Thank you to the Books for Kids program for the generous book gift to each student in our school! Our school began a week of DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) where all students and teachers in the school are encouraged to stop what they are doing during assigned times and read! Share with a family member the different material you read (or were read) today. We will be participating in DEAR all week. What books do you recommend Ms. Makowski read for DEAR? Why is this a great book to read?

Homework: 
Continue to read a fiction novel for your next Best Book Project. This project will be introduced in class shortly!

Reminder:
- March calendar coming home today. 
- We are having a pizza lunch on Wednesday March 16! Notice and order forms are being sent home today. Please return your order and money to the school by March 10.

Terrific job completing your swimming lessons this week! You showed excellent perseverance in the pool.

Have a wonderful weekend!
 

Room 2 has a classroom compost! Share with a family member the different items we are composting for this science experiment. What observations have you made in this experiment? How has the food items changed over the past couple weeks? What did you notice about the temperature of our composted items?

Homework: 
Play Race to Zero subtraction game with a family member! What strategies do you have for subtracting?

Reminder: 
- Sports Club is today from 3:15 to 3:45.
- Last day of swimming lessons are tomorrow (Friday Feb. 26).

Our class has begun our plant experiments! Share with a family member the experiment you and a partner designed. What was your hypothesis and why? Open your experiment lab report on Google Drive. Show a family member how you are documenting your observations.

Homework: 
Choose a fiction novel to read for our upcoming Best Book project! We will be introducing this project in class soon.

Reminder: 
- Swimming lessons continue each day this week. Our last lesson is on Friday Feb. 26.
- Sports Club is tomorrow (Feb 25) from 3:15 to 3:45.
- Health Information notice is being sent home with the youngest student today.

We have been reading about the adventures of Peter and Fudge in our class novel, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. As we get close to finishing the novel, think about what characteristics Judy Blume included in each chapter. Begin to think of your own ideas for a chapter you would like to write for Room 2's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. We will be beginning this project later this week! Start brainstorming adventure ideas for Peter and Fudge's characters.

Homework:
Play Face Off with a family member! What strategies help you in this mental math game?

Reminder:
Sport Club is on Thursday, February 25 - 3:15-3:45.

Swimming started today!  Please share with a family member what are your strengths in swimming? What goals are you working on this week?  What strategies do you have to achieve your goals?  How can your instructor assist you to be successful with your goals?

Homework:
Go to the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives and select Base Blocks Subtraction. What strategies help you when you are subtracting?
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/category_g_2_t_1.html

Reminder:
We swim everyday this week.  Come prepared with your bathing suit, towel and a plastic bag.

Your Plant Experiments reflect your creativity and critical thinking!  Be proud of your designs.



Reminder:
Swimming begins on Monday, February 22 - Friday, February 26.  The bus will be leaving school at 9:00, please arrive on time. Remember to bring/wear your bathing suit, bring a towel and a plastic bag.

In our novel study of Underground to Canada, we have been discussing how characters are developed in what they say and the actions they do. Reflect on a character from the novel. How has this character shown (or not shown) the virtues? What specific examples from the book support your ideas? Be prepared to share your ideas in our discussion tomorrow. Share with a family member a prediction you have for the novel.

Homework:
Please continue to bring recyclable material (cardboard, plastic containers, etc.) to school for our upcoming science and art projects!

Reminder:
Sports Club is today, 3:15-3:45.

We have begun designing our class plant experiments! Share with a family member the google form you and your partner completed for your experiment lab. What are you testing in your experiment? What materials do you need to bring or ask Ms. Makowski to bring for your experiment? Share with a family member the hypothesis you made.

Homework:
Go to the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives and select Base Block Addition to practice finding sums:  http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/topic_t_1.html

Reminder:
Sports Club tomorrow, Thursday, February 18, 3:15-3:45.

Today, we shared our Best Non-Fiction Book projects with another class.  After listening to the persuasive writing of your peers explain to a family member what was your first choice for the Best Non-Fiction Book Ever.  Be sure to support your thinking with specific examples. Which non-fiction books are you planning to read after our sharing?

Homework:
Read a new non-fiction book this week.

Reminder:
We swim next week: Monday, February 22 - Friday, February 26.

Celebrate your learning journey.
Have an amazing long weekend! See you on Tuesday, February 16.

Reminder:
- Colonel Macleod School notice is being sent home with the youngest student.

Today we had a peer assess and provide us with feedback on our Best Non-Fiction Book Projects. Share with a family member what you are celebrating with this project.  What will you do to move your learning forward and ensure that your project is completed to a standard of excellence?


Homework:
Our Best Non-Fiction Book Ever Projects are due tomorrow, Wednesday, February 10.  Check D2L for the criteria and assessment.

Reminder:
No school on Thursday, February 11 or Friday, February 12.  It is Teacher's Convention.
No school on Monday, February 15.  It is Family Day.

Our class learned a new math game today called Pig Addition to work on our mental math skills and finding sums. Teach a family member how to play! How can we use our estimating strategies to help us when adding and subtracting large numbers? We will be sharing our ideas in class tomorrow.

Homework:
Our Best Non-Fiction Book Ever Projects are due on Wednesday, February 10.  Check D2L for the criteria and assessment.

Reminder:
No school on Thursday, February 11 or Friday, February 12.  It is Teacher's Convention.
No school on Monday, February 15.  It is Family Day.
All swimming forms are due to school tomorrow (February 9).

Celebrate another fabulous week of learning!

We have started a new read aloud, called Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. Please share with a family member your ideas about Peter's character.  How is Peter's character the same as Brian's from The Hatchet?   How is Peter's character different from Brain?  Would Peter make a good friend? Why or why not? What evidence do you have to support your thinking?

Homework:
Complete your book cover design for your Best Non-Fiction Book Ever project.  Check the rubric in D2L for the criteria expected for excellence.

Reminder:
-Return swimming forms - Ability levels and Acknowledgment of Risk
-Please return report card envelopes

Our class has been studying the novel Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker. Share with your parents the plot and characters we have read so far. What questions do you have for the characters and author? Which characters have demonstrated virtues so far in the novel? Think of examples to share with the class tomorrow.

Homework:
Our Best Non-Fiction Book Ever Projects are due on Wednesday, February 10.  Please check D2L for the task criteria and assessment.

Reminder:
-Sports Club is tomorrow: Thursday, February 4 - 3:15-3:45
-Return swimming forms - Ability levels and Acknowledgment of Risk
-Please return report card envelopes

Our class reflected on our report cards today. We sent Ms. Makowski and email explaining what we were proud of and a goal we had for our learning. Share with a family member the email you sent Ms. Makowski. What is your family proud of for your learning? What is a goal they have to move your learning forward this year?

Homework:
- Please bring in recycled materials from home (plastic containers, egg cartons, paper towel rolls, etc). We will be using these materials in our upcoming Science unit!
- Share with a family member the updated Science vocabulary page on the blog! What connections can you make to these words?

Reminder:
-February newsletter and calendar
-Return swimming forms - Ability levels and Acknowledgment of Risk
-Please return report card envelopes
-Calgary Public Library notice is being sent home today