Hello Parents,

Here is the update for October 29th to November 2nd. 

General:
 ***Tuesday October 30th we will have a Halloween Bake Sale and on Wednesday October 31st there will be a Halloween Dance in the gym at lunch for Grades 4-6 students.  All of the proceeds collected from these events will be donated to UNICEF.  Students will be encouraged to bring quarters, loonies and toonies that week in order to participate in these events.  We also need some donations of Halloween Candy and baked goods.  If you enjoy baking and/or feel that you can spare some Halloween Candy, please send it our way! 

Also,
1.      "Trick or Treat" Wednesday, October 31. We will be having an October gathering on Wednesday afternoon. Feel free to bring in PEANUT FREE treats to celebrate this day. 
2.      PD Day, November 9th - No School
3.      Term 1 Report Cards go home on November 19
4.      Student Led Conferences take place on November 22nd and 23rd. 

 Humanities:
This week we will continue to present our ‘Significant Stories of Change.’ Once these are complete, I will be sending the rubrics home for review. We will also continue to work on our Weaselhead tree illustrated stories. Cathy Beveridge, our expert author, will be in again on Friday to assist students with their story development and characterization. We will also be working with a mixed media artist to create the visuals for this project.  Please see the website under Humanities (Social Studies term 1) for activities on character development I have also provided the scientific outcomes they must incorporate into their stories.

Math/Science:
This week we will be focusing on developing an understand of the Weaselhead. Students will be looking at all the things living in, on, and around their adopted tree. We will also be looking more deeply into the roll of trees in the nutrient cycles and issues surrounding human needs and the needs of the environment. This week will have a large focus on Science in order to help students be prepared for the incoming artist on Friday. Last weeks quiz will be coming home shortly. Please look it over with your son or daughter, sign it and return it. 

Have a great week!

Jody Pereverzoff
Grade 6 Humanities Teacher

John Cadman
Grade 6 Math/Science Teacher

 
Dear Parents, 
We hope you had a fantastic weekend.
Here is the weekly update for October 22 - 25, 2012.

General:
There is no school on Friday, October 26th.

6.3/6.4 field trip all day Thursday, October 25th. Student need to be prepared for the possibility of cold or rainy weather. 

Bake Sale! - "We Scare Hunger" Bake sales this week will be held on October 23 and October 25 In the IAC. 
Students may bring in however many non-perishable food items to trade in for treat (one treat for one item), but they will only get a maximum of five treats each. 

Mr. Neil is accepting donations of Halloween candy which will be used as prizes for a UNICEF fundraiser. The fundraiser starts October 29th. If you or your child wish to contribute, please bring your contributions to Mr. Neil this week. 
For more information please contact him at: [email protected]

Humanities:
This week Students will peer edit their projects and begin to share their "Creating Change" presentations with the class. Students  will also have the opportunity to work with Cathy Beveridge, our expert writer,  on character and story development. Students will use facts and research they have developed in Science to write a creative, illustrated story about their Weaselhead tree. These two activities will be the focus of our week. Students will also be away on a Field trip on Thursday, and it is a PD day on Friday. Students may be required to bring home some story writing homework this week. Please check the daily blog on our website for updates. 

Math/Science:
There will be a Quiz later this week that covers the Math Concepts we have tackled so far this year.  The purpose is to get a sense of where students have developed their skills and where we need to concentrate more of our efforts.  We will also be reviewing our Mathematical Communication Skills and building some rubrics that will target these specific skills.  In Science, we will be learning more about the physical properties and structures of trees and leaves, along with a review of nutrient cycles and photosynthesis!

Jumping Pound Demonstration Forest:  We will be heading to Kananaskis this thursday, October 25th. Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the elements and also has a bagged lunch and water bottle, as we will be away from the school all day.  Students will be back in time to take the school bus. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. 
Jody Pereverzoff
Grade 6 Humanities Teacher

John Cadman
Grade 6 Math/Science




 

Dear Parents, 

We hope you had a fantastic fall break. 
Here is the weekly update for October 15-19th. 

General:

Our Day 1-6 class schedule has changed over the break. The new schedule is attached to this email and can also be found on the class website

Next week students from all 4 grade 6 classes are going on a field trip to the Jumping Pound Demonstration forest. 
A parent letter and consent form will be coming home on Monday, Oct. 15th. Please read, sign, and return the form as soon as possible. 

Humanities:
Social Studies: Now that students have collected their research, students will choose an engaging and informative presentation method. We will develop a rubric together early in the week and begin to create these presentations so students can educate their classmates on their chosen historical story of change. Students will also begin to examine local government in preparation for a visit from MLA, Linda Johnson on Friday. 

Language Arts: Students will continue to examine characterization and will begin to develop a character for their short story.  We are very lucky to have an expert writer, Cathy Beveridge, guide us in our story development. This will be an ongoing project that will likely take us to the end of the term. 
Students will be receiving their "Their, There, They're" quizzes back early in the week. Please sign them and send them back.


Math/Science:
Math: This week we will be wrapping up the math calculating the oxygen production of the Weaselhead Natural area. Students will have a chance to pair share their ideas and explain their mathematical reasoning. Later this week we will have our 3rd Math computation Quiz. I will be returning students math journals to them early this week. Over the break I looked at their ideas and their ability to communicate them. Before the break students had been working on writing down their thoughts on how to tackle a problem, recording math calculations as they tackle that  problem, communicating why their strategy did or did not work and how to change or modify their thinking for another attempt. 

Science: Students will be creating a proposal for their grade 6 explorer project this week. We will also continue looking at specific structures of, interactions in, and issues surrounding trees and forests. The goal is to provide students with a strong basis with which they can create stories that revolve around their adopted Weaselhead  tree. As mentioned above, a permission form should arrive home today regarding a field trip next week. 

We have many great activities planned this term, and look forward to sharing them with you soon. Term 1 end is just around the corner. If you would like to set up a midterm appointment with John or myself (or both) please email us. 

Jody Pereverzoff
Grade 6 Humanities Teacher

John Cadman
Grade 6 Math/Science Teache
 
Friday October 5th: PD Day - No School.

Fall Break: October 8th – 14th. Back to school on Monday, October 15th.

Terry Fox:  Thanks very much for all of your generous donations. CSS was able to raise nearly $6000 for cancer research! Way to go! 

Scholastic Order for 6.4: Will be sent to Scholastic today.

Grade 6 Musical: “Once on a Housetop”by John Jacobson and Mac Huff 

Mr. Bolen and Ms. Drage are thrilled to announce an opportunity for the grade 6 students at CSS to sign up for the musical “Once On a Housetop” that will be presented on December 17th. There will be a 1:30 matinee for students of CSS and a 7:00pm evening performance for parents in the CSS gymnasium. All students who sign up to participate will automatically be cast in the show. Anyone interested in a leading role will be required to audition. Auditions will be held during lunch hours the week after fall break. (October 16-18, 2012) There will be a mandatory meeting at lunch, Monday October 22nd in the Music Room for all those who signed up. “Once on a Housetop” celebrates the many joyous ways that we all celebrate a very special time of year. This annual time of renewal and rebirth acknowledges our similarities and diversity. A group of chimney sweeps lead us on this cultural adventure through song, story and movement. “

Humanities:  

This week in Humanities, students will continue to have time to research their individual for their Historical Change Project. They must answer all of the questions on the assignment sheet and put these details into their Research Log. As well they need have a thorough Research Collector Document, (this can be in a MS Word, GoogleDoc or Pages format) which houses all of the following information:

1. The date of when they are researching

2. Each url address of every website they go to

This project will be due after we return from the break – students should have all of their research completed by the end of this week.

In addition to the research project, students will be starting a Character Sketch for the cross-curricular project we are doing with Math/Science on trees. The final product will have students creating an illustrated storybook about their Weaselhead tree.

Students will also have a “Their, They’re, There” quiz on Thursday before the break.

Math/Science:

Last week we asked our classes "Does the Weasel Head produce enough oxygen for all of Calgary?" In pursuing this question we are learning/reviewing how to measure perimeter and area in a 2 dimensional shape. This week we will use what we learned to calculate the area of the Weasel Head and create a scale for a map of that area. 

In Science most students are finishing up their tree research for their Tree Story. From here students will start to create characters and choose which scientific concepts to convey in their tree story. 

Both classes are starting to use Evernote in Math and Science to organize, document, and share the work we are doing. Please help ensure that your child has created a Math Notebook and a Science Notebook and invited me to Share these notebooks. Students in 6.3 did this Monday, 6.4 will do it Tuesday.

Have a safe & peaceful break!