Just a reminder that there is no school for students on Friday, January 31st. 

A digital copy of your child's report card will be made available on Thursday, January 30th. Please stay tuned for the exact timing these documents will be released. An email indicating the time and steps to retrieve this documentation will be sent home by our school principal, Mr. Emery.

Our grade 4 students have been invited to R.T. Alderman on Thursday, February 6th at 1:30pm. The R.T. Alderman students have been working on various projects for their upcoming Science Fair and have graciously invited us over to explore their projects on display. There is no paperwork required for this field study as it is just a walk across the school field.

Just a heads up that your child will be bringing home their Simple Machines project either today or tomorrow. We need to clear our room to prepare for our next units of study.

Students have been unpacking our BIG inquiry question this week. Below is the question that will guide our learning for the remainder of the school year. Please have a discussion with your child on the work we have done this week on the question and how the questions relates to them personally.

How are human and natural systems interrelated? 

Essential Understandings:

1. Each can have a positive or negative influence on the other
2. There is a shifting balance
3. Choices made now and in the past influence the relationship

The students have completed their art work and corresponding written text inspired by Yellena James. Within their written piece, they included the following:

*inspiration for their personalized art piece

*explanation on the purpose of colour selection, composition, and proportions

*description of the steps taken to complete the water colour piece

*inclusion of emotions, what they noticed and what Yellena James' work reminded them of

The students have been working very hard at creating art work for the open house on Thursday. Their work has been inspired by Yellena James, an artist who gets her inspiration from the outside environment. Students have been working on incorporating their understanding of composition, colour and proportions, as seen in Yellena James' work. Please stay tuned for photos.

We are also starting to discuss our BIG and guiding question that will connect to our learning for the remainder of the school year. Today the students worked as a table group on the question, what is a system? They came up with a number of examples that include a system, which is a wonderful start to the discussion. Tomorrow we will hash out a definition for the word 'system' before moving onto the next task. By Friday, students should have a good grasp of what the big question means and how it connects to our learning.

The open house on Thursday is for families interested in the science program available at Maple Ridge School. This is not an event for students who already attend Maple Ridge School. This evening will provide information on the program for those families who are thinking about applying.

Important Dates:
Thursday, January 30th - Report Cards Go Home
Friday, January 31st - Non-Instructional Day (No School)
Thursday, February 13th/Friday, February 14th - Teachers' Convention (No School)
Monday, February 17th - Family Day (No School)

Just a reminder to dress appropriately for the cold weather. Although students are inside for both morning recess and lunch recess, they are venturing out at the end of the day for pick-up. We wouldn't want any frost bite to occur on those areas exposed.

The students continued to work on their Yellena James art work this afternoon. Please ask them which option they selected to do for their personal art piece.

Students have also been working on estimation strategies for addition questions. All students are encouraged to work on the speed of their basic fact recall, especially the 7's, 8's and 9's.

I learned...
*how to play PIG (in Math)
*which items go in which bin (blue/recycling-Mrs. Bowers)
*that we have No School tomorrow

Ask Me About...
*our research on Yellena James during Art
*our writing during the morning period (Mrs. Brandley)
*our Health groups (Mrs. Bowers)

Just a reminder that there is No School tomorrow.

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a terrific winter break and ready for the next months of learning. Report cards are upon us and students are busy reflecting on their work thus far.

There is No School this Friday, January 10th. This is a Non-instructional Day.