Everybody Needs A Rock

This week we started our wonderful residency with Three Left Feet. The students have done an amazing job keep the energy positive, giving it one- hundred percent and learning some fun choreography. We look forward to next week when we get to put the finishing touches on our performance. 


In Science we started out new Rocks and Minerals unit. We used the opportunity while on our Community Walk to collect rocks to bring back into our classroom for further examination. Before we went on our search we discussed the simple joy of rocks, finding them, their feel, their color pallet, and how magical rocks can be. Each having its own history, its own journey, its own story. Like snowflakes, no two rocks are the same. But unlike snowflakes, rocks can be held, saved and collected. To continue to help inspire us prior to our search we enjoyed the teachings in the book Everybody Needs a Rock By Byrd Baylor.  The story outlines ten simple, but important rules to finding the perfect rock and inspired us to follow the rules while finding our won special rock.

Not only does this book talk about the joys of hunting for rocks and gives us the ten tips in doing so, but it also helped us to develop the understanding that everyone needs something solid to hold onto during difficult times. 

Everyone needs a rock rules:  

1.     Find your rock anywhere.

2.   Shhhhhh… choose a rock quietly.

3.   Look at your rock eye to eye.

4.   Don’t choose a rock that’s too big.

5.   Don’t choose a rock that’s too small.

6.   Choose a rock that fits into your hand.

7.   Look for the perfect color.

8.  Choose a rock that has an interesting shape.

9.   Sniff your rock. (they all smell different!)

10.        Don’t ask for help.  You can do this all by yourself. 



Additional rules to find a rock created by students in Room 8 after our hunt:


1. Find a rock that makes you think of something beautiful.
2. Find a rock that feels good in your hand and makes you feel relaxed.
3. Don't find a rock that has jagged edges they will just hurt you.
4. Look for a color of rock that makes you happy.
5. Don't forget to dip your rock in water because it can look so much different.
6. Look for a rock that you can keep and then use as a skipping rock when you are done with it.
7. Be careful when you take a rock because it could be some creatures home. 








This week in math with Ms. Yasin, students took an exciting step in their number sense learning by exploring subtraction with regrouping (also known as borrowing)! This was a tricky topic so students took time to use manipulatives and prior number sense knowledge to help facilitate the regrouping required when subtracting double digit numbers. Students focused on using the place value strategy that they are familiar with to show their understanding of regrouping. Some students became comfortable with it and moved onto learning how to regroup and subtract in an algorithm setting! It was an exciting week in math with students stretching their minds and knowledge to absorb new material!    



This week the grade 3 students started their division unit. They learned how to share items equally, or divide, when given either the number of sets or the number of objects in each set. They also developed their ability to interpret the divisor in a division sentence as with either the number of sets our the number of objects in each set. We also applied our knowledge of division
so that we could solve word problems that provide two pieces of information: the total number of items being divided and either the number of groups or the number in each group. 

- I can find the number of items in each set when given the number of items and the number of sets.
-I can find the number of sets when given the number of items and the number of items in each set. 
-I can share equally when the number of groups is known.
-I can share equally when the number of items in each groups is known. 

Musicians You Should Know
In music class we have been learning about various artist with diverse backgrounds.  We learned about one particular Indigenous artist names Buffy Sainte-Marie.  The students really enjoyed one of her songs that she sang with another Indigenous artist named Tanya Tagaq who we previously learned about.  I have attached the link if your child is interested in listening to the song again.
Mrs. Serra

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