October Learning Update

Dear families,

We have had a busy month of learning, with a special focus on nature and the world around us. Below is a snapshot of what we have been learning this month and what we will be exploring in November.

Each month you will receive a learning update. This will provide an overview of topics and concepts covered in class and will outline learning activities for the upcoming month.

For the month of October, students…

  • Wrote nonfiction paragraphs using the POW and TIDE writing strategies
  • Practiced spelling through word work
  • Use reading comprehension skills by identifying the gist (the main idea) of news articles and class read-alouds
  • Reviewed place values in decimals and measurement, including perimeter and area in Math
  • Explored Ecosystems and the relationships between living and non-living things in Science
  • Discussed the four pillars of democracy and ancient civilizations in Social Studies
  • Learned how to play cricket through our cricket residency
  • Experimented with oil pastels and colour theory to create different effects in our artwork

Next month our students will…

  • Expand POW and TIDE writing strategies by incorporating a language box to support stronger word choices
  • Continue to strengthen our spelling skills through word work
  • Work on number operations and computational skills in Math
  • Explore changes to the Earth and the effects of weather and climate on our world
  • Continue our exploration of democracy and investigating how geography influences ancient civilizations

Our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation…

  • Our Commitment to the Land: Through our visit to Fish Creek Provincial Park and the City of Calgary’s Tree Planting Program, students observed seasonal changes and explored how trees and nature support all living things. We also welcomed Elder Saa’kokoto, who shared his knowledge of the white buffalo (bison), their rarity, and their significance to Indigenous peoples. These experiences encouraged students to reflect on our connection to the land and the importance of caring for and respecting the natural world.
  • Our Commitment to Treaty: We continue to focus on building a classroom community grounded in kindness, respect, and understanding. Through our daily routines, classroom discussions, and learning activities, students are developing an understanding of how their words and actions affect others. We are learning that building a strong community means listening to one another, appreciating different perspectives, and taking responsibility for how we treat others, both inside and outside the classroom.

Ask your child about:

  1. How do we keep an ecosystem in balance?
  2. What is a gist? Try reading a short book or article together and ask your child to explain the most important information in just a few sentences.

Other Information:

  • November 10: Remembrance Day Assembly
  • November 11-15: Fall Break
  • November 16: Picture Retakes
  • November 23-26: Alien In-Line Skating Residency (Family Skate Night on the 26th)
  • November 26/27: Parent-Teacher Conferences: https://sis.cbe.ab.ca/public/home.html

Reminder: As the weather changes, please ensure your child has a pair of indoor shoes to keep at school.

Kindly,

Ms. Mac & Ms. Garcia

Grade 5/6

September Learning Update

Hello Families,

We hope you are enjoying this fall weather! It has been a great start to the school year. 

Each month you will receive a classroom update. This will provide an overview of topics and concepts covered in class and will outline learning activities for the upcoming month.

For the month of September, students: 

• Established our three class values. Be kind, Be Respectful, Be Honest 

• Discussed and practiced using different parts of speech such as, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and conjunctions in their speaking and writing

• Wrote in their journals to jumpstart a writing routine and build their writing stamina

• Explored similes, metaphors, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, and alliteration and practicing how to incorporate these techniques into their own writing

• Students have been reviewing and identifying word patterns and applying their understanding to sentence writing to support their spelling development

• Reviewed place value up to 1 000 000 000 using base ten blocks, and practicing writing numbers in expanded form i.e. 5 678 written as 5 000 + 600 + 70 + 8

•  Learning about what it means to be a scientist and the steps involved in the scientific process.

Students put their learning into practice through a scientific experiment investigating the strength of different brands of paper towel. Students developed questions, made predictions, tested their ideas, observed results, and used evidence to draw conclusions

• Learned about the provinces, territories and regions of Canada

• Painted trees using water colours and oil pastels to explore perspective taking 

Next month we will be:

• Practicing reading comprehension strategies, such as making connections and predictions and identifying character feelings, through various class read aloud books

• Focusing on using descriptive words in writing pieces 

• Starting our unit “Living Systems” in Science

• Continuing to build number sense, practicing place value and beginning to solve addition and subtraction questions

Ask your child: 

1. What are Treaties?

2. Can you give me an example of a simile?

3. What are the three class values in your class and can you tell me more about them?  

Kindly,

Ms. Mac & Ms. Garcia

Grade 5/6