Blog has moved!

In order to better utilize the Google Apps for Education, I have moved my blog to the following address:

http://mrhlks.blogspot.ca/

Sorry for any inconvenience, but this will allow me to post missed work for students much more often and easily.

Wednesday, November 30th

Reminder:
Instrumental music tomorrow.
Movie night tomorrow.

Language:
Some students are still finishing up their Tuck Everlasting projects for tomorrow.  We're hoping to get them all wrapped up so we can move on next week.

Math:
Measurement review
Measurement test tomorrow

Social Studies:
Students are preparing mock newscasts of historical Canadian events that, collectively, will attempt to show how Canada has become a more inclusive and diverse country.  We're also trying to wrap this up tomorrow, but that may be ambitious.

Wednesday, November 23rd

Reminders
1) Pizza lunch on Friday.
2) House Event this Friday afternoon.
3) Moustache Day on Friday.

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes
2) Tomorrow we'll continue to work on our Tuck Everlasting culminating tasks.  Bring your novels.
3) Spelling, Lesson #8 (Friday)

Math
Metric Relationships.  Today we practiced how to convert between metric units.  Complete practice questions and IXL.

Social Studies
Tomorrow we'll continue to research an inclusion/diversity event from Canadian history and prepare newscasts to share our learning.

Thursday, November 17th

Language
1) Finish reading Tuck Everlasting
2) Chapter 19 to end questions (due Tuesday)

Enjoy your extended weekend!

Wednesday, November 16th

Grade 5 Health
Click here for the advertisements.

Language
Novel study - Read Tuck Everlasting from Ch 19 to the end.  Answer questions on Google classroom (due Monday)

Math
1) Addition and Subtraction review.  Today we're reviewing adding and subtracting decimal numbers, #9-15.  We'll take the answers up tomorrow morning.
2) Unit test (Thursday)

Social Studies
Today we presented the slideshows.  Monday we'll get through the tableaus.

Tuesday, November 15th

Language
Novel study - Read Tuck Everlasting from Ch 19 to the end.  Answer questions on Google classroom (due Monday)

Math
1) Addition and Subtraction review.  Today we're reviewing adding and subtracting whole numbers, #1-8.  We'll take the answers up tomorrow.
2) Unit test (Thursday)

Social Studies
Presentations (Wed and Thurs).  If you haven't shared your slideshow with me yet, please do so asap.

Friday, November 11th

Language
1) Due to the assembly and instrumental music we didn't write our spelling test today.  We'll have to do it next week.
2) Novel study Chapter 12 to 18 questions (due Monday)

Math
1) Subtracting decimals practice (due Monday)
2) Data Management retest (Monday period 2)
3) Addition and Subtraction test (Wednesday).  Topics include...

• Using mental math to add and subtract whole numbers and decimals
• Using estimating to check answers
• Adding and subtracting whole numbers and decimals

Social Studies

1) Remember to share your slideshow with me asap.

2) We'll finish rehearsing our tableaus on Monday and, hopefully, begin to present them on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend!

Go Leafs!

Thursday, November 10th

Language
1) Novel study, Chapters 12-18 questions (due Monday)
2) Spelling, Lesson #7 (Friday)

Math
1) Adding decimals (Friday)
2) POTW (Friday)
3) Data Management retest (Monday)

Social Studies
1) Slides (due)
2) Tableaux (next Tuesday)

Wednesday, November 9th

Language
1) Novel study Chapters 12 to 18 (due Monday)
2) Spelling Lesson #7 (Friday)

Math
1) Using mental math to add and subtract decimals (hand in tomorrow morning)
2) POTW (Friday)

Social Studies
Slides (Thursday)
Tableaux (next Tuesday)

Tuesday, November 8th

Language
1) Read Tuck Everlasting Chapters 12 to 18.
2) Novel study questions Ch. 12 to 18 on Google Classroom (due Monday)
3) Spelling, Lesson #7 (test/work due Friday)

Math
1) Subtracting Whole Numbers
2) POTW
3) Addition and Subtraction quiz (tomorrow).  Topics include...

• Mental math strategies
• Estimating
• Adding and subtracting whole numbers

Social Studies

1) Slides presentation (due Thursday)

2) Tableaux presentations (due next Tuesday)

Monday, November 7th

Language
1) Spelling, Lesson #7 (test/practice work due Friday)
2) Read Tuck Everlasting, Chapters 12 to 18
3) Novel study questions on Google Classroom (due Monday)

Math
1) Adding Whole Numbers (due tomorrow).  Remember to estimate before or after you calculate to check if your answer is reasonable.
2) Problem of the Week (due Friday).  Please try this week's problem (it's in your mailbox).
3) Addition and Subtraction quiz on Wednesday. The quiz will be on:

• mental math strategies
• estimating
• adding whole numbers
• subtracting whole numbers

Social Studies

1) Try to have your group's poster completed by this Thursday.  Then we'll spend 3 classes preparing your tableaux.

Tuesday, October 25th

Reminders
1) Photo retakes on Thursday, October 27th

Language
1) Spelling Lesson #5 (work due/test on Friday)
2) Novel Study: Read Tuck Everlasting Ch. 6 to 8 and answers questions in Google Classroom (due Friday)
3) Personal Narrative #2: See assignment in Google Classroom (due date changed to Nov 3rd)

Math
1) Data Management Test (Thursday)
2) Test review: p. 200-201 all questions (we'll work on these today and tomorrow in class)
3) Survey assignment (due today)

Social Studies
Immigration Interview (due today)

(**I've added a new section to the blog called "Google Classroom Info" and posted a video to help those of you who are experiencing technical problems at home due to multiple user accounts.)

Monday, October 24th

Reminders:
1) Picture retake day - Thursday, October 27th

Language
1) Spelling Lesson #5 (work due/test on Friday)
2) Novel Study - Read chapters 6-8 of Tuck Everlasting and respond to questions in Google Classroom (due Friday)
3) Personal Narrative #2 - I've created a Google doc for each of you in the Writing Workshop Google Classroom.  Open the document, read the instructions, do the discovery draft/revisions/editing on paper, and then publish your final draft in the Google doc.  'Turn In' when done.

Math
1) Survey assignment.  See Google doc in the Math Google Classroom.  If you didn't write down the code today in class, you'll have to do it tomorrow (due tomorrow).
2) Tomorrow we'll do review for our Data Management test.
3) Data Management test (Thursday, Oct 27th)

Social Studies
Immigration Interview (due tomorrow)

Thursday, October 20th

Reminders
1) Hunger food drive
2) IXL is still unavailable.  I will let you know when it's back up and running.

Language
1) Read Ch. 3-5 from Tuck Everlasting; comprehension questions are due Friday at the end of the day.
2) Personal Narrative #2 (due October 27th)
3) Spelling Lesson #5 (work due/test on Friday)

Math
Scatter plots, p. 192-193 #1, 3, 5, and Reflect

Social Studies
Immigration interview (due next Tuesday)

Wednesday, October 19th

**Note: Our class IXL subscription has expired.  I have sent an email to the administrator and the issue should be resolved shortly.  I'll let you know when it is back up and running.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Reminders
Hunger food drive

Language
1) Novel study - Read chapters 3-5.  Answer comprehension questions on Google Classroom (due Friday)
2) Spelling Lesson #5 (work due/test on Friday)
3) Personal Narrative #2 (due October 27th)

Math
Graphing on a Coordinate Plane, p. 189 #4-6

Social Studies
Case study (due Thursday)

Tuesday, October 18th

Reminders
Hunger Food Drive

Language
1) Novel study - Ch. 3 to 5, Google Classroom questions (due Friday)
2) Personal Narrative #2 (due Thursday, Oct 27th)

Math
1) p. 181 #5
2) IXL - 6-EE.1, 6-EE.2, 6-EE.3

Social Studies
1) Case study (due Thursday)

Go Jays Go!

Friday, October 14

Google Classroom Instructions...
1) Go to tdsb.on.ca
2) Click on 'Elementary School'
3) Scroll down and click on 'AW' (on the right side of the screen)
4) Enter your student # and password
5) On the top menu, hold mouse over 'Google Apps' and click on 'Google Classroom'
6) If this is your first time logging in, enter the Reading Workshop code you wrote into your agenda.  Repeat the process for the Writing Workshop code.
7) In Reading Workshop, click on the assignment to open the Google Doc.  You can answer the questions right on the doc.  When finished, click 'Turn In.'

Wednesday, October 12th

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes
2) Read to the end of Ch. 2 in Tuck Everlasting
3) Novel study questions on Google Classroom (due Monday, October 17th
4) Spelling Test - Lesson #4 (Friday)
5) Personal Narrative #2 (due Thursday, October 27th)

**Students will have time in class to complete both the novel study questions and the personal narrative.  We will be alternating between Reading and Writing Workshops.

Math
Number Sense test (Thursday, October 13th)


Google Classroom Instructions...
1) Go to tdsb.on.ca
2) Click on 'Elementary School'
3) Scroll down and click on 'AW' (on the right side of the screen)
4) Enter your student # and password
5) On the top menu, hold mouse over 'Google Apps' and click on 'Google Classroom'
6) If this is your first time logging in, enter the Reading Workshop code you wrote into your agenda.  Repeat the process for the Writing Workshop code.
7) In Reading Workshop, click on the assignment to open the Google Doc.  You can answer the questions right on the doc.  When finished, click 'Submit.'

Tuesday, October 11th

Reminders
1) Book Fair - We can go as a class tomorrow during homeroom.  You are also allowed to go in the morning from 8:30-8:45, during morning recess, and after school for 15 minutes.  Please only go to the Library if you are intending to purchase a book.  Thanks.
2) House Meeting tomorrow @ lunch (bring a lunch!)

Language
1)Read for 20 minutes
2) Read to end of Chapter 2 in Tuck Everlasting
3) Novel study questions **in Google Classroom (due Monday)

Math
p. 64 #1-7 (you'll have time to work on these tomorrow during Math)

Thursday, October 6th

Reminders
1) House meeting Wednesday @ lunch (bring a lunch)

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes each evening
2) Finish reading response letter and hand in Tuesday morning

Math
1) Rounding decimals #1-3, 10
2) IXL (see Math sections of blog)

Have a great Thanksgiving weekend everyone!
Go Jays Go!

Oh, and here's the video of the pianist, as promised...enjoy!

Tuesday, October 4th

Reminders
1) House meeting next Wednesday, October 12 @ lunch (please bring a lunch)

Language
Read for 20 minutes

Math
p.119-120 #2-6, 9

Social Studies
First Nations PowerPoint presentations due Thursday, October 6th

Go Jays Go!

Monday, October 3rd

Reminders
1) House Meetings - Wednesday, October 12th @ lunch (bring a lunch)

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes each evening
2) Personal Narrative (due tomorrow).  Remember to hand in your drafts, checklists, etc....along with your published copy in your blue folder.

Math
1) Mid-Unit review, #1-8
2) IXL (see blog for relevant sections)

Social Studies
PowerPoint presentations (due Thurs, Oct 6)

Other
French quiz (on Thurs, Oct 6)

Friday, September 30th

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes each evening.
2) Personal Narrative - published copy & draft(s) (due Tuesday).  Please type using a word processor and print a copy.  You can print at school on Monday or Tuesday if needed (or you can send it to me via email and I'll print for you).

Math
1) Lesson #4 (3, 4, and 8) and Lesson #5 (5)

Social Studies
You will have 1 or 2 more classes to prepare your PowerPoint presentation.  If you think you'll need more time, finish it at home.

Have a great weekend!
Go Blue Jays Go!

Tuesday, September 27th

Reminders
1) Terry Fox walk (Thursday)
2) Pizza day (Friday)

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes each evening
2) Today we talked about using transitions to emphasize changes in time, setting, mood/tone, etc....  We looked at a BIG list of transitional words and phrases (linked in Language Arts section of blog) and then set our goal for today to add transitions to our draft.

Math
1) Reading and Writing Numbers, p. 40-41 #4-9
2) IXL - see Math section of blog

Social Studies
Continue to research your First Nation and answer your inquiry questions.  Next time you will meet with your group and decide how best to present your information.  Remember that you need a map and images/illustrations.

Monday, September 26th

Reminders
1) Terry Fox walk (Thursday, September 29th)

2) Pizza Day (Friday, September 30th)

**Note: I've added a link to the right side of the page - 5 Cool Things to Discover on Your TDSB Virtual Library.  This is the video you watched in the library during homeroom this morning.

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes each evening

2) Today we discussed how to add tension and a resolution to your narratives.  Check to see if your narrative has both, and if the tension could be heightened by adding internal dialogue, more action, punctuation (!).  Remember that tension results from the problem/conflict in your narrative, and should be rising (building) in your story until it reaches a climax (the point where the tension or suspense is at its height).  Then, resolve your conflict and reveal the moral/lesson of your narrative.

3) Spelling Week 3 - 4 different spellings for 'f' ('f' as in 'football,' 'ff' as in 'efficient,' 'ph' as in 'phonograph,' and 'gh' as in 'paragraph').  Work and test are due Friday.

Math
1) Do You Remember #1-5 (due tomorrow at start of the day)

2) IXL (see Math section of blog for sections relevant to this unit)

Friday, September 23rd

Reminders

1) Picture Day is on Monday, September 26th

2) Terry Fox Walk is on Thursday, September 29th

3) Pizza Day on Friday, September 30th

Language

1) Read for 20 minutes each evening

2) Continue revising your Personal Narrative.  Focus on adding strong description (small details, sensory details) to make the writing come alive.  Also, check to ensure your writing has a problem (conflict) and that you are building the tension to a climax, and then to a resolution.

Math

Next week we begin our Number Sense unit.  Here are the relevant IXL sections for this unit:

6-A.1

6-A.2

6-B.1

6-B.2

6-B.4

(I've also posted this in the Math section of the blog)

Social Studies

We'll continue to work on the First Nations presentations next week.  Aim to be completed by next Friday or the following Monday (depending on how everyone is progressing next week).

Have an awesome weekend!

Go Jays Go! 

Tuesday, September 20th

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes
2) Spelling due Thursday/test Friday

Social Studies
Famous Canadian paraphrase sheet

Science
9V battery

Math
1) IXL: complete 7-S.5 and 5-O.7
2) Patterning test on Thursday, September 22
3) Here is a problem we worked on today:

There were two methods we looked at for solving this type of problem....

1) Identify the pattern rule, which is "start at 10, add 4 each time," and then create a table to find all the terms up to 15.

2) Identify a recursive pattern rule and use it to find only the number of tiles in the 7th and 15th designs ("start at 10, add 4 one less time than the design number").  So for design 7, the answer would be 10 + (6x4) = 10 + 24 = 34.  

For design 15, the solution would be 10 + (14x4) = 10 + 56 = 66 

Friday, September 16th

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes (nightly).
2) Bring a personal narrative discovery draft to class on Monday so we can begin to revise it.  Aim for 1 1/2 to 2 pages.

French
French clothing page (due Monday)

Have a great weekend!
Go Jays go!!

Thursday, September 15th

Language Arts
1) Read for 20 minutes (nightly)
2) Spelling test/work due Friday
3) Personal Narrative draft (bring to class Monday)
4) Reading response for Fox (answer one question from Inferring handout.  Use complete sentences/paragraphs.  Use a combination of your own ideas and specific details from the text for support.  Be sure that the book title (Fox) and the author's name (Margaret Wild) appear in your response.

Math
1) Mid-Chapter review, #1-4
2) Quiz Friday (tomorrow)

Social Studies
Famous Canadian biography - Paraphrase, 3 Facts, and a question (due Tuesday, but we'll work on it in class tomorrow)

Reminders
Curriculum night is tonight.  See you in Room 158.

Tuesday, September 13th

Language
1) Read for 20 minutes each evening.
2) Spelling practice due Friday.
3) Spelling test Friday.
4) Writing - fill one page of your Writer's Notebook.  Choose one of your seed ideas and write it out, or continue to make lists of seed ideas.

Math
No homework.

Social Studies
No homework.

September 7th

Math - Today we discussed some Math procedure stuff (how to set up a notebook, for example), and discussed the importance of showing your thinking when working through a problem.  Then, we worked through a growth pattern problem in pairs and as a whole group.  Finally, the students were assigned 'Do You Remember' #1-4, which is a diagnostic review of last year's learning.  Due tomorrow.

Language - We read aloud from A Wrinkle in Time, stopping to discuss the types of strategies we use when beginning a book (questioning, back up and re-read, predicting, connecting).  Then, we had a discussion about how to choose good books, followed by some independent reading.

In IT, we set up our TDSB login, checked out AW, and tried to access the student email (which we could not do).  Try to access AW from home if you wish.

Homework:
Math - Do You Remember #1-4
Language - Bring a reading book to class
Art - Get sketch book (9x12 spiral bound)
Other: Bring in start of year forms

September 6/16

Welcome to 6B!  I am so happy to be starting this year at such an amazing school.  I look forward to meeting each of you over the coming days and learning how I can help you succeed this year at the highest level.

Since I'm new to most of you, I'll tell you a little bit about me first...I taught at LKS four years ago as an LTO, and then moved on to Earl Haig for three years.  I loved my time here, and was very excited to have the opportunity to come back.  I am married to my lovely wife, Jackie, and we have two boys - Oliver, who is almost four and started JK today, and Quinn, who is 2 months old and sleeping like a champ (fingers crossed!).  We spent summer in Toronto for the most part, going to the zoo, Science Centre, ROM, and to High Park almost every day.  It was a relaxing, hot summer, but I am eager to get the school year started.

This year I will be teaching your child language arts, math, social studies, drama, physical education, and health.

A few important notes...

• The best way to contact me is via my email, which was recorded by the students into their agendas on the first day.
• Our class will visit the library every Day 5 at the end of the day.
• If you miss a quiz or test as a result of an illness or absence, please come to school at 8:00 am the following day.  If you are away for longer, please see me when you return. 

I will try to update my blog as much as I possibly can.  Here you will find daily homework, assignments, reminders and announcements.  On the subject specific pages you will find links to helpful websites and downloads as they are needed.  Mostly, this main page will provide you with all the information you will need.

Again, I am thrilled to be teaching at LKS and I look forward to meeting you all soon.