Northern Muses2

Understanding What You Read

2009-06-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Grade Fives,

This year, we worked on a variety of reading activities with the learning intention of helping you to better understand what you read. I would like to refresh your memory about some of these activities.

tracking your reading: practicing two different reading strategies a week

daily reading: variety of times throughout the day to read

supported reading: nonfiction, often four readings: I read, you read, paired reading, individual reading

notes to paragraph: taking notes on a selection and rewriting notes as a paragraph

novel study: independent activity including finding details, supporting ideas, chapter summaries

literature circles: reading, completing tasks, and then discussing your work with peers

Please choose at least one activity and tell me why you think it helped you the most to understand what you read.

As always, I look forward to your thoughtful responses.

Love, Mrs. French

Goals for Grade Six

2009-06-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

Good morning Grade Fives,

This is one of the last blog responses for grade five. I want to take a moment to just let you know how much I have loved teaching you this year! You are keen group of students who willingly tackle new experiences and learning opportunities.

Now, as you look forward to summer, I would like you to take a moment to think about grade six. Please write about one learning behaviour you are going to use next year to help you have a successful grade six year. What action will you take to improve your success in school.

As always, I look forward to reading your responses.

Love, Mrs. French

Lunch Hour Mix-up: Opinion/Fact

2009-05-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Grade Fives!

For two weeks, you have been going outside at 12:00 for twenty minutes to play and then returning to eat your lunch. I would like to hear personal facts about how this is working or not working for you.

Using a paragraph structure, state your opinion (e.g. I like the new lunch schedule or I do not like the schedule). Support your opinion with personal facts or the impact this switch has on you (e.g. when I play first, I come in hungry and eat all of my lunch).

I would then like you to make any constructive suggestions as to how we can make this work for everyone if the school continues with this schedule.

As usual, I look forward to reading your thoughtful responses.

Learning Intentions: I can support my opinion with logical supporting personal facts.
Criteria: opinion, supporting personal facts, writing conventions

Love, Mrs. French

Math Concepts

2009-05-04T04:45:00.000-07:00

Hello Grade Fives!

We are finished learning most of the grade five math concepts. I would like you to reflect on your current math skills. Which area would you like us to revisit and why? (try to describe the difficulty you are having)

a) numbers (reading, writing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, fractions, decimals, percentages, mental math)

b) patterns and relationships (visual patterns, number patterns, growth patterns, functions)

c) Shape and Space (perimeter, area, volume, capacity)

As usual, I look forward to reading your thoughtful responses.

Love, Mrs. French

Technology: When It Helps the Most!

2009-04-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Grade Fives!

Imagine that we decide to use technology for just one purpose in our classroom (e.g. learning to type, visualizations during math lessons, math practice, access to lessons or worksheets, research, presenting your learning using ppt or voicethread etc). I would like you to tell me which purpose you would want us to keep using and explain why. Think about which ‘purpose’ is most helpful to your own learning.

Once again, I look forward to reading your thoughtful responses.

Love, Mrs. French

Reflecting on Your Webquest

2009-04-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Grade Fives!

You have all worked very hard on your French assignment. I would now like you to reflect on this learning. Please think carefully about your project and then respond to each of the following points:

Tell me three important things you learned about our French Canadian Culture.
Do you think you learned a lot or only a little?
Why do you think you learned a lot or just a little?
If you were to do this assignment again, what would you do differently in order to learn even more?

Once again, I look forward to reading your responses.

Love, Mrs French

Planning for Term Three

2009-04-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Grade Fives!

Our second term is now over and you have all continued to work hard on developing good learning behaviours: listening carefully to lessons and instructions, completing work carefully and completely, checking your work over for errors, preparing for quizzes, and asking for help as needed. As we begin our third and final term, I would like you to think about which learning behaviours you are going to work on over the next couple of months. In today’s response, and in a correct paragraph form, please tell me which behaviours you have chosen and, in the support sentences, explain how you plan to accomplish these goals. I look forward to reading your responses. I will make every effort to help you accomplish the goal(s) you set.

Love, Mrs. French

Science Display

2009-03-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

Hello Grade Fives!

As you know, this week you will begin work on your science display. In today's comment, I would like you to share the following with me:

the simple machine you will explore in depth
your plans so far
parts of the assignment you are excited about
parts of the assignment you are unsure about or concerned about
anything else you would like to share with me

As always, I look forward to reading your responses.

Love, Mrs. French

French Assignment Check Up

2009-03-07T08:04:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

Today, I would like you to let me know how your French Webquest assignment is coming along. In your comment, please tell me what is going well. I would also like you to tell me if you are encountering any challenges or if you need help. I will assume that you have already asked your peers.

As usual, please ensure that you reread your comment to ensure that there very few convention errors: spelling, punctuation, meaning.

Love, Mrs. French

French Canadian Culture Assignment

2009-03-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

Last week you had a look at voicethread. You were asked to decide whether you will complete your French Canadian Culture assignment using power point or voicethread. Today, in your comment, I would like you to tell me which form you will use to show your learning and whether or not you will complete the assignment independently.

Please remember that I expect you to check your writing conventions prior to submitting your comment.

Love Mrs. French

Welcome to Voicethread!

2009-02-20T06:20:00.001-08:00

Winter Fun in Ft. St. James

2009-02-15T06:52:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

I would like you to visit Mrs. Gammon's class blog and read the comments, from both classes. In full complete sentences, please respond to the following:

1) for our class comments: find one winter event in Vanderhoof that you did not know about

2) for Mrs. Gammon's class comments: choose one winter event in Ft. St. James you would like to attend and explain why

Please open Mrs. Gammon's class blog in a new window, 4 Dragons so that you are able to read and comment. Remember, you are writing in this blog comment section, not in 4 Dragons.

Love Mrs. French

Joining Mrs. Gammon's Class Blog

2009-02-11T06:07:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

Three weeks ago, we invited Mrs. Gammon and her Grade Fours to join us in our blog. This week we will join them.

They use a different type of blog, similar to the Blogmeister we use with Mrs. Tunnell’s class.

This week, I would like you to visit their class blog (4 Dragons) and respond.

Remember:

to read the task carefully

use 'excellent adjectives', 'active verbs', and 'precise nouns'

have a peer check and help you edit your response before sending

Love Mrs. French

Our Community

2009-02-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fours and Fives!

What a great collection of questions!

This week, we would like you to take time to read several of the questions from each other's class. Once again, scroll down to last week’s blog and click on ‘comments’ to see them all. Grade Five questions appear in the first half of the list of comments while Grade Four questions appear in the last half.

Read a selection from students in your neighbouring community. Using these questions as a guide, write a paragraph describing your own community.

Grade Fives, I will be assessing your paragraph structure.

Once again, we are looking forward to reading all of your responses.

Mrs. Gammon and Mrs. French

Asking Probing Questions

2009-01-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

Hello Again Grade Fours and Fives!

Oh my, what a delight to read all of the wonderful responses everyone made in last week’s blog!

This week, we would like you to take time to read several of these responses. Scroll down to last week’s blog and click on ‘comments’ to see all of them. When you are finished reading, please ask three questions about your neighbours’ home community and area. (Please direct your questions to the entire neighbouring class rather than specific students.) Try to ask specific questions about the area, what we might see if we were visiting the town or area.

Grade Fives, I will be assessing your use of conventions.

Once again, we are looking forward to reading all of your responses.

Mrs. Gammon and Mrs. French

Welcome Mrs. Gammon's Grade Fours!

2009-01-18T06:44:00.000-08:00

Hello to Mrs. French’s Grade Fives and Welcome to Mrs. Gammon’s Grade Fours!

This week, Mrs. Gammon and I would like to use this class blog to help us ‘meet’ each other. In a paragraph, please introduce yourself (remember to use your new username). Please tell us: where you live (the town), whether you are a girl or boy, what you enjoy doing, what you do not enjoy doing, and one other piece of information about yourself.
Grade Fives, I will assess you on your paragraph structure.

Blog Instructions:
Grade Fours, please click on "comments" below. You will go to a new window where you will leave your comment. You may like to click on "Show Original Post" on the left side of this new page. This way, you will be able to reread the task.

type in your response....when you are ready to send in your comment, you
scroll down to "Choose an identity" > Name/URL
type in your username in the box beside Name (you do not need a URL)
click on "Publish Your Comment".

We are looking forward to reading all of your responses.
Mrs. Gammon and Mrs. French

Story Writing

2009-01-11T17:51:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

First, please remember to use your new user-name!

I am anxious to know how you are feeling about your story writing. Please share some of the struggles and successes you are experiencing as you plan and write your stories. The following questions might help you with your responses:

1) Do you find the outline helpful or does it make story writing harder? (please explain)

2) So far, what is the hardest part of writing your story?

3) From your past writing experience, what do you think will be the easiest part of writing?

4) What do you think will be the hardest part of writing?

As usual, I look forward to reading your responses :)

Love Mrs. French

Creating a Username

2009-01-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2009 Grade Fives!

There are no responses required for today’s blog; however, I would like you to do two things for me:

1) Create an online username: you have been using your initials but I would now like you to create a new name for yourself. Think about using a name you have always liked, the name of a superhero, your favourite character from a story or from a movie, or a name from another source. I would like you to share this with me by Friday. You will use this name for the rest of the year.

2) Go to Just Between You and Me, follow the directions for setting up this new word document in your file and then begin.

Love Mrs. French

Where in the world did your family originate?

2008-12-07T04:39:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

As you know, we are learning about the original inhabitants and early settlers in Canada. Over the past few days, you have been speaking with your families about where they came from in the past.

In a paragraph, please tell me about your family's geographical origins.

I am looking forward to hearing about all of the different places our class families have originated.

Love Mrs. French

Novels You Enjoy

2008-11-30T05:50:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

I think this week’s blog will be an easy one. In a paragraph, please tell me what type of novels (fiction books) you like to read. You can tell me authors, titles, or book genres (adventure, mystery, science fiction etc.) you really enjoy.

As always, I am looking forward to reading your responses!
Love Mrs. French

Planning for Term Two

2008-11-24T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives!

Well, our first term is over and you have all been working hard on developing good learning behaviours: listening carefully to lessons and instructions, completing work carefully and completely, checking your work over for errors, preparing for quizzes, and asking for help as needed.

As we begin term two, I would like you to think about which learning behaviour you are going to work on particularly hard. In today’s response, and in a correct paragraph form, please tell me which behaviour you have chosen and, in the support sentences, explain how you plan to accomplish this goal.

I look forward to reading your responses. I will make every effort to help you accomplish the goal(s) you set.

Love Mrs. French

Learning With Others

2008-11-15T09:31:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives.

We will begin our new blog today! We will continue with this blog as our weekly check-in, and we will use our new blog to connect with other learners, outside of our classroom.

Please go to the blog site: http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=228800

Today, in your comment, just let me know when you have checked out the new blog and you are ready to begin work on your blog entry.

It sounds like you are as excited as I am about using this new blog! So let's begin and remember to have fun playing while we learn with others.

Love Mrs. French

Meeting New People in New Ways

2008-11-09T05:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Grade Fives,

Very soon, we will begin participating in a new blog. You will be ‘meeting’ students from at least one other classroom. Mrs. Tunnell teaches grade four and five in Penticton and we will be working on some collaborative activities with her class.

Please go to http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=162809 and then to the "Division 2" link under "My Classes & Students. Please read a few of the students’ submissions. You will write and submit your own piece on “Seven Random Facts” over the next two weeks.

In your comment to me today, please share your thoughts about getting to know other students through a blog.

As always, I look forward to reading your thoughts.
Love Mrs. French

Reminders: 1) respond in paragraph form, 2) check and correct writing conventions

Learning a Musical Instrument

2008-11-03T02:55:00.000-08:00

Hello Grade Fives,

First, it is wonderful to be back with you!

We will begin learning the recorder this week. I am asking for your thoughts, whether you already play an instrument or not. Please respond to 1) or 2).

1) If you play an instrument, please answer the following questions:
a. What instrument(s) do you play?
b. How long have you been playing?
c. What is the most difficult part of learning the instrument?

2) If you do not play an instrument, please answer the following questions:
a. What instrument would you like to play?
b. Why would you like to play this instrument?
c. What do you think would be the most difficult part of learning the instrument?

Please remember to use complete sentences and your best spelling when responding.

Love Mrs. French

Setting a Goal for Friday

2008-10-26T05:27:00.000-07:00

As you know, I will be away all week; however, I will be planning your days and I am sure that you and Mrs. Mushumanski will have a great week!

You will have your Independent Block on Friday and I would like you to think about one area in which you would like to really improve or stretch. Think about a goal for improvement (examples: read large numbers up to the billions, hand write all letters with a consistent slant) In your comment today, tell me what your goal will be and how you plan to reach it.

I am looking forward to your responses. As usual, you always teach me something important about how you learn and what I can do to help you.

Love Mrs. French

The Fascinating Sturgeon!

2008-10-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

As you discovered, the sturgeon is a fascinating natural resource. If you were to remember just one amazing piece of information about this fish, what is it? Please explain why this particular fact is one you will remember.

I look forward to reading your responses.

Love Mrs. French

Reading Large Numbers

2008-10-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

Good morning/afternoon Grade Fives!

We have been reading and writing large numbers for quite a while. I would like to know how confident you feel about this math skill.

Please tell me how you are feeling about reading large numbers. If you are finding them challenging, please explain.

Finally, please write the largest number you feel confident reading correctly.

I look forward to your responses,
Love Mrs. French

My Sturgeon

2008-09-28T06:25:00.001-07:00

Hello Grade Fives,

On Wednesday you will be given a juvenile sturgeon to name and release. (It will be much younger and, therefore, smaller than the picture.) I would like you to take a moment to think of a name you might call your sturgeon and then tell me why you are thinking about choosing that name.

I look forward to reading your responses.

Love Mrs. French

The Sturgeon

2008-09-20T17:20:00.001-07:00

Good Tuesday morning Grade Fives!

As you know, we are learning about the Nechako White Sturgeon and we will be releasing one next week. I would like you to think about everything you know about this natural resource.

In your comment, I would like you to list lingering questions you have about the sturgeon.

If you did not study the sturgeon last year, I am sure that you have many questions about this amazing fish.

I look forward to reading your questions.

Love Mrs. French

Your Novel

2008-09-14T07:53:00.000-07:00

Good morning Grade Fives,

You have been reading a novel (or two) over the past week. I would like you to tell me about your novel. In a couple of sentences, tell me about the main character and the main events in your story. If you have read one novel and have started a second, tell me about either one of them.

Remember to reread your post before submitting it, check your spelling and punctuation.

I look forward to reading your responses!

Love Mrs. French

Welcome to Our Class Blog!

2008-09-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

Good morning Grade Fives!

Welcome to our class blog. I would like you to answer two questions:
1) What is the easiest subject for you and why?
2) What is the hardest subject for you and why?

You may also tell me anything else that you think is important for me to know about your learning.

I look forward to reading your responses.

Love Mrs. French