September 25 - 29, 2023

Terry Fox Walk Thursday, Sept. 28th:

Our school will be holding our annual Terry Fox Walk fundraiser to commemorate Terry Fox’s inspirational Marathon of Hope on Thursday, September 28th, 2023 (Grade 2/3 will leave school at 9:30 a.m.). Students will be walking on the path around the Beaverpond and then back to school. If you haven't already done so, please sign the permission form sent home last week so that your child can participate in the walk. Please email me or send me a note in your child's agenda if you would like to volunteer to accompany our class on our walk on Thursday.

In order to show our support for cancer research, we invite each student/family to make a donation of $1.00 or $2.00 to the Terry Fox Foundation. You can make this donation in the following ways (please do not send your child to school with cash): 

You can donate through “School Cash Online”: https://ocsb.schoolcashonline.com/ Families also have the option to make donations directly through the Terry Fox foundation: https://schools.terryfox.ca/StGabrielCSKanata Thank you in advance for your support. Truth and Reconciliation Week Sept. 25 - 30: The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day fall on Saturday, September 30. Since it's on the weekend, schools will commemorate the day in school on Friday, September 29th. On Friday, staff and students are invited to wear an orange shirt to participate in the day. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provides an opportunity for each of us to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools. This includes quiet reflection and participation in school and class activities. Orange Shirt Day is an initiative “to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.”  The origin of Orange Shirt Day is based on Phyllis Webstad’s story of having her new orange shirt, that her grandmother bought her, taken away on her first day at Residential School. It was replaced by the school uniform. (Phyllis’ Story). Your child will be learning about the Indian Residential School system in Canada and about reconciliation through participating in this week's stories and activities. The Residential School System was an attempt to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian society and to educate them in an environment that removed them from their families and their culture. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission defines reconciliation as “an ongoing process of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships.” First Nations educator Pamela Toulouse says, “Truth and reconciliation are even more necessary in a world that is challenged and for our children and youth who have inherited it.” For further information about Orange Shirt Day, you can check out this website: http://www.orangeshirtday.org/.  Topics of Learning and Curriculum: In Math, we continue our study of patterning. This week, our focus will be on growing (increasing) patterns. In Grade 2, the learning for students is to identify, extend, and describe growing number patterns and represent them in different ways. In Grade 3, students are practising finding, describing, representing, and creating growing number patterns using charts, number lines, and pictures. Link to Grade 2 Increasing Patterns Parent Summary Letter#1 here Link to Grade 2 Increasing Patterns Parent Summary Letter #2 here Link to Grade 3 Increasing Patterns Parent Summary Letter #1 here Link to Grade 3 Increasing Patterns Parent Summary Letter #2 here The Grade 2 and 3 skip counting units we recently completed provide your child with the basics they will need to help them with the patterning unit. You can support your Grade 3 child at home by encouraging them to practise counting forward and backward by 2's, 5's, 10's, 20's, 25's, 50's,100's, and 200's to 1000. Also, they must be able to skip count starting with a variety of numbers on the 100-chart (for example, start at 27 and count by 2's - 27, 29, 31, 33, 35 ... etc.). Grade 2 students should practise counting forward by 1's, 2's, 5's, 10's, 25's, 20's, and 50's to 200. They should also practise counting backwards by 1's, 2's, 5's, 10's, and 25's from 200. In Language, we continue to learn how to write a proper paragraph. We also have started to focus on determining important ideas to share with others orally and while writing complete sentences (with a beginning uppercase letter and ending with proper punctuation). Our Grade 3 Science unit for the next few weeks will be soils. We look forward to sharing what we already know and dig deeper into the components of soil. In Grade 2 Science, we will explore air and water in the environment. In Visual Arts, we have been learning about the primary and secondary colours and the colour wheel. Important Dates: September 27 - School Photos *See link to photo day info here September 27 - First Popcorn snack day September 28 - Terry Fox walk (Grades 1-3 begins at 9:30 a.m.) September 29 - School will commemorate Orange Shirt Day / National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30 - Real National Day for Truth and Reconciliation October 4 - Deadline to order Pizza lunch October 6  - PD Day October 9 - Thanksgiving Day

 Week of September 18 - 22, 2023

We had a great second week of school! Students have transitioned very well into their new classroom and we are thrilled to be getting to know each other. We look forward to another super week. Here are a few updates and reminders to keep things running smoothly.

Technology News:

We have received our class set of Chromebooks. Each student in our class has been assigned their own class Chromebook to use. Over the next week, the students will practise logging in to their Chromebook using their board-issued email and new password for this year. Once we have practised that a few times, we will learn how to login to the Student Portal to access their Grade 2/3 English Hapara Workspace (coming soon).

In the next week, I will be creating our class Hapara Workspace. In order to login to their Hapara Workspace from home, students must use their school board email account (firstname.lastname@stu.ocsb.ca) and new password which will be issued this week. A copy of your child's login information will be sent home soon. You are also asked to complete our school board's Responsible Use of Technology agreement form for your child/children. See below for instructions.

OCSB Responsible Use of Technology Agreement Digital Form Submission Process:

Information about this process was included in last week's email communication from the school. In case you missed it, the process is explained below.

Please watch the video below on how to use the digital forms:

#ocsbHowTo Video

https://youtu.be/By8r7xqoFro 

Parent Portal process: 

1- Log Into Parent Portal to access each responsible use form (One for each child)

2- Drop Downs (e.g., Grade Division, In-Person/Virtual) will prompt a specific and representative set of agreements for that student level. 

**Demographic Data, like student number, will be pre-filled.

Support on using the ocsb parent portal : Parent portal – The Ottawa Catholic School Board

St. Gabriel Meet the Teacher Open House:

Please join us on Thursday September 21st between 4:30pm - 5:30pm for our St. Gabriel Open House. You will be able to tour the school, see your child's class, and meet their educators. This will be a ‘drop-in’ format so you can come and leave as you need between the hours of 4:30 and 5:30.  We encourage your child(ren) to come and be your tour guide.

Parent Questionnaire:

Thank you to all of you who have already completed the questionnaire. If you haven't already done so, please see the link below. This questionnaire is meant to help me get to know your child better. 

Link to parent questionnaire here

Our Topics and Learning This Week:

In Math, we are coming to the end of our first units on counting. Both the Grade 2s and 3s will have an assessment task early this week in order to assess their learning during their unit. Our next unit will be on patterning.

In Language, we will continue to explore how to write a complete sentence and how to write a paragraph. We will spend some time in the coming weeks learning how to develop interesting opening and closing statements, and detailed sentences in between. We will practise adding adjectives and descriptive words to writing to make it clearer and more interesting.

In Family Life, we have been discussing how we are each unique, with unique names, unique likes and dislikes, and unique family traditions. In Religion, we are working on our Samaritans on a Digital Road unit and learning how to be positive digital citizens who model the gospel values during their online citizenship. This unit is also part of our Media Literacy unit in Language. We are also learning about our school board spiritual theme this year, "Gratitude Rooted in Hope, Fills Us With Love".

**Reminder to please send an email to your child's teacher or call the school to let us know if there are any changes to your child's usual routine (picking up early for an appointment, picking up in person rather than taking the bus, etc.). This will help ensure smoother transitions and allow us to keep your child safe.

Homework:

Occasionally, your child may bring home some of their unfinished classroom work to complete at home, or work in which they need to make their corrections or review concepts with you at home. Thank you in advance for your support with this and for helping your child return this work to school when finished.

If possible, the recommendation is that Grade 2 students should be reading for 20 minutes each night. The recommendation for Grade 3 students is that they should be reading for 30 minutes each night if possible. The students can read aloud to a parent/guardian, or they can be read to by an adult. The focus should be on reading fluency and comprehension. You can help your child develop these skills by reading to them so they can hear what a fluent reader should sound like. You can help develop their reading comprehension by asking them questions before, during, and after the reading (regardless of whether they read to you or you read to them). Some examples of questions you could ask before reading: Look at the front cover. What do you think the story will be about? What is an author/illustrator? During and after reading a fiction book: Who are the main characters? What is the setting in the story? What is the problem? How do you think the character feels? How do you think it will end? Is there a hidden message or moral of the story? Who is your favourite character and why?

Looking Ahead:

Thursday, Sept. 21 - School Meet the Teacher Open House 4:30 - 5:30

Thursday, Sept. 28 - School Terry Fox Walk (Grades 1-3 at 9:30 a.m.)

Friday, Sept. 29 - St. Gabriel will honour Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day

September 30th - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day

            Week of September 11 - 15, 2023

September Topics of Study:

The following are some of our current and upcoming topics:

Math: 

Our focus in Math for the next couple of weeks will be on counting skills. The curriculum expectation for the Grade 2s is to learn to count to 200 in a variety of ways, including by 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 25s, and 50s, using a variety of strategies and tools (for example, whole and partial number lines, 100- and 200-charts). The curriculum expectation for the Grade 3s is to learn to count to 1000 in a variety of ways, including by 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 25s, 50s, 100s, and 200s, using a variety of strategies and tools ((for example, whole and partial number lines, hundreds charts)

See below for the Grade 2 and Grade 3 parent summary letters outlining some key ideas for this week:

Grade 2 Counting Forward Parent Letter linked here

Grade 2 Counting Backward Parent Letter linked here

Grade 3 Counting Forward Parent Letter linked here

Grade 3 Counting Backward Parent Letter linked here

Language:

We will review how to write a complete sentence, including correct uppercase letters at the beginning of each sentence, and punctuation at the end. The Grade 3s will begin to learn how to write a paragraph. We will also begin our phonics lessons this week.

Religion, Family Life and Media Literacy:

This week, the Grade 2s and 3s will begin a unit called "Samaritans on a Digital Road", in which we will learn about how to be good digital citizens and how to be safe and respectful when using technology and the internet.

 

Visual Arts:

Primary and secondary colours; types of lines, shapes, and forms in art works and in the environment; repetition of colour, shape, and line in everyday objects and in works of art

Health & Phys. Ed.:
      
We are learning the safety rules for physical education. We will also work on our travelling and locomotion skills (e.g., hopping, galloping) and play a few simple cooperative games.

Housekeeping Items:

If you haven't already done so, please consider sending indoor running shoes for your child. We will use pencil crayons most often so it would be helpful for your child to have their own pencil crayons at school. It would also be very helpful for your child to have a pencil case (or two) to store pencil crayons, markers, etc. Some of the marker and pencil crayon packages (original packages from the store) are already starting to fall apart in your child's supply storage bin. Please label all of your child's belongings (lunch boxes/bags, containers, backpacks, shoes, rubber boots, winter boots, outdoor clothing, etc.) with their full name. Your child and teachers will thank you!

Parent Questionnaire:

A reminder to parents to please complete a questionnaire for me. This questionnaire is meant to help me get to know your child better. 

Link to parent questionnaire here

School Communication

In order to receive all school communication, please register at: 

 http://ocsb.ca/schoolmessenger/  . 

Agendas

Student agendas are being sent home daily. Please check and initial the agenda every day and ensure that it is sent back to school in your child's mailbag (plastic ziplock bag). It is helpful if it is left open to the page that corresponds to the current week, so that students don't have to find the page each time.

Thank You

Thank you for all the supplies you sent in with your child.  

IMPORTANT:  CLASS BLOG

It is very important that you check this class blog every week as there will be important news items as well as information about our topics of study. There will occasionally also be links to suggested websites for your child to visit.

Dates to Remember:

Friday, Sept. 15 - International Dot Day: Wear polka dots to school. We

will honour the day with fun dot activities.

Dot Day Website here

Sept. 28 - Terry Fox Walk (info. to be sent home soon)

Sept. 29 -  Honouring Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt) Day, which

which is on Saturday, Sept. 30th

 September 5 - 8, 2023 - First Week of School

Welcome to Mrs. Maidment's Grade 2/3. I am looking forward to an exciting year with my class! This blog will be updated at the beginning of each week and will include news, updates, and learning goals for the school year, including a monthly update from Mme Samaroo, our French teacher.

Over the next few weeks, I will be creating a Workspace (in Hapara) for students to access both in class and from home if needed. I appreciate your patience as we work through how best to organize the learning resources for the students. This is always a work in progress.

We will continue to develop our keyboarding skills this school year. I know that keyboarding can often cause frustration for some students and their families. I recommend that your child uses the typing app on the Student Portal titled Typing Club to further develop keyboarding skills. 

Parents will receive a hard copy of a beginning of the year newsletter from me. After that, most letters will be sent via School Messenger. All of our OCSB schools use the SchoolMessenger communication platform to send automated phone calls and emails to parents. Therefore, it is very important that you have signed up to receive all school communication electronically. You MUST register and/or update your school messenger account/preferences at ocsb.ca/schoolmessenger. Kindly ensure you have checked off both “General” and “Teacher to Parent”.

Below is a reminder of some suggested items to send in with your child. These supplies don't all need to be purchased for the first day of school. *Please label all personal belongings with your child's name.

Suggested School Supplies:

Pencils (we suggest ten pencils - #2HB pencils are better than mechanical for Grades 2 and 3) erasers, pencil sharpener, 2 pencil cases (so your child can remove their pencil crayons and markers from the original boxes, which usually fall apart after a few days!), scissors, glue sticks, pencil crayons, French/English dictionary, black Sharpie markers (one ultra fine and one fine), 1-2 dry erase markers, headphones (over the ear ones work best) for Chromebooks, box of facial tissues, reusable water bottle (labeled with student name), proper-fitting non- marking running shoes, and a healthy nut-free lunch and two nut-free snacks (we have two snack times each day). Please note that we do not need ziploc bags in my class. I have plenty!

Students are highly encouraged to also bring in a labelled bag with extra socks and pants in case they get wet on rainy or snowy days.

**Please ensure your child is able to open lunch containers independently. Please practise at home.

Allergies:

When sending your child's lunch and snacks to school, please provide food that does not contain peanut- and nut-free.

Parent Questionnaire:

I would like to invite parents to complete a questionnaire for me. This questionnaire is meant to help me get to know your child better. 

Link to parent questionnaire here

A Note From Our French Teacher:

To begin in September, the Grade 2's and 3's will focus on oral communication by expressing and expanding upon their ideas using complete sentences. The vocabulary we will use will be based on back-to-school routines. The first Social Studies unit for Grade 2 will be People and Environments: The Global Community. For Grade 3, we are excited to learn about People and Environments: Living and Working in Ontario.