Today our Grade 5's class had a special presentation from Little Green Thumbs! Our Little Green Thumb classroom gardens are in rooms 5, 7 and 8. Share with a family member the important ideas from this presentation. What connections can you make to the presentation today? How did it connect to our Plant Experiment projects? To our Community Garden?

Homework:
Go to the following hyperlink and read as least 2 passages on the practice English Language Arts PAT.
https://questaplus.alberta.ca/

Reminder: 
- Pizza Lunch is on Thursday June 2
- No School on Friday June 3 - it is a Professional Development Day
- June newsletter is being sent home with the youngest student today.

Our painted lady caterpillars have arrived!  Please share with a member of your family how we are taking care of our caterpillars.  Do you know the life cycle of a butterfly? What scientific vocabulary terms describe each phase?  Be prepared to share your ideas in class tomorrow.

Reminder:
Pizza lunch is on Thursday, June 2.
No School on Friday, June 3.  It is a Professional Development Day. 
Homework:
Practice Provincial Achievement Test links are posted in D2L. Please practice the tests in each subject area and bring your questions to class.
PAT practice schedule:
Reading and Social Studies - May 30 - June 2
Science and Math - June 6 - June 10

Today we had a Telus Spark Math in Motion workshop at school! Share with a family member the activity we did in our Math in Motion session. How does movement help you learn? We will be having another Math in Motion workshop on Monday May 30!

Have a terrific weekend!

Reminder:
- Pizza orders are due Monday May 30.
 

Our class has almost Social Identity Project presentations! Think about your strengths when you were presenting and sharing your learning with the class. What are you proud of? What is a goal you have? Share with a family member the information you learned from your peers on the different groups of people in Canada's past. How have they contributed to Canada and Alberta's identity?

Homework: 
Go to the following link and complete the activity on transformations:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mejhm/index.html?l=0&ID1=AB.MATH.JR.SHAP&ID2=AB.MATH.JR.SHAP.TRAN&lesson=html/video_interactives/transformations/transformationsSmall.html

Reminder: 
- Today is the last day of Sports Club! Thank you to all the students who joined this year! Ms. Makowski and Mrs. Calvert appreciate your hard work and sportsmanship.

Our class has introduced a new French project. The task is to create an advertisement for our community of Vista Heights. If someone was moving into Vista Heights what would information would be the important for them to know.  Discuss with a family member what people, places, transportation and other interesting facts are you going to include in your advertisement.  Please check D2L for the task criteria and assessment.

Homework: 
Go on the following link to locate information on the Vista Heights community that could be useful for your presentation:
http://calgaryarea.com/index.php?p=communities&c=Vista%20Heights

Reminder:
- Last day of Sports Club is Thursday May 26 from 3:15 to 3:45

Today was our Volunteer Appreciation Tea! Thank you again to all the amazing volunteers who have been a part of our Vista Heights School community. We appreciate your time and work with our classes!

Please remind your parents and family members if they are interested in volunteering they require police clearance. The forms for police clearance can be completed at the office.

Homework: 
Watch the Math Live video on using ordered pairs.
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mesg/html/math6web/index.html?page=lessons&lesson=m6lessonshell18.swf


Reminder: 
- Last day of Sports Club is Thursday May 26th from 3:15 to 3:45. Let Ms. Makowski and Mrs. Calvert know of any special activity requests for our last session.
- Pizza Lunch notice is being sent home today.

Thank you for another wonderful week of learning! Enjoy the long weekend!

Reminder: 
- No school tomorrow (May 20), it is a Professional Development Day. No school Monday May 23 for Victoria Day.
- CBE System POWWOW – this  evening at Crescent Heights School. Bring your families and come out to enjoy a traditional powwow, celebrating and honoring the success of ALL learners in CBE. Grand entry begins at 6, (dancer registration prior).

We have started to work on transformations in Math.  What is a transformation?  Share with a family member what you know about Translations?  Rotations?  Reflections?  Look around your home.  Can you locate an example of each transformation?  Be prepared to share.

Homework:
Watch the video below to see examples of transformations:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mejhm/index.html?l=0&ID1=AB.MATH.JR.SHAP&ID2=AB.MATH.JR.SHAP.TRAN&lesson=html/video_interactives/transformations/transformationsSmall.html

Reminder:
-Community YMCA information coming home today
- Sports Club is tomorrow (May 19) from 3:15 to 3:45
- Kindergarten assembly is tomorrow (May 19) at 11:00

Vista Heights is getting a new playground! Today we completes a Padlet discussion on 'What do you think is important in a playground?' Please  share with a member of your family your ideas and ask them what do they think is important in a playground?  Why? Why do we have playgrounds?  How can the Vista Heights community benefit from a new playground?

Homework: 
-Read, read, read!

Reminder:
No school on Friday, May 20.  It is a Professional Development Day.  No school on Monday, May 23. It is Victoria Day.
Sports Club is on Thursday, May 19 - 3:15 - 3:45
Safety notice is being sent home with the youngest student.

Today was the beginning of our health lessons.  Please have a discussion with a family member your learning from today.  Did you have any questions for the question box?  Remember to write them down for tomorrow's class.

Today we planted cucumbers and basil in our community garden with Ricki.  Which garden section are they in?  What did you learn about which plants are interdependent with other plants?

Homework:
Go to the following link and choose a video clip that you think is important for wellness:
https://www.brainpop.com/search/?keyword=health
Be prepared to share in class tomorrow.



Reminder:
No school on Friday, May 20.  It is a Professional Development Day.  No school on Monday, May 23.  It is Victoria Day.

Reflect upon your learning journey this week.  What celebrations do you have?  What are you working on?  


Have a fabulous weekend!


Reminder: 
Vista Heights School Council Casino notice is being sent home with the youngest student.

We are celebrating our narrative and newspaper compositions that we wrote today for our Provincial Achievement Test.  Share with a family member two stars and a wish about the narrative that your wrote today. What part of the picture prompt inspired your ideas?  Were you able to include onomatopoeia? Similes? Metaphors? Hooks?

Homework:

Go the following websites and practice how to calculate volume of 3-D objects:

http://illuminations.nctm.org/activity.aspx?id=4095
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/geometry/shapeshoot/VolumeShapesShoot.htm

Reminder:

Sports Club is today, May 12, 3:15-3:45.
Health lessons begin on Monday, May 16.   

Our presentations on the History of Canada's Identity have begun! Share with a family member your Prezi, Notebook or Powerpoint presentation and be sure to practice speaking with confidence and eye contact.  Explain your strategies for audience engagement. Locate and share the criteria and rubric posted in D2L and check to ensure that you have worked towards excellence with this project.

Homework:
Continue to read, read, read!

Reminder:
Tomorrow, Thursday, May 12 is the Provincial Writing Test for Grade 6.
Child Safe Canada program guide is being sent home with the youngest student.

We continue to develop strategies to solve authentic and meaningful math problems focused on our Vista Heights Community Garden. Our math challenge today involved developing formulas using variable to calculate the area and perimeter of rectangles.  How did you calculate the area of our new garden designs that we created in our Math Workshop? Are you able to apply your understanding of these concepts in your house?

Homework:
Go to the following website and practice how to calculate area and perimeter:

http://www.funbrain.com/poly/index.html

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me3us/flash/lessonLauncher.html?lesson=lessons/12/m3_12_00_x.swf

http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/PerimeterExplorer/

Reminder:
Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Writing Test is on Thursday, May 12, 9:00 - 11:00.
Sports Club is on Thursday, May 12, 3:15-3:45.

Our Grade 6 Provincial Writing Test is on Thursday, May 12, 9:00 - 11:00, with an optional 30 minutes. Please study the narrative text structure and the paragraph criteria posted in D2L under Content.  Today we introduced the text structure for composing newspaper articles.  Share with a member of your family what information you included in your article today about our Rothney Astrophysical Observatory field trip.  Did you include the 5 W's in your first paragraph.  Which important details did you select for your second paragraph.  How many quotes did you add?  Which detail closed your article?

Homework:
Continue to work on your accuracy in punctuation by practicing on the following websites:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/7-11-years/punctuation
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/6_8/grammar/

Reminder:
Our health lessons begin next week, May 16, 2016.

Thank you for another wonderful week of learning! Be proud of your effort and hard work on your projects this week. 

   Be sure to thank you mom and wish her a Happy Mother's Day!
   Have a great weekend!

Today we travelled to the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory.  We engaged in a variety of learning activities to enrich our understanding of Sky Science.  Which concepts were meaningful for your learning?  What surprised you?  What do you wonder about?  What connections did you make to our previous study of Sky Science?  Be prepared to complete a reflection tomorrow. A special THANK YOU to our School Enhancement Council for funding this learning experience.  We would also like to thank Mrs. Wigton for volunteering her time to attend with us!

Homework:
History of Canada's Identity Projects are due on Monday!  Please share your presentation from Prezi, including the criteria and assessment posted in D2L.  What do you need to add to ensure that you have achieved excellence with your project?

Reminder:
- Sports Club is today from 3:15 to 3:45.

-Go to the following link for an All Sports One Day event that is free: http://allsportoneday.ca/pages/home

-Check our the following link for access for FREE bowling games everyday this summer: http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

Thank you to those students who wore a hat today to support Hats On for Mental Health and mental health awareness. Why is our mental health and wellness important? What strategies do you use to keep your mind healthy? Discuss these ideas with your family.

Homework: 
Access the websites posted on D2L under Identity Research Links. Continue to collect research for your Identity Inquiry project. In your peer feedback, what topics do you still need information on?

Reminder:
-Our field trip to Rothney Astrophysical Observatory is tomorrow, May 5.  Please bring a lunch, snacks and a water bottle.  Remember to dress for the weather as we will be outside for part of the day.  We leave at 9:00 A.M. and will return around 2:45 P.M.
- Sports Club is tomorrow (May 5th) from 3:15 to 3:45.

-Transportation Notice
-Health Notice

-Go to the following link for an All Sports One Day event that is free: http://allsportoneday.ca/pages/home

-Check our the following link for access for FREE bowling games everyday this summer: http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

Our Math Workshop presentations are almost complete!  Please share with a member of your family your learning with our week long Community Garden redesigns. In your communication of your understandings what are your strengths?  What are your next steps for learning?  What strategies could you utilize to develop excellence with your communication of your mathematical understanding?

Homework:
Go the following websites and practice how to calculate volume of 3-D objects:

http://illuminations.nctm.org/activity.aspx?id=4095
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/geometry/shapeshoot/VolumeShapesShoot.htm

Reminder: 

- Hats On for Mental Health is tomorrow (May 4th)!
-Go to the following link for an All Sports One Day event that is free: http://allsportoneday.ca/pages/home

-Check our the following link for access for FREE bowling games everyday this summer: http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

- Transportation Notice is being sent home with the youngest student! 

Our class continues to focus on how to write an engaging and well organized narrative.  Share with a family member the text structure and criteria for a narrative, which is posted in D2L.  In your narrative practice today, did you follow the text structure, including paragraphing according to the plot?  Did you include examples of the criteria expected for each paragraph, including hooks, similes or metaphors and descriptive words? What are your next steps for learning in your narrative writing?

Today was the first Student Wellness Action Team meeting! Thank you to those students who have joined this club! We are looking forward to exciting health projects at Vista Heights School. If you are still interested in joining, see Mrs. Calvert for a permission form.

Homework:
Continue to work on your accuracy in punctuation by practicing on the following websites:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/7-11-years/punctuation
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/6_8/grammar/

Reminder:
-Return your signed Acknowledgment of Risk forms for Rothney Astrophysical Observatory field trip
- Hats On for Mental Health is on Wednesday May 4!
-Go to the following link for an All Sports One Day event that is free: http://allsportoneday.ca/pages/home

-Check our the following link for access for FREE bowling games everyday this summer: http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/