Grade 5 Newsletter

Dear Parents/Guardians,
I appreciate the recent opportunity to meet with some
of you to discuss your childs progress following the first
term report cards. Although interviews are not always a
requirement at this time of year, please feel free to
contact me at any time if you have any questions or
concerns regarding the reported achievements. As
always, please check both the school website
(http://www.bellscornersps.blogspot.ca/) and class page
(www.bcps-r5a.weebly.com) regularly to stay up to date
and informed on class activities.
In the classroom, the students have been preparing
scripts for readers theatre, which they will be
presenting to the class next week (March 9 13). Our
next focus in writing will be procedurals in preparation
for upcoming science reports. Our current topic of
scientific inquiry is Transformation of Energy. Students
have been learning about different forms of energy and
how they can be stored and transformed. The
culminating activity will require students to design,
build and test a small machine or device that converts
stored potential energy into kinetic energy (movement).
Students will also prepare a short 1 - 2 page report to
accompany their project. I have posted a copy of the
project plan and report checklist on the class website
under
the
homework
tab
(http://bcpsr5a.weebly.com/homework.html). Project plans should
be submitted by Friday March 13th while the due date
for the final project is Thursday April 2nd.
We recently concluded our math unit on multiplication
but will continue to work on the learning goal related to
the recall of multiplication facts up to 12 X 12. Our
current focus is on Geometry and Measurement as we
work towards the following learning goals:
1. Estimate and measure the area and perimeter of
regular polygons.
2.
Create two dimensional shapes (rectangles,
parallelograms and triangles) with the same area and/or
perimeter.

March 2015
Important Dates
Friday March 6th
Scholastic Orders
Due
Sunday March 8th
Daylight Savings
Time Begins
Friday March 13th
Hot Dog Day
Pajama Day
March 16th March
20th
March Break: No
Classes
Monday March 30th
Class Election Day
Friday April 3rd
Good Friday: No
Classes
Monday April 6th:
Easter Monday: No
Classes
Days to Remember
Indoor Gym: Tuesday
& Thursday
DPA: Monday,
Wednesday & Friday
(Skating)
Computers:
Wednesday
Music: Thursday
Library: Friday
Contact Info
Phone Number:

Our class mock election has begun with the nomination of candidates and
preparation of party platforms. Prior to voting on March 30th, candidates
and supporters will have the opportunity to participate in an All-Candidates
Meeting, where they will address and respond to important issues and
questions in a moderated debate style format.
We are currently wrapping up our volleyball unit in Phys. Ed., focusing on the
skills of serving, bumping and volleying. Students are being assessed on
their ability to strike a stationary or moving object with control and accuracy.
Our next focus in phys. ed. will be the use of equipment to strike a moving
object as we play badminton and q-tip ball.
Class Dojo and Tracking Smart Goals
During the month of March, students will begin to track the first of four
personal learning goals which they have identified for Term 2. Each smart
goal is based on one of the learning skills that appear on the elementary
report card (Responsibility, Independent Work, Initiative, Organization,
Collaboration and Self-Regulation). Each month, students will track a
different goal. I will send a copy of the learning goals home during the first
week of March. Please take a few minutes to review and discuss them with
your child.
From time to time, I will set common goals that the class as a whole can work
on. I will also continue to use the Class Dojo website (www.classdojo.com) to
track student progress. When students show progress towards achieving
their goals, they will receive a positive feedback message and earn dojo
points that can be traded in for small rewards (e.g. eat lunch with a friend).
Students will only receive feedback when they have achieved their learning
goal. No message/feedback indicates that the student is still working on that
particular goal. Points which have been earned will not be taken away.
Litterless Lunch
Beginning March 4th, the BCPS litter-less lunch day will switch from Friday
to Wednesday. Students are encouraged to bring their lunches in reusable
containers. Containers with lids (or an extra ziplock bag) can be used to
return apple cores, banana peels and juice boxes without leaving
messy lunch bags.
For the past month, our class has been audited weekly by the schools ecoexplorer team. We are being assessed on our ability to properly sort our
classroom waste. Our target each week is to have no more than 5 items in
the wrong bin (blue bin, black bin, garbage, paper towels). I am pleased to
report that we have met our goal 4 out of the 5 weeks. Keep up the good
work!
Skating
The students have expressed an interest in continuing our weekly skating
time. Weather permitting, we will skate on Friday afternoons from 3:00-3:45
for the next two weeks. Following the March Break, we will assess the
condition of the rink and make a decision about any further skating days.
Parent volunteers are always welcome to help with the tying and untying of
skate laces. As always, please ensure that students have a CSA approved

helmet for skating and any skates brought to school should be protected with
blade guards.
Communication
If you need to reach me, please email (daniel.holmes@ocdsb.ca), call (613828-3100 x2026) or send a note in your childs agenda.
I will be keeping you up-to-date on important information and school/class
events through a number of ways:

Email
Newsletters
Class Dojo (www.classdojo.com)
Class website: http://bcps-r5a.weebly.com/
Your childs agenda

It is important to check the website regularly for ongoing information

regarding class and school events. Here you will be able to find past copies
of newsletters, important dates, information on homework and a link to the
schools website (http://www.bellscornersps.blogspot.ca/).
Early pick up
If you plan to pick up your child early, please send me a note (email or
agenda) with the approximate time so that I can let the office staff know that
you are coming.
Reminders
It is recommended that students have one pair of tight fitting shoes (no slipons) for indoor physical activity and a pair of warm, waterproof boots for
outdoor play. Now that the weather has changed, please ensure that
students come prepared each day to spend time outdoors (recess and DPA).
Students should have a warm coat, boots, hat and gloves/mittens. Sending
an extra pair of dry socks in the backpack is also a good way to avoid cold
wet feet during the day.
To minimize interruptions to our classroom learning environment and to
avoid many trips to the water fountain, please send your child to school with
a sealed reusable water bottle that can be kept at his/her desk.
Scholastic Reading Club
Each month, I will be sending home the order forms for purchasing books
and other educational resources. As always, scholastic orders are completely
voluntary. The bonus points that are collected will be used to obtain books
for our classroom library.
Donations
Any donations of gently used books for our classroom library or sports
equipment (tennis balls, mini sticks, etc.) for our recess bin will be greatly
appreciated. If your child would like the books/equipment returned to them

at the end of the year, please ensure that their name is clearly visible on the
item.
Homework
Weekly math practice sheets (yellow math duotang) are sent home each
Monday.
This homework will provide additional reinforcement to the
concepts that we will be covering in class. Students are asked to complete
and return their math practice by Friday each week.
We are now into our twenty third week of daily word work. Students will be
given time in class to complete daily work on their core spelling words. Any
unfinished work will need to be completed at home on Thursday (grey word
work duotang) and returned to school by Friday. Our weekly dictation will
be held on Friday afternoon so students may choose to study their words the
night before (Thursday).
From time to time, assignments (e.g. science project) may need to be sent
home to be completed. Due dates will be communicated by email and on
the class website.
As always, students are encouraged to spend approximately 30 minutes
each night (Sunday Thursday) reading.
Thank you,
Mr. Daniel Holmes
Grade 5
Bells Corners P.S.