Students should now have a pretty good idea of which solution they will be proceeding forward with building next week in regards to our simple machines design inquiry. Please brainstorm a list of possible materials and supplies they may require for building week. Students are aware that building will take place each afternoon next week.

Students will also be brining their plant life cycle projects home today. Please look for these either in the hands or you child or in their backpack.

Thank you to those who have donated to our food bank. Please feel free to continue to bring items to school in the weeks to come.

Thursday, December 5th from 6:00-7:30pm is our STEM Night.

I learned...
*that I need to have made a final decision on my simple machines solution by end of tomorrow morning
*that tomorrow is our last Follow Your Passion for this round
*how to write a cheque

Ask Me About...
*our session with RT students
*the feedback the RT students gave me and my simple machines inquiry
*what we did in math with writing big numbers with words (written form)
*my cheque writing

Reminder:

Save the Date - Grade 4 Celebration of Learning is on  Friday, December 13th from 11:00-12:00pm.

Please bring items for the food bank!

For example:
-dry pasta
-canned beans
-canned fruit
-Mac and Cheese
-canned soup
-crackers
-cereal
-trail mix
-canned corn
-pasta sauce
-canned carrots
-tuna
-canned peas
-raisins
-canned Alpha-getti
-pretezels
-canned beets
-olives
-meat
-pickles

Thank you to everyone who attended conferences last week. I do apologize for not being available on the Friday. I have reached out to those families who I missed on the Friday and have set up alternate times to meet.

Just a reminder that tonight is the Maple Ridge FUNDraiser at Chapters (on 130th ave) from 6:00-8:00pm.

Choir will be performing on December 19th at 2:30pm.

Maple Ridge School will also be hosting an evening STEM event on Thursday, December 5th from 5:00-7:00pm. Please stay tuned for more information!

Below is the Simple Machines Success Criteria that students have been working on over the past couple of weeks. They have now chosen a problem and formulated a BIG question that will guide their inquiry. Students will use the remainder of the week to work on generating 2 to 3 solutions to their problem, keeping in mind the below criteria.

Task:  Design and build a device that you have invented to make everyday work easier.

• Decrease the work to move a load
• Increase the distance to move a load, in less time

Success Criteria

• My device can be moved easily so I can work in different spaces
• My device is able to fit on the top of a desk
• I have completed my design thinking template

With your RT buddy

• Choose your everyday problem to solve (refer back to our class brainstorm)
• Think about how you can incorporate at least one simple machine into your design
• Pulley
• Lever
• Gears
• Wheels
• Axles
• Rollers

The grade 4 students had a visit from Grade 8/9 students from RT Alderman this afternoon. They were brainstorming ideas for their upcoming Simple Machines design thinking inquiry. The students are asked to solve a real life problem by creating a prototype that will either decrease the load or increase the distance in less time. The below is an amazing list of ideas. Please have a discussion with your child regarding a possible problem that they wish to solve. We will being this inquiry on Monday.

Room 4 Brainstorming Ideas

Ocean Pollution

Shortest kid on the hockey team

Getting up in the morning

Remove debris off the road/highway

Walking to school (various weather climates)

Clean-up after natural disasters 

Completing homework (difficulty getting thoughts from head onto paper)

Difficulty wheeling up ramps in snow/ice (wheelchairs) 

Distractions while driving (too many car crashes) 

Heavy ringette/hockey bag

People aren’t wearing seat belts

Getting clean water and carrying the water

Transporting clean water to poor countries 

Homelessness (how we can help those in these cold months?)

Helping homeless who get turned away from the FULL shelter 

Please has your child the meaning of the following scientific words:

wheel, axle, effort, force and load

Just a reminder that there is a half day on Thursday, November 21st and no school Friday, November 22nd, as there are Parent/Teacher Conferences.

 I learned...
*Maple Ridge School is having a FUNDraising event at Chapters on November 26th (please see invitation in backpack)
*there is only a half day of school on Thursday, November 21st and no school on Friday, November 22nd (conferences)
*about the meaning of a fulcrum (ask me how we used a fulcrum)
*that I really, really, really need to think about my simple machine problem that I will work to solve in the weeks to come

Ask Me About...
*the station work we have been working on in Science
*my 2nd session of Follow Your Passion and details about what we did
*my field study to Telus Spark on Tuesday
*my plant life cycle rubric that is located in my backpack
*the guest speaker we had on Wednesday
*my gear stations yesterday
*how I behaved with the guest teacher yesterday

Students will be coming home with their Plant Life Cycle rubric today. You will see the assessment markings from myself (green highlighter) and from themselves (circles/checkmarks). Please have a conversation around this assessment and discuss ways in which your child can improve on their next inquiry project. This rubric gives students feedback on the areas that they can improve upon in the future. These plant life cycle projects will be on display during conferences next week.

All the grade 4 students will be heading to Telus spark on Tuesday, November 12th.

HOMEWORK:

Students are asked to observe people this long weekend and note the WORK and EFFORT that is exerted. For example: lifting, pushing, pulling, moving etc. I have asked the students to think about their day, from the time they wake until the time they head to bed. What work or effort is used to preform such tasks.

We will be creating a BIG class list on Wednesday. This list will assist students in their upcoming inquiry project on Simple Machines.

Have a great weekend and see everyone Tuesday.

Today I learned...
*that I should dress appropriately for tomorrow if I am speaking
*a little bit more about our morning student teacher
*more about place value (thousands, hundreds tens, and ones)

Ask Me About...
*my new table group
*standard form, expanded form, and how to sketch a cube (math related)
*our class wreath for the Remembrance Day Assembly tomorrow
*our assembly rehearsal
*our 1st practice lockdown of the year

Reminders:

*There is No School on Monday, November 11th as it is Remembrance Day.
*We are heading to Telus Spark on Tuesday, November 12th.  Thank you to those who offered to volunteer for this experience but we have enough adults to supervise at this time.

Ask Me About...
*the Telus Spark Field Study form in my backpack
*my pumpkin elevator/pulley collaborative project
*what we did with Mrs. Hebenton this afternoon
*how and where I displayed my Plant Life Cycle Research Project

Today I Learned...
*there is NO School on Monday, November 11th due to Remembrance Day
*more about how a pulley and elevator work
*that there will be a Remembrance Day Assembly on Friday at 11:00am