Hello Families,

We are getting close to the end of the school year and I want to thank you for your support during this  extremely strange school year.  It has been a joy to teach your children and watch their growth.

This week we have been focused on time in math, especially learning how to tell time with an analog clock. In science we have been learning about plants and how they grow. We are growing beans from seeds to watch the process. In social studies, we are building a large fort structure and a TeePee as we build on our knowledge of Alberta's history.  Using stones, we have created beautiful tree art,  connecting to natural materials. 

We will be saying farewell to our Grade 5 students as they move on to Grade 6.  We will be celebrating in-school next Friday, June 25th.  As per the letter that was sent out last week, we would like to show photographs of the Grade 5 students and would appreciate if you could email them to us as soon as possible.

On a sad note,  I will also be leaving Cappy Smart this year and moving to another school. It has truly been a pleasure to teach in this community.

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14

Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 Students

 

Hello Families, 

This week we completed our science chemistry unit and will be moving on to plants next week. In social studies, we have been researching historic forts built in Alberta and their purposes. Over the next 2 weeks we will be recreating forts and Indigenous villages to bring our history alive. We will be moving on to Time in math and creating art using rocks.

This week we discussed the terrible tragedy that has been unearthed at the former Kamloops Residential School. Today we remembered those 215 lost children by tying ribbons on the school fences. 

We are currently planning our grade 5 farewell and we sent a letter home today with details for Grade 5 parents. The whole school will participate on-line; unfortunately family are unable to join.

We only have a couple of weeks left of school and appreciate your support in ensuring your child continues to attend until the summer break.

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14

Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 Teacher

 Hello Families,

It was lovely to welcome the children back into class this week. Most have now brought back their work, can you make sure it all comes back on Monday please.  We are going to start painting rocks and sticks in art next week. Please help your child find a broken branch (not taken off a living tree) and a small rock to bring in to school.

We have continued our focus on measuring in math, and specifically geometry this week. We have been finishing our 3D mobile and will be looking at volume and time over the coming weeks. In literacy we have finished our chapter book Front Desk, and are now writing our own story. In science we will continue with chemistry, studying mixtures and solutions. Our social study project on the Famous Five, resulted in some excellent Slides presentations created by the children and presented to the rest of the class. 

We managed to play our first Disk Golf game at Marlborough Park yesterday, it was fun. We are going back next Tuesday and Wednesday as part of our gym lessons. Today we planted some seeds at the front of the school, sage and nasturtiums. Next week we are going to plant some vegetables, which we can bring home and plant in our own gardens. 

There is no school next Friday as it is an organizational day at Cappy Smart. 

Thank you and have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14

 Hello Families,

It's snowing, so it must be a holiday weekend!  Today is the last day of school until Tuesday May 25th, when we are scheduled to return to in-school learning. 

Thank you for supporting your child to join on-line learning, it is always a challenge but they have become more independent learners, which is a skill in itself. We have improvised with online kitchen chemistry and self motivated gym lessons. Your children have been learning about angles, area and perimeter and have started to learn how to use a protractor.  We will be revisiting this in school next week.

In social studies, students researched and produced Slide presentations about the Famous Five women who fought for women's rights. In health we have looked at all the aspects of hygiene that affect our bodies. We have been developing our creative skills in art trying to create optical illusions.

We have just finished reading our class novel, Front Desk, which has produced such great discussions about relevant societal topics. The children will now re-tell this story in their own words, then next week, they will plan and write their own story, developing their creative writing skills. 

Please make sure that your child brings all their school equipment back with them, as well as technology if they borrowed any from the school.  I will need their red note books to see what they have completed, as well as the protractors and graph paper to carry on with our geometry unit. 

Thank you, and have a lovely long family weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14.

Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 Teacher

 Hello Families,

We can't believe we are heading into May next week, but we are enjoying the improvements to the weather this season brings, even if some of it will be rain.

This week we started learning about measuring weight in math, comparing kilograms and grams and weighing different items for ourselves. Please take some time to measure items using a bathroom or kitchen scale at home. Next week we will explore volume. In literacy we continued our novel study and learned how to use similes and metaphors to enhance our writing. 

We built on our study of matter, learning about mixtures and solutions. This coming week we should be carrying out some experiments, which will be hands on and fun. In social studies we are studying the impact on settlers on the Indigenous peoples and the changes they brought.

Early in the week we took our baseball skills outside and  measured how far we could strike a ball. Back in the gym we had a couple of choice days, where students selected what they wanted to do. Next week we will be practicing our frisbee skills, in preparation for playing disk golf at Marlborough Park. a letter will be coming home to you regarding that.  

In art we concluded our work in clay by creating some art to recognize Ramadan, which many of our students are observing. We also started our pointillism art to create different images. In health we are examining personal responsibilities and boundaries.

On Monday we are fortunate to have Elder Shirley join us on line for some Indigenous teachings. She joined us last year in the building, and the children loved it. This year we are focusing on transportation, different forms of energy and the impact of human migration on the natural habitat and human history.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14

 Hello Families, 

Yet another week has rolled by and we find ourselves in the middle of April. 

With improving weather, we were able to take our math outside this week, making paper airplanes to measure distance in metres and centimetres using trundle wheels. In literacy we continued with our class book study, 'Front Desk.'  All students are enjoying tis book written from a child's perspective.  

We have been finishing off our Slides presentations and dodecahedrons, to record our understanding of Alberta's regions. I have such a creative class :) In gym we have been learning the skills associated with baseball, and started learning how to play the game. We concluded our Human Sexuality health lessons this week. Such a mature group of students, asking sensible questions to build their understanding of puberty and body changes. In art we created painting using a pointillism technique and started building sculptures out of foil. 

Grade 5 students joined an on-line meeting with Dr Egbert as an introduction to the school. 

Thank you for continuing to support your child in keeping us all safe, by coming into school with masks on and keeping them on as they leave at the end of the day.

On a sad note, we lose our Student Teacher, Ms Peters today. I'm sure you have heard her name mentioned by your child. She has been a wonderful asset to our classroom and we all wish her well in her future endeavours.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14.

Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 teacher 

 

Hello Families,

We have settled back into school very well, following Spring Break.  This week we have focused on measurement in math, looking at metric length. In literacy we have finished writing our chapter books and have moved on to our class novel study, "Front Desk." Today we have been doing an Escape Room Challenge related to our Social Studies project on Alberta. We have also been finishing up our dodecahedron art project related to the regions of Alberta. They are going to look amazing. We are also concluding our focus on the weather and climate in science, and will be moving onto chemistry in the coming weeks.

We joined the Tyrrell Museum online this week to learn about fossils in our province. The children enjoyed this interactive experience.

Over the next couple of weeks, our health focus will be on human sexuality education.

Grade 4: Describe physical, emotional and social changes that occur during puberty

Grade 5: Identify the basic components of the human reproductive system, and describe the basic functions of the various components.

All families have received a letter about this. If you wish your child to participate, you do not need to return the letter. Your child will be included. If you wish your child to refrain from taking part, please return the letter.

In art we will be building tree sculptures, based on the work of Indigenous artist, Leah Dorion. In gym we have started learning baseball skills, and as the weather has improved, we will be able to move this outside. The weather continues to be changeable, so having access to a coat and sensible outdoor shoes is essential. 

Next Wednesday, our Grade 5 children will be joining Dr Egbert School on-line for a virtual tour of the school. You will have received a letter inviting you to join a virtual meeting next Thursday, April 15th.  Please connect with us if you have any questions. 

Incredibly, we now have only 11 weeks left in school before the end of the school year. We continue to be grateful for our amazing children and their families for how this very difficult year has been managed. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the Grade 4/5 Students of Room 14.

 Hello Families, 

Thank you for supporting your child to join our online class this week. They have been doing an incredible job, as it is not easy for any of us :)  We will continue online next Monday and Tuesday then we will be back in the classroom on Wednesday, March 24th, yey! 

Tomorrow I will be online from 7:45am to join Elder Randy Bottle who will be celebrating the Spring Equinox with us. Children are welcome to join me. This will finish at 8:30 in time for registration. 

We are hoping you will all join us in our Google Meet at 11am tomorrow morning for a social gathering just to say hello. No pressure  but we thought it would be lovely to see everyone together for a short while. So if you can just show your face for a few minutes, that would be lovely.

This week we started to focus on time, building on our work with decimals and fractions. We will be continuing this in school next week, in the meantime, please support your child to read analogue clocks as this is more difficult than reading digital clocks for them. We have also been learning about Roman numerals which appear on many clocks. This problem solving has been fun to do. 

In writing we focused on Indigenous stories exploring the messages behind them. Next week it is World poetry week, so on Monday we will be joining our Chief Superintendent online as he reads some poetry to us. We will then be writing some poetry ourselves. Once we are back in the classroom next Wednesday, we will finish writing our chapter books. In science we have been learning about the seasons and how they are affected by the position of the earth around the sun. Tomorrow, student will be sharing their Slides presentations with the rest of the class. Next week we will be exploring how humans impact the weather. 

We have started exploring the art of Leah Dorion this week. Next week we will be creating painting/collages using her unique style as a guide. As skipping has been part of our gym this week, we will continue with this when we get back to school on Wednesday. In health we are continuing our discussions on self-esteem and how this is impacted by hygiene. Next week we will be looking at how the weather impacts our skin. As we continue with our social studies project, Alberta Bound, we will be looking at recreation in all the regions. 

The weather is looking sunny for the next few days, so even though we all have to quarantine at home for a few more days, we can at least sit/play outside :)  Have a lovely weekend and stay safe.

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14

Learning Leader & Grade 4/5 Teacher

 Hello Families, 

We have had a lovely first week of March, not only with the improving weather. but also with the exciting learning taking place. 

In literacy we planned and completed our visual storyboards. Take a look on IRIS to see your child's work. In math we continued to focus on money, adding, subtracting ands pending! We will be working on word problems next week, as this is something all children find challenging. We looked at how the weather affects us in science, as well as how human actions affect the weather.

We created reflective art as we continue to focus on the creative style of Indigenous artist Jason Carter. Students drew a bear walking on water, reflected in a frozen lake. In health we are focusing on how we see ourselves as we examine the influence of others and how that impacts us. In social studies we explored the different animals that live in the regions of our beautiful province, and started to create a Slides presentation of the regions we are studying. 

In gym we played cooperative games, and did a great job of cooperating!! The children are getting so fast, and found it hilarious when I joined in - hopefully I surprised a few of them with a quick burst of speed :)

Nation Vision visited the school and carried out eye tests on some of our students. We are always grateful when service providers are prepared to come into our building and offer free services for our students.

Next Thursday and Friday are Parent Conferences. Please make sure to go on-line and book an appointment with me, as I would welcome the opportunity of discussing your child's progress with you.

It's looking set to be a fabulous weekend, weather-wise, so please enjoy :)

Mrs Coldbeck and the Students of Room 14

Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 Teacher

 Hello Families,

February seemed to slip by us too quickly, and we only have 4 months left of this school year! 

This week we studied clouds patterns in science and looked at predicting weather from them. In math we have been focused on money as it links to the work we have been doing on decimals, and we plan to continue with this next week. In literacy we continue to explore stories and how to write exciting tales ourselves. This week we have used Jamboard to start planning a visual story, which we will write and draw next week. I am excited to see how they turn out. 

Our art and health encompassed Pink Shirt Day this week, as we honour our peers by supporting positive relationships and standing together against bullying. We designed t-shirt to 'hang bullying out to dry!' In gym we are ending our focus on soccer, and will be moving on to traditional games. We began our 'Alberta Bound" project in social studies; this week we focused on the natural resources and physical geography of our beautiful province. 

Next week Nation Vision are visiting the school to carry out eye tests on those students who returned the permission form. If you still wish your child to have an eye test, please contact the office to obtain a consent form. 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the Students of Room 14

Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 Teacher

Hello Families,

Happily, the weather has been getting warmer and we have been able to get outside this week. As we move into the last week of February, we still need to be dressed for the weather.

This week we made anemometers in science to measure the speed of the wind, as we continued our study of the weather. In Literacy, students wrote their own stories, created comicstrip stories, and recorded each other telling their story. In math we focused on adding and subtracting decimals and fractions. 

In social studies we focused on Black History Month. Students created Slide presentations about Black Canadians who as pioneers, contributed to change in racial attitudes towards people of colour. This week was Random Acts of Kindness week, so we discussed how small acts of kindness can make a difference in peoples lives.

We have been developing our ball control skills in soccer and continue to build our strength and stamina through running games.  We created animal drawing, based on the work of artist Jason Carter, using black paper and white crayon - they look stunning!

Next Wednesday is Pink Shirt Day, so children are encouraged to wear a pink shirt to stand up against bullying. We plan to focus on this topic through inclusive play and building positive relationships. 

Hope you manage to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather this weekend. 

Mrs Coldbeck and the Grade 4/5Students of Room 14

 Hello Families, 

Today is the end of the school week as teachers convention begins tomorrow. Students return to school on Tuesday February 16th. Hopefully the weather will improve by next week. Please continue to send your child with weather appropriate clothing so they are ready to go outside when the weather warms up to more normal winter temperatures. 

This week we focused on adding and subtracting decimals in math. In literacy we planned and wrote our own story, using descriptive language. In science we continued our focus on the weather and conducted an experiment examining what happens when the air temperature is different. In social studies we began reading and discussing stories about Black History in Canada. We moved on to soccer in gym and continued our work on self-esteem in health. In art we used the skill of quilling to create masterpieces for Valentine. 

Friday is the deadline for ordering your Healthy Hunger Meals on line in time for next Wednesday. Your child has a note in their backpack if you need further details. 

If you still wish to take advantage of a free eye exam for your child in school, please return the form next week. 

Wishing you all a fabulous Family Day Weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the students of Room 14

Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 Teacher

 Hello Families,

Another week has rolled past and we have been hard at work in class and have fun doing it. This week was compliment week in our class and the children have become adept at both giving and receiving compliments, so a very positive week. This tied in with our health focus on self-esteem and building positive relationships with others.

We continue to learn about fractions in math and have moved on to comparing and converting fractions and decimals. In science we looked at different weather phenomena and how it occurs, looking at the changing weather in Calgary through the week. Our focus on stories in Literacy saw us reading and re-telling a range of different genres. Next week we will be focused on story and character development, as we plan our our adventures. 

We continue to study the artist Jason Carter, and we produced a further painting focused on creating shadow and shading to reflect light. Our study of of beautiful province looked at what we are famous for. We considered physical geography, industries, historical places, indigenous history and festivals. 

Next week is a short week to accommodate Teacher Convention, so children will be in school from Monday to Wednesday, with no school on Thursday and Friday. The following week we have a holiday for Family Day, so students will return to school on Tuesday February 16th.  

School reports are available now on-line for you to view.

Have a wonderful weekend and stay safe and warm.

Mrs Coldbeck and the Grade 4/5 students of Room 14

 

Hello Families, 

I can't believe it is the last week of January already, with February kicking off on Monday. It seems to have flown by. There is no school tomorrow for students as it is a non instructional day.  School reports will be available for you to view electronically by the end of next week.

On Monday, our grade 5 students participated in a presentation from Bob Edwards school online, parents have received a letter inviting them to join an online meeting next week if you are interested in learning more about the French Immersion program.

This week we focused on fractions, of shapes and numbers in math. We began the topic of weather watch in science, discussing and recording the difference between weather and climate. We focused on Alberta in social science, researching facts about our lovely province, and we began exploring the art of Alberta Artist  Jason Carter, and created some lovely painting today of Three Sisters Mountains. We began our creative writing block in literacy, discussing different genres, examining oral story telling traditions and writing traditional fables, myths, legends and fairy stories. 

You will have received a letter this week regarding a free vision examination for your child. Please sign and return this form as soon as possible so we can make sure everything is in place in plenty of time for Nation's Vision, who will be carrying out the exams. 

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the Students of Room 14

Hello Families, 

This week we began the topic of fractions in math and will continue this for the next few weeks. In writing we focused on plastics in our oceans and found some interesting solutions to this problem when conducting our research. In social studies we focused on Alberta and investigated the 6 eco-regions that make up our beautiful province, and we created some art to depict each area of study. In science we focused on our eco-footprint and will be moving on to weather watch for the next number of weeks. They created a lovely perspective drawing using 2D shapes today. Next week we will begin exploring the art of Jason Carter.

On Monday our grade 5 students will receive a presentation from Bob Edwards school online, as this is one of their choices when they move into grade 6 in September.  The grade 4s will be in the classroom as well but will have other tasks to occupy them. You will have received a letter yesterday from your child inviting Grade 5 parents to join an online meeting in February if you are interested. 

Next week we have a non-instructional day on Friday, so no school for students.

The weather is set to be colder next week, so please make sure your child is suitably dressed.

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Coldbeck and the Students of Room 14

 

Hello Families, It was lovely to have your children back in the classroom this week, and I think they were happy to be back! Next week we will be welcoming a student teacher, Erin Peters; she will be with us until the middle of April. This means extra support for your children, which can only be good.  This week we continued our research and discussions on plastics in our oceans. The children captured their learning in poster format, which is available for you to view in IRIS. We will continue to focus on this theme next week, investigating alternatives to plastics and solutions to the problems created by it. In math we will be moving onto fractions and decimals for the coming weeks. In writing we will be looking at fictional stories and texts, focusing on myths, fables and legends. We will continue to feature Alberta in social studies, examining the physical geography of our beautiful province. In gym, we were engaged in ball and bat skill development and cooperative games, which include a lot of running around. The class are getting a whole lot fitter and faster as the year progresses. We used our creative skills across a range of subjects, including our writing investigations into Wolves being re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park, as well as the re-introduction of bison to Banff Provincial Park.  The weather is definitely gong to worsen over the coming weeks, so please remind your children to come prepared for the ever-changing Alberta weather.  Wishing you a lovely family weekend. Libby Coldbeck and the students of Room 14 Learning Leader and Grade 4/5 Teacher Cappy Smart School Calgary Board of Education 403-777-8110   x2014