Faith-filled Snow Day!

Despite the snow day, we had almost half the students in the class. Those of us who were here got to share in our week 4 Advent Liturgy which was all about love. We also watched The Nativity Story which is a beautiful retelling of the birth of Jesus. We were able to make many connections between our liturgy and the movie!

PS We saved our Math test for when everyone would be here :) So be prepared for tomorrow (don't worry I'm sure you'll do great!)
PPS I am finalizing our special project. Fingers-crossed that everything will be ready for tomorrow :)
PPS Don't forget the Secret Santa gifts for tomorrow!

Oops! Look like I owe you some awesome!

Monday's Awesome

Finishing a book in one night

How cool is that?! AWESOME!

Tuesday's Awesome

Enthusiastic Hellos

My favourite moment of the day is always Autumn running up to me with open arms and yelling Maman, as though we haven't seen each other in ages. AWESOME!

Today's Awesome

Snowdays

Loved them as a kid and still love them, even though I now have to go school ;) Snow days are special days that are totally AWESOME!

Week 3 Advent Liturgy

Today the students participated in the third liturgy of this Advent season. The pink candle is a symbol of joy as we anticipate the birth of Jesus. We also give thanks and rejoice for the many blessings we have in our lives, including a loving family, shelter, food, access to education and good friends and neighbours. May we pray for those who are less fortunate than ourselves and always be a light to others through our words and our actions.

Thursday's little bit of awesome

Lone Star

Probably my favourite restaurant. What's not to love? Comfortable atmosphere, country music, unlimited supply of nacho chips and salsa, fajitas, con queso dip. Totally delicious, totally AWESOME!

Friday's awesomeness

Getting your hair cut

Goodbye split ends - Hello AWESOME!

Math Madness

Today, I was very fortunate to get to spend the whole day learning about Math and I even got to visit a grade 6 Math class from Holy Redeemer! It was really cool! Even cooler? In January, all these teachers will be coming to see our Math class. I know you are going to knock the socks right off them!

Wednesday's Awesomeness

Microphones

How great are microphones? They let you record your own voice so that you can hear what you really sound like. You can even plug them right into to your computer and have a singing contest! So grab that microphone and belt out some AWESOME!

PS I totally beat my husband in the singing competition :)

Beautifully Inspired Art

Today we finished (ok, most of you did!) our paintings inspired by the famous Aboriginal artist Norval Morrisseau. They turned out beautiful! I love the use of vivid colour, thick black lines, symbols and organic shapes. It's starting to look like we have a professional gallery in our classroom!

Today's awesome

Catching up with an old friend

It's great when you can see someone after months and it seems like no time has passed at all. AWESOME!

Calculating Area & Perimeter

The grade 6s have been hard at work calculating area and perimeter of rectangles and parallelograms. Tomorrow we will be adding triangles too! Woohoo! We've been cutting out shapes and using the Smartboard to help us figure out formulas and the relationships between the shapes. Tomorrow we will work with more manipulatives (including geoboards!) to continue our inquiry. Can't wait!

Today's bit of awesome

Christmas Carols

I admit it.... I absolutely love Christmas Carols! The old classics as well as new songs made to celebrate the season (my current favourite is Snow Globe by Matt Wertz). Nothing brings a smile to my face like I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (really, who even thought of that song, it's fantastic!). Songs like these that make you laugh, other like War is over make you reflect, songs like Joy to the World allow us to rejoice and songs like Christmas Shoes make you cry (every single time!). What a great way to celebrate all of the blessings in our lives and be thankful for the time we get to spend with our loved ones. Evoking some of the best memories ever through the power of song? AWESOME!

Book Club Update

Well we are about halfway done our book clubs and the groups are doing such an amazing job! By now, almost everyone has had every job; Discussion Director, Summarizer, Connector, Word Wizard, Passage Picker and Illustrator. I am so impressed by your discussions and I love when group members disagree; it is great to hear you argue your points and respectfully listen to the viewpoints of others. I can't wait until next week when you start your special side projects too - you all came up with great ideas!

Today's Awesome

Sharing your talents

The world is full of so many talented people. Scratch that, our class community is full of so many talented people! Amazing artists, amazing musicians, amazing dancers, amazing athletes, amazing mathematicians, amazing crane stringers :), etc. (I could go on FOREVER!). God has given us each special gifts and it is so great to see people sharing them with others. It truly helps make our world a better place :) AWESOME!

Yesterday's Awesome

Butterfly Kisses

Kisses with just your lashes. Can't help but bring a smile to your face. AWESOME!

Week 2 Advent Liturgy

Today we held another class liturgy for the second week of Advent. The liturgy focused on Mary and Joseph's humanity and their belief and trust in God. The students read and sang beautifully, my personal favourite being Children of the Light. I am looking forward to next week's liturgy!

Wednesday's Awesome

Sharing a laugh with a friend

They say laughter is the best medicine and I must say I wholeheartedly agree. I love when things are not only funny in the moment, but when you can think about it days later and still have a it bring a smile upon your face. Can't help but think that's AWESOME!

Norval Morrisseau: Picasso of the North

Today we discussed my favourite First Nations artist, Norval Morrisseau. He was a pioneer of the Woodland Art and painted in an x-ray style. He was the first artist to take Aboriginal legends and myths and turn them into visual representations. This afternoon, we studied many of his paintings and looked at how his Aboriginal and Catholic upbringing affected his art. I was very impressed by the depth of our conversation! I can't wait to see how you will interpret his style in your very own painting (I even bought canvases!). Here is the video we watched, the song playing in the background is by famous Inuit artist Susan Aglukark and is entitled Hina Na Ho (Celebration):



Today's awesome

Extended Christmas Hours

So, for several years now, I have not enjoyed shopping. I don't like the crowds or being surrounded by so much stuff I don't want or need. Thus, I usually do my shopping online, it is so much more convenient. Sometimes though, it is simply better to go out to a store and find the item you are looking for. Enter holiday hours. Everyone thinks the stores are closed, so no one is shopping. Meanwhile, I am browsing the aisles, enjoying the Christmas songs, free of crowds. Hello AWESOME!

P.S. Most stores have changed their hours to 10pm close but Toys R' Us switched over to midnight - this actually seems excessive to me. People do need to sleep after all :)

Scale Model Presentations

Wow! What great presentations today! I was really impressed your hard work and creativity! I can't wait to see the rest of the groups tomorrow!

Monday's Awesome

Joining the 10 Book Club

Woohoo! I finally made it in the 10 Book Club! I am so excited! I am in good company too; Gabbie, Grace, Leah, Emily C., Jessica, Caitlin are already in there too! I can't wait for more names to be added to the list! Now, just 20 more books to go before the end of the year. AWESOME!

Scale Models are Finished

Woohoo! The scale models of Aboriginal villages are finally finished and they look great! I can't wait to see your presentations next week (especially the original part!). I just know they are going to be fantastic!

Friday Awesomeness

Getting your first pick in Secret Santa

Who doesn't love Secret Santa? It's fun, secretive and encompasses the spirit of the season. It is a chance to make someone's day by giving them a little gift that celebrates who they are as a person. This is always fun, although it can be stressful if you don't choose the name of someone you know very well. So, when you close your eyes, pick that name, read and realize it's the person you would have chosen if you could have, you feel like the stars are aligned in that moment. Talk about AWESOME!

Special Advent Liturgy

Today we had a very special Advent liturgy in our classroom. Despite only being given their readings this morning, the students read their parts eloquently and together we sang a beautiful closing song. We also talked about how important it is to be a light to others as we prepare our hearts for Jesus' arrival.

Today's awesome

Watching the Christmas tree lights dance

Have you ever just stared at Christmas tree lights? There is something so hypnotic about the way way they appear to be dancing. Every time I see them, I watch in amazement. They truly brighten my day. AWESOME!

Yesterday's awesomeness

Great Doctors

I have the utmost respect for Doctors. They go to school for a VERY long time and are life-long learners who do everything they can to help their patients. Yesterday, while I watched nervously, a very calm, cool and collected Doctor told me that Autumn had dislocated her elbow. Within minutes, and while keeping Autumn calm, he put it right back into place as though nothing had ever happened. Walking away feeling like you just won the Doctor Lottery? AWESOME!

Book Clubs

What an exciting day we had! Today was the first meeting of our book clubs and I was so impressed with how well prepared you all were. The discussion directors had a a really hard task, and they all had thought-provoking questions that led to big discussions. I think everyone really enjoyed the experience of sharing their ideas and opinions about the books they were reading,. I can't wait to do it it again tomorrow!!!

PS Here are all 5 books we are reading:

Rules by Cynthia Lord ( I read this one a few years ago and really enjoyed it!)

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie (by Jordan Sonnenblick just finished this one tonight, quite the tear jerker!)

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix (I am hoping to start this one tonight - look like an awesome sci-fi mystery!)

Alexandria of Africa by Eric Walters (The one I would have chosen if I got to pick a book for book club, can't wait to read it when you are finished!)

Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby (I was sad that I didn't get to read this one right away either since all 6 copies were taken - from what I gather, this too is very emotional)

Today's awesomeness.... Drum roll please....

Book Clubs!

What could be better than getting together with friends to discuss a great book you have read? It is a great opportunity to get a deeper understanding of the text, appreciate other peoples points of view and maybe even learn something about yourself along the way. AWESOME!

PS Bet you saw that one coming!

Do they know it's Christmas?

As we begin this very special time of year, Advent, we should reflect on what Christmas really means. As our prayer this morning, we listened to the song, "Do they know it's Christmas?". We talked about the importance of giving versus receiving and also taking the time to give thanks for the many blessings in our lives as we are all truly fortunate. During the Advent season, I challenge you to think about others and how you can make this a special time of year for them. Perhaps you will decide to purchase a toy for Toy Mountain, maybe you will decide to participate in our Share the Wartmth campaign or maybe you will just go out of your way to be nice to someone. Whatever you do, it should be a concious action that celebrates the joy of the season.

Today's awesome

Visiting Santa Claus

Autumn has been excited for weeks. She has been practicing her line. "Père Noël, je veux un bébé svp". As we waited in line to see the jolly man, her excitement grew. When she caught a glimpse of him, her smile expanded and she giggled Père Noël! When it was our turn, she started walking towards him and then changed her mind. Even after being given candy and a gift by Santa, she had a hard time posing for a picture. Then came the option of pictures; option number 1: Santa looking down, Autumn clearly trying to get away. Option 2: Santa smiling, Autumn looking traumatized. It was a tough choice. As we walked away, asked her if she was excited she got to see Santa. She responded with a big YES. Awesome!

A World of Stories

On Thursday, our school was fortunate to see a performance by Salamander Theatre entitled A World of Stories. This interactive performance featured one of the largest puppets in Ottawa. The show explored various cultures and through stories, the students got to travel to Africa and India, Europe and Asia to discover a world of traditions.

And now for some much delayed awesome:

Thursday's awesomeness

Appreciating all of life's little blessings

It is amazing how many times a day you could stop and thing wow, I am truly blessed. Perhaps someone brought you a freshly baked muffin, still warm from the oven (your favourite flavour none the less), perhaps you ran into an old friend and realized that they were living their dream, or perhaps you just stopped and realized how great it is that all of these small things can have such a positive impact on your outlook towards life. After all, isn't that what celebrating awesome is all about?
AWESOME!

Friday's bit of awesome

Movie Theatre Popcorn

Freshly popped with real butter, truly a taste sensation in your mouth. Eating this could even make the dullest movie enjoyable. So take a seat, watch those previews and enjoy every bite of AWESOME!

Survey says...

For the past few days, the students have been conducting surveys of their choice. They created the questions, checked for bias, studied the data, drew conclusions and even assessed the work of others. This was a great experience that allowed them to see how much planning must go into survey if they are to get effective results. I'm sure it also helped prepare them for the test tomorrow :)

Today's bit of awesome

Falling asleep in the bathtub after you turned the bubbles on

I know what you're thinking... How could someone fall asleep in the bathtub after they turn those jets on? Well, when you are really tired I guess you could fall asleep anywhere! Just close your eyes and imagine waking up being surrounded by mounds and mounds of bubbles - it is a pretty funny sight and you can't help but laugh out loud. Waking up in a sea of bubbles? AWESOME!

Teacher Appreciation Day

Well, as if I hadn't missed you enough already, today I came back to find myself right in the middle of teacher appreciation day! Wow! I was so impressed with all the hard work you all put in to make today a success! I know the other teachers were all as amazed as I was by your dedication and commitment to the activities of the day! The assembly, the poem, the rap (sooo cool!), the slideshow, the MCs, the golden apple, the posters, flowers, cranes, etc. I feel like a superstar! Thanks you for making me feel so special!

So, I actually had all these amazing things happen today I don't think I could choose just one! Well, I guess I could try, here it is:

Today's awesomeness

When you hear a baby justifying their thoughts

Alright, she is now 2, maybe she's no longer considered a baby, but still... Today, my little angel said and I quote "Le soleil est couché parce que c'est la nuit". I don't want to say she's brilliant, but she is already justifying her thoughts, which is a pretty hard thing to do at any age. My husband then went on to explain to her that it's night because the Earth is turning. So now her sentence is something like this " C'est la nuit parce que la Terre tourne".
Awesome!

Miss you!

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's been almost one week since I've seen you all! It is crazy how time flies! I am very excited to see you tomorrow and learn about all the exciting you did while I was away! I just know you were super productive! I am really excited to see how your scale models are coming along and I can't wait to read your adverb stories about the most boring party in history! I hope you had a great time collecting the data for your graphs, I can't wait to see what topics you chose!

Can't wait to see you tomorrow! Mme

Sorry I've been MIA (missing in action) for awesomeness lately. Here is an update on all the awesome things that have happened in my life:)

Thursday's awesome

Finishing a great book

I'm sure you know the feeling. You have been swept away by the author's words and transported into a new and exciting world. You have made new acquaintances and wonder how everything will turn out for them. When you get to that last page, you are satisfied knowing how the adventure ends. Even better? Now you get to start a new book and let the magic begin all over again. Awesome!


Friday's awesome

Walking in to a clean classroom after you have been away

I wasn't sure what I was going to walk into on Friday morning, but as I unlocked that door and walked inside, a large smile spread across my face. Not only was it clean, it was cleaner than I had left it :) Awesome!

Monday's awesome
Sitting in a booth at a restaurant

You walk into a restaurant and quickly scan the seats to see if there are any booths free. Sometimes they are all taken so you have to sit in that hard chair and pretend to be comfortable while you watch the booth-goers happily enjoy their meal. So, when you do get a booth, you are that much better prepared to fully appreciate the experience. Next time you get seated at a booth, sit down in that comfy seat, smile and order up some awesome!

Jingle Bells Walkathon

Woohoo! Today was our school Walk-a-thon! We walked 6 laps (1 lap for each year) and raised tons of money in our Santa hats! We finished the day day off will some well earned hot chocolate and a granola bar. Thank you so much to Parent Council and all the parent volunteers (many were parents from our own class!) who made the day a success! Congratulations to Brendan who won a prize and really, to all students, as no one went home empty handed. Who would have thought the winner of Principal for a day would be an SK student? Pretty neat! What a great day!

Today's awesome

Realizing you have 1 lap instead of 2 to be finished your Walk-a-thon

The moment of realization is upon you - pure joy! Awesome!

Paper Cranes

Here is an update on our paper crane challenge. So far, we have about 550cranes. We are more than halfway to meeting our goal of 1000 cranes! Even though Sadako was never able to finish her 1000 paper cranes, I am sure she would be honoured to know how she is an inspiration for so many people around the globe. The cranes symbolize our commitment to peace and will hopefully bring us luck as we progress through the year! Fantastic work everyone!!!

Today's awesome

Seeing the moon and the sun at the same time

What's that in the sky? The Moon? The Sun? Both? Awesome!

M&M Math

Today we used M&Ms to help us understand mode, median, mean (all m words!) and range in a set of data. We had a blast and discovered that not only can Math be fun, but it can be tasty too! Also, median, mean, mode and range are not actually all that complicated - in fact, they are kinda fun to calculate!

Today's awesome thing

Dancing in the car
Admit it, everyone does it. Your favourite song of the moment comes on and you can't help it. The beat takes over and next thing you know people driving by are staring at you strangely. Who cares?! I say, turn up that dial and crank up the awesome!

Lest we forget

On Friday, we had a beautiful remembrance day ceremony to honour all of the brave Canadian soldiers that have fought and continue to fight in the wars. May we never forget the sacrifices they have made.

Remembrance day awesome

Living in a free country

Awesome!

Haiku Poems for Peace

Today the students wrote beautiful Haiku poems about the hope for peace and the devastation of war. To go with these poems, the students were introduced to the art of kanji, an ancient Japanese writing. To complete their kanji, students used India ink. I am very impressed buy the final products!
Here are a few examples of these amazing haikus:

Fight to the End

His last breath taken

A country served in honour

Tears no longer flow.

~Ryan~

Sorrow

Destruction surrounds

Tears and screams are shouted out

No one understands.

~Katarina~

The End of the Battle

Flags sway in the wind

Trumpets are playing their song

Peace is in the air.

~Caitlin~

Imagine

Imagine a world

With no sorrow and death

and no more crying.

~Sana~

Today's awesomeness

Learning about another culture
It is so easy to stick to what you know, but there are so many amazing cultures out there to explore! As we have been learning about Japan this week, we have been introduced to many exciting things such as Japanese legends, origami, kanji and haikus. Learning how other people in different parts of the world live? Awesome!

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

As it is remembrance day this week, we have been discussing war and peace. Today, after a very emotional reading, we finished the novel Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. It is the true story of a 12 year old Japanese girl who develops Leukemia due to radiation from the atom bomb dropped in Hiroshima. Inspired by a Japanese legend, she begins to fold paper cranes in the hopes that she will get better. According to this legend, if she folds 1000 paper cranes her health will return. Unfortunately, she only managed to fold 644 cranes before she died. This story is a powerful reminder of the consequences of war and the need for peace.

In honour of Sadako and all victims of war, we will be folding 1000 paper cranes (yes, 1000!) to be displayed in our school as a symbol of hope and peace.

Little bit of awesome

Origami

The Japanese art of folding paper. So many options for what to fold; a crane, a frog, an elephant, a flower. The possibilities are as endless as they are beautiful. So grab a piece of square paper and fold up some awesome!

3...2...1...Blast Off!

We had a very exciting day today! Yesterday, as part of our flight unit, we built rockets that we launched today. With our security goggles on, we watched as they flew high into the sky (well, some malfunctioned but still!). Soooo coool!

Today's awesome

Zebra Print

Did you ever stop and think about how many places you can find zebra print? Clothing, balloons, lanterns, streamers, jewellery, toys, etc. Zebra print is taking over the world! Okay, that might be a bit of a stretch, my house would be more accurate. Everywhere I look, I am hit with those black and white wavy lines. In fact, just tonight, I received two pairs of zebra print shoes in the mail. Black with white stripes or white with black stripes? Who cares! Either way, it is just plain awesome!

Special Visitor

Well, we started our day with with a special guest. Granted she was only there for about 3 minutes but she did cause quite a stir. Just wanted to let you know that Autumn is feeling much better. There have been no "incidents" since this morning :)

Monday's awesome

When someone helps you out

We could all use a little help from time to time and when someone offers to help without you having to ask? Awesome!

PS Sorry for the late posting of this week's homework assignment, although I think you'll all agree it was worth the wait!

PPS Tomorrow is going to be a fun day :)

2D & 3D Art

What else can I say but WOW! Looks like almost everyone has completed their totem drawings and sculpture. They are amazing! The gallery in our classroom looks fantastic! I am also amazed by the legends that go hand in hand with them! They are fantastic!

Today's little bit of awesome

Ordering take out on a Friday

Long week? Too tired to cook? Still feeling sick? Have no fear, take out is here. You are just one phone call away from a tasty meal. Just dial 1-800-AWE-SOME!

Awesome Animal Totems

For the past little while, we have been talking totems. We have discovered all about their history; who made them, why they were made, where they were made, etc. We looked at various animals that are often found on a totem and each student chose 5 animals to put on their own totem based on characteristics that they shared with those animals. Students then drew their totem (with an emphasis on shading and dimension) and then sculpted them into 3D sculptures. They are so impressive!!! And today, students wrote their very own legend about their totem! I can't wait to read them as I know they are just going to be fantastic! I am so proud of all the hard work you have put into your totems!

I am on bad roll with my awesomeness; perhaps you can forgive me since I have been so sick!

Tuesday's Awesome

Shopping at the $ Store

Shopping at the Dollar Store is right up there with having a day off or going on vacation. I love, love, love the $ store! It seems incredible that so many things can be $1 (or $1.25 in some cases). Every time I visit, I find something new and magical. My favourite is the hair accessories, I don't think I ever go in without buying something for Autumn's hair. 8 pairs of barrettes for $1? Awesome!

Wednesday's Awesome

Getting a Hope you feel better soon card when you are sick

You feel miserable. You are coughing, sneezing, your head hurts. You are pretty much ready to succumb to the pain when all of a sudden you are handed a card that says "Hope you feel better soon". For a moment, all is right, you may still be coughing and sneezing, but you know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A.....A.....Awesome!

Thursday's Awesome

Sleeping when you are sick

21 hours in bed, you're bound to feel better when you get up. Awesome!

Pumpkin Day!

What an exciting day we had! To start, everyone became a pumpkin in my patch and each person had to convince me not to pick them. There were so many persuasive techniques applied I almost didn't know how to choose (or who not to choose!). In the end, I was most persuaded by Tessa's letter. She appealed to my emotional side and said that she was cursed and whoever chose her was doomed. I didn't wan't to take that chance (I once heard of a Math curse that a teacher put on her students, and they still haven't gotten over it ;)! Next, we did lots of math with our donated pumpkins (estimation, measurement, etc!). The students all dove right into those pumpkins to get those seeds! Awesome! Between this, our haunted house house story and extra Phys Ed - we had quite a day! Hope you had a great Halloween night! Remember not to eat too much candy and to brush your teeth!

PS I have been very busy the last few days, and it would appear I owe you some awesomeness

Halloween Awesome

Trick or treating with young children

Not sure what I loved the most. The anticipation to get the candy, hearing them say Trick or Treat with their French accents or having them go to the door, say Trick or Treat and leave without their candy prompting the homeowners to run after them. Trick or Treat? Awesome!

Friday's awesome thing

Sticker labels

Okay. So I have to admit, lately I have become enamored with sticker labels. They are so fantastic! I use them to label books in my library, as address labels, to label gifts, to label bins. The possibilities are endless and the sky is the limit! I add a picture of my choosing and print them off. Within seconds, and for pennies, I have my own sheet of 30 labels! There is only one label for that...AWESOME!

Thursday's awesome

Not having to wait at a clinic

Seriously???? Soooo awesome!

You sank my battleship!

Today, we learned about coordinate grids! We talked about ordered pairs, the x-axis, the y-axis, and the origin on a coordinate plane. To help consolidate our learning, we played a modified version of Battleship. Students called out ordered pairs and tried to sink each others battleships. It got pretty intense! One thing is for sure, I think everyone had a great time and can now locate coordinates on a grid. Woo hoo!

Today's bit of awesome:

Tim Horton's

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.... 1)Because you are a symbol of national unity & pride 2) Because your drive-thru is always open... 7) Because Tim Horton was an actual person... 18) Because your camp is AWESOME!... 26) Because your first store was opened on Ottawa Street... 39) Because of your French Vanilla Cappucino.. So tasty and... Awesome!

FUNdraiser Kickoff!

Today, we had a school wide assembly to kick off our exciting FUNdraiser! On November 16th, we will be having a school wide Walkathon to raise funds for equipment and resources that will be used to increase student achievement! There are all sorts of mystery prizes to be revealed, including a special prize that would allow you to be principal for a day and go out to lunch with Mrs. Fitzgerald! So cool! Can't wait to find out the other prizes! Start raising funds so that you will be entered to win!

PS A HUGE thank you to our School Council for organizing this AMAZING event!
PPS Do you think teachers can win ;)


Awesome thing of the day

Yoga

Such a great way to clear the mind, ease the body and nourish the soul. Downward Dog, Sun salutation, anyway you shape it, it's just plain awesome!

Avoir et être

Today we reviewed the verbs "avoir" and "être". These are some of the most commonly used French verbs and they are even more important since they are used when forming " le passé composé". Verbs can be a little dry, so to liven things up, we sand some songs! Believe me whn I say there is nothing like French rap to get you to learn something ;)

I got to looking tonight and I found a video on youtube that plays our song for avoir. There is one HUGE mistake in it. See if you can spot it right away! Don't forget to sing along!



Monday's awesomeness

Homemade chocolate cake

Okay, okay, maybe not exactly homemade. To be fair, I did have to open the box, add the water, eggs and oil, cook it, then use the icing from a can to ice it. Does that still count? Doesn't really matter because either way it is fresh, fabulous and... you guessed it! Awesome!

Shine on!

Our spiritual theme is all about being a light to others. So this week, during our canned food drive, we started to see just how bright our light can be! I am so proud of you for bringing in food that will help others in our community who are not as fortunate as us.

In the spirit of our quotes week, here are two quotes that demonstrate the importance of what we are doing:

Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you. ~Mother Teresa
and one of my favourites...
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. ~William James

Friday's awesome thing

Bubble Bath

I love, love, love bubble bath!!! Who could help but smile when you are surrounded by bubbles. And bubble beards? Don't get me started :) Getting lost in a sea of bubbles? Awesome!

Giving Thanks

Today, at our Thanksgiving Liturgy, Mrs. Fitzgerald reminded us how blessed each one of is. We have so many things to be thankful for, love, shelter, food, friendships, education, etc. Even though we are thankful for all of these things, we often forget to say thank you for the little things that others do for us each day. She challenged us to say at least one thank you a day that we might not usually say.

My thank you goes out to you, all of my students, who inspire me and teach me something new everyday. I feel very blessed to be part of your learning journey and your lives. Thank you for coming to class with a positive attitude, thank you for all the risks you take and mostly, thanks for being you! I am especially proud of the quotes that you chose to share this week, they are amazing! I thought I would share one of them here in case you haven't all read each others.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes but they don’t quit”
- Conrad Hilton

I think this quote is inspiring to me because it motivates people to never give up. You will make mistakes in life, but you should learn from them. This quote applies to my life because as a hockey player I sometimes make mistakes, but I learn from them. I take advice from my coaches and my dad to learn and improve my skills. I think this applies to other peoples’ lives because all the successful people (like inventors, sport players, singers etc.) they all never gave up to get where they wanted to be. This is important to my faith because when Jesus was on earth he never gave up to please his father; our God. He died on the cross for us. This is why I think this quote is very inspiring. So remember, to never give up and follow your dreams.

Powerful words and interpretation!

Today's awesome thing

Saying I love you

It is incredible to me that 3 little words can hold so much power. Often times, we forget to tell those who mean the most to us just how much we love them. Take every opportunity you can to let people know how much they mean to you, whether it be your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your grandparents, your friends, etc. We never know what tomorrow will bring. Never missing a chance to say I love you? Awesome!

Making Meaningful Connections

Today we learned about making meaningful connections by using four different types of connections: text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world and text-to-faith. To see what meaningful connections looked like, we read a traditional Abenaki legend today entitled, Raccoon's Last Race. It was a great story with a great lesson and it allowed for lots of connections!

PS Doesn't raccoon look sad in this picture? I think he is sorry for his trickster ways!

Little Bit of Awesome

Tea and biscotti

Tea - tasty. Biscotti - fantastic. Biscotti dipped in tea? Awesome!

Nice to meet you!

Today we worked on a math patterning question that involved figuring out how many handshakes would take place if we each shook each others hand once. This was not an easy question and required us to use all of our patterning knowledge (creating a t-chart, finding the common difference, finding the recursive pattern rule, etc. ). It was great to see you all working so hard - and acting the problem out! Tomorrow we will find out what the answer is by reviewing the great work you did in class!

PS I have been so inspired by reading your quotes that I found another one:

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. —Aesop

Time for some awesome:
Heated car seats

The leaves have started to fall, the days are growing shorter and the weather is getting colder. While it may seem as though there are dark days ahead, my mood is brightened by one thought - it's time to turn those heated seats on. Oh, heated seats, how I have missed you. Being reunited is just plain...awesome!

Legend has it...

Today we learned all about legends, what they are, how they started and why they are so important. We will be reading more examples of legends in the next couple of weeks and you will even have the chance to write your very own legend (more details to follow!). We will be having our Patterning test on Friday. To help prepare, you can go to the patterning link under Math and do the problems for lessons 1,2 and 3 (this won't take long!).

PS So impressed with the work you did while I was away! You guys are AWESOME!!!

Speaking of awesome...

Quotes

I just love quotes! They can be funny, sad, inspirational, thought-provoking, etc. One of my favourites:

Sing like nobody is listening,

Live like's it's Heaven on Earth,

Work like you don't need money,

Love like you've never been hurt,

And dance like no one is watching.

My other favourite quote: Awesome!

I'm back!

My dearest students,

I am finally back in Ottawa, safe and sound after a very exciting few days away in Stratford. I had an amazing time at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival! I first visited Stratford when I was in Grade 11 and my English class was fortunate enough to take a trip to go and see The Taming of the Shrew. From that moment, I was hooked both to live theatre and Shakespeare. I am excited to tell you about some of the tings I did while I was away!

On the first day of the conference, we got to have a discussion with some of the Stratford's Festival's actors and a university professor. What I found very interesting was that the actors said that they really want the audience to be engaged and be on the edge of their seats. Also, they said that we would be surprised how much time actors spend talking about the audience. This was something I had never thought of before! Even more reason to be attentive since they are keeping an eye on you (not in a creepy way though;). Next, we went to a workshop that involved lots of fun, hands-on activities (we will definitely do some this year!). That night, we went to see the show Grapes of Wrath. The actors were amazing although I did not really enjoy the play that much (it was quite depressing!). The next morning we went to a dance workshop where we learned how they danced in Shakespearean times. It was hard but really cool! Finally, we went to see Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. It was phenomenal! They had modernized it and it was done with rock and roll music. It was funny, interesting and the actors were unbelievable!

I had such a great time learning all about Shakespeare and his time! I will share my passion for this great literature as the year unfolds. I am very excited to see you all tomorrow!

Warmest regards,

Mme Charles

PS I really enjoyed reading about your week on your blogs! It was always one of the highlights of my day!

PPS In honour of you guys, I went looking for a geocache called Biebermania (since Stratford is his hometown and all). Found it and dedicated it to you guys in my comments :)

PPPS Hope you enjoyed my recount!

Oops! Almost forgot my awesome things

Thursday's awesome thing
Live theatre
So I am the first one to admit how much I love movies. Not just a certain kind of movie, but movies in general. However, watching even the best movie could never compare to the thrill that I get from watching live theatre. There is just something about the fact that each performance is unique, no two are ever the same. The lights, the people, the costumes, wow! It is just plain incredible, not to mention....awesome!

Friday's awesomeness

Riding at the back of the bus

Okay, so I know it's been mentioned before, but it truly deserves to be mentioned again. Yellow school buses are really cool, and as an adult it is very rare that we get to ride them. When we do, we are usually at the front of the bus, sometimes in the middle, but never at the back. So when I boarded the bus and saw that back seat free, I ran to it with a smile on my face (I actually walked because you should never run on a bus as it is dangerous, but you know what I mean!) and sank into that dark green bucket seat. Feeling cool at 31? Awesome!

Miss you already!

Well, I've only been gone a day and I already miss you all! I hope you had a fabulous day! I know you worked hard and I am sure to be blown away with your work when I get back back. I'm especially looking forward to reading your pop can recounts! Well, I didn't have a chance to post yesterday so I thought I'd post my awesome things for you now.

Yesterday's little bit of awesome

When someone apologizes

We all know it's not easy to say I'm sorry. Mind you, being the receiver of an apology, especially when you had done nothing wrong, is truly great. Being able to recognize when you are wrong, and taking the time to apologize no matter how difficult, awesome!

And a second helping of awesome

Being the only ones at a hotel pool

You know how it is, you usually arrive at the hotel pool to find a huge group of people. They're splashing around, yelling, screaming, jumping, etc. Now picture this scene, you arrive to the hotel pool to find....peace and tranquility. No one else around to bother you, the whole place to yourself. So jump in that water and soak up some...awesome!

One Grain of Rice

Over the past couple of days, we have been reading a mathematical folktale entitled One Grain of Rice. This is a great story that shows how important Math is in the real world! It also became a great problem for us to solve! At the end of the 30 days, thanks to doubling, 1 grain of rice became over a billion! WOW!!! Thank goodness some of you had scientific calculators that could handle those numbers!

Awesome thing of the day

Voting

I know you are all to young to vote now, but give it a few years and you will be at the polls! It's easy to believe that one vote won't make a difference, but it has in the past and it will in future. Our ancestors have gone to war to make sure that we would live in a democratic country. So I say, come election day, do your civic duty, be informed and go out there and vote! Having your voice heard? Awesome!

PS On my way out the polling station I held the door open for someone who was walking in.. Turns out it was Mrs. Fitzgerald going in to vote! Crazy!

PPS Un vote pour Rhys est un vote pour Rhys! :)

Cheese!

Today was picture day! I am delighted to say that everyone looked fantastic and there was not a hair out of place (I seriously don't think I've ever seen that many hairbrushes at once!) . Can't wait to see the final shots!

Today's dose of awesome:

Dancing like no one is watching

Ever notice how you dance differently when you are alone than when you are with others? Well I say forget that! Instead, pretend that no one is watching, pull out your best moves and give it all you have. Letting the beat take over... Awesome!

The Power of Prayer

Every morning, we begin our day by listening to a different prayer. Each prayer is a song and has been chosen carefully by myself or one of the students. We always discuss the song after listening to it. How could this song be seen as a prayer? How does it capture our faith? When could this type of prayer be used? We have had some very deep conversations thanks to many artists who have chosen to express their faith through music. Today we listened to Waving Flag sung by Young Artist For Haiti (a song originally done by K'naan).

Young Artists for Haiti is a movement that saw more than 50 Canadian artists gather to record this song. They were hoping to inspire an ongoing effort and contribution to Canadian charities for their work to help the people of Haiti overcome the devastation from the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that rocked the country on January 12, 2010. All proceeds of the song go to three charities: World Vision, War Child and Free The Children (Craig and Mark Kielbergers organization).

Talk about being a light to others! Here is the video we watched:




Today's awesome thing


Public Libraries

A library is truly a magical place. You can get lost in the bookshelves, find that novel you've been wanting to read, escape into another world by cracking open a book right there and then.
And all this for free... Awesome!

Math Monday!

Well, we did lots and lots of Math today! We started by matching up patterns up with their rules and expressions. Then, we learned about explicit and recursive patterns. Next, we tried to figure out how much money Autumn will have in her wedding fund depending on how old she is when she gets married (did I mention she's not getting married until she is at least 23?!). This is when we learned how important it is to start with the right data and read the question carefully (there are 52 weeks in a year!). I was very impressed by your answers! Keep up the great work!

Awesome thing of the day

Hot tea

Alright, so I'll admit it's no hot chocolate with whipped cream. Mind you, it is pretty fantastic in its' own right! It is like a warm hug on a cold day - so comforting. Next time you are chilly, and need something to warm you up, may I suggest a cup of tea with a side serving of...Awesome!

Beautiful Trees

Today we did some really cool art that focused on positive and negative space. We also talked about symmetry, asymmetry, organic and geometric shapes. I am so amazed by how gorgeous they are looking and I can't wait to see all the final products!


Today's awesome thing

A surprise visit

My baby sister (well I guess she's not really a baby since she's 19) called to let me know she was in town for the night. So we got some take out, rented a movie and came home to spend some time together. Unexpectedly seeing someone you haven't seen in a while? Awesome!

Recount for the win!

Wow! We have been very busy looking at recount writing. Recount writing retells past events and aims to inform or entertain the reader. Today we looked at three different examples of a recount text: My Little Sister Ate One Hare, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Chester (in French). We completed our Shape Go Map for two of these stories to help us understand the various elements of the text. I had a great time with these books! We have a few more interesting ones to come next week! Stay tuned!

Awesome thing of the day

Patterns

They are all around us. They can be found in nature, math, language, art, etc. They allow us to predict what's coming and solve problems quickly and effectively.

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

PS Since I forgot to write a post yesterday, here was my awesome thing:

Clearing up a misconception

A false idea or belief. Everyone has them at some point in their life. Perhaps you thought that an odd number was made up of only odd numbers or that it had to start with an odd number. Perhaps you thought that cricket and croquet were the same thing (who does that anyway?!). Having that ah-ha moment, realizing you were wrong and saving yourself a ton of embarrassment in the future... Awesome!

We Day

Today we watched a few minutes of the live coverage of the We day in Toronto. We day is a youth movement that shows that we can all bring on change no matter how old we are. In fact, one of the founders of the we day, Craig Kielburger, co-founded his organization, Free the Children when he was only 12 years old! Talk about being a light to others! For more information on this amazing initiative you can click on the link below:

We Day

Free the Children

We will be learning more about Craig's incredible story this year!

Awesome thing of the day

Lemon zest

Okay, you probably have heard the saying " When life gives you lemons, make some lemonade". Well I say, not only should you make lemonade, but you should use all of that fantastic zest to create something magical! Add lemon zest to your potatoes, your salads, your chicken, etc. The sky is the limit! Lemon zest makes everything taste fresh, citrusy, delicious and not to mention... Awesome!

Does air have mass?

Well, does it? And if it does, why is this important? How can it affect flight? So many questions... Stay tuned in class as we figure out the answers together :)
Awesome thing of the day

When someone holds the door open for you

Now I'm not talking about when someone holds it open and you manage to sneak through (seriously have never, ever, had this happen to me). I'm not even talking about when someone walks out the door and keeps it open for you. I am talking about a delibarate attempt that someone makes to open the door up for you. They are not going anywhere, there is no need for them to open up the door, yet they do it anyways. Finding out that chivalry is not dead - Awesome!

Dear Me

We are almost finished writing our Dear Me letters. I am excited to read all about your goals and see how I can help you achieve them. Your ability to set achievable and authentic (great word Ryan!) goals is a life skill that will help you succeed throughout your life. You are all already on the path to success! Woohoo!

Speaking of letters, here is my awesome thing:
Getting a homemade card in the mail

The fact that someone took the time to make you a card says they must really care about you. The fact that they took the time to mail it to you says they are a friend for life. Receiving a handwritten, handmade card in your mailbox - Awesome!

PS (Post-script!) Have a great weekend!