Monday, March 31

 Hi parents,

We had a great first day back after Spring break.

In the morning, the students wrote about their spring breaks, after doing a quick 'topic / sub-topic' web to organize their ideas. I think that this extra step actually made a big difference in the quality of writing, as many kids were able to quickly write 3+ paragraphs that each focused on a different aspect of their break. It made the writing a lot more organized and encouraged kids to elaborate on their ideas rather than just listing off a series of events.

We spent a bit of time outside enjoying the snow.

In math, we talked about problems involving balancing equations. Problems following the format: "1 + 1 = ___ -1" have been really difficult for the class, even though the math itself isn't actually that complicated (just about everyone would've written '2' in the blank, and been wrong). We talked about the equals sign as representing a 'balance' - both sides need to be the same number, regardless of what operations you use to get there.

In the afternoon, we talked about the next steps for the book in a box project. We will be working on that in class, during class time, so please don't feel obligated to do anything at home, other than help your child choose four items and acquire a box.

In science, we did some experimenting with forces, on marshmallows. This is part of the Grade 3 science curriculum but also overlaps with elements from Grade 4 science. Basically the kids got to crush, stretch, hit, and twist marshmallows, and write down their observations. Yes, it was as fun as it sounds.

Have a nice night,

Zac