Curriculum Update

Writing – We are starting a brand new writing unit – Mystery Writing.  We are going to be learning the important ingredients that go into writing a mystery.  In order to write and create our own mystery stories, we will need to turn into Detectives and solve mysteries to really understand all the key components that need to go into a mystery.

Mystery Words

alibi - an excuse that a suspect uses to show that he or she was somewhere other than at the scene of the crime when the crime was committed

clue - a fact or object that helps to solve mysteries

crime - an act that is against the law

detective - a person who investigates mysteries and gathers information

evidence – something that helps prove who committed the crime

mystery - something that is secret and unknown

red herring – a false lead that throws the investigator off track

sleuth - another name for a detective

suspect - a person who is believed to have possibly committed the crime

victim - someone who is harmed or suffers some loss because of the crime

witness - someone who saw the crime being committed and can provide some information

These are some of the Detective IDs and mini notebooks (for important detective notes) that the students were presented with today!

Reading – For the past couple of weeks, we have been working in our Literacy Circles groups.  Each student has done all the different roles in our circles (Art Director, Connector Director, Discussion Director, Summary Director and Wild and Crazy Word Finder.)  Our next step is to look back at the feedback I have given each student to improve. During this next round, they need to try to take my feedback and continue to grow as a critical reader.

Math – We are starting a new unit on Area and Movement.  This unit is very short, but still important.  We will be learning and practicing various ways to measure area.  One of the most common mistakes is using the incorrect unit.  We use square units (non-standard units) and centimetres squared, metres squared (standard units) for area.

Overall Expectations 

By the end of Grade 3, students will: 

• estimate, measure, and record length, perimeter, area using standard units; 

– estimate, measure (i.e., using centimetre grid paper, arrays), and record area (e.g., if a row of 10 connecting cubes is approximately the width of a book, skip counting down the cover of the book with the row of cubes [i.e., counting 10, 20, 30, ...] is one way to determine the area of the book cover);

– compare and order various shapes by area, using congruent shapes (e.g., from a set of pattern blocks) and grid paper for measuring (Sample problem: Does the order of the shapes change when you change the size of the pattern blocks you measure with?);

Overall Expectations 

By the end of Grade 4, students will: 

• estimate, measure, and record length, perimeter, area, using a variety of strategies;

• determine the relationships among units and measurable attributes, including the area and perimeter of rectangles.

– determine, through investigation, the relationship between the side lengths of a rectangle and its perimeter and area (Sample problem: Create a variety of rectangles on a geoboard. Record the length, width, area, and perimeter of each rectangle on a chart. Identify relationships.);

– pose and solve meaningful problems that require the ability to distinguish perimeter and area (e.g.,“I need to know about area when I cover a bulletin board with construction paper. I need to know about perimeter when I make the border.”);

– compare, using a variety of tools (e.g., geoboard, patterns blocks, dot paper), two-dimensional shapes that have the same perimeter or the same area (Sample problem: Draw, using grid paper, as many different rectangles with a perimeter of 10 units as you can make on a geoboard.).

Drama – We have begun practicing our play E-I-E-I Oops! Musical.  Speaking roles were auditioned for and the students who are selected for these roles will find out their part this week.  Congratulations to everyone who auditioned!