November 29

Math:
We have been working on place value and how to represent numbers in different ways. Students are building their number sense by quizzing one another using flash cards and converting numbers from one way of representing a number to another.

Have your child explain the different ways to represent a number and see if they can convert from one form to another. You can also ask them about place value.

Writing: We are working on adding more detail to our writing. We have been looking at how adjectives can make a good sentence a great sentence. Have a look at some of the adjectives students came up with.

Science: We have been busy building beams to build a bridge needed to span the Old Evanston Creek (Symons Valley Creek). Tomorrow we will test different beams and determine whether a rectangular beam, accordion beam or girder beam will hold the most weight.

IXL

I am pleased to tell you that we will be using a website called IXL in our classroom this year. IXL is a comprehensive learning program offering unlimited math practice across thousands of skills—all of which are aligned to the provincial curriculum. One of the best things about IXL is that your child can access it from home, so you have a chance to see your child's progress!

To get your child started on your home computer, please follow these easy steps:

1.   Go to https://www.ixl.com/signin/kdtaylor

2.   Enter your child's username and password and click "Sign in."
Usernames and passwords are on a small card sent home today with students. 

3.   Click on any skill to start learning!

IXL is designed to help your child learn at his or her own pace. The program is adaptive and will adjust based on your child's demonstrated understanding of the material. All of your child's results will be saved, so you can monitor his or her progress anytime by clicking on Analytics. For on-the-go practice, you can download IXL’s free tablet apps for iPad, Android, or Kindle and sign in with your child’s username and password.

I hope you'll encourage your son or daughter to use IXL regularly. Here's to a year of working together to make learning fun for your child!

November 22

National Child Day
On Tuesday many of our students and staff wore blue shirts to recognize National Child Day. As a class we shared what we have learned about child's rights and compared Canadian children to children in other parts of the world, including countries where our parents or grandparents came from. Students created suitcases carrying many of their rights in them, to recognize a child rights should be recognized regardless of where you are born, or where you go.

Math: Skip Counting
Continue practicing skip counting at home. We are learning skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's and 10's. to make things more "grade 3" we don't just start at zero..... Instead we pick  random numbers between 1 and 999 to build a greater number sense. We created a lacing skip counting game to help us practice at home. I encourage students to make more at home as a fun way to practice skip counting.

Outside Fun:
It has been nice having some sunny and warm weather this past week. Our class has taken advantage of this by having some extra Phys. Ed. time outside. We had a rousing game of Goldrush, and learned that while pirates may steal gold, they always play games by the rules. "Arrrr matey ye'v got me Gold!"

Language Arts: Topic Sentences
Over the past five weeks we have been learning how to begin paragraphs by using a topic sentence. A topic sentence introduces the topic in a compelling way, which grabs the readers attention, making them want to keep reading.
During conferences we shared our School Development Plan with parents. The grade 3's narrowed our focus on writing, and specifically good beginnings for this cycle. This week we introduced our assessment topic and students wrote their paragraphs about school being cancelled (don't worry, only for a day!!!). We look forward to sharing these paragraphs with you in the coming weeks.

Olympic Sentences: Students were quite passionate about their views on whether Calgary should host the Winter Olympics. We used their writing as an assessment piece on making good sentences and using a topic sentence. Students assessed their own work using a rubric before handing it in for the same assessment by me. Photocopies of their work and assessment are going home today in their backpacks.

Photos: Students that have ordered photos (from photo day, not retakes) are going home today with students.

Reminders:

• no school tomorrow
• Ken Taylor Christmas Market is on Saturday.
• Kenneth D Taylor School Council is hosting their third annual Charity Christmas Craft fair. Admission is free and we will be accepting donations to the Calgary Food Bank.
• 40+ local vendors, busy preparing and handmaking goods that will fit everyone on your Christmas list.
• While shopping the market, families can also enjoy kid friendly activities, tuck shop and a visit with Santa. For more information please contact market.kennethdtaylor@gmail.com
• All table fees and additional donations will benefit the Ken Taylor Playground Fund. 
• The Grade 3/4 choir will be performing
• Please email Mr. Straiton your availability to volunteer for Seed School

Upcoming Dates

Nov 23 – PD Day

Nov 24 – Christmas Market 

Dec 1 - Order Fun Lunch

Dec 6 - Fun Lunch

November 19

National Child Day: Tuesday November 20th
Tomorrow, with students all around the world, we will be celebrating National Child Day. National Child Day recognizing the our shared commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over the last few weeks we have been learning about the rights of children. Ask your child what rights they have learned about.
Tomorrow students are invited to wear a blue shirt in recognition of Child Rights and the U.N. Convention.

Science: Building and Testing

Today our science experiment tested the strength of an arch and a square. We have learned why it is important to have a "fair test" when conducting science experiments. We also discussed variables (the change made to compare different objects). Students used there previous knowledge to create a hypothesis (an educated prediction of the results) and after going over our safety procedures, we got building and testing. 

Important Information
A Reminder to email Mr. Straiton if you wish to volunteer for our Open Minds Seed School at the Mustard Seed. We would love to have many of our parents participate. If you can make yourself available for a day or tow or more that would be great. An email went out last week with more information about the dates and activities

Nov 20- National Child Day- Wear a blue shirt

Nov 20/21 – Popcorn Days (tomorrow and Wednesday)

Nov 23 – PD Day

Nov 24 – Christmas Market 

Dec 1 - Order Fun Lunch

Dec 6 - Fun Lunch

Vaccinations

For students needing vaccinations:

The nurses from Alberta Health Services will be in the school next Thursday, November 22^nd for students in Grade 1-4 who have completed and returned their vaccination forms. This is not for ALL students, just those who Alberta Health Services contacted specifically.
If have yet to return the vaccination form please call the school office to see if you are still able to do so.

November 13

The Olympic Vote
Today our school was being used as a polling station for the 2026 Olympic Bid plebiscite. We began our morning with a discussion about the Olympics and discussed the two sides of this decision. We watched a news report on the vote, and read an article showing reasons, both for and against this decision. Each student shared a reason why we shouldn't and another reason why we should host the olympics in 2026. With all the information we came up with and learned students made an informed decision and voted for or agains the Olympic Bid.

Maker Space
We spent some time in the Maker Space lab creating, building and engineering.  Students created self portraits out of loose parts, engineered towers and creatures out of Magnaformers and built mazes out of Lego.

 

Math
We continue to build our number sense. We have been working on skip counting starting from numbers in the hundreds (from 100-1000). We have been learning the patterns that numbers make. Practice skip counting by two's or three's from random numbers in the hundreds. Try and explain any patterns you see when you skip count. (Hint: look at odds and evens)

Remembrance Day Art

Upcoming Events

Nov 14 – Picture Retakes 

Nov 15 – Fun Lunch 

Nov 20/21 – Popcorn Days 

Nov 23 – PD Day

Nov 24 – Christmas Market