There are signs of SPRING and SPIRIT in 5E!

Our class has amazing school spirit!! We had several days of full participation by everyone in the different activities and theme days throughout our Spirit Week! Check out our Tropical and Clone Day outfits on the sidebar of the blog. We were sure having fun! The Gym Riot on Friday was just the "kick off" we needed to send our students off on their holidays with smiles on their faces and good memories of LM in their hearts!

Believe it or not, even amidst all this spirit we actually got some work done!

So here's what we've been up to and what is coming up (after Spring Break):

LANGUAGE ARTS:

We've continued with our writer's workshop mini-lessons and quick writes. This week we learned how to write using similes as well as having some fun writing our own versions of the classic poem, If I were in Charge of the World, originally written by Judith Viorst. We will continue with our quick writes and mini-lessons in April as we develop a collection of personal narratives from which to choose for revision and editing and eventually publishing in our own Chicken Soup books.

We had an interesting T.U.S.C. meeting this week as it was interrupted by a surprise performance by 4 members of the Winnipeg Wesmen that shot some hoops for the grades 5-8 (in lieu of our cancelled Walk-a-thon). The students were so impressed that Mrs. Zimmerman's son was a member of the team!

Our next T.U.S.C. meeting is the FIRST DAY we get back! Be prepared 5E!!! Maybe you could try to share something about your holidays through your T.U.S.C. role (might be tricky for some of you).

MATHEMATICS:

This week the students had some fun on their math assignment to represent their "typical school day" in a pie graph, using fractions that represent a day divided into 24 hours. It was a great way to have them making connections with real life activities, practicing representing fractions pictorially and simplifying those fractions to lowest terms. An added portion to this assignment was the paragraph they needed to write to explain their "mathematical" thinking and learning through this type of activity.

Thursday was their Fraction quiz to assess their understanding of the concepts we've covered in Fractions up to this point. The quizzes should be returned to you for your signatures on Friday! When the students return from Spring Break we will be finishing our study of fractions by comparing their values and converting them into decimals!

SOCIAL STUDIES:

On Tuesday, the students watched an excellent video that covered all the major historical events that occurred from 1400- 1867 in Canadian history. This was a fantastic overview of the curriculum outcomes that the students need to learn before grade 6, as the gr.6 S.S. curriculum continues in Canadian history from 1867 - present day! Now we will be taking a closer look at each of these events beginning with life in New France.

Our field trip to the Manitoba Museum on April 9th will provide some necessary background information about the Fur Trade era when Canada truly opened up as a country.

SCIENCE:

Our unit on Chemical Changes is already off to a sizzling start as the students experienced our first chemical change experiment watching sugar turn to caramel over a hot plate! They are learning to recognize a chemical change by identifying specific "signs" within an experiment. Ask your child what "signs" to look for in a chemical change.

OTHER:

• As you know, our Walk-a-thon has been moved to Friday, April 17th. Mark it on your calendars if you would like to join us for our walk!


• Book orders have been submitted for April, I hope to have your books in after the break!


• It's Good Friday on April 10th...no school!


• Museum trip on Thursday, April 9th...pack those lunches.

Have a fun and safe Spring Break holiday! Our amazing, hardworking class of students deserve the rest and relaxation!

My family and I are driving down to Sioux Falls, SD and then flying out to Disneyworld with my brother's family to meet our parents in Orlando! It's princesses and rides for me next week! (Wish us luck getting through the flooded roads of North Dakota!)

Mrs. Eby