Nov. 13-17

It is hard to believe that we just completed our last week in Term 1. Report cards will be sent home Monday and Term 2 officially begins. Students will have a new PVA class, but the rest of the learning will continue much as it has all year.
Looking Ahead Important Dates
Monday, Nov. 20- Report Cards go home
Thursday, Nov. 23- Book Orders Due
Thursday Nov. 23 (4pm-8pm) and Friday Nov. 24 (8am-1pm) - Student Led Conferences
Friday, Nov 24 No School
Humanities
This week in humanities we began our in depth look into each of the regions. Students should have submitted their completed work on the Interior Plains to freshgrade. If this isn’t done your child will need to finish it as homework. We devoted a lot of class time to it this week and there will not be any more time in class provided. Next week we will begin learning about the Cordillera. We finished “The Wild Robot” this week. It had a very suspenseful ending and the students are looking forward to reading the sequel when it is released in March. We are wrapping up our final project for the novel study. Their CSI assignment should be complete and submitted by Tuesday. We have a couple more connections to make with other classes and then we will wrap up Global Read Aloud. Our next in class read aloud will begin Tuesday.
Math
This week in math we began to investigate multiplication using the array method.  Samples of this method can be viewed on FreshGrade under the assignment “Number Pieces Array Practice”.  This is a concrete, visual way of demonstrating double digit multiplication, and a method that many students gravitate to, as it allows them to multiply using friendly numbers in our base 10 system.  In the coming weeks we will explore more sophisticated methods of this model as well as introduce the students to other methods of multiplication (including the traditional algorithm that most of us grew up using).  Students can continue to practice their multiplication facts at home.  
Science
This week is science we looked at the difference between weather and climate.  We also began our daily weather observations and set up a table in Numbers on our iPads to record daily weather observations.  This will enable to us to make predictions based on quantitative and qualitative data as well as to do some of the work of meteorologists.    
Family Groups
Connect is participating in the Mayor’s Food Drive CANstruction Jr. competition.  On December 1, each family group will be creating a sculpture using non-perishable food items.  We are asking that between now and then, you send in non-perishable food items to use for the build.  All food items will be donated directly to the Calgary Food Bank. Your child’s Family Group teacher may have a special list of items to send in that are specific for their chosen sculpture. Please ask your child about the plans and food items required. Stay tuned for more information and announcements!