try to help out those who need it!

12.   Last but not least, our class has been showing interest in having a “Secret Santa” gift exchange within our classroom. If you would not like you child to participate, please send me an email, or write a note in their agenda tomorrow. We will begin working out details, and drawing names sometime this week. We are thinking the price limit would be $10, and we will distribute gifts on our last day of school ( Thursday, December 22^nd). Again, I will keep you posted!

I think that’s it for now. I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

Hello, parents!

The students started their day off with Music. We then had our lesson 11 spelling test, as well as our math review for unit 4 (decimals). I have decided to push the math test to Tuesday (November 29^th), which will give me one extra day for a full review. Based on the involvement of students in class discussions, as well as the results of their in-class textbook work, and homework results, I feel confident that the students will do great on their unit 4 math test!

In UOI, the students worked on their final summative projects. It has come to my attention that the outline for the assignment is slightly confusing regarding the written component expectations. With that being said, after talking it over with another teacher who has previously taught this lesson, she advised me to instruct students to only display the artifact information on their presentation boards. This will give the students the opportunity to orally deliver the other information pertaining to their chosen civilization. In other words, when students are presenting their civilization to the class, they can talk about the characteristics, the physical and social aspects, and the contributions their civilization has made towards our lives today. Therefore, since they are talking about those things, they won’t have to include them on their presentation board, which allows them to include the artifact information only.

Just to clarify what I’m looking for when it comes to the aspects in their civilizations:

1.       CHARACTERISTICS: any important and interesting information relating to that civilization’s government, religion, writing and art. They can also talk about the food they ate, the music they listened to, the clothes they wore, the beliefs they had, etc. The more information the better, so we can get a thorough understanding of their civilization.

2.       A)    The PHYSICAL aspects: the land type, the layout of the area, the major cities, the types of trees/ plants/ animals that were in that civilizations, and any type of significant landmarks that were important to the people.

B)      The SOCIAL aspects: anything relating to the people of the area, the foundation of their families, the jobs they had, the roles they played, information about their enemies (and why they were their enemies), etc.

3.       The CONTRIBUTIONS made towards our lives today: anything that was created or done in the chosen civilization that has played a role in shaping our lives in today’s society. How and why? (For example: a) the civilization might have used a specific knife while hunting, and today, we continue to use that knife, b) the civilization used to chant religious songs, and those songs are still sung in churches today, c) the civilization believed in a specific ritual when one passes away, and in some religions, those rituals are still carried out prior to burial. All of these are just examples, but the students should find at least one contribution, whether big or small.

The mentioned aspects will be verbally presented; however, the students can also include it onto their boards (including it on their boards is optional).

When it comes to the written component, this should be typed up and displayed on the poster board (Bristol Board). This will be about the artifact, and should include the following information:

a)       Explains what the artifact is

b)      Explains how the artifact is used

c)       Describes how old the artifact is

d)      Describes where the artifact was found (maps are helpful to display this information)

e)      Describes how this artifact has influenced our lives today. The relevance can be big, or small, depending on the artifact chosen. (e.g. People still use this artifact/ versions of this artifact, etc).

I hope all of this information was helpful. I tried to go over all of it with the students in class today, but in case they forget, at least this blog will contain the added information. I understand that this project has been quite rushed, and I apologize for the confusion. Hopefully it will be a fresh new start for all of us on Monday, when we start all of our new units! I’m looking forward to having full control from the beginning, rather than being tossed into things mid-unit. And on that note, I thank all of you for being so understanding during the passed two weeks.

Just a few important notes before I leave:

1.       Report cards were sent home today. Please be expecting them.

2.       UOI is due on Monday (November 28^th).

3.       Students must read Chapter 9 in their novel study book (Percy Jackson).

4.       Unit 4 math test will be on Tuesday, November 29^th.

5.       Parent-Teacher interview forms are due on Wednesday, November 30^th.

6.       The Science Fair boards and projects can be taken home! Poster Boards left in the classroom by Friday, December 2^nd will be thrown out. So please claim them!

7.       The Art Reach Workshop will be on Friday, December 2^nd, from 12pm-2pm. Students who are on my list have made a note of it in their agenda.

I think that’s pretty much it for today. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and feel free to contact me with any questions/ comments!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

Hello, parents!

It was wonderful meeting many of you at our Science Fair today! Your children definitely all deserve a round of applause, as each and every one of their experiments had something great about it! I have almost finished marking them, so they will be ready to go back home tomorrow!

Although we only had the first half of the day to get some work done, I think the afternoon break was well deserved. I’m impressed with how well the students are dealing with the heavy workload, and I know things will calm down just a bit, once we start our new units next week. Before we all know it, it will be Christmas break, so just hang on a little longer!!

Just a few quick notes for today:

1.       In math, we took up lesson 9 (dividing decimals by 10). It’s the last lesson for Unit 4, so tomorrow we will have a review, and I’m thinking about scheduling the unit test for Monday (just to get it out of the way, so we can start a new math unit, along with the new UOI unit). Once I work out the dates on my schedule tonight, I will let parents know by tomorrow via the blog I’ll post in the evening.

2.       For our UOI, the students continued working on their artifacts. Tomorrow is the last in-class time they have, before it’s due on Monday morning (November 28^th). Generally, only one student out of their group will focus on the board, while the other partner focuses on the artifact.  I have been seeing both group members sharing the workload, which is totally okay too. Feel free for your children to organize with their partner to meet up on the weekend to get everything finished. Again, it will be due this Monday!

3.       December lunch order forms are due tomorrow (November 25^th).

4.       The students have their French spelling test tomorrow!

5.       We also have our Lesson #11 spelling test tomorrow!

6.       The PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEW FORMS are due on Wednesday, November 30^th!

7.       The ART REACH WORKSHOP for Grade 5 will be on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2^nd from 12pm to 2pm. Since uniforms are to be worn, it was advised that students bring an old t-shirt (or art smock), so their uniforms don’t get messy. Although I don’t know much about this, if you have any questions, please ask me and I’ll acquire the answer from someone more informed. Please note that not all students are participating, as I have a list of about 10 students from our class. If you cannot remember if your child is involved or not, I can make a note of it in your child’s agenda.

8.       Last but not least, REPORT CARDS GO HOME TOMORROW!!! Please look out for them! Although I didn’t write them, seeing as I’ve only been their teacher for two weeks now, I will try my best to answer any questions you may have. I know it’s been pretty chaotic during the transition; however, next week we will be starting new units in everything, so it will be like a fresh new start for everyone. I’m looking forward to it, so I hope you are too!

Again, congratulations on surviving through our hectic Science Fair projects! Now you can all get a good night’s rest! Have a wonderful night!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

The Science Fair was a BIG success!! Thank you to all the hard working students, as well as their helpful parents! One project down, a million more to go!

Hello, parents!

I know how fast the time flies, so I don’t want to take up too much of it! Just a few important notes:

1.       In math, we took up lesson 8 (multiplying decimals), and then learned about dividing decimals by 10 (lesson 9). For homework, students were assigned p#62 and 63 in their workbook; however, like yesterday, many of them were able to complete this work in class again!

2.       For our UOI, the students will began working on their artifacts. Again,  please make sure they bring whatever materials they may need, as many students were unable to start this component due to a lack of specific supplies. I was able to go to the dollar store yesterday, and picked up some materials, but as you can imagine, those materials can only help out so much. I gave out Bristol boards today, so students can start working on their presentation boards as soon as possible. Only one student out of their group will focus on the board, while the other partner focuses on the artifact.  

3.       The Science Fair is TOMORROW!!! At this point, your child should just be putting last minute touches on their poster boards. I highly suggest you refer to the booklet I put together, which includes a template of a poster board, as well as the rubric I will be using to mark each project. It will be helpful to follow these pages, as all of the requirements and expectations are listed directly on it! Many parents have emailed me to tell me how useful that booklet is, so if you haven’t looked at it yet, you might want to as soon as possible! Remember, you are more than welcome to come join us tomorrow too! Parents are able to come from 2:30-3:30pm, and our Grade 5's will be set up in our classroom!

4.       December lunch order forms are due this Friday (November 25^th).

5.       There will be a French test this Friday (November 25^th), and Mme. Stella is available during recesses for extra help.

6.       We also have our Lesson #11 spelling test this Friday! I know… so much to do!

7.       I handed out the PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEW FORMS today. Please fill them out and send them back as soon as possible, as the time slots are booked on a first come basis. We will be accepting these forms until Wednesday, November 30^th.

8.       The ART REACH WORKSHOP for Grade 5 will be on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2^nd from 12pm to 2pm. Since uniforms are to be worn, it was advised that students bring an old t-shirt (or art smock), so their uniforms don’t get messy. Although I don’t know much about this, if you have any questions, please ask me and I’ll acquire the answer from someone more informed. Please note that not all students are participating, as I have a list of about 10 students from our class. If you cannot remember if your child is involved or not, I can make a note of it in your child’s agenda.

As you are assisting your child with their homework/ projects, please email me if you need extra information, or have any questions! Good luck, and I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

Starting our day in a productive way! The students are working hard on their UOI artifacts!

Hello, parents!

Just a few brief notes, so you can spend most this evening helping your child, instead of reading my long and boring blog!

1.       In math, we took up lesson 7 (subtracting decimals), and then learned about multiplying  decimals by 10 and 100 (lesson 8). For homework, tudents were assigned p#60 and 61 in their workbook; however, many of them were able to complete this work in class (yay, them!).

2.       For spelling, students were assigned p# 45-48, but again, some students were able to complete all of this work in class!

3.       For our UOI, students should have completed all (or most) of their research for their selected Ancient Civilization. Tomorrow the students will begin working on their artifact, so please make sure they bring whatever materials they may need. I will be giving out Bristol boards tomorrow, so students will also be able to start working on their presentation boards.

4.       The Science Fair is this Thursday!! At this point, your child should have already tested their experiment, and have gathered all of their results and analyzed them. They should be in the process of typing up their information (if they haven’t done so already), and start creating their poster board. I highly suggest you refer to the booklet I put together, which includes a template of a poster board, as well as the rubric I will be using to mark each project. It will be helpful to follow these pages, as all of the requirements and expectations are listed directly on it! Many parents have emailed me to tell me how useful that booklet is, so if you haven’t looked at it yet, you might want to as soon as possible!

5.       December lunch order forms are due this Friday (November 25^th).

6.       There will be a French test this Friday (November 25^th), and Mme. Stella is available during recesses for extra help.

7.       The ART REACH WORKSHOP for Grade 5 will be on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2^nd from 12pm to 2pm. Since uniforms are to be worn, it was advised that students bring an old t-shirt (or art smock), so their uniforms don’t get messy. Although I don’t know much about this, if you have any questions, please ask me and I’ll acquire the answer from someone more informed. Please note that not all students are participating, as I have a list of about 10 students from our class. If you cannot remember if your child is involved or not, I can make a note of it in your child’s agenda.

I think that summarizes all of the important notes for today. As you are assisting your child with their homework/ projects, please email me if you need extra information, or have any questions! Good luck, and I hope you all have a wonderful night!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

Good evening, parents!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

I will try to make this week’s blog as condensed as possible, (I apologize for rambling!)

The students wrote the new spelling words (lesson #11) in their agendas this morning. They will also be on the right side of this blog, so you can refer to them all week.

After, the students got into their UOI groups, and started working on their final project. I must say, I was extremely impressed with how prepared and productive they were during the allotted class time. If they continue to work this hard, they will have no problem getting everything completed by the due date. With that being said, I was told the outline was slightly confusing in regards to the date it is to be completed by. Students will have class time all this week to work on their assignment. The last day of class time will be this Friday, November 25^th; however, the actual project is due on Monday, November 28^th (a week from today). This gives students the weekend to put any last minute touches on their assignment, before they must bring it in completed on Monday, November 28^th, and ready for their presentations. Since students are to be working in pairs, it is important that each child does what is necessary at home/ in the classroom to ensure they complete the assignment on time. I asked the students to plan with each other, so some at-home research can be completed, allowing them to be prepared for tomorrow’s UOI period. Again, students are recommended to bring their own devices, so they can do research while in their groups.

We learned about subtracting decimals in math, and their assigned math homework in their workbook is on P#58, 59.

Just a few reminders:

1.       Mme. Stella asked me to let parents know that your children will have a French test this Friday (November 25^th). She said she is available during recess all week, so your child can go to her room for extra help, if needed.

2.       Please sign your child’s spelling test (lesson 10), and return it tomorrow.

3.       The SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS are due this THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24^th! Yes, that means they are to be fully completed by the time they come to school on Thursday morning! We will not have time for students to work on this in class, as it is an independent work project that must be completed at home. I met with students who have approached me with questions/ concerns, and I tried to address those common questions with the whole class. If your child seems to still be confused, please email me, and I will try to reply as soon as possible. Feel free to also make a note in their agenda, and I will reply once I see it. In regards to this THURSDAY (24^th), parents are welcome to attend our Science Fair, and we ask that you come anytime after 2:30pm. It will be set up in our classroom until 3:30pm, and I will be taking pictures and posting them for parents who are unable to make it.

4.       For our UOI final project (Ancient Civilizations), students are to make an information board (I will be supplying Bristol boards), as well as an artifact. For the artifact, students are given the freedom to create anything of their choice, as long as it related to their selected Civilization. I will be providing basic art supplies (paper, crayons/markers, glue, etc.), but students are to bring in their own materials to help construct creative masterpieces. They can bring in clay, fabric, etc., and will have time this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to work on it in class. With that being said, coming to class prepared is essential for their success!

5.       December lunch order forms are due this FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25^th.

6.       I have received the schedule for the ART REACH WORKSHOPS. The students from our class will be participating on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2^nd from 12pm to 2pm. Since uniforms are to be worn, it was advised that students bring an old t-shirt (or art smock), so their uniforms don’t get messy. Although I don’t know much about this, if you have any questions, please ask me and I’ll acquire the answer from someone more informed.

7.       I have noticed that some students are not completing their assigned homework. Please look at their agenda, or read the blog daily, so you know what they are expected to do. If they come to class unprepared, they will be lost when I teach the following lesson, and it will be difficult to catch up, since we are covering a lot of information in a short period of time. If your child is unable to complete their homework, a brief note (in their agenda/ on a piece of paper/ via email) will be helpful, so I know they had a respectable reason. I appreciate your cooperation!

8.       A BIG thank you to everyone who helped with any donations for the fundraisers recently. It is all for a good cause, so any contribution is appreciated!

Hope everyone has a good night! 

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

I am so impressed with my students! They are making use of their class time to research and plan out their Unit Of Inquiry final assignment! Great job on gathering information over the weekend, and coming to school prepared and ready to share with your partners! We are off to a wonderful start!

Hello, parents!

I apologize for the late post!

I just wanted to say it was nice meeting so many of you during my first week at St. Jude’s, and I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and introduce yourselves. Your kind words are motivating, and I will continue to try to be the best teacher for your children.

As I’m sure you’ve heard, we accomplished a lot today.

The students started the day off with Gym, and then went directly to French. After that, they were stuck with me for the rest of the day!

We had our spelling test after first break, and then we had math. As a class, we marked our homework and explained any questions that were confusing. After working out these mathematical problems on the whiteboard, the students appeared to understand it better after hearing solutions from their peers! I then introduced the new lesson on Adding Decimals, and the students were instructed to complete their textbook work. For homework, they must complete Page #56 and 57, which corresponds to the lesson that was taught in class.

After 2^nd break I handed out the Final Summative Project for our Unit of Inquiry on Ancient Civilizations. I went through the whole package with the class, and suggested that they highlighted specific information so it stands out. Students were given the chance to pick their own partners, and then each group of two were set up to pick a civilization. I wrote out 10 different Ancient Civilizations on pieces of paper, put them in a bag, and students were able to blindly pick one. Although some students seemed to be unhappy with their selection, I reminded them that they should be open minded, and still try their best to learn as much as possible. Who knows, maybe after researching and planning, they might grow to love their topic! All students were told to take this summative package home for the weekend, so they could start their research. Parents, please feel free to take a look at this package, and let me know if you have any questions or concerns. The due date for this final summative will be Monday, November 28^th, so please encourage your child to complete the necessary steps to ensure that they are making use of the limited timeframe, at home and at school.

I sent the Science Fair poster boards home today, so hopefully your child will be able to start putting their display together with the required information. The Science Fair is on Thursday, November 24^th, so that really only gives us a few more days to complete our experiments and put together our displays. While working on this project with your child this weekend, please email me with any questions/ comments, and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible.

 Just a reminder that the December Lunch order forms are due on Friday, November 25^th.

I hope you all have a wonderful (and productive) weekend! I’m an email away if you need me!

Ms. Ramnarine

Grade 5

St. Jude’s Academy

Snack time! All this learning can really work up an appetite!

Good evening, parents!

Although our Grade 5s were on their curling trip for most of the day, we were still able to have a productive day.

We started off by working on our Unit of Inquiry, and learned about Religion and the Incan Gods. They were given an assignment to use the information on these Gods, and create a mask to represent one of them. They were also instructed to include a written component, explaining why they chose to draw specific characteristics, and the meaning behind their logic. I told them to be as creative as possible, and to think outside of the box by using their imagination. A lot of students were able to complete this whole assignment in the allotted class time; however, some students were off task and therefore must complete their assignment as homework.

While this independent assignment was being completed, I was trying my best to individually meet with students to go over their Science Fair project. I was able to conference with a few students, but it appears that I will have to continue with these meetings tomorrow, as more direct attention is necessary. With the whole class as a group, I briefly went over the Science Fair booklet I put together, and explained what each component needed. I told the students to look over the booklet tonight, compare it to the information they already have, and to make notes about what they need more explanations on. This way, I will be able to focus my time on specific questions they may have. Please encourage your children to review the booklet, as they only have 1 week left to prepare for the Science Fair. With that being said, tomorrow I will be sending the Poster Boards home, so your children can start putting it together over the weekend. Next week will be very busy with final assignments and other important things, so I suggest they start creating their displays as soon as possible. Again, if you have any questions/ concerns, please send me an email and I will try my best to reply as quickly as I can.

After the students came back from their curling trip, I let them eat their snack, as they were very hungry because they worked up an appetite! While they ate, I continued to conference with students about the Science Fair, and allowed for them to complete their UOI mask assignment with the few minutes we had left. Then we all blinked and the day was done!

Just a few reminders before I go:

1.       We have our spelling test tomorrow! Lesson 10 in both the red and blue book. Happy studying! J

2.       If UOI mask assignments weren’t completed in class, they are to be done for homework! I’m hoping to put them up on display in the hallway!

3.       The Science Fair is on Thursday, November 24^th, and in order to participate, the students MUST have their whole project completed and ready for judging! Parents are welcome to come view our projects on this day between 2:30pm-3/3:30pm.

4.       The December Lunch order form are due on Friday, November 25^th.

5.       The basket auction form was sent home again today, and contributions will still be accepted although it says the deadline has passed. Any item associated to our “Game Night” theme is greatly appreciated. If you are unable to purchase an item, a monetary donation is also okay, and an item will be bought in your honour. This gift basket will be auctioned off at the Christmas concert!

6.       Last but not least, tomorrow the students will be given their final assignment for their UOI unit. If they have devices they can bring in, please send it with them tomorrow as it will help with their initial research. This assignment will be due on November 28th, so they will have to work extra hard next week on both the Science Fair project, and this final assignment!

Hope everyone has a good night!

Ms. Ramnarine
Grade 5
St. Jude's Academy