Thank you for another fabulous week of learning!  Be proud of your diligence and your positive attitude!

Have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

Today we had a science presentation called 'What's the Poop?' by Kananaskis in the classroom.   What were your connections to the presentation? Please share with a member of you family?  What was the most important concept for you and your learning?  What change are you going to make in your lifestyle?

Reminder:
-No sports club tomorrow
-Halloween Information
On Thursday October 29, students can dress up in their halloween costume for the afternoon only. Please ensure the costumes are safe: no weapons and masks. Due to allergies and food restrictions, please do not send any food to distribute to classmates. For more information, please visit the Vista Heights School handbook by following this link:(under allergies)
http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b239/publications/pdf/Handbook%20Vista%20Heights%20School%202016.pdf

We have been working on our French Outdoor School packing list.  We have also shared which items not to bring to Outdoor School.  Please share which items we are not going to be taking to Outdoor School and why.  Discuss with your family what you think are the most important safety expectations for Outdoor School.  Be prepared to share as we will be discussing them in class.  We will also be adding them to our French presentations.

Reminder:
No school on Friday, October 30. It is a Professional Development Day.

Today we had our Outdoor School meeting with the camp manager.  We also had a compass points chalktalk to share our thoughts about Outdoor School.  Please share with a family member what are your needs at Outdoor School?  What are you excited about?  What are your strengths? What are you worried about? Be sure to talk about some strategies you could have to ensure that your experience at Outdoor School is a successful learning experience.

Reminder:
All Outdoor School forms MUST be returned by tomorrow at the latest, as we need to inform the camp in advance about any dietary needs or allergies.

There is no school on Friday, October 30.  It is a Professional Development Day.

We have been working on our French Outdoor School packing list.  We have also shared which items not to bring to Outdoor School.  Please share which items we are not going to be taking to Outdoor School and why.  Discuss with your family what you think are the most important safety expectations for Outdoor School.  Be prepared to share as we will be discussing them in class.  We will also be adding them to our French presentations.

Reminder:
No school on Friday, October 30. It is a Professional Development Day.

Celebrate another fabulous week of learning!

Reminder:

-Return Acknowledgement of Risk form for Kamp Kiwanis by Monday, October 26
-$50 payment for Kamp is due by November 2, 2015
-Picture Day is Monday, October 26

We have started our French Outdoor School Project.  Please explain to a family member the criteria for the project, which is posted in D2L.  Discuss what items you think you will need to bring to Outdoor School, which is from Tuesday, November 3 - Friday, November 6.  What do you need to keep in mind for safety expectations?


Today we presented our Trees/Forests/Wetlands science projects to a peer for assessment.  Explain to a member of your family what you earned on this project based on the criteria posted in D2L. What goal could you set for next time to achieve excellence on your project work?

Homework:

Practice your basic facts using one of many strategies that we brainstormed in math.  Are you improving your fluency and accuracy?  We will have a quiz on tomorrow.

Reminder:
-Return Acknowledgement of Risk form for Kamp Kiwanis by Monday, October 26
-$50 payment for Kamp is due by November 2, 2015
-Picture Day is Monday, October 26

We have been developing our ball skills in gym.  Share with a family member what you have learned about different types of ball handling skills. How does what you know about the brain connect to your ball handling skills?  Which part of the brain is responsible for movement?

Homework:

Practice your basic facts using one of many strategies that we brainstormed in math.  Are you improving your fluency and accuracy?  We will have a quiz on Friday.

Reminder:
-Winter jacket notice
-Return Acknowledgement of Risk form for Kamp Kiwanis by Monday, October 26
-$50 payment for Kamp is due by November 2, 2015
-Picture Day is Monday, October 26

We have been comparing our Student Vote Results with the National Election Results.  Open up D2L and share with a family member the charts and graphs posted in D2L under content.  What conclusions can you make based on the data? What questions do you have after taking a critical look at the data?  Be ready to share in class tomorrow.

Homework:
Practice your basic facts using one of many strategies that we brainstormed in math.  The practice strategies are posted in the pages category on the blog. Which strategy have we added to access our right brain thinking powers?

Reminder:
-Return Acknowledgement of Risk form for Kamp Kiwanis
-$50 payment for Kamp is due by November 2, 2015

PICTURE DAY – Monday, October 26^th

-all students will be in the class photo and receive a free copy of the class photo

-if you wish to have an individual photo of your child please complete the notice your received yesterday

-write your child’s name & grade and choose a pose and a background

-your child will bring this notice to school on Monday, October 26^th and give it to the photographer

Today is an exciting day in the history of Canada as it is our federal election day.  We were able to have a tour our Vista Heights polling station. Please share with a family member what are the steps that happen at a polling station before each citizen votes.  Please share your ideas about the political party that you represented in our debate today.  What facts were you able to contribute to support your thinking about your political party?  Did you vote change after our debate?  Why? We will be sharing our Vista Heights Student Vote Results tomorrow after the election.

Homework:
Watch the election results for a few minutes as they come in starting at 8:00 p.m.  What do you notice is happening in the Eastern Canadian provinces?  Be prepared to share your ideas tomorrow in class.

Reminder:
-Picture Day notice Monday, October 26, 2015
-Return Acknowledgement of Risk form for Kamp Kiwanis
-$50 payment for Kamp is due by November 2, 2015

Excellent job participating in the Vista Heights Student Vote! Share with a family member how you demonstrated your ideas about the different political parties for the upcoming federal election. Who did you vote for? Why? We will share our Vista Heights results on Monday!

Have a terrific weekend!

Thank you grade 5/6 students and parents for attending our Outdoor School Meeting last night! For those who were unable to attend, parent information packages and the 'Acknowledgement of Risk' forms are coming home today. Please have your parents contact Ms. Makowski or Mrs. Calvert if they have any questions about up upcoming trip to Outdoor School.

Share your ideas about your political party advertisement with a family member.  Do you have facts to support your thinking?  Do you have a catch phrase/slogan? What is the difference between positive advertising and contrast advertising?

Reminder:
-Return Acknowledgement of Risk form for Kamp Kiwanis
-$50 payment for Kamp is due by November 2, 2015
- Grade 5/6 Sports Club begins today after school from 3:15 to 3:45.

Excellent job this week researching the political parties for the upcoming federal election. Share with a family member who you going to vote for in our Student Vote. Why do you support this party? Be sure to share the pollinize.org website (posted as a hyperlink on the blog).  Our class votes on Thursday, October 15.

Homework:
Please continue to read at home every night for 15 minutes. Our class will begin our Book Talk Projects very soon.

Reminder:
See you tonight at the Grade 5 / 6 Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting! 
Wednesday, October 14: 6:30-7:30.

- Grade 5/6 Sports Club begins tomorrow after school from 3:15 to 3:45. Return your permission form.

Welcome back to school after a long Thanksgiving weekend!

Our class started publishing our Hero Persuasive Paragraphs today. Share with a family member your  copy posted in D2L. Be sure to explain what you learned about how to write an excellent persuasive paragraph! Examine the criteria checklist posted in D2L, where have you assessed yourself with this task?  What could you do next time to ensure excellence with your persuasive writing?

Homework:
-Copy the science vocabulary (green page) from the Pages section of the blog. If you know what the words mean, record in your own words, or draw a picture to show what you know.  If you don't know the meaning of the word, leave it for now.

Reminder:
- Grade 5 / 6 Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting: Wednesday, October 14: 6:30-7:30. Please see notice. 
- Pizza Lunch notice is being sent home today.
- Grade 5/6 Sports Club permission form is being sent home.

Thank you for another wonderful week of learning!
Be sure to share what you are thankful for with your family and friends.

Have a terrific long weekend!

Reminder:
- Egg coupons coming home today
- No school tomorrow (Oct. 9) - it is a Professional Development Day
- No school Monday Oct. 12 - Thanksgiving
- Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting: Wednesday, October 14: 6:30-7:30

Our class has been learning about Democracy.  Please share with a family member what is a right?  What is a responsibility?  What rights do you have at your house? What responsibilities go with those rights?  How do you earn responsibility? What do you know about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians?  

Our school virtue for the month of October is curiosity! Think about examples of how you show curiosity at school and in our community. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class tomorrow.


Reminder:
- Continue to practice your keyboarding skills for 15 minutes at home! Are you improving your speed and accuracy? Remember a goal is 90% accuracy rate with 20 wmp at each lesson. We will be having a quiz tomorrow.

Dance Mat Typing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr
Sense Language Lessons: http://www.sense-lang.org/typing/tutor/keyboarding.php

NO SCHOOL Friday, October 9 - Professional Development Day

Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting: Wednesday, October 14: 6:30-7:30

Our class has been learning how to read and write large numbers! Show a family member what you know about place value, as well as writing numbers in expanded form. Be sure to teach them about how 'periods of 3' work in reading and writing numbers.  What is the largest number period that you know? Teach a family member how to play the game Face Off using cards to create large numbers! You can also play Pico, Firmy, Bagel, our version of number mastermind.


Reminder:
- Continue to practice your keyboarding skills for 15 minutes at home! Are you improving your speed and accuracy? Remember a goal is 90% accuracy rate with 20 wmp at each lesson. We will be having a quiz at the end of this week.

Dance Mat Typing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr
Sense Language Lessons: http://www.sense-lang.org/typing/tutor/keyboarding.php

- Grade 5 Vaccinations are tomorrow.

NO SCHOOL Friday, October 9 - Professional Development Day

Outdoor School Parent Information Meeting: Wednesday, October 14: 6:30-7:30

Our class has been working on our persuasive writing skills in our Characters of Courage paragraphs! Share with a family member the person you chose to write about for this project. How did they demonstrate courage? Remember to use specific examples to support your opinion. Please check D2L for the assignment criteria and assessment.


Homework:
-Open the page for Social Studies on the blog and record all the vocabulary we are going to be studying connected to Democracy.  Use the orange vocabulary page. If you know what the word means record your understanding, otherwise leave a space to record your understanding at another time.

-Ensure that you have enough facts about your Character of Courage.  You need at least 3 specific facts of events, experiences, etc. that demonstrate characteristics of courage, as well as at least 5 or more facts about their life.  You may include some quotes.

Reminder:
- Continue to practice your keyboarding skills for 15 minutes at home! Are you improving your speed and accuracy? Remember a goal is 90% accuracy rate with 20 wmp at each lesson. We will be having a quiz at the end of this week.

Dance Mat Typing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr
Sense Language Lessons: http://www.sense-lang.org/typing/tutor/keyboarding.php

NO SCHOOL Friday, October 9 - Professional Development Day

Thank you for another great week of learning!

Our class will begin current event projects next week. Share with a family member the project and rubric posted in D2L. What day are you presenting? Start looking for news articles you want to share with the class for this project. Look in D2L for great websites for you to use.

Enjoy your weekend!

*Letter from Board of Trustees

-letter coming home today with your only or youngest child

-please read

Our class began a new science project this week: Wetlands, Trees and Forest! Share with a family member the project outline, websites and rubric posted in D2L. You will be sharing your learning with the class! Which computer program will you use for your presentation?

Reminder:
- Continue to practice your keyboarding skills for 15 minutes at home! Are you improving your speed and accuracy? Remember a goal is 90% accuracy rate with 20 wmp at each lesson.

Dance Mat Typing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr
Sense Language Lessons: http://www.sense-lang.org/typing/tutor/keyboarding.php

-October Calendar coming home today!