Our First Smartie Party!

 

Congratulations on your first SMARTIE PARTY, Grade 6!  We had lots of fun playing dodgeball, watching a movie, and eating popcorn and monster cupcakes!  Keep up the great work... 

Hershey and Halloween?

Here's a link for the "Raise the Bar, Hershey" Photo Contest at Global Exchange.

Our Upcoming Fair Trade Field Trip!

Next Tuesday, November 2, we will be walking to Ten Thousand Villages, a wonderful store located on University Park Drive and Quance Street.  We are going to explore the many beautiful fair trade products from all over the world and listen to a presentation from the store manager.  This venture ties in perfectly with our current study on “Fairness” in Language Arts.  We will leave right after lunch (12:45pm) and return between 3-3:30pm. 

A couple of things to note regarding this trip:

-Please ensure that your child is dressed warmly, as it is a fair distance to the store (our walk will be our fitness for the day!)

-Consider sending a bit of money along with your child.  It’s not necessary, but it would be nice for students to have $5 to shop with at the store!

-Consider coming along!  If fair trade is something you are unfamiliar with, this is a great chance to get out for a good long walk with a fun bunch of kids :), and learn something new.

Amazing Arthropods!

Use the following sites to help you discover the FIVE COMMON ADAPTATIONS of all arthropods!
All About Arthropods
Characteristics of Arthropods

The Latest

Hi, everyone!  I just wanted to write an update here to start off our week, as there are a number of assignments, as well as an important quiz, coming up soon!

Here's what is presently on our "Agenda" whiteboard in the classroom:
Forms: Return the iGo permission slip, as well as the pink homeroom parent contact form
Writing: Major Assignment- "My Difference-Maker"- (Biography)- final copy due Friday
Social Studies: Horn of Africa and Somalia Assignments- due Thursday
Science: Quiz on Lessons 1-5 on Thursday, Vocabulary should be complete in duotang, and Inspiring Invertebrates assignment is due Wednesday
Math: We are working on Unit 2, Lesson 2.  I will send extra-practice sheets in an email to parents if you would like to do extra review at home.
Reading: We are finishing up our novel, The Breadwinner.  We are also learning to put our best effort into all assignments!
Phys. Ed: Just a reminder that we are going swimming on Friday, from 1-2pm.

That's all for today!  Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns, as always!

Difference Makers This Week...

We have had some excellent discussions in Grade 6 this week!  Here are a couple of the videos and organizations that inspired the discussions...
Water:Charity - Water Changes Everything
TOMS Shoes- The One for One Movement
Ryan's Well Foundation

Choose Your "Difference-Maker"

Modern Day Heroes
Biography Online
Moral Heroes
Academy of Achievement
Canadian Heroes
Eco-Heroes

Our Elastic Band Experiment

To start our week, students have been challenged with an experiment...the "Elastic Band Experiment".  Each student was given an elastic band to wear on their wrist.  When they complain, they will move the band from one wrist to the other.  The goal is to keep the band on the same wrist, but even more than that, to gain awareness of the amount of complaining they may or may not be doing each day!  Parents and families are welcome to join the challenge!! We started this morning and we will continue for the rest of the week, perhaps a perfect lead up to....THANKSGIVING!!  At the end of the week, I will ask students to respond to this blog entry, sharing what they learned throughout the experiment.  Parents, should you try it, you are welcome to leave a response, too!
Here was our quote of the week:
"In daily life, we must that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy."

Happy Birthday to Mr. Jack MacKenzie!

Today our school joined together to celebrate Mr. MacKenzie's 84th Birthday! He is such a special man and a great leader for our school. We are very grateful for him and we made sure he knew it today! :)  Every year, the Grade 6 classes head for the hill to help create Jack's birthday photo (you see it above!). 
Our class also helped to rewrite an old song in his honor; here is how it went:

(to the tune of "Do-Rey-Mi")
Jack, he's turning eighty-four
Jack, he's traveled all the world,
Jack, he's kind and thoughtful, too
Jack, a star in every sport
Jack, he chases caribou
Jack, he paddles a canoe
Jack, he's everybody's friend
Oh Jack, we wish you Happy Birthday ...birthday
Jack we hope you have the very best Birthday!!!

Awesome job, Grade 6!

Flying Creek Adventures!

We had an awesome day at Flying Creek! Here's a little glimpse of our adventure. Thanks to Mrs. Hallemann, Mr. Perkowitsch and Mrs. Kelly for joining us for the day!