Music Dynamics Video-- One more time!

Hi there, grade 6's!

If the link is not working, type 'edpuzzle.com' into your browser and log in with your google account.

To join my class, type in the code: vaguhek.

Click on the video and there you go!

Student Council

Are you in grade 6? Do you want to help make decisions for the school?  Join student council!  Meet Mrs. Cockburn in the library on Wednesday November 1st at morning recess in the library.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is TOMORROW -- Tuesday October 31st, 2017!

Costumes - If you are choosing to wear a costume please bring your costume to change into at lunch. Please remember, no masks or toy weapons of any kind.

Halloween Dance - School Council is sponsoring a Halloween Dance for Gr 1-6 on Tuesday October 31, 2017 . The dance will starts at 1:20 pm and go until 2:45 pm. 

Treats - Please refrain from bringing food related treats to share with the class.


Have a safe and spooky Halloween! 

Mrs. Swagerman's Website

Hello grade 6's! This is a reminder to check out the video from my last post! You need to watch it and fill out the questions to demonstrate what you know about dynamics! YOU MUST COMPLETE THIS VIDEO BY FRIDAY, OCT 27!

Also, you can check out the Gr 5/6 page on my website at bit.ly/k6musicswag. There you will also find some helpful information about listening logs, lyrics to our Grocery Shopping Rap and more!

See you next week for Halloween!

Mrs. Swagerman

Take Me Outside Day - October 25, 2017

Tomorrow, October 25, TAKE ME OUTSIDE DAY!

All classes will be spending about 40 mins of extra time outside tomorrow-- rain or shine!

Please dress your child appropriately for the weather. Consider waterproof jackets and boots, hats, mittens and warm clothing.

It's going to be a great day of enjoying our environment, getting some fresh air and some extra time outside.

Enjoy!

The Eco Team

Music - Dynamics!

Hello grade 5's and 6's!  Happy Fri-yay!

I thought it would be helpful to do some learning and review on the Elements of Music. Today's video is about DYNAMICS. 

Please click on the image below, sign in with your gapps account and enter the code: vaguhek You will be able to watch the video and share your learning! 

Please watch the video and answer the questions by Tuesday, October 24. 

(If the image doesn't work, click here.)

See you next week! 
Mrs. Swagerman

Music News From Mrs. Swagerman!

Music News From Mrs. Swagerman!

Mrs. Swagerman will be contributing to our classroom blog. Keep an eye out for a mini lesson on "Dynamics". When you click on the link, you will be prompted to sign in with your gapps account. Mrs. Swagerman will be assessing your progress on all of the mini lessons that she posts.

Happy Learning!

HELP! We still need newspapers!

Help! We Still Need Newspapers!

Our newspaper unit is well underway! Although we can read many articles on-line, the actual newspaper is important for student learning.

If you have any of The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, or The Toronto Sun, please send it to school with your child.

Thank you! 

Homework Completion & Expectations For Written Work

Homework

As parents and students are already aware, homework is written on the white board at the front of the classroom. Students are expected to record their homework in their agenda books and complete their homework every night. 

Homework generally consists of reading on a nightly basis as well as completing unfinished classwork.  Students are also encouraged to practice typing at home. Classwork and homework will be checked for completion regularly. Failure to complete assigned work on a regular basis will affect student’s Learning Skills, as per the Ontario Report Card, and has a strong impact on student learning.

If students are unable to complete their homework due to extenuating circumstances, they are expected to have a note from parents explaining why the homework was not completed.  “Extra” homework will not be assigned to students by parental request.

*** There have been many occurrences of homework not being completed by the assigned due dates. Please review the expectations for homework with your child.

Expectations for Written Work in Grades 5 and 6

*** Grade 5 and 6 students will be receiving this handout on Monday. Please review these expectations for writing with your child.

The following is expected in ALL written work that you complete this year. If you do not take the time to ensure that your works meets these expectations, it will be handed back to you to redo. As well, this will be reflected on your report card in your Learning Skills and your Writing mark.

As we have discussed numerous times in class, if you take the time to do your work right the first time, it will be less work as you will not have to redo it. As well, your marks will be higher, and more accurately reflect your ability.

Capital Letters

o   All sentences begin with capital letters

o   Capital letters are also used for proper nouns (i.e., people’s names, places, etc.)

o   You may not use a font where the entire piece of writing is in capital letters

Periods

o   All sentences must end with punctuation

o   Most sentences you write will end with a period

o   Those that do not end with a period end with a question mark (to ask a question) or an exclamation mark (to show excitement)

Commas

o   Commas are used in between items on a list (i.e., I like apples, strawberries, bananas, and melons)

o   Commas are used to show a pause when reading or writing (i.e., Jenny, my best friend from summer camp, is coming for a visit this weekend)

o   Commas are used after a greeting (i.e., Dear Mrs. Longo,)

Apostrophes

o   An apostrophe is NOT used in every word that ends with the letter “s”! You do not use an apostrophe to  

o   Apostrophes shows possession of a noun (i.e., Mike’s jacket) or it is used to show the omission of letters, as in a contraction (i.e., doesn’t)

Full sentences

o   You must always write in full sentences

o   Read your work out loud to determine if the sentence is complete

Spacing

o   There is one space after a comma

o   There is one space after a period

o   The use of space on the page is important. Only titles are centered – not your entire paragraph

o   New paragraphs should be indented

These are only the “basic” rules that you should already know from earlier grades.

We will re-visit all of these grammar rules, and more throughout the year.

Please make sure that all of your writing follows these rules.


Thank you,
Mrs. Marni Longo

Picture Day!

It's Picture Day TOMORROW!!!

Class and individual student photos will be taken tomorrow -- Friday October 13th, 2017!

Newspapers Needed!

Starting next week, our class will be learning about newspapers and current events.  

We are collecting newspapers, such as the Thornhill Liberal, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and National Post to help us get started.  

If you have copies of these, or other similar newspapers that are neat, in order, and not missing any sections, please send them in! Please note, the newspapers will not be returned!

Thank you!

Upcoming - Announcements, Assignments, and Tests

Literacy
Tuesday October 10, 2017 - Students will be given time in class to review for "Final Recount Assignment"

Thursday October 12, 2017 - Literacy Final Assignment (in-class)

Math
Tuesday October 10, 2017 - Thursday October 13, 2017 - Students will be given time in class to prepare for their test on Number Sense

Friday October 13, 2017 - Math Test

Other
Wednesday October 11, 2017 - Area Cross Country Meet

Friday October 13, 2017 - Class Photo Day!

Tuesday October 17, 2017 - Regional Cross Country Meet

Suggested Book List

Suggested Book List – Grade 5/6

As requested, here is a list of suggested reading for students in grade 5 and 6. Many of the books listed below are award winning books, classics, or my own personal favourites!

Please be advised that some books may have more mature content. Not all books are suitable for all students.

Palacio, R.J. - Wonder

Sachar, Louis - Holes

Paulsen, Gary - Hatchet

Snyder, Zilpha Keatley - The Egypt Game or The Changeling

Green, John - The Fault in Our Stars

Ellis, Deborah - The Breadwinner Trilogy

Zusak, Markus - The Book Thief

Babbit, Natalie - Tuck Everlasting

Boyne, John - The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Christie, Agatha - And Then There Were None

Collins, Suzanne - The Hunger Games Series

Curtis, Christopher Paul - Bud, Not Buddy

Farley, Walter - Black Stallion

Montgomery, L. M. - Anne of Green Gables

Hesse, Karen - Out of the Dust

Konigsburg, E.L. - The View From Saturday

Lowry, Lois - The Giver

Fleischman, Sid - The Whipping Boy

Paterson, Katherine - Jacob Have I Loved or Bridge to Terabithia

Raskin, Ellen - The Westing Game

Twain, Mark - Adventures of Huck Finn              

Shelley, Mary - Frankenstein

Dickens, Charles - Oliver Twist                                      

Burnett, Francis Hodgson - The Secret Garden                         

London, Jack - White Fang                                      

Dickens, Charles - A Christmas Carol                          

Twain, Mark - Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Sewell, Anna - Black Beauty                                               

Stoker, Bram - Dracula

O’Dell, Scott - Island of the Blue Dolphins

Alcott, Louisa May - Little Women

Pyle, Howard - Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Defoe, Daniel - Robinson Crusoe                           

Tolkien, JR - The Hobbit

Lewis, CS - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Baum, L. Frank - The Wizard of Oz

Stevenson, Robert Louis - Treasure Island

Kadohata, Cynthia - Kira-Kira

Roth, Veronica - Series: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant

Kerz, Anna - The Mealworm Diaries, Better Than Weird, or The Gnome’s Eye

Walters, Eric - Alexandria of Africa

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Longo

Meet the Teacher Night and BBQ

Thank you to everyone who came out last night to visit us at the Meet the Teacher Night and BBQ! 

It was so great to meet you all!

There were a few questions that arose several times throughout the night, so I thought I would touch on them here:

1. Agenda Books and Homework

• Generally, homework is work that has not been finished during the school day. I do not often give "extra" homework.
• Students have been provided with an agenda book from the school. They are encouraged to use this agenda book (or another agenda book of their choosing) every day. 
• Homework is written on the white board at the front of the room. Students are given time each day to copy down the homework, and to write down any other homework they have that might not have been written on the board.
• Homework will not be updated regularly on the Blog. Your children are learning responsibility, organization, and self regulation by writing down their own homework, bringing it home, and returning it to school on the date that it is due.

2. Participation and Public Speaking

• Students are encouraged to participate regularly throughout the day. Their voices and their opinions are important to their learning, their growth, and their self worth
• Ongoing lack of participation can make it very difficult for me to assess how well a student understands a concept
• We will be working on public speaking this year. I would like for students to become more confident in sharing their thoughts and opinions with others.

3. Typing

• Students are encouraged to practice typing at home. There are many websites and games online to help students with these skills.

As always, if you have any comments, concerns, or just want to say hello you know where to reach me!

Happy Learning,

Mrs. Longo