Spring Break!

Hello Families!
The students were ready for this break! Over the last week they have been getting more and more tired, and more students have been ill and missed school. Let's hope we can all rest up and be healthy for the next term!

Several families spoken to me about good English television for their children. Here are some of my recommendations:
Discovery Kids Channel
Discovery Channel
Animal Planet
PBS

Some shows that are good include:
Popular Mechanics for Kids
Cyberchase
Mystery Hunters
Get Outta Town
Timeblazers
How it's Made
Mighty Ships
Mythbusters
Project Earth
Postcards from Buster
Zoom!

Another strategy for improving vocabulary is to have kids watch a movie they have already seen in French and have them watch again in English. Since they already know the story and don't have to concentrate on the plotline they can pick up more words and expressions. One thing that some families enjoy is to watch the show with the closed caption display, which lets kids read the words as they are spoken.

If the kids are on their laptops over the break, they can always have access to the learning sites I have posted in the sidebar. Free Rice has interactive grammar drill that some students really enjoy, and don't forget the World Maths Day site is active until March 4th.

Enjoy the holiday, and see you on the 10th!
Ms Napier

Cross your fingers for me...

Just now, while procrastinating, I entered a contest to do something I have always wanted to do . I entered my name and hope to be chosen as an Olympic torch bearer.

I was in high school during the Calgary Olympics, and was very envious when another student was chosen to help carry the Olympic flame across the country. So this time I wanted to enter.

Anyone 13 years and over can enter, and they flame is coming through our city. All that is asked is a pledge for how you plan to make a better Canada. Here is my pledge:

I pledge to work to make stronger Canadians, one learner, one class of students at time. I pledge to renew my strength so I can enter the classroom each day ready to meet the challenges my students and I will face together. I pledge to help them to be their best, and to strive to be a model for them by working toward personal excellence, learning from mistakes, and taking risks. I pledge to try to show each person compassion, and respect their differences while encouraging their talents. And most of all, I pledge to show them that we have a responsibility to each other to work toward the common good, seeking excellence and building a better world in any and every way we can.

As a fifth-grade teacher with 29 learners, I have responsibilities to build a better Canada, and if it weren't too grandiose a goal it would be written in the job description! In essence, that is what my job is - to help instill the skills and values the children need to guide them, and to help us all guide this country in positive directions. I have the chance, every day, to make a positive impact on my country, one child at a time. That's why I get out of bed in the morning, not to teach reading and writing, but to teach kids.


It wasn't hard to write, it is just hard to live up to. So every day I make myself I promise that I will do one thing at a time, and do it as well as I can. My fingers are crossed that my pledge makes the cut....

World Math Day

Right now grade 5 is practicing their calculation skills by taking timed tests against other 11 year olds around the world. The site is called worldmathsday.com and it gives students calculation drills in the form of "face-offs" among 4 children. We can see the children's avatars, as well as their locations, and as the teacher I can see my student's scores, averages, and our class total of correct answers.

The students are really excited. The games are leveled so that the more a child is able to do, the harder the questions become. Individualized learning - everyone gets the math that challenges them, and all can practice at the same time and get instant feedback on right and wrong answers.

Students can log in using the passwords I gave them. The site closes after March 4th.

Hello from Laval!

Hello everyone,

I am writing from a CEFRIO workshop taking place in Laval. This morning we talked about different technology tools we can use to collaborate on educational projects.

What is interesting is that a number of the tools discussed are already in use in our classroom, but within the group. We aren't using the tools to reach out and work with other classes for larger projects.

For the rest of the month, we will be studying the Loyalists, and how the movement north after the American Revolution. I have asked the organizers of this workshop to send out a call to other teachers to see if there is someone in the former 13 Colonies willing to participate in a discussion about the conflict between the Patriots and the Loyalists, and to look at how the events of that period affected our respective countries.

I know that there are people following the blog who are teachers from afar. Anyone interested in having our students collaborate?

napierk@ped.etsb.qc.ca

History and Geography

So last week we had a short geography quiz on the provinces territories of Canada. Students had to identify the provinces and territories, as well as note (but not locate) the capital cities of each province. They also had to spell everything correctly (although I did not take off a point if students added a "u" to Iqaluit, since this word does not conform to the spelling rule the students have learned.

The results were not impressive, despite having had a week to study, having gone over the content in class, and having had a map in their duotang for 3 months.

So, this week we will be reviewing how to study, and the test will be given again, until each child masters the content.

Spelling included.

Have a good week,
Kathy Napier