WE CREATED STARRY NIGHT MASTERPIECES!

Hello families of room 205s. I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable March Break. We heard about some very exciting trips and cruises that some of our students went on over the break. It's nice to see everyone back and well rested.

Vincent Van Gogh - After learning about the life and history of the famous artist Vincent Van Gogh, the students were asked to recreate their own version of Starry Night using pastels. We examined the painting through Van Gogh's eyes and discussed the area in France where he painted Starry Night and what Van Gogh may have been thinking while painting this. We also discussed the specific style unique to Van Gogh's artwork including his identified brushstrokes, swirling sky and hills as well as images that are in the foreground, mid ground and background of the painting.

The students worked very hard to draw their own renditions of this masterpiece using oil pastels. They are hung up in our classroom and look beautiful! I am proud of the students hard work and effort during this art project.While working in class, we listened to music from a variety of genres. Below is a link to the song Starry Night by Don Maclean that we enjoyed listening to in class.

Officer Janet - This week, police officer Janet visited Forest Hill and spoke with the grade 4 and grade 5 students separately in our classroom. She talked to both the class about cyber bullying. She described what it looks like, what it feels like and what to do if you feel that you are being bullied on line. Unfortunately, I was unable to sit in on the presentations as I had to be with the students in another classroom at the time. The students found this presentation very informative and officer Janet told me that both grades asked many excellent questions.

Director's Cut in coming to our class! - On April 14th, the Director's Cut will be coming to our class for the day to do a workshop with the students called "Stop Animation using Lego." This workshop is specifically designed by a team of expert filmmakers and educators for students between the 4th and 6th grades. This workshop allows students to create a stop motion animation film using their very own toys, and then use technology to add titles, voices, sound effects, and music to create a unique animated film, with the studentsʼ favourite toys as the stars! The cost of the workshop is $21.00 per student. A permission form will be sent home next week with all the details. We are very excited to have Director's Cut in our class in April!

Book Reports - The grade 4 and grade 5 book reports are due this Monday March 24th. I have read many first drafts of the reports and I'm really looking forward to the presentations that will take place at the beginning of next week.

Math tests - The grade 5's had their math test this past week of Perimeter and Area. Please ask your child to see their test and sign the top of the first page. The grade 4's will have their test on Perimeter and Area on Wednesday March 26, 2014. The next math unit for both grades will be Transformational Geometry.

Plot Diagrams - This week we discussed the concept of plot and how it plays out in different stories and novels. The students received a booklet with some important information clearly describing the 5 elements of plot. These are:

• -EXPOSITION
• -RISING ACTION
• -CLIMAX
• -FALLING ACTION
• -RESOLUTION

In partners, the students wrote about each of these 5 elements in relation to the novel we just finished reading in class, We all Fall Down by Eric Walters.  Once they completed this activity, they were given one element and were asked to write a detailed paragraph using examples from the novel. This paragraph will be written in good copy form on strips of paper, with an illustration and will be displayed in our classroom.

Reminders:

• Friday Reports are due on Monday March 24, 2014
• Book reports and presentations are due on Monday March 24, 2014
• Please return your gifted waiver forms ASAP if you have not done so

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND...

LETS HOPE THAT WE FEEL THE WARMTH AND SUNSHINE SPRING PROMISES TO OFFER VERY SOON! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT.

Mrs. Mendelson

Happy March!

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he/she knows that you are slightly cracked.

                                                                      -Bernard Meltzer

Hello families and students. Happy March to all of you. Let's hope that this month brings us some warmer weather, sunshine and a feeling that spring is just around the corner! The quote above was used for our quote reflection this week. The students wrote and shared stories about their friendships and what the term "slightly cracked" means to them. We had some laughs and had a very good discussion on character traits we look for in our friends

Class Visitors - Today in class we had 4 visitors spend the morning with us. Joe Belliveau, who is the head of Special Education for the Southwest region of the TDSB, organized an observation morning for himself and 3 other teachers. Our class was very warm and welcoming to these guests. They enjoyed observing the students during media literacy where we viewed some smoking ads from the 1950's and then we went on to dogonews.com and read about Sochi and their intentions to bring in tourists in the future. We culminated with teachkidsnews.com where we read about the Great Lakes and how they are 90.5 percent frozen this year due to the polar vortex. They observed the students working in groups during math congress to solve a VERY challenging problem. The feedback from our visitors was that they were most impressed with the level of knowledge and understanding the students have in many curriculum areas and how open and forthright they were in sharing this knowledge. They also commented on how respectful and friendly the students in our class are  Thank you to all the students for making our visitors feel so welcome!

We All Fall Down - We finished our read aloud novel this afternoon. The students begged me to finish reading it today! They could not wait until after the March Break to finish this book. We were very surprised by the good news at the end of the book...the main characters, Will and his dad, survive the climb down 84 flights of stairs in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Their story is quite unbelievable and Eric Walters does an excellent job writing about this horrific event through the eyes of a 12 year old boy. We will complete some written follow up activities involving plot and characters after the break.

Math - The grade 5's will have their unit math test on Perimeter and Area on Tuesday March 18, 2014. This test will cover all of the chapters in Unit 9 of the textbook. Our new unit for both grades will be Transformational Geometry. The grade 4's will have their test on Tuesday March 25, 2014 as their unit is slightly longer and covers more material.

Dance performances - This past week, six different groups in our class performed their dances using the success criteria outlined in class. They were great and very entertaining! Most of the students used their class time well and worked hard to create a synchronized dance routine that involved at least 6-8 different dance moves. The following songs were chosen for the performances: Radioactive, We Will Rock You, Safe and Sound, You Make My Dreams Come True, Roar and What does the Fox Say?

Recorder - Our recorder class has changed from day 4 to day 3 as there was a change in Mr. Ungvary's schedule at Forest Hill. This means that the students will have recorder on their first day back after March Break, Monday March 17, 2014. Mr. Ungvary is encouraging all students to continue to practise for at least 5 minutes each day. This practise makes a big difference in their overall recorder progression.

March Break - Friday March 7th is a PA Day and there is no school. Students will be off for a week and will return to school on Monday March 17, 2014.

I hope everyone has a restful holiday. If you're travelling, please be safe and enjoy your vacation. I look forward to seeing everyone well rested in a few weeks. Students will not be required to write a Friday Report during the March Break. I do not expect them to do any homework at all. If they wish to work on their book report, then that's great but there are no expectations to do this.
The book report and presentations for grade 4 and 5 is due on Monday March 24, 2014.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Have a great March Break!!

Book Reports are buzzing!

Hello families of room 205s. We had a very busy and exciting week in our class. We finished our science unit, we began our new social studies units (Canada and it's Provinces and Territories & Canadian Government), the student's received a new book report, we learned about Vincent Van Gogh and in health, we read some detailed information about smoking and its detrimental effects on our bodies. To top if off, we watched some very interesting smoking commercials from the 1960's and had some good laughs!

Book Reports - I hope  you have seen your child's pink book report assignment sheet and spoken to them about the book they will be reading for this book report. They are all very excited to complete this and present their work to the class.

The grade 4's are asked to read a biography and complete a newspaper report given the specific criteria discussed in class. Here are a few that are being read: Leonardo da Vinci, Marco Polo, Abraham Lincoln, Laura Secord, Sam Watterson (the creator of the Calvin and Hobbes series), Steve Jobbs, Harriet Tubman and Pablo Picasso. I have asked the students to choose their biography by this Monday March 3rd.

The grade 5's are asked to read a fictional novel that they have not read before and complete 3 out of the 4 creative activities from their assignment sheet. They are very excited about this assignment as well. I would also like the grade 5's to choose their book by Monday March 3rd. Many of the grade 5 students have chosen their book and they have begun reading it in class.

I do not want the students working on this over the March Break. I'd like them to relax and enjoy the break from school. The due date for the book report and presentation is Monday March 24th, 2014. 

Hana's Suitcase Letters - The letters that the students wrote to the characters in the book, Hana's Suitcase, have been put together into a book. This book is being passed from family to family in alphabetical order. Your family will have an opportunity to read through the book and then comment on the letters. Please keep the book for 2 or 3 evenings and then return it with your child .I hope you enjoy reading the book and seeing the hard work and effort that the students' put into this assignment.

Canada Map Assignment - The grade 4's were introduced to Canada this week and given a map of Canada to label and colour. The were given specific criteria to use when doing this. I have gone over the criteria with them in class and I'd like them to work on this assignment in class only for now. I may ask them to take home their maps next week to complete the colouring aspect; however, for now they will be labelling the provinces, territories, provincial capitals, national capital and bodies of water in class. The will require a ruler and a very fine black marker for this map. I'd appreciate you purchasing your child both of these supplies if you do not have them. Thank you.

Government - The grade 5's had a brief introduction to Government this week. They read about the different types of government in countries around the world and answered some questions. If there are any parents or family member who would like to come in and be a guest speaker on anything referring to the government, that would be great. Please email me.

Reminders:

• Friday Reports are due this Monday March 3rd
• Friday March 6th is a PA Day
• March Break begins on Monday March 9th to Friday March 13th 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND AND STAY WARM!

The final Science Projects...

The final Science projects were presented yesterday. We learned a great deal of information about solar energy and solar panels. Below is a house that was created with solar panels covering the roof. We were told about the advantages and disadvantages of Solar Energy and how it is used to power any photo voltaic device (ex: calculator, toys, cars of the future). 

We also learned about the value of sapphires and emeralds, where they are found and each of their characteristics. Thank you Josh for bringing in a pin with a real sapphire that the class was able to examine using a magnifying glass. 

Well done grade 4's and grade 5's!

SOLAR ENERGY - HALLEY, NICOLE AND 

VICTOR (that guy!)

 EMERALD AND SAPPHIRE - JOSH, CHRISTINE, HANNAH 

WAY TO GO CANADA!

Hello families. I hope everyone has had a great week. We have been watching the Olympics periodically in class and we've been enjoying cheering on Canada as they soar to the top in their Olympic medal count! This afternoon we helped cheer on the Canadian men's hockey team as they won 1-0. The students were extremely excited about this win!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Family Day weekend. The students are continuing to present their Science projects and we should be finished the presentations at the beginning of next week. Their Bristol boards are displayed in the showcase in our hallway and reflect great effort and hard work.

Math - We are continuing to work on the Perimeter and Area unit in the textbook. Both grades are learning how to convert measurements as well as learning how to find the perimeter and area of regular and irregular shapes. Next week they will be solving word problems that involve these concepts. The unit test will be during the week of March 3rd. More information will follow regarding the specific date of the test.

Trip to Young People's Theatre - We enjoyed seeing the play NOOB last week at Young People's Theatre on Front Street East. The weather cooperated and we had a beautiful sunny day to travel. Thank you to the following moms who accompanied us on the trip and really helped manage the students on the subway and at the play: Ashey's mom, Amy; Josh's mom, Joanne and Max's mom, Elyse. Your help was much appreciated!

We All Fall Down - While reading this book aloud to the class, we are on the edge of our seats! It's a very exciting and gripping story. I hope your child has shared some of the events of the book with you. Although this is a heavy topic, I feel that the students are ready to learn about this part of history. They have been responding to the events in the story in their response journals and have been asked "rich" questions that involve thinking through the answers that are not clear cut. They have been asked to put themselves in the characters shoes and write how they would react to specific situations. We will continue to read this book and should be finished in the next two weeks.

Social Studies - As we complete the final presentations in Science, we will move on to Social Studies. The grade 4's will be studying, Canada and it's Provinces and Territories while the grade 5's will learn about Canada's Government Systems. These units should be very interesting for the students.

Movie Night - On Monday February 24th, Forest Hill will show the movie Frozen. The ticket orders were sent home yesterday and they are $2.00 per ticket. If you'd like to come with your family and watch this movie, please return your forms by Monday February 24th.

Book Reports - The students will receive a new book report assignment on Monday February 24th. Please look out for this assignment and ask your child to see the assignment sheet. The grade 4's will be asked to read a biography and create a newspaper report and the grade 5's will be asked to read a fictional novel and complete several creative written activities. These reports will be due after the March Break. I will announce the due date in class and post it on the blog next week.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND FEEDBACK AROUND THE REPORT CARDS.

Reminders:

• Friday Reports are due on Monday February 24th
• Please ask your child to bring home any extra clothing that is hanging around the back cupboards of our classroom. All clothing should be labelled clearly with your child's name.
• Recorder class is on Monday February 24th
• Project Give Back is on Wednesday February 26th (the students are LOVING this!) and learning a great deal about many different charities

SCIENCE PROJECTS...

Science Projects - Over the past few weeks, the grade 4's and 5's have been working hard in class to complete their Science projects. The grade 4's were asked to choose a form of rock or mineral to research. They were given a specific set of criteria to follow. The grade 5's were asked to choose a source of energy from a list of energy sources and they were also given a specific set of criteria to follow. I have included a photograph of the learning goals outlined in class for each of these group projects.

The student's were placed in groups according to random class generator and many of them had an opportunity to work with students they haven't worked with this year. Overall, it was an excellent experience. The presentations will continue over the next few days. Here are some pictures of the students who have presented so far.

JEREMY, OSCAR AND ZED - NUCLEAR ENERGY

 ALEX, SHUYU, BRIDGET AND DENIZ - 

HALITE AND FLUORITE

 

 MAX, GRAHAM AND JAKE - DIAMOND

 

 

 PJ, JENNIFER AND JOYCE - WIND ENERGY AND 

WIND TURBINES

 KAI, ASHEY AND AMADOR - METAMORPHIC ROCK

Report cards...

Hello families. I hope everyone had a nice weekend and is staying warm, despite this frigid weather! We are warm in room 205s and the students are continuing to work hard each and every day. Friendships are blossoming daily! The students are currently working on Science projects, Dance assignments and Math Congress in small groups. This group work has proven to be very beneficial as it creates mutual respect within our classroom. Although students are often hesitant when not working with close friends, they quickly realize how refreshing it is to work with and learn from other students. I believe that overall, group work in the gifted program, is a very positive experience. As Josh clearly stated to the class this afternoon, "I didn't think our group would work out at all but we are doing just great on this project!" 

The grade 4's and 5's are working on Science projects. These are in class, small group projects in which students were asked to choose a topic related to the science unit and research this topic according to the success criteria set out in class. The due date for these projects is Tuesday February 18, 2014. Each group will be asked to present their Rocks and Minerals or Energy Source to the class in a creative and enthusiastic manner.

Math - Both grades are currently working on Perimeter and Area which involves measurement. I would appreciate your assistance in purchasing your child a 30 centimetre ruler that is clearly marked with centimetres and millimetres as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I had a class set at the beginning of the year and they've all disappeared. Thank you.

Report Cards - Report cards will be going home with students today, Monday, February 10th, 2014.  This school year, the TSDB has not set aside a PA Day for scheduling interviews.  The Provincial standard for achievement is a B grade on the report card (level 3). This Report Card will include next steps for students who are not yet achieving at this level. 

Parents and guardians will be invited for parent/guardian-teacher interviews this term under the following circumstances:

• A student is at risk for promotion to the next grade
• A student is being considered for a placement in an alternative or special education program 
• A student is achieving at a significantly lower level than expected

I will be contacting parents to request an interview. If you do not hear from me, I do not require a meeting at this time and there are no concerns for your child in the gifted program. If you have any concerns or if there is anything specific you would like to discuss, I'd be happy to meet with you at your convenience. Please contact me through email and we will set up a time. Thank you.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Mrs. Mendelson