Maths

What a great week of online learning! In maths class this week students learned all about converting metric units of length (cm, m, km). Our learners discovered that 100 centimeters is equal to 1 meter and 1000 meters is equal to 1 kilometer. We were able to practice our new conversion skills by making our own meter stick and then using that meter stick to measure off a 50 meter line where students could travel that line until they reached 1 kilometer. It was a lot of fun and students were able to get some exercise as well! 

Next week students will work more with metric conversions as well as review some of our foundational skills such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and division. It is coming close to the end of the school year and I want to make sure students have a chance to review some of what they learned in maths this year. 

English

In English class this week students worked with identifying and using various types of determiners in their writing. What is a Determiner? Simply put, in English, a determiner is a word that introduces a noun. It always comes before a noun, not after, and it also comes before any adjectives used to describe the noun. Students also got the chance to show their appreciation for all the hard work their parents put in to helping them be successful during our online learning. Students wrote a thank you letter that they then read out loud to their parents. It was fun getting the kids to realize just how much their parents do for them and I think parents really appreciated the recognition. 

Next week in English class, and the rest of the school year as well, students will be working to practice and improve more writing samples. Students will focus on proper sentences and creating multi-paragraph short stories and narratives. I want students to have more chances to examine how dialog is used in writing along with fronted adverbials and descriptive language. 

Science

This week in science class students explored under the sea to discover how human impact regarding climate change is affecting ocean temperatures. This rise in ocean temperature is causing a mass die off or bleaching to earth's coral reefs. Students learned how coral sustains a very intricate ecosystem and when the coral dies so goes the entire ecosystem. 

Next week students will examine human impact on the ecosystem of the Amazon rain forest. Little do most people know that the Amazon rain forest is often called the lungs of our planet. This is because their are so many trees and other plants producing oxygen for us to breath. Vast amounts of the rain forest are destroyed each year for things like cattle production, agriculture and tree harvesting. It is important for students to know about this issue and how it impacts the ecosystem and people around the world.   

Mr. Seth's Notes

I know you all must have been rather excited for the prospect of returning to school. It was rather disappointing to have this prospect canceled at the last minute on Friday. Be aware that we have worked hard to ensure your children remain safe when school opens back up. All classrooms are implementing social distancing rules and procedures. Children will be screened upon entry and required to sanitize their hands. Students will eat lunch in there classroom and will also be required to wash their hands throughout the day. Please see this short Youtube video for more clarification. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63GFIjvudYs&feature=youtu.be