November is already here and October flew by! Where has the time gone? The students are busy getting used to their routines and the demands of the French Immersion program. I am certainly starting to see some of them raise to the challenge as they are trying more and more to speak in French with me : )
Over the month of October, both groups were busy learning about the requirements of writing a good procedural text, a recipe. We worked in groups to create one, we went over the criterias to write one and they have now created their own fun Halloween recipe. Starting now, students will be asked to speak in French with me. Listening to French television, the radio, watching movies in French (start at 5-10 min and increase the time each time), ordering food in French at the restaurants - all those ideas are great to increase your child's exposure to French. This will help them develop their ear and build vocabulary.
Grade 4
In reading, the homework duotang has gone home over the past two weeks. Your child is responsible to read the paragraph assigned 10 times over the week. The reading log at the back is to be checked off every time they read aloud to you or another person. On this blog, on the right, you will find the readings read by moi! If your child forgot their duotang, the paragraph is still available to them online ; ) On Monday night, their first task is to look up the words they do not understand and add them to their dictionary at the back. Every day of the week, we will read the paragraph and I will explain in more detail what some of the sentences mean. Completing this homework diligently, on a daily basis, will improve your child's French reading comprehension tremendously. Please make sure you take 15-20 minutes every night to encourage this reading homework.
We have focused a lot on Science in October and we will conclude our first unit of study in November. Grade 4 students have been learning about animal habitats, their needs, physical and behavioural adaptations. Our next part is to talk about the impact human activities have on the natural habitats. You are invited to discuss these important issues with your child as you drive by many natural habitats that were impacted by construction in the surrounding areas.
Due to a schedule change, Mme Novak will now be responsible to teach Social Studies to the 4P class. We will be working closely together to ensure all the grade 4 students have the same fun and interesting tasks! I will continue to teach Social Studies to the grade 4/5 class. In both grade 4 classes, we will be learning about the physical regions of Canada.
Grade 5
In reading, students have gone home with a J'aime Lire book. They are asked to read the first part of the book at home and at school every day. On Friday, I will give them a question to answer based on their reading. This will give me an opportunity to verify their level of French and adjust their book accordingly. In French, grade 5 students need many reminders to speak to me in French and not in English. They are very capable of doing this, they just need a gentle push.
Once our science unit is completed, we will be moving onto Social Studies. Students will learn about Canadian symbols, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom and the responsibilities for each level of government. If the opportunity presents itself, it would be a good idea to open up discussions with your children about our rights and freedom, the Canadian symbols around us and the many services offered by the three levels of government (ie. LRT, passports, money, health care, education, etc).
In grade 5 science, students have been learning about the changes of matter: the characteristics of matter (how to describe it) and the states of matter. We will continue with learning about physical and chemical changes that occur around us every day. You could help your child by discussing how these changes in matter (ie. petroleum being transformed into plastic, making pre-packaged food) have a great impact on our environment. We will conclude our unit in November with the creation of a small cooler. Stay tuned!
On Monday, November 11th, at 10:45, we will be having our Remembrance Day Ceremony. The students will be participating as readers and singers for the last song. Please encourage them to listen to the song as much as possible so that they learn it by heart. You are all welcome to attend.
Looking forward to seeing you on November 14th for parent-teacher interviews. Please don't forget that Friday November 15th is a P.D. Day.
