It has been another busy, yet empowering week in our learning journey together!

Reminder:
NO SCHOOL tomorrow. Have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

-Sandy Cross begins on Monday.  Our bus leaves at 9:00, so please be on time.
Be prepared for the weather by dressing in layers and having comfortable and appropriate footwear. Ensure you bring a water bottle, snack and lunch.

-Sign the Sandy Cross media consent for Monday

-Pictures are coming home today.  Orders to be place by November 6.

-November newsletter

-Winter jacket notice

From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.

Dr. Seuss

Today we had a presentation from the City of Calgary about our civic duties as citizens of Calgary.  Please share with a family member some ideas about how you could be an active and responsible citizen at our school and in our community.  

HELP!  We still require 2 volunteers for each day we attend Cross Conservation School.  We will be unable to attend this unique learning experience if we do not have enough volunteers.  Please let your child know if you can volunteer your time to join us.  

Thank you to the parents that have volunteered to join us.  You will be receiving an shortly email with more specific details.  

Homework:

Practice keyboarding on sense-lang.org for a typing test tomorrow. Remember you are challenging yourself to do better than your initial speed (wpm) and accuracy rate.

Reminder:
-Sandy Cross information coming home today!

-Return Acknowledgment of Risk for Anne and Sandy Cross.
-We have received a donation of winter jackets.  Please fill out the form coming home today if you require a jacket for your child.

Halloween…

October 31^st in a NON-Instructional day for students (NO school)

SO…

-students are welcomed to wear costumes during the AFTERNOON of Thursday, October 30^th

-please do NOT bring weapons or masks to school

-teachers will be connecting learning to Halloween in their classrooms

-do NOT send treats, save them for trick-or-treaters on Halloween night

We continue to develop our journaling techniques for our upcoming week of learning at Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area! Share with a family member our 'Looking at Nature' and 'Color Critique' journaling techniques. Reflect upon your learning style. Which journaling technique worked best for your learning strengths ? Which do you find the most challenging? Be prepared to share your ideas with the class tomorrow.

HELP!  We still require 2 volunteers for each day we attend Cross Conservation School.  We will be unable to attend this unique learning experience if we do not have enough volunteers.  Please let your child know if you can volunteer your time to join us.

Homework:

Practice keyboarding on sense-lang.org for a typing test on Thursday. Remember you are challenging yourself to do better than your initial speed (wpm) and accuracy rate.

Reminder:
Vaccination notices are coming home today for Grade 5's.

Return Acknowledgment of Risk for Anne and Sandy Cross.

Halloween…

October 31^st in a NON-Instructional day for students (NO school)

SO…

-students are welcomed to wear costumes during the AFTERNOON of Thursday, October 30^th

-please do NOT bring weapons or masks to school

-teachers will be connecting learning to Halloween in their classrooms

-do NOT send treats, save them for trick-or-treaters on Halloween night

We are very busy this week preparing for our upcoming week of learning at Anne and Sandy Cross Conservation Area, which is next week! Share with a family member the Sandy Cross website:  

                                            Cross Conservation Web Link

What did you learn today about the Conservation area?  How do you think this experience can part of your learning journey or part of our learning journey as a class? Be ready to share your ideas in class chalktalk tomorrow.

HELP!  We still require 2 volunteers for each day we attend Cross Conservation School.  We will be unable to attend this unique learning experience if we do not enough volunteers.  Please let your child know if you can volunteer your time to join us. 

Homework:

Practice keyboarding on sense-lang.org for a typing test on Thursday. Remember you are challenging yourself to do better than your initial speed (wpm) and accuracy rate.

Reminder:

Return Acknowledgment of Risk for Anne and Sandy Cross.

Halloween…

October 31^st in a NON-Instructional day for students (NO school)

SO…

-students are welcomed to wear costumes during the AFTERNOON of Thursday, October 30^th

-please do NOT bring weapons or masks to school

-teachers will be connecting learning to Halloween in their classrooms

-do NOT send treats, save them for trick-or-treaters on Halloween night

Thank you for another wonderful week of learning! Have a great weekend!

Reminders:
- We are still looking for volunteers to join us at Anne and Sandy Cross Conservation Area, the week of November 3 to 7! Please let Mrs. Cavert and Ms. Makowski as soon as possible if your parents can join us.

- Halloween…

 

October 31^st in a NON-Instructional day for students (NO school)

SO…

-students are welcomed to wear costumes during the AFTERNOON of Thursday, October 30^th

-please do NOT bring weapons or masks to school

-teachers will be connecting learning to Halloween in their classrooms

-do NOT send treats, save them for trick-or-treaters on Halloween night

Share with a family member the Cops for Kids About Face presentation we had in class today. What did you learn about the advantages of positive life choices? What connections can you make to the S4 program, and previous learning? Be prepared to share your ideas with the class tomorrow. 

Excellent work today accessing Raz-Kids today! Explain to a family member this online reading program, and how to log in from home. Please let Mrs. Calvert or Ms. Makowski know if you are unable to access the website from home, or if your reading level needs to be adjusted. 

Raz-Kids Website:

http://www.raz-kids.com/main/Login

Grade 5 Teacher Username:

vvhs5

Grade 6 Teacher Username:

vvhs6

Our classes visited the Learning Commons today for our weekly book exchange! We also introduced a new book project, Journey Through Literature. Explain to a family member how you will be showcasing the novels you are reading in our classroom. Explain the project criteria and rubric in D2L. Which book did you choose to complete your first project on? Please continue to read for 15 minutes at home each day. You may choose to do your project on the books you are reading at home and school.

Reminder:
- Anne and Sandy Cross Conservation Area permission forms are being sent home today! Please have these signed, and return to school.
- We need volunteers! Please talk to your parents, to see if they are available to volunteer during our week at Anne and Sandy Cross Conservation Area (November 3 to 7)! We require 2 volunteers each day. Please let Mrs. Calvert of Ms. Makowski as soon as possible if a family member is available to join us.

We have been busy preparing for our upcoming week of learning at Anne and Sandy Cross Conservation Area! Share with a family member the Zoom In journalling activity we did today. Reflect on the many journalling techniques we have studied so far this year. Which journalling activity do you enjoy the most? Which do you find the most challenging? Be prepared to share your ideas with the class tomorrow.

HOT SOUP Program – Sponsored by Meals on Wheels

The following is the order of soups:

                Beef Noodle

                Chicken Rice

                Chicken Noodle

                Beef Rice

                Chicken Vegetable

*the portion is 4 ounces of soup and a package of crackers

**if you child needs more to eat, please send more food

Delivery is every Tuesday and Thursday

Welcome back to another busy week of learning!

The grade 5/6 classes will be using computers often for projects and tasks this year! It is important for us to be efficient and accurate when typing and on the computers. Show a family member the typing website we are using in class to improve our keyboarding skills. Take some time to practice your keyboarding at home each night this week. We will be having another typing test on Friday to challenge your skills and see your improvement!

Thank you to the students who presented their weather projects today! Reflect on the activity we did in class today on the qualities of a great speaker. How will you include these strategies in your weather project presentation this week?

Reminder:

- Meals on Wheels Hot Soup Lunch begins tomorrow for students who signed up. 

Celebrate another fabulous week of learning!

“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains.” 
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go! 

We will be doing another 'Step Inside' writing activity based on a character from The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles.  Which character would you chose from this book and why?  Be ready to support your character's thinking with specific examples.

Reminder:
Tomorrow is Picture Day!

We have been discussing and writing about what it is like to "Step-Inside" characters.  Reflect upon our step-inside journaling on a character from 'Akeelah and the Bee'.  Share with your family which character you chose and why.  What does your character see and notice?  Hold true or believe in? Care deeply about?  Wonder?

Reminder:
-Pizza Lunch on Friday, October 24.  See notices
-Picture Day is on Friday, October 17.  Bring your smile!

Welcome back LOL's for another amazing week to be thankful for our learning journey together!  Please go over your goals with a family member on your weather project. How are you going to achieve excellence on this project?  What are some strategies / ideas you need to add to your project? You have the option to work on your project at home to ensure your success.  Remember to resubmit your task into D2L, if you are not using Prezi.

Our school has had an increase in the number of students enrolled, and therefore we will be welcoming new staff members and opening 2 classrooms! Please explain to your parents this new organization, and how it will impact the grade 4 students from our classes. Thank you to our grade 4 classmates for showing leadership and courage!

Reminder:
- Reorganization notice is being sent home today.
- Meals on Wheels Hot Soup Program - please sign and return to school if you are interested in participating!
- School Council meeting is tonight at 6:30 - please invite your parents to attend!
- Weather Projects are extended and due Friday, October 17.

Thank you for another fabulous week of learning!

We were proud to share our songs and artwork in the Vista Heights 50th Anniversary Sharing Assembly today. Thank you to all the classes for sharing their projects and learning around this important event for our school!

We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving long weekend with family and friends!

Reminder:
- No school tomorrow - it is a Professional Development Day
- No school on Monday Oct 13 - Thanksgiving Holiday

Excellent work this week continuing your research on our Weather projects. You will begin sharing these projects with the class in the upcoming weeks.

Reflect on your weather project and the project criteria which is posted in D2L. Plan for how you will use class time to finish your project, and what you will do to prepare for your presentation. Please take some time to share your project with a family member. What feedback did they give you on your project? How could your project be improved?

Reminder:
- Vista Heights 50th Anniversary Sharing Assembly is tomorrow afternoon at 2:00! Please invite your family to join us in celebrating our school's history.

-Picture Day notices are coming home today.

We have been busy reading, writing and expanding large numbers in Math! Share with a family member how you write large numbers in expanded and standard form. Look for large numbers around our school, your home and the community. How are they used? Be prepared to share in class tomorrow.

Thank you for all your hard work today preparing for the upcoming sharing assembly for Vista Heights 50th Anniversary! Share with a family member the song you will have recorded for the assembly. Explain the decade you chose, how our class collaborated to create lyrics, and our visual art piece to represent Calgary's changing skyline.

Please invite your parents and family members to join us on Thursday October 9 at 2:00 to celebrate our school's history.

Celebrate another amazing week of our Learning Journey!  Teach a family member about being a responsible Digital Citizen. Share your project on D2L or Prezi with them.  Be sure to ask questions to engage your audience.

We are entering our second month of our Learning Journey.  Reflection upon how you have grown as a learner and as a person in our classes and share with a family member.  What do you think is the virtue for October?

Be sure to ask your family if they know any facts about the decade that you have decided to represent for our Vista Heights 50th Birthday Project. The facts may include music, sports, history-world and local, toys, fashion, etc. Be ready to share them with your group.

What FABULOUS learning experience today!  A special cheer to each one of you to celebrate the outstanding representation of Vista Heights School, as learners and as responsible environmental citizens. Also, THANK YOU to our parent volunteers! Explain to a family member your learning in our special spot journaling activity, 'From the Perspective of...' Why did we do this activity?  How did you use your senses to deepen your understandings about our natural world?