Pioneer Animals and Food

n our math unit on fractions and decimals we added decimals. Students used several different strategies to do this. First they used rounding as a way to estimate. They found place value charts the easiest because of all the practice they get in their arithmetic books. Many students found using pattern block picture another easy way to do this. A less used method was using a number line to add. Students did very well working out of their textbooks to practice these skills. Some had to be reminded to always record their thinking even when not prompted to do so.

Our arithmetic lesson lined up with our math unit on fractions and decimals. We reviewed how a proper fraction is less than a whole, and an improper fraction is equal to or greater than a whole.

In language, students continued working on list 25 spelling words.

In our speech time, students partnered up with a friend to do some peer editing. Speeches were then edited by me. These drafts are coming home to be further edited by parents. We have run out of time and will not be doing a second draft, but will go straight on to the good copy of speeches. Please remember that speeches must be between 2 and 3 minutes long. Students will be penalised if their speech is longer or shorter than this time. Good copies of speeches are due on Friday.

We continued with our inquiry unit on Pioneers. Students worked independently or in a group to discover how useful farm animals were to pioneers. They also read about early pioneer food. We learned that natural resources were in plentiful supply and that helped the pioneers survive. We came across many new words, like bannock and partridge. Students had many new pioneer-related words to add to our class chart of A-Z of pioneer words. When they were done, they were challenged to complete a seventh page of their own A-Z booklet.

Students attended French gym class today.

Homework & Reminders

·         Spelling

·         MMS p. 134 & 135

·         Arithmetic p. 119 & 120

·         Complete good copy of entire speech for Friday

·         Read chapter 8 of Little House in the Big Woods and complete reader response page for tomorrow

·         Mark Saturday, February 22, on your calendars as the SJA Annual Gala - Gala tickets are for sale now ($75/adult & $10/child)

·         Candy grams are on sale for $0.25. These will be delivered on Feb.13