Parent(s),

Just a few informational items for you.  

The Eco-Leaders Program
Mrs. Gerla and myself have applied for the City of Calgary's Eco-Leaders program this coming school year.  This program is a youth environmental leadership initiative that helps school-based student teams: research, design and implement curriculum-linked projects in their community to contribute to addressing climate change challenges.  Also, the Eco-Leaders Program has the goal to deliver climate-literacy and foster climate leadership in Calgary youth.  Student teams will take climate and environmental action that will positively impact our community.  Our project idea is to create a community garden and greenhouse. 

Presently, we have passed the application process and have been selected to take part in an in-person interview with City of Calgary staff this coming Monday.  The Lead teacher, supporting teacher, and either the Vice Principal or Principal are required to attend the half hour interview with students to discuss the project.  All selected school will then be announced a few weeks later.

Please take a look at the video
  

Jacket Racket 

It is that time of year when we pitch in to help the larger community in Calgary by donating winter clothing. Our community has done such a great job looking out for Calgarians in need. Briar Hill School will again be a collection point for winter coats, snow pants, mittens and hats for kids and families across the city. There will be a collection bin in the foyer by the main entrance from October 28 to November 15. Please bring in gently used items of all sizes. Let's help make it an easier winter for families in need.

Picture Retakes and Class Photos

Life Touch will be doing both individual photo retakes and class photos on November 7th.

Up and Coming

Wednesday, Oct. 30th - Healthy Hunger - Subway

Friday, Nov. 1st - Non-Instruction Day - no classes

Wednesday, Nov. 6th - Healthy Hunger - Jugo Juice

Monday, Nov. 11th - Remembrance Day - no classes

Tuesday, Nov. 12th - School Council Meeting (6:45 PM - 8:30 PM) 

Enjoy your weekend,

Ms. LeVesconte

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Parent(s),
Here are some of the activities and/or tasks that we have been working on over the past couple of weeks.

• we've started looking a how numbers are shown or represented (e.g. word form, standard form, expanded form, using base ten blocks, place value, tally marks, money, picture form, number sentences, ten frames, and number lines)
• students have learned the names of the base ten blocks (1's - units, 10's - rods, 100's - flats, 1000's - cubes) 

• currently the students are using base ten block pictures to determine four different ways to represent a number 
• in science, the students have been researching what a greenhouse and community garden is and how they can be beneficial to communities or people
• in social studies, we've been learning about the Natural Regions of Alberta
• students have learned that there are 3 things that create a natural region (1. Climate, 2. Landforms, and 3. Vegetation)
• in art, the students have recently completed a Zen Tangle pumpkin or turkey 
• also in art, students were taught a drawing technique (e.g. use shapes, blend the shapes together, and then add details)
• on Friday, the students began to create our classroom 'Wishtree' by using sponges and grey paint (note: the bark of an Red Oak tree is smooth and dark grey) 
• in Language Arts, the students have been using questioning stems to respond to the novel Wishtree' (see the image below)

• in reading, we've selected a book for our Literature Circles (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis)
• the students have been introduce to revision in writing; which is the process of rethinking their writing (e.g. adding details, removing repeated ideas, moving sentences and words around, substituting boring words for interesting ones, and rewriting confusing sentences)
• also, the students have used a revision checklist to revise their artifact stories (someone else's story and their own)
• we have discussed what transition words and phrases are and how they help to move a story forward and to sequence information  
• students have been introduced to figurative language (see the image below)

• in gym, we have completed our cooperative game unit and will start ball skills on Tuesday (basketball)
• in French, the majority of the groups have recorded their basic French conversations 
• on Monday, groups will finish recording their French conversations and then assess their group's role play on voice projection, expression, language, and time management

Request:

I was wondering if there was a parent who would be interested in helping out with the Scholastic book orders.  The task would require you to organize the flyers, attach a brief note to the flyers, and then order the books online for the students.  It is really streamlined and it will take a minimal amount of time to do.  If you are willing or interested in helping out please let me know via email.  

Up and Coming:
Wed. Oct. 23rd. - Healthy Hunger
Fri. Oct. 25th - Hallowe'en Hey Day  (6:00 p.m to 7:30 p.m.)
Wed. Oct 30th - Healthy Hunger
Fri. Nov. 1st - Non-Instruction Day (no classes)
Thurs. Nov. 7th - Picture Re-takes

Thank you for your continued support,
Ms. LeVesconte

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Up and Coming....

Parents(s),

Just some informational items for this up and coming week. In the next couple of days, I will post another blog message that will include both curricular updates and photos.

Monday, October 7th - School Photos
Tuesday, October 8th - School Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 9th - Constable Valstar will be visiting room 4 in the afternoon
Thursday, October 10th - Poet - Miranda Krogstad Kick-off assembly at 10:15 a.m.
Friday, October 11th - Non-Instructional Day - no school for students
Monday, October 14th - Thanksgiving - no school
Thursday, October 17th - Pizza Lunch
Friday, October 25th - Hallowe'een Hey Day

S4 - Constable Rich Valstar (our school resource officer) 

Start Smart Stay Safe is a proactive, strengths-based model of teaching and learning where police, families and schools partner together to actively build positive relationships, create safe communities and prepare children for the challenges of our complex, changing world. It is a collaborative initiative between the Calgary Police Service and the Calgary Board of Education.

Start Smart Stay Safe brings police officers in the classroom to work with the teachers and engage the students in strengths-based lessons.  Police encourage students to use their strengths and to continue to develop their skills to keep themselves and their communities safe.  Lessons shared by police officers, teachers and families help children build strengths in the following areas:

• Using problem solving skills
• Making healthy choices
• Using respectful communication skills
• Building healthy relationships
• Being digitally safe
• Being safe at home, at school and in the community
• Serving others to build an inclusive, resilient community

For more information regarding S4 please go to www.startsmartstaysafe.ca.  Also, there is a good video about Strengths-Based inserted below.  Feel free to take a look!

The particular lesson that Constable Valstar will be teaching to the class is called Emotions Scale. If you have any questions or concerns about the lesson please don't hesitate to contact me at my school email address.

Bye for now,

Ms. LeVesconte