The greatest trust

Hi Parents,

My heart, like yours I'm sure, has been broken over the past 24 hours! The tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut was unimaginable and horrific to say the least. As I've reflected over how this could happen and debated in my own head issues surrounding the tragedy, I've come to two major conclusions:

1. Each day is precious and we ought to work, love and express that love daily. I took some extra time with my sons last night to remember how blessed I am.

2. I have been commissioned with a tremendous trust. I recognize that you parents have placed that trust in me and in our school to ensure the safety of your children (our students). I have personally recommitted to review our emergency procedures and to raise my voice with other staff members to ensure they do the same.

It is my prayer that these families can find peace amidst this tragedy and that we educators can take every measure possible to ensure that this is an isolated incident!

Students sense of safety and personal well-being should never interfere with their ability to learn and perform in the classroom.

Mr. H.

Word Problems

Hi Parents,

I just wanted to write you a brief note with some word problems that I think would be great practice for your children (should you have a computer and should you find them with some extra time).

Check them out at the link below and have fun!

Math Word Problems

ICE SKATING!!!

Hello Parents & My wonderful Gr. 3 Students,

Tomorrow we are going Ice Skating from 9:45 - 10:45! Parents I believe most of you have already been informed of this via our school Newsletter, however, I'm writing this on the blog by way of a reminder!

Students must wear a hockey or ski helmet in order to be permitted on the rink! Bike helmets will NOT be allowed!

I for one, absolutely love skating and am looking forward to having some fun with the kids out on the ice! Please feel free to email me if you have any further questions!

Mr. H.

SCIENCE: BUILDING A TOWER!

Hello Parents,

I'm excited about the next couple weeks as we have some fun activities and lessons planned before the Christmas break. From student feedback, I think popular consensus is that Science is the funnest class each day! Today we had students do a great job of using their Inquiry skills and designing a sliding door with very limited supplies.

Tomorrow, it is our plan to have student build towers. We have lot of materials here that we certainly can use, however, if you have any extra boxes or paper towel / toilet paper rolls they would be put to good use. I recognize that this is late notice but my previous plan fell through. C'est la vie!

Thanks for your help!!

Mr. H.

Social Studies Presentation

Hi again Parents,

Many of you are aware that your children are currently 'stressing' about their Social Studies presentations. Let me take a minute to explain what it is that they're working on and why I feel its important to do assignments like this.

The assignment has been 4 days of research into Traditions and Festivals in the four countries that we are studying right now (Peru, Ukraine, Tunisia & India) in Social Studies. All the answers needed to fill out their research sheet have been found in our Social Studies text with all necessary pages outlined. Next, students have been asked to think of one 'Critical Question' about each countries traditions and festivals and subsequently use their own skills of Inquiry to find an answer to their Critical Question.

Learning to think critically and question and analyze what they are learning about, by asking more questions, is truly an essential skill going forward. This skill will serve students well in Social Studies this year and as a reading comprehension skill going forward for many years to come. We have modelled what Critical Thinking and 'Critical Questions' might look like! Next, Inquiry is something we have and will continue to discuss at great length this year. Students must learn to use any resources possible to find answers for themselves. In Gr. 3 we really try to wean students off of a complete reliance of their teachers for finding and getting an answer to their questions. We have used classroom computers and other resources (Internet, Books etc.) to do this!

Lastly, I have held firm that presentations are to be done this Thursday (tomorrow), November 22nd. I have explained to students that I will be generous when necessary but that I also have set an expectation  for students to work collaboratively and focus on the task at hand. Most groups will be more than prepared for or presentations tomorrow but some are VERY underprepared. In most cases, student preparation for these types of assignments is a direct indication of focused group work, or lack thereof, during their four days of preparation. In these instances, I feel its an important lesson for all students to learn preparation always precedes success. Ultimately, whether or not the assignment will be a summative one (count towards report cards) will be determined based on whether or not I believe the students work is their best. I hope you can support me in this initiative!

Cheers,

Mr. J. Hill

MENTAL MATH

Hi Parents,


So far, I haven't received many responses from my previous blog. I hope that you have had a chance to check out our classroom blog. I will do my best to keep you informed on what's happening in the class and what you might work on with our students generally. If there is a specific message for your child, I will do my best to write you a message in their planner/agenda!

Today we finished up our work on Mental Math. You might want to test your children and ask them, "Why do you need to do Mental Math anyways?". I would hope by now that the response would come back: "Because we can't always use a pencil and paper and we're training our brains." This is a very difficult unit to give worksheets for or have your students practice alone. However, my final assessments show that some students are still struggling with these concepts. You might want to try some flash cards or quiz them on addition and subtraction questions to give them more practice.

Here's some links for some free flash cards that you can make or have them practice on the computer:
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/flash-cards.html

http://www.coolmath4kids.com/free-online-math-flash-cards.html


Thanks for all you do!

Mr. H.

Parents Are You Out There??

Parents,

Some of your children may return home today and tell you that Mr. Hill said, "This weekend I'm giving your parents the homework!"

I'm doing a little experiment to see how many parents are reading my blog. I'm hoping to improve on updating this blog and using this as a way to give you frequent updates on what we're currently studying. In addition, the blog will frequently have links or attachments that you can use to work with your children on specific skills.

With this in mind, I'm asking all parents that read this blog post to sign their children's planner/agenda with their signature using their middle name! For example my child's agenda would say: Jeffrey Michael David Hill.

Thanks so much!

Cheers,

Mr. H.

Funny Story!!

Hello to all!

So we had a funny story occur this past week that I just had to share! Currently in Science we are studying the unit, 'Building with a Variety of Materials'. With that I should mention that one of our major goals in Science is to allow students to cultivate and build upon their own personal investigating skills. We often refer to this as 'Inquiry' in our class or sometimes in simpler terms we call this: "being like Curious George".

Well this past week we had an activity where the students were shown some pictures of gift boxes and then asked to make their own and decorate them however they so choose! Your children did great and we had a lot of fun with this activity. Well, speaking for myself, I know I did. As I walked around the classroom asking some questions and making some observations, I stopped at Max Rompain's desk. Max had made a cylinder gift box and both ends were sealed. I asked Max, "Max, if I went to the store and bought socks, how would I get my socks into that box?" Max responded with his very thoughtful response of: "hmmmmm". I chuckled as I noticed that he was obviously having to reconsider a new predicament!

Moments later I came back to check on how Max was doing. Upon my return I found Max like this:

I realized that Max was trying to figure out how to get his socks into the box and do EXACTLY what Mr. Hill had asked. I couldn't help but laugh at how literal he took my challenge to him. When I further explained what it was I wanted, Max and I laughed together!

Parents, I want you all to know I think all your kids are great and coming along. I believe school is less about specific achievement than it is constant progression. I'm happy to report, everyone is progressing and we're having fun!

Social Studies

Students,

Happy OCTOBER!! This is such a fun month. In addition, at this point in the year we should all feel better about what is expected of us in Gr. 3.

Parents, your children did a great job last week preparing and presenting Posters about the four (4) countries we are learning about this year in Social Studies. These countries include: Peru, India, Tunisia and Ukraine.

Today we are playing some games on the computer to help us learn more about Peru. See the link below and have fun. Keep some notes about new interesting things you learn about!

Online Activities to help us learn about Peru

Focus on Literacy

Parents,

I want to make sure that I make one thing a clear as possible. Our major focus this year in Grade three will be to encourage your children to READ. I read an Associated Press-Ipsos poll revealing that 1 in 4 adults read no books last year. Yes, that’s 25% of the adults out there are reading zero books. This is sad. Similarly, I recently read that our children and their generation face a dilemma that has never been confronted previously. These students may be the first EVER to be less literate than their parents. 

Reading offers innumerable benefits. Most importantly, it enables children to experience success in the classroom and beyond. Here is a list of additional benefits:

1. Reading is an active mental process – Unlike TV, books make you to use your brain. By reading, you think more and become smarter.

2. It is a fundamental skill builder - Every good course on the planet has a matching book to go with it. Why? Because books help clarify difficult subjects. Books provide information that goes deeper than just classroom discussion.

3. Improves your vocabulary – Remember in elementary school when you learned how to infer the meaning of one word by reading the context of the other words in the sentence? You get the same benefit from book reading. While reading books, especially challenging ones, you will find yourself exposed to many new words you wouldn’t be otherwise.

4. Gives you a glimpse into other cultures and places – What is your favorite vacation spot? I would bet you read a lot about that destination. The more information the better. Books can expand your horizons by letting you see what other cities and countries have to offer before you visit them.

5. Improves concentration and focus – Like I pointed out before, reading books takes brain power. It requires you to focus on what you are reading for long periods. Unlike magazines, Internet posts or e-Mails that might contain small chunks of information. Books tell the whole story. Since you must concentrate in order to read, like a muscle, you will get better at concentration.

6. Builds self-esteem – By reading more books, you become better informed and more of an expert on the topics you read about. This expertise translates into higher self esteem. Since you are so well read, people look to you for answers. Your feelings about yourself can only get better.

7. Improves memory – Many studies show if you don’t use your memory, you lose it. Crossword puzzles are an example of a word game that staves off Alzheimer’s. Reading, although not a game, helps you stretch your memory muscles in a similar way. Reading requires remembering details, facts and figures and in literature, plot lines, themes and characters.

8. Improves your discipline – Obviously, if 1 in 4 people don’t read one book per year, then there is a discipline issue. There may be many causes for people not reading books such as the “quips” of information you can get on the Internet. TV is also a major distracter. Making time to read is something we all know we should do, but who schedules book reading time every day? Very few… That’s why adding book reading to your daily schedule and sticking to it, improves discipline.

9. Learn anywhere – Books are portable. You can take them almost anywhere. As such, you can learn almost anywhere too.

10. Improves creativity – by reading more books and exposing yourself to new and more complete information, you will also be able to come up with more creative ideas. As a personal example, I read many, many books on IT Networking. So often, when IT Admins are stumped with a problem, I can come up with a creative (smack your head simple) solution that isn’t written anywhere. But the reason I can do that is because I have read so many books on the subject, I can combine lessons from all of them into new solutions.

11. Gives you something to talk about – Have you ever run out of stuff to talk about with your best friend, wife or husband? This can be uncomfortable. It might even make married couples wonder if their marriage is in trouble. However, if you read a lot of books, you’ll always have something to talk about. You can discuss various plots in the novels you read, you can discuss the stuff you are learning in the business books you are reading as well. The possibilities of sharing are endless.

As your children's teacher, I want to encourage you to work with your children at home (and I promise to do the same at school) to read. Collectively, we can set these kids on the path to success.

Mr. Hill

Math Work

Hi again,

Just incase any of you wanted to get some extra math work done. Click on the link below and have fun. Also, if you type skip counting in there will be additional math problems to try! Enjoy.


Mr. H.

Math Help

Raymond Elementary School

Years ago, when my first family members relocated from Ontario to Alberta the town they chose to live in was Raymond, Alberta. Now here I am, some 25 years later teaching in this great town. I'm excited to be here and I'm excited to witness some of the Comet greatness!

I look forward to a great year in Grade 3 and getting to know my students strengths and needs better. Working together I'm certain we can make this a great year.

New Baby!!!

Hi Gr. 5's,

I miss you guys! Hope you're all doing well and I hope you're being super good for your Sub! --> Amelia, hope you had a super 11th birthday party. 

Last night at 9:43, Nash Braden Hill was born in Lethbridge. He weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 7 ounces. We're all doing good, despite having some complications last night! I'll be back on Monday and hopefully have some pictures to show you all! 

Remember, be good, be respectful of your classmates and follow our class rules. I'll have our Friday treats for you all on Monday!

Mr. Hill

Monday, May 7th

Hello Gr. 5's,

I hope you all had a FANTASTIC weekend! I'm not sure how many of you went to see the 'Faith In Every Footstep' play this past week. Several of our classmates were in it and it was AWESOME. Great job!

Class, I've been thinking a lot about our week last week. We had quite a few rough spots. Please be a leader and help to prevent bullying and stand up for your classmates whose feelings might be hurt! Each of you are incredibly important people!

Today we'll be going down to the High School to watch the 'Soaring Eagles' presentation. (Can't wait to see you guys perform Kobe:) This will mean that we won't have an RTI class today and our rotations will be shorter. As a result, we'll be doing some more Electrical circuits practice on our computers by visiting the link below. HAVE FUN!!

Electrical Games/Learning Activities.

Our Posts about our Moms

Moms are the best. Today our Gr. 5's have been asked to write something special about their Moms and why they are special to them.

For me, my mom means a great deal to me! I've learned a great deal from my mom from her battle with cancer and from her example of fortitude. In addition, my mom was always there for me growing up and is still there for me today. I enjoy our time together and she's a great Nana to my kids.

The other mom in my life is my wife. She's supportive hard working and dedicated to our family. I appreciate her efforts every day of my life! I LOVE my mom and my kids' mom VERY MUCH! Mom's are the best!

GIZMOS

HELLO GR. 5's!!!

I hope you all had a great and fantastico weekend. We had a great weekend. The baby should be here soon and we're excited!

Today we're going to be working on furthering our understanding on Circuits and Magnetism by trying out several different Gizmo activities. Try them out. See what happens when you build using different materials and different kids of circuits (series, parallel etc.) GOOD LUCK!

Visit the link below:

GIZMO ACTIVITIES

Our Trip to Raymond

                                                                                                      April 24, 2012



     Today, all of the Grade 5 classes went to Raymond to watch a play entitled 'Joust'. The play was the story of King Arthur with a BIG twist. The play was acted by Raymond Elementary Grade 5 students. All of the students were wearing costumes and performed songs as well as acted. Some of our students really enjoyed the play, and some not so much. Most of us thought the jokers were especially silly. All in all, it was a fun and short field trip. Hope we can do something like this again soon!
  

  

Electrical Safety

Hi Group,

I hope you're all enjoying a nice weekend! What wonderful weather we've had!

Attached is a series of Electrical Safety games that we'll be playing on Monday. Feel free to get started early and have fun!

https://www.nvenergy.com/kids_safety/electric/html/games1.html

Hello Grade Fives

   Well my young friends. Week 1 with Mr. Hill is over. Only 10 more to go!!! I know what most of you are thinking.... PHEW!
   Truth be told, I'm really enjoying being your teacher and getting to know each and every one of you. I hope that we can work hard and HAVE FUN! Remember our classroom rules that were set (and agreed on) by each of you this week:
1. No Bullying: this including no name calling, hitting or disrespecting of others in any way! Remember also what Mrs. Schow said to us this week. If we are Knights, then we ought to act like them!
2. Hand Up Rule: We are not to speak out of turn. Also we all agreed that walking around the classroom to visit with our friends during class time is INAPPROPRIATE. That said, you can always ask for permission!
3. Keep the classroom tidy! Thanks to Amelia for this one! I agree totally that a clean classroom is much easier to work and learn in!
4. ALL GOOD BEHAVIOUR MUST BE REWARDED. We are on our way to having our first classroom reward. Keep up the good work!

Last note: Science is AWESOME! Come ready to learn this week!