May Newsletter

Grade 5/6 May Newsletter

It is already May and the end of the school year is quickly approaching.  Here are a few updates on what has been happening in our busy grade 5/6 classroom.

Religion & Family Life

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Jade, Aiden, James and Nancy, who received their Sacrament of Confirmation this past Sunday at St. Anthony Church.  It was a beautiful sunny day and the grade 6 students celebrated this special day with 9 other students from various parishes from our community.  May your life long journey in faith, continue and grow each day.

Next week, we will be beginning Unit 3-Created Sexual from our Fully Alive program.  A letter outlining the grade 5 and/or grade 6 program will be sent home this week.  Please take a moment to read through the topics of discussion and talk to your child in advance.  In class lessons will begin next week.

Math

In math, we will be completing our unit on Fractions.  Students are encouraged to continue practicing these concepts in everyday situations such as comparing percentages, decimals and fractions.  Finding fractions in our environment and discussing amounts of various items using fractions, are some other ideas.  

We will follow this unit with money amounts and decimals.  Students in grade 5 will need to read and write money amounts to $1000 (e.g. $455.35 is 455 dollars and 35 cents or four hundred fifty-five dollars and thirty-five cents).  Students in grade 6 will need to understand proportional relationships using unit rates (e.g. If 5 batteries cost $4.75, what is the cost of 1 battery?).  

Language Arts

The students have been learning all about the elements of persuasion.  We have been writing persuasive letters about extending recess time at school.  Students were asked to either agree or disagree that recess should be longer and provide evidence to support their opinion.  The students are also reading a variety of persuasive texts in their Literacy Clubs.  They are learning about persuasive techniques advertisers and the media use to convince us to agree with them and or purchase their products.  Developing a strong sense of critical literacy is a goal in this unit.

Science

We have completed our unit on Conservation of Energy and the students did a wonderful job on their Renewable Energy, Google Presentations.  The groups presented their projects to their classmates last week and everyone learned a lot of new and interesting facts!  Great job!

We will be beginning our final science unit shortly on Electricity.  Scientists in the School will be coming into our class in May to provide opportunities to learn all about electricity through inquiry.  It is sure to be a wonderful educational experience.   

Upcoming Events:

May 1st - Talent Show Auditions

May 5th-May 9th - Education Week, See School Newsletter for all activities

May 5th - 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony Church

May 6th - Junior Presentation, 10 000 Steps

May 8th - Chess Tournament

May 9th - Jump Rope for Heart Event

May 13th - Hydro Presentation (a.m.)

May 14th - Trip to Rosemount Public Library (p.m.)

May 21st - Scientists in the Schools (a.m.)

May 26th-June 6th - Grade 6 EQAO Testing

Thank you for your on-going support and cooperation.

                 Your Partner in Education,

                         Mrs. Caluori

Congratulations!

On behalf of the Grade 5/6 class, I would like to congratulate James, Jade, Aiden and Nancy on receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation today at St. Anthony's church.

May the Holy Spirit light your way, so that your faith and love grow stronger every day.

Congratulations on your Confirmation,

Mrs. Caluori

Confirmation Update

Confirmation Update:

Father Felix has now asked that the students meet at the back of the church at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning (Sunday April 27th) instead of the basement hall.

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Caluori

Reminders

Pizza Lunch - Tomorrow!!!

Confirmation -  This Sunday April 27th at 11:30 a.m.  The children receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation are asked to meet in the basement of the church at 11:00 a.m. so that the Deacon can review information needed for the mass.

Fraction Test - There will be a fraction test coming up this Wed. April 30th.

  

Spring Cleaning the Capital Event!

The sun was shining (although the breeze made it a little chilly this morning) during our annual Spring Cleaning the Capital Event at St. Anthony.  The 5/6 class was responsible for cleaning up all of the garbage and compost materials such as leaves, sticks, etc. around the perimeter of the school.  The children worked hard and we were able to fill a few bags of compost material!  Great job 5/6!!!

Earth Day - If the Earth could talk what would it say?

Happy Earth Day!!!

Big Idea - Earth Day should be every day but we highlight April 22nd to focus on our continued involvement and the changes that we can make in our daily lives.  

The students had many suggestions on ways to help planet Earth.  

We discussed the concepts of being part of a global 'movement' as well as being a 'catalyst' of change.   

Lastly, the students wrote a reflective response from the perspective of planet Earth.  Here are some student samples!

Conservation of Energy - Google Presentation Projects!

The children have been working hard on their Science projects using Google Presentations!

The grade 5/6 class has come up with some very creative and informative slideshows about renewable energy sources.  

April Newsletter

Grade 5/6 April News

I would like to first introduce myself and say how wonderful it has been to be back at St. Anthony after being off for my maternity leave.  I look forward to getting to know your child better over the next few months and having a successful remainder of the school year. It is hard to believe but Spring has arrived!  The students all returned to school after March Break rested and anxious to share their March Break stories.  Unfortunately, the temperature outside has remained quite cold and snowy so please remind your child to check the weather each morning so that they come to school dressed for outdoor recess.  It is important that the students are equipped with proper outdoor clothing so that they are able to fully enjoy their playtime outside.  Thank you for your support!   This year the Grade Six students have been to Notre Dame and experienced a tour of the school in which they were able to ask questions, visit the library, gymnasium, and cafeteria as well as see some of the grade 7 classrooms.  We continue to prepare the Grade Six students daily for their transition to Notre Dame Catholic.   As we approach April, the students are reminded that there are only a few more months of school.  It is very important that the students use this time to work hard and ask for help in areas they are still struggling with.  Coming to school each day well rested and with a healthy lunch will be extremely important over the next few months. Language Arts: The students have been working on Reading Responses over the past few weeks and will continue to focus on using the R.O.P.E.S. strategy to assist them in answering their questions completely with a strong text to self connection. Be sure to ask your child what each letter in R.O.P.E.S. stands for and how R.O.P.E.S. helps them answer reading response questions.   In Writing, the students have been learning all about Procedural Writing.  They have read example texts, have written some procedural writing together as a group and are now completing their own procedural writing.  Most students are in the process of beginning their final good copy.   I am very excited to read their final copies because what I have seen so far looks great!!! Mathematics: We have been learning a variety of methods to solve multiplication questions (traditional, lattice, partial products and box and cluster methods).  Most of the students have been using either the traditional method or the lattice method with great success.  We have also been learning how to calculate perimeter, area of rectangles, triangles and parallelograms as well as, surface area of rectangular prisms.  The students have been working hard this unit but many students are finding the problem solving component to the unit challenging as well as multiple step mathematical questions.  It is important that students continue to practice their multiplication and division facts frequently.  It is also important that students have opportunities to figure out when it is necessary to multiply, add, subtract or divide when approaching a word problem in math.   The next strand in math that we will be covering is Fractions.   Again, continued practice at home will reinforce these important math skills. Science: The students have worked hard during our unit 'Conservation of Energy’.  The students have been learning the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources.  We have also been learning about how each of us can make a difference by performing simple daily tasks such as turning off the lights when we leave a room or opening the blinds to let the sun shine in on a sunny day instead of using the lights.  This coming month the students will be completing a ‘Conservation of Energy’ project to finish up the unit.   Dance: The Arts focus in the coming months will be Dance.  The students will be learning all about 'Inclusion' through dance movements.  The topic of Inclusion is an important concept and as leaders in the school, the grade 5/6 class will be discussing and learning about the need for all people to feel like they belong.  We all need to feel accepted for who we are and learn to celebrate each other’s differences.   Religion: A huge Thank-you to everyone for their donations to our school's Lenten Project – The Canadian Hunger Foundation.  The grade 5/6 class has done an amazing job leading the way with this important cause.  Keep up the great work!   The students have also been learning about the 10 Commandments and the Beatitudes.  We have been reflecting on how these formulas can help us and guide us as Catholics.  We have been talking about how these important lessons can help communities live in peace and happiness.  This month we will be reading Lenten Stories such as “Springtime for Shamus”.  Ask your child about this story and how Shamus was able to 'change' his heart.  In addition, we will be reading the parable of the Prodigal Son.  The students will explore the relationships in the story as a parable of God's overwhelming and generous love. Upcoming Events: Gymnastics Team Competition – April 4th Next Milk Program installment begins – April 7th to May 2nd  Girls Basketball – April 16th  Good Friday (No School) – April 18th   Easter Monday (No School) – April 21th  Earth Day & Spring Cleaning the Capital Event – April 22nd  Boys Basketball – April 23rd  Grade 6 Confirmation at 11:30 a.m., St. Anthony Catholic Church – Sunday, April 27th                                                                                                                                                                    Your Partner in  Education,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Mrs. Caluori

Confirmation

Important Update:  The Grade 6 Confirmation on April 27th at St. Anthony Church has been changed from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.