Welcome to our class blog where you will find highlights of interesting activities our class has been doing, comments that inspire and celebrate learning, and discussion starters for home.  I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with your family!

This week we look forward to a Thanksgiving mass at 10:30 on Thursday and our grade fours receiving bibles blessed by Father Krystian. Our first Religion study focusses on how we gather in one spirit as Catholics (Grade 3) and how in this gathering the Church hands on the good news (Grade 4 - why they receive bibles). Reinforce this by noting when you gather as a family to share daily challenges and successes, hopes and dreams, and perhaps how your faith has directed decisions. In Math we are using the Base ten knowledge from the last unit to find patterns in number charts. If you get the chance, plan your weeks etc using a calendar while noting patterns such as how moving down a square increases the number by 7. We have wrapped up our Language study of recount texts (the students' My Summer Flip Flop  texts are still on show outside the classroom), and are learning about procedural texts. Have your child join you in baking or putting together something using a manual. We are halfway through our first Science unit (Soils, Rocks and Minerals) and you'll receive the Mid-Unit Test soon to review with your son or daughter. The Magical Land of Staff is a story of "note" people that teach through musical adventures the notes and their values. The Super Three Fours have been listening to this story in Music and will soon apply this knowledge using musical instruments. If you get the chance, point out whole, half, quarter and eighth notes, as well as dynamics such as how volume is increased ("crescendo"). We continue discussing colours and lines in Art as students create Modigliani portraits to accompany their practice procedural texts they'll be writing (pictures coming soon!). How foods get from nature to our table (eg processing - Grade 3) and identifying the importance of key nutritients (fats, proteins) for our health (Grade 4) continue to be the focus in Health. Feel free to look at packaging, nutrition labels, ingredients and discuss how foods are healthy to eat, as well as which ones should be limited. Meanwhile, the students are enjoying active strategic games in Physical Education which demand not just hand eye coordination and various movement skills, but also teamwork and planning. Ask about some of the games and what strategies help your child's team to win them!