Mrs. Boulanger 4B

Hi Grade 4 Parents We made it to the final week of ongoing learning! Please know that we know it has not been easy balancing schooling, households and the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic over the last 14 weeks. We hope that we have made some parts easier, but we know that has not been the case for everyone. It is our hope to be back to a somewhat normal school experience by September, and we are already planning for this. Our classroom will be archived as of June 28th. To prepare for this we are returning all student assignments to them, so that they are the owners of the work they have completed. All the assignments they have finished or worked on will be found in their drive in their classroom folder. Assignments will continue to be viewable in the classroom, but students will not be able to update, hand in work, or comment on anything. Please do not resubmit work! This week our class work will be a bit lighter. For math we are encouraging students to go on their Prodigy account, do

Hello Grade 4 Parents We are into our last two weeks of online learning! The end is in sight! We will be “returning” all online assignments to your child; they do NOT need to resubmit it, unless we ask because edits are required. By returning the work, it gives ownership back to your child.  Science: This week students will be watching a video about pollinators and then they need to label the parts of a flower. Social: This week students working on part 5 of their Animal Research Project.  The focus will  be on their animal’s adaptations and environmental impacts. Math: This week there will be one lesson on Triangular and Rectangular Prisms and one quiz. Literacy: We will be continuing to read Holes this week. 

Hello Grade 4 Parents We are heading into week 13 of ongoing learning and we know that it can be tough to stay motivated. Please know that we understand and feel it as well. Please reach out for support if you or your children need help. Science This week we are changing science a bit. We are starting a new unit called “Plant Growth and Changes”. In our Monday morning meeting, students will be doing a lesson with their teacher about how seeds spread to other places in the world. If your child cannot attend or missed the Monday meeting, please go through the lesson with them in order to facilitate the discussion questions. After the lesson, students will be making 2 or 3 different types of seed pods to learn about the ways that seeds travel. Math There are 2 lessons and a math quiz this week. Don’t forget that there is help available every day if your child is needing support. Social Our Animal Research Project continues this week with part 4. This week students need to complete the DIE

Hello Grade 4 Parents We have finally made it to June!  Thank you for all of your hard work and sticking with our online learning.  We are in the final countdown! This is what we have planned for this week... SOCIAL  Our Animal Research Project continues this week.  We will be focusing on the animal’s habitat and life cycle for this week. There is a video and guide attached that will guide your child through the next step and what needs to be completed. SCIENCE As a finish up to our unit on Waste and our World we will be examining product packaging and its impact on the environment. Students will need to watch a video and then choose products from home where they can evaluate the packaging.  MATH There is one math lesson and one quiz this week and then AREA will be finished!  LITERACY This weeks literacy is the read aloud of HOLES at 9:45 (except Tuesday which will be at 10:30 am). 

Hello Grade 4 Parents Can you believe we are entering our 11th week of isolation? It’s crazy to think that students have been away from our building for that long. We certainly miss having their physical presence and look forward to seeing them again in our classrooms and hallways. We hope that you are all well and that you are finding some success with our ongoing learning program.  We would appreciate your feedback as we enter the last 5 weeks of school Please click on the following link  https://forms.gle/DkD7a2JA5seN1iup9 We know that it’s not always easy to stay on top of assignments so we are seeking your input to improve what we are doing. As always, you are in charge of what your child is completing. You have full discretion to lower the workload for your child if they are finding it challenging to keep up with.  Food Drive: If you are able please drop non-perishable food items off at the school on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. Thank you so much! SOCIAL: Our animal resear

Hi Parents You received an email last week regarding a food drive. If you would like to help, please drop food off on May 27th and 28th on the bus ramp at the school. Thank you for your continued support! If you have any questions regarding the work that students are assigned please let us know. SOCIAL STUDIES: We will be starting an Animal Research Project.  This project will be broken down into smaller parts, each part assigned progressively each week. Be sure to have your child watch the videos and guides, associated with each part of the project, as all questions are answered there! SCIENCE: We are continuing to focus on producers, consumers and decomposers. Students will need to watch some short videos about ecosystems and food chains. After viewing the videos they will need to write a reflection and create their own food chain. *Please remind your child to watch all the videos before completing the assignments.  MATH: This week’s math is mostly word problems. We know that word pr

Hi Parents We are pleased to remind you that the next 2 weeks are short weeks and next weekend is a long weekend! Hopefully your family will enjoy a bit of respite and enjoy some outside time together. On Friday May 15th, there is a PD day and Monday May 18th is Victoria Day so there won’t be school meetings on those days. On both these weeks we will be adjusting the classwork to reflect a short week and we will be hosting our classroom meeting on Tuesday May 20th instead of the regular Monday meeting. Science: This week in science students will be learning about producers, consumers and decomposers. They need to watch a short video to learn the differences between these organisms, do a Google Draw sort activity and then have some time outside in order to find examples in their environment. They can take pictures, draw or simply write what they have seen. Please do this activity in whatever way is most comfortable with your family. That might be a walk on Nose Hill, time in your

Dear Parents, It is hard to believe it is already May. The relaunching plans for Alberta sound both hopeful and exciting. We hope that you are all doing well and have been enjoying the warm temperatures and signs of spring! Please reach out if you are needing support with what your children are doing. Thank you for your continued support and patience during this time. Social Studies Students will watch the video and posted. They have to use their accumulated knowledge to make an educated guess to match each teacher with the region they are in. Then they have to write a reasonable explanation as to why they chose each region. The second activity is a sorting activity similar to the science one from a few weeks ago. Math Students have been assigned 2 Jump math lessons this week. Please remember, if your child needs help with the math we are available every day for support. Please check on your child’s classroom for specific times. Science Students will be learning about biodeg

Hi Parents Welcome to week 7 of isolation. We hope that you are doing alright and are getting outside to enjoy the sunshine we have been having. We know that mental health is a real concern as we walk through these difficult days. If your family is struggling, please reach out to us for help. We can reduce work loads or connect you with resources in our community that can provide support. If your family is struggling or looking for support please note upcoming free webinars for parents. -Kids Have Stress Too -Crisis Survival Skills: Supporting your Child and Teen during Stressful Times -Taming Anxiety Gremlins: Avoiding anxiety traps while promoting resilience -Mindfulness as an Anxiety Management Tool -Emotional Regulation Using Mindfulness To access any of the above webinars please click this link and create an account. https://community.hmhc.ca/sessions/?p=online&fbclid=IwAR1YlVL6AJM4Fu_yCI2LEvMVwFTOClEfSd5G05maOovsKVg02V5IEsFP5cQ Here are the subjects and associat

Hi parents Below you will find the “I can” statements that relate directly to the assignments we have been assigning. These are the specific things we will be looking for in student assignments. Literacy: I can use talk, notes and personal writing to reflect on my ideas and experiences. I can revise my writing so that it makes sense. I can record ideas and information that are on topic. I can use strong (juicy) words to expand my ideas in writing I can connect the thoughts and actions of characters in things I read, hear and see to my personal and classroom experiences.  Math: I can write, draw or tell about decimals. I can show that fractions and decimals are related to each other. I can add and subtract decimals. Thank you for your participation in our workload survey. From this survey, it looks like most families feel that the assignments that the Grade 4 teachers have been assigning are falling within the 5 hours a week time frame. We also know that not everyone fe

Hi Grade 4 Parents We have noticed that there are many kids not completing or turning in work. It’s really important that parents be involved in reading what the assignment instructions are so that they can assist their child in understanding the expectations. -All assignments for the week will be posted in Google Classrooms at 8pm on Sunday evenings. -Daily Journals do not need to be handed in but students should have them available at our weekly meetings -Weekly Google Meet meetings are mandatory (these are usually on Monday at 9:30) -Language Arts activities need to be turned in through Google Classroom. -Jump math should be checked by you at home with the provided answer keys and then students should click ‘turn in’ when completed. Please do not upload pictures of these assignments. There are quizzes that students will complete for assessment. -Other math activities like word problems should be turned in to be marked. -Science activities should be turned in on Google Cla

Dear Parents/Guardians, The GREAT PICK UP Just a reminder to check the Simons Valley School website for designated times of when you can pick up your child’s belongings.  Student last name (A-L) ONLY pick up on Thursday and Student last name (M-Z) Tuesday only.   Please only come during your time. Wednesday April 15th is an alternate date only to be used if you are unable to come in this Thursday or upcoming Tuesday. LIBRARY BOOKS and HOME READING BOOKS All SVS library books/home reading books can be returned the day of your pick up. FOOD DRIVE In addition, to the ‘Great Pick Up’, we will also have boxes available for food donations. The Salvation Army Berkshire Citadel Community Church has been at the forefront of supporting many of our SVS families and this is one way we can help replenish their supplies.  They are in need of canned fruit and vegetables but are grateful for any non-perishable items. Be Brave, Be Kind, Stay Positive.

Hi Parents All of the student assignments were posted to your child’s Google Classroom last night. Keep in mind that these are all of the assignments for the whole week. We have done this so that you are better able to plan out your week to help make this as successful as possible. We have included a student schedule that might be helpful in keeping track of their progress. If it does not work for your family, please feel free to disregard it and do what will work. Please reach out if you are needing help. You can reach me through email and then I can call or respond appropriately. My office hours are from 9:00am -12:00pm and 1:00- 3:00pm. I would like to thank you for your patience as we work all of these changes out together. There will be hiccups, but I know that with patience, flexibility and understanding we can work through anything that comes up. Going Forward we will be posting on our blogs on Mondays. All other communication with students will be on our Google Classroom

An email has been sent to parents and student Gmail accounts with information about how your child can join our Google Meet on Monday. We ask that you review this information sometime this weekend in order to be ready to join on Monday as well as clarify any questions you may have. Have a great weekend! 

Hello Parents We understand that learning from home presents many challenges for families and we want to assure you that we understand how those challenges are different for each of you. If you are finding the work that we are assigning too much for your child or if it is not fitting with your families rhythm during this challenging season, please email your child’s teacher so that we can adjust the expectations to suit them better. The Alberta government has directed teachers of Kindergarten through Grade 6 students to assign 1 hour of work per day. Each student’s ability differs and therefore the amount of time it takes each student to complete assignments also differs. If you are finding that your child requires more work we can provide additional websites that can challenge them in a variety of ways. Please reach out to us if you are needing extra help with finding these extensions. Today’s Assignment: Your child will receive an email today with instructions about logging i

Today’s assignment Log onto Quill (all students should have an account) and complete one of the lessons assigned. This program focuses on practicing typing skills, grammar, and sentence structure practice. We would like students to get in the habit of completing 2-3 Quill lessons per week. Link to access Quill https://www.quill.org/ Go to log in. Students should be able to log in with their google account information. If you require the class code it is bite-tone Important: If your child has not signed up for Google Classroom yet, please have them do so ASAP. We have about 6 students who still need to join the class. In order to join your child needs to go into their Gmail account and accept the invitation to join.  *****We will be having our first whole class meeting on google hangouts on Monday at 9:15am.   The invitation to attend this meeting will be sent to your child's gmail account. Your child should be checking their gmail accounts  daily as they will be re

Dear Parents, An email was sent to you today regarding our online Google Classroom. Please contact me at sgboulanger@cbe.ab.ca if you have any questions.

It was wonderful to connect with many of you on the phone yesterday. We enjoyed seeing many of the student videos and they probably enjoyed seeing each other’s faces.  Going forward, we have learned that we will be using Google Classroom as our online learning program. We will be spending most of this week learning how to use the program so that we can set up our classes, add content, as well as plan tasks and assignments. Please have your students check their Google email for an invitation to join their Google classroom. By accepting the invitation they will be able to access all information and future assignments. Please make sure that this done by Friday, April 3rd. Today’s task - March 31st Now that you had the chance to share your video with us about your break, we want you to write about it. Write a 3 paragraph journal entry about what you have been doing. This is due Friday April 3rd. The must haves for this assignment are: Paragraph 1: How has your household adjusted to

We hope you and your family are safe and healthy and were able to enjoy Spring break. We are working on contacting each family in our classes by phone. If you do not receive a call by tomorrow please reach out to me by email - sgboulanger@cbe.ab.ca You will be notified this week when you can pick up school materials and belongings.  We understand there has been plenty of uncertainty about what learning is going to look like moving forward. Thank you for your patience as we work through some necessary planning in preparation for resuming structured learning opportunities for your child. We can assure you that we are going to work on key learning outcomes at-home within the parameters established by the province and the CBE. This week our school will choose an online learning platform and will be learning how to use the platform and plan tasks for the following week.  I have sent a video link for students below. Please have your child click on the following link to access the

Dear Parents, We hope everyone is safe and healthy at this time. We miss seeing our students!! While we realize that the upcoming Spring Break will look different than what we are used to, we hope that you will be able to relax and spend quality time with your loved ones. The link below is a way you can discuss the current situation with your child.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_JrUmjyp5c-FecweUuVGbbRHxU-hS8Bl/view?usp=sharing Please note that all learning materials and non critical items like shoes etc. will be held at the school until after March break. Watch for an email on the school website for the plan which will be posted after the break. Here are some follow up activities or things to keep you busy during these quiet days: Reading: Reading is a great activity for kids and your whole family. In addition to reading books of their choice they can access Tumblebooks https://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/auto_login.aspx?u=calgarypl&p=sd19 Username: calgarypl Passw

Highlights: -The Heritage Fair projects were amazing! Thank you for offering your children so much support during this project. They were so excited to share their work with our school community. The students were very disappointed that the evening portion of the Heritage Fair had to be canceled but they understood that safety had to come first. We sent all projects home with students yesterday if they were here at the end of the day. Reminders: -Schools have received information from Calgary Board of Education Communications in regards to gatherings from now until Spring Break. Please note: -Events including the school and regular staff population of the school MAY continue. This includes events such as after school clubs, practices etc. Schools with scheduled field trips may still continue at this time. -Events that expand to include populations from other schools and/or parents or other community members should be postponed and further information will be provided after Mar

Highlights: -Our student teacher Ms. Parent has started a unit on Fairytales. Students have enjoyed reading different versions of the classics and are working on writing a letter to the Big Bad Wolf. -In math we have finished our Fractions unit and have moved on to Decimals. -We hope everyone is well on their way with their Heritage projects. We look forward to our Celebration of Learning on Thursday, March 12th where all our wonderful projects will be on display. Reminders: -There will be a Winter Sports Day on Friday, March 13th from 12:00 to 1:15. Volunteers are needed for this event, please contact Mrs. Latham if you can help at ajlatham@cbe.ab.ca -The Heritage project that is due on Wednesday March 11th and will be presented/shared on Thursday March 12th. Here are some important details regarding the project: -Students need a visual presentation, if your family requires support to buy some supplies please contact your students teacher. They can create a poster, trifold, po

Highlights: -A good time was had by all this Friday at our mini Carnivale! Thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers that helped with our pseudo Maple taffy. -We are on the home stretch of our novel study of the book Wonder. In correlation to this, we have been exploring various Kindness activities. -In math we have finished our Data Collection unit and have moved on to Fractions. -We hope everyone is well on their way with their Heritage projects.  In class time to work on the project will be given to students starting next week. Please have students bring the information and materials they need to start their project on Monday . - We look forward to our Celebration of Learning on Thursday, March 12th where all our wonderful projects will be on display. Reminders: -The Heritage project that is due on Wednesday March 11th and will be presented/shared on Thursday March 12th. Here are some important details regarding the project: -Students need a visual presentation, if your

Highlights: -We welcomed our new students teacher Ms. Parent to our classroom. She will be returning to work with us on March 2nd for 6 weeks. -On Tuesday you received an email regarding the Heritage project that is due on Wednesday March 11th and will be presented/shared on Thursday March 12th. Here are some important details regarding the project:               1) In class time to work on the project will be given to students in 4B the week of March 2nd - March 11th. Please have students bring the information and materials they need to start their project on Monday March 2nd. 2) Students need a visual presentation, if your family requires support to buy some supplies please contact your students teacher. They can create a poster, trifold, powerpoint presentation, scrapbook, etc.. 3) If you are looking for a way to digitize the family tree portion of this assignment, have a look at this website: https://www.familyecho.com/ 4) There will be 2 parts of the Heritage Fair that y

Highlights: -We have been working really hard to learn and master long division these last two weeks. We are proud of all our students' effort and perseverance in learning this challenging concept. We are starting our second workbook Jump Math 4.2 next week! -We are continuing to recognize acts of kindness around the classroom. We completed a circle of courage and shared the qualities we need most in a friend. -Thank you for all the effort you put in to help your child plan and build a self propelled car. We saw many great looking models today!  If your child forgot their car or hasn’t completed it please bring it in on Monday as we will be testing them then. Reminders: -Skating is next week! There are skates and helmets available at the skate shack at no charge. --Students require helmets to skate but cannot wear bike helmets! If they do not have appropriate head gear they will be asked to use a helmet from the skate shack. Dewald/Neumiller’s classes will skate on Monday

Highlights: -We have been working on learning long division. This is a difficult concept for many students as there are multiple steps. All grade four students have brought home a homework page that is to be completed for Monday. We have added long division videos below that explain the steps. -We have started a project on Alberta Peoples’ History. Students are working in groups to research information about various groups who lived in Alberta 100 years ago. They will be doing oral presentations, teaching their classmates about their topics. -We will be focusing on kindness in the month of February. We are reading the novel Wonder, which has created lots of great discussions around what it means to be kind as well as accepting others. Reminders: -Please be working on your science project. Remember that your car is due on Friday, February 7th -Continue to practice your basic facts in multiplication and division. We are working on the standard algorithm for long division in cla

Highlights: -Mrs. Neumillers and Mr. Dewalds classes moved into the DLC today. The space has been transformed into a great looking classroom. -We had our first CAD today! Please ask your child what CAD they are in and what they did today. -Mission Impossible has been set up in the gym for the last 2 weeks. Please ask your student what the best obstacle was, the hardest obstacle and the easiest obstacle. -We continued to learn and practice several different division strategies and will be learning the standard algorithm next week. This is a complicated concept with lots of steps so we will be working on it for several days. Reminders: -Students need to be home reading for 20 minutes a day. I have noticed as of late there has not been as many Laser City Reading logs handed in. I can send another one if your child needs another copy. -Please be working on your science project. Remember that your car is due on Friday February 7th -Continue to practice your basic facts in multipli

Highlights This week we had a great time experimenting with balloon rockets and pinwheels exploring various ways to power cars. In Social Studies students have been learning about the fur trade and how Alberta was settled. Ask your child about who they were in the fur trade game! In Math we continued to work on division concepts. Reminders All students have received a homework assignment to build a car that is self propelled. The homemade vehicle is due Friday February 7th. Please look over the assignment and let us know if your family needs any supplies. Friday January 31st is a PD Day-no school for students Please continue to review multiplication and division facts.

Highlights: Welcome back! We hope everyone had a wonderful and restful break! We started our week off by choosing our ‘Word of the Year.’ We spent time discussing goals and resolutions and we all came up with a word (patience, organization, resiliency, etc.) we want to focus on going into the new year.  We continue to work through division topics in math. Thank you for continuing to review this at home. Next week we will be sending a Science project to be completed at home. Using what they learned about simple machines, students will be designing a vehicle using recycled materials. You do not need to make a special shopping trip to the store to purchase materials. Look for the information package that will be sent home next week.  Reminders: An extreme cold warning is predicted for all of next week. Students need to ensure they are dressed appropriately for the weather. Please do not hesitate to personally reach out to your teachers if you require help in providin