Mrs. Garlow's Classroom Blog

Author Celebration

We will be having our Expert Expo for our young authors this coming Friday.  Please join us as we celebrate the incredible work of our students.  We look forward to see you!

Please join us for our classroom

Expert Expo!

The Grade 3 students from Mrs. Garlow’s class will be sharing a few highlights from their latest non-fiction books.

When:

Friday, May 31^st, 2019 at 9:20 a.m.

Where:

Your child’s 3^rd grade classroom (room #313)

Math

Here are some links to fun math games using technology to help your child develop their multiplication and division fluency skills.

https://www.abcya.com/games/clear_it_multiplication

https://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/space_arrays/

https://www.abcya.com/games/multiplication_mine

https://www.abcya.com/games/number_patterns

We will wrap up our unit on multiplication and division this week.  Please continue to support your child in learning the multiplication table up to 7 X 7 at home.  Students will have a unit test shortly.  Please keep an eye out for the study guide.

Science

Earlier this week, we went to the school garden to dig up the pumpkin we buried back in November.  We couldn't find the pumpkin at first which spark many theories as to what happened.  Some students believed an animal such as a racoon had taken the pumpkin.  Others were convinced that someone had dug it up.  

When students dug deeper into the garden bed, they found some remnants of the pumpkin including its seeds.  We also found some of the objects we placed inside the pumpkin which did not decompose.  Students realized that the pumpkin had decomposed along with the napkin, banana peel, and most of the corn leaf and husk that were buried along with it.

maggots inside the soil

Students have also been busy building, testing, and revising their inventions that uses force(s) to move or change direction.  They will be presenting their invention to the class on Tuesday.  Here's a sneak peak of our engineers at work.  

Monday is the last day to work on the project in class.  Please make sure that your child has all the necessary materials for Monday so they can finish constructing their invention.

Scholastic

This Friday, May 31st is the last day to place your order for Scholastic books.  This is to ensure students will receive their order before the year end and to enjoy it over the summer.

Mrs. Garlow's Classroom Blog

Author Celebration

We have wrapped up our unit on non-fiction writing and students have finished publishing their books.  They are very eager to have an author celebration and to share their work with families.  We will have our author celebration after the EQAO tests.

Literacy

In writing, we have moved onto our unit on persuasive speeches.  Students have been learning how to form an opinion and that persuasive writers look at their world and imagine how it could be better.  They'll see problems that need to be addressed and imagine solutions to write persuasive speeches.

In reading, we have moved from reading expository texts to our unit on character studies.  Students have been studying characters deeply, investigate patterns that reveal deeper traits and motivations.  They will articulate these from evidence-based theories.  Students will learn how to use their theories to come up with predictions as they follow their character on a journey that takes the shape of a predictable story mountain, considering the big lessons that characters learn and how those lessons relate to the larger message a story conveys.

Math

Students have been working on multiplication and division in math. They have been making use of realistic contexts (e.g., produce found inside the grocery store, postage stamps, city buildings, windows, and buses) to mathematize their world with efficient grouping and to find efficient ways to deal with repeated addition and determine totals.

From here, an open array was introduced as a model for multiplication and division.  The open array is a multiplication model that can be used as a powerful tool to support the development of multiplication.  Students explored ways to change the shape of the array while keeping the area constant through a series of investigations.  Have a look at some of the work that have come out of their investigations.







In grade three, the curriculum expectations for multiplication are:

• relate multiplication of one-digit numbers and division by one-digit divisors to real life situations, using a variety of tools and strategies
• multiply to 7 x 7 and divide to 49 ÷ 7, using a variety of mental strategies

Science

In science, we are wrapping up our unit on Forces.  Students have started planning their designs that uses force to create a controlled movement.  They will be working on building their inventions in class next week.  The forces we have explored over the unit are: friction, muscular, magnetic, electrostatic, buoyancy, and gravity.  Please have your child bring in materials they will need to create their invention.  Some materials may include anything that you would put in the garbage or recycling such as cardboard, cereal or tissue boxes, water bottles, bottle caps, straws, etc.

We have also started our unit in Soils and Plants this past week.  Mrs. Rodrigues came and volunteered her time to help us plant our soybeans and wheat.  We will be monitoring and tracking its growth over the next few weeks and the optimal conditions for plants to grow.

Hansen Palooza

Our classroom basket theme this year is 'Road Trip'.  Please consider bringing in donations of new and unwrapped products and gift cards for services with this theme in mind.  Some ideas may include:

• Tim Horton's gift cards
• Gas gift cards
• Word searches 
• Colouring books
• Sketch books
• Washable markers
• Caddy to hold writing tools
• Hand Sanitizers
• Hand wipes
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Cooler
• Tupperware or food containers
• Cooler
• Snacks

Wishing you all a very happy long weekend!

Mrs. Garlow's Classroom Blog

Math

Here are some links to fun math games using technology to help your child develop their multiplication fluency skills.

https://www.abcya.com/games/clear_it_multiplication

https://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/space_arrays/

https://www.abcya.com/games/multiplication_mine

https://www.abcya.com/games/number_patterns

We will continue our unit on multiplication.  Please continue to support your child in learning the times table up to 7 X 7 at home.

Science

In science we are wrapping up our unit on Forces Causing Movement. Students have learned that a force is a push or a pull that causes an object to move. There are two basic types of forces that cause movement: direct forces (e.g., muscular, friction, etc.) and indirect forces (e.g., gravity, magnetic, etc.).  Students identified ways in which forces are used in our daily lives, investigated forces that cause an object to start moving, stop, or change direction and conducted experiments to determined the effects of increasing or decreasing the amount of force applied to an object.  The Grade 3s also assessed the effects of the action of forces in nature and on the natural and built environment and identified ways in which human activities can contribute or reduce this impact.  They will now apply all they have learned to design and build a device that uses a force(s) to create a controlled movement(s).  Creativity is strongly encouraged! 

To help support your child with their culminating activity, please collect recyclable goods, materials, or special supplies for their project.  Students will begin the planning stages in school and start their construction next week.

As we phase out of one unit, we will begin the next unit on Soil and Plants.  We will begin with a very cool experiment.  In order to do so, please have your child bring in a large glass jar with a lid.

EQAO 

EQAO assessment for Grade 3s begins next week on May 22nd.  The primary division (Grades 1-3) tests the reading, writing, and mathematics skills students are expected to have learned by the end of Grade 3.  While we have been preparing for this assessment throughout the year (incorporating EQAO style questions in assessments, using some EQAO reading selections, and vocabulary), this week we will spend some time reviewing concepts taught this year while reinforcing the enduring understandings that have been covered since Grade 1.  In addition, students will also learn some strategies and tips for writing tests.  These strategies and tips are not solely for EQAO tests but for any kind of test.  Some practise questions can be found here or by selecting the EQAO tab.

Jump Rope 

Jump Rope for Heart is a fundraiser which Rick Hansen P.S. has supported since it opened.  Last week, we attended the kick-off assembly led by a representative from Jump Rope for Heart.  We learned why having a healthy heart is important and how to keep our hearts healthy.  We also learned how this charity supports individuals and families in need.  Students brought home pledge forms last week.  Any student who raises at least $25 will receive a prize.  Your support is greatly appreciated.  Our goal this year is to raise $3000.  The scheduled date for Jump Rope for Heart is June 12th.

Clothing Drive

Our Grade 8 students are still collecting gently used clothing and shoes for their clothing drive until this Friday, May 17th.  Please send in any unwanted clothing and shoes to the school.

Garden Party

Our school has a community garden.  It is organized and looked after by our school's Gardening Club and by members of our school community.  The fruits and vegetables that grow in the garden are available for anyone to harvest and enjoy.  Our annual Family Planting Party will take place on Thursday, May 30th from 5:45 - 7:00 pm.  This event will take place rain or shine!  In addition to planting in our garden, there will be kids' activities and snacks, and a parent garden workshops run by Evergreen.  Please come and join us for some gardening fun!  Rick Hansen families may also sign up for summer watering.

Mrs. Garlow's Calass

Swim to Survive

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the last session for our Swim to Survive program.  This program provides training to ensure that children will learn basic survival skills.  We will be tracelling to the Aurora Family Leisure Complex for our lessons.  The bus will depart Rick Hansen P.S. at 9:30 am.  Please remember to pack a separate bag with a towel, undergarment, and a plastic bag to store wet clothes.  To expedite the process, please have your child arrive at school with their bathing suits under their clothes.  

Math

Math study guides are coming home tonight for the unit test on Data Management next week.  Please look out for it.

Mrs. Garlow's Classroom Blog

Swim to Survive

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the second session for our Swim to Survive program.  This program provides training to ensure that children will learn basic survival skills.  We will be travelling to the Aurora Family Leisure Complex for our lessons.  The bus will depart Rick Hansen P.S. at 9:30 am.  Please remember to pack a separate bag with a towel, undergarment, and a plastic bag to store wet clothes.  To expedite the process, please have your child arrive at school with their bathing suits under their clothes.  If you have any questions, please fell free to contact me.