Grade 3 Update

As mentioned before, the students are working on and exploring the curriculum through centres. This will give them frequent opportunities to develop and strengthen the six learning skills that will be assessed throughout the year: collaboration, organization, independent work, self-regulation, responsibility, and initiative. 

The students have a set number of must do tasks and free centres where they can explore the learning goals for the week. They are starting to be more aware of the expectations and that they are accountable for circulating through tasks before choosing preferred activities. 

Technology update:

We have been informed that we are no longer using mathletics for the elementary students. We will be going back to dreambox. Raz-kids is also up and running (I will have them create their passwords this week). 

To access these programs and many more that have been purchased by the board, please have your child sign in to google and in the upper right hand corner they can sign in using their email (firstname.lastname@ocsbstudent.ca) and password (I will send home their new password this week). They will then go to the student portal https://sites.google.com/a/ocsbstudent.ca/k-6/ or can access the student portal from the school or board websites. Once they have signed in to google they will be able to access the programs available on the student portal.

If you would like to review expectations with your child with regards to technology and their safety, there is a section on the left hand side of the student portal entitled, Samaritans on the digital road. We will also be reviewing this as a whole class. 

Thank you for your time.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

S. Mousseau

Happy Carp Fair Week

I would like to ask that if you are planning on attending Carp Fair on Friday, to please send a note in or attached to the agenda before Thursday. There will be many students attending Carp Fair on Friday which will result in many phone messages for Mrs. Mulcair to sort through. 

Thank you for your understanding.

Hope to see you at the fair!

Carp Fair Entries

The following three options are the grade 3 contest entries for the fair this year. If your child wishes to submit an entry please submit it to the school by Wednesday. If you do not have time at home to complete one of the following and your child wishes to submit an entry I will give them some time to work on it during centres this week. 

*These entries are optional and not connected to our classroom assessment.*

1. Draw a pencil crayon picture of a farm​, include at least 3 different farm animals

2. Create a homemade invitation ​to a Halloween party

3. Compare modern farming machinery ​with farming machinery from pioneer days (Venn diagram or T­-Chart, can be done on computer) on 8 1⁄2 x 11” paper

Allergy Alert

We have students in our class/school with allergies. Please check your child's lunch to make sure there are no products with nuts, peanuts, cashews, or pistachios. We also have a student in the school with an allergy to hummus and ask that you refrain from bringing it to school. 

Thank you for helping to keep our children safe at school.

Welcome Back

I hope you all had a wonderful Summer vacation filled with fun times with family and friends. We are now ready for a wonderful year of learning in grade 3. 

This year the students will have the opportunity to explore various concepts through centers. The classroom is designed with flexible seating, where the students are able to work in an area of the classroom that will best meet their learning needs. We have round tables for collaboration, a couch for a quiet space, wooden logs that bring the outdoors into our classroom, a lego table, and a standing table. Students will be encouraged to choose the most appropriate learning space based on their needs in order to meet with success. 

The students will have many opportunities to document their learning with the use of technology. We have iPads and Chromebooks available in the classroom for the students to publish their work. Our board believes strongly in the proper use of technology within our classrooms. We will consistently establish and review rules and appropriate behaviours when using technology and our Google accounts. Technology will be viewed as a privilege within our classroom. It will be reserved for those who can demonstrate being a good digital samaritan. 

We will be using the app Seesaw to document our learning throughout the year in both French and English subjects. The students will be bringing home a letter with information on how to log on. I have heard great reviews from teachers, parents, and student who use seesaw and have been incorporating the app within my classroom for the past two years. Parents are able to see what the students are learning throughout the day. You will be able to add your comments and encourage their learning processes throughout the day. I believe that this app helps with the dinner time discussion around the subject of "what did you do at school today?" They will no longer give the answer "nothing" :-) 

In terms of homework for the year, I will not be sending home weekly or nightly homework. We have so many learning opportunities during the school day. If you wish to further your child's learning at home there are two web-based programs that we will be using, mathletics and raz-kids. 

Mathletics: this is a great website to help students work on all the math concepts that are outlined in the Ontario curriculum. If you wish to help your child with concepts please work in the RAINFOREST section. If your child would like to work independently they may work in the ACTIVITIES section. I ask that parents DO NOT support their child in the ACTIVITIES section as the data is recorded and collected (as one way) for me to monitor their progress. 

Raz-kids: this is a great reading program that provides many leveled books with reading comprehension questions. If you wish to help your child with their reading I encourage you to read with your child for as little as 10 minutes a night. Ask your child deep and meaningful questions about their book and have them provide proof from the text to support their thinking. 

I will provide more information throughout the year on how to support their learning at home without the use of 'homework'. There are many conversations that can extend our school learning into their daily lives. 

I am looking forward to working with each child this year. It will be a fun filled year of learning. I can't wait to meet you all at our open house on Thursday, September 15th, 2016. 

Ms. Mousseau 

SKI TRIP

Things to remember for our ski trip:

- extra mitts (warm)
- extra socks
- warm clothes (no jeans)
- hat/belaclava (to go under helmet)
- sun screen
- lunch or money for food
- snowpants and jacket
- neck warmer
- backpack


Get a good night sleep tonight! It will be a very busy day tomorrow!

St. Michael's Skating Rink

Our skating rink is ready. Thank you very much to Mr. Haughian for your hard work in getting everything organized so that we can all enjoy the rink this winter. 

Our class will be skating this week on Wednesday from 9:15-10:15. A permission form will be going home today, please sign and return the form ASAP. 

Skating Dates are Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:15-10:15am.

January: 27th 

February: 1st, 3rd, 8th, 10th, 17th, 22nd, 24th

Skating is weather dependent, if the conditions are not favourable we will not be able to skate (i.e., too cold, too warm, rain). 

Important information about skating:

- All students must wear a properly fitted helmet.

- All students must bring their stakes in a protective bag (not a plastic bag where the skates can cut through).

- All students must be dressed appropriately for the weather. We will be outside for the whole block. 

If you are able to join us on the rink and help tie skates it would be greatly appreciated. Please indicate on the form the days you are available. 

Thank you very much.

Ms. Mousseau

Merry Christmas

As the Christmas vacation is right around the corner, I would like to take this time to thank all the parents and students for a wonderful start of the year. I am looking forward to setting new goals in 2016 and working hard to meet those goals. 

During the Christmas holidays there are many fun apps and ways to journal their experiences. If you are travelling or staying home with family your child can take pictures, make movies, or write recounts of different events. Apps such as 30hands and all our Google apps will allow students to document the meaning of Christmas. They can also use pencil and paper and create a memory book. This is not a homework assignment and is not meant to take up family time during the holidays. If your child has down time and wishes to create these are a few suggestions. 

I would like to wish all families a Merry Christmas. May you have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of His love at Christmas and always. 

Have a very safe and relaxing Christmas and I will see you all in the new year!